All Are Alike Unto God: The Gospel, The Church, And Priesthood (recording: late start) The gospel of Jesus Christ is radically egalitarian. It is addressed equally to each person and invites everyone to partake of the goodness of God. Priesthood, on the other hand, is associated with special rights and powers, hierarchy, and lineage. And …
Event: Salt Lake Symposium 2006
Speaking Faith, Speaking Dogma: Choosing Language That Builds Rather Than Stifles Testimony
We’re all familiar with the humorous aspects of Mormonspeak. But it has a negative side in the way that it frequently leads us to slip into conventional patterns that discourage thought and encourage conformity. By selecting active, precise, and living language, we can force ourselves to question our assumptions, challenge our faith, and ultimately elevate …
Great Movies That Have Expanded My Religious World
Great Movies That Have Expanded My Religious World For many of us, movies not only entertain but can also change how we see and experience life and the world. From watching a film, we can feel cleansed, live without guilt, or be more selfless. For exalting recommendations, come to this session! Scot Denhalter, Moderator; Elbert …
Tell Us Your Story
Discussion. Tell Us Your Story. The homes and bodies of most people in the so-called developed world are bursting with abundance, but most of us are starving for the thing that matters most: intimacy. The only experience more intimate and more nourishing than listening to other human beings speak from the heart about their spiritual …
Big Love, Big Issues
Big Love, Big Issues The new HBO series, Big Love, has created quite a stir among media watchers, cultural critics, and Mormons. Why the buzz? The show centers on the family of Bill Hendrickson, the owner of a growing chain of home-improvement stores who owns three homes of his own, each occupied by one of …
Dissenting Opinions: Art From The Dark Side Of Happy Valley
Dissenting Opinions: Art From The Dark Side Of Happy Valley Mormon teachings depict the universe as driven by a plan, a plotline in which good will assuredly triumph over evil. Humans are believed to be essentially divine beings who will ultimately respond in accord with their truest nature. Given this framework, Mormons (like most people) …
Is Plural Marriage Required For Exaltation?
Is Plural Marriage Required For Exaltation? Mormon fundamentalists and modern polygamists generally assert that plural marriage is a commandment of God, required of all of his worthy followers irrespective of time and place. For this reason, they have attempted to continue polygamy after President Joseph F. Smith stopped approving plural sealings in April 1904. Also, …
The Poet Joseph Smith
The Poet Joseph Smith (recording: poor quality) Brigham Young said “Joseph Smith was a poet, and poets are not like other men. . . . They catch the swift thought of God and reveal it to us.” This proposal presents two close examinations of Joseph Smith as poet: the psalm of anguish recoverable in his …
Does Tattoo Taboo Ring True for Mormon Youth?
Panel, Does Tattoo Taboo Ring True For Mormon Youth? When Brigham Young University basketball star Rafael Araujo’s obvious tattoos drew media attention in 2004, and the team’s media guide used electronic means to scrub his image by manipulating a photo, the flap attracted national coverage. Do tattoos violate Mormon reverence for the body? What motivates …
Author-Meets-Critics Lengthen Your Stride: The Presidency Of Spencer W Kimball
Author-Meets-Critics Lengthen Your Stride: The Presidency Of Spencer W Kimball Edward L. Kimball’s highly anticipated study of the landmark Church presidency of Spencer W. Kimball arrived late last year with far less fanfare than it deserved. According to the book’s preface, the author and publisher Deseret Book “[did] not agree on the interpretations or weight …