Pride, Entitlement, and Resentment

Value Cultivation in a World Without Magic

Who do we want to keep in the church?

Another look at the success of strict churches
When I first read Laurence Iannaccone’s “Why Strict Churches Are Strong” (PDF alert), I was quite enamored with it. I guess I don’t know why I haven’t written a post on it (or maybe I have, but can’t find it). Anyway, I was reading an article from the St. Louis Today that referenced this research. Iannaccone compared churches along a continuum of strictnes

I don’t want my money back.
The other day Madam Curie had a blog post, “Keep moving forward.” Therein she discussed the trend from certain ex-Mormons to describe their experience within Mormonism as victimization, and she wrote about her resolution not to see herself as a victim. A commenter, Chandelle, wrote something I thought was pretty insightful. Madam Curie, I feel much the same way you do about your membership. I don’t have regrets. Well, that’s not

If your religious harmony simply scapegoats atheists…
…then your religious harmony isn’t harmonious at all. My religious discussion group has been trying to temper out a way to seek religious harmony. I’ve been a bit skeptical of the efforts, because the mentor of the group (who is the one with this lofty goal) doesn’t realize that his own religious views are not so harmonious with others’. The mentor believes that people have a “god within them,” that grows and progresses as the individual grows and progresses. This “god within,” (which he claims is called different things by different religions but is indicative of a similar idea)…actually doesn’t s

What is the Final Destination for Ex-Mormons and Apostates?
My latest post…but it’s at Mormon Matters. Discuss either here or there. It seems the crowd at Mormon Matters has very reasonable beliefs on things. But I’m wondering…if I polled all members (not just people who are likely to surf the online Mormon blogs, say), would I get similar answers? Do Mormons truly believe in such an inclusive afterlife? Will Hell (or Outer Darkness) truly be so sparsely populated?

The so-called destructiveness of gay marriage
In response to the LDS church’s seemingly monumental support of certain gay rights (“common sense” anti-discrimination measures — they haven’t said anything about civil unions and they are sticking to their guns against gay marriage), which others commented on elsewhere, there was a terrific post on Mormon Matters from a guest writer, John Gustav-Wrathall, about the Gay R