What I Wish You Would Read Instead of My Blog Right Now

I’ve read so many good blog posts and online articles lately, articles that I wish people would read and take seriously. I know my providing links to these articles increases the likelihood of your reading them by, oh, about 0.0001 percent. But for those of you brave enough to take the challenge, why don’t you read through a few of these:

“Believe” --> You Keep Using That Word. I Do Not Think it Means What You Think it Means
A brief review of how the meaning of the word “believe” has changed since the 16th-century, and what implications this has for statements such as “I believe in God.” Key point: the word “believe” can be interpreted in either a sacred or a secular manner.

Useful tip when reading this article: TBM means “true believing Mormon” or “true blue Mormon” and is typically meant to denote a member of the LDS Church with a very orthodox, literal, black-and-white approach to Mormonism. The referenced “Fowler” is James Fowler, who wrote an influential book on the psychology of religion called Stages of Faith.


Russell Hancock on testimony and the church
A transcribed talk given by a newly called member of a Stake Presidency. A beautiful expression of a faith journey still-in-progress.


Doubt
A retired professor of Brigham Young University describes how doubt, despite being a four-letter word in many Mormon circles, has enhanced his faith.


Doubt and Mormon Faith Not Mutually Exclusive
On the lighter side, Salt Lake Tribune columnist Robert Kirby shares his experience as a non-stereotypical Mormon. What I love most here is Kirby’s “13 Particles of Faith.” #8 reads (in part): “I believe the Bible and the Book of Mormon to be the word of God as far as I personally can translate them correctly.” I think there may be greater wisdom here than Kirby even realizes.

Enjoy!