In Maine, Judge Clapp was not pleased. The sarcastic comment he made at an October 6, 1998 custody hearing would get him in trouble. He …
Great Expectations: What Are Your Hopes and Predictions for General Conference?
“It’s the MOST WONderful TIIIME of the YEARRRRRR.” The leaves are starting to change color. The evenings and mornings are a bit crisper. Even the …
Nuclear Disarmament Meets Mormon Patriotism
Lately more and more Church members have begun to wonder why the Church is so supportive of the United States military. We’ve experienced a long …
Worthiness Interviews: A Poll
There has been a lot of discussion in the b’nacle about the worthiness interviews routinely conducted by members of the bishopric with the young men …
In Praise of Elder Packer: ‘Let Them Govern Themselves’
It might just be the posts that I read, but Boyd K. Packer is not the most popular of Apostles in the Bloggernacle (or perhaps …
Trading Polygamy for Statehood
If one searches around the bloggernacle, you’ll find a snarky comment about how the church traded polygamy for statehood, or that the church just wimped-out …
The Church and the IRS
Thomas Vaughn Barlow really does not like the IRS. On June 8, 2007, he sent it a letter, which stated: This means that if you …
“Moderation in All Things”: A Poll
The phrase, “moderation in all things” is a euphemism usually (but not exclusively) associated (by Mormons at least)with the Word of Wisdom. It usually means …
A Personal Interpretation of Elder Hafen’s Remarks
At the Evergreen conference held September 18-19, 2009, Elder Bruce Hafen gave a talk regarding homosexuality. The talk was reprinted on the official LDS Church …
‘I really think it would be best if you ended your remarks at this point?’
John Remy posted an interesting blog/video where a man, speaking about his concern with the Church’s practice and policy during the Prop 8 debate, was …
The Growing Mormon Sex Abuse Scandal
The chagrin would be immediate from reading these words in a law book: For five years, in defendant’s capacity as a schoolteacher, neighbor, and secretary …
Liken All Scriptures: Matthew 7:1-2
[poll id=”59″] Please explain your answer.
LDS Grass-Roots Interpretations of the Eve Archetype
Since Eve is one of the most powerful archetypes for women, it’s not surprising that this story is at the root of many discussions of …
Lessons from the BYU Women’s Conference
Some people know that my wife spoke one year at the conference. What they usually don’t know is that they found my wife because the …
On Agency and Accountability: An Inter-dependent View
Jeff Spector wrote a post on Agency a few months ago which I enjoyed alot. The discussion led me down a slightly different path and I …
Bringing Out The Delusional
As I am hardly the model of mental health myself, I am generally loathe to describe others as crazy. However, one cannot read all of …
“Ich Bin Ein Pioneer”
This post was originally scheduled to appear on Pioneer Day, but I had a bit of an accident and had knee surgery the day before, …
LaJauna on Life – Lesson #1: Deserving Charity
Today’s guest post is by LaJauna. Hiya there folks, please allow me to formally introduce myself to you all: My name is LaJauna L. Jentsen, …
What Mormon Prisoners Want
In an earlier mormonmatters post (here), I examined the rise of Mormons as criminal defendants in court opinions. Not surprisingly, most LDS criminals do not …
The Genius of Mormonism: Ordinances
This is the next installment in my series about what gives Mormonism staying power and makes it an effective religion at winning and retaining adherents.
How Our Families Can Help Families Around the World Escape Poverty
A year ago my wife and I were struggling to find ways to teach our children the importance of helping those in need, and lamented …
Have you read the Sealed Portion of the Book of Mormon Yet?
