I had a small realization the other day, which went like this: It is one thing to know the purpose of life. Overall, this seems like a relatively straight-forward thing to know. It is another thing entirely to know the purpose of your life. I would argue that most people don't know this.
Failing at learning
If you fail a grade in school, you get held back a year and have to repeat it. What does it say about the church when you repeat the Sunday School curriculum every 4 years and never move past it?
A perfect quote
I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned! So much of my frustration with organized religion is that it requires "answers that can't be questioned". To stop questioning is to stop learning, and that is the very definition of damnation.
Hell
After a post on Heaven, it seems appropriate to do a post on Hell. The fundamental point of existence is to change. Everything we do and are is centered on our ability to change. We are presented with scenarios in life, and how we choose to react to these scenarios is what causes us to … Continue reading Hell
Another Broken Heart
This morning seems like a good time to revisit a previous post on having a broken heart. In it I pointed out two generalized responses to having a broken heart: lashing out in fear and anger, or turning inward and seeking improvement. Fifteen years ago, we had our collective hearts broken as we watched two … Continue reading Another Broken Heart
Heaven, Inc.
The typical Christian characterization of Heaven is one that I find fundamentally boring. For me, the pursuit of knowledge and applications of that knowledge are what truly excite me, and so the idea of being a ministering angel forever or even just creating worlds over and over sounds like it could get extremely ... repetitive. … Continue reading Heaven, Inc.
From Medium: Reasons I’d Be Atheist, But Choose to Be Religious
This is a long read, but well worth it. I wish I had written it. Everything I read in there is exactly my experience: Unlike most faith crises, I am not really struggling with historical, theological or metaphysical claims of the Restoration. I am mostly just bored at church. I am deadened by how small, … Continue reading From Medium: Reasons I’d Be Atheist, But Choose to Be Religious
Fundamental Questions
In my opinion, asking questions is the best way to learn. But two of the things that can be really difficult for me are 1) knowing which questions to ask, and 2) knowing when I've gotten an answer. I have an untestable theory, which is that no matter what our question is, God always answers … Continue reading Fundamental Questions
Consider the Lilies
What is it that makes us intelligent? We have unspoken rules about what we consider to be intelligent, but what are the rules? We think that (as a general rule) humans are intelligent. Dolphins are also pretty intelligent. Some of our favorite animals (dogs, cats, elephants, horses, rodents) are also somewhat intelligent. Fish don't seem … Continue reading Consider the Lilies
Two Promises
I have had two promises made to me at various points in my life that have had a major influence on me. The first one was made almost exactly eleven years ago by a teacher I had in the MTC. I don't give much stock these days to run-of-the-mill priesthood blessings, but once in a … Continue reading Two Promises
Pure Intelligence 