Category: LDS Church

Protected by Lies

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August 6, 2022

12:16 pm

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LDS Church, LGBT Issues

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Mormons are being oppressed and mocked on TV.

Jana Riess

Riess calls out fives television shows or documentaries that she claims unfairly mocks Mormonism and casts them in a dark light. I have seen four of these.

The worst, she claims, is “Under the Banner of Heaven.” She writes that it is problematic because it claims that Mormonism “breeds violent men.”

Mormonism breeds violent men.

Porter Rockwell. Brigham Young. The Danites. Mountain Meadows Massacre. Fort Utah Massacre. The Utah War. The Laffertys. Mark Hoffman.

In this way, Mormonism is far from unique. Religion and fundamentalism of every sort seems to breed violent men.

Next, Ms. Riess claims that Keep Sweet depicts the terror of polygamy in the FLDS church.

And? Is she merely upset that it focuses on the repulsive behavior of Warren Jeffs and leaves out the repulsive polygamist behavior of the other founders of the Mormon faith? Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow, Joseph F. Smith, Heber J. Grant along with hundreds of other church leaders and founders?

In “Murder Among the Mormons,” it’s the 1985 bombings engineered by forger Mark Hofmann. As depicted in this documentary, leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were among those taken in by Hofmann’s deceptions.

Mark Hoffman, N Eldon Tanner, Spencer Kimball, Marion Romney, Boyd Packer, Gordon Hinckley – Jed A Clark, May 3, 1980

How is this unfair? Is this not a photograph of Hoffman selling one of his many forgeries to the leaders of the church? Did the LDS Church not buy many of his forgeries? Were they not duped, as others were?

Even “Mormon No More,” likely the most emotionally sensitive of the bunch, still conveys the underlying message that it’s practically impossible for anyone to be loving, LGBTQ-affirming and true to themselves while remaining members of the church.

In any way that is meaningful, it is practically impossible for anyone to be loving, LGBTQ-affirming, and true to themselves whilst remaining members of the church. If you need references for this claim, please use your favorite search engine and search for “Spencer W Kimball homosexuality“, “Dalin H Oaks homosexuality” or “Boyd K Packer homosexuality” or “2015 lds exclusion policy.”


Leading The Flock Astray

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February 7, 2022

6:09 pm

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Christianity, LDS Church, Secularism, What The Fuck?!

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https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2022-02-03/keith-erekson-ensign-college-devotional-what-latter-day-saints-get-wrong-about-living-prophets-expectations-revelation-jesus-christ-241732

This new LDS Church hardly resembles the church of my 80’s youth.

I remember when every Prophet spoke directly to and for God and Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith to Gordon B Hinkley.

I remember the oft paraphrased quote of Wilford Woodruff, “The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of this Church to lead you astray.”

These Prophets, Seers, and Revelators met directly, in person, with God and Jesus – just as Joseph Smith did in The Sacred Grove.

I pictured in my mind an image of a beautiful “Holy of Holies” in which righteous men (always men) communed with our Heavenly Father to receive His word and wisdom.

If The Prophet gave a commandment, it was God talking through his servant. “When The Prophet Speaks, the thinking is done.” Period. End of debate.

Now, however, things are a bit less clear and straightforward. Now Prophets can make Gospel-wide and canonical mistakes.

“Sometimes revelation has come as dictated wording, but prophets also receive inspiration, feelings and impressions that they must put into words and actions. Sometimes they explore paths that don’t work out.”

How convenient. When it works out, great. If not, “whoops.”

What good is a Prophet that doesn’t prophesy correctly?

What good is a Seer who cannot see correctly?

What good is a Revelator who cannot reveal accurately?

How do we know that Moses didn’t just “explore paths” that didn’t work out?

How do we know that Paul wasn’t just exploring a path?

“We should also not expect that prophets do not get tricked.”

What. The. Actual. Fuck?

If there is no method to weigh the words of The Prophet against God’s mind and will – when even Lucifer can fool the head of this “global church” – what good is this nonsense hierarchy? A hierarchy and organization that simply takes from needy families whilst claiming – on special occasion, when the stars are aligned and The Prophet wasn’t extra gullible – to provide ultimate truth, purpose, and guidance?