Christopher Nemelka has published the sealed portion of the Book or Mormon and has also translated the 116 pages of missing manuscript. His website can …
The Surprising Truth About Mormon Employment Discrimination
Religious discrimination in the workplace is barred in the United States. It has been that way since the 1960s. This prohibition is across the board, …
My 9/11 Tribute
This essay has almost nothing to do with the September 11th attacks. If anything, the attacks that many of us saw only served as a …
Narratives
History seems like a collection of facts, but in reality, most history is a collection of stories that we use to give context to the …
Too Much of a Good Thing: A Birth Control Poll
Does the church discourage birth control? Are couples encouraged to breed as quickly and frequently as nature allows? Take this poll to share your feelings …
Mormons Doing Nasty Things
Are Mormons more often criminals than members of other similar religions? This is a question we will never answer with precision. After all, one’s religion …
John Remy’s Been Summoned to a Disciplinary Council for Reported Apostasy
John Remy (an old friend of Mormon Matters) is being summoned to a stake disciplinary council for apostasy. Bummer. Sad. Our love goes out to …
‘A Sacred Silence’: Blake Ostler on the Heavenly Mother
In a Sunstone presentation entitled ‘A Return to Logic’, which discusses Blake Ostler’s work, he was asked about the Heavenly Mother. As a fan of …
Overseas Persecution of Mormons: A Comparative Analysis
We know that the LDS Church has projected itself around the world through its missionary efforts. This has occurred during a time when U.S. immigration …
Homework Assignment for this Sunday’s Testimony Meeting
Every now and then, you can find me sitting in testimony meeting with a note card on my lap and a pen in my hand, …
The Word of Wisdom and animal cruelty
I had one of those “oh, great” moments today as I was searching the news online. I have “oh, great” moments now and then. For …
“Save Kolob”: Church News Says Book of Abraham “Not Central to the Restored Gospel”
High Priests Groups world-wide are still reeling at the Church News’ announcement that questions surrounding the accuracy and authenticity of the Book of Abraham are …
The Grand Council in Heaven: Re-interpreting an Archetype
As a fan of Mormon Studies I value the opportunity to discuss and, sometimes, disagree. In this regard, I have been particularly inspired by the …
Scripture Inerrancy, Literalism, and Pres Veazey
There are those (especially among Evangelicals) who believe that the Bible is inerrant and literal. For example a scriptural literalist will claim that Noah’s flood …
Do Mormon Kids Understand the Atonement?
Does the church teach that we are saved by grace or that we are saved by works? This is one of the most oft-repeated criticisms …
Do We Let the Church Get in the Way of the Gospel?
Any church is like an orange: it has sweet, juicy, nourishing fruit (i.e., truths that help people live better lives); and it has a tough, …
Prosperity vs. Religion
There was a great article in Newsweek called (Un)wired For God. It was a follow up on a prior article that had talked about the …
A Case for Slavery
A few years ago, John Dehlin did a few podcasts about the Priesthood Ban. I wrote up a post which combined about 3 of John’s …
What level of encryption is required to preserve a sacred space?
One of my grandfather’s hobbies was the study of ancient mystery religions, especially Eleusis and Eleusinian Mysteries. One thing that was striking in reading his …
Taking control of the Mormon conversation — Another Look at Ballard
A few days ago (depending on when I get to publishing this), we had a rather lively discussion about Elder M. Russell Ballard’s Engaging Without …
5 Questions After 5 Years – From A Longtime ‘Nacle Wannabe
A cross-post from Nine Moons — written by John Dehlin by request of Rusty Clifton — in celebration of Nine Moons’ 5-year anniversary. ========= Most …
The Book of Mormon and the Prosperity Gospel
So, it seems that some of the other sites in the Bloggernacle have already sidebarred something about this little article from the New York Times …
The New CES Book of Mormon Institute Manual: Part 2
The Church have just published (although I wrote this from a draft that I had access to before it was published) the new CES Book …
Insiders & Outsiders
When it comes to Mormonism, do you feel more like an insider or an outsider?
