Everyone, no matter how privileged or poor, will inevitably come face-to-face with tragedy. How can we make sense of all the pain and suffering in our world, especially when so much of it seems random or unfair? As a hospice chaplain, the presenter has ministered to people asking these same questions, and as someone whose …
Tag: Sunstone Talk
Mormon or Ex-Mormon?: How About a Third Choice?
It feels like the choice is to stay or go, to be Mormon or ex-Mormon. Why do we have to accept this binary? There are a lot of other choices that don’t entail giving up your Mormon identity. Go on sabbatical. Hold fast to your Mormonism—just make it your own. And don’t let anyone tell …
The Sexual “What If” Syndrome: Grieving our Sexual Development
Many people who transition from orthodox Mormonism to either post or nuanced positions often revisit their sexual development journey as a youth and young adult. They often feel like many decisions were co-opted by the standards of the Church and are dealing with grief, anger, feelings of betrayal and the “what if?” syndrome. These “what …
How Is the Church Really Doing?: Some Uncorrelated Statistics
The LDS church releases loads of statistics, and they imply many more. This is a brief (and possibly entertaining) look at the LDS Church’s demographic profile and how its may need to change in order to meet future demands. Information is drawn from official reports and almanacs. Comparisons will be made with other churches and …
Real War in the Book of Mormon: The Gadianton Robbers of Ancient Rome
Book of Mormon events involving Gadianton Robbers bear striking resemblances to conflicts in ancient Rome described by historians Sallust and Tacitus. Sallust recounts an unsuccessful coup attempt similar to events in the Book of Helaman while Tacitus tells of a war in north Africa resembling events in 3 Nephi. Similarities include essential characteristics of the …
PLAN 10 FROM OUTER SPACE – 25th Anniversary Screening and Q & A with Trent Harris
PLAN 10 FROM OUTERSPACE, described as “Nancy Drew on acid,” is a science fiction mystery movie based on Mormon history and symbolism. It stars Karen Black and Stefene Russell. Premiering at Sundance, PLAN 10 has become a Mormon cult classic. Watch PLAN 10 at the recorded video link below before Saturday, August 1st and then …
The Surprising Way 2 Nephi 29:11 Defines a Prophet
This brief scriptural passage succinctly summarizes the content and spirit of both the Old and New Testament teachings about the availability of divine contact and assistance to all human beings and nations. This scripture also suggests that the definition of prophecy, and the related concept of prophethood, has been perhaps too narrowly understood. Prophets are …
Mindfully Navigating Grief & Loss Within Faith Awakenings
A faith awakening/transition can usher in unique experiences with grief and loss. At times a loss of identity, certainty, and connection to a community can occur. In this session, we’ll utilize the latest grief and loss research to explore how faith transitions can help us more mindfully manage the cyclical nature and non-finite aspect of …
Learning to Better Support our Loved-one’s Faith Transition (Using recently published Church-approved Resources!)
For many people, navigating a faith crisis, transition, or transformation is a solo proposition with minimal support. Some recent books, including Bridges: Ministering to Those Who Question, can help people better support, engage with, understand, and maintain healthy connections to the one making such a transition. This session will discuss ways to help those within …
Married to My Faith Crisis
In 2014, I did something stupid and wonderful. Despite being woefully under-qualified, I started a blog about marriage. Due to a lot of work and a lot of luck, it picked up traction and became my job. Around 2017, a faith crisis tornado-ed into my life, leaving a lot of grief and little gratitude in …