LDSBlogs.org - Mormon Archipelago

Even More Islands and Atolls

Love the Weather Legend @ Exponent
- A strong memory of love. In Provo, married, shared housing with singles, Provo River...

Creating a Community of Belonging – It Matters at Church @ Exponent
- ‘There’s a place for us, somewhere a place for us’ these lyrics from the...

War Does Not Determine Who Is Right – Only Who Is Left. @ Exponent
- I write this on September 11, 2022. This is the 21st anniversary of an event which...

Sacred Music Sunday: What a Friend we Have in Jesus @ Exponent
- This weekend is Stake Conference in my stake, and the theme is 2 Nephi 33:6 “I...

The God Who Gives Us Beauty @ Exponent
- Come Follow Me: September 26–October 2 ~ Isaiah 50–57 This lesson plan is...

Enduring to the End: What Does It Mean? @ Exponent
- One of the most sacred commandments in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day...

We Love Women as Bishops! (As Long As They Aren’t LDS Bishops) @ Exponent
- Phyllis Spiegel is ordained as a Bishop and listens to prayer inside of the Capitol...

Setting Apart Our Daughters to Prepare and Pass the Sacrament @ Exponent
- “In our church we believe that when women are set apart to do a calling, they...

How to Write the Best Christmas Program Ever: A Complete Guide @ Exponent
- Photo by David Beale on Unsplash A few years ago, I was my ward’s music...

My Experience As a Trans Man in the LDS Church – How to Help Your LGBTQ+ Youth As a Church Leader @ Exponent
- Ilea at the Salt Lake City 2021 Pride Event (21 years old). Guest post by Ilea...

Remembering and Honoring Anti-Miracles @ LDS Science Review
- During my recent sickness with COVID [1], I had some time to contemplate the amount of...

Brother of Jared, the (Gobekli Tepe) Shaman, part 2 @ Sit At Cit
- How shamanism at Gobekli Tepe parallels the brother of Jared's shamanism.

Brother of Jared, the Shaman, part 1 @ Sit At Cit
- If the brother of Jared was actually a shaman, that would explain a lot.

You Make the Call - Oil Edition @ LDS Science Review
- The price of gasoline has grabbed the nation's attention, and the political fighting over...

W. W. Phelps and his billions of years @ Sit At Cit
- A possible explanation for what in the world W. W. Phelps meant by his 2.555 billion...

Heth is the 8th Jaredite King Twice, and That’s Significant @ Sit At Cit
- I think the Jaredites named their 8th king Heth for a reason.

Nephite Money was Base 8 (and possibly Jaredite) @ Sit At Cit
- Jaredite influence and obsession with 8 might have made it into Nephite money.

The Jaredites’ Eight Days to Destruction @ Sit At Cit
- It took 8 days for the Jaredite final battle.

Bateman's Only Real Sin Was Blaming the Jews @ LDS Science Review
- Dave Bateman, founder and (now former) chairman of a Utah tech company, made a splash...

Differences Between the Creation Accounts @ LDS Science Review
- This is a slightly updated version of something I posted four years ago. The focus of...

How did Jesus read the Old Testament? @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
- One of the most insightful things I read last year was Joseph Spencer’s book on...

Brigham Young: Don't Expect God to Save You From Your Own Folly @ LDS Science Review
- In July of 1868, the Saints in Utah were struggling with grasshoppers destroying their...

@ Ethesis
- Just had the best birthday I've had in my life. I'm grateful for that.And Win is the...

Introducing A New Podcast: Mormon Theories @ Sit At Cit
- Introducing the Mormon Theories podcast. Check it out!

Initial Thoughts on Omicron and Vaccines @ LDS Science Review
- You've no doubt seen discussion in the news and social media about the emerging...

“The Blood and Sins of This Generation” and Cultural Critique @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
- In James Goldberg’s evocative new collection of poems, there is one early set of...

