People have different opinions on what personal revelation is. Is it from God or from within us? Is it personal or universal in the scope …
What Makes People Good?
An article in Newsweek “Adventures in Good and Evil” made a few interesting points about why some people are good and some are evil.
Taking the Fun Out of Funerals
What do you want your funeral to be like? Do you care or do you figure you’ll be dead anyway? How do you feel about …
Women are from Venus, Men are from Kolob
Based on my experience, I would guess that the majority of LDS women under age 65 would say that polygamy is NOT an eternal principle …
The Problem with Tolerance
The church has a history of high level leaders making sweeping pronouncements that are later deemed incorrect, speculative, or unauthorized, yet in each case, church …
Mormon Masks
Often people have a hard time with intimacy (intimacy = “into me see”) because they feel vulnerable. They would rather deal with ideas than people, …
Botched Hymns
We are all familiar with this phenomenon. You’re listening to a song you’ve heard many times, and you think you know the lyrics, but you …
That We Could All Be Like – Satan?
Today we have a guest post from Bishop Mike T. Young of the Spanish Fork 401st Ward.
April 2009 General Conference – Word Stats
Based on word count, what was the focus of April 2009 General Conference? Before you scroll down, see if you can guess the top 3 …
More Christ At Church
The mission of the church is to bring people to Christ (it is not the tri-fold mission of proclaim the gospel, perfect the saints and …
Scripture Study: The Joy of My Countenance
There is a strange parable in D&C 88 about workers digging in a field and their boss giving them the joy of his countenance for …
Scripture Study: What’s Expedient?
I’d like to start a new feature showcasing stuff I read in the scriptures and getting your opinions on what the heck you think it means. …
Faith vs. Doubt
“Faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.”
Why B,B-S-W A-As Who Support Extension of the Priesthood to W-w-l-P are Depressed
I decided to spare everyone the full title of this article: Why Bearded, Blue-Shirt-Wearing African-Americans Who Support Extension of the Priesthood to Women who love …
Battlestar Galactica Series Finale Review: SPOILER ALERT
OK, I realize that the majority of our regular readership are probably not BSG watchers; however, since the reimagined series is based on the original …
Strange Bedfellows
One aspect of the church that makes me nervous at times is the alliances we form when our interests coincide with other groups, whether this …
Why Mormon Doctrine Is NOT Mormon Doctrine
Many people both within the Church and outside the Church think that Bruce R. McConkie’s book, Mormon Doctrine, is the official declaration of LDS church …
Does Tom Hanks Hate Mormons?
Tom Hanks is a beloved actor to many Mormons for his family-friendly roles and everyman quality. Yet, his recent negative remarks (and hasty retraction) calling …
Mormon Art – the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
From the misguided and ill-conceived to the hurl-worthy, why is there so much bad Mormon Art? Do Mormons have worse artistic taste than non-Mormons? Or just …
Go to Church or Die!
A recent article in Time discusses several studies about the correlation between faith and health. Does church attendance contribute to a healthier, longer life? Is …
Shipbuilding: Tasks or Vision?
Spending a week in the Pacific Northwest on vacation, surrounded by boats and the vastness of the sea, when I read this quote from Antoine …
The Stories We Tell
Joseph Campbell said: Read myths. Read other people’s myths, not those of your own religion, because you tend to interpret your own religion in terms …
On the perfect smile
I really don’t know if it’s just me, but have you ever noticed that there are a lot of LDS dentists? I mean, sure, we’ve …
Jesus for President!
Many view the Second Coming as a time when Jesus will personally and politically reign, not just host lamb & lion mixers. So what do …
Baptism Rant
Today’s post is by guest blogger The Teacher.
What is Truth?
When it comes to religion – can everyone know truth? Can anyone? Today’s guest post is from Justin Perry.
Creeds of the Creedless
The restoration was essentially based on a rejection of the creeds of Christendom which were declared “an abomination” and “those professors were all corrupt; that: …
Revelation & Things
Today’s post comes from The Teacher. Section 8 of the Doctrine & Covenants refers to “another gift” Olivery Cowdery had, called at different times “the …
The Purposes of God Cannot Be Frustrated
The title is from DC3:1. Today’s guest post is from Bouvet and is in reference to this year’s Doctrine & Covenants manual, Lesson 4 is Remember …
Zero Population is the Answer, My Friend . . .
