Many troubled LDS members dwell in the Borderlands of the Church. Acceptability is always an issue for Borderlanders. But acceptability has two facets: (1) what we need to do to be acceptably faithful, and (2) what can be done to make Borderland members like us more acceptable and better perceived as “being faithful.” This session …
Speaker: D. Jeff Burton
Borderlands Session: For Those Troubled by Church Programs, Practices, and Policies – Ways to Respond
Most LDS members encounter church programs, practices, and policies (PPPs) that bother them, e.g., the inability of non-temple-recommend-holding parents to attend a child’s wedding, policies related to children of same-sex couples, and practices related to the Word of Wisdom. This session will explore some of the more troublesome PPPs and offer thoughts on what we …
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 …
Borderlands Creating An Lds Compatible Religious Model For Yourself
Troubled members who want to remain a part of the Mormon experience find that creating a personal religion compatible with the LDS model and acceptable to their family can be very useful and comforting. When developing a compatible/acceptable personal religion, we must carefully select attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and elements of faith that help us meet …
Honesty In The Borderlands
Honesty is central to the Mormon experience. But in the borderlands, the questions get harder: How should we answer temple interview and worthiness questions? What do we tell family, neighbors, friends, and church officials when they ask about our beliefs and feelings? How do we deal with the internal psychological conflicts? This session will explore …
FAMILY VALUES: COPING AS OR WITH A BORDERLAND FAMILY MEMBER
When someone in an active Mormon family enters the Borderlands, resulting stresses can weaken and overwhelm the family. Many react in ways that reduce family love and cohesiveness, sometimes even destroying the family through divorce or estrangement. This session will first provide stories of family-related tensions and difficulties some Borderlanders have encountered. Panel and audience …
Success In The Borderlands
All of us in the Borderlands of the Church must eventually face the issues of: when, to whom, and how to disclose our situation. Past studies suggest that almost all Borderlanders are in the closet to some extent and that a large share have not told their spouses the whole story. A panel of D. …
SL10124: More Stories from the LDS Borderlands
I will give a short presentation about a few not-yet-published Borderlanders’ stories and discuss issues associated with life in the LDS Borderlands today. As in past Borderland sessions, after the main presentation, we invite audience members to ask questions of the presenters and, for those so inclined, to share stories of how you (and/or a …
SW08009: WHY WE STAY
WHY WE STAY This session, a Sunstone favorite through the years, features the stories of those who have chosen to remain active, dedicated Latter-day Saints even in the face of many difficult challenges to traditional faith. How have these members wrestled with their faith and yet emerged more determined than ever to be part of …
SW080013: STORIES FROM THE BORDERLANDS
Many of us at this symposium are in the LDS “Borderlands” in one way or another, and we’ve all had interesting, funny, or troubling experiences. We’ve also overcome difficulties and challenges (or we wouldn’t be here!). In this session, I will share a few reflections and experiences on Borderlander topics, but I mainly want to …