There are a large majority of Mormons (especially here in Utah) that think the Church is wedded to the Republican Party. A very interesting letter …
Pyramids-R-US
Last week I spent a supper hour (it took that long) reading an article called “America’s Ruling Class – And the Perils of Revolution” by …
The Dullness of Complaining that LDS Church Meetings are Dull: A Rebuttal
I recently read a piece by Jana Riess on Beliefnet.com “Why Are Mormon Church Meetings So Dull?”. I intended to write an extensive rebuttal on …
Songs That Touch Our Hearts
Since yesterday was Pioneer Day, I thought I’d share my thoughts on one of my favorite Pioneer Hymns. Most of you are probably familiar with …
Doubting My Doubts
I’ve occasionally heard a curious phrase…”Doubt your doubts.” “Be skeptical of your skepticism.” I have wondered what these phrases could mean and of what import …
Tackling the Mormon Myth about Alice Cooper
If you’re Mormon, you’ve probably heard the myth that Alice Cooper was a Mormon. Most of you have probably dismissed the myth as complete hogwash. …
The New Mormon.org
Do you ever visit the church’s website for members (at lds.org)? I must confess, I rarely do. It seems so…austere. And somewhat…inorganic. So, I have …
The Mormon Therapist on Interracial Marriage
Recently I’ve been in contact with a girl by means of the internet. We haven’t met but plan to soon. I like her a lot. …
Wandering Mormons as Nephites
More than two years ago, the Holy Spirit began insisting that I re-read the Book of Mormon. Of course, I didn’t immediately recognize the impulse …
Faith, Knowledge, Belief, and Stochastic Theory Part 2: Inductive Reasoning
Deductive reasoning is a form of reasoning in which the conclusion can be drawn directly from the premises. The idea is to show that the …
The Mormon Therapist on “I don’t feel safe talking to my husband about sex.”
Natasha Helfer Parker is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist and a member of the Church with 13 years of experience working with LDS …
The Mormon Therapist on the Color Gray
Natasha Helfer Parker is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist and a member of the Church with 13 years of experience working with LDS …
Pharisaical Observation
I wrote a post some time ago on whether they Pharisees were given a bad rap in the New Testament. It can be found here. …
After Action Report: The Community of Christ Did WHAT?
Headline in the Independence Examiner for Thursday, April 15, 2010: “Delegation Takes No Action on Human Sexuality Issues: Church Will Continue Dialogue.” Headline by John …
Radical Retention
Our guest poster, Jason M. Brown is a life-long ‘Niblian’ Mormon who grew up in Southern California. He served an LDS mission from 2001-2003 in …
The Seder, Social Justice, and Leroy Jessop
OT SS Lesson #13 At a Passover Seder this week, President Barack Obama’s message to American Jews focused on social justice. Obama said that the …
Squaring the Circle, balance and ideals
A discussion of Squaring the Circle, a geometric puzzle.
Chosen or Posin’ ? Abraham, Buffy, and Other Choice Spirits
OT SS Lesson #2 This was an interesting lesson to read after last year’s brou-ha-ha over an alleged “generals in the war in heaven” quote. …
Did Mormon Influence Increase over the Decade?
My wife brought this to my attention while reading the front page of the Deseret News: 2000s: The First Decade-Mormon Church Influence Soars. Without providing …
Temple Wedding Petition
A temple wedding petition to is being circulated to promote love and happiness in the family by changing the church’s stance on civil marriages preceding temple …
Have you ever received a Christmas card from the First Presidency?
This year I received a Christmas card from the First Presidency. I have heard that Church employees get one, but it has not been my …
Like a Virgin
This post is a response to Aaron Shafovaloff over at Mormon Coffee. If you go to enjoy the lights on Temple Square, you are likely …
Brother Brigham Brother Young
Recently I drove up Little Cottonwood Canyon with my brother and nephew. This is the canyon in which many of your ancestors pulled out the …
Perspective
Everybody blogs, right? Why not me? Looking for my niche, my angle, and the one thing that seemed to make me stand out in my …
Time to Study The Old Testament…Again – Part 2, The Books
In this part 2 of the Studying the Old Testament series, we will discuss the books of the Old Testament, how they were organized, different …
To Those Struggling In Their Faith
There are many within Mormonism who struggle daily with their faith. They have been exposed to historical information they were not aware of, they were …
What is the Final Destination for Apostates and Ex-Mormons?
I’ve always taken it as a given that Mormonism’s view of the afterlife shuffle has always been more universalizing than most of the other alternatives. …
Vagueness as a Gospel Principle
“For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a …
It Is Possible to Effect Some Changes in Your Stake
I’ve enjoyed Andrew Ainsworth’s recent posts on (1) being a loving critic of the church, (2) in a way that doesn’t get you excommunicated. I …
How to Provide Critical Feedback to Church Leaders Church Without Getting Excommunicated
If you didn’t happen to read the February issue of Ensign Magazine in 1987, you missed some valuable instruction about how to provide critical feedback …
Did Elder Holland Denounce or Carefully Avoid the “Inspired Fiction” Theory?
