Thank you for visiting the newest project from Open Stories Foundation!
A Thoughtful Faith is a Mormon Stories affiliated podcast that features the stories and perspectives of intelligent, thoughtful believers who maintain faith despite their awareness of and/or struggles with common challenges and issues. Though some of these issues will be discussed, our focus is not necessarily the troubling aspects of our history, culture and doctrine, but rather how our guests navigate and own their individual perspectives.
We hope to examine faith and Mormonism in a way that responds to the assumption that if you are truly informed about the complexity of this faith tradition, including its origins, history, culture, and doctrine, that sincere, authentic belief and participation becomes unsustainable. Though it is true that authentic faith is simply not possible for many individuals, we present by way of the stories and perspectives of these thoughtful believers that unbelief and disaffection is not the inevitable conclusion of a faith transition. By exploring Mormonism and faith in general from this angle, we hope to model potential paths for individuals in faith transition or crisis that allow them to maintain faith, as well as to provide a place for authentic discourse for thoughtful believers everywhere
We will feature a diversity of voices from within and outside Mormonism. Not only will our audience hear from scholars and academics, but also from Relief Society presidents, local leaders, members of other faiths, business professionals, bloggers, and primary teachers — men and women alike. Our process for creating content also allows us to hear from different hosts, who likewise come from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives within Mormonism.
It is an exciting albeit challenging time to be a Mormon. Often it is hard to know where to fit in with an approach to faith that isn’t mainstream. However, we believe that our faith tradition can build a tent big enough and expansive enough to harbor the many paths Mormonism can offer. We thank you for taking interest in this new project, and we hope you will stick with us as we explore the many paths for a thoughtful faith and try to expand the tent to include Mormons like you.
I may not be giving you folks the response you were hoping for wherein this podcast site/branch is for those who do not want to accept fact but will continue in tradition and culture.
My lifelong lds experience also goes back generations in pioneer time and so does the true believing pedigree. My employment and social arena no longer are weighted by the mormon doctrinal tribunals of obedience to peer pressure and organizational duty.
These perspectives of change for a corrupt organization only further give me comfort in knowing that what I thought was God is merely man-made in revelation and manufacturing of theology. I have many times thought about and am reminded that the God of Love that I believe in does not speak and Do the many current and historical things that the lds church does not want public.
The biggest theme being if you even ask for facts or talk about topics you are deamed anti and shunned vilified and in my case ignored. Ignored by those who claim mantle and revelation. God does not speak through these folks. The problems become not so much as a blow up or faith crisis by uncovering of the facts alone. The hypocritical responses and pushing of people out prove that the God of Love is not there. God is Love. Fear permeates the mormon camp, unless you are a believer with the passport and key words that is.
I found that the historical ugly issues do involve me personally in that in being true to myself requires that I would have to accept that the murders at mountain meadows and the blood is on my hands as well as long as the church does not repent of that hideous evil historical and relevant event. How so? Thanks for thinking about asking… As a missionary, as an embassador for the church and the gospel of love, I taught the messages prescribed and written most particularly that of the doctrine of repentence. Confession-Sorrow-Restitution-NoRepetition. Need I say more about culpability and attempts at returning remains to family where they belong? So what if it costs $$ to make it right. God can do anything am I right?
Why do I even bring that up since the official declaration was that MMM is enshrined and now to be forgotten. Simple. What would Jesus do? Well he wouldn’t have ordered the slaughter in the first place. The ongoing sweeping of anything that isnt corporate image enhancingly pristine under the rug and out of site is proof that God does not run the corporation.
Locally, the stake president used bullying and lies over the pulpit to obtain his goals. That is a fact. When I tried to talk about the problems with unrighteous dominion style with the Bishop I was given not one word in reply, even in his office. Not a word! How does that relate to monutain meadows? It parralled how I understand information about real events happen and then are pretended to have not happened. This is how my journey began.
The more I wanted to have things right and warm and fuzzy and be like it is taught to be… the less I found out. The more I looked into problems of cover ups and secrecy the more facts were available. Cover ups and shut ups just like I experienced personally. History repeated itself to me in my life. I never asked for my world to change. I was content doing what I was doing and was accepting of the possibility of potentially becoming the bishop down the road if and when that happened.
Just because a site sets it self up to retain folks that want to believe doesn’t change facts into fiction. God is open honest and loving or he hides things and has a shady trail. That is the message from SLC anyway in black and white.
What I found was not just a local struggle but turned into a bigger mess that went all the way up the chain of command and all the way back to the beginning. I need no foot hold for power and position. Truth is the whole story anything less is just another story. Big tent doesn’t solve the doctrine that GA’s speak “Thus Sayeth the Lord”. It only asks can’t we all get along?.
Why not say it openly, yes it is man-made and with this website you intend to help the troubled member adjust to living better without the guilt and pressure of an imposing dogma?
The missionary discussions were all about revelation. God sure changes his mind alot. A bigger tent may be a friendlier tent though or so I hope.
Best wishes on this endeavor.