This isn’t just about whether The Prophet makes a mistake when he stubs his toe and lets out a “shit!” This is The LDS Church admitting that their “mouthpiece for The Almighty” gets some of the most important questions and concerns wrong for the whole of The Church, can be tricked, and is, yet, somehow accountable to no one. I advise anyone reading this who still finds a need to follow a prophet – follow yourself. You are kinder, wiser, and far more honest and accountable than this corporate behemoth and its unaccountable, admittedly gullible mouthpieces.

Count Your Blessings

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October 25, 2018

7:50 am

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Atheism, Christianity, LDS Church, Secularism

This past weekend, my mother had a severe health emergency when she was home alone with my child.  My child was able to call 911 and summon the help which likely saved my mother’s life.

At the hospital, she was treated aggressively by talented doctors and nurses, with remarkable medications, and is expected to make a full recovery.

Whilst at the hospital, my mother’s LDS Bishop came to visit with one of his counselors.  They lauded the blessing that my child who was there to help.  Also the blessings of the first-responders who arrived so quickly to assist.

I politely remained silent.

In my non-believing mind, however, I suggested that a real “blessing” would have been that my mother never had the condition which caused the emergency in the first place

If that isn’t an acceptable “blessing”, why couldn’t her condition be instantly healed after she received her priesthood blessing?  Rather than requiring the intervention of medical professionals and powerful, potentially dangerous medications?

I also wonder what The Bishop and his counselor would be saying to us if my mother had passed away alone at the home, or if the medications had not worked properly and she died at the hospital.

They would probably say something similar to what they said when my father passed away after a priesthood blessing assuring him that he would recover.  “Heavenly Father needed your father.  It was his time.”

How can we have it both ways?  If a believer recovers, it’s a blessing or a miracle.  If they don’t, it’s God’s will.  As I observed in a previous post:

“When I look out upon the cosmos, the universe seemingly behaves as I have described its godless version; chaotic and indifferent. Bad things happen to good people. Good things happen to bad people. Good things happen to good people. Bad things happen to bad people. We sometimes get what our hearts most desire, and more often we don’t. The physical laws of the universe act as indifferently as one might expect them to do. Hurricanes flood Christian homes. Earthquakes bury Buddhists. Tsunamis drown Hindus. Disease kills the young, the old, the innocent, and the evil alike. In short, the universe works almost precisely as if God isn’t there. Maybe He isn’t. Maybe He never was.”

Lest the reader think me ungrateful, I am exceptionally grateful that my mother has a community to help her, who quickly reacted to help their friend and neighbor.  Thank you to all.

Friendly Silence

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September 4, 2018

12:42 pm

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Human Rights, LDS Church, Scare Tactics

Last week, Bishop Sam Young was summoned to a “Court of Love” by his local Mormon Priesthood leaders.  This was after his hunger strike to try and convince the 15 apostles, prophets, seers, and revelators, who lead the church, that allowing a grown man to ask children about sexually explicit topics in a closed room during “Worthiness Interviews” is harmful and dangerous.

Yesterday, during the monthly Fast and Testimony meeting, when members are invited to stand up and bear their testimony of the gospel, one member was speaking in support of Bishop Young’s message to Protect LDS Children. Local authorities stopped the speaker and physically removed him from the building.

Another speaker, McKenna Denson, rose to address the local congregation of Joseph Bishop, the man who, allegedly (and admitted on tape), sexually assaulted her at the Mission Training Center, when the man was the MTC president.  She called for Mr. Bishop to be held accountable and for The Church to stop protecting sexual predators like Joseph Bishop.  She was also stopped and physically removed from the building.

To members of the church, I am sure this seems like an inappropriate method and time to share these thoughts.  To outsiders like myself, however, who follow these stories, it seems that Bishop Young and Ms. Denson have done their best to go through “approved” channels and have been rebuked with dismissal and silence at every turn.

To outsiders, that a man who admitted on tape to assaulting multiple women, Joseph Bishop, is allowed to keep his membership, his Priesthood, his covenants, and blessings while Sam Young is facing spiritual execution for doing everything he can to simply Protect LDS Children is grossly offensive.  That this man is allowed to sit peacefully as a member in good standing and take the sacrament is repugnant and repulsive hypocrisy.

That when someone stands to speak up for the victims, they are silenced and removed.

What do you have to fear?  Will you stand for the victims, or for their protectors?

