Visualizing Heavenly Mother
The “Certain Women” exhibit in Salt Lake reveals how Latter-day Saint women perceive the divine, including the unique doctrine of Heavenly Mother.
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Independent Thinking, Conformity, and Democracy in Education
It’s a good thing to aspire for truth and “correct” thinking. But when the immediate aim of education is to ensure students think in the right way, it’s far too easy to begin infringing on the democratic ideals that make true education joyful and life-changing.
Understanding Demons
Popular culture often uses demonic themes for shock value, with many modern commentators denying the existence of Satan or demons outright. But believers benefit from understanding the reality of demonic influence, and clues to the nature of that influence are found in the demons’ own words in scripture.
Are Utahns More Depressed Than Everyone Else?
You’ve probably heard somewhere – from someone – that Utahns are far more likely to be depressed. You probably have not, however, heard about the broader picture of research that contradicts that especially popular Scary Story about Utah.
Are Religious LGBT Youth in Utah More (or Less) Prone to Suicidality?
The narrative that teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ are causing suicidality among LGBT youth is unsubstantiated. New research, showing a negative association between Church membership and suicidality in these youth, suggests the possibility that the opposite is true.
Do Utahns Struggle with Body Image More Than Others?
In parallel to the “uniquely drawn to pornography” story is the “uniquely drawn to plastic surgery” tale about Utah. Once again, the preponderance of the available evidence – especially when carefully reviewed – isn’t so convenient and favorable to this increasingly popular narrative.
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.
New Texas Abortion Law
I sit down with several friends to discuss Texas’s recent abortion law. We break down common stances, how to maintain a civil dialogue, and the details of the new legislation.
Holding the Tension of Truth and Love (and Where We All Get It a Little Wrong)
It’s common to see people focus almost exclusively on advocating “love” or defending “truth” in the LGBTQ+ / Latter-day Saint conversation. It’s far less common to see people holding both – a practice that involves a lot more stretching, discomfort, and potential breakthroughs for us all.