There was a lot of discussion this past week about “lying for the Lord” — see this video for a good overview of the issue. Specific complaints include feeling pressured to “bear testimony” when you’re not sure, or to use the word “know” when talking about stuff you don’t really…
Author: chanson
C. L. Hanson is the friendly Swiss-French-American ExMormon atheist mom living in Switzerland! See "letters from a broad" for further adventures!!
Savage bullying controversy!!
I’ll be doing my usual SiOB later today, but there was one incident that everyone is talking about that deserves separate attention. By chance, I read about it first on JG-W’s blog: The worst part was not his referring to parts of the Bible as “bullshit” in front of an…
Sunday in Outer Blogness: Mitt turns up the heat edition!!
The closer Mitt gets to the Oval Office, the more the heat turns up on Mormonism, to the point where even Mormons are worried about it potentially accelerating the rate of disaffection. (Some of the most unlikely people are leaving these days.) The church itself has started acting a little…
Sunday in Outer Blogness: the Anti-Mormon Moment Edition!!
Mitt Romney‘s impending Republican nomination gives the faithful the opportunity to demonstrate the advantages of Mormonism. But it’s important to teach the controversy, so critics of the CoJCoL-dS are finally getting a moment too!!! And it’s about time, considering how talented and hot former Mormons are. Plus the folks of…
Sunday in Outer Blogness: Onward Mormon Soldiers Edition!!!
Now that Mitt Romney is the Republican Party’s heir apparent, every day means more sunlight shining on the less-attractive bits of Mormonism. As you may have heard, a newscaster made an inaccurate (and insulting) claim about Joseph Smith (and then apologized for it, something a prophet wouldn’t do). This would…
Sunday in Outer Blogness: The Easter after Conference Edition!
As usual, the interesting conference stories trickle in during the week after General Conference (though many in our community have stopped taking an interest in it). The best part (aside from the amazing food) was when Russell Nelson trashed the Big Bang — something apparently no one has done in…
Who’s holding the microphone???
Molly recently left a comment here that, I think, expresses a question on a lot of people minds: Must admit to having trouble understanding why Joanna Brooks is taken so seriously. Her work is very softball, and frequently skirts meaty issues or downplays legitimate problems completely. This was largely in…
The Contradiction of God: Brett Cottrell’s “The Valley of Fire”
Theology can be confusing and contradictory. If God’s omnipotence and omnibenevolence can be reconciled with the existence of evil, it kinds makes you wonder what’s going on in God’s head. Even if it doesn’t make sense, it makes a great premise for a fantasy-adventure novel!! In The Valley of Fire…
Sunday in Outer Blogness: Skipping Conference Edition!
So, who listened to General Conference this (past) weekend? Did you have to sit through it with LDS family members and think about what they’re learning? I hear the high point was a celebrity in the choir (and ladies’ favorite apostle). If you skipped it, it’s not hard to guess…
Congratulations 2011 X-Mormon of the Year: Joanna Brooks!!
One more time with the disclaimer: For the purpose of this award, the “X” is a variable standing for any category of exceptional Mormon — it does not imply the nominee (or winner in this case) has left the church. Sorry to be a broken record on this point, folks,…