Author Archives: Bored in Vernal

About Bored in Vernal

A feminist pacifist liberal Mormon mother of eight, BiV began blogging several years ago to relieve a terrible case of boredom while living in Vernal, Utah. She is a poet and stay-at-home blogger with research interests in Old Testament literary technique, nineteenth century LDS theology and twenty-first century Mormon fundamentalism.

100 Years of Seminary. And BTW Gay Marriage

In 1971, Elder Boyd K. Packer gave a talk in which he stated: The gospel might be likened to the keyboard of a piano—a full keyboard with a selection of keys on which one who is trained can play a … Continue reading

Posted in Leadership, Sexuality | Tagged , , , | 26 Comments

Mormons and Wild Geese

The first line of Mary Oliver’s poem “Wild Geese” seems as at odds with Mormonism as anything can be. “You do not have to be good,” she states. What’s that? It sounds an awfully lot like sacrilege. Of course we … Continue reading

Posted in Atonement, Doctrine, Speculation, Theology | Tagged , | 10 Comments

Capital Punishment and LDS Doctrinal Development

This morning my facebook and twitter feeds were inundated with declarations by my Latter-day Saint friends decrying capital punishment and the execution of Troy Davis last night. “I want to take this opportunity to voice my outright and unequivocal opposition … Continue reading

Posted in Atonement, Doctrine, History, LDS Church History, Politics | Tagged , | 39 Comments

Dallin H. Oaks and Subtext

Have you ever listened to an entire talk on a subject wherein the subject was determinedly left unmentioned? I heard such a talk last Sunday night: Dallin H. Oaks’ CES devotional broadcast to single adults. The talk was titled “Truth … Continue reading

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 42 Comments

Mormon Women’s Texts and the New RS History, “Daughters in My Kingdom”

The much-heralded Relief Society history Daughters in my Kingdom commissioned by General President Julie B. Beck is now available online and will soon be distributed to Relief Society sisters all over the world. My preliminary reading of the book got me thinking … Continue reading

Posted in Feminism, History, LDS Church History, Mormon Studies | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

Speculation Upon The Kody Brown Polygamy Case

Taken from remarks made by a panel at the 2011 Sunstone Symposium. Participants were Kaimi Wenger, asst. professor at Thomas Jefferson Law School; Ben Winslow, multi-media journalist for Fox 13 News; DeWayne Hafen, practicing polygamist from Baja California; Cheryl Bruno, … Continue reading

Posted in Doctrine, LDS Church History, Politics | Tagged , , , , , | 23 Comments

Should Mormons in the “Diaspora” Celebrate Pioneer Day?

It has only been in recent years that I have slowly become aware that not every convert to the Church shares my deep identification with the Mormon pioneers. I have loved the epic story of the trek to the Salt … Continue reading

Posted in LDS Church History, Mormon Studies | Tagged | 30 Comments

License to Sin

Lately whenever I’ve visited out in SLC I’ve had a meetup with my evangelical Christian buddy, Aaron — the one who is known for standing out on Temple Square with a sign on Thursday evenings. Every time I return from … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 13 Comments

Do Mormons Need a “Nostra Aetate” of Their Own?

In 1965 the Second Vatican Council produced a declaration on the relation of the Catholic church with non-Christian religions. In this document, “Nostra Aetate” (In Our Age), the Catholic Church revolutionized its relations with Jews by saying Christ’s death could … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

Spiritual Gifts: The Cessationist Controversy from an LDS Perspective

Debate over spiritual gifts is about as old as the first New Testament passage describing them. Paul’s discourse and description of the gifts in 1 Corinthians is a response to the first-century Church’s turmoil over the nature and practice of … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Doctrine, Guests, Scripture | Tagged , | 48 Comments