There seems to be a common thread running through the fringe theorists that I’ve talked to, and that is the idea of “secret societies.” Illuminati, …
Temperance Movement and The Word of Wisdom
For almost two centuries the Word of Wisdom is solid proven evidence to many members that the Church is true.
Even More Annoying False Doctrines
God will not give you anything you can not handle.
Celebrating Jesus’ Birth: Building His Kingdom of Nobodies
“Atonement” means “to make as one; to unify; to bring together what once was separated.” When we speak of the Atonement, we generally focus on …
Temple ceremony, the stabilizer for mystical enthusiasm
I’ve been thinking lately about the differences between the LDS Church we participate in today compared to what attracted and retained early members in the …
Who’s Winning the War on Christmas?
Peter Brimelow, a British journalist, is credited with coining the term “War on Christmas” in 1999 to describe the politically correct movement in English-speaking countries to …
Trying to Understand Creedal Trinitarianism – An Analogy
In my last post I, in great detail, demonstrated why I believe the Trinity doctrine itself is not a contradiction but that creedal Christians have been …
Unity, Diversity and Conformity
How do we create and maintain unity at church while valuing diversity and avoiding conformity? Do we have to embrace the diversity of those who …
Is the Trinity Doctrine a Contradiction?
Several times in discussions on Mormon Matters I’ve made the comment that the Trinity doctrine is a contraction. Actually, technically I was not correct when …
Blood Brothers: Mormons, Genocide, and the Nixon Administration
Charles Radford, a Navy yeoman, present some fascinating questions about Latter-day Saints’ relationship with the government, the law, and politicians. Charles Radford was serving as …
Orson Scott Card and LDS Music
Orson Scott Card recently made ripples with his recent column on his experience listening to a “new” LDS album, and the dire state of current …
Big Love, Season 3. Finally Here!
Big Love Season 3 is set to start on January 18th. HURRAY! Here’s a link to the official HBO website: Big Love at HBO Tired …
The Glory of God
“The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.” (D&C 93:36) This oft-quoted verse is known well by most members of …
Joy to the World…
Today’s post is by Rachel Maw. I’m the kind of person that could listen to Christmas song all year long.
God’s Dilemma
“We thought that we had the answers. It was the questions we had wrong.” -U2, 11 O’Clock Tick Tock Lately I’ve been thinking a lot …
The Unsung Hero of the Nativity
As I was setting up our nativity scene this year, I noticed the wisdom and cultural/racial diversity of the Magi, the docile farm animals (not …
Modern Medical Miracles: Could it be Satan?
Just about every day in the news, we hear of an advance in modern medicine that can prolong life that might otherwise be lost if …
Are Mormons Better Christians?
A friend of mine pointed out this blog article to me: http://timwade.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/are-mormons-better-christians/
Annoying False Doctrines Strike Again
We were having someone dear to us taught in our home, when the elder looked at them and said … “You do know that you …
That Time of Year
It’s that time of year again. The season to be jolly. The season to celebrate the birth of Christ. The season to eat sugar cookies …
Forbearance to Inflict Harm: Practical Mercy
“A man asked me to treat him as he deserved to be treated – as God would treat him. So, I set him on fire …
Populating Worlds: Joseph Smith’s Legacy
I’ve always been rather fascinated with the “fruits” of Joseph Smith’s polygamy. Orson Pratt, who was an early defender of plural marriage, often explained that …
Annoying False Doctrines — the Series
Ok, some false doctrines are just pathetic, some are disgusting, some are bizarre and some are merely annoying. I was going to post about Anomoly …
The Lord’s University Strikes Again
Once again, the Lord’s University, BYU, is embroiled in a controversy regarding censorship and the essential values being taught there. A student entered into a …
Some MormonStories Interviews available at StayLDS site
StayLDS.com is now hosting some of the material formerly available at MormonStories. Among these are:
Betting on the House!
