Since my post a few days ago about the recent Affirmation conference I’ve been in a lively and polite discussion with Affirmation leaders. They’ve defended themselves well regarding my statement that “Affirmation at times seems too focused on helping gay Mormons maintain…their ties to the Mormon Church.” They pointed out…
Category: Testimony
Symbolic beliefs can counter cognitive dissonance, but at a cost
Paved With Good Intentions – Part IV
Arrived in Tucson, July 1983 – hotter than hell and – unknown to us at the time – our last stop on the path of Mormonism. Larry was still in the military and our first residence was in a local rental. We settled into our ward and it quickly became…
Paved with Good Intentions – Part III
Picture it – Sicily – 1922. Sorry, that’s Estelle Getty’s line. FYI for the younger crowd – Estelle played Sophia Petrillo on the Golden Girls sitcom. But, we digress. Actually, it was Mt. Home, Idaho – summer 1981. The turmoil of the past eighteen months was behind us and we…
Pride parades this summer: Will MBB march again, and if so, will they allow signs that advocate equality?
Summertime is upon us, which means it’s time for planning for the annual Pride parades. Last year was the first time Mormons marched in Pride in large numbers. The contingent in Salt Lake City was the largest, marching behind a banner titled Mormons Building Bridges (MBB). MBB garnered nearly all…
The Curious Case of Mormons and LGBT Rights
If you haven’t already, check out my article published yesterday on Religion Dispatches!
Joseph vs. The Gold: Help me script it!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08wRRff8x0k Ever since seeing this not so good version on youtube, I’ve been wondering what a good recreation of the Joseph Smith run with the plates might look like. Â It’s all based on Lucy Smith’s account: “The plates were secreted about three miles from home… Joseph, on coming to them,…
self-delusion; do they not realize it?
I know I’ve done a bit of rabble-rousing with my last few posts, but this is another one that was spurred by the ethnography I recently read about Mormonism. Â In it, the author talks about how Mormon parents think about their kids in discussing the life trajectory of Mormons as…
Mormon Trolls, Gorgons and Orcs, and Being Tired of Good People
Currently the most posted story in my Facebook feed is this excellent NY Times op-ed from Ta-Nehisi Coates, entitled “The Good, Racist People.” Coates uses the recent frisking of Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker as an opportunity to analyze the racism of “good” people: In modern America we believe racism to…
the “Mormon Moment”: Publication Opportunity
An edited volume examining the “Mormon Moment” is under development. Â The editors are looking for contributions (see this call for chapter proposals). Â Of particular relevance to the MSP community might be chapters on how the Mormon Moment affected “outer blogness”, former Mormons, or the GLBTQ community (Mormon or non-Mormon).
FIRST GAY PRESIDENCY MESSAGE
FIRST GAY PRESIDENCY MESSAGE Living the Abundant Gay Life Robin Johnson and George Circle (Adapted from Tomas S. Monson) Living the Abundant Gay and Lesbian Life At the advent of a new year, we challenge Latter-day Saints and all Christians everywhere to undertake a personal, diligent, significant quest for what I…