tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55193405639942026682012-02-22T16:24:58.713-05:00my blog as a religious skeptic and retired MormonJoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.comBlogger531100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-79385780922208682332012-01-11T20:52:00.003-05:002012-01-14T18:48:25.993-05:00

What would you think if someone claimed that an invisible dragon lived in his garage? What about someone who claimed that an invisible teapot orbited somewhere between Earth and Mars? The following are two great analogies, one about invisible dragons, and the other about an orbiting teapot, that I often think about when people make remarkable claims without any evidence. The first is "Carl

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-61319323728892089822012-01-07T08:30:00.000-05:002012-01-14T18:34:51.379-05:00

In my last post I discussed the "Problem of Evil." The existence of evil is a serious challenge to the God hypothesis, which claims that an all-powerful, all-good, and all-knowing God designed the world we inhabit. However, this world has an incredible amount of evil (both natural and human-caused) worked into its design. Evil causes an incredible amount of suffering for all sentient life on

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-25234790334993605212012-01-02T15:25:00.002-05:002012-01-02T15:25:57.129-05:00

In the last few posts, I've talked about some of the main reasons theists will give as arguments for the existence of God. However, these arguments have major flaws, and therefore do not prove the existence of God.  However, we haven't examined any atheist arguments AGAINST the existence of God. Can atheists prove the God of ethical monotheism doesn't exist?  One of the most powerful

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-5336175334999552442011-12-31T08:24:00.000-05:002012-01-02T15:30:57.728-05:00

There are lots of other reasons people give for the existence of God besides the cosmological or teleological arguments. However, these two arguments (or variations of them, that I have covered in my last two posts) are the big ones that I wanted to address. I hope I've demonstrated that the arguments have major problems with them, and therefore do not constitute valid arguments for God's

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-1511028868249367022011-12-30T13:09:00.000-05:002011-12-30T15:36:26.507-05:00

The other day at work, a friend and I were engaged in a lighthearted discussion about our religious differences (he's Jewish, I'm atheist). In jest, he accused me of knowing with absolute certainty that God did not exist. I disagreed that was the case, but asked him what reasons he had for believing in God. He said "You can't honestly think that the universe, the world, and everything in it

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-18582972649078078912011-12-18T17:59:00.001-05:002011-12-20T08:33:38.014-05:00

". . . be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." 1 Peter 3:15   "For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring." Carl Sagan When believers are asked how they know God exists, one of the most common answers given is some version

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-23689874462516132092011-12-18T14:41:00.001-05:002011-12-18T20:23:02.090-05:00

In arguing for the existence of God, we won't get very far unless we first define what that term God means. Defining terms eliminates ambiguity and equivocation, and facilitates clear communication. God = a title meaning "that which deserves to be worshiped." Even though the term is sometimes used as a NAME for the myriad different gods that people have worshipped throughout history, the

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-68459554425239287322011-12-09T14:26:00.001-05:002011-12-18T09:06:42.403-05:00

Lately I've been studying the philosophy of religion and various explanatory theories about religion. Philosophy of religion, and the different naturalistic explanations of religion, is an area that many people don't spend a lot of time reading about, and I think that is problematic since the fields are packed dense with fascinating ideas and arguments. Therefore, some of these ideas might

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-83901581770356120272011-07-16T17:33:00.006-04:002011-12-08T17:51:16.509-05:00

I love to read nonfiction - especially nonfiction about religion, psychology, science, and history. I try to incorporate ideas from the books I read into my blog. But I know that I can't do the books, or the brilliant authors that write them, justice by blogging about them. Blogging is - well - it's inadequate: a sort of amateur online journal that others get to peak into. But reading is one

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-14871871079239799822011-07-08T23:24:00.004-04:002011-07-09T07:22:12.073-04:00

When I attended the Mormon Stories conference in NYC, in conjunction with the opening weekend of The Book of Mormon musical, John Dehlin asked how the LDS Church could be reformed in such as way as to maintain membership rates, but not decrease current tithing funds. I took a stab at this question a few months ago here on my blog. However, someone recently made a video in answer to the same

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-91855744035003282652011-07-03T13:41:00.011-04:002011-07-08T19:59:58.393-04:00

One of the most controversial subjects in religion today is evolution. While some enlightened religions (Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, and some liberal Protestant religions) have little difficulty accepting the scientific consensus on human evolution, most religions either reject evolution out-right, or else qualify their acceptance of evolution as being directed by God. However, this is not

