Mormon Heretic’s blog post this week, Comparing Correlation with the Supreme Court, inspired me to find out, or try to find, exactly what the manuals …
Rules, Principles, Seeds & Shells: Part II
Last week, I began to sketch out the relationship between rules and principles. For the CliffNotes: faith is a process of applying correct beliefs that …
Rules, Principles, Seeds & Shells, Part I
I sometimes wonder where the 32nd chapter of Alma would rank in a list of most iconic scriptures in the entire Book of Mormon. It …
The Fallibility of Infallibility
The Prophet Joseph Smith said “ … a prophet was a prophet only when he was acting as such.” (History of the Church, Volume 5:265). …
Are you sure you’d like to live the United Order?
We had an interesting discussion on my Prayer and Politics post. (Unfortunately, we talked more about politics than prayer.) The discussion focused on economic policies. …
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. …
Putting an Edge on Abraham
OT SS Lesson #9 This story is so very, very familiar to us that I think it’s important to look at it with a fresh …
Obedience or Natural Law?
There is an interesting character on Youtube who calls herself “The Non-Muslim Hijabi”. She wears a head scarf even though she’s not Muslim. I felt …
In the Shadow of the Temple by Guest
A close friend of mine who wishes to remain anonymous recently saw in the shadow of the temple his story follows: In October, I was …
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 …
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 …
‘I really think it would be best if you ended your remarks at this point?’
John Remy posted an interesting blog/video where a man, speaking about his concern with the Church’s practice and policy during the Prop 8 debate, was …
Doing Right for the Wrong Reason
Should we still do good things, even if our motives are not perfect and pure?
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 …
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 …
Mormon Mythology: Sons of Perdition
From a mythological perspective, why does our religion have such a powerful and detailed “Sons of Perdition” element? I asked myself this recently after observing …
My first time at Young Womens Camp
This week I volunteered to help as the “priesthood” on staff for a couple days at Young Women Camp. Perhaps this is all old hat …
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 …
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, …
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 …
Quals or quants?
Today’s post is by The Chorister. I’m an education professor. In academic research, we talk about quantitative research and qualitative research. In order to avoid …
The Untold Story of Black Mormons by Guest
When I served a mission in eastern Canada in the early 90s, there were many things I was grateful for (warm boots, wool suits, fairly …
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 …
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 …
Filtered Visions by guest Reuben Collins
I’ve been thinking about Levi Peterson’s The Backslider lately (SPOILERS AHEAD).
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 …
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.
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 …
Story Time: A Thought Experiment
Names and identities have been invented and caricatured as necessary. Miller is a member of the church. He magnifies all of his callings, does all …
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 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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Binding Members to the Church
President Hinckley has reminded that we all need at least three things to remain firmly in the faith—a friend, a responsibility, and “[nourishing] by the …
God is a Star Trek Fan: The Kobayashi Maru = Plan of Salvation
In the Star Trek II movie “The Wrath of Khan,” the opening scene is a failed military engagement in the Klingon neutral zone. The Federation …
Righteous Judgment
The seventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew begins with: “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”
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 …
Praise, Honor & Glory Be to God
I have been struck for a long time by the different ways that people interpret and speak of praise, honor and glory – particularly how …
A Few Choice Words on Swearing
What constitutes swearing? Is it always wrong? If so, why?
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 …
Mormon Miracles: Seeking for a Sign
How much does God intervene in our lives? More than we give credit to Him or less than some would like to believe? Why do some require evidence of God’s …
When Obedience Doesn’t Bring Happiness
As Mormons, we are constantly taught and reminded that obedience brings happiness. So what are we to conclude when we’re obedient but still aren’t happy?
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 …