One of my fencing coaches often relates a story about how she despises the parents of little fencing kids. And this is not isolated. Soccer …
When Evil-Speaking Creeps Unawares Among Us
Last week, there was some heated debate here about More Open Mormon History. I don’t want to open that exact same discussion all over again, …
Soliciting Opinions for a Marriage Sunday School Class
In the next month or so I will be teaching a six-week Sunday School course based on “Strengthening Marriage: A Resource Guide for Couples” from …
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 …
Positive Black History in the Church
Much has been made of the LDS Church’s unflattering history regarding the priesthood ban. But there are some positive stories. I’d like to address some …
International Ignorance
Someone mentioned in a blog post that I read recently about how accessible materials and information about the Church are for us these days: blogs, …
A So-Called Case Study
So-called: 1. called or designated thus 2. incorrectly called or styled thus Two definitions: one is fairly generic, the other carries with a challenge towards …
Moving along on both tracks
Well, my latest ponderings. Your feedback will be welcome.
There’s more than one way to (not) abide it . . .
Today’s post is by The Chorister. Sometimes I get really frustrated with my relationship with the church and find myself increasingly feeling like I don’t …
The Bloggernacle: The Church’s Unofficial Complaint Department
Since I began using the Internet, I discovered both the positive and negative aspects of it. One can find a wealth of information heretofore unattainable …
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 …
Soliciting Advice for My Son
My oldest son has finished all of the preparation that is required to submit his mission papers, and our Stake President has formally submitted his …
From Black Panther to Mormon: The Case of Eldridge Cleaver
He’s the stuff of kitschy seminary teachers who like to make the Church hip to their edgy adolescents: Eldridge Cleaver. A real Alma the Younger …
Is Mormon Culture Depressing Utahns?
Ever since I read the MHA study ranking Utah as the #1 most depressed state in the U.S., I’ve been asking my Mormon friends and …
Dancing through the Sidebar
Feel free to comment on any of the following links – or any others in the sidebar: Hat night at Mesa Temple Wow, could these …
The “Doctrine of the Family”
I was disturbed as I read the Visiting Teaching Message for the month of March. It is titled “Uphold, Nourish, and Protect the Family,” and …
More Open Mormon History
I attended a few Mormon History Conferences last weekend. I gave a more detailed account on my blog, but wanted to see how Mormon Matters …
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 …
The Larger-Than-Life Relics of Heritage, Part I: The Sweetwater Rescue
I’m not one of those “let’s prove popular stories incorrect so we can watch the orthodox-squirm” kind of fellows. You know the kind…they start …
Would This Gay Marriage Compromise Work?
David Blankenhorn and Jonathan Rauch co-wrote an article recently in the New York Times called, “A Reconciliation on Gay Marriage”. I have linked the full …
Faith and Logic: Finding and Navigating an Individual Balance
NOTE: This is a guest post by David Stout, Disciples of Christ minister. I write from the perspective of a Disciples of Christ minister whose …
Filtered Visions by guest Reuben Collins
I’ve been thinking about Levi Peterson’s The Backslider lately (SPOILERS AHEAD).
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 …
RS/PH #28: Missionary Service: A Holy Calling, a Glorious Work
Missionary Work—When I first saw the topic, I thought “Ugh, what a boring topic.” But I was pleasantly surprised, and learned some things about early …
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 …
Interview with David Murphy
The chance to do an interview like this doesn’t happen too often. David Murphy is a kind, energetic young man who does promotions for Simeon …
Every exmember a missionary
And now, dear friends at Mormon Matters, is your regular report from the Dark Side of the Moon. I was reading a comment in another …
My Struggle with Formal Prayer
NOTE: This post is a combination (with minor edits) of two posts that I wrote on my own blog this month, as I contemplated Matthew …
Brigham Young: Prophet, Pioneer . . . Radical Environmentalist?
