A few days ago a friend of mine gave me a copy of a thesis she had directed for a young woman pursuing an MFA in non-fiction writing. My friend mentioned this student months ago, telling me that she was a Mormon writing about her life as a Mormon. She…
Category: Testimony
Symbolic beliefs can counter cognitive dissonance, but at a cost
missionary mauled, but saved through god’s will
In case you didn’t see it, a Mormon missionary was mauled in Guatemala by a couple of lions. However, as you read the article, it makes it sound as though: (1) Paul Oakey wasn’t doing anything wrong when he was attacked by the lions and (2) he was saved through…
What is Respectful Proselytizing?
In some countries, proselytizing a religion other than the religion of that land is illegal. Many countries in the Arab world prohibit the proselytizing of any religion but Islam (and whether being an Iranian Christian is really all that difficult, I wouldn’t know). Nepal is considering adding proselytizing to its…
Only for American Mormons, July 2011
For years our family has received theLiahona instead of theEnsign. I used to work for Distribution Services which is where I discovered that theEnsign magazine is only published for English-speaking American/Canadian Latter-day Saints. While I knew that theLiahona served non-English LDS around the world, I discovered that an English version…
LDS Message for Pride 2011
This post was written by MoHoHawaii. Timed for the annual gay pride celebrations, the LDS Church’s official magazine, the Ensign, has an anti-gay manifesto in its current issue. The article is written by Elder Bruce D. Porter a General Authority who was formerly a political science professor at BYU. The…
Preparing the Way for Change
The other day, I was having a discussion with a new straight friend, Darren. He is an active Mormon, a husband and father, who within the past year has discovered that two of his closest friends in the world, other members of the Church whom he has known for years,…
Jimmy Creech: A Prophetic Voice for LGBTQ Equality
In May 1984, a closeted gay man in a small town in southeastern North Carolina went to see the pastor of his United Methodist congregation. The man Adam was upset and announced that he was leaving the church. When the pastor asked why, Adam replied that he could no longer…
“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,…
Preserving Mixed Faith Relationships
Reposting from my blog:http://www.lifeaftermormonism.net/profiles/blogs/preserving-mixed-faith Introduction When you first arrive to the other side of faith, or at least to an opposing side to one or more of your family, friends or acquaintances, there are a few pitfalls in which one could accidentallysabotagean otherwise desirable relationship and fellowship with them. Hopefully…
Celestial Glory Shall Be Mine
Celestial glory shall be mine if I can but endure. One of the very first songs a Mormon child learns to sing is I Am a Child of God, a very sweet little song that contains within its simple melody and honeyed phrases the essence of Mormon theology. At a…