My sister recommended that I should listen to John L Lund’s three-talk set called How to Hug a Teenage Porcupine. This isn’t the normal type of talk that I listen to because these talks often seem simplistic and syrupy. While there was plenty of syrup, I thought Brother Lund had some interesting insights that I wanted to share, and I think his advice for dealing with toxic relatives was outstanding. I wanted to share a few of his insights. In discussing teenagers, he touched on the topic of suicide (relating it to how teens can make bad choices.)
Monthly Archives: September 2010
Mormon.org FAQ: Homosexuality
We’ve explored some of the answers members have posted on the mormon.org site in the church’s new profiles campaign. So far, we’ve discussed member answers to questions about polygamy, priesthood, politics, parenting, and prophets. Today, let’s see what members had to say about the church’s stance on homosexuality. Heaven help us!
Sorrowing for Korihor
Mormon Heretic’s post on forgiveness from a few weeks ago touched me deeply, but I needed time to get my thoughts together about it before I could respond. I once had the neighbor from hell. I use the expression with theological intent. Smart and relentlessly treacherous, he was somewhere on the spectrum from malignant narcissist to full-fledged sociopath, and I had no desire to observe closely enough to find out where. I do not know what horror had befallen him — if anything more significant than a stray cosmic ray hitting the genome at the wrong time — but...
all decisions are emotional
I always have to laugh when people claim we Mormons (or even believers in general) make our decisions based on “feelings.” What they don’t realize, is EVERYONE makes EVERY decision, at least in part (and often mostly) due to their feelings.
the Authority of Paul
For some reason, I was thinking about the structure of the New Testament Church after the ascension of the Savior. What is clear is that Peter is the Chief Apostle and the one left in charge by Christ. By LDS theology, Peter held the Keys of the Kingdom as “President of the Church” although two LDS Church Presidents, David O. McKay and Spencer W. Kimball, likened his position more as the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. But who succeed Peter after his death? And as a second thought, what of all the doctrine taught by Paul?...
Duality, Doctrine and When Less is More
D&C Section 77 and its companion section 113 have an interesting history. An “older” high priest was publicly debating with local ministers about doctrine and was winning the debates. Local church leaders felt he was espousing false doctrine and decided to excommunicate him. At his trial he had a surprise advocate who spoke passionately in his defense, even though he was 100% wrong on the doctrine. The advocate who completely turned things around: Joseph Smith (whose corrections became those two sections). He gave what is one of my favorite sermons about how we have freedom to believe and how...
Mormon Therapist on “My husband is homosexual.”
Several years ago, my husband confirmed my worst nightmare. He sat down and said that he is homosexual and receiving counseling. He has suffered from addiction to pornography and has battled it all of his life. Now, years later, I am unable to confide in him or be intimate with him. He doesn’t try either and so we lead a celibate life. I do not talk with him about the problem and I don’t ask what he does on the computer. Often, I turn away from the slightest show of affection. At this point, I wonder how we will...
Coke, Rum Cake, and President McKay
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 some interesting stories about President McKay and the Word of Wisdom.
Mormon.org FAQ: Prophets
We’ve explored some of the answers members have posted on the mormon.org site in the church’s new profiles campaign. So far, we’ve discussed member answers to questions about polygamy, priesthood, politics, and parenting. Today, let’s see what members had to say about prophets.
Duality and Divinity
In both theology and religion, there is a concept called “dualism”, which — to avoid confusion later — I’ll note now has nothing much to do with “duality” as understood within modern physics. The former concept involves the notion that there are two aspects of reality which may either be diametrically opposed, mutually inconsistent, balanced or unbalanced, or even complementary — but always conceptually separable such that they refer to two different things. Good or evil. Material or immaterial. Mind or matter. Spiritual or physical. Even male or female. As this article from the Jewish Virtual Library describes, many...
Job, Healing and Elder Oaks
Elder Oaks General Conference talk on healing has ended up as one of the talks widely used for an alternate week priesthood and relief society lesson. I almost got derailed into posting about the Book of Job and neo-Calvinism (the rich get that way because of the grace of God rewarding them for their merit, the unlucky, poor and distressed get that way because of their sins — that is the message of everyone in the Book of Job who God repudiates at the end …) but Elder Oaks talk was what I originally planned to write about.
Mormon Therapist on Cutting Self
I first noticed signs of depression and anxiety when I was in Jr. High School. I am now happily married with two young children. With the help of counseling and medication, I am as stable and well adjusted as the next girl. My friends would never guess I had such a rough patch in my life. The scars in my heart have healed, but unfortunately, the ones on my arms have not.
How to Support
