The LDS Church professes to be a worldwide church, and its teachings proclaim that all are welcome. However, the Church tends to become mired in issues that are primarily of concern of those who live in the “Mormon Corridor” in the United States, taking political positions that are alienating rather than welcoming to those outside …
Event: Salt Lake Symposium 2017
Organizing to Counter the Mormon Alt Right: A Collaborative Learning and Working Session
This session will provide space and resources for learning how to stand up against racism and alt right extremism in Mormon spaces. We will first learn from the perspectives and writings of Mormon activists of color and then move to discussion of the role white Mormons can play in taking responsibility for the toxicity of …
Lunch Presentation: Mormon Food Studies in Trump’s America
In the four years of food studies at Sunstone, food trends have never been studied so vigorously and in-depth as they have in the last year. How has the election changed the food patterns of Mormons? How many more bags of Cheetos have been consumed in Utah County alone? And what about the food habits …
Transitioning with Teens
Transitioning away from the LDS Church comes with many complications and difficulties. Relationships between parents and teens are already complex, and transitioning introduces additional issues that must be navigated to preserve relationships. This panel is made up of parents who have transitioned from the Church with teens; they will address issues that have presented themselves …
The Religion of Dieting: How an Increasingly Secular Society Is Embracing Dieting Dogma
Many people who are pursuing health believe the only way to do it is to be restrictive and rigid with their eating. This talk will provide practical advice from a registered dietitian nutritionist about how to recognize dieting dogma in our culture and how to not let healthy eating become a religious, all-or-nothing pursuit. Learning …
Transparency for All
“Transparency is for those who carry out public duties and exercise public power. Privacy is for everyone else.” – Glenn Greenwald To one degree or another, transparency has always been an issue in the LDS Church. MormonLeaks was created to help facilitate transparency, though this effort has been criticized by some LDS Church members. It …
Metal Records and the Invention of Religious Tradition
This presentation offers a comparative study of the gold plates of the New World, and the lead plates of Granada, Spain. Both metallic records (brought forth in the modern period) were said to be buried in the ground, connected by rings, found by treasurer-seekers in a sacred hills, and deposited with other relics. Both artifacts …
Borderlands: Helping Newcomers and Those Experiencing a Crisis of Belief
Almost every member of the LDS Church has a time when some cherished belief or understanding is challenged and doubt begins to be part of their traditional Mormon “knowing” testimony experience. We in the Borderlands can help those struggling by sharing ten simple approaches and perspectives. These can help struggling members see their difficult experiences …
Getting Unstuck: Healing from Community Rejection and Spiritual Wounds
Out of the dark night of the soul can come great growth. Using the principles of trauma recovery and the pillars of meaning, we will outline the process for healing the deep wounds that some experience during faith transition and give resources for rebuilding a life with new depths of kindness, strength, and resilience. This …
Mormons, Addiction, and Opioids: Persepectives From Experts and Individuals
Utah has one of the highest prescription drug abuse rates in the country. How does this affect the Mormon community? Experts and those who have experience with addiction will share their observations and stories. Jeff Johnson James Ott Catania Johnson Devin Edwards Elizabeth Porter Ryan Watkins