I just started reading Greg Prince’s book, David O McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism. It’s been a great read so far. Prince tells …
A Horrific Tale of Forgiveness
I really miss my book club, but I am participating in the Stay LDS Book Club. The first book that we have decided to read is Left …
The Death of McConkie’s Mormon Doctrine
Last night on KUTV in Utah, an announcement was made which signals the end of an era. It was reported that Bruce R. McConkie’s Mormon …
The Lonely Polygamist: MM Book Review
At the tender age of 19, a sister missionary handed me a Book of Mormon and challenged me to read it. The only thing I’d …
Is prayer a form of “deity panhandling”?
I’m teaching the Priesthood lesson today. You may have had this lesson already; we may be a week behind you. Before I get into the …
Rachel and Leah: A Modern Perspective
Last year, I posted a topic about Marriage Fitness. The author is Mort Fertel, and he makes no illusions that his method is a quick …
Our Voices, Our Visions: A report from the road
Monday night in Claremont, California, we kicked off the Our Voices, Our Visions Mormon Women’s Literary Tour in the company of an audience of 30 …
Secular Learning and ‘Correlation’
In a 1926 Improvement Era the M.I.A. reading course included four books: ‘The Book of Mormon, 50c; by mail, 60c. Prophecies of Joseph Smith and …
Egon Friedell and the Christian ‘Bad Conscience’
This photograph was taken by Sebastiao Salgado at a gold mine in Brazil. I first saw it in a room at the University I attend. As …
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 …
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 …
Edward Cullen as Porn Addict
Hear me out. 🙂 I was talking with a friend recently about addictions. Things like alcohol, caffeine, meth, and heroin (among many other substances) all …
The Fruits of Guru Nanak
I’m not even sure how I got it, surprisingly, but in the short time I lived in Idaho, I received an interesting gem. It’s a …
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.
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 …
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 …
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.
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 …
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 …
Why Mormon Doctrine Is NOT Mormon Doctrine
Many people both within the Church and outside the Church think that Bruce R. McConkie’s book, Mormon Doctrine, is the official declaration of LDS church …
Filtered Visions by guest Reuben Collins
I’ve been thinking about Levi Peterson’s The Backslider lately (SPOILERS AHEAD).
Horus Bible Parallels
Recently I saw Religulous here and he touched on Horus here and a few of the parallels between the story of Horus and Jesus. Many …
The Problem with Authority
Mormons are sometimes criticized for their unquestioning obedience to authority. Statements like “When the prophet has spoken, the thinking is done,” and the Primary song …
There Are Too Many Books about the Church
As I sit at the computer in my office, my back is to the 400 or so books I have about the Church in my …
Abstinence= Don’t think the colour red! Don’t think the colour red!
“The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health” (Add Health), Found that conservative and evangelical Christian teenagers are more sexually active than mainline Protestants, Jews, and …
Twilight and “The Great Mormon Novel”
Many consider The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene to be the quintessential Great Catholic Novel: a book written about faith and doubt with …
This Won’t Make It Past Correlation!
Here’s another quote from a discarded Church manual predating Correlation. Who said it and why wouldn’t it fly in today’s Church?: The pragmatic or experimental …
Continuing Problems with Mountain Meadows
Today’s guest post is by Joe Geisner. Most bookstores in Utah have sold out of the new book on the Mountain Meadows massacre with a …
Virtual RS/PH #16: Revelation & the Living Prophet
Finally, a lesson that really makes you think! This is probably my favorite JS lesson this year (no one dies or has to move to …
Our Foundation Stories Part IV: The Book of Mormon Translation
Was the Book of Mormon translated? Was the Book of Mormon revealed? Was it inspired? Was it all three, or a combination of the above? …
Deep in the Heart of Mormondom
Outside of my own library and the virtual community I’m connected to through the internet, Mormondom has very little impact on my immediate environment in …
Mark Your Calendars — 2 Upcoming Conferences IRL
Meeting together in person to exchange ideas, you ask? Haven’t you heard of the “internets” John Hamer? Hasn’t the awesome nature of the MormonMatters Blog …
The Jagged Little Pill We Call Mormonism
. . . . there I was writing my ex-wife a letter trying to explain what a Temple Marriage and Sealing is and what it …
Reed Smoot Hearings: A Review and What it Says About Today
Title: The Mormon Church On Trial: Transcripts of the Reed Smoot Hearings Editor: Michael Harold Paulos Publisher: Signature Books Reviewed by Nicholas S. Literski For …
Bookends #2: Book of Mormon Studies–Orson Pratt
Today’s post is by Terry Foraker. Ever since its initial publication in 1830, the Book of Mormon has been the subject of countless studies. This …
Bookends #1: The Screwtape Letters
Today’s post is by Terry Foraker. Welcome to Bookends, a new column where I give you a peek over my shoulder at what I am …
Episode 11: Our Favorite Books on Mormonism
In today’s episode, J. Nelson-Seawright, David King Landrith and I discuss our favorite books on mormonism (listed below). J. Nelson-Seawright’s Recommendations D. Michael Quinn: The …