Mormon Matters

Suicide affects all of us, and involves so many devastating emotions. Grief (as one of the panelists refers to it, a very "complicated" form of grief), guilt ("What did I do wrong?" "I should have seen signs and intervened"), and, often, an element of concern for the deceased’s soul state ("Can they ever be forgiven?" "Were they accountable when they did this?"). In this two-part episode, panelists Natasha Helfer Parker, Charn Burton, and Nicholas Maughn join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon in an thorough discussion of suicide--offering education about its primary causes (what to look for if the person has given subtle clues about her or his intentions, how to best serve and be present for loved ones of the person who has died, its many ripple effects pertaining to marriages and other relationships, survivors' own mental health, etc.), confronting bad information, cultural attitudes, and harmful theology, and suggesting helpful and healing notions about God and the type of universe in which we live. The discussion concerns all aspects of suicide and is conscious of the phenomena as a whole, but in the second part especially speaks directly to particular Mormon teachings--the hopeful ones as well as the ones that deserve being confronted and sent into oblivion. This is a very personal episode with powerful things in it for every listener.

Suicide affects all of us, and involves so many devastating emotions. Grief (as one of the panelists refers to it, a very "complicated" form of grief), guilt ("What did I do wrong?" "I should have seen signs and intervened"), and, often, an element of concern for the deceased’s soul state ("Can they ever be forgiven?" "Were they accountable when they did this?"). In this two-part episode, panelists Natasha Helfer Parker, Charn Burton, and Nicholas Maughn join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon in an thorough discussion of suicide--offering education about its primary causes (what to look for if the person has given subtle clues about her or his intentions, how to best serve and be present for loved ones of the person who has died, its many ripple effects pertaining to marriages and other relationships, survivors' own mental health, etc.), confronting bad information, cultural attitudes, and harmful theology, and suggesting helpful and healing notions about God and the type of universe in which we live. The discussion concerns all aspects of suicide and is conscious of the phenomena as a whole, but in the second part especially speaks directly to particular Mormon teachings--the hopeful ones as well as the ones that deserve being confronted and sent into oblivion. This is a very personal episode with powerful things in it for every listener.

Like many other religious traditions today, Mormonism is wrestling with questions raised by homosexuality. And while both LDS rhetoric and many members’ affirmation of homosexuals as beloved children of God to embrace as fellow citizens in the household of faith are moving forward in many ways, these developments have been fed primarily by the inroads being made through political and pastoral discourse. Very little attention has been paid, however, to theological questions. Can Mormon theology accommodate homosexual relationships into its larger views of the cosmos, God, and divine sociality? In a groundbreaking article in the Winter 2011 issue of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Taylor Petrey outlines several key areas in which Mormon thought might be able to be understood as affirming homosexual relationships in the eternities in the same way it does heterosexual couples. Petrey finds possible room for important discussion in three main areas: (1) LDS views of how we each are said to be literal spirit "children" of Heavenly Parents, re-examining the assumption that spirit conception and birth processes are analogous to that of humans; (2) the various ways Mormons now or in the past have practiced "sealing" as a way of building families, including creating many types of kinship relationships that do not involve bloodlines or the possibility of the relationships involving biological reproduction; and (3) the claims, ingrained most recently by "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," that gender is eternal. In laying out many important questions in these areas, Petrey provides a great service to the Mormon tradition. It is now up to us to have these vital discussions--which is what this podcast attempts to do. In this episode, Petrey and Dialogue editor Kristine Haglund join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon in introducing the article’s key questions and then engaging them and LDS theological possibilities in vigorous ways. It’s a high level discussion very much worth listening in on and then having with those in one’s circle of acquaintances.

