Advice comes in two forms: rules to live by and personal narratives. [Read more...]

We all know that the two great commandments are to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself. I find the differences between the two refreshing and apt. [Read more...]

Eons ago (in 2006), I wrote a blog post about Mormon popular art. In it I suggested that the Spirit has a tendency to testify of sincerity (rather than artistic quality) and that this explained why so much Mormon art is bad. In the comments to that section, D. Fletcher (whom I wish participated more around these parts nowadays) suggested that the reason so much Mormon art is tepid is because we are, generally, happy. Art comes from pain (much like comedy or addiction) and unless one is tormented in ways that most Mormons won’t admit great art cannot come. At the time, I thought that this was needlessly reductive; today I’m not so sure. But, that said, I have a suggestion for our artists out there (I myself not being much of one): feel the restraints of Mormon life as pain. [Read more...]

Your Monday Morning Theological Poll:

Is Abraham’s astronomy real or metaphorical?
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Your Monday Mid-day Theological Poll:

Why is gender eternal?
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Due to the recent poll, I was pointed to a diary post at the Daily Kos. In it, a pro-choice, pro-gay-marriage Mormon tries to explain why they won’t leave the church, even though they disagree with the church’s stance in Prop 8. The argument he chooses is that the church is within its rights to regulate behavior within the church; outside is another matter. The diarist alludes to reasons why they won’t leave the church, but isn’t very specific. Finally, the diarist asks the following question to another member of that community:

am I wrong to maintain my membership in my church? I love the Gospel, I think it is beautiful, and I don’t want to be outside it. I know you did what you had to do? Is my choice wrong? I don’t think so.

In the ensuing comments, many people (mostly militant atheists) helpfully suggest that the appropriate response is to stop going to church or to remove one’s name from the roles. This is because they aren’t listening to the diarist (who doesn’t want to leave the church) and because they have a fundamental misunderstanding of religious life. They think it is like shopping.
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Your Tuesday Morning Theological Poll:

If a child in utero is miscarried or aborted, what happens to the spirit that was going to inhabit that body?
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Your Tuesday Morning Theological Poll:

Who is responsible for your sins?
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Your Monday Mid-day Theological Poll:

Why is someone born in the covenant?
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I have a couple of confessions to make:

1. While I have a number of prejudices remaining, the prejudice that I most dearly hold in my heart is a prejudice against the evangelical counter-cult ministry, also known as Anti-Mormons (or the Fluffy Bunny Nice Nice Club, if you insist)

2. I am simultaneously proud and ashamed of my behavior toward such on the internet. Toward them, I have made the decision to just be mean. There is not very much of Christ in my online behavior as regards my interactions with them (I would likely overturn the little bird cages in my wrath). There is a lot of pride and self-justification.

Let me explain: [Read more...]

Your Monday Midday Theological Poll:

Is there sex after the judgment?
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Your Tuesday Morning Theological Poll:
Two enter, One Leaves: Grace vs. Works
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We live in an apartment complex in Orem, UT. We don’t have a lot of money, so we recycle, reuse, and reduce when possible. We’ve taught this to our children, which is why one of my son’s favorite activities is dumpster diving.
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Your Monday Morning Theological Poll:

True or False:
The earth must be baptized with water and with fire in order to be prepared for its celestial glory.
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Your Monday Morning Theological Poll:
Which holiday is more important to our liturgical calendar?
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This was originally posted at Various Stages of Mormondom. If Russell can do it, so can I!

It is always dark in Russian cathedrals and churches. They don’t go much for interior lighting. That said, there are plenty of candles, so you don’t stumble over other people. There are also no chairs. The devoted stand, the less-devoted leave mass early. Finally, all singing is a capella. It is also all beautiful, often sung by a choir standing in the back of the nave, usually wearing a grubby collection of their everyday clothes.
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Your Tuesday Morning Theological Poll:
Which set of sacred writings is more important theologically?
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Your Monday Morning Theological Poll:

After the Judgment, which of the following two places will have more people: The Celestial Kingdom or Outer Darkness?
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Your Monday Morning Theological Poll:

True of or False: If someone wishes to leave the church, it is because they have some grave, unconfessed sin.
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This past weekend, we had the apostasy lesson in the Relief Society/Priesthood manual. We came to the general consensus that the key to avoiding personal apostasy was to remember that the Brethren are acting under God’s direction and that, while dissent isn’t horrible, it should be meek and done through appropriate channels. We also came to the conclusion that those who apostatize do so because they have some issue with the church, that they do it out of anger. Then one of our number raised his hand.
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Your Monday Mid-day Theological Poll:

Is it possible to profane a temple ordinance? [Read more...]

Tuesday Mid-day Theological Poll:
Is all matter made up of intelligences?
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Your Monday Mid-day Theological Poll:

On average, are members of the LDS faith more righteous than other folk?
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Sometimes I think that we forget just how wide the gap is between how we approach morality and how God approaches morality. There are times when seeking to emulate the way that God handles a situation is, very likely, the absolute worst way to deal with a human problem.
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On Average, are General Authorities of the Church more righteous than non-General Authority members of the Church? [Read more...]

If a priesthood holder is unworthy, does that affect the efficacy of an ordinance he performs? [Read more...]