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-7125895241688351822011-06-21T20:38:00.003-04:002011-06-23T20:35:55.256-04:00

A poll just released showed that about 1 in 5 Americans wouldn't vote for an otherwise qualified Presidential candidate if he were Mormon (insert Mitt Romney or Jon Huntsman). When you look at political affiliation, the breakdown of people unwilling to vote for a Mormon President breaks down like this: 18% of Republicans won't 19% of Independents won't  27% of Democrats won't The

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-62686048802868611002011-06-20T21:20:00.000-04:002011-06-20T21:20:50.405-04:00

I just finished a great little book called Atheism: A Very Short Introduction by Julian Baggini. It summarizes nicely the main arguments about why atheism is a logical, ethical, and healthy worldview; and you can read it in a couple sittings. The book closes with a great couple of paragraphs that express an idea that I have thought of often, but have not been able to put into words quite as

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-67712113770998537372011-06-18T09:01:00.002-04:002011-06-18T14:24:53.486-04:00

According to a recent National Science Foundation study, over 70% of Americans do not understand what the scientific method is.  What is more common, however, is belief in pseudoscience and myth. This shouldn't be too surprising since the scientific method is somewhat non-intuitive while pseudoscience and myth come natural to us; scientific education in the US is poor compared to many other

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-71840667468990316652011-06-11T10:14:00.007-04:002011-06-12T07:15:28.596-04:00

Resigning from the Church has been an interesting experience for me: First, I read stuff online about how to resign, I talked to a few people about their experience in resigning, and I gave it loads of thought. In fact, I forced myself to wait at least two years because I didn't want to make a hasty decision that I would regret. With my decision made, I typed up the letter, put it in the

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-32483876522600751442011-06-10T22:25:00.003-04:002011-06-11T20:52:01.918-04:00

"We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.” - Martin Luther King After walking out of my bishops office two-and-a-half years ago - having just told him that I didn't believe in the Church anymore, and needed to be released from the bishopric - I have had an internal debate about

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-85328114512962218272011-06-08T19:51:00.005-04:002011-06-09T20:34:03.416-04:00

In return for a letter - such as the one I posted last week - you get a return letter from Greg Dodge, Manager, Confidential Records of The COJCOLDS - saying the following: Dear Brother (or Sister) So-and-So: I have been asked to acknowledge your recent letter in which you request that your name be removed from the membership records of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-51625807496070335972011-06-05T20:24:00.000-04:002011-06-05T20:24:19.838-04:00

May 17th, 2011 Member Records Division, LDS Church 50 E North Temple Rm 1372 SLC UT 84150-5310 This letter is my formal resignation from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and it is effective immediately. I hereby withdraw my consent to being treated as a member and I withdraw my consent to being subject to church rules, policies, beliefs and discipline. As I am no longer a member

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-49692962338665603892011-06-04T07:57:00.003-04:002011-06-04T09:50:56.805-04:00

Here is a mind-bendingly illuminating quote from Michael Shermer's new book about the difference between the natural and supernatural, science and theology. I'll piggyback a few thoughts afterwords: "Science operates in the natural, not the supernatural. In fact, there is no such thing as the supernatural or the paranormal. There is just the natural, the normal, and mysteries we have yet to

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-47315399631701236522011-05-27T18:35:00.036-04:002011-05-28T09:07:07.873-04:00

I'm pretty excited about Michael Shermer's new book that I just started reading: The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and God's to Politics and Conspiracies - How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them As Truths.  The book summarizes 30 years of Shermer's research into how we formulate and reinforce our beliefs - and not always in a rational way. I found the 1973 study conducted by David Rosenhan,

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-38459488657067946052011-05-22T16:06:00.002-04:002011-07-06T22:16:52.971-04:00

According to Harold Camping - a charismatic engineer-turned-prophet leader of Family Radio - the world was supposed to end May 21, 2011. That was yesterday. It didn't happen. I don't think that the people who left their families and jobs, or gave away their homes, or donated money by the millions to Camping were just pretending to believe the world would end. I think they really believed it

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-18754217715472211062011-05-01T10:55:00.000-04:002011-05-01T10:55:52.162-04:00

In my last few posts, I have discussed the psychology of religious belief.  Specifically, I have written about why people believe certain religious ideas when there is little evidence for them, and why we hold onto these beliefs so tenaciously in the face of contradictory evidence.  In Part 1 and Part 2 I talked about how we are socialized into our religion's beliefs, and how these beliefs are

