Death and the Sacrament
The year my brother turned 12, my dad received permission to ordain him to the Aaronic priesthood while we were visiting family in Utah. As a sixteen year old priest, this was my first time participating in an ordination. This was also the first time that a member of...
Fasting and Service
First posted on "Fast and Pray for a Better Day" Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FastandPrayforaBetterDay/ I just finished teaching the “Isaiah” lesson in gospel doctrine class. As I often do, I compare the KJV with other translations to get as wide and...
Youth Suicide Rates and Mormon Religious Context: An Additional Empirical Analysis
Note: this post is intentionally long so as to provide as full and comprehensive picture as possible about the analysis that it describes. For those not interested in the details, read the first few paragraphs and then skip to the “summary” section at the end. Much...
Dear Mormon Friends
March 8, 2016 Dear Mormon Friends, Although I have remained close with many of you, I know we've had few church-related conversations in the 15 years since I left. My silence hasn't been due to a lack of interest in sharing my thoughts about the Church or in hearing...
Reaching out to the Tortured Soul
Depression and suicide have made their rounds in the Mormon blogosphere of late, particularly in regard to the issue of homosexuality in Mormonism. For me, this is a subject that hits home because, you see, I suffer from depression. It's taken me a while to get to...
Mormon Myths: The secret history of UFOs (part 2)
This week provides one final look at the ever so interesting connection between Mormon theology and UFO myths and folklore. I highly recommend catching up with the last installment here before we take a look at more modern theories. Grab your tin foil hats and let’s...
Question Not, and Make Some Dang Money
The Seeing Eye Dog – A Weekly Comic to Lead the Blind Where ‘ere They Go. By Jack Naneek
95: When Race, Religion, and Sport Collide – Black Athletes at BYU and Beyond
While reading Darron Smith's excellent work on race and sport two concepts kept coming to my mind as some of the most nefarious ideas to espouse. Though they may not seem so bad at first glance the reality is that (in my mind) bootstrapping and libertarian free will...
The Truth: I do Want to Take Power from Men
When female ordination is the topic, you can be pretty sure that the conversation is being centered around men 80% of the time. Okay, I’m being generous. Probably 95%. Instead of discussing the value of allowing women to access and yield the power of God on earth—what...
Too Little, Too Late, Too Mitt
The Seeing Eye Dog – A Weekly Comic to Lead the Blind Where ‘ere They Go. By Jack Naneek
What The dUCK, Bednar?
The Seeing Eye Dog – A Weekly Comic to Lead the Blind Where ‘ere They Go. By Jack Naneek
A non-literal reading of the Nephi narrative in the Book of Mormon
For what could I write more than my fathers have written? For have not they revealed the plan of salvation? I say unto you, Yea; and this sufficeth me. (Jarom 1:2) Scripture, as we know, can be interpreted in a variety of different ways. Individuals, cultures, and...
Follow the Prophet (Redux)
Being a parent features many cringe-inducing experiences. For my wife and I, one of those cringe-worthy moments was when we were at the home of my non-LDS parents-in-law and my children spontaneously decided to march around singing (at the top of their lungs) the...
Is This Really Sane?
The Seeing Eye Dog – A Weekly Comic to Lead the Blind Where ‘ere They Go. By Jack Naneek
Do Your Duty (Lament of Nephi Johnson)
Q: "Had any person ever been injured for not obeying?" Johnson: "Yes, sir; they had." Q: "And from what you had seen before that, you thought it was your duty, under the circumstances, to obey counsel, or commands given you by Haight?" Johnson: "Yes, sir." - Excerpt...
Mental Illness, Addiction, & Prison
I've been on antidepressants for about 4 years now. On the couple occasions when I forgot to pick up my prescription refill (just before a 3-4 day weekend) it became clear that I still needed to be on them. It's not particularly surprising that I have this issue. All...
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