By Chris This letter was originally published in Craigslist, and is re-published here with the author’s permission. Dear 21-year old RM BYU Mormon Me, Surprise! I know, it’s hard to believe that I can communicate with you from the future,…
Tag: LDS
It Is No Mistake to Be Gay
“We can practice what we have been taught, to love, respect, and include all others, including gays, as children of our Heavenly Father” March 2013 Judy Finch, who is featured in one of the video clips posted on the LDS website…
Of Pain and The Journey
(Also published at RationalFaiths.com) I am not an expert on pain. I am not even sure I have a very high tolerance for pain. My experience has largely been within the protective circle of a loving family and the doctrines…
It’s Complex
“On one occasion Jesus came upon a group arguing vehemently with His disciples. When the Savior inquired as to the cause of this contention, the father of an afflicted child stepped forward, saying he had approached Jesus’s disciples for a…
What the Heck is Traditional Marriage?
In light of all the fuss over DOMA, Prop 8 and the Supreme Court, I have grown weary of the debates over same sex marriage. Five years ago I rather unenthusiastically participated in supporting Prop 8 in California. As an…
Living with Doubt
Doubt, I’ve learned, is a facet of life and of learning. When I was an active member of the Church, I wrestled with doubt in relation to my testimony. As a teenager (like many Christians throughout the ages) I wrestled…
Why We Must Not Give Up On The Church (And Reflections On An Inspiring Event In The Chicago Stake)
Last year, after my class on Mormon history, in which I had discussed with my students the Mormon belief in modern day revelation and modern-day prophets, I overheard the following comment in a conversation between two of my students: “The…
A Gay Mormon Reads the Scriptures: The Book of Mormon
I first came to the Book of Mormon with the uncritical eyes and mind of a child. Some of my earliest encounters with the Book of Mormon include my dad reading me bedtime stories from Emma Marr Petersen’s Book of…
Cool Tolerance
My son came out to us (his parents) a little over a year ago. My wife and I, for some blessed reason, were able to rapidly traverse the landmine ridden, 180 degree, whiplash inducing evolution from Prop 8 campaigners to…
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…