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-88805055728786505682011-04-29T16:26:00.001-04:002011-04-29T16:38:34.373-04:00

In Part 1 of "Why We Believe" I talked about the role that socialization plays in the formation of our religious beliefs. Here in Part 2, I will discuss how religion provides many useful benefits for the believer, and how this is a powerful motivation to believe and evangelize. Solomon Schimmel, whose book I mentioned in Part 1, sums up the benefits of religious belief here: “Religion

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-75304951574377433152011-04-26T18:22:00.004-04:002011-04-26T19:01:28.052-04:00

Recently I finished reading a fascinating book titled “The Tenacity of Unreasonable Beliefs: Fundamentalism and the Fear of Truth” by Solomon Schimmel. Schimmell is quite a paradox: he is a practicing Orthodox Jew who loves his religious community, a professor of psychology and Hebrew studies at Hebrew College, and a self-described agnostic/atheist. I found so many similarities between Schimmel’

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-61205512832628035292011-04-23T20:28:00.003-04:002011-06-04T13:03:55.230-04:00

This is the letter I sent to my ward the week after I resigned as a member of the Bishopric.  The week prior to this,  I had told my wife, Bishop, and Stake President that I no longer believed the church was what it claimed to be, and that I could no longer serve as a member of the bishopric in good conscience.  It's an interesting snapshot of someone who had just come to the painful realization

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-42742530866997969662011-04-22T16:22:00.004-04:002011-04-22T22:12:48.465-04:00

Last week I had a facebook exchange with an old high school friend about why I feel the need to talk about religion so much. She accused me of being “a critic” and “hater” who is obsessed with “trying to convince Mormons that they are wrong.” This exchange stung a little because I genuinely liked this person.  Also, there was some truth to the fact that I tend to talk, read, and write about

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-57778738288137747152011-04-15T12:46:00.005-04:002011-07-09T07:41:32.639-04:00

While we were attending the Mormon Stories conference in NYC (held the day after watching The Book of Mormon Musical on it's opening weekend) John Dehlin asked the group what the church could do to hold onto more of its members, while at the same time maintaining its tithing income. I assume the tithing criteria is included because the church wouldn't want to make any changes that would

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-28115257956442272272011-04-02T15:49:00.010-04:002011-09-18T07:23:07.892-04:00

The Book of Mormon is part coming of age story that chronicles the attempts of two naive Mormon missionaries as they share the Mormon message in Uganda, and part hilarious religious satire which Parker and Stone describe as "an atheists love letter to religion." As the crafted, yet nonchalant official Church statement about the show predicts, I was definitely "entertained for an evening." I have

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-54707175664838089482011-03-11T09:53:00.005-05:002011-03-17T20:53:30.736-04:00

Recently I listened to a Mormon Stories podcast with Jared Anderson, a New Testament scholar who is currently completing his PhD in Religious Studies at UNC under Bart Ehrman. I enjoyed listening to Jared discuss the New Testament using an academic approach (an approch much neglected by LDS scholars, who usually prefer learning with "the spirit" instead) and thought Jared was an extremely

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-14157914777079788652011-02-26T17:41:00.009-05:002011-04-22T22:40:54.595-04:00

Even during my most faithful days, I always had a hard time believe that priesthood blessings could really heal the sick. In the blessings I remember giving to sick people, I would usually say something like, "You should seek the counsel of your medical doctors, and as you continue to be faithful, and trust in the Lord, taking care of your body, you may be healed if it be God's will." Notice all

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-77187316552364352792011-02-24T10:34:00.009-05:002011-07-13T21:05:12.577-04:00

In my third and final installment about polygamy (my polygamy trilogy), I want to challenge the usual answers people give when asked to make sense of polygamy. 1. It was part of the "restitution of all things." In other words, it was part of the restoration of the gospel. However, polygamy, as practiced in the Old Testament, was never a religious commandment, nor was salvation ever affixed to

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-57421365212854846452011-02-20T11:12:00.001-05:002011-02-21T19:30:21.497-05:00

In my last post, I listed some of the troubling facts about the LDS practice of polygamy/polygyny. Some very smart people, such as faithful historian Richard Bushman, can know all there is to know about polygamy, but somehow the facts seem to bounce of them like birdseed. To them, the facts seem to have no implication regarding the veracity of Joseph's religious claims. When this happens, I

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-63258142787854427532011-02-18T16:13:00.008-05:002011-02-21T15:40:31.015-05:00