Like many other religious traditions today, Mormonism is wrestling with questions raised by homosexuality. And while both LDS rhetoric and many members’ affirmation of homosexuals as beloved children of God to embrace as fellow citizens in the household of faith are moving forward in many ways, these developments have been fed primarily by the inroads being made through political and pastoral discourse. Very little attention has been paid, however, to theological questions. Can Mormon theology accommodate homosexual relationships into its larger views of the cosmos, God, and divine sociality? In a groundbreaking article in the Winter 2011 issue of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Taylor Petrey outlines several key areas in which Mormon thought might be able to be understood as affirming homosexual relationships in the eternities in the same way it does heterosexual couples. Petrey finds possible room for important discussion in three main areas: (1) LDS views of how we each are said to be literal spirit "children" of Heavenly Parents, re-examining the assumption that spirit conception and birth processes are analogous to that of humans; (2) the various ways Mormons now or in the past have practiced "sealing" as a way of building families, including creating many types of kinship relationships that do not involve bloodlines or the possibility of the relationships involving biological reproduction; and (3) the claims, ingrained most recently by "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," that gender is eternal. In laying out many important questions in these areas, Petrey provides a great service to the Mormon tradition. It is now up to us to have these vital discussions--which is what this podcast attempts to do. In this episode, Petrey and Dialogue editor Kristine Haglund join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon in introducing the article’s key questions and then engaging them and LDS theological possibilities in vigorous ways. It’s a high level discussion very much worth listening in on and then having with those in one’s circle of acquaintances.

The documentary film Cleanflix tells the story of the dramatic rise and fall of businesses (based primarily in Utah) that rented and sold versions of Hollywood movies in which they had edited out bad language, nudity, sex scenes, gore, graphic violence, and anything else that they considered not a match for community standards. In telling the story from its origins to the court case that declared the practices as in violation of copyright agreements to the continuing saga of stores that refused to shut down even after the businesses were declared illegal, the film highlights deeply embedded attitudes in Mormon culture. What are the peculiar aspects of Mormonism that helped give rise to an industry that seemed fully intent on exploiting moral gray areas: letter versus spirit of gospel teachings, trying to eliminate guilt for wanting to be "part of" the world rather than fully "apart from" it, judging ones views of the value of certain art forms and messages as superior to that of the persons who created the art in the first place? In this episode, Cleanflix filmmakers Joshua Ligairi and Andrew James, join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon and panelists Richard Dutcher and Brent Beal for a lively discussion of these and many other aspects of this story. Could this industry have arisen and grown to be as huge as it became anywhere other than in Utah? Why do so many Latter-day Saints seem incapable of contextualizing artistic choices, failing to see that sometimes a swear word does not simply reveal a lack of linguistic imagination or that nudity is not always presented in order to excite libido? What doctrinal or cultural messages make it hard for many Mormons to want to really explore the human condition--including its dark and difficult aspects--in ways that film is ideally suited to?

The LDS Church recently restructured its "singles" wards, effectively shutting them off to unmarried people who are 31 years old or above. In many ways, this move formalized even more than previously the "limbo" of sorts that unmarried but still quite young Mormons find themselves in with regard to their church. Do they best fit or will they be most edified in "family" wards or huge "mid-singles" wards that weekly draw as large a crowd as a typical stake conference? Are they to be seen and celebrated as the highly accomplished, dynamic, active creators of meaningful lives that most of them are, or are they best understood as delayed developers, people to be pitied for the spouse and family that they lack? They don’t "fit" the LDS-idealized mold, that’s for sure (even as being single in one’s thirties is becoming more and more typical in society in general). What is it like to be a "mid-single" in today’s Mormonism? How does their liminal status affect their relationships with themselves, with those they date and associate with at church and in their day-to-day lives, and with God? How do they negotiate the challenges of celibacy and sexual desires when most persons in their age group are having sex? How do the issues of divorce and the prospects of marrying someone who already has children come into play in their thinking? All the panelists in this podcast discuss how Mormon mid-singles are forced to confront faith and church issues that perhaps never come up for married Latter-day Saints who live more typically normative Mormon lives. Are the some advantages to facing up to faith questions when one is single versus married? Are there advantages to delaying marriage until much later than what is typical in LDS culture? In this podcast, three dynamic LDS mid-singles--Lauren Johnson, Garred Lentz, and Jenny Morrow--join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon in discussing these and other issues facing them and others in this type of LDS limbo. They offer open-hearted, insightful perspectives that will connect with others in their cohort, with those who love and associate with them, and in their humanness and connections with life journeying in general, with all of us. Another group of amazing hearts to learn from and be inspired by!