What if the Brethren decided to allow gay marriage? by Justin Perry
What if the Brethren decided to allow gay marriage? They’d have to do a lot of back-peddling to explain why they were suddenly in favor …
The New CES Book of Mormon Institute Manual: Part 1
The Church are in the process of publishing an updated version of the Book of Mormon Institute Manual for CES classes. (They seem to be pretty …
The force of history
I’ve a friend in the simulations industry, and it almost drives him crazy when he hears about the “force of history” or about how history …
Belief vs. Action
Which is more important – belief or action? Is faith without action better than action without faith? Is belief without action better than acting despite …
Single Mormon Chick
Intro: Everybody blogs, right? Why not me? Looking for my niche, my angle, and the one thing that seemed to make me stand out in …
Highway 61 Re-revisited: Fear and Trembling before Faith
Oh God said to Abraham, “Kill me a son” Abe says, “Man, you must be puttin’ me on” God say, “No.” Abe say, “What?” God …
What is Endless, Eternal or Everlasting?
My apologies to anyone who thinks I’m discussing aleph numbers or SSM. I’m on to something else.
No Matter What Your Definition…
You’re all invited to attend the Sunstone “Un-Snacker” (Great fellowship and friends, but no food). It will be held on Friday, August 14, 10 PM …
Unleashing the Analyst. A Personal Story
As I have already posted a few times, I think it’s time I introduce myself. So, this is my story, Mormon Story style (only without …
Vow of Silence, by David Wilcox
I wanted to share w/ ya’ll a new song from my favorite artist — David Wilcox. It’s called “Vow of Silence” — and for me, …
Liars, Damned Liars and Statisticians
Is the church growing or shrinking? Is it even possible to measure church growth accurately? Is this a case of statistical confirmation bias? Read on …
Gender vs. Sex
The Proclamation on the Family states: “Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.” What is meant by gender? …
Apostate = someone who fails to honor his own conscience
The third ward verses the seventh ward. Us verses them. Insiders verses outsiders. My buddies and I were third warders. We were full of ourselves. …
A Problem in Understanding Celestial Sexuality
Disclaimer: This may be offensive to some people. I will talk about hetero and homosexuality in relation to understanding a ‘celestial sexuality’ and whether one …
How do we earn our morals?
A while back on my blog, Seth R (usually of 9 Moons fame) posted a lengthy and detailed comment about the deficiencies of liberal religion …
The Institutionally Unforgivable?
The message of the Gospel of Christ could be encapsulated in a few adjectives, such as: love (Charity), repentance, forgiveness and service. But how should …
Why do you go to Church?
I have left messages on this and other blogs about how boring church can be. This has prompted the question, “Well, if it’s so boring, …
Alexander Doniphan and the Limits of Dissent
The Story of Alexander Doniphan is well-known and probably does not need to be recounted here (For more information see Mormon Heretics Post – A …
Why I became a Mormon missionary-Reuben Collins
From June 2000 to July 2002, I served a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Ohio Cleveland Mission. …
Obama and Elvis are cousins
President Barack Obama met with President Monson on Monday in the Oval Office, thanking President Monson for a thorough history of the first family.
Is Prayer About God?
What does prayer mean? What is its purpose in our lives? Today’s guest post is from jmb275.
Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up?
David W. Bercot, a Texas attorney and Evangelical Christian, embarked on a quest to discover what Christians believed and practiced before the Nicene Creed. What …
What’s good in a Bible Translation?
In the church, it seems to be a written rule (or perhaps it’s just one of those pesky unwritten orders of things) to use the …
Science vs. Religion: A Poll
When there is a seeming conflict between science and religion, people tend to make a mental choice that either favors religion or science. Which is …
‘The only Power to Punish the Church has ever had’?
Hugh Nibley once said “Excommunication… [is] the only power to punish the Church has ever had”. Yet, what is the nature of this punishment and why does it need to be used at all? How does excommunicating someone fit with Christ’s message to seek out the lost sheep and carry them back?
God is an Ocean
Yanna the prophetess was sitting under a tree praying and meditating for days and a vision surges over her like a tidal wave of overwhelming, …
The Doctor Is IN: An Interview with The Mormon Therapist
Natasha Helfer Parker is a licensed therapist who has counseled the LDS community for 12 years. In 2009, she began a blog called The Mormon …
Early Mormonism in Context
We tend to view Mormonism in the context of its current contemporaries: Baptists, Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, and atheists (among many others). But how does Mormonism …
There is only one issue in the Bloggernacle and all other things are only appendages to it.
