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Recent Posts
How the Second Great Awakening Laid the Seeds for Mormonism
sinisterporpoise@yahoo.com(28 Mar)
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Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!
(28 Mar)
D&C 17: Can I Get a Witness?
This section is the preamble to the revealing of the Gold Plates to the Three Witnesses. And there's some juicy manipulative language in here.Say AnythingVerse 4 says that the witnesses will need to testify publicly of what they're about to...(26 Mar)
Dont panic but be cautious during covid 19 pandemic
sinisterporpoise@yahoo.com(25 Mar)
Nelson's State of the Union
The new Ensign for April 2020 has a bizarre little article by our Dear Leader that tells us all how great the end of times are. I found it to be peppered with problematic language and I thought its thesis was ultimately self-defeating, so I...(24 Mar)
Poker Coushatta Casino Resort
swimming pools, there are lots of online poker bonus offers. William Hill is just one of the globe’s leading names in on the internet casino site video games, and also there is no place much better to begin playing. Section 849.14 covers video...(24 Mar)
Fear Is A Virus
Previously: The Sins at the Top of the ListAfter all this fear and hysteria dies down, Americans may look back and realize it was actor Tom Hanks who first helped them come to their senses.By then the economy will probably be a wreck, but hey,...(22 Mar)
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)
D&C 16: Carbon Copy
It's now Peter Whitmer's turn to receive a personalized revelation from God's lips to Joseph Smith's ears.Ha, just kidding. This is identical to the previous section except for the name. That's kind of interesting, considering the header...(19 Mar)
The founding fathers caused the religious revivals that helped lead to t...
sinisterporpoise@yahoo.com(19 Mar)
Dancing With Crazy. Again.
...But only in a newly re-designed and re-edited way! NOW AVAILABLE on Amazon.(10 Mar)
The Love of God in the Toughest of Times
Friday, September 4th, 2015 was one of the worst nights of life. My stake president called me unexpectedly. Over the past six months we had been working and counseling together to form a stake-sponsored group for LGBTQ Latter-day Saints. A member...(4 Mar)
The Sins At The Top Of The List
Previously: Joseph Smith and Polygamy,Persistence of a MythThis month you're going to wonder what the heck I'm up to, because this is supposed to be a religiously-themed blog and I'm going to appear to be talking politics. But bear with me,...(1 Mar)
I’m (hopefully) Less Racist than I Used to Be
As a tall, white, English speaking, educated male with hair, I’m one of the most privileged people on the planet. And I have a lot of blind spots. Last Thursday I attended a panel on race and immigration at BYU. The keynote address was given by...(13 Feb)
Book Review: The Ancient Order of Things: Essays on the Mormon Temple
Title: The Ancient Order of Things: Essays on the Mormon TempleEditor: Christian Larsen Published by: Signature Books in 2019 Number of Pages: 280 Binding: Paperback ISBN: 978-1-56085-279-7 Price: 18.95
I have never known enough...(8 Feb)
Book Review: “Jan Shipps: A Social and Intellectual Portrait”
Jan Shipps: A Social and Intellectual Portrait: How a Methodist Girl from Hueytown, Alabama, Became an Acclaimed Mormon Studies Scholar By Gordon Shepherd and Gary Shepherd, Published by Kofford Books Year Published: 2019Number of Pages:...(31 Jan)
Baptism For The Dead
1 Corinthians 15:29-Baptism for the Dead??The Mormon Teaching. In 1 Corinthians 15:29 we read, "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?"James E. Talmage says,...(31 Jan)
Truth is Reason: Faith of a Scientist Reviewed
Disclosures: I personally know the author. He's a super nice guy and I appreciate him and am happy to know him. Also, I resigned my membership in the LDS church because I don't believe in it. I enjoyed reading this book and getting to know John's...(25 Jan)
Review of The Earth Will Appear as the Garden of Eden: Essays on Mormon Environmental History
Review of Jedediah S. Rogers and Matthew C. Godfrey, The Earth Will Appear as the Garden of Eden: Essays on Mormon Environmental History (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 2019).
“Mormon environmental history” may sound like an...(22 Jan)
State of the Me: 2019-2020
Since this new year is a nice, round number -- and I'm hitting 20 years of marriage and 20 years of living in Europe at the end of this new year -- I'd like to give a two-decade review this time.The three main axes are home/family, career, and...(19 Jan)
Joseph Smith and Polygamy: Persistence of a Myth
Something tells me this photo has been doctored.Previously: Politics and ReligionI've been reluctant to address this topic because I don't like to publicly criticize people I genuinely like. In fact, my one and only new year's resolution was to stop...(12 Jan)
Playing the Odds
"Never tell me the odds." ~ Han SoloLots of our positions on issues are based on anecdotes. This or that happened to myself or a friend... and therefore I feel such and so.Someone demonstrated this on a Facebook post of mine recently. ...(11 Jan)
The Triggers Triggered Me
I recently left a Facebook group.I am in a few on various topics.This one was about having deconverted from Evangelicalism.This group was highly into trigger warnings. Lots of posts were just listing the triggers... and then what the post actually...(30 Dec)
Goulash Soup
1.2 liters broth (in a soup pot that holds two liters+)0.2 liters red wine600 grams beef or meat substitute (such as Dinki-Gulasch Goulash, 3 packets), in small cubes (1-2 cm diameter)1 packet (50 grams) "dodatak jelima sa povrcem za Goveđi Gulaš"...(25 Dec)
Lapse of Judgment?
