November, 2008 - Mormon Matters

British Mormons vs. US Mormons

James November 30, 2008Mormon 23 Comments

If your heart is turned …

Stephen Marsh November 28, 2008Culture, Mormon 9 Comments

Before the fall, Eve was a “help meet” to Adam. The term means a “companion equal.” While the account is figurative as far as humanity …

Thanksgiving Open Thread

Ray November 27, 2008Mormon 6 Comments

This Thanksgiving, what things cause you to be thankful – that are somewhat unique and personal? I am thankful for many things, but there are …

Thanksgiving or Obedience: Which one will you pick?

KC Kern November 27, 2008Mormon 17 Comments

Is that a trick question? Giving thanks and being obedient hardly seem mutually exclusive. But as I re-examined a New Testament vignette that’s oft-cited this …

got guns?

Andrew November 25, 2008Culture, Mormon 62 Comments

While the various media outlets speculate about the possibility of a run on the banks in our precarious economic situation, I’m surprised we haven’t yet …

Twilight and “The Great Mormon Novel”

Hawkgrrrl November 24, 2008Asides, books, catholicism, christianity, church, cinema, Culture, curiosity, diversity, dutcher, excommunication, faith, fear, LDS, media manipulation, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, movies, sexuality, thought 49 Comments

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 …

The Problem of History – First a Fake Example

Bruce Nielson November 24, 2008doubt, historicity, history, Mormon 33 Comments

In my past posts I discussed the impossibility of knowing what really happened in history as well as the problem that, believe or disbelieve, we …

Little Lord Jesus, No Crying He Makes

Ray November 22, 2008apostasy, children, christ, christianity, grace, Happiness, Jesus, repentance, salvation, Sermon on the Mount, spiritual progression 35 Comments

Sometimes, I have to say to my creedal Christian friends, in all sincerity: We really do worship a different Jesus than you do. I mention …

Examining the Church’s Political Neutrality

Andrew November 21, 2008gay, homosexuality, marriage, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, politics 57 Comments

neu-tral /ˈnutrəl, ˈnyu-/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [noo-truhl] -adjective: not taking part or giving assistance in a dispute or war between others. (Random House Dictionary.) * …

“Mormon Fundamentalists” on Law & Order

guest November 20, 2008diversity, history, inter-faith, joseph, LDS, liberal, media, media manipulation, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, polygamy, prophets 30 Comments

Did anyone watch Law & Order last night on NBC? If you didn’t, you missed an interesting parody based on the events that transpired in Texas with …

Bathos — sometimes the worst of the false spirits

Stephen Marsh November 20, 2008Mormon 13 Comments

The first talk of the Priesthood session reminded me of a man I met on my mission. His wife had died and he told us …

This Won’t Make It Past Correlation!

John Nilsson November 19, 2008church, curiosity, education, LDS, religion, seminary, theology, thought 32 Comments

Who wrote this, and why wouldn’t the Correlation Committee allow it to be published today? Every teacher is obligated by his responsibility to others to …

Persecution Complex

guest November 18, 2008Anti-Mormon, christianity, church, Culture, curiosity, Discrimination, diversity, General Conference, history, joseph, LDS, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, questioning, religion, spiritual progression, thought 30 Comments

Today’s guest post is from The Captain. The urban dictionary defines the term persecution complex as follows: One of the top fifteen factors that can …

History as Narrative Fallacy aka What Type of Apologist Are You?

Bruce Nielson November 18, 2008apologetics, doubt, historicity, history 37 Comments

“History is opaque. You see what comes out, not the script that produces events, the generator of history. There is a fundamental incompleteness in your …

Virtual RS/PH #21: The Second Coming & The Millenium

Hawkgrrrl November 17, 2008Asides, Charity, christ, christianity, church, Culture, curiosity, doubt, eternity, faith, fear, God, Jesus, joseph, LDS, Leaders, love, Mormon, mormon, Mormons, questioning, religion, temple, theology, thought, war 30 Comments

To the teachers out there, sorry if this one is coming a day late and a dollar short. Our ward is a month behind on …