“The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again …
Niblets Poll Closed
Voting on the Niblets is now closed. Watch for final results and in-depth report by Guest Blogger Ziff to appear Monday!
Understanding General Authorities, Part II
The current culture of the Church involves a lot of committee work where movement happens only after consensus is reached on most points. Consider, the …
doubt
A seminary teacher I had in high school is in some BIG trouble.
The Genius of Mormonism: Israel is Back, Baby! (POLL incl.)
One of the attractive components to Mormon theology was the notion that Mormons were a chosen people, and both figuratively and literally part of the …
Poly-What?, or, a Contemporary View of LDS Plural Marriage
Being from England, we do not really have a Polygamous Pioneer heritage like some from the US. However, we do have something a little more contemporary. I was speaking recently to a single woman who had a few children and had divorced been for some time and as we were speaking about the Church’s history in this area she explained to me a few of her recent experiences with people who wanted to practice Polygamy.
Dancing Through the Sidebar
Comment on any of the following articles – or anything else from the sidebar – or any other article of interest to this forum that …
Vote for #1 Funniest Reason to be Mormon
Here is the poll based based on last week’s post. I’m picking the top 5 funny reasons to be Mormon. I picked 5 that I …
Mormon Dating Sites – What the Heck?!?
In a church that requires chastity but a world in which random hookups are the norm, what about the plight of single adults who are well …
POLL: Prophetic Infallibility, Obeying the Prophet, and Being Blessed for Obeying the Prophet
What do active Mormons think their Church leaders teach them, and what do they actually believe personally, about the infallibility of the Prophet’s statements about …
mothers really are the primary nurturers
I have long been dismayed by the seemingly arbitrary idea that mothers should be first in charge of nurturing their children, with fathers there to …
I Have Seen the Axe
Alice Walker, who wrote about the heartbreak of female genital mutilation quoted an African proverb in the beginning of her book Possessing the Secret of …
Voting — 2008 Niblet Awards
And the nominees are . . .
The Word made Flesh: Poetry, Spirituality and Scripture
I find some poetry immensely moving and even spiritually satisfying. Even though I am not ‘well read’ I still sense that there is a vast reservoir of literature that could provide other channels of communication with God. For me poetry has been one of those channels, especially when it comes to considering my fear of death, I have found it helpful and liberating (check out ‘Aubade’ by Philip Larkin). In addition I have discovered a changing relationship with God through poetry.
Who is a Cultural Mormon?
First, Happy Independence Day (yay)! …so I was digging through classic Mormon Matters and found Clay’s discussion asking: how much does church activity has to …
Joseph Smith is a Ute!
I posted this on my blog, but wanted to share with more people. I always got a kick out of the signs in the student …
Five Funniest Reasons to be Mormon
Contest to find the top funniest reasons to be Mormon.
Last Chance for Niblet Nominations
Niblet Nominations are now CLOSED. Enjoy perusing these links over the weekend, and the voting will commence on Monday!
David Foster Wallace
Totally worth the read if you haven’t read it before. http://www.moreintelligentlife.com/story/david-foster-wallace-in-his-own-words It’s a commencement speech given a few years back by a famously gifted author …
Book of Abraham and Gospel of Judas
Ok, comparing these two books might seem a bit odd, but let me explain. First of all, I’ve already done a few posts on Abraham. …
No More Strangers
The church in California is initiating a Young Single Adult conference of unprecedented proportions. On August 7th and 8th, all of the YSA’s in the …
Groupthink
“Groupthink” is what naturally happens when a group becomes sedentary and sluggish. When change is introduced or new people are introduced, they challenge the “groupthink.” …
Adam and Eve: the First TBM & NOM
There have been several attempts over the years to categorize Mormon “belief-styles”: Orthodox Mormon versus Liberal Mormon, Iron Rod Mormon versus Liahona Mormon, and so …
Welcome to the Niblets Nominations!!