“What do Catholics, Jews and Mormons have in common?” “Catholics don’t recognize birth control, Jews don’t recognize Jesus, and Mormons don’t recognize each other in …
Elder Wirthlin’s Last Messages of Love
Anyone who favors term limits for members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles should take a close look at Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin’s three …
Virtual RS/PH #22: Gaining Knowledge of Eternal Truths
Mormonism has a focus on gaining knowledge that is unique in Christendom, largely due to the emphasis that Joseph Smith placed on learning. Joseph’s total …
Worship of the Unborn
It seems that only the most controversial gets much attention here on Mormon Matters, so I thought I would weigh on the subject of the …
Keep Pedaling
One thing that I don’t see very often at Mormon Matters is the bearing of testimony. Some see the bearing of testimony as a form …
Half-way Mormons: A lesson from the Puritans
I hope everyone enjoyed their turkey and stuffing for Thanksgiving last week. One thing I appreciate about the Puritans, other than their fondness for a …
Breaking News: Elder Wirthlin Died Last Night
My favorite apostle passed away last night. His “orchestra” reference in General Conference in April was one of my favorites ever. He will be missed. What …
My First Visit to an Orthodox Christian Church
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how the familiar Mormon claim that we are the “one true Church” is as much a statement about …
Common Scriptures in Review: Genesis 3:12
There is frequent debate and disagreement about exactly what transpired in the Garden of Eden relative to the partaking of the forbidden fruit. There are …
Another “Faith Promoting” Hoax is Circulating
In the last few days, a story has begun to circulate widely among many LDS members, which claims to be the testimony of an assistant matron at …
If your heart is turned …
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
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?
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 …
Twilight and “The Great Mormon Novel”
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
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
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
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
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
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!
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
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?
“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
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
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
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
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
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?
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?
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?
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?
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!
GAY MARRIAGE ! . .
Bill Marriott Takes a Stand?
Does this represent Bill Marriott taking a stand? What does this mean?
This Won’t Make It Past Correlation!
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?
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 …
California’s Prop 8 and the triumph of lunacy
Well, it’s time for the non-Mormon blogger to chime in on Prop 8. As some of you know, I live in the San Diego area. …
The Good News!
. You dropped down into this crazy, frenetic, gloomy world; stumble and trip in the darkness, trying to feel your way through the valley of shadows. Nothing seems to work …
Election Open Thread (VENT or LAUGH)
Just thought some of you might like a place to vent or laugh maniacally tonight – at least. Only one rule: This is not meant …
A Guide To Election Night
Here are some links to good technical tools for tracking the election:
Same-Sex Marriage Proponents Trash Mormons
See the video here: Same-Sex Marriage Proponents Trash Mormons
Is Mormonism Built to Last?
Christianity is generally considered a “successful” religion because it is still flourishing after 2000 years. Eastern religions, which are generally much older, have flourished for …
Homosexuality, Politics, and Looking to November 5th
On the eve of another election in the United States of America, many historic events are looming, both encouraging and daunting; Whatever happens, we will …
Everything you can do, I can do better!
I’ve had this song stuck in my mind for a week or so now. Don’t you hate that? To make matters worse, I keep picturing a …
Thorns in the Side: Villains in the Mormon Mind, Part I
Everyone loves a good villain…the bellowing laugh with hands thrown up in the air utter triumph. As a child, I found Dr. Claw of Inspector …
5 Cool Things About the Community of Christ
This post is another installment in my “5 Cool Things” series. Today I’m giving a list, again in no particular order, of some things I …
This Won’t Get Past Correlation!
Here is a quote from a dusty, forgotten, once-official Church manual. Who said this and why wouldn’t this get past the brethren and sistren at …
MormonStories: Thank you John Dehlin
http://www.mormonstories.org/ MormonStories, the site that hosted dozens of audio and video podcast interviews, was retired this weekend. John Dehlin announced he is taking the opportunity …
Joseph Smith & the Parable of the Money Digger
Joseph Smith was a money digger, like others in rural upstate New York (and unsuccessful like pretty much all of them were). Obviously, there wasn’t …
Common Scriptures in Review: John 15:13 (Laying Down His Life)
John 15:13 is quoted often throughout Christianity as the great example of Jesus’ willingness to die for his disciples and all who would accept him …
President looks at church history with fresh eyes
While I was much more than casually aware of church history previously, since becoming president of the church I have engaged in an extensive study …
Strange LDS Missionary Clothing Ritual: Is It Eco-Friendly?
by Guest Poster Dr. B. Last Sunday in church I spoke with four missionaries who told me of a strange ritual that used to be …
The Mormon Trinity
A few months ago, Bruce hosted a discussion about the word and concept of the Trinity. It seems that most Mormons associate the idea of …
Righteous Gentiles Part II
So methinks that we have a few clairvoyants on-board. That said, behold the top four “Righteous Gentiles.” A few caveats… A) No, C.S. Lewis fans…he …
The Envelope and the Message
Are you ever nervous about turning your friends over to the missionaries? Do you fear you may be subjecting them to a high-pressure time-share sales presentation?