SAVANNAH, Ga. -- The man who appeared to slap a reporter on her backside while she was live on the air is now facing charges.Thomas Callaway was arrested Friday and charged with sexual battery, WSAV reported.As he should be.I have heard and read...(16 Dec)
OH MORMON CHURCH - ExMormon Song Parody ala O Christmas Tree
It's been almost a year since I last posted on this blog, but yesterday, I was listening to Christmas music and a lot of "alternative lyrics" started running through my head - and, of course, when I say "alternative lyrics," they usually involve...(5 Dec)
Grateful
I am also grateful for my kids, chocolate, bubble blowing, massages, music, swimming pools, roller skates, kissing, old movies, new movies, any movies, sushi, narwhals, coffee, books, heavy blankets, incense, silence, double rainbows, red...(29 Nov)
Server maintenance
I am in the process of upgrading the server for this site and its sister sites (MAA Books, Outer Blogness, and ExMormon). There will probably be some downtime(12 Nov)
A Stingy God
by Johnny Townsend On the surface, Mormons are generous. They give a full ten percent of their income to their church. They donate countless hours every week to various “callings,” as Sunday School teachers, Nursery leaders, temple workers, and...(29 Oct)
Mormons follow a different Christ than traditional Christians
The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak. For the Christ of whom I speak as been revealed in this the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times. He together with His Father, appeared to the boy Joseph Smith in...(25 Oct)
Uber Diaries: Respect the Grind
(Note: This is a story I wrote for an upcoming book. This one didn't make the final cut, but I still like it.)Pickup: Sentinel HotelThe passenger is average height, but an athletic build. He gets into the van with a duffel bag I assume is luggage. I...(23 Oct)
There Will Be No Conversion Therapy in Zion
The incomparable Buzz and Ginny SchilatyIn 2007, at the age of 23, my parents became the 5th and 6th people I told that I was attracted to men. They were immediately loving and kind. During our initial conversation my mom asked if I thought it was a...(21 Oct)
Ad Astra: A movie review
It's been a while since I opened blogger for any reason other than deleting spam comments, but I've just come out of Ad Astra and I need to talk about it. No... I need to write about it.I blame grad school and film class for this.I love a good...(7 Oct)
Magic Glasses and a Bunny Suit (saying no to perfection and yes to vulnerability)
by Emily Waite Growing up in the Mormon church, the voice that narrated my life up until now was screaming of perfection. For as we know, though we will never reach it in this life, perfection is the goal – always. After leaving the church I had...(13 Sep)
I Want to Know What Love Is
I'm not sure when I first heard the song.*It came out the year I left on my Mormon mission for France - 1984. (The lead photo was taken a few months before I left.) I was pretty sequestered in the first city I served in - Brest, at the tip of...(26 Aug)
Marketing Yourself While Maintaining Authenticity
I had an interesting realization while on a brunch date with my oldest daughter, Emily (15). Over some delicious Indian food, we talked about our purpose, what feels meaningful, and what we enjoy working on.And some questions she asked brought up...(1 Jun)
Raising Entrepreneurs
It’s exciting to see my kids learning important life skills at a much younger age than I did, and actually earning money with these skills!I suppose when I was around 14 years old, I did start doing random work for people, including typing...(1 Jun)
7 Things to Do in Luang Prabang, Laos
After a full and beautiful two weeks of running our At Home in the World Retreats in Bali with the Kaponay Family, we decided to renew our visa by taking a quick 2-week trip to Luang Prabang, Laos.Why Laos? Because:We had never been here beforeIt...(13 May)
Warren vs. Sanders from a purely political strategy perspective.
I keep reading the claim that we have to support Bernie because he's the only one who can beat Trump in 2020. But is that really true?First of all, if Trump actually makes it to November 2020 (without being impeached and convicted),...(22 Apr)
The Dream That Changed My Life … 25 Years Later
The events of this past week in Paris brought up many memories of when I was a missionary there. They also reminded of a special anniversary. Thirty-four years ago today, I had a dream that would, 25 years later, play a key role in dramatically...(19 Apr)
Mormon Thought Experiment
This post is in response to a YouTube video posted by the LDS church found here.If prophets are such a key part of LDS theology, the current day prophet is set up as God's mouthpiece on the earth today for the whole earth. The presumption is that...(11 Apr)
Mormons and Facebook for Dummies
Apparently there is some confusion out there surrounding posts or friends disappearing on Facebook recently. Here's the thing, it is not Facebook's fault. If you experience missing posts or conversations not making sense because people seem to be...(11 Apr)
Zig for Great Justice*
This is not I, but it might just as well be.I've worked all the hours I can work for a time, and am on vacation as a result. It seems to me that I would learn more if I worked more twelve-hour shifts and fewer twenty-eight hour ones, but scheduling...(20 Mar)
Recent Comments
A WordPress Commenter @ Telestial State | The Absolute Worst Utah Has to Offer
Hi, this is a comment.
