…when he discovered credible evidence that the church\u2019s founder, Joseph Smith, was a polygamist and that the Book of Mormon and other scriptures were rife with historical anomalies, Mr. Mattsson said he felt that the foundation on which he had built his life began to crumble.<\/p>\n
Around the world and in the United States, where the faith was founded, the Mormon Church is grappling with a wave of doubt and disillusionment among members who encountered information on the Internet that sabotaged what they were taught about their faith, according to interviews with dozens of Mormons and those who study the church.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt like I had an earthquake under my feet,\u201d\u009d said Mr. Mattsson, now an emeritus area authority. \u201cEverything I\u2019d been taught, everything I\u2019d been proud to preach about and witness about just crumbled under my feet. It was such a terrible psychological and nearly physical disturbance.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n