When a post-Mormon finds out that a compelling Bigfoot “documentary” is actually a work of fiction, he must again deal with doubt. Soon after returning from my mission, I sat down on a curb in downtown Atlanta and wept over my lost faith. I have since made peace with my Mormonism and now view it …
Speaker: Tom Bennett
Eternal Damnation, Outer Darkness, and the Reorganization of Intelligence
While lacking the lake of fire from mainstream Christianity, Mormonism proposes an equally terrifying “outer darkness.” What is the nature of this particular damnation and what have Mormon authorities and scholars said concerning it? Are some spirits really going to be lost forever in the depths of space? Is this a bad thing? How do …
The Colorado City Music Festival
The Colorado City Music Festival, held in a polygamist hotbed, is the first festival of its kind. Bennett, one of its founders, will outline the relationships built, the challenges, and how he found Mormon fundamentalists open to sharing their culture. He’ll also talk about the changes he has seen in the community since the event …
What Became of the Woolleys? Mormon Fundamentalism’s Founding Family
In 1886 John Taylor had a revelation to continue plural marriage. The Woolley family was in attendance and was charged to help him. They were pivital in the founding of Short Creek and early Mormon Fundamentalism but their name is not commonly found amongst the principal figures today. What became of the Woolleys? Tom Bennett, …
Future Ways to Explore a Past Faith: A Post Mormon Nature Philosophy
“I am constantly in awe of the great mystery which surrounds us,” is the defining statement of the Holy Order of Wildlife, or H.O.W.L.: an amalgamation of early Mormonism, Buddhism, Luciferianism, and Gnostic Christianity amongst other paths. We seek a sacred grove of our own as we turn to nature is the primary source of …
Polygamy: Beyond Mormonism
Polygamy is common in most large mammals, from deer to elk to the great apes and more. Is polygamy natural amongst humans? Would modern young people benefit from practicing a non-patriarchial polygamy? How do modern Americans feel about polygamy? Tom has traveled the country asking these questions, and the answers may surprise you. Tom Bennett, …
My Walk With the Gods: My Experience as a Baptist, Mormon, Mormon Fundamentalist, Buddhist, and Beyond
Being raised in the South, my first interest in religion focused on the Southern Baptist Church. But at 15, I became a Latter-day Saint and later served a mission in Wyoming and Utah. During my mission I became convinced of the principles of plural marriage and the United Order. After some intense experiences with Fundamentalist …
Lucifer: A Misunderstood Deity
In this session, I propose that we turn our traditional interpretation of the Fall on its head. In pre-Christian times, it was taught that Lucifer was a beautiful young man: a Tom Bennett