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Recent Posts
Teacher Evaluations
Forbes recently published an article entitled "This Decade-Long Experiment In Teacher Evaluation Is An Unsurprising Failure". The whole article is worth a read, but it can be summed up in this quote-"a raft of research told us that test scores...(3 Dec)
Advanced Cheapest Textbooks in PDF
However, you might not have the ability to get the specific book you want on the places above, or you would possibly desire a physical copy of a guide, relatively than a digital one, or you might want to a bodily book that you may make notes on, so...(30 Nov)
The next 3 Issues To immediately Do About Gambling
Players will discover a protected atmosphere for participating in actual-money poker online with many tournaments and money-recreation variations of their favorite poker games, including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and more. It strikes a lot faster...(28 Nov)
Heard Of The Nice Casino BS Principle?
These casinos join you with an actual supplier by video chat, so the experience is as close as you will get to be on the casino floor. You can even discover slots in the live format! Join TwinSpires Casino now make certain to assert your generous...(28 Nov)
Does EVERYONE Worship?
This was a bit of a conversation I had with a believer on a thread where the writer was claiming that Atheists "worship" things like science.Andrew Hackman No... this is projection. Having been a believer, I know what that experience looks and...(9 Nov)
Letter to a man who literally changed my life
Hi Jim Wolfe,I love your material! Keep up the excellent work. I wanted to share with you how much your material means to me. I found AAKH, after searching desperately for some way to make sense out of what happened to me. It took some time for my...(7 Nov)
Notes on the Saturday Sessions
Welcome back to the Conference Center, ladies and gentlemen. Though it's eerily vacant past the first section of seats and the choir gallery is more sparsely populated than usual, we're back to the normal meeting place for general conferences...(28 Oct)
Let's Talk About Conspiracies!
Previously: What In The World Is Going On With The Church Leaders Lately?Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed the Church hasn't been teaching about secret combinations for quite a while now?I'll admit I don't watch all sessions of conference...(24 Oct)
What In The World Is Going On With The Church Leaders Lately?
Previously: Religious Exemptions: You Don't Need Your Bishop's PermissionMany thousands of devout members of the church are understandably confused by recent statements of the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve. Setting aside some...(10 Oct)
Religious Exemption: You Don't Need Your Bishop's Approval
Previously: When Church Leaders Teach Contrary To God I thought I was done with this topic after the last two entries, (see here and here), but we're now hearing from faithful members of the Church who are simply baffled by the...(19 Sep)
Rest In Peace Bishop Spong
I was sad to hear about the death of Bishop John Shelby Spong. He played a role in my growth as a person over the past decade and I am grateful to him for it.Two buddies of mine and I were fortunate to have taken a trip up to Montana one...(12 Sep)
Holland and the Whole Same-Sex Topic
Jeffrey R. Holland has made some waves recently with a lovely little speech given at BYU. His apostolic jowls are all aquiver with righteous indignation over the issue of...well, he has some difficulty saying exactly what the issue is, but...(28 Aug)
𝗟𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗗𝗡𝗔 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗮
For decades, Mormon scholars at Brigham Young University have believed the Semitic Nephite civilisation and the Maya civilisation were one and the same. According to these apologists, archaeological ruins throughout Mesoamerica bear witness to this...(14 Aug)
𝗠𝘆 “𝗟𝗗𝗦 𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵” 𝗵𝗼𝗯𝗯𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲
“If you get on a hobby horse it will ride you right out of the Church.”President Heber J. Grant I rode a DNA hobby horse out of the Mormon Church in 1998, after I discovered Native Americans and Polynesians have no ancient Jewish...(12 Aug)
Hill Cumorah Visitors Center