Mormon Matters introduces the 2008 Niblets Awards! Comments are now closed. If you have further nominations, click HERE. The opportunity to honor the unique and …
Japanese: A Modern Case for Reformed Egyptian
One of the common complaints about and arguments against the Book of Mormon is the claim that it was written in “Reformed Egyptian” – a …
Mormon Mythology: Sons of Perdition
From a mythological perspective, why does our religion have such a powerful and detailed “Sons of Perdition” element? I asked myself this recently after observing …
Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson: Tributes are in order
Two pop icons are gone on the same day. A clingy swimsuit; multiple noses – that hair; the moonwalk – Angels; Demons. So much to mourn; …
When the Spirit leaves……
We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, repentance; third, baptism by immersion …
The Disillusionment Phase
Today’s guest post is by Kate from Myriad Mormon Musings. Here is a brief introduction, in her own words, followed by her post: “My name …
Bloggernacle Rankings: BCC is #1!
According to alexa.com, By Common Consent is currently the top ranked site in the Bloggernacle. Congratulations to our esteemed colleagues; you have earned the distinction …
WHAT THE WORLD THINKS OF GOD
The ICM poll of 10,000 people in the USA, UK, Israel, India, South Korea, Indonesia, Nigeria, Russia, Mexico and Lebanon was carried out for the …
The Genius of Mormonism: Missions
I wanted to do a series of posts on aspects of the LDS church that I consider to be sheer religious genius. These are religous …
Spirituality, Rationality, Mentality, Duality
Today’s guest post is by jmb275. In my first guest post, I talked about intellectualism and faith. A few of the commenters pointed out that …
Bushman’s Take on Polygamy
A few weeks ago, here at Mormon Matters, I posted on My Perspective on Polygamy (with a longer version found on my blog.) I hinted …
My first time at Young Womens Camp
This week I volunteered to help as the “priesthood” on staff for a couple days at Young Women Camp. Perhaps this is all old hat …
Looking Forward to the Good Life
I’ve spent some time over the years thinking about questions that remain in regards to the logistics of the afterlife.
The Power of Choice
One of the most important doctrinal points of the LDS Church is the power of choice, called agency or free agency in the Church. In …
Mormon Matters Now on Facebook and Twitter!
We have sold our social networking souls! Please follow us! On Twitter! This link has been updated… On Facebook! If you join the facebook blog network, …
Learning and Understanding Vs. Winning Arguments
Why do you read and comment on blogs? What is your goal? Do you want to make points and debate with others? Is it more …
What is Revelation?
People have different opinions on what personal revelation is. Is it from God or from within us? Is it personal or universal in the scope …
Academic Freedom in the Church-by Aaron Reeves
On the 2nd November 2007 a press release was issued from the Church, attributed to Pres. Hinckley, which said: “. . . the Church encourages …
John Hamer returns (sort of)! A Look at the CoC
Over the last year, I have come across a few bloggers who are members of the Community of Christ (formerly known as RLDS). I have …
Family First?
In a pro-family church, why doesn’t family always come first? We state that family comes before church, and yet there seem to be many in …
Alma 32, A Thought Experiment
Actually, we will begin with verse 28, but I don’t want to copy and paste everything…so I assume you all have scriptures (or can follow …
Speculation: Christ Uncrucified
Today’s post is by Orchard. The following narrative is purely speculative in nature, but I think the thought experiment has merit. I am a fan …
Time and Art, Part 2
Last Sunday, I mentioned a philosophical question I had in my mind and the comfort I received from the Lord after receiving an answer. In …
Missionary Lessons from the Land of Oz
This is a guest post from S Faux at Mormon Insights. Preface: Listed below are some secrets for “trunky” LDS missionaries (Elders and Sisters) with …
Trying to Understand My Friends Who Didn’t Leave the Faith
Here is a modified excerpt from a 60-page writing that I made for close friends and family members when I decided to leave the church …
Time and Art, Part 1
The way we experience time has never been too fascinating to me until the last week or so. I can’t pinpoint exactly when it hit …
Why I am a Tory
Perhaps it is the heretical imp in me, but I have often shifted in my seat uncomfortably as I sit in classes at BYU and …
If someone should get only one thing out of the church, what should it be?