The LDS Church recently restructured its "singles" wards, effectively shutting them off to unmarried people who are 31 years old or above. In many ways, this move formalized even more than previously the "limbo" of sorts that unmarried but still quite young Mormons find themselves in with regard to their church. Do they best fit or will they be most edified in "family" wards or huge "mid-singles" wards that weekly draw as large a crowd as a typical stake conference? Are they to be seen and celebrated as the highly accomplished, dynamic, active creators of meaningful lives that most of them are, or are they best understood as delayed developers, people to be pitied for the spouse and family that they lack? They don’t "fit" the LDS-idealized mold, that’s for sure (even as being single in one’s thirties is becoming more and more typical in society in general). What is it like to be a "mid-single" in today’s Mormonism? How does their liminal status affect their relationships with themselves, with those they date and associate with at church and in their day-to-day lives, and with God? How do they negotiate the challenges of celibacy and sexual desires when most persons in their age group are having sex? How do the issues of divorce and the prospects of marrying someone who already has children come into play in their thinking? All the panelists in this podcast discuss how Mormon mid-singles are forced to confront faith and church issues that perhaps never come up for married Latter-day Saints who live more typically normative Mormon lives. Are the some advantages to facing up to faith questions when one is single versus married? Are there advantages to delaying marriage until much later than what is typical in LDS culture? In this podcast, three dynamic LDS mid-singles--Lauren Johnson, Garred Lentz, and Jenny Morrow--join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon in discussing these and other issues facing them and others in this type of LDS limbo. They offer open-hearted, insightful perspectives that will connect with others in their cohort, with those who love and associate with them, and in their humanness and connections with life journeying in general, with all of us. Another group of amazing hearts to learn from and be inspired by!

This two-part episode features a fascinating, dynamic, and soaring discussion that takes us into the experiences, cultures, and elements of the worldviews of Latter-day Saints from Pacific Island nations. We learn pieces of the history of two of these nations as it relates to the LDS Church taking hold there, what elements resonate with those who are from the "islands of the sea" (D&C 1:1; 2 Nephi 29:11), and the ways that Mormonism integrates into the daily lives of, especially, Maori and Tongan Saints--including places where Polynesian culture does not allow white Mormon practices and ways of seeing to penetrate, such as with the ceremonial use of kava, notions of family and various power dynamics within families, and funeral practices. In letting us into their lives and perspectives, the panelists also take us deep into the experience of forming identities shaped by both Polynesian and white cultures, which also allows us to see very clearly how there truly are no "neutral" spaces--how "whiteness" carries values and perspectives that are often invisible if not explored through the comparative process. In this Mormon Matters episode, we are privileged to have powerful and open yet charitable guides into these (often wonderfully evocative) tensions. Some of the specific topics discussed in this episode: Polynesian views of passages in the Book of Mormon that seem to tie darker skin with unrighteousness; the Church-run Polynesian Cultural Center, "performing indigenity," and both the difficult tensions some experience related to different modesty standards as well as the positive ways that performing culture for entertainment purposes can lead to increased opportunities for people from these island nations; mixed views among Tongan Mormons about the film The Other Side of Heaven; the hyper-sexualization and sometimes infantilizing of Polynesian peoples; how gender roles often play out in much more balanced ways in Maori and Tongan cultures than they do in typical U.S. Mormonism; grieving styles; and some of the consequences for Polynesian youth in Utah and the U.S. of identity diminishment from language loss and separation from one’s family’s roots and cultural history. Then in the podcast’s transcendent final twenty-five minutes, we are privileged to hear firsthand from our panelists telling about their lives and work exactly what it means to claim an identity and embrace the responsibilities that come with that choice. This episode features panelists Gina Colvin, a Maori living and teaching in New Zealand, and Anapesi Ka’ili and Luana Uluave, two Tongans with strong roots in both Tongan families and Utah Mormonism who share a great love for the gospel and each part of their identity but also have wonderful independent perspectives. Mormon Matters favorite Joanna Brooks and host Dan Wotherspoon facilitate the discussion, but they are mostly simply thrilled to play a small part in bringing this discusion to listeners. One of the best Mormon Matters episodes of all time--informative, humbling, inspiring!