I recently had a chance to visit a few of the church historical sites in Palmyra with a never-Mormon friend. I have a few observations:The video that the missionary showed us in the visitors center began by mentioning that there were several...(11 Aug)
Mormon claims about Ezekiel 37: 15-17
From Ezek. 37:15-17 Mormons claim: (1) the sticks are really scrolls; (2) the stick of Judah is the Bible; (3) the stick of Joseph is the B. of M.; and, (4) the joining of these sticks means the joining of two writings - the Bible and...(26 Jul)
My “New” Article with Interpreter
Well, that was interesting. Following my last post, which expressed some public concerns regarding the recent Interpreter article addressing the Documentary Hypothesis, the editors decided to republish an essay I wrote over a decade ago...(30 Jun)
Apologetics and the Documentary Hypothesis: A Response
Since the 19th century, scholars have made exciting discoveries that shed significant light on the Bible. One of these findings is the fact that the first five books of the Hebrew Bible (Christian Old Testament) were not composed by a single...(21 May)
The Mormon Gospel versus the Bible explanation
Romans 3:21 Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal; yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins. For God sent Christ Jesus to...(3 Apr)
Mormons teach ex nihilo is heresy
Bible Doctrine Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith Wayne Grudembiblical evidence for creation out of nothing. The Bible clearly requires us to believe that God created the universe out of nothing. (Sometimes the Latin...(22 Mar)
Children of Leng
Ride the Star Wind: Cthulhu, Space Opera and the Cosmic Weird, edited by Scott Gable, Broken Eye Books, 2017 They walked the path, Grandma in her yukata, Mirai in her boring schoolgirl coveralls, trying not to feel the weight of Leng above their...(7 Mar)
Impossibility Crow
Escape Pod, narrated by Roberto Suarez, 2017 The Kingdom Coffee Missionary Handbook tells Paulo that he should always put his guns away during a door approach. He’s heard this hundreds of times before, but the Handbook speaks with a voice of...(7 Mar)
The Dan no Uchi Horror
Swords v. Cthulhu, edited by Jesse Bullington and Molly Tanzer, 2016 “Swift-bladed action in the World of H. P. Lovecraft” “Inochinomi, samurai’s daughter, knelt in the mud. In final position for seppuku, the point of her...(7 Mar)
Sometimes People Surprise You
On Monday, February 8th my sister picked up our mom and drove her from her home of 40+ years to her new home at an assisted living facility. I traveled home to be with my dad for this event because I didn’t want him to be alone. That morning...(17 Feb)
THE END
If you have found this blog CONGRATULATIONS. You were brave enough to look at something you know the church would rather you not. This is an online book started in 2013 when I first decided to leave the Mormon church. I wrote...(21 Jan)
What Happens Next?
I was walking through a Wal-mart when I got the phone call. I nearly knocked over a display of allergy medicine to pick it up. The MRI was about a week ago and I waiting for the answer to, "am I going to die?" I remember laying in...(21 Jan)
I Knew When to Come out
For years I surrounded my secret in protective armor, afraid of letting anyone else see what I was hiding. Would they hate me as much as I hated myself? And yet at the same time I yearned to be vulnerable. I yearned to be understood and to have...(13 Jan)
State of the Me: 2020-2021
Hello 2021! I've got to admit it's getting better... but I'm not quite where I want to be just yet.Let's start with my career since that's the facet of my life I've focused the most effort on lately. In August, I passed my Certified Kubernetes...(25 Dec)
My imprefect understanding of Taoism
sinisterporpoise@yahoo.com(4 Dec)
Hello Again
I've been away for quite some time. Part of the time I've actually been away. The remainder of the time I've merely been locked out of my blog. Since then, I've at least regained access to the blog , so I have returned in some...(24 Nov)
The Power of Proximity
I totally have a crush on Sharon Eubank. My admiration for her deepened during her most recent General Conference talk when she said, “This world isn’t what I want it to be. There are many things I want to influence and make better. And frankly,...(11 Nov)
Through the perilous fight, o'er the ramparts we watched...
