Category: Doctrine/Theology

Outing Esther

By Johnny Townsend (originally from his blog Queer Mormon) Women do not often have starring roles in the scriptures, so when they do, it must be because they’ve done something extraordinary. Surely, women did many more interesting or incredible things…

No Respecter of Persons

From a very early age I was taught that God was fundamentally fair. We were given laws and told to obey. We were taught that we would be punished for disobedience. We were taught that there was an atonement and…

No More Strangers

More than twenty-five years ago when serving as Bishop of the Los Angeles Singles’ Ward I gave a talk in sacrament meeting titled, “No More Strangers and Foreigners: A Mormon-Christian Response to Homosexuality” . The substance of that address was…

A Gay Mormon Reads the Scriptures

One of the most profound spiritual experiences I have ever had took place in January 2006, when I felt a particularly strong prompting from the Holy Spirit to pick up a tattered old copy of the Book of Mormon and…

Blind Follower Or Active Seeker Of Truth?

I asked a lot of questions about the church growing up. I would ask my parents, my seminary teacher, my young women’s leaders, etc. If my question was one of those to which we don’t have answers, or falls in…

Understand one another, and both are edified

By Scott H “By and large, language is a tool for concealing the truth.” George Carlin “Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together.  And that which does not edify is…

Homosexuality, Mormonism, and Me

Micah Nickolaisen is a photographer and active, faithful Latter-Day Saint living in Chandler, Arizona. You can read more of his thoughts and story at FaithfulHeretic.com. Micah also manages and hosts the new Open Stories Foundation podcast A Thoughtful Faith I’m…

Epiphany

“I must admit that I have gone through those moments when I was greatly disappointed with the church and what it has done in this period of social change.” —Martin Luther King, Jr., “Social Justice and the Emerging New Age…

Transgender Children: An Easy Way for the LDS Church to Get it Right

  While shadowing Dr. Norm Spack in his work with the GeMS clinic at Children’s hospital Boston, I couldn’t help but wonder what my Mormon pioneer ancestors would think if they could see me now. Dr. Spack is one of…