Although Brigham Young is one of the most well-known Presidents of the LDS Church, perhaps second only to Joseph Smith, it seems most Mormons are …
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 …
The Almost-Right Place: Joseph Smith and the Texas Republic
By the time my FHE activity was over, I had the counselor in the bishopric grumbling about how I was on the high road to …
Dancing through the Sidebar
There are some fascinating articles we find occasionally and post in the sidebar, and then there are others that simply are too funny to ignore. …
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 …
What is the Holy Ghost?
One of my favorite parts about BYU-Idaho, or rather, one thing I actually liked about BYU-Idaho, was the religion classes. Systematic, academic study of the …
Virtual RS/PH Lesson #27: Beware the Bitter Fruits of Apostasy.
Since Hawkgrrrl does not offer Virtual RS/PH lessons anymore, I thought I’d try my hand at it this one time. My wife was preparing Lesson …
Bad Apologetics, Meet Bad Polemics
polemics: The art or practice of disputation or controversy, especially on religious subjects; that branch of theological science which pertains to the history or conduct …
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.
More Unbridled Speculation — the Priesthood Ban
It seems like everyone likes to speculate about the priesthood. Who can resist?
Temple Recommend Questions? By Guest Aaron Reeves
This morning I was listening to one of the Mormon Stories podcast and there was a brief comment in it about some of the old Temple Recommend …
Why Would God Create Ordinances?
LDS Church leaders have made it abundantly clear that the Church’s claim to be the “only true and living Church” does not mean Mormons have …
The Porter Rockwell Effect: Mormonism’s Soft Spot for Bad Boys
At BYU, I was a bit of a dabbler, at times, bordering on dilletantism.
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: …
How much truth is too much?
It may be that some of you caught the excellent article in Monday’s USA Today titled “How Much Truth Is Too Much?” It can be …
The Role of the Church in the Pursuit of Righteousness: Why It Works for Some and Not for Others
Last April, as I was contemplating my monthly New Year’s resolution (Hunger and Thirst After Righteousness), something struck me quite forcefully – something I had …
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 …
Where would you go?
A few posts on MormonMatters got me thinking once about my relationship with other faith groups. For instance, a recent post on why it seems …
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 …
A Truth-Seeker’s Guide to the Bloggernacle and Beyond
Several months ago I received a telephone call from Armand Mauss, who is a member of my Stake. He was calling on official Church business, …
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.* …
Celibacy and Sexuality
As they say, sex sells. The church has had a lot to say about sex and sexuality. It’s been on a winding path, but over …
Why Faith Needs Doubt
The very existence of what is commonly called the “veil” seems to tell us at least two things about what God intended real faith to …
Unbridled Speculation, the Series Begins
Thought I’d start with one by Hyrum Smith
Joshua’s Unholy War
Admin Note: This is our first guest post from Mormon Heretic. When most of us hear the word “jihad” or “holy war”, we immediately know …
What Darwin Could Teach Richard Dawkins and the Mormons
Man with all his noble qualities, with sympathy which feels for the most debased, with benevolence which extends not only to other men but to …
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 …
Upon What Rock?
There’s a difference in interpretation between how LDS and non-LDS view the statement by Jesus to Peter when he says “Thou art Peter, and upon …
President Thomas S. Monson: First Year in Review
Today, February 3, 2009 is the 1-year anniversary of the calling of President Thomas S. Monson as the 16th President of the Church of Jesus …
Modern-Day Swearing: Will Our Bastardized Words Damn Us to Hell?
I believe we need to take responsibility for understanding and choosing what we say and do – not allowing others to make those decisions for …
Who needs false doctrines when you can have unbridled speculation (a new series)
“Say nothing but repentance unto this generation” D&C 11:9. How much fun is that?
The Curious Case of Solomon Spaulding
For years now I’ve heard people offhandedly dismiss the Book of Mormon as a known plagiarism of “the Solomon Spaulding manuscript.” I’ve finally gotten around …
The Symbolic Image of Christ
Much has been said in church magazines and the Bloggernacle about the image of Joseph Smith. Do we know what Joseph Smith really looked like? …
Gospel Euphemisms
Exodus 20:7: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh …
Are We Cross at the Cross?
