We’ve explored some of the answers members have posted on the mormon.org site in the church’s new profiles campaign. So far, we’ve discussed member answers …
Mormon.org FAQ: Prophets
We’ve explored some of the answers members have posted on the mormon.org site in the church’s new profiles campaign. So far, we’ve discussed member answers …
Duality and Divinity
In both theology and religion, there is a concept called “dualism”, which — to avoid confusion later — I’ll note now has nothing much to …
Mormon.org FAQ: Role of Husbands & Wives
We’ve explored some of the answers members have posted on the mormon.org site in the church’s new profiles campaign. So far, we’ve discussed member answers …
Mormon.org FAQ: Political Parties
We’ve explored a few of the mormon.org profiles’ answers to tough questions on polygamy and women & the priesthood. Today let’s take a look at …
Resolving the Conflict between the TBM and the ExMo
Today’s guest post comes from Ulysseus, a frequent commenter at Mormon Matters and elsewhere in the b’nacle. His website can be found here. To take …
Why Do People Struggle? (With Poll!)
Through my time in the church, I’ve known many who have left the church, many others who have seemingly never had an issue, and a …
Facebook and Marital Fidelity
A Salt Lake City news report in early 2009 shared some troubling statistics. One in 5 divorces in Great Britain cited Facebook in the contributing factors that …
Understanding the Atonement
The atonement is to Christianity what enlightenment is to Buddhism: the foundational concept. How do you feel about the atonement? I admit to some mixed …
Ward Cliques
Does your ward have cliques? Are cliques a good or bad thing?
Song Practice: Not Music to Our Ears
“We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all Song Practice Ladies, as soon as they get a …
Priesthood as a Puberty Rite
A unique aspect of Mormonism is that all males over age 12 can hold an office of the priesthood, and that they are expected to …
Mormonism: Nature Religion or Social Religion?
“God against Man. Man against God. Man against Nature. Nature against man. Nature against God. God against nature–very funny religion!” ~Dr. D. T. Suzuki. Is …
Official Doctrine vs. Personal Speculation
Mormonism, in its very short history, has a rich tradition of theological speculation. The foundations of the Church were based on burning desires to know …
How Many Mormons Does It Take to Screw in a Lightbulb?
Today’s post is by Matt Workman. I waited backstage with my small troupe of comedians. One more act to go, then it was our turn …
Faith & Doubt
Today’s guest post is by Glenn. When I was at BYU, I got interested in the study of folklore – the way that traditional culture …
Homosociality and the Friendship Between David and Jonathan
OT SS Lesson #23 The story of David and Jonathan is one of the most inspiring examples of true friendship anywhere. Our LDS SS manual …
Equal Parenting: Feasible or Not?
There was an interesting article in NYT about the parenting equality in Sweden. Sweden’s practices are probably the most advanced in terms of creating parental equality, …
Mixed Belief Marriages
What should a church member do if their spouse is a non-believer? This is something that many couples encounter, either because one spouse ceases to …
AZ Immigration Law vs. LDS Interests?
A recent article in the Arizona Republic highlights the negative impacts to the LDS church of the new Arizona law that steps up enforcement of …
Reflections on Mormon May Day
by Jason B. (Mormon May Day was an international response to recent statements by latter-day McCarthyist Glenn Beck that social justice was a code word …
Church History: Principles
There has been a lot of discussion in the b’nacle about what the church can do from a practical standpoint to address the thorny issues …
The Repentant Sinner – Extreme Edition! (aka too many rules)
Suzy: Dad, I’m sorry I scratched the couch! Dad: It’s okay, just don’t do it again. 2 minutes later Suzy: Dad, I’m sorry I picked …
Mormonism and Catholicism: Who Can Mock This Church?
There was a great article in the New York Times this week: Who Can Mock This Church? While it was about Catholicism reeling in the …
Putting Things on a Shelf
People like to talk about putting things that bother them about the church on a shelf. Of course, the problem is that for some, the shelf …
Raising the Bar: The Honorably Excused
The church decided to “raise the bar” in 2002 on entry requirements for missionaries, effectively preventing those with a history of serious sin from repenting and …
Buttprints in the Sand
Today’s guest post is from Glenn. Some of you may have seen this before. I wish I could claim authorship, but no – it belongs …
Mormon Vegetarianism
Brett Wilcox lives in Sitka, Alaska, with his wife and their four children. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, Brett works with Alaskan adolescents in an …
Temple Recommend Assumptions
Maybe it was an upcoming family wedding. Or maybe it came out some other way. Have you ever been in a situation when you became …
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 …
What I Learned in Nursery
Many of us have been told that no matter what the calling you have, you will learn from it and grow. I imagine that’s probably …
You’re the Bishop #6: A Poll
Bishop Bill with a situation that happens to probably every bishop. Read on.
You’re the Bishop #5 (Poll)
Bishop Bill again, folks. Now for one that has nothing to do with the ward.