Polygamy was THE THING that finally made me realize that Joseph Smith, and the Church (since it rises and falls with him) were not what they claimed to be.  Here are some of the troubling facts that convinced me why: (Note: despite the current Church's obfuscation, these fact are all available from official LDS sources). 1. According to Mormon historian Richard Bushman, Joseph Smith had

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-40410220981135229742011-02-14T09:11:00.008-05:002011-07-03T17:48:25.943-04:00

My decision to leave the LDS Church had little to do with the traditional gender roles espoused by it (other than the fact that I felt strongly that polygamy was inherently misogynist). However, the smaller the LDS Church becomes in my life’s rear-view mirror, the more noticeable its distorted image of women appears to me. Here are some of the problems I see with women’s role in Mormonism. In

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-51313654267382872882011-02-10T18:34:00.003-05:002011-02-10T22:15:20.480-05:00

When I went on my mission to Australia, my ward (local church) had a tradition of hanging up a "Missionary plaque" with our picture and favorite scripture. I didn't have a favorite scripture at the time, so I searched through all the ones I'd highlighted during my seminary and personal study of the Book of Mormon. Finally, I found the one I wanted next to my picture, the perfect scripture to

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-43069971689337132772011-02-05T10:15:00.013-05:002011-02-11T21:19:11.019-05:00

For our Bronze Age ancestors making sense of the world, the Creation myth, which puts human center stage in the cosmos, must have made a lot of sense.  It was the best they could do with the limited information they had about the world they occupied.  However, through the advancement of science and human experience, we have better information today.  Also, we know religion has been wrong

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-10592531905325189392011-02-02T22:30:00.002-05:002011-02-25T15:54:24.402-05:00

Everybody wants to feel important. But wouldn't we rather have the truth, even if it made us feel a little bit unimportant? If you agree, then let's go on a whirlwind tour of some of the most amazing science from biology and astronomy. It can be a bit disorienting at first, but that's the point of this essay. We might as well begin with evolution. Always a good place to start. So, in short,

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-45172884047902680042011-01-27T19:26:00.005-05:002011-02-02T20:40:20.356-05:00

One argument for belief in God is this: if God exists, then we have everything to gain by believing in Him (i.e. eternal bliss). But if God doesn't exist, and we believe in Him, then no worries - since death ends all anyway. However, if God exists, but we didn't believe in Him, then we lose everything (i.e. eternal damnation). Therefore (the argument goes) you'd be better off just believing.

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-5741257302974236802011-01-22T11:25:00.008-05:002011-02-21T08:11:05.107-05:00

Debates between believers and skeptics are all over on the internet. They are usually entertaining and informative dialogues between philosophers, scientists, theologians, and authors who are trying to sell their books about the existence or non-existence of God.  One of the important points in these debates is to establish who has the burden of proof. Usually, it's the person making a claim who

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-33593455765294421722011-01-16T11:03:00.010-05:002011-02-21T08:14:44.492-05:00

One of the most appealing ideas of religion is the idea that we will live forever. Death surrounds us all and touches everyone. We can all think of a loved one who has died - whether it is a friend, a parent or grandparent, a sibling, or maybe even a spouse or child. Death is as much a part of life as is birth. And yet, the fact that all of us will die, and cease to exist someday, fills us with

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-74166078274349354662011-01-13T09:58:00.007-05:002011-02-21T08:17:19.239-05:00

Heidi and I started a book club with some friends who enjoy reading some of the same books we do.  For our latest selection we read and discussed Richard Dawkins's lightning rod book The God Delusion. It was a religiously eclectic group consisting of two Christians, a Muslim, and two skeptics.  Over some of the best grass-fed steaks in town, complimented by a great red wine, we got down to

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-45129903387897070822011-01-06T10:41:00.002-05:002011-02-21T08:04:09.818-05:00

It's tragically ironic that in a Church which claims to be so devoted to loving marriage relationships, when one spouse changes their mind about the validity of the Church,  this can threaten a previously healthy and happy marriage. It was a challenge in my marriage, when I learned the Church wasn't what it claimed to be, just like it is a real challenge for other people I've talked to about

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-40787131304772590292011-01-05T17:03:00.010-05:002011-02-21T08:25:25.103-05:00

Growing up in the Church, I was taught a faithful version of Joseph Smith and Church history.  Mormons all know this version since it is the one they all grew up with.  However, this faithful version is very different from the historical version I later learned about.  It wasn’t so much the historical facts that caused me so much heartburn. Rather, what was so disconcerting was the differences

