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Select a Month October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 October 2017 September 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 November 2016 October 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012

February 2018

February 03, 2018

On Mormons and Planets

One of the most common canards about Mormon teachings —embraced by attempted comics both left...

April 2017

April 08, 2017

Mormon Illustration and the Burden of History – 1 of 2

In his book Miracles, C.S. Lewis dwells for a peculiarly long time on the Ascension...

April 02, 2017

The Anti-Trump General Conference

Like many Mormons around the world, I’ve spent this weekend watching the Church’s General Conference,...

March 2017

March 20, 2017

A Hillbilly, a Professor, and a Mormon Mayor Walk into a (Dry) Bar . . .

The experience Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams gained on his Mormon mission helped him...

June 2016

June 17, 2016

Stop Praying for us, and Acknowledge That You Helped Create Omar Mateen

Let me give you a run down: 2015 was the deadliest year on record for...

June 13, 2016

Gordon B. Hinckley, Gun Control Advocate

My heart aches in the wake of Sunday Morning's Pulse nightclub tragedy. I haven't...

April 2016

April 21, 2016

What BYU’s Honor Code Office Doesn’t Understand About Trauma is Endangering Victims

By now, I'm guessing you've heard about BYU's track record of using Title IX investigations...

March 2016

March 28, 2016

Where Is Mormonism On Civil Rights?

This week I went to an anti-racism rally here in Lexington, Virginia in response to...

March 02, 2016

Wait, What Is The White Horse Prophecy?

Americans rarely unilaterally agree on anything, but there has risen one important break from that...

February 2016

February 20, 2016

Being a Legislator in Utah Doesn’t Sound Fun

For the second time in as many weeks, a Utah legislator who identifies as an...

February 17, 2016

What Is Morality in Mormonism?

Here in Utah, State Senator Mark Madsen is proposing a bill that would legalize medicinal...

January 2016

January 05, 2016

The Next Church Handbook Change: Tithing and Affinity Fraud

Shawn Merriman was a devoted family man, a diligent Mormon bishop, and, ultimately, a convicted...

January 05, 2016

Mormon Church Responds to Bundy-led Oregon Occupation

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has now officially condemned the actions of...

December 2015

December 16, 2015

No, Mormon Women do not Oppose Female Ordination, and Here’s Why That Matters

When the topic of ordaining Mormon women comes up, one of the most common responses...

November 2015

November 16, 2015

What Keeps Mormonism Ticking

We Mormons aren't no. 1 at everything, but in at least one way we rise above...

November 16, 2015

Polygamy and the New LDS Policy: Two Thoughts

Michael Many, including Elder Christofferson, have noted that the LDS Church’s new policy toward...

November 08, 2015

Mistakes in Mormonism; or Why the Church Handbook isn’t Doctrine

By Gary Ashcroft Let me preface my comments with a few statements. I am Mormon....

November 07, 2015

What This Policy Shift Means To LGBT Mormons Like Me

I have struggled to comprehend my thoughts on the recent announcement by the LDS church...

November 07, 2015

I Won’t Go to Church Unless Everyone is Welcome

There is a lot yet to be said about the Church's recent policy changes to...

November 06, 2015

How I choose to see the revisions

I write this as a heterosexual person, one who is not directly affected by the...

October 2015

October 19, 2015

Sister Wives’ Madison Brown’s Mormon Baptism Rejection, Explained

Confession: I actually really love the show Sister Wives. It is a pretty remarkable snapshot...

October 06, 2015

Souls, not Skin: Why I stand with the 3 new Apostles

Yes, I admit the natural woman in me was somewhat dismayed that the 'white American...

October 02, 2015

The saving habit: 123 weeks and counting

See the crazy world going by in front of the LA Temple there? See the...

September 2015

September 18, 2015

Thomas, Meet Francis: The Glory of the Outsider-Leader

I remember the day he was elected, feeling amazed that a non-European was finally going...

September 09, 2015

LDS Church frankly tackles addiction and recovery

In the late Apostle Boyd K. Packer’s 1975 book “Teach Ye Diligently” he encouraged the...

September 04, 2015

No Blessing: A plea to LDS leaders regarding single members in the Church

First, a caveat: I don't mean to come off as whiny or overdramatic in this...

September 03, 2015

Death, Sealing Power, and “Trusting into Transformation”

[Preliminary note: This is the first of two posts relaying insights from a few years...

August 2015

August 28, 2015

“It seems as if the whole world has gone crazy”: Seeking peace in the midst of turmoil

For the first eighteen years of my life, I was Catholic. As I like to...

August 27, 2015

What’s Goin’ On With Peculiar People

We are due for a little change. Peculiar People is relaunching with a renewed emphasis...

August 25, 2015

With the Mormon Church’s Backlash Against Boy Scouts, Gay Leaders Are Merely Scapegoats

Young men in the Mormon faith are almost guaranteed to be automatically enrolled with the...