Taylor Frankie Paul Leaves Mormon Church After Scandal

Taylor Frankie Paul, 31, has announced her decision to detach from the Mormon church, a faith she was raised in. This move comes in the wake of a domestic violence scandal that led to the cancellation of her season of The Bachelorette prior to its scheduled premiere. Paul shared her feelings via Instagram Stories, expressing that while she will always respect her religious background, it is time for personal change.

She clarified that her departure does not diminish her faith in Christ, God, or the Bible, emphasizing a belief in universal love and grace extended to everyone. Paul recounted leaning on her faith during what she described as 'hell on earth' for the past 40 days, finding strength and signs of divine presence through prayer and gratitude. She also acknowledged receiving grace from individuals outside traditional religious structures.

The catalyst for these events was a video surfacing on March 19, showing Paul in a domestic dispute with her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. This incident prompted ABC and Disney Entertainment Television to cancel her Bachelorette season, stating their focus was on supporting the family. Paul pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in August 2023 related to a February 2023 incident, with probation expected to conclude in August 2026.