A Personal Interpretation of Elder Hafen’s Remarks

jmb275apologetics, apostasy, Charity, christ, Culture, gay, General Authorities, homosexuality, LDS, love, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, orthodox, questioning, religion, resignation, sexuality, spirituality 225 Comments

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 …

What if the Brethren decided to allow gay marriage? by Justin Perry

guestAnti-Mormon, apologetics, Bloggernacle, burdens, church, Culture, curiosity, Discrimination, doctrine, doubt, faith, gay, homosexuality, Leaders, Logic, love, marriage, media manipulation, Mormon, news, questioning, sexuality, thought 184 Comments

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 …

Poly-What?, or, a Contemporary View of LDS Plural Marriage

Aaron R. aka Ricoadultery, apostasy, love, marriage, Mormon, polygamy 34 Comments

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.

Adam and Eve: the First TBM & NOM

Andrewaccountability, Bloggernacle, church, diversity, doubt, faith, General Authorities, history, LDS, Leaders, liberal, Logic, love, marriage, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, new order mormon, obedience, orthodox, parables, prophets, questioning, religion, scripture, spiritual progression, spirituality, symbols, testimony, thought

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 …

Women are from Venus, Men are from Kolob

Hawkgrrrlabuse, adultery, Asides, burdens, children, church, Culture, curiosity, doubt, faith, families, feminism, Humor, LDS, Leaders, Logic, love, marriage, mormon, Mormons, orthodox, polygamy, questioning, religion, salvation, sexuality, theology, thought, women 75 Comments

Based on my experience, I would guess that the majority of LDS women under age 65 would say that polygamy is NOT an eternal principle …

Interfaith International British DJ

Jamesapologetics, Bible, Bloggernacle, book of mormon, books, burdens, catholicism, Charity, children, christ, christianity, church, Culture, curiosity, death, Discrimination, diversity, evangelicals, faith, families, fear, Folklore, general, God, Happiness, history, Humor, inter-faith, international, introductions, Jesus, LDS, Leaders, liberal, Logic, love, marriage, media, missionary, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, news, orthodox, parables, Peace, plan of salvation, podcast, polygamy, prayer, questioning, resolutions, scripture, Sermon on the Mount, service, spiritual progression, spirituality, television, theology, thought, women 10 Comments

OK Paul technically isn’t exactly an international DJ, not unless you consider that you can listen to his interviews on line.

Mormon Masks

Hawkgrrrlapostasy, Asides, Beatitudes, Bible, Charity, children, christ, christianity, church, Culture, curiosity, Discrimination, diversity, doubt, families, fear, Happiness, inter-faith, Jesus, LDS, Leaders, love, marriage, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, orthodox, parables, Peace, questioning, religion, testimony 17 Comments

Often people have a hard time with intimacy (intimacy = “into me see”) because they feel vulnerable.  They would rather deal with ideas than people, …

Scripture Study: The Joy of My Countenance

HawkgrrrlAsides, christ, christianity, church, curiosity, doubt, faith, God, Jesus, LDS, Logic, love, mercy, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, parables, questioning, religion, scripture, service, spirituality, symbols, testimony, theology, thought 16 Comments

 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 …

Faith vs. Doubt

Hawkgrrrlapostasy, Asides, burdens, Charity, christ, christianity, church, conference, Culture, curiosity, depression, Discrimination, diversity, doubt, education, faith, fear, General Authorities, General Conference, inter-faith, joseph, LDS, Leaders, liberal, Logic, love, mercy, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, orthodox, President Monson, prophets, questioning, religion, restoration, scripture, spirituality, testimony, theology, thought 48 Comments

“Faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.”

The Problem with Whistleblowers

Hawkgrrrlabuse, Anti-Mormon, Bloggernacle, burdens, catholicism, christianity, church, Culture, curiosity, Discrimination, diversity, doubt, excommunication, faith, feminism, General Authorities, General Conference, LDS, Leaders, love, meekness, missionary, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, obedience, questioning, religion, thought 22 Comments

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 …

Does Tom Hanks Hate Mormons?