This two-part episode features a fascinating, dynamic, and soaring discussion that takes us into the experiences, cultures, and elements of the worldviews of Latter-day Saints from Pacific Island nations. We learn pieces of the history of two of these nations as it relates to the LDS Church taking hold there, what elements resonate with those who are from the "islands of the sea" (D&C 1:1; 2 Nephi 29:11), and the ways that Mormonism integrates into the daily lives of, especially, Maori and Tongan Saints--including places where Polynesian culture does not allow white Mormon practices and ways of seeing to penetrate, such as with the ceremonial use of kava, notions of family and various power dynamics within families, and funeral practices. In letting us into their lives and perspectives, the panelists also take us deep into the experience of forming identities shaped by both Polynesian and white cultures, which also allows us to see very clearly how there truly are no "neutral" spaces--how "whiteness" carries values and perspectives that are often invisible if not explored through the comparative process. In this Mormon Matters episode, we are privileged to have powerful and open yet charitable guides into these (often wonderfully evocative) tensions. Some of the specific topics discussed in this episode: Polynesian views of passages in the Book of Mormon that seem to tie darker skin with unrighteousness; the Church-run Polynesian Cultural Center, "performing indigenity," and both the difficult tensions some experience related to different modesty standards as well as the positive ways that performing culture for entertainment purposes can lead to increased opportunities for people from these island nations; mixed views among Tongan Mormons about the film The Other Side of Heaven; the hyper-sexualization and sometimes infantilizing of Polynesian peoples; how gender roles often play out in much more balanced ways in Maori and Tongan cultures than they do in typical U.S. Mormonism; grieving styles; and some of the consequences for Polynesian youth in Utah and the U.S. of identity diminishment from language loss and separation from one’s family’s roots and cultural history. Then in the podcast’s transcendent final twenty-five minutes, we are privileged to hear firsthand from our panelists telling about their lives and work exactly what it means to claim an identity and embrace the responsibilities that come with that choice. This episode features panelists Gina Colvin, a Maori living and teaching in New Zealand, and Anapesi Ka’ili and Luana Uluave, two Tongans with strong roots in both Tongan families and Utah Mormonism who share a great love for the gospel and each part of their identity but also have wonderful independent perspectives. Mormon Matters favorite Joanna Brooks and host Dan Wotherspoon facilitate the discussion, but they are mostly simply thrilled to play a small part in bringing this discusion to listeners. One of the best Mormon Matters episodes of all time--informative, humbling, inspiring!

For many Mormons, their faith and relationship to the LDS Church has forever changed from what they were growing up. And this is how it should be. We’re all called to growth and to assuming responsibility for our own life choices, including the most compelling vision of what existence is all about, how we want to live, with whom do we want to associate, what it is that brings us (or promises us, we sense if we keep going) the greatest joy. In the faith and spirituality arena, religions all contain visions of what it means to be a fully flourishing human being (including, for some, divine potentialities), and they outline practices and create communities designed to help foster growth toward their particular vision. The rub comes when communities and leaders, out of utility (trying to meet the needs of the most people or its especially fragile members), or from fear, ideals of protective love, or simply being engaged in day-to-day operations fail to encourage the kind of maturation that life (and even their community’s highest teachings) points people toward. What is someone in the community to do when the greatest focus is on the spiritual needs of children and youth and others who seem to want continuing dependence upon the institution when they find themselves ready to venture into new views and enter into that new, more mature relationship with the institution and its founding scriptures, sacred narratives, and communal forms? How does this person live into greater richness when all the messaging seems to call for "safety" within the fold or continued reliance on others’ wisdom and authority? This seems to be one of the main crossroads faced by listeners to and conversations within this and other Open Stories Foundation podcasts and online forums, as well as other places in the LDS "bloggernacle." In these discussions, the term "Middle Way Mormonism" has arisen (though not without its limitations as a term) as a way to describe the path that some are attempting, which is to negotiate the tensions between no longer accepting all the foundational claims and narratives in their simplest formulations, feeling the need to develop one’s own authentic faith and mature relationship with the LDS church and family members who may not yet feel the same call to explore the rich thickets of ideas and stories and sensibilities that don’t fully align with institutional forms, yet still hoping to remain within and fully engage the Mormon community. It is a path in between the extremes of pure conforming and giving primary responsibility for our religious ideals and the direction we walk to others, and formally leaving Mormonism. In this episode, Scott Holley hosts a panel discussion on the possibilities, promises, and perils involved in the attempt to live and flourish within these tensions. On the panel are Jared Anderson, Andrew Ainsworth, and Mormon Matters’ usual host Dan Wotherspoon, who, along with Scott, have each spent a great deal of time and concentrated effort in seeking the ideal balance for them. Following a framing that takes them into Middle Way tensions regarding beliefs, behaviors, and ones sense of belonging, what are the prices they see someone is called to pay when they walk a path outside that well-worn center groove? What are the rewards of staying engaged with a community? What better way might be out there waiting for someone who chooses to disengage from Mormonism? Where are the signs of hope for greater peace and comfort, and where are places of support found for those who choose a Middle Way Mormon walk?

