Event: Salt Lake Symposium 2000

Joseph At Christmas

Joseph At Christmas I became a mother of daughters in the midst of a heightened feminist awareness. Teaching them of this awareness and helping them develop their own seemed a natural part of being their mother. Then my son was born, and I wondered whether I should teach him the same way I did my …

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Prelude to ‘Defense of Marriage’ Campaign: Civil Discrimination Against Feared or Despised Minorities

Prelude to ‘Defense of Marriage’ Campaign: Civil Discrimination Against Feared or Despised Minorities America’s “Defense of Marriage” campaign against legal unions for homosexuals is the most recent example of using lofty slogans to defend the denial of civil rights to feared or despised minorities. Catholics, Mormons, Protestants, Jews, African-Americans, Asian- Americans, Native American Indians, and …

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The Power of God

The Power of God It is often said that the God of the Latter-day Saints is finite. However, this is not very often conceded by Latter-day Saints themselves. Saying that God is finite seems to be a very good starting point to solving the problem of evil, on the one hand. But, on the other …

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LDS ‘Headquarters Culture’ And The Rest Of Mormonism: Past And Present

LDS ‘Headquarters Culture’ And The Rest Of Mormonism: Past And Present The Mormon doctrine of “Gathering” created a distinctive culture at the headquarters of the LDS church. During founder Joseph Smith’s life, this “headquarters culture” had pronounced differences of theology, Church practice, and culture from the experience of Mormons who lived distant from the headquarters. …

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Perusing the Decalogue

Perusing the Decalogue The Decalogue (“ten words”) is one of six similar law codes found in the Pentateuch (the “five books of Moses”). Since it constitutes the basis of Judeo-Christian-Muslim religious law, a careful reading and understanding of it is vital. The Decalogue occurs in two versions–one in Exodus, another in Deuteronomy–which (especially the events …

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Dancing With the Sacred

Dancing With the Sacred The experience of dancing/playing like a child with a Shuar tribesman in Ecuador’s rainforest and not knowing he was one of the jungle’s most powerful shaman led me to questions about knowing. How much would I have missed had I “known” he was a revered Holy Man? How much do any …

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