You’re the Bishop #4 (Poll)
OK, Bishop Bill here again with a really difficult situation.
Church as a Social Network
There are those among the disaffected who would like to reap the benefits of the church as a community although they may no longer share the …
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 …
You’re the Bishop: Poll #3
Bishop Bill back with more. We’ve had fictionalized situations in the last two installments with a YW and a YM. Now, let’s have a situation …
You’re the Bishop: Poll #2
Bishop Bill back with your next installment of “You’re the Bishop.” Just to be clear, the examples I am using have been changed enough that …
Abstainers vs. Indulgers
Mormons dig abstinence. Like many other highly committed Christians, we abstain from premarital sex. But, that’s not all; we also abstain from tobacco, alcohol, coffee, …
True or Bizarre: A Poll
While there are moral truths that all religions tend to share (don’t kill, don’t steal, be nice to people, etc.), religions also include “bizarre” differentiators …
You’re the Bishop: Scenario #1
Welcome to “You’re the Bishop,” a new installment at Mormon Matters. My name is Bishop Bill. Once every few weeks I’ll post a situation that …
Mormon Matters on Kindle
Just last week, Mormon Matters content became available to Kindle owners. The only other b’naclers on Kindle are our buddies at By Common Consent. So, here’s …
Follow the [blank]: A Poll
In the church, we learn how to be good followers. There are many things we are told to follow: the prophet, good examples, our parents’ …
This is my Work and my Game Plan
OT SS Lesson #1 With Jeff’s interesting introduction to the OT course of study, I’m sure many of you have peeked at the first OT …
Top 10 Ways GAs Eat Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup
I was inspired by jmb275’s recent post on the Mormon Cultural Articles of Faith, so I thought I’d post an oldie but a personal favorite. …
Sex Ed: A Poll
Which is more effective at preventing unwanted pregnancies: abstinence education or conception education?
EQ to HPG: Rites of Passage
Whether you are 18 or 88, married, single, widowed, or divorced, with or without kids, and regardless of your socio-economic status, if you are an …
The Church in 20 Years
Where do you see the Church in 20 years? Today’s guest post is by David Heap.
Twilight Poll: Anti-Feminism or Fanciful Fiction?
Because of the New Moon movie, Twilight is getting a lot of discussion in the media. Since the author, Stephanie Meyer, is LDS, a few …
Mormon Blogs – What’s OK?
What should be acceptable for a blog to be considered a “Mormon” blog? All Mormon content? Only that which is respectful to the church (not …
Is Morality Universal?
Is morality a social construct or is it universal, transcending time and culture? Or is it a little bit of both? Read on to find …
10 LDS Things I’m Thankful for
Thanksgiving is, IMO, the perfect holiday: good food, a day off work, and no presents to worry about. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanted …
Musings on Modesty & Mormonism
Today’s guest post is from Reuben Collins who also blogs at Single Speed.
“Knowing” It All
Mormons love to use the word “know.” We say we know God lives. We say we know that Jesus is the Christ. We say we …
Was Jesus a Buddhist?
The NT doesn’t give much insight into Jesus’ life between age 12 and 30. Did he encounter Buddhism and seek personal enlightenment? Or are these …
Are You an Internet Addict?
As church members, we have been cautioned about the internet: ease of access to porn, its mind-numbing addictive qualities, the lack of high quality content, …
White Noise
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 …
Saturday Session Thoughts
These are just a few quick observations from today’s sessions, not every talk, though, nor every observation. I also want to direct attention to the …
“Moderation in All Things”: A Poll
The phrase, “moderation in all things” is a euphemism usually (but not exclusively) associated (by Mormons at least)with the Word of Wisdom. It usually means …
The Genius of Mormonism: Ordinances
This is the next installment in my series about what gives Mormonism staying power and makes it an effective religion at winning and retaining adherents.
Too Much of a Good Thing: A Birth Control Poll
Does the church discourage birth control? Are couples encouraged to breed as quickly and frequently as nature allows? Take this poll to share your feelings …
Do Mormon Kids Understand the Atonement?
Does the church teach that we are saved by grace or that we are saved by works? This is one of the most oft-repeated criticisms …
Prosperity vs. Religion
There was a great article in Newsweek called (Un)wired For God. It was a follow up on a prior article that had talked about the …
Insiders & Outsiders
When it comes to Mormonism, do you feel more like an insider or an outsider?
Belief vs. Action
Which is more important – belief or action? Is faith without action better than action without faith? Is belief without action better than acting despite …
Liars, Damned Liars and Statisticians
Is the church growing or shrinking? Is it even possible to measure church growth accurately? Is this a case of statistical confirmation bias? Read on …
Gender vs. Sex
The Proclamation on the Family states: “Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.” What is meant by gender? …
Is Prayer About God?
What does prayer mean? What is its purpose in our lives? Today’s guest post is from jmb275.