Thought I’d catch your attention with that line from “Saturday’s Warrior,” the bane (or bastion, if you don’t know what you’re talking about) of Mormon doctrine.* …
Oliver Cowdery Was Punk’d!
When you hear the name Oliver Cowdery, you probably think of the story that culminates in the revelation that became Section 9 of the Doctrine …
The Problem with Authority
Mormons are sometimes criticized for their unquestioning obedience to authority. Statements like “When the prophet has spoken, the thinking is done,” and the Primary song …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Remember Dieter Uchtdorf?
Today’s post is by Wade Nelson. Remember Dieter Uchtdorf?
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 …
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 …
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, …
Is the Internet a Urim & Thummim?
What is a Urim & Thummim, and how will the earth become like one?
Virtual RS/PH #15: Establishing the Cause of Zion
Okay, last week I said the death lesson was going to be tough. Frankly, I think a Zion lesson is no picnic either. I’m looking …
Spiritual or Just Religious?
Is your spiritual journey the same as your religious journey, or is religion just one of the facets of your spiritual life?
I’m Okay; You’re Okay
I have one component to my life that prompts little discussions from the lowliest church member to most recently the temple president and I really …
Becoming a Moderate Mormon
We’ve established that there are conservative Mormons (obviously) and there are liberal or “new order” Mormons. Taking the politico-religious rhetoric to its next logical conclusion, …
The Genetics of Sin
There is a lot being done in the medical field to help patients understand their genetic predisposition toward certain ailments. Isn’t the same true for …
Paul: Apostle, Misogynist?
“I’m not bad. I’m just drawn that way.” Jessica Rabbit Plenty of criticism is heaped on post-restoration church leaders. There seems to be a tendency …
A Church of Visionary Dreamers
“You may say I’m a dreamer; but I’m not the only one.” John Lennon. Acts 2:17: “. . . your young men shall see visions, …
A Few Choice Words on Swearing
What constitutes swearing? Is it always wrong? If so, why?
Gender Roles Debunked!
What can we learn about gender roles in marriage from committed gay couples? Is equity the ideal? Is it possible? With less than 24 hours …
Brainwashed?: Polygamists & Terrorists
Are teens who practice polygamy devout or brainwashed? Are teen terrorists devout or brainwashed? When is a teen old enough to be held accountable for …
When Moral Issues Become Political Issues
Should our political views always align with our moral views? When and if they don’t align, why not? Guest blogger Ray explores this idea in today’s …
The Fallout Story
The Fallout Story is a rule of etiquette (that I made up) that I hold sacred for discussing breakups. The rule is: the dumpee owns …
Evidences and Reconciliations 5/19/08
I intend this to be the first entry in a regular series, something you can look forward to on a Monday afternoon. Like all series, …
Give Said the Little Revenue Stream
Do Mormons do less charitable giving due to the commitment of paying tithing? Three months of the year, you can rest assured there will be …
The Mormon Urge to Glurge
glurge (GLURJ) n. A sentimental or uplifting story, particularly one delivered via e-mail, that uses inaccurate or fabricated facts; a story that is mawkish or …
Men: The Weaker Sex?
There is a common belief among LDS that wonderful women are sometimes saddled with mediocre men or sometimes no man at all, which will result …
God’s Hit List in the Book of Mormon
One of the most unseemly and disturbing images in the Book of Mormon is when Nephi is commanded to cut the head off of Laban who …
“What Children Know”: A Children’s Rebuttal to Elder Ballard’s Conference Talk
Late last night as I was putting the finishing touches on my Monday morning blog post, I heard a faint knocking on the front door …
What is Jesus’ Personality Type (MBTI)?
For the unindoctrinated, MBTI (Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator) is a psychometric that classifies people into one of 16 profiles. It is primarily used to help people …
The Parable of the Elephant
Sometimes I recall nuggets of spiritual wisdom but cannot remember when or where I picked them up. One in particular has increasingly taken on new …