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-38940949613394462802011-01-02T15:03:00.003-05:002011-01-06T13:32:32.126-05:00

A family member  asked why I believed what scientists say instead of what scriptures say.  The reason I usually trust science is that it works, it’s consistent (eventually), and it corrects itself when it’s wrong.  First, science works for us everyday in ways we sometimes take for granted.  We use the internet, we communicate with cell phones, we use GPS devices to avoid getting lost, we

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-39780555620900217042011-01-02T15:01:00.005-05:002011-02-21T08:22:18.276-05:00

My sister asked what I thought about one of her friend’s personal religious experiences. The same question could be asked what I think about anybody’s religious experiences, including my own. Didn’t I have powerful religious experiences? Yes, I had religious experiences just like you and millions of others. Like you, my experiences were meaningful, they seemed to confirm my religious beliefs,

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-81205403419965287192011-01-02T14:57:00.005-05:002011-01-17T20:52:12.575-05:00

The Reverend Rick Warren, in his mega best-seller The Purpose Driven Life, writes regarding nonbelievers:  “If your time on earth were all there is to your life, I would suggest you start living it up immediately. You could forget about being good and ethical, and you wouldn’t have to worry about any consequences of your actions. You could indulge yourself in total self-centeredness because your

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-85210433527919057312011-01-02T11:41:00.005-05:002011-01-16T18:36:04.323-05:00

In Aldous Huxley’s dystopian novel Brave New World, the Director of the World State plans to make a public example of Bernard Marx, a rogue psychologist, by exiling him to Iceland. The Director plans to banish Bernard because he has become too individualistic and therefore has become a risk to the rest of their society. The Director tries to justify himself by saying:"It is better that one should

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-58156533531992088332011-01-01T12:39:00.002-05:002011-01-01T12:43:05.422-05:00

This is an email I sent my brother in law (active TBM, lawyer, and Bishop) about Prop 8. It's in response to an email he sent me, from which I include some of his quotes and arguments in favor of the proposition. I was disappointed that he couldn't muster any better reasons why the LDS Church should spend so much capital in terms of money, time, and reputation, to support such a stupid initiative

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-27313333885255887462011-01-01T11:18:00.001-05:002011-01-07T22:45:45.345-05:00

One troubling Mormon doctrine is the idea that our church is the only true church while all the others are an "abomination" in God's eyes, or at least they do not have a "fullness of truth." It's a fundamental aspect of the LDS faith that Joseph Smith was called by God to restore Jesus's original Church and authority to the earth after all the others had apostatized.  Today, only in the LDS

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-27712223908941103512010-12-31T15:23:00.005-05:002011-01-15T08:28:43.594-05:00

Theodicy is the attempt to explain why suffering and evil exist in a world created by an all powerful, all knowing, and all loving God. If God is omniscient, then he knows about all the suffering in the world; if God is omnipotent, then he has the power to prevent suffering from occurring; and if he is perfectly good, then he would not want us to suffer so greatly. And yet there is an enormous

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-65695464330853780032010-12-31T09:31:00.000-05:002010-12-31T09:31:37.117-05:00

It’s normal human behavior to treat individuals “in” our own self-identifiable group (be it race, religion, or culture) better than we treat people “out” of our group. This in-group preference is also normal animal behavior - which gives us some clues as to where the behavior came from, and why it’s a fairly base behavioral drive that we should strive to overcome. We live in a pluralistic society

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-69391958392401391342010-12-31T07:51:00.000-05:002010-12-31T07:51:17.496-05:00

Yesterday I was talking to one of the surgeons at work - a good friend and super nice guy - about religion. He knew I was LDS, and asked me if I had watched General Conference over the weekend. This launched an interesting conversation about religion. He told me he has a sister who joined the LDS church when she was 21, who is now happily married, active, and living in Mesa.  We were having this

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519340563994202668.post-61134652519982550322010-12-31T07:08:00.018-05:002012-02-12T08:55:02.340-05:00

Here’s the story of how I went from true believing Mormon (TBM) to religious skeptic.  First a little background.  I was raised in a very active LDS home (Dad was Bishop, in the Stake Presidency, and Mission President, my mom was Ward and Stake Relief Society President, current LDS spokesperson in AZ). I come from serious Mormon Pioneer stock and am a 5th or 6th generation Mormon.

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407541616547727967noreply@blogger.com12