For many Mormons, their faith and relationship to the LDS Church has forever changed from what they were growing up. And this is how it should be. We’re all called to growth and to assuming responsibility for our own life choices, including the most compelling vision of what existence is all about, how we want to live, with whom do we want to associate, what it is that brings us (or promises us, we sense if we keep going) the greatest joy. In the faith and spirituality arena, religions all contain visions of what it means to be a fully flourishing human being (including, for some, divine potentialities), and they outline practices and create communities designed to help foster growth toward their particular vision. The rub comes when communities and leaders, out of utility (trying to meet the needs of the most people or its especially fragile members), or from fear, ideals of protective love, or simply being engaged in day-to-day operations fail to encourage the kind of maturation that life (and even their community’s highest teachings) points people toward. What is someone in the community to do when the greatest focus is on the spiritual needs of children and youth and others who seem to want continuing dependence upon the institution when they find themselves ready to venture into new views and enter into that new, more mature relationship with the institution and its founding scriptures, sacred narratives, and communal forms? How does this person live into greater richness when all the messaging seems to call for "safety" within the fold or continued reliance on others’ wisdom and authority? This seems to be one of the main crossroads faced by listeners to and conversations within this and other Open Stories Foundation podcasts and online forums, as well as other places in the LDS "bloggernacle." In these discussions, the term "Middle Way Mormonism" has arisen (though not without its limitations as a term) as a way to describe the path that some are attempting, which is to negotiate the tensions between no longer accepting all the foundational claims and narratives in their simplest formulations, feeling the need to develop one’s own authentic faith and mature relationship with the LDS church and family members who may not yet feel the same call to explore the rich thickets of ideas and stories and sensibilities that don’t fully align with institutional forms, yet still hoping to remain within and fully engage the Mormon community. It is a path in between the extremes of pure conforming and giving primary responsibility for our religious ideals and the direction we walk to others, and formally leaving Mormonism. In this episode, Scott Holley hosts a panel discussion on the possibilities, promises, and perils involved in the attempt to live and flourish within these tensions. On the panel are Jared Anderson, Andrew Ainsworth, and Mormon Matters’ usual host Dan Wotherspoon, who, along with Scott, have each spent a great deal of time and concentrated effort in seeking the ideal balance for them. Following a framing that takes them into Middle Way tensions regarding beliefs, behaviors, and ones sense of belonging, what are the prices they see someone is called to pay when they walk a path outside that well-worn center groove? What are the rewards of staying engaged with a community? What better way might be out there waiting for someone who chooses to disengage from Mormonism? Where are the signs of hope for greater peace and comfort, and where are places of support found for those who choose a Middle Way Mormon walk?

