The ripples “Swedish Rescue” continue to spread! Some Europeans described their experiences with information and the CoJCoL-dS and the faithful continue to seek strategies to blame the doubters and/or head off doubt. Some Mormons have identified “Correlation” as the problem, yet seem to think the solution is to have doubters…
The trouble with answering questions
Runtu has added some new insights in the continuing discussion of LDS Doubt in the NY Times: It seems the church has learned at least a few things from the rescue experience. First and foremost, don’t send anyone official out to discuss the issues. Instead, they’ve sent out (or at…
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…
Sunday in Outer Blogness: Pie-and-Beer Day Edition!
As many of you know (and perhaps celebrated), this past week there was a magical holiday — celebrated mostly only in Utah, and only truly appreciated by those of us with pioneer heritage — Pie and Beer Day!!! (Or something like that…) Time to reflect upon the sacrifices made by…
Sunday in Outer Blogness: Musings Edition!
Aside from a few posts on the article in the New York Times, there wasn’t really one hot topic this week — it was more like a variety of interesting insights. I will try to group them as best I can: The “Relief Society” is something of a shadow of…
LDS Doubt in the NY Times
Well, this should be interesting. The NY Times has a story published on the web yesterday discussing the ongoing brouhaha in Sweden involving members who have had a crisis of faith. There is a bullet-pointed list of major concerns: – Why does the church always portray Joseph Smith translating the…
The Baby and the Bathwater
When I first left the church (about 20 years ago), I kind of assumed that the experiences of people who left the church were pretty much like mine. Or, more precisely, I didn’t really have any idea of how other people’s experiences might differ, and — before discovering the online…
Sunday in Outer Blogness: Royalty Edition!!
Mormon royalty, that is. With Pioneer Day coming up, it’s time to remember whether you are a direct descendant of Brigham Young or not. ‘Cause, being royalty makes things a little different. And while I’m interested in exploring my own pioneer heritage, I get how alienating this ancestor worship is…
The Dangers of Obedience: Lawrence Pratt’s “Dark Deception”
Imagine that a pair of fresh-faced young women show up at your door with a message of hope just as you’re trying to cope with the recent death of your baby. And they offer an idyllic community — a perfect Zion that seems too good to be true. And it…
Paved with Good Intentions – Part II
In our last episode, we intrepid converts were transitioning from Germany back to the states for Larry’s back surgery. Little did we know as we packed to leave that the next eighteen months would find us in four different states (geographical, not emotional). Getting back to the states was a…