My Top Ten Cultural Sins, or Why I Don’t Mark My Scriptures

John NilssonMormon

10. I don’t mark my scriptures. The last time I did was 12 years ago and it was to make it easier to find the key scripture passages I used to teach the missionary discussions. I still have my marked-up seminary scriptures. They are sadly disfigured from the brutal SoCal scripture chases I put them through on a daily basis in high school. Now I feel a reverence for the written word which precludes me from marking any books in my possession. I became aware that I was different in this regard from my fellow Mormons when I opened the Book of Mormon to Alma in elder’s quorum last week and the room virtually exploded in pastel colors while my pages alone remained “white and delightsome”. I’m the weird one here, I know.

9. I have never registered to vote as a Republican. When I turned eighteen, I registered as an American Independent solely to receive wacko political screeds about the New World Order from the militia point of view. I later registered as a Democrat so I could have a say in the Salt Lake City Democratic primary mayoral race. Since then, I have been unaffiliated and plan to remain that way.

8. My wife and I have one nearly three year old boy. He’s our miracle baby. That’s all, no mini-van “quiver” full of “arrows.” I’m not trying to deprive him of siblings; the good Lord apparently hasn’t seen fit to send more yet.

7. I allow my wife to not only work inside of our home, where she does a great job, but outside of our home as well, where she also does a great job (only part-time, of course 🙂 ).

6. I have a low tolerance for Jell-O.

5. I love music composed and performed by people of questionable moral standing 😉 [display_podcast]

4. I eat meat in the summer and in times of plenty.

3. I hate, Hate, HATE Mary Kay, Amway, Nu-Skin, Tupperware, scrap-booking and any other socially manipulative pyramid scheme which masquerades sales presentations as “parties.”

2. I walk to church as often as possible (3 blocks) and leave the car at home.

1. I blog on Mormon Matters with the rest of the reprobates.

Confession time, brethren and sistren: