The truth is we can thank the Mormons for 50 Shades of Grey. Stephanie Meyer’s sexually frustrated adolescent romp that saw her brooding ancient vampire hero hold onto his virtue long enough to virginally marry his teen first love seemed swoony enough to spawn a generation of (probably now embarrassed) Twihards. But it wasn’t enough for the libidinous masses. Twilight got the juices flowing but EL James’ Twilight fan fiction threw all marginal sense of decorum out the... Read more
Religion at its best should be biblically responsible, intellectually honest, emotionally satisfying, and socially significant. Robin Meyers (2009) I was added to a Facebook group some months ago. I surveyed the discussion and realized quickly that my contributions wouldn’t be entirely welcome. But I’ve been feeling impatient recently. Impatient for change, impatient with the smallness and the meanness that can sometime characterize Mormonism, and so I was unguarded in my one and only comment knowing full well that I... Read more
The Office of the First Presidency Somewhere on Temple Square Salt Lake City, Utah USA 19 June 2015 President Everywhere Stake All continents To be read at Sacrament Meetings Worldwide: On the 12th of August 2013 the Office of the First Presidency approved the publication of an essay ‘Race and the Priesthood’ to be included in the Gospel Topics section of the church’s official website LDS.org. The intention of this essay was to provide an explanation for the church’s... Read more
This guest post is by 21 year old Isaac McCluskey – my son. Raising children to be LDS is always difficult, particularly if they are male. To go on a mission is the epitome, the crowning glory of ones parental efforts. We had hoped that he would serve a mission because we know how profound and important it can be in a young man’s life – but it is also a matter of Mormon parental pride. Our parenting virtues are extolled... Read more
Ganesh Cherian, a former bishop from Wellington, New Zealand joins KiwiMormon once again as a guest blogger. Any good sculptor will tell you that if you want to replicate the human form you have to know the skeletal framework, how muscles attach and how that lays the ground work for the skin. But when you are looking at another human being, although we know the bones are there, we seldom consider their importance. When it comes to understanding the modern... Read more
Last night Marisa and Carson Calderwood were excommunicated at a Church Discipline held at their Maple Valley, Washington stake. Marisa and Carson are cradle Mormons who had done everything they were required to do; missions, temple marriage, children, church service. Their sin? They talked to people about their thought, their questions and their doubt. For that they have been dubbed ‘APOSTATE’ and expelled. This sort of stuff always sends up a cheer from the certain and the unquestioningly embedded. As it might.... Read more
This guest post is by Nicola Ward Petty, a convert from Catholicism, a returned missionary and a former Stake Relief Society President. Nicola and her husband Mark are the parents of two sons and the grandparents of one grandson. They live in Christchurch, New Zealand. At the recent General conference, Elder Robert Hales gave a talk called, “Preserving Agency, Protecting Religious Freedom”. As a Kiwi Mormon like Gina, I live in New Zealand, and have observed that religious freedom... Read more
Nestled against the Western range of the Southern Alps in New Zealand is a Christian commune known as Gloriavale. It has always attracted attention largely due to its inauspicious beginnings surrounding the aberrant sexual ideologies espoused and at one time practiced by the central figure Neville Cooper who was jailed in 1994 for 10 counts of sexual assault. After being paroled Cooper set about reestablishing his community in Haupiri. Cooper adopted a new name ‘Hopeful Christian’ and regularized, managed and... Read more
I’ve been in the blogging game for three years now. I’m used to trolls and comment preachers who call me to repentance for my wickedly evil ways, blah blah blah. I don’t really mind if they name themselves, even though the use of ad hominem is irksome I somewhat respect the fact that they stand by their comments – with an authentic identity. Some are simply rude and I tend to block them. But most of us who are vocal with our... Read more
A friend recently shared an observation with me about lovers and critics of the church. Hers was a reflection on a commencement speech at Cornell by John W. Gardner in 1968. Gardner mused astutely: Pity the leader caught between unloving critics and uncritical lovers. Following the ‘Any Opposed’ action at General Conference this weekend wherein five members exercised their right to oppose a sustaining vote of the First presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, Mark Atuaia, BYU Cougars coach tweeted the... Read more
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