Yesterday, for the first time in my life, I spontaneously felt like singing that song.Sure, I've sung the song before, but had never felt any connection with it. It's a war song about fighting for a symbol, and all too often fighting for the symbol...(8 Nov)
My Schedule for AdobeMax
I think I may have over-booked. TuesdayMastering the Essentials of Adobe XD — Part 1What's New in Photoshop? Features, Time-Saving Tools, and More Photoshop for Designers: Getting Speed and Consistency in Creative Campaigns —...(15 Oct)
Review: Producing Ancient Scripture
I’ve been intrigued with what seem to be esoteric[1] influences flowing into Joseph Smith, and esoteric elements flowing out of him — into Mormonism. And as I consider how he fits into the larger scheme of esoteric-Christianity, I...(19 Sep)
Is the Media Fair
I took the title of this post from a Trump/Pence campaign add, disguised as a survey, with the question "Is the Media Fair" accompanied by a yes or no button, I wanted to press the no button but realized I had way too many questions about what...(31 Jul)
Joseph Smith’s First (or Second) Prayer
Rumor has it that the folks assembling the new Church hymnal are planning to embrace the multiple accounts of the First Vision with a completely rewritten version of the hymn “Joseph Smith’s First Prayer.” We here at ZD are pleased...(6 Jul)
A New Life Phase
It’s been over a year since we updated this website. There are several countries we’ve visited that we haven’t written posts about (Germany, Austria, Czech Republic). Our Family Adventure Summit event in Bali last October (2019)...(25 Jun)
Take a Survey About Spirituality During the Pandemic
From a PhD student in Counseling Psychology at BYU:
“What we believe makes a real difference. Decades of research shows that religious beliefs affect individuals’ emotional well-being, including depression and anxiety levels. Believers tend...(25 Jun)
Mormons Defending Confederate Statues
A few decades ago, I served a mission in the American South. This meant that I got to have lots of conversations with Christians who thought Mormonism was wrong from the get-go simply because we have extra scriptures in addition to the Bible. The...(24 Jun)
The Architect of Rock and Roll
Little Richard performs at KABC in Los Angeles on Dec. 12, 1991.Sad news about Little Richard today. They broke the mold when they made him. He literally changed everything about music.I have two Little Richard stories. One was in high school. We...(9 May)
Trump's Hydrocholroquine claim is currently unfounded
sinisterporpoise@yahoo.com(10 Apr)
The Official Mormon Faith Promoting Joseph Smith Jr First Vision Story
sinisterporpoise@yahoo.com(10 Apr)
Thank You For Being My Neighbor
A couple of years ago I walked into a darkened movie theater, the trailers already underway. As I fumbled my way to my seat, back to the screen, I heard a voice. I froze, my face immediately in my hands, and burst into tears. I didn’t need to turn...(20 Mar)
Recent Comments
Jack @ Worlds Without End
Oops! Awesome *beard*.
Jack @ Worlds Without End
By the way–you’ve got an awesome, dude.
I’m jealous.
Jack @ Worlds Without End
David, I too grew up in a hippie culture–except I was a teenager in the 70s rather than the 80...
Training? What Training? – The Grumpy Mormon @ Worlds Without End
[…] a recent article by David Bokovoy, he includes the following […]
Rob Haskins @ Worlds Without End
Beautifully written. I only started following you after I had come to the conclusion the BOM was 19t...
Rob Hastings @ Worlds Without End
It appears that Kevin C., before Judgement Day even, can already discern botched wine bottles from t...
Rob @ Worlds Without End
Beautifully written. Thank you. Many of the sentiments expressed in the last few paragraphs resonate...
Erick @ Worlds Without End
Thanks you for this amazing essay. Peace and love, brother!
Mortimer Snert @ Worlds Without End
Quote: eulalia on June 30, 2021 at 11:37 pm said:
I appreciate your honesty and your journey, and wi...
Daniel Ortner @ Worlds Without End
I was one of the students that you taught in Institute classes and I deeply admired you and the test...
A WordPress Commenter @ Dawning of a Brighter Day | Mormon Literature in the 21st Century
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A WordPress Commenter @ Telestial State | The Absolute Worst Utah Has to Offer
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To get started with moderating, editing, and deleting comments, please visit ...
It’s not just the social media thing that does this.It can be snobbery and a lack of acceptanc...
thanks for sharing. i’m making my way through the podcast. feeling a little lonely.
chanson @ Main Street Plaza
@Suzanne — That’s a good point. I think it really is about being trained to see right/g...
Missed you, your insights and the truth. (Hello Nauvoo Expositor.)
Helped me through a really diffic...
Suzanne Neilsen @ Main Street Plaza
I guess some people think FDR is the same as Hitler and Stalin, since they clearly can’t diffe...
Junia @ Main Street Plaza
Johnny,
Do you really think that Trump is unique among politicians in his horredness? Do you really ...
Rick @ Main Street Plaza
Homosexuals who practice are in danger of judgement, same as the practitioner of sex before marriage...
Rick @ Main Street Plaza
You cited your opinion, which you’re entitled to, however you are not citing facts. Trying to ...
Mark Daniel Cross @ Main Street Plaza
Brilliant insight Jerry. Spot on.
Megan @ Main Street Plaza
Part of the issue with the Church and Joseph Bishop is that he told his victim in the leaked audio ...
Megan @ Main Street Plaza
This is the most backward and terrible advice. Ladies, it is OKAY to initiate conversation and push ...
Ryan @ Main Street Plaza
I’m actually the individual in the ad.
