Tag: Reconciliation

The Doctrine of Celibacy

When Mormons speak of the Law of Chastity, they often define it as remaining celibate until marriage.  In actuality, it would be more properly defined as remaining abstinent until marriage.  Today, the words abstinent and celibate are frequently used interchangeably,…

Shame and Affirmation

I am the father of a teenage gay son and the sun never sets on the drama and trouble that that boy can get into.  As such, there is a continuous need to touch base and talk about the things…

Christmas Cards

Christmas has come and gone.  It is now that carefree time between Christmas and New Year’s.  The Christmas tree is still up and Christmas lights still adorn the house.  There is a bit of a food hangover from family parties,…

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…

The Victoria Theater

  The journey of my family since my son came out last year has been a roller coaster ride of highs and lows. The spiritual, intellectual and emotional investment required to make sense and find peace between two polarizing worlds…

It Was Not You that Sent Me Hither, But God

Since I was a kid, the story of Joseph in Egypt has always been one of my favorite in all of scripture. Even now as an adult, I find it intriguing, powerful and multi-layered. One layer that I became aware…

The Year Of The Caterpillar

In 1977 (1 A.D. Star Wars) my father worked two jobs to pay for a trip for our family to go to his home country of the Netherlands (Holland), the land of tulips and windmills, to visit my grandmother and…