In this inaugural episode of Matters of the Heart, Kelly Quinn shares her essay, "The Elder Daughter," which she wrote following Mormon Matters episode 51 ("The Dynamics of Guilt and Shame") that contained a different angle on the Parable of the Prodigal Son. As many biblical scholars suggest, this parable might better be referred to as the Parable of the Two Lost Sons. In this essay, Quinn discusses her own embodiment of many of the same qualities of that parable’s elder brother and the role that the Atonement has played in helping her journey toward greater peace and wholeness.

This episode explores both the difficulties of creating more comfortable spaces for unorthodox Mormons in wards, stakes, and families, as well as the benefits. What are some of the tensions that arise in LDS communities when engaging those who hold less-literal beliefs or embody idiosyncratic approaches to spirituality, religion, and community norms? What are some positive ways the community or family can welcome and honor those persons? How might these Latter-day Saints assist in their own positive and joyful integration? What are the benefits of having persons from many points on the spectrum be fully integrated in a community? In this two-part episode, Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon and panelists Meredith Lesueur, Ronda Callister, and Kevin Elkington share experiences and perspectives gained as non-normative Mormons who choose to remain engaged in their LDS wards even as they are recognized by many ward members as being somewhat non-traditional in their approaches? What reasons do they have for choosing to continue to serve, teach, and worship alongside others with whom they might strongly disagree?

This episode explores both the difficulties of creating more comfortable spaces for unorthodox Mormons in wards, stakes, and families, as well as the benefits. What are some of the tensions that arise in LDS communities when engaging those who hold less-literal beliefs or embody idiosyncratic approaches to spirituality, religion, and community norms? What are some positive ways the community or family can welcome and honor those persons? How might these Latter-day Saints assist in their own positive and joyful integration? What are the benefits of having persons from many points on the spectrum be fully integrated in a community? In this two-part episode, Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon and panelists Meredith Lesueur, Ronda Callister, and Kevin Elkington share experiences and perspectives gained as non-normative Mormons who choose to remain engaged in their LDS wards even as they are recognized by many ward members as being somewhat non-traditional in their approaches? What reasons do they have for choosing to continue to serve, teach, and worship alongside others with whom they might strongly disagree?

Technological advancements in recent decades have drastically altered human experience, with computing power and many other technologies growing at exponential rates. Our lives will continue to change, and most likely in ways that are presently incomprehensible. "Transhumanism" is a relatively new movement that is carefully considering this immanent future, paying particular concern for how humanity will be changed--for already, and certainly in a more thoroughgoing way than ever before, it is poised to be a primary actor in its own evolution. How can we increase the likelihood of this future being better than the present, that we as transforming, evolving humans ("transhumans"--people on the way to being something more) become more benevolent, more concerned with alleviating suffering and having concern for all? And given that many scientists and technological innovators have primarily secular orientations, is there a role for religion and spiritual traditions to inform Transhumanist discussions and help shape this future? What can religious mythologies, terminologies, concepts and social forms bring to the table that secular-based ethics and perspectives cannot? Into this fray comes the Mormon Transhumanist Association (MTA), which in 2006 was admitted to the World Transhumanist Association as its first religious special-interest affiliate. MTA leaders, two of them panelists in this podcast, see in Mormonism many sensibilities and views of humanity and God that match well with Transhumanist perspectives. The LDS ideas of eternal progression, including the description of Gods as once being like us and our call to become just like them and emphasis on "worlds without end," along with its strong naturalism, optimism, universalism, and sense of the importance of community/society building, all make Mormonism a great conversation partner for and bridge-builder between the religious and scientific/technological worlds. Can Mormonism and other religions that have long been discussing human transformation, deification, concern for others, and ways to mitigate human tendencies toward selfishness and evil serve the emerging future well by contributing their energies and ability to move and inspire us to active faith and action in creating a future in which we flourish rather than destroy ourselves? in this episode, Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon and panelists Tyson Jacobsen, Lincoln Cannon, and Christopher Bradford discuss the future, especially as it is, and promises to be even more, impacted by technological advancements, along with other major themes in Transhumanist debates. They discuss the relevance of religion in a world increasingly dominated by science and secularism, and they pay particular attention to how Mormon and other religious concepts and terms can be given new life when informed by Transhumanist themes. They also examine the type of actors the world needs as it hurdles toward completely unprecedented forms of life and sociality.