Science vs. Religion: A Poll
When there is a seeming conflict between science and religion, people tend to make a mental choice that either favors religion or science. Which is …
Early Mormonism in Context
We tend to view Mormonism in the context of its current contemporaries: Baptists, Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, and atheists (among many others). But how does Mormonism …
The Genius of Mormonism: Israel is Back, Baby! (POLL incl.)
One of the attractive components to Mormon theology was the notion that Mormons were a chosen people, and both figuratively and literally part of the …
Mormon Dating Sites – What the Heck?!?
In a church that requires chastity but a world in which random hookups are the norm, what about the plight of single adults who are well …
I Have Seen the Axe
Alice Walker, who wrote about the heartbreak of female genital mutilation quoted an African proverb in the beginning of her book Possessing the Secret of …
Voting — 2008 Niblet Awards
And the nominees are . . .
Groupthink
“Groupthink” is what naturally happens when a group becomes sedentary and sluggish. When change is introduced or new people are introduced, they challenge the “groupthink.” …
Bloggernacle Rankings: BCC is #1!
According to alexa.com, By Common Consent is currently the top ranked site in the Bloggernacle. Congratulations to our esteemed colleagues; you have earned the distinction …
The Genius of Mormonism: Missions
I wanted to do a series of posts on aspects of the LDS church that I consider to be sheer religious genius. These are religous …
Spirituality, Rationality, Mentality, Duality
Today’s guest post is by jmb275. In my first guest post, I talked about intellectualism and faith. A few of the commenters pointed out that …
Looking Forward to the Good Life
I’ve spent some time over the years thinking about questions that remain in regards to the logistics of the afterlife.
Family First?
In a pro-family church, why doesn’t family always come first? We state that family comes before church, and yet there seem to be many in …
Trying to Understand My Friends Who Didn’t Leave the Faith
Here is a modified excerpt from a 60-page writing that I made for close friends and family members when I decided to leave the church …
Intellectualism and Faith: A Would-Be Marriage!
It is easy to think yourself out of a testimony. It’s as simple as saying “well I can’t prove God exists, or doesn’t exist, therefore …
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 …
Bloggernacle Personality Survey
The bloggernacle seems to attract a specific subset of Mormon culture, and as a result, opinions and comments are often different from those we hear …
Bill Marriott Takes a Stand?
Does this represent Bill Marriott taking a stand? What does this mean?
Offenders for a Word, Part 2 – Do Mormons Worship Jesus?
In my last post I wrote about how we are all forced to take a thought and translate it into words and that this is …
Offenders for a Word – Part 1 – Is Jesus God?
I love words – I love to read, write, talk – but I think words leave out almost everything. That [is] frustrat[ing]… feeling that what …
A Jewish Rabbi Defines Monotheism
Only months into my mission we stopped to meet a man that had grown up Mormon but had left the Church and was now attending …
From the Great Wall to the Bloggernacle With Love
Clay Whipkey and I are in China — and visited the Great Wall 2 days ago. As we contemplated what to discuss on top of …
What Do Joseph Smith and Gladys Knight Have in Common?
When I was a kid in Southern California, it was obvious to me that there were two kinds of people in the world: Mormons and …
“It’s More Than a Religion”: Mormonism as Family
Story 1 From p. 102 of An Abundant Life: The Memoirs of Hugh B. Brown: (Brown addressing a group of 75 LDS servicemen during World …
Robert Millet & Krista Tippet Pt. 3: Robert Millet as a Budding “Sunstone” or “New Order” Mormon
As I’m sure you’ve discovered by now — my takeaways from this interview between Krista Tippet and LDS Theologian and BYU Religion Professor Robert Millet …
BYU Baseball Player Expelled for Not Attending Enough Church?
[Updated — More on the story here.] Apparently BYU (and the LDS church) have expelled BYU’s best baseball player for (allegedly) not attending church enough. …
Robert Millet & Krista Tippet Pt. 2: Mormon Missionary Work Targeted at “Helping People Accept Jesus as Their Savior”?
The more I listen to this interview — the more I enjoy and respect Dr. Millet. I have even listened to the extended interview now, …
Robert Millet & Krista Tippet Pt. 1: “God as Man” Doctrine “Theologically Tangential”
I really, really enjoyed Krista Tippett’s latest interview with (perhaps) the LDS Church’s arch-theologian: Dr. Robert Millet. I have about 4 or 5 posts in …
Should I Care if My Christian Neighbors Call Me a Non-Christian?
Evangelical Christians have been very vocal over the last century in denouncing Mormons as a “non-Christian” religion. Even the more moderate Catholic and Protestant sects …
Krista Tippett Interviews Robert Millett on Mormonism for “Speaking of Faith”
I love Krista Tippett’s “Speaking of Faith”, and I love Mormonism — which makes this a must-listen. I hope it’s good. What did you think?