Sure, Go Ahead and Undo Your Vaccine @ LDS Science Review
- I have to admit that I got a bit of a chuckle from an NBC News article about people...

I have a theory that Joseph Smith was trying to perfect the bible. @ Sit At Cit
- I think Joseph Smith was trying to change the bible as he went to make it better. JST...

Anti-Vaccine Sentiment is Not Uncommon Among Chiropractors @ LDS Science Review
- Following my last post on anti-vaccine lies told by a chiropractor, I came across two...

A Chiropractor Tells Blatant Lies that Feed COVID Craziness @ LDS Science Review
- Apparently there is a movement on Facebook by anti-vaccine groups to discourage sick...

Example of a COVID Chart Crime @ LDS Science Review
- A chart crime is when a chart is used in a misleading way [1]. It could be that the data...

Unanswerable Mormon History Questions @ Mormon Heretic
- I’ve been thinking about an alternative Mormon history. What if things had occurred...

Jared’s son Gilgah might be named after Gobekli Tepe (Ether 6:14) @ Sit At Cit
- The names of Jared's sons tell an interesting story about the great tower.

COVID Vaccines: Letter to a Friend @ LDS Science Review
- An old friend recently contacted me with some questions about the COVID vaccines. I...

Gobekli Tepe Skull Cults Among the Jaredites? @ Sit At Cit
- The Jaredites had head chopping and so did Gobekli Tepe. Any connection?

Why Anti-Viral Drugs are Hard to Come By @ LDS Science Review
- This post isn't specifically about hydroxychloroquine or ivermectin, but the craziness...

Time to Clean Up Some Vaccine Information Pollution @ LDS Science Review
- There is a viral video going around of a pathologist claiming that the COVID vaccines are...

Consecration and Community, or Living “As for Years” @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
- Last month, I was asked to give a talk in my new ward in New York City. I was given...

My “New” Article with Interpreter @ Worlds Without End
- Well, that was interesting. Following my last post, which expressed some...

The COVID Lab Leak Hypothesis @ LDS Science Review
- Humans abhore uncertaintly like nature abhores a vaccum. The exact origin of the...

A Prayer in the Face of Anxiety @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
- This has been an anxious week for me. A lot of changes have happened with the move to...

Critical Race Theory, Injustice, and a Gospel of Life @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
- “Critical Race Theory”, a legal theory focused on the intersection of race...

The Christian Mood @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
- Following-up on yesterday’s post on emotion and discipleship: I’ve been...

Feeling What One Ought to Feel @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
- Is emotion important to discipleship? I’ve increasingly come across great authors...

How To Get the Church's Stock Returns @ LDS Science Review
- And now for something different: Today my attention was drawn to news articles...

Learn to Look @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
- Related to yesterday’s post and D&C 88:78-80: So acquire the habit of being...

Apologetics and the Documentary Hypothesis: A Response @ Worlds Without End
- Since the 19th century, scholars have made exciting discoveries that shed...

God Wants Me to Learn because He Wants Me to See @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
- When I arrived at Brigham Young University over a decade ago—bright eyed and...

U.S. Excess Mortality was Not Higher in 2017 @ LDS Science Review
- Yesterday over at Millenial Star, Geoff B. asserted that, according to a recent study,...

Worries about COVID vaccines and infertility are ridiculous @ LDS Science Review
- Public Service Announcement: Claims that the COVID vaccine could cause infertility are...

Vaccination: What If I Already Had COVID? @ LDS Science Review
- Current recommendations are that people who had COVID should still get vaccinated. Does...

Vaccine #2 Achieved @ LDS Science Review
- This week I received my second dose of the Pfizer COVID vaccine. Hooray! The next day was...

Worship as Real-making @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
- Is religion easy or hard? In How God Becomes Real: Kindling the Presence of Invisible...

Vaccine #1 Achieved @ LDS Science Review
- This week I received my first dose of the Pfizer COVID vaccine. Hooray! Right now, cells...