This Won’t Make It Past Correlation!
Our quote this week is from another church manual predating Correlation. Who wrote this, and why would the Correlation Committee disapprove?: Just what is the …
Are Sacrament Meeting Talks Rehashes of General Conference Talks Where You Live?
In my ward in a very LDS-heavy area of Arizona, I’ve been noticing a pattern in the sacrament meeting talks. I’m not sure how far …
The Cross, Part 1: Taking up Your Cross
In this series of posts on The Cross (not sure how many yet), I will try to examine this Christian symbol from a few different …
FacesEast, an Interview with Prairie Chuck
This article is an interview with a woman who goes by the online alias “Prairie Chuck.” Prairie Chuck is the leader of a support group …
Interview with Mark Hansen
As the LDS church continues to grow, the art that its members create continue to fill new and different niches. Most of us are familiar …
Psalms 55:22 – Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord
I had an interesting insight during a prayer a few months ago. In all my years as a member of the Church – in all …
Virtual RS/PH: Stand Fast Through the Storms of Life
This week’s lesson is an interesting compilation of horrifying stories of persecution and suffering from the life of Joseph Smith. Read on if you dare …
The Compassionate Ones
Don’t run away!! Bear with me for just a moment, because this isn’t going to be another of “THOSE” discussions on the topic of Proposition …
Article of Faith 12: Obey the Government. Always?
Article of Faith 12: “We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.” “Members of The …
Righteous Gentiles Part 1
So, in honor of the broad-mindedness that is Mormon Matters, I would like to suggest a list of the top ten “Righteous Gentiles.” In orthodox …
5 Cool Things I Wish the LDS Church Were Doing
This post is another installment in my “5 Cool Things” series. Today I’m giving a list, again in no particular order, of some things I …
This Won’t Make It Past Correlation!
Another week, another great uncorrelated quote from an LDS Church manual that would never see the light of day in today’s church: Every discussion of …
Adventures with the Bible Dictionary
The LDS Bible Dictionary has its roots in a “freebie” from the publisher. Many of the entries are almost as old as the LDS Church. …
Witch-Hunting
Halloween is just around the corner! Have you ever been on a witch hunt? Or have you been singled out by a witch hunter? Here …
Poor Pontius Pilate
I usually post about music here, but this particular entry is something I’ve been considering for a couple weeks. I remember when I was younger …
Hymn #114: Come unto him
Today’s post is by The Chorister. This is one of my favorite hymns. We hardly ever sing it in Sacrament meeting, which is a real …
The Book of Mormon’s Doctrine of Deity
I am fascinated by the Book of Mormon’s teachings (i.e. doctrines) about deity. I am almost equally fascinated with the many scholarly attempts to force …
The Gospel and Gasoline
So in case you haven’t heard, we are at the tail end of a gasoline shortage in Atlanta. Stations were empty for days at a …
Opposition to the Church: A Charitable View
Just something to provide a different perspective: Perhaps most of the vocal opposition to Mormonism is produced by those who sincerely feel like we are …
Nature of The Person
As part of my graduate program in counseling I have to write a personal theory, which includes process and goals of therapy, explanations for personality, …
Stopping Time for the Unconverted
I had an interesting conversation with a woman today. Missionaries would call it a bash. I called it posing and answering meaningful questions. It prompted her …
5 Cool Things About the 2008 Presidential Campaign
This post is another installment in my “5 Cool Things” series. Today I’m giving a list, again in no particular order, of some things that …
This Won’t Make It Past Correlation!