“In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Story and Legend

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February 6, 2018

12:43 pm

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Atheism, LDS Church, Secularism

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A couple of years ago, my daughter was staying with my LDS mother.  After the visit, my mother told me that, at dinner, my daughter asked to “do what [my cousin] does,” meaning to say the prayer.  My mother wasn’t sure what to do, so she simply helped/coached my daughter through saying a prayer.  I understood that my daughter just wanted to participate in and receive the attention given during the ceremony.  I appreciated my mother being honest with me about the occurrence and it opened up a discussion amongst our family about how to deal with my non-religious child.

We had never really mentioned religion to her, thinking she was maybe too young to understand it.  It was clearly time, however, to start introducing the fact that some people believe in the supernatural and don’t need science to support their beliefs.

The first thing we did was invent ‘Gratitudes’; a secular pre-dinner ceremony in which we say three things for which we’re grateful.  When my daughter was at grandmother’s house, one of her cousins could say the prayer and then she could say her ‘Gratitudes.’  We started the ceremony at home, and it seems to be working well when visiting family.

The second thing we did is order a children’s version of The Odyssey and introduce the concepts of mythology.  These stories were fun and introduced the concepts of gods and goddesses.  After that, we went to the library to seek out books about other cultural mythologies.  Egyptian.  Chinese.  Japanese.  Norse.  Indian.  Native American.  All that we could find.  We explained that all cultures developed rich, creative, fun, and different ways to explain life, death, natural disasters, etc.  We then carefully explained that some people still believe in different versions of mythology and that her grandmother believed in a different version of mythology from her ‘nana & pappa’.  She asked if we believed in mythology?  My wife and I answered truthfully that we once did, but that we found science a much better way to explain life, death, natural disasters, the solar system, biology, and more.

Introducing religion in this way seemed effective with our child and the process was smoother than I once feared.  She seems to have accepted and understood these different belief structures with much greater ease than I ever did.  I think it a useful method of introducing these difficult concepts without indoctrination.  We have no desire to teach our daughter what to think, rather how to think.

“I think that we need mythology. We need a bedrock of story and legend in order to live our lives coherently.” – Alan Moore

Instituted In The Heavens

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October 30, 2017

10:23 am

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LDS Church, Secularism

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“Ordinances instituted in the heavens before the foundation of the world, in the priesthood, for the salvation of men, are not to be altered or changed.” – Joseph Smith

As a child, I was taught that The Gospel needed to be restored because it was corrupted over time.  That, like the game of telephone, the prophets and apostles accidentally distorted the message of Jesus after the resurrection and His ascent to heaven.  The point being, that without being written specifically down, the Gospel could change and be corrupted from the original version.

Where is The LDS Endowment ceremony written down? It’s not in the Book of Mormon.  It’s not in The Bible.  It’s not in The D&C.  It’s not in The Book of Abraham, or Moses.  And, in fact, it has changed many, many, many times – but never by scripture.  It merely changes in practice.  One day, you’re signing blood oaths and penalties as part of the temple ritual.  The next, you’re not.  One day, you’re being literally washed and anointed.  The next, you’re merely “symbolically” washed and anointed.  How are members of The LDS Church to know that their current prophets and apostles aren’t corrupting The Gospel in the same way as those prophets and apostles of old?

The Book of Mormon has had hundreds of changes made to it since it’s initial “translation.”  The Church leaders don’t announce these changes as being made due to divine revelation.  In fact, many members don’t even know that The Book of Mormon, Temple rituals, etc. routinely change.  If they did, shouldn’t they worry that, perhaps, The Gospel is once again being corrupted by worldly men and false prophets?

My guess is that the answer is “modern revelation”, but how are members to trust that these changes are what Heavenly Father wants, but the changes made by the prophets and apostles of old were not?

In fact, not only the Book and Mormon and Endowment Ceremony have changed.  Also, the very “revelations” received by Joseph Smith, supposedly directly from Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and recorded in The Doctrine and Covenants have been massively modified.  Why would the direct words of a god need to be modified and updated?  If God Himself is telling the prophets and apostles to change these texts, why are these changes and revelations not announced from the pulpit during General Conference?

