“The gods of capitalism and the gods of Mormonism are nothing but different faces of the same lie. And I would have you serve neither.” Adapted from a letter written to my fourteen-year-old son. Dear Son, A few weeks ago, I texted asking for ideas for Christmas gifts for you….
Author: Leah
Writer. Poet. Teacher. Journeyer.
Living in North Carolina
@leahiellio
www.leahielliott.com
Mormon Erotica: Banta’s Third Book Delivers Heart and Humor
I’ve been a Donna Banta fan since 2010, when I discovered her blog “Ward Gossip.” Oh my god! This woman is The Onion of Mormonism, I thought, as I instantly recognized Banta’s fictional ward as a mostly-accurate reflection of my own Mormon experience, with just the right amount of exaggeration…
Earthly father, invisible mother, sort of like our Heavenly Parents?
There’s a new video on the YouTube Mormon Channel comparing earthly fatherhood to Heavenly Fatherhood, and I generally agree with the sentiments about the importance of fathers, but a few things really bother me. First, there’s the implication that fatherhood is primarily about providing materially. Second, the wife of the father…
Is sweetness next to Goddessliness?
The topic of wet dreams came up with a never-Mormon friend, and I told him, “You’ve just got to check out this ridiculous talk one of the Church leaders gave in the 1970s!” I found the link to Boyd Packer’s “Little Factory” talk and sent it to my friend. I’d…
“We do not need more members who question every detail.”
Spending too much time on Facebook, as usual, and a friend shared this link from the page LDS General Conference, a quote from M. Russell Ballard from October 1995 General Conference: We do not need more members who question every detail; we need members who have felt with their hearts,…
“Nobody actually believes in a man with a beard in the clouds.”
A friend of mine said this recently as we were discussing whether the god that New Atheists dismiss is too simplistic. All I could say is, “Well, I did.” Okay, maybe not in the clouds exactly, but from his first appearance with his Son to Joseph Smith to the affirmation…
Did you ever make up your own words to primary songs?
You know, like: In my pretty garden the flowers are naughty. Or: Saturday is the special day. It’s the day we get ready for Sunday We clean the house and we wash our hair It’s “no fun till the work is all done” day! Or in the chorus of “The…
Favorite hymns?
I’ve been humming “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief” the last few days. Singing was always one of my favorite parts of church, and one of the things I really missed when I left, though I’ve found other groups to sing with now. I still love many of the hymns…
Is your marriage in trouble? Adopt a highway!
According to aMormon Times report of BYU Education Week, that first bit of litter that misses the trash can is the beginning of the slippery slope to divorce court. That’s right. Littering, among a litany of other behaviors, is a form of selfishness, and selfishness destroys marriage. The list included…
Mormonism f@#*ed up my sex life!
Urban Koda’s thoughts on “Riding” made me reflect on a lotof my hang-ups that can be traced directly back to teachings of the Church. Imagine a 13-year-old girl who believes she will be eternally cut off from the presence of God unless she repents by confessing to her middle-aged male…