Hi everyone, Welcome to my new series where I provide you, the reader, with an excerpt from an LDS church manual, uncited, which I LIKE. …
Freak Out! Handling History
What do you do when you learn about something shocking that you did not previously know in Church History? Freak out? Retreat into a stupor …
The Provident Living Power Shift and the LDS Newer Deal
Allow me a little economic soothsaying. Given that all good things must come to an end, and given that the more rational economist are now …
Deconstructing the Book of Mormon — the four things to never do
The Book of Mormon states: 2 Nephi 27:31 For assuredly as the Lord liveth they shall see that the terrible one is brought to naught, …
Virtual RS/PH #18: Beyond the Veil: Life in the Eternities
This week’s lesson might sound like a repeat from the previous lesson on Plan of Salvation, but it is much more specifically focused on one …
Twittering Conference
Check this out…. Start by going here. You can watch conference with twitter-based comments showing up to the right. To participate in the conversation, go …
General Conference Thread (Open)
Rome temple?!?!? In the shadow if the Vatican?!?!?! Wowzers!!! Other thoughts?
Lyrics as Scripture
First of all, I’d like to bring attention to a new publication that has recently been published called Mormon Artist (http://mormonartist.net). It seems to be …
Leave the Church, Leave it Alone
This post is by Heather B. We have all heard this mantra; if you are involved with church related discussion boards, you have probably heard …
The Eleventh Commandment: Honor Thy Children
I had occasion recently to re-visit a song I heard for the first time a few years ago, performed live in a college theater auditorium. …
The Song of the Righteous is a Prayer unto Me
Today’s post is by The Chorister. Last week while I was playing the organ for Sacrament meeting, it hit me that often, the only time …
The Gospel and Collective Memory
While I hardly want to be schmaltzy, I had a powerful experience this evening involving memory… this governing variable of my mind.
5 Cool Expressions of Spirituality Which Might Seem Weird To Mormons
I’m starting a series which I’m calling “5 Cool Things”. It will basically be a list of 5 things, not in any order, that follow …
What is the Point of Religion?
I read an interesting blog site that posed this very question from a Hindu perspective. It was thoughtfully worded, so I thought I would include …
Hedging Your Bets: Refusing to Leave the Church
Two men pull up to a house they’ve never been to before. It’s dark, but a few lights appear on. They slowly get out, not …
Examples of seeing the world through a poor mirror’s reflection
When Paul writes of “through a glass, darkly” he is writing about seeing the world in a mirror, rather than seeing it through a dirty …
The Anti-Marxist View of the LDS Marriage Argument
I’m jumping us back into the shark pool. Please no derogative, homophobic comments, or personal attacks on me—just a warning—I’ll delete you. I’m assuming that …
Open Thread: US Presidential Debate #1
Apparently the debate will go forward, despite McCain’s earlier statement that he would be spending time working on the economy instead, and Obama rejoinder that …
Singing Lies About Your Jesus
Today’s post is by guest Nikki. If you say something true about Jesus, but your Jesus is a different Jesus, is what you said about …
Meetings: Striking a Productive Balance
Mormons often joke about the 14th Article of Faith, and it often is quoted somewhat like this: We believe in holding meetings, and in asking …
How Much Does Church Activity Have To Do With ‘Being Mormon’?
Not so long ago, when I would hear about someone who didn’t go to church at all or have any interest in returning would refer …
First Families: BOM and Restoration
There are some interesting parallels between the first family of the Book of Mormon and the first family of the Restoration (the Smiths). Coincidence? Or …
Through a Glass, Darkly
Following Running on Empty, I am going to write about how even with the Spirit and everything else, we still see “through a glass, darkly.” …
The Book of Mormon: A 20th Century Text
There are many positions on which century the Book of Mormon originated in, but most seem to fall into two general camps: the book was …
Religious Education in the Church–It’s no School of the Prophets!
On January 23, 1833 in Kirtland Ohio, Joseph Smith met for the first time with a select group of members in what he termed the …
Tactical Morality
I revisit an old topic that is becoming increasingly relevant, especially in a culture where not only is bad called good and vice versa, but …
And Their Mortgage-Backed Securities Treasures Become “Slippery”
Witness the almost meltdown of Bear Stearns a few months ago, the nationalization of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, the new meltdowns of Lehman Bros. …
Is Pornography Adultery?
The following article is interesting and asks a fascinating question. Is Pornography Adultery? Coincidently, the following is excerpted from a post I wrote independent of …
Running on Empty
Relying on, seeking, finding and responding to the Spirit is much like weightlifting. Not only is it a process that takes a great deal of …
What’s Most Important to You?
