More and more Mormons are deciding to jump off the “obedience” train and explore a new faith journey. The initial freedom one feels is intoxicating, but this new journey introduces many choices that can become very confusing! This session offers techniques for making those choices in ways that can minimize regret and introduce more joy …
Speaker: Russ Osmond
A Prism For The Isms The Journey From Which Church Is Right To My Ism Is Better Than Your Ism
Nearly every social movement of any permanent consequence in American history traces its roots to the first half of the 19th century in “The Burned Over District” of western New York State. They often verbalize their intent to be “…On the Right Hand of God”; hence, the cacophony of confusion they all reference. “ISMs” of …
Repairing And Preserving Relationships Damaged By Faith Crises
Many who have undergone crises of faith have found one of the most devasting by-products is damage to relationships with family and friends. This panel will explore personal experience strategies, mistakes, and perspectives in dealing with these fractures. The emphasis will be upon “keeping relationships in good repair”. Russ Osmond, Steve Lowther, John Dehlin, Sandra …
Lunchtime Presentation 4 Letters 4 Views Of Faith
The human mind sees everything through four lenses: the WHY (purpose), the WHAT (facts), the HOW (actions), and the WHO (relationships). We sometimes find ourselves struggling with conflicts between these lenses, especially when it comes to religion. This session will provide an overview of how these lenses function in religion and suggestions on how to …
Lunchtime Presentation 4 Letters 4 Views Of Faith
The human mind sees everything through four lenses: the WHY (purpose), the WHAT (facts), the HOW (actions), and the WHO (relationships). We sometimes find ourselves struggling with conflicts between these lenses, especially when it comes to religion. This session will provide an overview of how these lenses function in religion and suggestions on how to …
Devotional,
Session did not record Russ Osmond
Being Color Blind to Faith: Which Died First…Organic Religion or
My “faith” is almost never “your faith” and that is normal: it is equal to what Hegel called the “thesis.” The Hegelian “anti-thesis” is the source of the conflict that drives folks in all faiths into what in the LDS world is sometimes referred to as “the Borderlands.” But, as Hegel declares, there is a …
The Easter Experience, the Belief Gene, and Why/What/How/Who of Religious Experience
This presentation is an interactive meditation on Easter, belief, and the need for religious people from all backgrounds to have a redemptive experience. To prepare for this discussion, please read the document on our website under the same title. Russ Osmond
Panel: Mormons and Easter
Mormons are painfully inconsistent about celebrating Easter. Many Mormons grow up in wards that don’t do much to celebrate Easter. Given Mormon insularity, they often aren’t aware of how other churches celebrate Easter and Holy Week. LDS General Conference trumps Easter when it falls on the first Sunday in April. This panel will explore the …
De-Cantankerizing Descriptions of Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith remains a “character” in the American national historical discussion. Objectivity about “how to study Joseph Smith” is a growing field of research and focus. This paper focuses on the application of both contemporary business and traditional psychological communication models to the “personality” of Joseph Smith. Principally, the presentation will provide a road map …