Many of us have spent the past week remembering and grieving for the victims of the massacre in Orlando.
Will this massacre be the one that finally gets sensible gun laws put onto the table in the US? Will it help people (and churches) rethink their anti-gay beliefs and rhetoric? It appears that the shooter’s shame over his own homosexual inclinations (shame he learned from his religion) was a big part of the deadly mix. It’s time to stop telling gay people to change.
And then there’s that election….
The Mormon History Association conference sounds like it was quite interesting, with discussions of race, sexual violence in early Mormon history, and the latest DNA evidence that shows that Sylvia Lyon probably wasn’t Joseph Smith’s daughter (with implications).
In other LDS discussions, why show up for church? What about personal revelation? How about Mormon dietary restrictions? And let’s consider the parallels between Mormon and Muslim polygamy.
Of course there’s more to the discussion of Mormonism and rape culture, including this shocker:
she went on to tell us about a mother of teenage sons who had a “Modesty Closet.” If one of her sons’ dates was dressed in spaghetti straps or something else they felt was too revealing, they would make her choose a sweater from the Modesty Closet to cover herself up before continuing the date.
In life journeys, Monica has reevaluated her relationships, Jana contemplated choosing happiness, and a Mormon woman got some dating advice from her bishop:
I asked him if it was wrong of me to date members of the church since I am not what the men are taught to want to marry (questioning things, feminist, not endowed, the list goes on…). He said that he loved having me there and that of course I was welcome and wanted, but he also told me that he would never counsel someone to get married outside of the temple (because I have doubts and don’t think it is apprioprate to go with how I currently feel) and that IF I find someone who is similar to me that could work. IF is one of the saddest words to hear in dating. If I find anyone I am lucky, if I find anyone in Mormonism that is okay with my (lack of) beliefs it is freaking miracle.
That’s it for a sad week. I hope you have a happy Father’s Day anyway…