We all attend church for various reasons, and in reality, no church can be all things to all people. Plus, what you get out of …
Feeling Guilt: Repentance or Excuse?
Here is an idea that has been kicking around in my head for many years. I thought I would see if I could really articulate …
Superman vs. Spiderman
What do Superman and Spiderman have to do with Mormon history? Nothing at all. But maybe something about the two characters relates to the way …
Using Prayer As A Weapon
Here’s how the bedtime ritual usually goes at my house. After baths are finished, hair is combed and teeth are brushed, my family gathers for …
How should we know? Ask him yourself!
Today’s post is by Wade Nelson. I served my mission in Quebec in the mid 1970’s and hate to admit it but spent more time …
Churches are Made for the Ninety and Nine… What About the One?
Believers and non-believers. The faithful and the doubters. Religious conservatives and religious liberals. TBMs and NOMs. These are ways we describe the differences in our …
Eating Jell-O in the Ivory Tower: Scholarly Adherents and Adhering Scholars
So as one who utterly lacked a life, I did what most good, quality no-lifers do…go to graduate school. Traumatic. The structures that I had …
Children and Testimonies
Today’s post is by Andrew C. This past Sunday, we attended a different ward for a relative’s baby blessing. This particular ward is located in …
Bloggernacle Thought: Brainwashing
This comment is from SilverRain. I found it here. “Brainwashed” is probably ranked with the weakest possible arguments. If I say you’re brainwashed, I can …
A Mormon History Mystery
This week our BYU student daughter called to ask us to help her with an assignment: she was supposed to find a question that could …
Hymn #114: Come Unto Him
Today is a guest post from The Chorister.
Open Thread: Ike Hits Houston
News about Ike on cnn.com gives some up to date information on what is happening there. I wanted to open a thread for those on …
Living in Post Christian World
Greece is a wonderful country. Athens is a great city. In many ways it is the archetype of a polis. At the center is a …
Is Pride the Only Sin?
Can all sins be reduced to just one sin: pride? Is pride essentially the root cause of all sins?
Remember Dieter Uchtdorf?
Today’s post is by Wade Nelson. Remember Dieter Uchtdorf?
“The Glory of Jacob Shall Be Made Thin”: Mormons, Marriage, and the Cold Realities of Physical Attractiveness
Alas, one wanders through the BYU campus and simply cannot escape its pervading influence: romance. One visiting professor from the University of Minnesota‘s renowned family …
Common Scriptures in Review: Mosiah 3:19
Mosiah 3:19 was the subject of a post recently about how we view our children in the Church. I wanted to comment more extensively in …
Pharisees: Bad Guys or Bad Rap?
One of things that bothered me when I joined the church and started studying the New Testament was the way the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes …
My kind of Evangelical
As a Mormon kid growing up in the area of Southern California largely settled by Dust Bowl migrants from Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri, evangelicals (we …
Ritual, The Husk of True Faith
Tao Te Ching 38 When the Tao is lost, there is goodness. When goodness is lost, there is morality. When morality is lost, there is …
Bloggernacle Thought: The Slippery Slope of Unbelief
I found this comment out on the bloggernacle from someone named Christopher Smith: Most people don’t want to believe less. They want to believe more. …
You’re All Gonna Die: Low, War, and the D&C
“Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers …
Mormonism and the State of Nature
Today’s post is by Andrew C. As a registered Democrat and a political junkie, it’s difficult for me not to notice politics at church. I’m …
Virtual RS/PH #17: The Great Plan of Salvation
A unique facet of Mormonism is our view of God’s plan for his children, or our purpose in life. Today’s lesson focuses on what JS …
Media in the Bedroom
Beginning as far back as March 2001, the Church has advised members not to locate their computers in a bedroom. William C. Porter, in the …
What is Tolerance?
I wrote an article explaining how I become converted to “political correctness”. I was really talking about “tolerance.” Tolerance: I hear that word a lot. …
An Act of Violence
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God[…] and another book was opened, which is the book of life[…] And whosoever was …
How Active Are You? How Orthodox Are You? A Self-Assessment
Take this assessment and find out: (Taken from D. Jeff Burton’s For Those Who Wonder : forthosewhowonder.com. Similar to a Correlation Department survey on Religion …
The Theology of “Saturday’s Warrior”
Many Church members consider Johnny Lingo to be the zenith of kitschy Mormon culture (for the uninitiated, you can see it here). When I was …
What is Heaven? What is Hell?