In an ideal world, we would like everyone to be members of the church (actually, this is just a generalization that I’m going to write …
The Facade of Activity
You see them every week at Church, attending their meetings, performing their callings, shuttling their children to this or that activity. They are active in …
Sacred Space
Today’s guest post is by Joe Geisner. Over on Juvenile Instructor, Jared T. and Ben have done a wonderful job of reporting on the “Sacred …
Taking the Fun Out of Funerals
What do you want your funeral to be like? Do you care or do you figure you’ll be dead anyway? How do you feel about …
A South American Setting for Book of Mormon
A few weeks ago, we had quite a discussion on the Malay Theory. While I heartily acknowledge that Mesoamerica is the most widely believed setting, …
Dancing through the Sidebar
There are only two new articles in the sidebar this week, but they are important ones. Comment on either of them – or any other …
The consumer model of religion — A look at a BCC post
I was reading BCC the other day, and I came across this post that just seemed like this tremendous threat to me. I know John …
Intellectualism and Faith: A Would-Be Marriage!
It is easy to think yourself out of a testimony. It’s as simple as saying “well I can’t prove God exists, or doesn’t exist, therefore …
Is Mormon Matters Balanced?
Over the last week, we’ve received quite a few critical comments, ranging from a pro-mormon commenter about “another blog better left unwritten” to an anti-mormon’s …
Please Respect the Rules of Common Decency
This is an administrative post that is irrelevant to most of you. For that, I apologize. However, we have had a surge recently in comments …
Adversity as a form of the love of God
“For whom the Lord loveth, he chaseneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” (Hebrews 12:6; 6-8, 11)”
A Memorial Day Jack Mormon
With Memorial Day upon us, I wanted to highlight a person that people know a little about, Alexander Doniphan, who was known as one of …
Dancing through the Sidebar
Comment on any of the following articles – or anything else from the sidebar – or any other article of interest to this forum that …
Bloggernacle Personality Survey
The bloggernacle seems to attract a specific subset of Mormon culture, and as a result, opinions and comments are often different from those we hear …
Freedom of Religion vs. Death
Some of you may be following the story of Colleen Hauser and her 13 year-old son, Daniel, who has Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and needs chemotherapy in order …
What’s My Age Again?
Today’s guest post is from Bishop Mike Young of the Spanish Ford 401st Ward. He writes: I was reading Mark Twain‘s, “Captain Stormfield’s Visit to …
MM Poll: Your Favorite Scriptures
Mormon Matters has installed a new polling feature, so thought I’d get the ball rolling with a fairly simple one, so here goes.
The Problem with Tolerance
The church has a history of high level leaders making sweeping pronouncements that are later deemed incorrect, speculative, or unauthorized, yet in each case, church …
My Perspective on Polygamy
I have long avoided talking about polygamy on my blog. It is a source of tremendous discomfort for me, but it keeps coming up, so …
Interfaith International British DJ
OK Paul technically isn’t exactly an international DJ, not unless you consider that you can listen to his interviews on line.
Worship or Whine?
This post was inspired by David Stout’s series of posts on LDS Worship, Part II and Part III as well as HawkGrrrl’s post entitled “More …
Mormon Masks
Often people have a hard time with intimacy (intimacy = “into me see”) because they feel vulnerable. They would rather deal with ideas than people, …
When the Ward Splits
Since I have lived in Colorado Springs (almost 6 years), I have witnessed a phenomena at Church I hadn’t experienced before while living in San …
Botched Hymns
We are all familiar with this phenomenon. You’re listening to a song you’ve heard many times, and you think you know the lyrics, but you …
Resentment and Gratitude
Resentment and gratitude both have a role in our faith in Christ. Together they teach us a great deal. Not only is “resentment like taking …
Barack Obama’s Mother Has Been Baptized into the LDS Church! No joke!!!
