Is Popular Discourse Set Up to Point Us Towards Truth?
It’s understandable why we take for granted that our national conversations about all sorts of things are orienting us towards the truth of the matter. But what if they’re not?
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Author: Jacob Z. Hess
Jacob Hess served on the board of the National Coalition of Dialogue and Deliberation and co-authored "You're Not as Crazy as I Thought, But You're Still Wrong" and “The Power of Stillness: Mindful Living for Latter-day Saints.” He has a Ph.D. in clinical-community psychology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign - and has focused his research on the implications of competing health and sociopolitical narratives.
‘Tis the Season to Spread Enmity?
Our response to recent media coverage of Jeff Green’s departure from The Church of Jesus Christ
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Celebrating the Overwhelming, Relentless Love of God
A conversation with Francis Chan—the extended version of an interview that appeared in Deseret News Magazine.
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The Fantasy Story Americans Love to Tell about Science
Does religious commitment by a scientist or university corrupt the neutral scientific process? Only if you’ve come to believe a popular myth about science itself.
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The Gentle Power of Dave Joseph, Dialogue Legend
A tribute to a friend, teacher, and mentor to many young dialogue practitioners—including myself. Dave passed away October 25, 2021, and was memorialized this last weekend in Rhode Island.
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Are Utahns Uniquely Drawn to Pornography?
Some still like to claim that Utah has a uniquely high rate of porn use in the nation—purportedly related to cultural norms that “suppress” and “shame” sexual expression. This popular story only survives out of widespread ignorance over the science of pornography itself.
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Long-term, Short-term
In advance of the likely approval and administration of COVID-19 vaccination to many younger children, it’s worth revisiting an important question in pharmacological research generally: How long does evidence gathering need to extend in order to deem an intervention “safe” or “effective”?
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COVID-19 Vaccination as an Abrahamic Test
For those who have never had any serious reservations with conventional medicine or the prevailing public health pandemic response, prophetic encouragement to get vaccinated for COVID-19 seems obvious, non-controversial—even a no-brainer. But for those who have honest questions about our mainstream approaches to preserving healing and protecting against disease, following this counsel can feel terrifying—and go against everything they believe.
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Coming Out & Walking Away. Why?
You’ve probably only ever heard one answer for why so many LGBT+ identifying brothers and sisters are walking away. But the full truth is rarely so popular—or so simple.
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Have You Heard the Biggest Church Lie?
Some who step away from the Church of Jesus Christ insist they’ve been lied to in a grand deception they’re only now recognizing. To all my wonderful brothers and sisters this committed to integrity and the whole truth, I would ask you to hear me out. Can you be open to seeing even more than you’ve seen before?
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It’s Time to Stop Calling Your Grandpa a Liar
Those who indict prior generations for “lying” because their histories differ from modern-day telling’s in scope or emphasis, plainly demonstrate what anthropologists call “ethnocentrism.” That’s a problem. And it’s time to hold these accusers more accountable for the real-life, human impact of their allegations.
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Yes, We Really Do Need to Talk About Race
It’s not just folks on the political left who we’d love to go deeper in exploring meaningful questions. These are some of our questions for brothers and sisters on the political right as well.
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Honest Questions about Race for Fellow Disciples
An open letter to Pro-CRT Latter-day Saints at BYU and beyond—inviting a good-faith dialogue that honestly engages some of our meaningful disagreements.
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Why should I believe you? Why should you believe me?
Behind our beliefs, there looms the figure of Authority. Can we effectively evaluate the truth of a claim without dealing with what authority we trust?
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There’s One More Atheist in Heaven
Gary Wilson provided research clarity to the ill effects of pornography on the brain, for this he was harassed and hounded in life. His death gives us an opportunity to praise his work.
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The Most Reviled Minority in America?
It’s understandable that many would have questions and concerns with the percentage of people declining the COVID-19 vaccine. But rather than make space for a human exchange about serious fears on both sides, incendiary rhetoric makes such conversation impossible, by insisting the only reason for dissent is selfishness or blatant ignorance.
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Excommunication as a Protection Against Spiritual Violence
When someone is harming others’ faith, is it “spiritual violence” to excommunicate them? Or not to?
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Is Vaccine Dialogue Even Possible?
Honest conversation about vaccination might be more challenging than any other issue. Why? And is it even worth trying?
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Struggle Doesn’t Make You Special
Those who wrestle are not a separate category of humans. That describes all of us. If so, the key question is not whether we are “willing to wrestle,” but rather, where that wrestle ultimately takes each of us.
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Now’s Not the Time to Downplay Sexual Addiction
Even after the killer in Atlanta’s heinous shooting recently spoke of his sexual addiction as a contributing influence. Some have taken this as an opportunity to minimize and even ridicule the idea of such a problem. The millions of men and women grappling with the same deserve better.
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