Healing the Waters of the Dead Sea

Bored in Vernal November 17, 2008eschatoloty, scripture 23 Comments

The Relief Society teacher was teaching the lesson on the signs of the Second Coming, and she was writing these events on the board as …

The Biology of Irrationality

Bruce Nielson November 16, 2008doubt 9 Comments

In my previous post, I discussed my introduction to the science behind the rationality problems all humans suffer from. I later found another book, this …

The New Mormon Brand

guest November 16, 2008Discrimination, Mormon 49 Comments

Today’s post is by Wade Nelson. THE NEW MORMON BRAND In my view the Prop 8 campaign in California that just ended has turned out …

What is a Black Swan? A Book Review

Bruce Nielson November 15, 2008doubt, historicity, history, Mormon 12 Comments

In my last post I talked about how God helped me develop a more realistic, though uncomfortable, world view that excluded faith in myself. As …

Should we have listened to BH Roberts?

James November 15, 2008apologetics, book of mormon, christianity, church, Culture, curiosity, doubt, education, faith, Folklore, General Authorities, history, joseph, Leaders, liberal, Mormon, Mormons, orthodox, prophets, questioning, religion, tesimony, theology, thought 53 Comments

BH Roberts predicted that if church leaders did not address the historical problems of church origins and possible anachronisms in the Book of Mormon, these …

Are we having the wrong argument?

Stephen Marsh November 14, 2008Mormon 21 Comments

Something I have noticed on the Gay Marriage debates is what causes people to change their minds, and it is generally social proof. More, what …

When Is Your Ox in the Mire?

Hawkgrrrl November 14, 2008apostasy, church, General Authorities, General Conference, obedience, orthodox, prophets, questioning, salvation, spiritual progression, spirituality, sports, theology, thought 35 Comments

You probably know the Primary song about Sunday observance by heart: Saturday is a special day It’s the day we get ready for Sunday We …

What is a Testimony?

guest November 13, 2008apostasy, 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 …

Gay Marriage!

Brian Johnston November 13, 2008Mormon 77 Comments

GAY MARRIAGE ! . .

Bill Marriott Takes a Stand?

John Dehlin November 12, 2008Mormon 44 Comments

Does this represent Bill Marriott taking a stand? What does this mean?

This Won’t Make It Past Correlation!

John Nilsson November 12, 2008books, curiosity, education, God, liberal, Mormon, orthodox, questioning, religion, thought 14 Comments

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 …

If you were prophet, what would you change?

John Dehlin November 10, 2008Mormon 53 Comments

Here’s an exercise for the ‘Nacle If you had complete control of the church, what would you change? The only 3 requirements are that any …

The Irony of Proposition 8

Jeff Spector November 10, 2008blacks, Culture, Discrimination, evangelicals, faith, families, First Amendment, gay, Government, history, homosexuality, LDS, Leaders, marriage, Mormon, Mormons, racism, religion, temple

I hope you can stand at least one more post on Proposition 8 and its aftermath.

Backlash: Anger and Outrage Against Mormon Support for Same-Sex Marriage Bans

Andrew November 9, 2008Mormon 30 Comments

For those interested in seeing video footage of the recent protests at the LDS temple in Los Angeles, see the links below: Fights in front …

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

Hawkgrrrl November 9, 2008burdens, 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 …

For the Little People

Bored in Vernal November 8, 2008Mormon 3 Comments

For some time, Mormon bloggers have lamented the fact that there was no wide-reaching aggregator that featured solo Mormon-themed blogs. Dr. B. has, for the …

In Whom Can I Trust?: How I Lost My Faith

Bruce Nielson November 8, 2008doubt, Mormon 104 Comments

It’s a familiar story: I read a book (or part of a book anyhow) about Mormon History and began to doubt my faith in the LDS …

The Church as a Tool

guest November 7, 2008Anti-Mormon, apologetics, apostasy, Asides, Charity, christ, christianity, church, Culture, curiosity, depression, diversity, doubt, education, faith, fear, God, Happiness, history, LDS, mormon, Mormons, new order mormon, obedience, orthodox, parables, Peace, prayer, Priesthood, prophets, questioning, religion, testimony, theology, thought 21 Comments

What is the church to you? A family you must learn to love? A path you must follow? A checklist of items you must do …