Religious Authority, Postmodernism, and Mormonism
My past two posts (here and here) have given an overview of the differences between premodern, modern, and postmodern religious institutions in terms of their structure, organization, and concepts of identity. To review, I summarized the differences like this:...
Was Joseph Smith Ever Convicted of a Crime?
For decades historians, apologists, and anti-Mormons have been debating this very question: was Joseph Smith ever convicted of a crime? While there have been discussions on this topic since the beginnings of Mormonism, the debate really got started in the 1970s....
Holland-Daze Sauce
The Seeing Eye Dog, Commenting on recent Commentary
What is Prayer?
I’m not arrogant enough to believe that I’m the first person to ask this kind of question. I’m sure everyone reading this has had these same thoughts. So, help me out here. Help me pin this practice down. I don’t understand why we claim there is power in prayer when...
The Racialization of Prophesy
America long ago fell in love with an image. It is a sacred image, fashioned over centuries of time: this image of the unharried, unconcerned, gladulatory, simple, rhythmical, amoral, dark creature…It was created, and it persists, to provide a personified pressure...
Loving My (Trans) Neighbor
Love your neighbor as yourself --Jesus The Savior's teachings were clear, but their applications are not always so clear. One thing I do know, however, is that the first step in loving someone is to understand where they are coming from. This post will be organized...
Authenticity Through Connection
Note: This blog post first appeared on Jena's personal blog, Authentic Jena. on April 23, 2016 I’m not sure what’s more awkward, me wearing dangly earings and lipstick, or me standing up here in front of all of you. Growing up I was a pretty athletic girl. You know,...
100: Ask a Mormon Sex Therapist Part 14
It is the 100th episode for the Rational Faiths Podcast! Wahoo!!! Here in the 14th installment of the “Ask a Mormon Sex Therapist” series Brian and Laurel talk with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife about managing pornography viewing and balancing a marriage between two...
Rainbow Mormon Initiative
In the Book of Mormon, Alma teaches people who are eager to learn more about the gospel. Of specific interest was what our Heavenly Parents expect from their children as part of the Kingdom of God. Alma explains the type of commitment Children of God must make to...
Why Mormons Care So Much…. About Underwear
A couple of summers ago my wonderful husband was at his parents house after attending the temple with one of his siblings who was receiving their endowment. As he was getting ready to go one sibling burst into tears and told him how much they were worried about him....
What to say to a friend who is leaving the Church
It seems that just about everyone these days has a friend, a cousin, a spouse, or a child who is either considering leaving the Church or has already left. Every situation is different, but there are some general principles that apply in a wide variety of situations.
Who Want’s to Know?
When someone claims to “know beyond a shadow of a doubt, with every fiber of my being”, they imply that they have received all information on a given subject. What an awful condition! That’s the end of the road, nothing left to discover, no progress to be made,...
Using the Priesthood I Don’t Have
Recently, I got called “Pastor” at work, and since I teach religious studies at the local community college, it makes perfect sense. Sadly, I had to correct my colleague and explain to him that women in my denomination cannot be ordained, but I thanked him for the...
MY BIRTH DEFECT
Note: This post first appeared on No More Strangers on January 20, 2013 I’ve always had an excellent memory. This is both a blessing and a curse. Some of my earliest memories are feelings of frustration, inferiority, and wanting to be someone different that I was. I...
Why I Haven’t Paid My Tithing This Month (Yet?)
When I was graduating from high school I applied to BYU. In the interview with my bishop (a BYU grad who met his wife there and whose children aspired to attend there), he asked why he should endorse me. We talked about my academic and other accomplishments before he...
99: John Gustav-Wrathall
Come get to know John Gustav-Wrathall. He is currently the president of Affirmation which is a community of support for LGBT Mormons and friends and families of LGBT Mormons. He is also an adjunct professor of American Religious History at United Theological Seminary...
LGBTQ Mormon Crisis
Two Printable handout for bishops and stake presidents that talks empirically about LGBTQ suicides:
The LGBTQ Mormon Crisis: Responding to the Empirical Research on Suicide
Youth Suicide Rates and Mormon Religious Context: An Additional Empirical Analysis
The Barker Brothers’ Projects
These videos were created for Latter-day Saint parents and allies to voice their love for their LGBT brothers and sisters, sons and daughters. They want to give a message of comfort and support to other parents who are navigating the difficult conflicts that can arise in families around this issue.
“Cogito!” (“I think!”) follows the intellectual adventures of a recovering academic outside the walls of academia.
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