These Things

There is a verse in the Book of Mormon that is horrifically proof-texted, and strained to such an interpretation as to defy reason. That verse is Alma 39:5: Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the …

Questions

There are many ways to learn. One is superior above all others, and that is to ask questions. I touched on this in a previous post, but I believe it bears repeating. So often when we read the scriptures, we do so simply to check the box of "I read my scriptures today". But there …

My Religion

I've thought for a long time about how I can describe my religion. The earliest versions where characterized by what it isn't. I'm not really a Mormon. I'm not really a Christian. I'm not really agnostic. I'm not really gnostic. As I've learned more, I've come to realize something a bit deeper: naming things is …

Jonah

For the past several of months, I have had an incessant drumbeat in my head, urging me to "find others like you". It is a plea to bring others together, to draw them in, to gather them; it is all the same message. And to my chagrin, I have been ignoring it. I've been ignoring …

Changes

Steve Evans over at By Common Consent has published a "Laundry List" of changes he would like to see the LDS Church make. While a bunch of these are a bit tongue-in-cheek (ahem), I whole-heartedly agree with the list. The Church has gone astray. Implementing the things on this list would be a massive step …

Intelligence and Voices

A while ago I posed the question: if God speaks to me “after the manner of [my] language”, how do I know that it is His voice that I hear, and not my own? (Recognizing the Voice of God) I realize now this is the wrong question. It is not the voice that matters, and …

Experiments

On the popular TV show MythBusters, one of the hosts once said: "Remember kids, the only difference between science and screwing around is writing it down." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSUMBBFjxrY) I've been thinking a lot recently about keeping records, and this quote jumped to mind at one point. It got me thinking: If I'm not writing down what …

Knowledge

Sure knowledge is the enemy of learning.  Once you claim to know something, you have shut yourself off to ever learning anything new about the subject. If I claim "sure knowledge", I am also claiming "sure stubbornness". I am claiming "sure ignorance", and consequently "sure damnation". "Sure knowledge" means that I have shut myself off to …

Ad Hominem

An ad hominem fallacy is one where, instead of attacking an argument directly, you attack a person making the argument, and use your attacks on that person as a way to discredit the argument. In short, you're ignoring the thing being debated and attacking the debater. Many of those who have become disaffected from the …

The Purpose of Life

Over the past few months, I have come to a deeper understanding of just what life is all about. I confess that the Plan of Salvation has never adequately explained the "why" of life to me. It only really explains the "what". It explains what happened, what is happening, and what might happen. But it …