When I was 16 years-old, my Mormon friends and I were discussing "the mysteries of the kingdom" and my best friend mentioned that Mary (the mother of Christ) was one of Heavenly Father's wives.
I considered my friend just as expert in the religion as myself, so thinking about her statement...I had a WTF moment.
I felt completely unsettled, my head spinning. I remember scouring church resources for the next day or two until I could reassure myself that the idea she'd presented was false.
12 years have passed.
Recently I was talking with two other exmormons, one of whom left the church about a decade ago, and the other of whom left the church three decades ago. The church is an evolving system, and so of course in some ways a lot has changed since both of them left. I noticed that occasionally one of them would make a statement about church doctrine or cultural belief and I would think to myself, "No, that's not how it is." What I meant was, "I never believed it that way." As if my more current understanding reflected greater accuracy. Sometimes I would even speak up to clarify.
And then I had a revelation. ;)
I am the product of church correlation!!! There actually isn't one "right" viewpoint of the LDS church, its members, its culture, its doctrine. There is enough material for the religion to be experienced and understood in an infinity of ways. Correlation fails miserably because it selects a modern-day bias and utilitzes only supporting material. It cannot unite the historical beliefs within an evolving system.
Now, I realize my childhood friend could have found plenty of material to support the belief that Mary was God's spouse. She wasn't wrong. I wasn't wrong either; but I wasn't "right" just because I found enough material to support a contrary belief. My view was, perhaps, more aligned with modern-day correlation. Not more or less accurate.
Give me some time, and my experiences and understanding will sound "not quite right" to those who leave the church at a later date. Interesting.