“Apostate Churches have changed many of the ordinances. For instance, they no longer baptize as Jesus was baptized when he went to John to be baptized of him.” – Apostle LeGrand Richards

“…there is vast evidence and history of an apostasy from the doctrine taught by Jesus and his Apostles, that the organization of the original Church became corrupted, and sacred ordinances were changed to suit the convenience of men.” – Apostle David B. Haight

“Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy: we declare that we believe, that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband, except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again.” – Joseph Smith, The Book of Commandments

Conditioned To Believe

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August 6, 2017

3:35 pm

1 Comment on Conditioned To Believe

Atheism, Christianity, LDS Church, Secularism

I had a conversation with my father-in-law about why I’m not having my daughter baptized when she turns 8. I explained how I didn’t think she’s old enough to make such a major decision and she should wait until she is older and fully understands what she’s doing – which he naturally disagreed with. He felt confident she, like other 8 year olds in the church, understand the choice and what it means…

So I asked him that simple question… If she chose to get baptized into a different religion would he still think she’s old enough to make that choice? And more importantly, would he be supportive and respect her “choice”? — ireallyshouldbeworking (via reddit)

What a powerful question.  LDS Children are encouraged and expected to commit and devote their lives to The Church when they turn eight-years-old.  The “age of accountability.”  The common assertion is that children of this age are old enough to understand right and wrong and to follow The LORD’s commandments.

If your eight-year-old child came to you and wanted to study Islam, or Judaism, or Catholicism, or any other religion unlike your own, would you let them?  If they wanted to join that religion permanently, do you believe they have the maturity to make such a decision?

For me and my child, we do study other religions and cultures and myths.  She knows about Pharoah, and Noah, and Odysseus, and Achilles.  We’ve read about Egyptian and Chinese mythology too.  If she asked to go to a church, I would likely allow it, as long as I went along with her to answer her questions and propose some of my own.

I have to say, however, if she wanted to permanently join any group, especially one that demands lifelong commitment, I would withhold consent until she was much, much older.

At the time of my baptism, I don’t believe I had ever set foot in anything but an LDS Church.  I don’t know if I honestly knew there were other ways of thinking and believing.  I knew that some people didn’t believe the same way I did, but I was never taught what those differences were and why.  How can you reliably dedicate the rest of your life to only one way of believing when you haven’t even considered any others?

Seems like choosing at eight to leave your radio station on just one frequency forever.

“One believes things because one has been conditioned to believe them.” -Aldous Huxley

Strange Power

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June 19, 2017

9:00 am

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Atheism, LDS Church

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Years ago, at my brother’s LDS Temple wedding, as we waited outside, my wife and I were approached by a member of my childhood ward and her husband.  She was my first cub-scout leader, and a primary teacher.  Her husband was one of my Scout and Priesthood leaders.  She expressed her hope that I would someday be sealed within the Temple.  I dismissed them rather flippantly by telling them that it’ll never happen.  “Never say never” was their retort.  A few weeks later, I wrote this letter, which I decided against sending:

[The names have been changed]

Michelle,

I have to say I was caught off-guard by your comments at the Temple after James’ wedding, and apologize if my responses were a bit harsh. Frankly I was focusing a bit on James and Becki and the long day ahead of my family and I. I just wanted you to know that I love and respect both you and Brian a great deal. I have learned a great deal from both of you; how not to cut my hand off with a knife, how to avoid setting fire to my house, how to sand down wooden race vehicles, and much, much more.

I am sure you had the best of intentions at heart, and your attempt to shame me into a temple sealing was strikingly more tactful than Brother Akiona’s heavy-handed method. It may be that I bring these comments on myself. Perhaps I emanate an air of uncertainty, insecurity, and self-doubt with regards to spirituality. I assure you that nothing could be further from the truth.

I am not sure if you have gone through something similar, but the decision to go against the predominant teachings of one’s entire life is not an easy one. Similarly, knowing that you will disappoint and embitter one’s entire family, becoming a kind of second-rate family member is not an option that is taken without serious thought.

Admittedly, a great deal of my initial issues with the LDS faith were a matter of 17-year-old rebellion. A know-it-all, stubborn quality that you, as a mother and teacher, probably find all too familiar. That rebellion has led to years of abundant research, on my part, of history, religions, spirituality, and philosophy. A great deal of time has been spent in quiet contemplation of these materials along with my own thoughts and conclusions. It is still an eminent subject of reading, thought, and discussion.