I’m not kidding. Here’s the link to FamilySearch.org (Update: It appears as though the church has taken the record down…but you can find a screenshot …
Marie Osmond Supports Gay Marriage
Wow. Marie Osmond openly supports gay marriage. First Steve Young’s wife. Now this. Will announcements like this eventually impact broader LDS opinion going forward (at …
Defining Lust and Chastity
Matthew 5:27-28 includes the statement: “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Rather than …
Debunking the Spaulding Theory
In my previous post about Unconventional Book of Mormon Geography Theories, Doug G made a comment claiming that the Book of Mormon is related to …
Dancing Through the Sidebar
Comment on any of the following articles – or anything else from the sidebar – or any other article of interest to this forum that …
April 2009 General Conference – Word Stats
Based on word count, what was the focus of April 2009 General Conference? Before you scroll down, see if you can guess the top 3 …
Who Should Go to Church, Anyway?
So over at T&S they’ve been having this discussion about the recent media report about the majority of America’s drifiting faith issues. And I know, …
More Christ At Church
The mission of the church is to bring people to Christ (it is not the tri-fold mission of proclaim the gospel, perfect the saints and …
Temples Unbuilt
I happen to be cruising around the LDS Temple website the other day and I was looking at the Temples under construction. I was wondering …
Why Faith Needs Reason
The tragedy of 9/11 had a big impact on my views about the relationship between faith and reason. As I watched the video footage of …
Is Accountability a Good or Bad Thing?
I am struck regularly by how many members fail to focus on the life of Jesus and, thus, fail to realize that there are incredible …
Are we going to be Eunuchs after this life?
My home teacher (who is very cool) came by yesterday to drop off some starter cables for my car and as one does in that …
Reflections on a Thought Experiment
I saw a recent thought experiment. The author asked: what if you had to chose between a doctrine you disliked and results you liked (lets …
Deconstructing Christian chain mails
I know my mother has better things to do at work than to forward generic Christian chain mails to everyone in her address book…my problem …
Scripture Study: The Joy of My Countenance
There is a strange parable in D&C 88 about workers digging in a field and their boss giving them the joy of his countenance for …
Does the LDS Church claim to be “an exclusive conduit to God”?
Recently, a veritable Icon of the Bloggernacle, who for purposes of anonymity we shall call “Aloysius Miller”, published a post stating: “I don’t see the …
Nepotism in the Church: 2009 Update
Last time, I did a lengthy post on Nepotism in the Church, which you can find here. This is an update for this year so …
Surprising Speculations — where can practice and theology take us?
There are some speculations I learned about by all the sermons to the contrary. When I was much, much younger, I read a lot of …
Dancing Through the Sidebar
Comment on any of the following articles – or anything else from the sidebar – or any other article of interest to this forum that …
What If You Weren’t A Mormon?
“What if you weren’t a Mormon?” For some reason, this is something that I often wonder to myself. And this post is about how I …
LDS Worship – Part III
David Stout is a Disciples of Christ minister. This is the third and final installment of his insightful commentary on LDS Sacrament Meeting Worship. To …
What Else Did God Say To Joseph?
Not too long ago, I sat through an Elders Quorum lesson about the First Vision. The teacher, who I like and who generally does a …
“Out-of-Wedlock” Is No Longer “Illegitimate”
In a recent CNN.com/living article (“Out-of-wedlock births hit record high”), the discussion centered on the fact that the birth rate outside of marriage in the …
Scripture Study: What’s Expedient?
I’d like to start a new feature showcasing stuff I read in the scriptures and getting your opinions on what the heck you think it means. …
Mainstream acceptance of the Mormons’ Easter Story?