As I was getting ready for church one Sunday, I went to put on a necklace. I looked at the cross that a non-LDS family …
Authority Problem? Why not morality?
About a week ago (if I’ve got this newfangled blog software system set up and can submit this article correctly this time, that is [what’s …
Why Is It So Hard for Many Ex-Mormons to Join Another (Traditional) Christian Denomination?
I had a job a long time ago as the Training Manager at a company that was going through the ISO 9000 certification process. For …
Why I Like the Correlation Committee
I am going to state what is bound to be a wildly unpopular opinion: I really like the Correlation Committee.
False Doctrine, the Neverending Story
I’ll get back to folk doctrines and unsubstantiated rumors in a little bit. Right now I’m going to write about one of the most enduring …
Horus Bible Parallels
Recently I saw Religulous here and he touched on Horus here and a few of the parallels between the story of Horus and Jesus. Many …
Sunday School As Ritual
“Read your scriptures” “Go to Church” “Watch Saturday’s Warrior” (heaven help the Sunday School who has a Saturday’s Warrior faction) “Sunday School answers” generally do …
Is God a Mormon?
NOTE: This is another post from our newest author – Faithful Dissident. Whether we’re Mormon, Baptist, Catholic, Jewish, or Muslim, we all believe that God …
Glorifying “The Good Old Days”
I think it’s fascinating to watch people justify their angst over prophets by pointing out all the “weird” stuff about which prophets used to speculate, …
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 …
There Are Too Many Books about the Church
As I sit at the computer in my office, my back is to the 400 or so books I have about the Church in my …
Why I Almost Went on a Mission
I hear there’s a Primary song — “I hope they call me on a mission.” I’ve never actually heard it sung, but I vaguely know …
In Search of the Historical Joseph…
If you think the title tips my hand, hold onto your hats. Indeed, I am consciously borrowing from Albert Schweitzer’s famed work, In Search of …
Stop Baptizing Our Dead!
The LDS doctrine of Baptism for the Dead is unique within Christianity. The explanation for the doctrine and additional references on the LDS Church website …
Abstinence= Don’t think the colour red! Don’t think the colour red!
“The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health” (Add Health), Found that conservative and evangelical Christian teenagers are more sexually active than mainline Protestants, Jews, and …
Peace, Be Still: And There Was a Great Calm (Mark 4:36-39)
In trying to understand more deeply what it means to be a peacemaker, I was struck by the way that the following account is worded: …
How Hitchens, Dawkins and Harris Got it Wrong — And Right
Man I love this article. It’s an interview with a Harvard Psychiatrist and Director of Harvard’s “Study of Adult Development” — discussing the importance and …
Obnoxious Folk Doctrines — the unstoppable force
There were several complaints about the false doctrine thread — about how I was slighting folk doctrines. I’ll be back to the false doctrine series …
Guest Post: How Would You Have Reacted?
Introduction: The following is from a post by Reuben at SingleSpeed titled “Harmonica at Church”. He has agreed to let us post it here, with …
Nipples, Sexism and Racism
There was an interesting article in Time recently about Facebook’s censorship of pics with nips, specifically eliminating pictures of breastfeeding moms (and, in their defense, a few …
The Ghosts of Modernity in a Rural Mormon Town
The land of Star Valley is an almost mystical one, surreal in its environs and mystical in its origin. The last of the Mormon settlements, …
New Year’s Resolutions I Might Actually Try to Keep
First of all, Happy New Year to all our bloggers and participants here at Mormon Matters. I hope that 2009 brings peace and greater insight …
Spiritual Resolutions: My Practical Plan
This year, I am instituting only one New Year’s Resolution. It is the same resolution I made at the end of last year. That resolution …
Does Religion Devalue Human Life?
Answer: Yes. Any questions?
Can you be a Unitarian and a Mormon at the Same Time?
We should gather all the good and true principles in the world and treasure them up, or we shall not come out true Mormons. Joseph …
What is Good Church Leadership?
What is good leadership? How did Joseph Smith envision church leadership? How does that differ from the church today and how is it the same? …
Secret Combinations
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 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.
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 …
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 …