NOM

Maybe John Lennon could have imagined something like that, but I find it challenging. I guess it depends on whether you see those traditions and their differences as a cause of tribalism and conflict, or just one way people express their natural inclinations. (I've always found that song kind of an...

Just came across this article that I found interesting: https://unherd.com/2023/11/why-i-am-now-a-christian/ Ayaan Hirsi Ali left Islam years ago to become an outspoken atheist, but has now embraced Christianity. I don't know much about Ali outside of a Sam Harris interview I listened to a while bac...

I don't remember whether it was on NOM or elsewhere that someone recently said that we as humans have a desire for community but in recent years many have had to settle for merely being part of an audience instead of a true community. While I don't think I ever totally fit in with Mormons even at my...

I also used a COVID-driven reorganization to finally give up on my attempts at active participation at church. Seems that's pretty common, on top of all the people who stepped back within various religions after not being able to assemble for a while. I wonder whether Mormons were more resilient or ...

This song struck me as somewhat relatable early in my faith transition. (I think it's also a good song, musically.) Right Where It Belongs by Nine Inch Nails See the animal in his cage that you built Are you sure what side you're on? Better not look him too closely in the eye Are you sure what side ...

I took the learn something new every time thing to mean that you'd gain insights into your own life, as opposed to some new secret of the universe. I probably steered myself toward this understanding out of necessity for things to make sense, and I did find that if I mostly ignored what was going on...

If you retranslate the part that Martin Harris lost, people will change the other version so they won't be quite the same. These people are building a tower that's going to reach heaven. The only solution is giving each of them a different language. Look at all these animals and people. Time to drow...

The most interesting part of this event would probably finding out who actually wrote each of the books as they entered the arena.

The hateful NOM described by some has not been my experience. This isn't something I've really seen, either. It's one of the reasons I gravitated toward this group and not any of the "ex-Mormon" ones. NOM really isn't a place in my experience where people mock or insult active members. Occasionally...

Scariest of all may be the concept of God that you find in scripture and in the teachings of pretty much any church that bothers to come up with a definition at all. Unknowable at best and an all-powerful being with the temperament of a spoiled toddler at worst. There are of course nicer formulation...

It is an interesting thought that attributes based on where and when you happened to be born would become a permanent part of your immortal self. A huge part of this in the Mormon context is whether you believe in premortal life. If you do, then are skin color and other attributes that we call race ...

I'll likely keep visiting this place as long as it's around. I used to browse a bunch of religion-themed discussion forums, but now it's pretty much only this one. I get the impression that there are fewer people trying to "make it work" these days. Even NOM itself has seemed to gradually shift from...

I don't remember when I got on this mailing list, but I also looked at this one and I liked the gloom line. The part about the Holy Ghost fleeing from a document I found amusing and quaint, though there was a time years ago when I probably would have taken it seriously.

You're right that it's not enough anymore for those who think differently to be wrong, they now must be evil as well. I think this goes beyond religious people thinking that others are influenced by Satan. It's just as evident among those who are not religious at all. For a second I thought this thr...

Did you spend some time at StayLDS? I remember that being my refuge when NOM was too much for me. Then I gradually started feeling frustrated there (and frequently moderated) and slid over to NOM (where I was still frequently moderated during my angrier phase of deconstruction). My favorite one bac...

My consumption of Mormon-themed podcasts has slowed down considerably in recent years. Every so often I still listen to one, though, and I try not to miss any of the John Larsen ones on Mormon Stories. I don't know whether it was like this for everyone, but I remember gradually "progressing" from th...

Just came across a fun interview with Jennings. I've never watched Jeopardy, but I found this interesting nonetheless. The New Yorker Interview: Ken Jennings Has Some Questions About Death Did you grow up believing in Heaven and Hell? Yeah! And, to some degree, I still do, perhaps more out of a sens...

The idea of an afterlife that has nothing to do with God or religion is an interesting one. Horror stories sometimes involve ghosts that are tied to where they died, and while the focus in those stories might be on people who encounter the ghosts, maybe the real horror there is the idea of surviving...

How important can it possibly be to accept the restored (or original) gospel in this life, when you consider that of all the people who have ever lived, the number who have had any sort of chance is too small to even be called a rounding error? Same with the "urgency" of temple work, especially if y...

The computer in heaven calculates the number of people participating in the prayer, divided by the number of names. This is also why people ask others to pray for them when they are going through a difficult time and why a congregation praying for someone is more effectual than the prayers of someon...