Around Easter 2004, National Geographic produced a documentary titled In Search of Easter. The producers interviewed a wide range of scholars about the Resurrection story …
Interesting Observation: Nephi the Socialist
Ever since reading Believing History, I’ve been looking at the Book of Mormon and relating what it says to what it is closest to. Which …
Symbolism Of the Passover Points to Jesus Christ
The traditional Jewish celebration of the Passover, which started Thursday night, can illustrate the rich symbolism found in the Old Testament and show how the …
Is the Gospel really good news?
I receive a daily mailing from a fundie Protestant pastor that details every story that day that he feels is important for Christians to know …
Faith vs. Doubt
“Faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.”
Could Life be Inherently Just? The Significance of the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man
It seems like a silly question. We all know life isn’t fair. Its cliché, isn’t it? There is a long time “proof” that God does …
LDS Worship
David Stout, Disciples of Christ minister who wrote a very thought-provoking post for us a few weeks ago, has agreed to write a short series …
Families Forver Naked and Not Ashamed
Mormon Matters Motto is Exploring Mormon culture in a balanced way- so bare with me on this one (excuse the pun).
What’s your position on Euthanasia?
First, we need to go over some definitions, because different organizations have different definitions. The 2 most interesting definitions for me are the LDS church’s …
General Conference Open Thread
Impressions and reactions welcome. Just keep it civil.
The Untold Story of Black Mormons by Guest
When I served a mission in eastern Canada in the early 90s, there were many things I was grateful for (warm boots, wool suits, fairly …
Memo To YW Leaders: Thanks, But No Thanks
In our current callings, my wife and I spend a lot of time digging through Church instruction manuals. I teach both the 12/13 year old …
Help Wanted: Predicting the Next Apostle
This Thursday or Friday, someone at the Church Office building will get a phone call and make the long walk to President Monson’s office. By …
Speculation and Testimonies: The good, the bad, the unique …
Recently heard, and not necessarily in order: Logic tells us that Jesus Christ really lived. Think about it. The calendar. B.C. Before Christ. How could …
The Problem with Whistleblowers
A whistleblower is someone internal to an organization who alleges misconduct. So, what if the organization is the church? Does the church handle whistleblowers effectively …
Why B,B-S-W A-As Who Support Extension of the Priesthood to W-w-l-P are Depressed
I decided to spare everyone the full title of this article: Why Bearded, Blue-Shirt-Wearing African-Americans Who Support Extension of the Priesthood to Women who love …
What do you think about Evolution?
I know the LDS church has no official views on evolution. I had someone ask me what I thought about it, and frankly, I haven’t …
What Advice Would You Give Our Bishops? (“Missionary Work”)
I am on the Stake Missionary Committee, and Wednesday night we had a fascinating set of meetings. I couldn’t help but think as the meetings …
Coming out of the closet
A while back I was reading an article by Seth Payne (and I blogged about it on my personal blog from a slightly different perspective)…and …
Peace and Depression: Lessons on Accountability
I am struck regularly by how many members fail to focus on Jesus’ life and realize that there are incredible lessons (particularly in the Gospels) …
How do you interpret another’s faith?
The following are four approaches one can take when addressing another’s faith.* Exclusivist – Believe in “the only true church.” Exclusivists may see the church …
Battlestar Galactica Series Finale Review: SPOILER ALERT
OK, I realize that the majority of our regular readership are probably not BSG watchers; however, since the reimagined series is based on the original …
My Son’s Mission Details
My son received a large white envelope from SLC yesterday, and he had to wait four hours to open it, so that his mother and …
Strange Bedfellows
One aspect of the church that makes me nervous at times is the alliances we form when our interests coincide with other groups, whether this …
Consecrating our Illness
I was sick over the bitterest month of the winter. It was just one grueling, annoying, or depressing illness after another. First it was a …
In Praise Of Good Bishops
Here’s the one lesson I learned from my 3.5 year stint as an Elders Quorum President: never, ever aspire to be a Bishop. Seriously, it …