Adam met his wife in a “Preparing for Eternal Marriage” institute class (It works!), and they have one son, who is about a year old. He plays the piano in primary and is the "back-up" organist in his ward. He served a mission in Hiroshima Japan. He loves church history, the temple, and anything by Henry B. Eyring, and is *possibly* a descendant of Joseph Smith. He believes in looking for truth and inspiration from all sources, including Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism, and Batman comics.
He is currently working on an M.A. in counseling, and is applying to Ph.D. programs in clinical or counseling psychology this fall. His professional interests include: marriage & couples therapy, attachment, existentialism, and addictive behaviors like pornography and MMORPGs. His other interests include snowboarding, basketball, and LOST. He also writes on his personal blog (marriage, movies, and political rants), shenpa warrior. Author Profile: AdamF
Adam met his wife in a “Preparing for Eternal Marriage” institute class (It works!), and they have one son, who is about a year old. He plays the piano in primary and is the "back-up" organist in his ward. He served a mission in Hiroshima Japan. He loves church history, the temple, and anything by Henry B. Eyring, and is *possibly* a descendant of Joseph Smith. He believes in looking for truth and inspiration from all sources, including Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism, and Batman comics.
He is currently working on an M.A. in counseling, and is applying to Ph.D. programs in clinical or counseling psychology this fall. His professional interests include: marriage & couples therapy, attachment, existentialism, and addictive behaviors like pornography and MMORPGs. His other interests include snowboarding, basketball, and LOST. He also writes on his personal blog (marriage, movies, and political rants), shenpa warrior. Author Archive for AdamF
Perhaps our feelings about tomorrow’s letter were abreacted in last week’s multifarious and sporadically acerbic discussion. My purpose here is to highlight some of the feelings and perspective of one who is connected to many aspects of the Church’s political action regarding gay marriage. My sister Emily is a lawyer in California, and gay (also kind, witty, and sagacious, but that is beside the point). Her journey through life has had a positive and profound impact on my family and I. I have learned a lot from her, but this issue specifically has inspired me to be more thoughtful and considerate of those who are different from my straight white male middle-class American self (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
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“We know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” Many of us seem to break out into hives when this scripture is mentioned. A while back I read a comment about this scripture (by a member of the church) that suggested the “after all we can do” should be left off the next time someone uses it in a talk. What does “all we can do” mean, and why does it bother us?
Are we satisfied just paying tithing and fast offerings?
Like many members of the church, I believe that humankind is of the same species as God; that our Heavenly Parents are like us only on a higher level of development. To me, the doctrine is one of the most awe-inspiring and exciting aspects of Mormon theology.
I have heard enough slams of Mormon theology on this issue, as well as plenty bashing the idea of the Trinity in Mormon circles. Unfortunately, I have to admit I have scoffed at the doctrine of the Holy Trinity in the past. I was amazed (to say the least) when I first read the Anathasian creed – unsure at how people could, or would even want to, believe in “The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible.” However, what does one’s belief about the substance or shape of God have to do with the purpose of religion?
“The idea of a forever forward is not more or less simple than that of a forever backward. Yet, in our culture, one idea is commonplace, the other startling, even unthinkable.”
~Truman Madsen
I always find myself in a little conundrum when I’m teaching about the mysterious pre-mortal life (from the approved materials, of course!), and how we were all born spiritually. Spiritual birth discussions always lead to the Abraham scripture about intelligences, and everything gets stuck there. Who can really say what “intelligence(s)” is? Some have taken a stab at it:
According to the all-knowing Wikipedia, the Latter Day Saint movement (including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) is “Restorationist” (as apposed to Orthodox or Protestant, etc. Is “Restorationist” a comparable category to Protestant? When people ask me if I’m Christian, or what type of Christian I am, is it accurate to say “Restorationist Christian”? Kind of has nice feel to it. To be sure, many members would not tolerate being in a religious group with other churches, but we also seem to have a never-ending desire to be called Christian, so maybe this is a good term.
Some other “Restorationists” are Jehovah’s Witnesses, Quakers, and Churches of Christ.
I know the church is true. I love the church. They are disaffected with the church. We go to church. I discovered that the church was not what it said it was. What exactly, does ‘church’ mean? Where is ‘the church”? Who does it belong to? What does “church” mean? Is it a place, a set of beliefs? Is it an organization? A corporation?
I’m out of the YSA circuit now, but when I was there I often heard the prayer, “Please bless the refreshments, that they may nourish and strengthen our bodies.” It was funny because the “refreshments” were usually cookies and punch. I am glad I was never called on to bless the refreshments, because I probably would have refused. Putting the questionable nourishing power of donuts aside, why do we ask for a blessing on the food? Do we expect it to change the food in some way? What kind of change? Continue reading…