How the New COVID Vaccines Compare to Other Viral Vaccines @ LDS Science Review
- The leading vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 are based on a new technology that delivers mRNA...

Four Years Ago: What I Got Right and Wrong About Trump @ LDS Science Review
- Four years ago today, on the first day of the new Trump administration, Sean Spicer...

I Was Told That Trump is Like Captain Moroni, Doesn't Seek Power @ LDS Science Review
- This is just a reminder that, days before the election, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) compared...

How to Tell that Someone is Full of Crap: A Short Guide @ LDS Science Review
- A non-exhaustive list of signs to watch for:When they say one thing in public, and...

Review: Producing Ancient Scripture @ Worlds Without End
- I’ve been intrigued with what seem to be esoteric[1] influences flowing into...

From my mission. @ Ethesis
- Thanks to President & Sister Siddoway and the A.P.'s who put this together originally,...

Adam Clarke’s Commentary and the Book of Mormon @ Worlds Without End
- In his most recent podcast episode, Radio Free Mormon spent an hour and a half exploring...

“Writing Mormon History” is an emotional roller coaster ride @ Worlds Without End
- A review of Joseph W. Geisner, ed., Writing Mormon History: Historians and Their Books...

3rd Father’s Day Without Dad @ Mormon Heretic
- This is my 3rd Father’s Day since my dad passed away. It feels a little weird...

Review: The Writings of Oliver H. Olney: April 1842 to February 1843 – Nauvoo, Illinois @ Worlds Without End
- The Writings of Oliver H. Olney: April 1842 to February 1843 – Nauvoo,...

Book Review: Mercy without End: Toward a More Inclusive Church @ Worlds Without End
- Title: Mercy without End: Toward a More Inclusive Church, by: Lavina Fielding...

Book Review: Visions in a Seer Stone: Joseph Smith and the Making of the Book of Mormon @ Worlds Without End
- Title: Visions in a Seer Stone: Joseph Smith and the Making of the Book of Mormon by...

Book Review: Kingdom of Nauvoo @ Worlds Without End
- Title: Kingdom of Nauvoo: The Rise and Fall of a Religious Empire on the American...

Mormon Political Trilogy: A Brief Book Review @ Worlds Without End
- Utah, the Murder Hornet, err, Beehive State! It was not a planned, coordinated...

A Reign of Dangerous Lunacy @ kiwimormon
- In 2016, when Donald Trump was elected to be President of the United States, I was...

Hoarding the Sacrifices of Ordinary People: A Question of Ethics @ kiwimormon
- “There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and...

A Year After a Church Discipline and I’m Still Mormon! @ kiwimormon
- I would be remiss if I didn’t give a huge shout-out to President Russell Nelson who...

A post about charity vs. poverty zoo visits @ Ethesis
- https://wheatandtares.org/2019/11/21/charity-or-holiday-entertainment/ It is better than...

Please ignore this post if you are here for actual content. @ Ethesis
- Please ignore this post if you are here for the older content. The last substantive...

Please ignore this post if you are here for the older content. @ Ethesis
- Please ignore this post if you are here for the older content. The last substantive...

A Brief Tribute to Clark Goble @ LDS Science Review
- I was saddened to hear of the passing of Clark Goble a week ago. I started this blog in...

Marketing sample @ Ethesis
- Please ignore this post if you are here for the older content. The last substantive...

Coda on my law practice @ Ethesis
- When I retired, I still had three appeals pending. The last of them just had an opinion...

Five Days after the Christchurch Shootings: Subversive Compassion @ kiwimormon
- As I read the international response to the Christchurch mosque shootings, I find some...

Matriarchy and Patriarchy at Baptism @ Mormon Heretic
- My brother called me up a few days ago and asked me if I would serve as a witness to his...

From Christchurch: A Critique and a Lament @ kiwimormon
- After gathering in our five sons from their schools where they had been in lockdown for...

