If you’re new to this blog and my regular blog, you may not already know that I’m one of those “exmos” who has never been ex’d, or even resigned. I’ve explained why a few times (such as in my joke post about my excommunication), but in a nutshell: I don’t…
Peace, Order and Religious Freedom
In the wake of the reformation Europe was torn by religious wars for almost two centuries. France had the Huguenot wars, Britain the civil war between king and parliament, and in Germany, there was the 30 year war, which killed one third of the population. My home town was the…
We Were Asking for It
If you sew the wind, you shall reap the storm. If you live by the sword, you shall die by the sword. It’s just sad.
Beyond Victory
Did you know that there are 45 million Pashtuns? I did not either until I saw Frontline’s documentary about the Taliban last week. Watch it here. The Pashtun tribes provide the ethnic base for the Taliban insurgency. Their demographics matter. According to Mao Zedong’s dictum, guerilla fighters move in the…
Sunday in Outer Blogness, not prop.8 edition
I’ve decided I’d like to make this a regular feature if nobody objects. I’m not trying to compete with the Carnival of the Veil (which is more like a regular carnival where people can submit posts). It’s just that since I subscribe to all the many blogs of Outer Blogness,…
Recovering Our Honor
Thank you, Barbara Young. Mormons owe you: I am very passionate about this issue and Steve is completely supportive of me and my work for eqaulity,” Barbara Young said in a statement to the Mercury News after midnight. “We both love our Church and are grateful that our Church encourages…
Proposition 8 from Outer Space
Did you think my kiss was a promise of what you’ll have? No, my pompous one. It was to let you know what you will not have. The Mormons’ relationship with the Religious Right keeps reminding me of this crazy Ten Commandments quote. In kind of an opposite sort of…
An Open Letter to the ‘nacle
Remember when you were upset last fall when one poll after another revealed that a substantial number of liberals applied a religious test to Mitt Romney? I tried to explain to you that people felt threatened by our involvement in racist and sexist discrimination. We resisted racial equality for 24…
Trunk or Treat?
Is anyone doing this “Trunk or Treat” thing? I’d never heard of this as a kid (maybe it’s new or something), and I’m glad. Really, are your neighbors that scary that you can’t let them give candy to your kids? When I was growing up, we went out trick-or-treating around…
A Post That’s Not About Gay Marriage (except it totally is)
I have a question for you believing Mormons out there (there are some of you who read this, right??? I hope). First, some exposition: With one (brilliant) exception (me), my immediate family members are all active Mormons. They are, however, split pretty much down the middle: my mother and sisters…