HawkgrrrlAnti-Mormon, Asides, Charity, christianity, church, cinema, Culture, curiosity, Discrimination, diversity, families, gay, homosexuality, inter-faith, LDS, liberal, love, marriage, media manipulation, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, movies, religion, thought 95 Comments

Tom Hanks is a beloved actor to many Mormons for his family-friendly roles and everyman quality.  Yet, his recent negative remarks (and hasty retraction) calling …

Filtered Visions by guest Reuben Collins

Jamesapostasy, baptism, Bible, Bloggernacle, book of mormon, books, christ, christianity, church, Culture, curiosity, death, diversity, doubt, education, faith, families, fear, Folklore, general, General Authorities, historicity, liberal, Logic, love, marriage, Mormon, Mormons, obedience, prayer, religion, sacrament, salvation, spirituality, temple, tesimony, theology, thought, Trinity, women 9 Comments

I’ve been thinking about Levi Peterson’s The Backslider lately (SPOILERS AHEAD).

Zero Population is the Answer, My Friend . . .

HawkgrrrlAsides, children, church, Culture, curiosity, depression, Discrimination, diversity, doubt, families, feminism, Happiness, LDS, love, marriage, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, questioning, religion, theology, thought, women 16 Comments

Thought I’d catch your attention with that line from “Saturday’s Warrior,” the bane (or bastion, if you don’t know what you’re talking about) of Mormon doctrine.*  …

A Brand New Year

JamesBible, Bloggernacle, books, catholicism, christ, christianity, church, cinema, conference, Culture, curiosity, diversity, education, faith, families, general, General Authorities, General Conference, God, Happiness, Humor, international, introductions, Jesus, joseph, LDS, Leaders, liberal, love, media, media manipulation, meetings, missionary, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, movies, music, obedience, podcast, prophets, race, religion, spirituality, tesimony 29 Comments

Can you be a Unitarian and a Mormon at the Same Time?

JamesAnti-Mormon, apostasy, Bible, Bloggernacle, book of mormon, catholicism, christ, christianity, church, Culture, curiosity, death, diversity, doubt, education, faith, families, fear, general, God, Happiness, inter-faith, international, Jesus, LDS, liberal, love, media, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, new order mormon, obedience, orthodox, prayer, prophets, service, theology, thought 27 Comments

We should gather all the good and true principles in the world and treasure them up, or we shall not come out true Mormons. Joseph …

What is a Testimony?

guestapostasy, Asides, BYU, christianity, church, Culture, curiosity, diversity, doubt, faith, fear, Happiness, LDS, Leaders, love, missionary, missions, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, prayer, questioning, religion, salvation, scripture, spiritual progression, spirituality, temple, testimony, theology, thought 10 Comments

Ironically, some of you with “strong testimonies” may think that those struggling with their testimony make only a small percentage of us here today. The …

Virtual RS/PH #20 – A Heart Full of Love & Faith: The Prophet’s Letters to His Family

Hawkgrrrlburdens, Charity, children, faith, families, history, Humor, joseph, LDS, love, marriage, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, polygamy, Priesthood, prophets, questioning, religion, smith, women 12 Comments

This lesson discusses the written correspondence Joseph sent to Emma during his frequent absences.  IMO, this is a tough lesson for many reasons, so read …

Churches are Made for the Ninety and Nine… What About the One?

Clay Whipkeyapostasy, christ, christianity, church, Culture, curiosity, depression, Discrimination, diversity, doubt, faith, General Authorities, Happiness, Jesus, Leaders, love, Mormon, obedience, orthodox, parables, questioning, repentance, spiritual progression, surviving, testimony, thought 37 Comments

Believers and non-believers. The faithful and the doubters. Religious conservatives and religious liberals. TBMs and NOMs. These are ways we describe the differences in our …

Virtual RS/PH #15: Establishing the Cause of Zion

Hawkgrrrlapostasy, Asides, christ, church, Culture, faith, families, Happiness, Jesus, joseph, LDS, love, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, new order mormon, obedience, orthodox, plan of salvation, repentance, restoration, scripture, smith, spiritual progression, testimony, theology, thought 22 Comments

Okay, last week I said the death lesson was going to be tough.  Frankly, I think a Zion lesson is no picnic either.  I’m looking …

Virtual RS/PH #14 – Words of Hope & Consolation @ Time of Death

Hawkgrrrlbaptism, children, christianity, church, Culture, curiosity, death, eternity, evangelicals, faith, families, history, inter-faith, joseph, LDS, Leaders, love, marriage, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, Peace, plan of salvation, questioning, religion, salvation, spiritual progression, thought 22 Comments

A word to the teachers out there.  I know what you are thinking.  Something like, “Ugh.  I got the death lesson?!”  So, if you have …