Posts Tagged ‘ family ’

83-84: Creating Spaces for Non-Traditional Latter-day Saints

March 20, 2012
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83-84: Creating Spaces for Non-Traditional Latter-day Saints

This episode explores both the difficulties of creating more comfortable spaces for unorthodox Mormons in wards, stakes, and families, as well as the benefits. What are some of the tensions that arise in LDS communities when engaging those who hold less-literal beliefs or embody idiosyncratic approaches to spirituality, religion, and community norms? What are some positive ways the community or family can welcome and honor those persons? How might these Latter-day Saints assist in their own positive and joyful integration? What are the benefits of having persons from many points on the spectrum be fully integrated in a community? In…

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Mormon Therapist on “Are two parents better for kids?”

September 15, 2010
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I’d like to see your reply to this: http://www.cupblog.org/?p=742  Are two parents better for kids?

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Mormon.org FAQ: Homosexuality

September 14, 2010
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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!

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Mormon.org FAQ: Role of Husbands & Wives

August 31, 2010
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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, women& the priesthood, and politics.  Today, let’s see what members had to say about gender roles.

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Mormon.org FAQ: Women & Priesthood

August 17, 2010
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Last week we looked at some of the cool profiles on mormon.org that are part of a new effort to make members real and accessible for potential investigators.  And we talked about the difficulties of giving members an open mic on some of the tough questions.  This week let’s look at another tough topic:  Women and the priesthood.

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Facebook and Marital Fidelity

July 27, 2010
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Facebook and Marital Fidelity

A Salt Lake City news report in early 2009 shared some troubling statistics.  One in 5 divorces in Great Britain cited Facebook in the contributing factors that led to divorce.  In Utah, there has been a corresponding rise in marriage therapists dealing with internet cheating.  It has been reported by some members in various stakes that their SP or bishop has instructed married members never to friend a member of the opposite sex or to drop Facebook membership entirely collectively.  Are such extreme measures warranted? 

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When the Fourth of July Falls on the Sabbath

July 4, 2010
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When the Fourth of July Falls on the Sabbath

Yesterday’s activities began with a Pancake Breakfast over at the Church, followed by a softball game.  We loaded up several of the kids from the Ward, my children’s friends, and hauled them all to the beach in both of our vans.  Arriving home at 5:00, we joined some neighbors for a potluck and barbecue.  There were even some small fireworks lit out in the field behind our house.  I enjoyed the day very much.  It was a lot like what we’ve done on the Fourth of July in years past — but this was on the third.  As I read…

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The Next Victim

July 3, 2010
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This post is by our guest, Leah. He is getting his temple recommend renewed. He has his humble face on. He has paid up his financial obligations to his children. He is going through the outward steps of repentance again, assembling the props he needs to act the perfect husband. But this time it is not for me, it is for her. He is telling her that he wants the white picket fence, the family and a dog. He couldn’t have told her how the most significant times when his abuse became physical were when I was pregnant. I don’t…

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The Mormon Therapist on “Honoring” our parents.

June 30, 2010
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I have been depressed off and on for the thirty years since I joined the Church and almost ten years before that when I wanted to join. I was a teenager at the time and due to opposition and threats from my parents, waited until I married. Since the time my husband and I were baptized, we have been obtusely criticized/put down, not invited to certain family gatherings but required at others, and our Church activity ignored.

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Equal Parenting: Feasible or Not?

June 15, 2010
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Equal Parenting: Feasible or Not?

There was an interesting article in NYT about the parenting equality in Sweden.  Sweden’s practices are probably the most advanced in terms of creating parental equality, although they go a little too far for my tastes.  As a business person things like 120 paid days of sick time per year for child care seem a little tough to work around.  Nevertheless, the article highlighted some of the obstacles to creating true equality in parenting.