If someone can find something in the Book of Mormon, anything that they love or respond to or find dear, I applaud that and say …
Common Consent: Democracy or Prophetocracy?
At 10:00am on a brisk August morning in 1844 Sidney Rigdon addressed the Saints. Brigham Young spoke briefly before the break and at length in the …
Great Expectations: What Are Your Hopes and Predictions for General Conference?
“It’s the MOST WONderful TIIIME of the YEARRRRRR.” The leaves are starting to change color. The evenings and mornings are a bit crisper. Even the …
Trading Polygamy for Statehood
If one searches around the bloggernacle, you’ll find a snarky comment about how the church traded polygamy for statehood, or that the church just wimped-out …
A Personal Interpretation of Elder Hafen’s Remarks
At the Evergreen conference held September 18-19, 2009, Elder Bruce Hafen gave a talk regarding homosexuality. The talk was reprinted on the official LDS Church …
The Book of Mormon and the Prosperity Gospel
So, it seems that some of the other sites in the Bloggernacle have already sidebarred something about this little article from the New York Times …
How do we earn our morals?
A while back on my blog, Seth R (usually of 9 Moons fame) posted a lengthy and detailed comment about the deficiencies of liberal religion …
The Institutionally Unforgivable?
The message of the Gospel of Christ could be encapsulated in a few adjectives, such as: love (Charity), repentance, forgiveness and service. But how should …
Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up?
David W. Bercot, a Texas attorney and Evangelical Christian, embarked on a quest to discover what Christians believed and practiced before the Nicene Creed. What …
What’s good in a Bible Translation?
In the church, it seems to be a written rule (or perhaps it’s just one of those pesky unwritten orders of things) to use the …
There is only one issue in the Bloggernacle and all other things are only appendages to it.
“The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again …
Vote for #1 Funniest Reason to be Mormon
Here is the poll based based on last week’s post. I’m picking the top 5 funny reasons to be Mormon. I picked 5 that I …
Who is a Cultural Mormon?
First, Happy Independence Day (yay)! …so I was digging through classic Mormon Matters and found Clay’s discussion asking: how much does church activity has to …
Adam and Eve: the First TBM & NOM
There have been several attempts over the years to categorize Mormon “belief-styles”: Orthodox Mormon versus Liberal Mormon, Iron Rod Mormon versus Liahona Mormon, and so …
When the Spirit leaves……
We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, repentance; third, baptism by immersion …
The Power of Choice
One of the most important doctrinal points of the LDS Church is the power of choice, called agency or free agency in the Church. In …
What is Revelation?
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.
If someone should get only one thing out of the church, what should it be?
In an ideal world, we would like everyone to be members of the church (actually, this is just a generalization that I’m going to write …
The Facade of Activity
You see them every week at Church, attending their meetings, performing their callings, shuttling their children to this or that activity. They are active in …
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 …
The consumer model of religion — A look at a BCC post
I was reading BCC the other day, and I came across this post that just seemed like this tremendous threat to me. I know John …
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 …
Best and Worst of Mormonism: Quotes!
A Zen Buddhist/Freemason friend of mine has put together some great posts of “Best and Worst Bible Verses.” I have been trying to convince him …
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 …
An Explanation of My Reduction in Participation
[Please pardon the personal nature of this post, but I want to take the opportunity to write this personally.] For the past two years (almost), …
Interfaith International British DJ
OK Paul technically isn’t exactly an international DJ, not unless you consider that you can listen to his interviews on line.
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, …
When the Ward Splits
Since I have lived in Colorado Springs (almost 6 years), I have witnessed a phenomena at Church I hadn’t experienced before while living in San …
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 …
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 …
Who Should Go to Church, Anyway?
So over at T&S they’ve been having this discussion about the recent media report about the majority of America’s drifiting faith issues. And I know, …
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 …
Temples Unbuilt
I happen to be cruising around the LDS Temple website the other day and I was looking at the Temples under construction. I was wondering …
Why Faith Needs Reason
The tragedy of 9/11 had a big impact on my views about the relationship between faith and reason. As I watched the video footage of …
Are we going to be Eunuchs after this life?
My home teacher (who is very cool) came by yesterday to drop off some starter cables for my car and as one does in that …
Joseph Smith and Wealth Redistribution
This article by a guest blogger originally appeared at Gospel Doctrine Underground. We want to thank the author for allowing us to re-post it here. …
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 …
Nepotism in the Church: 2009 Update
Last time, I did a lengthy post on Nepotism in the Church, which you can find here. This is an update for this year so …
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. …
LDS Worship – Part II
The following is the second part of the series written for us by David Stout, Disciples of Christ minister, about his perception of LDS worship. …
Mainstream acceptance of the Mormons’ Easter Story?