At the time, I had just returned from serving a missio...
This puzzles me.
Judaism was created & in both its ancient & modern form exists for precisel...
I hit on this problem a long time ago, when I was a teenager. (It took some years to do a lot of rea...
chanson @ Main Street Plaza
Yeah, same. It was certainly never presented to me as a decision I would need to make.
Romney came down to speak in St. George a few months back. On the comments of the news story coverin...
Great essay. This is exactly the reasoning that took me out of the church. Once I knew a loving god ...
I have thought about this recently in the context of why Mormon men give up on the faith than Mormon...
In reply to Ron Johnson.
Hi Ron,
Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I actually went to the Unitarian C...
Hi John, I was sorry to read that after you left LDS you tried Christianity and for some reason it a...
I hope you see this – that the energy leads you back here if you haven’t already figured...
Brandon Pearce @ Pearce On Earth - Traveling Family. Entrepreneurship. Homeschool.
Wonderful! Let us know where you end up! We’ve been working with SMA Home Solutions, but there...
Hi there- we are in the process of purchasing a home in San Miguel. Can you share the name of your ...
Thanks so much for sharing what you have.It’s almost a revelation to me that I could perhaps s...
Dhammika Alawatte / Maddumage @ Pearce On Earth - Traveling Family. Entrepreneurship. Homeschool.
This Wonderful family on Travel takes us to those untapped territories & opened their wisdom &am...
Just want to let you know I found this very informative as I’m moving to the UAE for a year. I...
Brandon Pearce @ Pearce On Earth - Traveling Family. Entrepreneurship. Homeschool.
Yes, there were a few couples there together. I think it’s a fine thing to experience together...
Very enlightening thoughts! Thanks for sharing Brandon. I am looking forward to share and discuss y...
Hi Lenny, how was your experience at the retreat? I am thinking of going next month but I am very co...
Viviane Bernardin @ Pearce On Earth - Traveling Family. Entrepreneurship. Homeschool.
Hi Brandon,Interesting and balanced view on your experience. First time I heard of Ayahuasca. Have y...
Sarah Kingston @ PilgrimSteps | just one step at a time...
This is a really good reference for me! 🙂 Your level of activity is really remarkable. I’m ...
janaremy @ PilgrimSteps | just one step at a time...
In reply to bibliogrrl.
Best of luck to you as you move forward with your plans! And do let me know...
bibliogrrl @ PilgrimSteps | just one step at a time...
This is so lovely and so delightful. We got married on the exact date of our first date this year, b...
Sarah Vay Kerns @ PilgrimSteps | just one step at a time...
Thank you so much for sharing! Wish we could have been there!! I hope we’ll get to visit soon!...
Rich Tenney @ PilgrimSteps | just one step at a time...
How wonderful for you both. May this union fulfill all your hopes and dreams ♡
Leanne J @ PilgrimSteps | just one step at a time...
This is absolutely wonderful Jana – congratulations to you both. The book donations is a parti...
Cyclingdiva @ ReubensCube
Do you know, and can you pls share with me. what type of dang cables did you use? I’m working ...
Jenny Pulinec @ ReubensCube
I also am in the same boat love the citrus splash…had it here in Ontario,Canada …but now...
Earl @ ReubensCube
Just came across your post. Looks great! I have used Drylock in the past also. Great stuff, just a b...
Citrus Blast @ ReubensCube
Rueben,
Did Crest discontinue this flavor? Like you, this is the only toothpaste I have been using ...
Gail @ ReubensCube
I love the Citrus Crest! I’m in search of it now so I can stock up. Thank goodness I have a co...
james Barends @ ReubensCube
Code requires the drum trap be air tight, not just water tight. What you have done is OK for a shor...
bejah @ ReubensCube
You’re crazy. Why in the world would you say that? college is the best thing that could happen...
Terry @ ReubensCube
Mint makes me cough and or sneeze. Allergy maybe?? I NEED my citrus toothpaste fix! We have a runni...
Lorne @ ReubensCube
Same thing here in Canada. I also hate the taste of mint and was angered that I can no longer find i...
CathyL2 @ ReubensCube
You mention this is water tight ~ but is it airtight? Sewer gasses are considerably smaller than wat...
Alan Levine aka @cogdog @ PilgrimSteps | just one step at a time...
Thanks so much for this writeup, if only for that tip on how to clear your phone number. I have like...