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Mixed Belief Marriages

June 8, 2010
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Mixed Belief Marriages

What should a church member do if their spouse is a non-believer?  This is something that many couples encounter, either because one spouse ceases to believe or because one spouse converts and the other does not.  What should the church advise these believing spouses who ask?  What is the “doctrinal” implication in these situations?  Does this put the believing spouse’s salvation at risk as some fear?

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Eternal Progress vs. Eternal Increase: A Poll

June 1, 2010
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Eternal Progress vs. Eternal Increase: A Poll

One of the distinct LDS doctrines is that of eternal progression:  the idea that we continue to grow and develop as individuals throughout eternity unless through our own choices we stop progressing.  But there are two different interpretations of this doctrine that both seem to be supported by authoritative statements.  Are both interpretations correct?  Or is one correct and the other incorrect?

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Does God Squash ETs: How Human is Human?

May 29, 2010
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Distinctly Mormon doctrines relating the physical appearance of humanity to God’s own “preferred” form grew gradually in early Restoration history rather than springing forth in full. Although there are references in the Book of Mormon to the Brother of Jared seeing the “finger” and then the full vision of Christ (the earliest recorded of Joseph Smith’s prophetic writings), even the earliest published accounts of the First Vision do not feature descriptions of two personages appearing as does the “official” version eventually recorded several years after formation of the church. This doesn’t mean that later descriptions were contradictory to the first…

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AZ Immigration Law vs. LDS Interests?

May 25, 2010
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AZ Immigration Law vs. LDS Interests?

A recent article in the Arizona Republic highlights the negative impacts to the LDS church of the new Arizona law that steps up enforcement of state immigration lows.  Due to the large population of Mormons in AZ (6% of the state are LDS), and the large population of Latinos (1.8 million, including many who are LDS), this issue is one that poses internal conflicts for members.

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The Repentant Sinner – Extreme Edition! (aka too many rules)

May 14, 2010
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Suzy: Dad, I’m sorry I scratched the couch! Dad: It’s okay, just don’t do it again. 2 minutes later Suzy: Dad, I’m sorry I picked my nose. Dad: Yeah, we don’t pick our noses or they bleed. 2 minutes later Suzy: Dad, I’m sorry I kicked the chair. Dad: Yeah, it’s okay, don’t worry about it. repeat ad nauseum next day Suzy: Mom, I need to tell you a secret.

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Raising the Bar: The Honorably Excused

April 27, 2010
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Raising the Bar: The Honorably Excused

The church decided to “raise the bar” in 2002 on entry requirements for missionaries, effectively preventing those with a history of serious sin from repenting and enter the mission field.  This reduced the number of missionaries serving (down from a peak of 62K to approximately 51K at a time) and the number of convert baptisms (initially maintaining a rate of 4.7 or 4.8 baptisms per missionary, which rose to 5.5 in 2009), but another trend has also emerged in the last few years.  A higher percentage of missionaries are returning home early than before the change.  Is there a correlation between high worthiness…

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Temple Recommend Assumptions

April 5, 2010
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Temple Recommend Assumptions

Maybe it was an upcoming family wedding.  Or maybe it came out some other way.  Have you ever been in a situation when you became aware that someone who had been endowed no longer had a Temple Recommend?

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What I Learned in Nursery

March 22, 2010
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What I Learned in Nursery

Many of us have been told that no matter what the calling you have, you will learn from it and grow.  I imagine that’s probably true of just about anything that you do.  So, what have you learned from the various callings you’ve held?

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A Marital Confession

March 16, 2010
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A recent visit at FMH and John Dehlin’s Mormon Stories interview with fmhLisa (Butterworth) has made me realise something about myself that I am not very proud of.  Therefore, in the spirit of a post I wrote for another blog, I want to confess something.  I am sexist.

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You’re the Bishop #5 (Poll)

March 9, 2010
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You’re the Bishop #5 (Poll)

Bishop Bill again, folks.  Now for one that has nothing to do with the ward.

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