Around Easter 2004, National Geographic produced a documentary titled In Search of Easter. The producers interviewed a wide range of scholars about the Resurrection story …
Symbolism Of the Passover Points to Jesus Christ
The traditional Jewish celebration of the Passover, which started Thursday night, can illustrate the rich symbolism found in the Old Testament and show how the …
Faith vs. Doubt
“Faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.”
Help Wanted: Predicting the Next Apostle
This Thursday or Friday, someone at the Church Office building will get a phone call and make the long walk to President Monson’s office. By …
The Problem with Whistleblowers
A whistleblower is someone internal to an organization who alleges misconduct. So, what if the organization is the church? Does the church handle whistleblowers effectively …
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 …
Coming out of the closet
A while back I was reading an article by Seth Payne (and I blogged about it on my personal blog from a slightly different perspective)…and …
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 …
What all can we do, anyway?
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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.
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 …
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: …
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 …
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.* …
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 …
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 …
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? …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Conservative Evangelicals & Liberal Mormons: Are They Really Similar In Ways?
The following quotes are excerpted from an article written in 1989 and quoted by the Fundamental Evangelists Association. (The entire article is an interesting look into …
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 …
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 …
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? …
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.
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 …
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 …
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/
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 Irony of Proposition 8
I hope you can stand at least one more post on Proposition 8 and its aftermath.
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 …
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 …
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?
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Is Pride the Only Sin?
Can all sins be reduced to just one sin: pride? Is pride essentially the root cause of all sins?
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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, …
Is the Internet a Urim & Thummim?
What is a Urim & Thummim, and how will the earth become like one?
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 …
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 …
The Sunstone Report
I attended the Salt Lake Sunstone Symposium on Friday, August 8th. I hadn’t been to Sunstone in ten years. The last time I came, I …
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 …
What it Really Means to Live the Gospel
I think if you did a survey of LDS Church members and asked the question: “What does it really mean to live the gospel?” You’d …
Virtual RS/PH #14 – Words of Hope & Consolation @ Time of Death
A word to the teachers out there. I know what you are thinking. Something like, “Ugh. I got the death lesson?!” So, if you have …
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?
Excommunication: Shame or Fame?
We’ve all seen the headlines: Excommunicated: LDS Church boots creator of ‘Men on a Mission’ calendar Local gay Mormon faces excommunication LDS author facing excommunication …
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 …
Confessions of a Coffee Heathen
In the past, I consumed large amounts of Mountain Dew and “energy drinks.” I’m getting older now (almost 40). My insides just can’t tolerate the …
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, …
Something the Southern Baptist Convention Can Learn from the Mormons
The following article highlights something that the Mormon Church has been criticized by some for doing for years, but it is the Southern Baptist Convention …
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 …
Obedience: Virtual RS/PH #13
Welcome to the second virtual co-ed 3rd hour. This week’s lesson is a topic that is often a seething hotbed of Mormon Matters controversy: “Obedience: When …
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 …
Virtual Co-Ed RS/PH: Missionary Work (Lesson 12)
Welcome to the first ever Virtual Co-ed Relief Society/Priesthood Lesson (at MM anyway)! Here’s why you should join the discussion: Virtual – you can participate …
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 letter from my sister…
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 …
Which Church Activities Do You Miss?
Over the years, the church has cut back and eliminated activities that, in some cases, were long-standing traditions. Which ones do you miss the most? …
White-Washing
“Whitewashing” is an accusatory term often used against the church to describe efforts to gloss over sticky points in doctrine or history. So, does the church engage in whitewashing?
True Discipleship: It’s DOING more than KNOWING
I recently lead a discussion in High Priests (I never call it teaching) about Discipleship, what it was and how we can become true disciples …
A Few Choice Words on Swearing
What constitutes swearing? Is it always wrong? If so, why?
Active in the Church
My 21-year-old son, Ethan, was home from college for a couple weeks this summer. On Sunday when he came to church with us, our bishop …
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 …
Rock the Gerontocracy!
Larry King described the Mormon faith as a “gerontocracy” (Hello–Pot? Kettle here). Being led by 15 men with a median age of 76 is a …
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 …
30 Years of Authorized Black Priesthood
In 1999 a church news paper surveyed its Latter Day Saint subscribers to glean what single event they thought shaped the last 100 years in …
How’s Your Mo-Dar?
We recently went to a few Native American sites near Prescott, Arizona with our kids. My husband’s “Mo-Dar” was in rare form. I must have been …
Ok, So What If It Isn’t True?
The Church of Jesus Christ claims to be the Restored Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and the “only true and living church on the …
Mormon Ancestor Worship
Do Mormons practice a form of ancestor worship? What does it mean that we must be saved “with all our dead”?
Rethinking Repentance
A guest post by our friend Ray: The Bible Dictionary defines “repentance” as: “a change of mind, i.e., a fresh view about God, about oneself, and …
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 …
6 Minutes 44 Seconds
This could be the most meaningful six minutes and 44 seconds that you spend today.
all we can do
“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 …
- Page 1 of 2
- 1
- 2