I do hope you posses high enough opinion of my character to believe that I would not have shamed and tormented my grandparents, my sister, my brother, my mother, and most of all, my father without some deliberate and methodical reflection. My father, I think you will agree, was a man of unquestioned faith and uncompromising morals. I am sure that Brian and others have, on numerous occasions, listened to the disapproval of his eldest son and the ‘misguided’ choices he made. It pains me to no end to think of the sadness and disappointment I must have caused him. A sadness and disappointment that never was, nor ever will be resolved. I asked myself, however, would he have not done similarly in order to live his life according to his beliefs?

Perhaps lacking in my decision process was a consideration of those other people who may have felt, at one time or another, responsible for me and my spiritual education. People like you, Brian, David, Christine, Bob, Mary, Pauleen, Elijah, and so many other respected people.

I don’t doubt your faith or your testimony. I know you live a charitable, compassionate, and faithful life. I am sorry for the disappointment I may cause you and others. I am not sorry that I live my life according to my beliefs. I am not sorry for questioning my beliefs, past or current, even if it is unpleasant to do so. I still remember the story of a 14-year-old boy questioning the teachings of those closest to him.

You are right to point out the folly in my saying, “never.” I will grant that, however unlikely, it is possible that someday, due to continued searching and questioning, I may find that the initial teachings of my life were always correct. If so, I will humbly admit my mistakes and return. Having said that, if such a thing does occur, it will not because someone tells me that my father always wanted me to view the Temple, or because I want to see my sister’s wedding. It will be because I have spent hours and perhaps years in careful reflection of those beliefs. There is no end on the journey for knowledge and understanding.

I hope that this letter finds you well and is received in the manner it was intended. It was my intention to reassure you that, as disappointing as it may be to those close to me, I am living a happy, complete, and content life.

Justin

 

“Scars have the strange power to remind us that our past is real.” – Cormac McCarthy

Arrogant Faith

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March 20, 2017

7:37 am

33 Comments on Arrogant Faith

Atheism, Bible, Christianity, LDS Church, LGBT Issues, Secularism

Growing up, I was taught by my LDS parents and teachers that the LDS faithful would one day be commanded by The Prophet to return and reclaim Independence, Missouri.  I was told that we may even have to walk there as our ancestors had.  That the journey could be just as hard as our forbearers, but that, as The Faithful & Elect, we would be protected and blessed.  I was told that we would listen to our prophets and we would do as we were commanded.

What would you be willing to do if commanded by your religious leaders?  What wouldn’t you be willing to do?  If they speak for and behalf of The Almighty God, who knows all, shouldn’t you be willing to do absolutely anything?

“If God told you to kill your child—would you do it?” — Penn Jillette

I wouldn’t.  Not if He personally came down, 100% proving His existence and power, knocked me out of bed, and told me that, if I didn’t murder my daughter with my bare hands, He would torture me for eternity.

I would hope I could even muster the courage to spit in His almighty, but definitively evil face.

The story of Abraham is truly terrifying.  Believers teach it as a story of faith; that we must trust to God, who knows best.  “But, Heavenly Father saved Isaac.”  No.  Abraham had murder in his heart.  A willingness to cut open his innocent and only son.  Not a desire, but a willingness.  A blind obedience to commit an act of pure evil if only commanded.  God didn’t save Isaac; He merely changed His mind.

Mr. Jillette asks the question above to illustrate, if you would not murder your child at the command of the god you claim has the right and authority to command your actions, you are probably already an atheist.

If a religious leader in whom you trust told you that your God had commanded your family to sell all of your clothing and belongings and live unprotected in the winter mountains? That God had promised to provide for you? Would you do that?  Would you willingly put your family in mortal danger?  Trusting in God to provide?

If the religious leader commanded that you, not even kill, but pointlessly harm your child in some small way?  That God had promised you blessings without number for an earthly demonstration of your faith, would you do it?

If a man you *knew* to be a prophet told you to turn and rant and rail against your child, just because of whom they love?

Would you do it?

Or, instead, would you love your child regardless, and help them to grow up happy and healthy?  Loving those they loved and who made them happy – regardless of what a man who doesn’t know you, and doesn’t know your child, chooses to say from a great and spacious building?

“It’s not arrogant to say that you can’t figure out the answers to the universe with your internal faith. It’s not arrogant to know that there’s no omniscient, omnipotent prime mover in the universe who loves you personally. It’s not sad to feel that life and the love of your real friends and family is more than enough to make life worth living. Isn’t it much sadder to feel that there is a more important love required than the love of the people who have chosen to spend their limited time with you?”– Penn Jillette