We pray. We read scriptures. We go to Church. We fulfill our callings. We obey our Church leaders. As much as we’d like to think …
Merging with God
We talk all the time in our Church about returning to God some day. Everything we do in life is to gain experiences, and then …
What Would You Change?
What if you were given free reign and could change or remove one requirement the church makes of its members — forever? Today’s post is …
Spiritual Poverty vs. Spiritual Destitution: More on Matthew 5:3
Debt is an interesting thing. On one hand, it allows us to acquire things we don’t have but need. On the other hand, it allows …
Does Loyalty Trump Honesty and Integrity?
Does Loyalty Trump Honesty and Integrity?
Chakras and the Word of Wisdom
D&C 89:1 refers to the WoW as: A Word OF Wisdom, for the benefit of the council of high priests, assembled in Kirtland, and the …
Understanding General Authorities
Most people who are aware of the LDS Church are aware that we have “general authorities” and that they share some characteristics, but in my …
Reflections on BYU
Last week, I graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems. In an attempt to make this post more than …
Open Thread on McCain/Palin
If you haven’t heard by now, Senator McCain has chosen Sarah Palin, sitting Governor of Alaska, as his VP running mate. Her bio is linked …
A Remarkable Story – But is it Exaggerated?
While reading History of the Church I came across an incredible story as told by Elder Theodore Turley which I wish to share.
yes, Jesus loves me?
Mosiah 3: 19 19 For the anatural bman is an cenemy to God, and has been from the dfall of Adam, and will be, forever …
Who are those Guys?- Quiz!
m Who are those Guys?- Quiz! Most of us old guys saw Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid. A question that kept coming up as …
Common Scriptures in Review: JSH 1:19
[NOTE: This post is slightly longer than normal, since I am commenting on multiple phrases and words throughout the verse in question. Please pardon the …
The Universal Holy Ghost
What is the Gift of the Holy Ghost? We have a lesson or two about this each year in our Church classes. People have lots …
In Defense of Apologists
The term “apologist” is often used derisively like the terms “lawyer,” “statistician,” or “telemarketer.” Why are apologists so derided? Is it warranted or just a …
Prophetic Smackdown: Moses vs. Joseph Smith
Today’s post is from an anonymous guest blogger. The critics of the church like to point the finger at Joseph Smith, citing polygamy, concealing polygamy, …
Taxes = Satan?
Do taxes rob people of their free agency and subvert the Great Plan of Happiness? Some quotes from members around the web: “[Forcing] me to …
Are you still getting those “Obama is a non-flag-saluting Muslim” emails?
In a June of 2006 speech, Barak Obama spoke honestly about the uncertainties of belief. “Faith doesn’t mean that you don’t have doubts,” Obama declared. …
Political Correctness as a Gospel Principle
When I started attending school at BYU, political correctness was still recently taking hold in American culture. In high school my English teacher, Mrs. Summers, …
Continuing Problems with Mountain Meadows
Today’s guest post is by Joe Geisner. Most bookstores in Utah have sold out of the new book on the Mountain Meadows massacre with a …
The Other Half of the Circle
I am an over-analyzer. As a musician I listen to music in a different way than a lot of folks. I pick apart each instrument …
Is the Internet a Urim & Thummim?
What is a Urim & Thummim, and how will the earth become like one?
Five difficult words to contemplate
What if it isn’t true?
Unity Within the Cafeteria
There is regular discussion among Mormon bloggers about the term “cafeteria Mormons” – those who pick and choose what they will and will not accept …
God, Music, and the Sabbath
2 Nephi 31:3 (emphasis added) For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. …
Feeling Comfortable at Church
Recently someone noted that the covetous feel comfortable at church. Indeed, neo-Calvinists tend to embrace the doctrine that you don’t need to choose between God …
Virtual RS/PH #16: Revelation & the Living Prophet
Finally, a lesson that really makes you think! This is probably my favorite JS lesson this year (no one dies or has to move to …
“God Spared My Life” or Did He?
As the tragedy and outrage of the September 11, 2001 attacks unfolded, we heard news reports about the tens of thousands of people that potentially …