A change of pace @ Ethesis
- I think I have said what I have to say about grief, recovery and finding life again. So,...

On hope @ Ethesis
- Borrowed from Tatiana Boshenka Thought 1: This post reminds me of what Vaclav Havel...

Grief, recovery and changes @ Ethesis
- One thing that happened, each time a child died, a coping mechanism that I was using...

Father Forgive them…Not in Original Bible? @ Mormon Heretic
- My wife gathered the family together to go over the 1st lesson of the new Home Study...

An Open Letter to the Christchurch Stake on the Day of My Church Discipline @ kiwimormon
- Dear Sisters and Brothers of Christchurch Stake, I recall several years ago talking with...

Why not just resign? @ kiwimormon
- Before I address the concerns of the many, many people who have reached out to me since...

When the LDS Church Disciplines a Woman @ kiwimormon
- Whatever you may think about the soteriology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day...

Mixed Feelings About 2-hour Block/Pageants @ Mormon Heretic
- I am probably in the minority. I think I’m going to miss weekly Sunday School....

In the Wake of General Conference: Let’s Talk About Spiritual Abuse @ kiwimormon
- Zina Huntington (1821-1901) was a young woman in her prime when she married Henry...

Is the Church Running Scared? (Plus Elizabeth Smart Notes) @ Mormon Heretic
- The LDS Church has been subject to increasing leaks and protests lately. MormonLeaks...

When Church Leaders are More Important than Church Children @ kiwimormon
- “Some churches, sects, cults or religious movements are basically collective egoic...

Please Give Me Advice for a Calling I Don’t Want @ Mormon Heretic
- After a few pleasantries, including how busy my life is, here’s the gist of a...

Things That Make You Go Hmmm… @ Mormon Heretic
- Fair warning: this post is a downer. But first let me say how blessed I am. I was...

Backpacking shoes @ Ethesis
- I've found that I can't use zero drop (causes me knee problems, probably because of tight...

Elder Oaks: Be One, Unless You’re Gay @ Mormon Heretic
- I attended the “Be One” celebration last night at the Conference Center. It...

Selling off a now extra tent. @ Ethesis
- Same tent I have listed at Gear Trade, discounted since if I sell direct it will have...

A Couple of Interesting Sacrament Meetings @ Mormon Heretic
- I’ve attended a couple of interesting Sacrament Meetings the past 2 weeks. In...

On Temples (a religious post) @ Ethesis
- I wrote this: https://wheatandtares.org/2017/09/07/asking-about-the-temple/ It follows...

Lesson in church today @ Ethesis
- -Women need to be faithful to themselves.:how do they do that?:how do...

Bible Lessons @ Ethesis
- May you be like Ruth and like Esther, Marry someone of a different race, All will...

The day my dad got arrested @ Ethesis
- In the hospital. While donating blood. There was a police officer bleeding out, and...

@ Ethesis
- Most organizations face a dilemma. On the one hand, too much factionalism and...

@ Ethesis
- Getting Involved Wondering how to get involved? These resources can help you and your...

At the last day the King shall come ... @ Ethesis
- This moment does not define the refugees, but our response will help define...

Lesson 12, Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson @ Ethesis
- Chapter 12: “Seek the Spirit in All You Do” Teachings of Presidents of the Church:...

Working on a rough draft @ Ethesis
- Changes. Introduction There have been four changes in the Church in the last fifty...

Lesson Eight -- Overcoming the Walls of our Minds. @ Ethesis
- “The purpose of the gospel of Jesus Christ is to bring about love, unity,...

Memory, Simplification and Lies @ Ethesis
- I realized recently that by the standards of some people who insist that all...

Rough Draft Interview of Jerilyn Hassell Pool @ Ethesis
- Welcome to the interview series Ms. Jerilyn Hassell Pool. You are famous in some...

Finding Faith in Jesus Christ -- January 10th lesson @ Ethesis
- When you think about how Howard W. Hunter lost his job about seven months after getting...