Jennifer @ PilgrimSteps | just one step at a time...
LOVE that stack of books! The poem was lovely as well. Many thanks for your words and wisdom.
janaremy @ PilgrimSteps | just one step at a time...
In reply to Gail Marlow Taylor.
What’s your URL, Gail?
Gail Marlow Taylor @ PilgrimSteps | just one step at a time...
Jana, I’ve enjoyed your blogs for a long time and in the last few years I have been uplifted b...
LDSRevelations @ LDS Revelations
“Also the words did not just appear in the translators”
The actual accounts of the trans...
LDSRevelations @ LDS Revelations
“Also the words did not just appear in the translators”
The actual accounts of the trans...
Fatboy @ LDS Revelations
I think there is a very important understanding missing here. When Joseph Smith translated the Book ...
Fatboy @ LDS Revelations
I think there is a very important understanding missing here. When Joseph Smith translated the Book ...
LDSRevelations @ LDS Revelations
This just arouses my curiosity and desire to learn more of both books. I’m sure they support each ...
LDSRevelations @ LDS Revelations
This just arouses my curiosity and desire to learn more of both books. I’m sure they support each ...
LDSRevelations @ LDS Revelations
Who inspired who? In 1823 Ethan Smith in Vermont knows nothing of Joseph Smith and the claims of ang...
LDSRevelations @ LDS Revelations
Who inspired who? In 1823 Ethan Smith in Vermont knows nothing of Joseph Smith and the claims of ang...
Melisa @ LDS Revelations
Hi There,
We’re trying to spread the word about LDS LGBT Suicide and Homelessness Awareness D...
Melisa @ LDS Revelations
Hi There,
We’re trying to spread the word about LDS LGBT Suicide and Homelessness Awareness D...
David @ LDS Revelations
Now it gets a bit more interesting. Joseph first reported to his family about the gold plates in 18...
David @ LDS Revelations
Now it gets a bit more interesting. Joseph first reported to his family about the gold plates in 18...
David @ LDS Revelations
Very amusing. This just arouses my curiosity and desire to learn more of both books. I’m sur...
David @ LDS Revelations
Very amusing. This just arouses my curiosity and desire to learn more of both books. I’m sur...
Heber Frank @ LDS Revelations
If a woman married in the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage loses her husband she MUST have t...
Heber Frank @ LDS Revelations
If a woman married in the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage loses her husband she MUST have t...
john @ LDS Revelations
I made a business deal with some Mormons ONCE, they screwed me over. The Mormons are the last peopl...
john @ LDS Revelations
I made a business deal with some Mormons ONCE, they screwed me over. The Mormons are the last peopl...
LDSRevelations @ LDS Revelations
What LDS defenders need to look for in the BoM is the early American anachronisms (18-19th century)t...
LDSRevelations @ LDS Revelations
What LDS defenders need to look for in the BoM is the early American anachronisms (18-19th century)t...
Discussing the Name of God With a Jehovah’s Witness Elder 5/29/13 | The Edge @ Evidence Ministries
[…] We concluded our study and I gave him his copy of my study. I purposefully didn’t want t...
What Do I Do With The Dudes At My Door? 2013 | The Edge @ Evidence Ministries
[…] will meet in CBC Central (the old sanctuary) from 9:00 AM -12:oo PM. Visit our web site ca...
Keith @ Evidence Ministries
Jeff,
In all of my my 17+ years of missionary service to Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons, I ha...
Jeff @ Evidence Ministries
Did a video on this in response at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RquN0RP-3CA&feature=plcp
Melody @ Evidence Ministries
I would be willing to die before I would vote for a Mormon.
Gift of Love | Mormon Coffee @ Evidence Ministries
[…] precious, healing words of hope with a ten-foot pole.But Becky Walker won’t give up. In ...
Issues with Tissues: What exactly is an Anti-Mormon Kleenex? | The Edge @ Evidence Ministries
[…] Sixth, the LDS Church does indeed attack the religion of others. Read this article for quo...
Issues with Tissues: What exactly is an Anti-Mormon Kleenex? | The Edge @ Evidence Ministries
[…] The second lady in Aaron’s video is my wife Becky. She wrote an article to the Mormon wo...
Miranda @ Evidence Ministries
That was very sly to put your card in a package of tissues, wrap with fabric ribbon to look like a g...
Parker Dahl @ Evidence Ministries
This made no sense to me.. I get a bad feeling when I read article from this website.