To get started with moderating, editing, and deleting comments, please visit ...
Tyler LeBaron @ Worlds Without End
Hi Brian,
I read your article on the Seer stones “A Historiographical Glimps” Very well...
Dave @ Worlds Without End
Thanks for the review, Andrew. How does it compare overall to David John Buerger’s The Mysteri...
It’s not just the social media thing that does this.It can be snobbery and a lack of acceptanc...
Mark D Thomas @ Worlds Without End
Thank you for this fine review. I look forward to reading the book.
thanks for sharing. i’m making my way through the podcast. feeling a little lonely.
Wally @ Worlds Without End
Sounds like it supports the historical reality that we will always have to drag conservatives (and m...
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 ...
Christopher Smith @ Worlds Without End
So glad you liked it, Ardis! Thank you for your kind words!
Ardis @ Worlds Without End
This is one of the most enjoyable reviews I’ve read for this book — enthusiastic appreciation of...
Christopher Smith @ Worlds Without End
You’re welcome! Thanks so much for reading my long-winded thoughts!
Fascinated @ Worlds Without End
This is a wonderful and detailed review! It looks like an exceptional book. Thank you for bringing ...
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...
Andrew Hamilton @ Worlds Without End
Clair – Thanks for your links! And thanks for your presentation!
Clair Barrus @ Worlds Without End
Thanks for the review Andrew. Here’s a bit more about my presentation.
Session: The Beatles, ...
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...
Hi Ron,
Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I actually went to the Unitarian Church for 5 years after I...
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...
Auto-ethnography Everything – Edie-Marie Roper @ Edith-Marie Roper | *Under Construction*
[…] end result is, following concepts and formats from ifixit, a guide to fixing the possibly ...
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...
Running Compositions | Edie-Marie Roper @ Edith-Marie Roper | *Under Construction*
[…] Composed Composing Data […]
Composed Composing Data | Edie-Marie Roper @ Edith-Marie Roper | *Under Construction*
[…] with a running app from a smartphone. It represents what was composed while the runner was...
John Draper @ Edith-Marie Roper | *Under Construction*
Hello,
My name is John Draper. You don’t know me from Adam. What led me to you is I’m a...
Hamizan @ Edith-Marie Roper | *Under Construction*
“multimodal” is one of those ridiculous weaesl words that plagues education curriculums....
PS I have a new name for the new writing: dgitial illiteracies. Or how about cave-man pictorial...
Congrats on a great time for your race. Good luck with your Marathon training. I start mine next wee...
The Pitch & The Pace | Edie-Marie Roper @ Edith-Marie Roper | *Under Construction*
[…] I plan to have complimentary visuals to go along with my podcast that is also spatially o...
Explaining How There Came to Be Beer Stats | Edie-Marie Roper @ Edith-Marie Roper | *Under Construction*
[…] contemporary communication, I have some additional insights to my most recent analytical r...
The Second is First: reading response seven in Parts | Edie-Marie Roper @ Edith-Marie Roper | *Under Construction*
[…] following applies these concepts to my multimodal post about my GPS watch and running [&#...
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.
Hello —
I was raised Jewish, am now a “frequent attender” at Brooklyn Monthly Meet...
Sigmund Russell @ Mind on Fire | Religion, SF, and Other Speculative Fictions.
You might be interested in a new website – atheistprinciples.tripod.com (see also the linked f...
John,
I stumbled on your anniversary/invite from stake pres post when I was trying to find NB stake...
Hey John!
It’s Dana Huber from WFC. I couldn’t find you on Facebook when I looked; do yo...
Jennifer Dobner @ Mind on Fire | Religion, SF, and Other Speculative Fictions.
Hey John – Laura Compton sent me your way. I’m an Associated Press reporter in Salt Lake...
Hi there. Nice writing, mate. Might just add you to my rss-reader 🙂
I was wondering what that pho...
Hello, ex-Mormons!
My name is Rae and I’m a fellow ex-Mormon. I love, love, LOVE coming across...
John W. Morehead @ Mind on Fire | Religion, SF, and Other Speculative Fictions.
John, I found you through the article “Saving the Dead” you did for the Nov. 2006 issue ...
surcey: I’m glad you enjoy our site just as much as mommy blogs 🙂 I’ve a special plac...
Hi xJane,
I just wanted to say I am a liberal Christian (best term I can come up with so far), and I...