Real Mormon history is much more interesting!

Sharman Hunter Wilson shared John A. Widtsoe's post. Feb 19, 2015 4:07pm

Too bad it became taboo to be so forthright, because now this is a faith-jarring shocker to so many members. Real history is always messy and we never have all the information to make perfect sense of it. In matters of real importance to our lives, our job is to give things a fair hearing before we make judgements. Whitewashed history is OK for children, but in order to have mature faith, we need to put away the simplified version and wrestle with uncomfortable realities.

Commenting on Robert Kirby's awesome column in the Salt Lake Tribune:

Sharman Hunter Wilson shared a link. Apr 19, 2015 6:27pm

Kirby: Stick to the basics sltrib.com I can imagine God up there, shaking his head in discouragement at some of the ideas and words that get attributed to Him. Sniffing out nuggets of true inspiration hidden amongst all the cultural baggage is one of our most difficult spiritual challenges. Making it even harder is the fact that each of us is carrying around plenty of our own cultural baggage. Can I just put in a request for a spiritual Geiger counter?

Political rant:

Sharman Hunter Wilson posted something via The Huffington Post. Apr 29, 2015 3:10pm

House Republicans Want To Block Predatory Lending Protections For American Troops What the heck? Is this for real? Sorry, I can't hold back--all I can see right now are Hypocrites hiding behind their SuperPatriot flags and their "Support our Troops" and "In God We Trust" bumper stickers. I'm picturing Jesus going into their temple (House chamber) with his whip, driving out the blood (of the poor)--sucking money lenders. If I recall, THAT was the only thing that made Jesus lose his cool--NOT gays asking for wedding cakes and NOT US-born children begging to keep their undocumented parents from deportation. The good guys in the GOP need to clean House!

Temple wedding policy:

Sharman Hunter Wilson shared a link. May 19, 2015 4:35pm

Strange Bedfellows: Marriages and Sealings - Rational Faiths | Mormon Blog rationalfaiths.com In becoming a worldwide religion, we Mormons have seen a lot of changes in church policy. Our doctrine of continuing revelation helps us adapt in an ever-changing world. So, when it's becoming clear that the harmful effects of a policy regarding LDS temple weddings and sealings far outweigh the benefits, AND when that policy is actually NOT applied in most counties in the world (because it's illegal in most places), AND when the policy did not even exist before the 1960's (the iconoclastic 1960's can be blamed for all kinds of backlash and retrenchment), then maybe it's time for some rethinking. This is a very emotional issue--ask practically any Mormon on the street in the U.S. or Canada if they wish there were a church-sanctioned way to include everyone in Mormon weddings. Most of us have a poignant story to tell.

Sharman Hunter Wilson shared a link. Oct 15, 2015 6:17pm

Federal Report Calls For End To 'Conversion Therapy' For LGBT Youth huffingtonpost.com This will save lives--if we can admit we've been holding onto many unfounded ideas passed down to us from those who accepted the conventional "wisdom" of times past. If we can learn from our mistakes and move on without pointing fingers, so much the better. God forgive the devastation we have caused in our ignorance, and change our hearts to move toward understanding and compassion--and then beyond that to affirming and welcoming all who come with good will.

Another broken-hearted attempt to process this new church policy re: gays:

Sharman Hunter Wilson shared a link. Nov 16, 2015 3:08pm

Mormons and Gays: Thoughts from a Long-Time Religious Educator patheos.com David Bokovoy is someone I look up to for his intelligent and compassionate perpective on Mormonism. His hope is that the recent policy changes will spark a backlash of LOVE toward those adversely affected. I've seen that loving backlash happening alongside the negative backlash: fellow Mormons mourning with those who mourn and comforting those who stand in need of comfort; Mormons who have gay-partnered family members or friends who cannot conceive of them as apostates to the faith; Mormons who know gay couples who value much of LDS theology and community and who are hoping to raise their children in the same way. Policies come and go as members and leaders' assumptions and worldviews align more and more closely with God's eternal purposes for all His children. We all play a part in that alignment--either by drawing us closer or further away.

Mormon LGBTQ dilemma:

Sharman Hunter Wilson shared a link. Nov 17, 2015 6:09pm

#15 HANDBOOK OF INSTRUCTIONS POLICY CHANGES outinzion.org This podcast was made after the first version of the policy was made public, before the partially softened version. If you care how policies made with good intentions can adversely affect people, listen and weep. Please consider that there happen to be many LGBTQ Mormons who still believe and who love the church. If they did not have to choose between a beloved life companion and the saving ordinances of the church, they would feel safe to return to their spiritual home and family, and to raise their children here. Before the policy change, even when they themselves couldn't participate fully, they wanted their children to be a part of the family. Now, we are disowning these parents and refusing the gifts they have to offer, which are amazing and needed. We are calling them super-apostates, whose "life-style" is so aberrant and abhorrent that they cannot be trusted to bring their children up in a way that wouldn't drive a huge wedge between them and the church. (Have we ever actually been around any non-traditional families?). Since it's obvious these families are beyond the pale, it would surely be best if we not complicate things even more for these poor kids. OK, that's enough snarkiness. Anyway, such a policy might make sense when parents vehemently disagree with each other about this, but we already have a clear policy stating that children need the permission of both parents to be baptized. How is it that we feel we must especially protect children of gay couples from the "inevitable" confusion and disharmony that would result from a church upbringing, even when the parents are pleading for them to be included? I can't wrap my head or my heart around that argument. Our theology has one of the most generous, expansive, universal, and loving views of salvation. Can't we adjust our policies to reflect the very best of Mormonism instead of painting ourselves into a miserly, narrow, and cold hearted corner?