Raised in the Two by Twos Cult (2x2, The Truth) - Kari and Kyle Hanks Pt. 1 | Ep. 2008

Kari & Kyle Hanks share their journey of leaving the secretive 2x2 church, a religious group with no official name, written doctrine, or corporate structure. They discuss their upbringings, struggles with faith, the exclusivity of the religion, and the trauma they endured. From discovering the church’s hidden history to creating a support group for ex-members, they expose abuse scandals, strict doctrines on women, and emotional suppression within the group. Their deconstruction was influenced by the Mormon Stories Podcast, COVID-19, and personal revelations about belief, identity, and autonomy. Now, they advocate for informed consent and support those leaving high-control religions. Show Notes YouTube 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:40 Kari & Kyle introduce themselves and the Two by Twos group 00:14:04 They do not have a written doctrine, it is all word of mouth 00:21:59 The founding of Two by Two - founded by William Irving 00:28:28 It wasn’t until 1905 that the group started preaching exclusivity 00:37:52 Irving is kicked out of the church, although some still stay loyal to him. Another splinter group. 00:49:50 Three meetings a week 01:00:46 Background of their theology/doctrine 01:09:02 Discussion of Heaven & Hell 01:17:04 Kari’s background in the church 01:23:17 Growing up as a 2x2 girl 01:30:30 How does the group refer to themselves? 01:38:43 Never having the language to describe her feelings or sexuality 01:42:09 Higher education was discouraged for many, especially women 01:54:17 Emotional manipulation in high demand religions 02:24:47 2x2s very politically conservative, but are not typically involved politically 02:27:08 When did she start to think she was in a cult? Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors! Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today: One-time or recurring donation through Donorbox Support us on Patreon PayPal Venmo Our Platforms: YouTube Patreon Spotify Apple Podcasts Contact us: MormonStories@gmail.com PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117 Social Media: Insta: @mormstories TikTok: @mormonstoriespodcast Join the Discord