Many people who leave high-demand religions or cults are ashamed of their upbringing and past. This pathology can be reinforced by well-meaning “helpers” who contend that the refugee’s former life was bad, but that if they disown it, they can now be good. This can cause disastrous consequences, both psychologically and emotionally, for the refugee. …
Event: Salt Lake Symposium 2019
Why We Stay
This perennially well-received session features the stories of those who have chosen to remain active, dedicated Latter-day Saints even in the face of challenges to traditional faith. Christian Kimball, Matt Jones, LaShawn Williams, Dan Wotherspoon
The Mormon Mind-game: Common Mormon Thinking Errors
Every culture, organization, religion, and person experiences thinking errors, which are commonly called cognitive distortions. Cognitive distortion can cause individuals to perceive reality inaccurately, producing, and reinforcing negative thoughts and emotions. This session will build off of the popular session “Mormon Thinking Errors” which addressed typical ways myth and overgeneralizations present themselves in our LDS …
Navigating through Church Trauma
The future of the Mormon faith is going to find many people grappling with just that—their faith. As the Church continues to increase in its organizational behavior and knuckle down on policies, church trauma is going to see an increase. How does one navigate through that? What even is church trauma? What are the root …
Adult Refugee Entrepreneurs in Utah
As an educational researcher and a Palestinian-American Mormon living in Utah, Ghneim will discuss whether Gordon B. Hinckley’s criteria of “friend, job, and nourishment by the word” can be the basis of a formula for refugee resettlement in a new place. Can we use it in whole or in part to make newcomers to the …
Evolving Faith: Building More Stately Spiritual Mansions
Jesus taught in parables so people at different levels of spiritual openness and preparedness could expand their vision—from where Christ found them to where he called them to move. We do not go lock-step into heaven; rather, each of us goes according to the light and love we choose to live by. This session emphasizes …
“Your Religion Is Showing:” Negotiation and Personal Experience in LDS Garments
This session examines 4,500 survey responses from members of LDS Church answering questions on the practice of wearing garments, or sacred underwear. Men and women report different experiences with their garments. This study looks at responses from both those who are still wearing their garments and from those who have stopped wearing their garments. Nancy …
Mayor of Hildale: Short Creek’s First Female Leader
Donia Jessop, the first woman mayor of Hildale and a driving force behind the Utah town’s ongoing transition away from its notorious past will speak about her experiences in the last several years, how her work has impacted herself and her community. Donia Jessop, Nadine McCombs Hansen
Overcoming the Anger: How to Let Go and Move On
When individuals leave the Church they are often overwhelmed with negative emotions: anger, betrayal, hurt, lose and loneliness to name a few. While righteous indignation can seem cathartic at first, hosting negative feelings can begin to feel burdensome. Based on his many years working with individuals in faith transition, John will discuss ways to move …
Revelation and Relativity: Black Holes, Time Dilation, and the Throne of God
The 4.1-million solar mass black hole at the center of our galaxy, closely surrounded by thousands of typical (25 – 40 solar mass) black holes, is “the great one,” Kolob, with “many great ones near unto it.” Recent scientific studies indicate black holes likely involve higher-dimensional portals leading out of our universe and into an …