Sunstone 2016 - Saturday July 30

Day three.

FACE TO FACE: FOUNDATIONS FOR A MYSTICAL TRADITION IN MORMONISM
Panelist: Philip McLemore
Moderator: Michael J. Stevens

At this point, any panel that brought up mysticism was the one I wanted to attend. He did a good job of dwelling on the abstracts of God, and how really modern Mormonism has put God in a box, and Jesus was broader than that. It gave me a new way of thinking about being born of the Spirit.

FROM LOST TRIBES TO MORMON HUMOR: ONE MAN'S FAITH JOURNEY THROUGH MORMON
Panelist: Glenn Ostlund
Moderator: Alicia Aiken

This was Glenn's story, how he went from faithful member / returned missionary to being one of the goofs on Infants on Thrones, a subversive ex-Mormon podcast. He spent a lot of times tlaking about the folklore around the Lost Tribes and how many thought that Japan or other parts of Asia contain lost tribes.

JOSEPH SMITH'S TEACHINGS ABOUT PRIESTHOOD, TEMPLE, AND WOMEN
Panelists: Clair Barrus, Bryndis Roberts, Nancy Ross.
Moderator: Nadine Hansen.

This one discussed not only the Gospel Topic essay that has the title of this presentation. It goes into more historical details about the Anointed Quorum, and how the attempt to explain away the interpretation of the word "ordain" is strained. Women used to be ordained, they used to lay on hands for healings, they used to anoint with oil, and they used to have more autonomy in the Relief Society.

THE 2ND REFORMATION? KEEPING A RECORD OF THE MORMON INTERNET EXPERIENCE IN THE BEGINNING OF THE 21ST CENTURY
Panelists: Bill Reel, Melissa Young, Gina Colvin, Sarah Collett.
Moderator: Brooke Walrath.

This explored the internet's affect on the gospel, and how blogs, podcasts, social media, etc., are shaping people's perceptions. Are they overall helpful or detrimental? Bill and Gina were able to come at it from their perspectives as hosts of the podcasts Mormon Discussions and A Thoughtful Faith, respectively.

NEW BOOK: THE GHOST OF ETERNAL POLYGAMY
Panelist: Carol Lynn Pearson
Moderator: Lindsay Park

Carol Lynn Pearson has a new book out where she makes the argument that the time has come for the LDS church to disavow the doctrine of eternal polygamy. She read a pssage from her book. I'll say that Pearson has the presence of a true artist, in her oratory, in her poetry, in her presentation. She argues that men and women are not equal before God when God says to the men: have many wives.

REPAIRING AND PRESERVING RELATIONSHIPS DAMAGED BY FAITH CRISES
Panelists: Steve Lowther, John Dehlin, Grant Palmer, Thomas Wirthlin McConkie, Sandra Tanner, Gina Colvin, Nathan McCluskey.
Moderator: Derrick Clements.

Now this was a diverse panel. You had everyone from the faithful Nate McCluskey, the Betweeners like Gina and Thomas, to the decidedly ex-Mormons in Grant, John, and Sandra. Sandra Tanner's been "anti-Mormon" for 50 years (she doesn't care for the label), but she still has family members who belong, and their relationship's been rough. Grant spoke about the pain of sitting in the foyer of the temple for sealins and such, but he said the amount of people in the foyer has been growing.

John gave a rapid-fire slideshow of advice to ex-Mormons on how to act around the faithful, all with the message about remember to be patient and merciful, and you used to be just like them.

Nate and Gina are husband and wife, and they spoke about making it work when spouses are on different pages. Which is the story of Monica and me. (The four of us went out for dinner later. I love those two.)

AN EVENING WITH TYLER GLENN

Tyler Glenn, former lead singer of Neon Trees, showed the video of "Trash", and he read some journal entries from his past, where he talked about realizing he was gay, where he talked about supressing it, talked about serving a mission, talked about falling in love but not wanting to do anything about it, talked about speaking at Affirmation and telling others how you could make being a gay Mormon work. And then he talks about the anguish and heartbreak when the November 2015 policy came out, the one that automatically declared same-sex married couples apostates and said that their children could not partake in any church ordinances (baby blessing, baptism, etc.) until they turn 18 and disavow their gay parents' lifestyle. I could feel Tyler's pain. it was that policy that made him question his testimony. He looked up YouTube videos of "I am an ex-Mormon" and devoured John Dehlin's podcasts. He teased his next song "Shameless." he also sang a slow, acoustical version of "Trash."

It reaffirmed what I already concluded about the November policy. It is not from God.

Excommunication - Not a fan

The big news this month is Kate Kelly of OrdainWomen.org and John Dehlin of StayLDS.com facing possible excommunication. The spectre of the 1993's 'September Six" has been raised.

Personally I don't like excommunication. If a person has faith and falls short, this is a step that just shouldn't be taken. Since the inception of the Church, there've been problems with apostasy and falling away and excommunications. It's one of those disciplinary steps that feels steeped in 19th century tradition but is more out of place in a 21st century world.

God never changes, but His children do. That doesn't mean He changes His doctrine with every generation, but when His children ask, He listens. When the children of Israel were wandering the desert and got tired of eating manna, they asked for something else. So God sent quail. Does that mean He changed His doctrine? Yea, behold His doctrine was manna, but then suddenly it was changed to quail. Church isn't true. (crumples up temple recommend)

Spencer W. Kimball

There was great petitioning and questioning when it came to blacks and the Priesthood before the 1978 revelation. Not only did the Church need to be ready for it, but the Brethren through whom the revelation could come. There was even a member excommunicated in 1977 for standing up in General Conference and refusing to sustain the First Presidency over the matter. I've always held it a personal theory that one reason President Harold B. Lee died at the relatively young age of 74 was because he was not ready. But Spencer W. Kimball was.

(UPDATE: This is not me automatically assuming that people questioning the Church now over this or that will be vindicated. I use it as an example of the members desiring a change, petitioning for change, and that change coming via answers to prayers. As for the man who was ex'd over it, I just looked him up and I see he's quite the anti-Mormon now, so never mind on that one.)

Now as far as women in the Church, there are many improvements that can be made. I don't agree with the OrdainWomen movement not because I perceive insincere soul-searching happening there, but if the Church is true, then the Prophet is the one who receives the revelation for the Church, and OW's mission statement says: "Ordain Women believes women must be ordained in order for our faith to reflect the equity and expansiveness of these teachings." This doesn't sound like a petition of the Church; this sounds like a demand. I heard it somewhere else first, but God does not force blessings on His children when the vast majority do not want them. Pres. Hinckley left the door open for women getting the Priesthood if a revelation came, but with over 80% of men and women in the Church not wanting that change, that's all you need to know.

But speaking more broadly, where can a faithful Church member go who has questions? There are many questions raised that don't have answers.

I refer to some General Conference talks that have helped of late on this matter.  Elder Oaks' 2010 talk on two lines of communication was one. Another was an answer to one of my own questions that some friends helped me find. It's a 1971 talk from young Apostle, Elder Boyd K. Packer.

As for dealing with individuals, I loved this Bishop's Response from ByCommonConsent, maybe my favorite LDS blog out there.

As for those who say, "If you don't like it, leave." I say no, please stay. The Church is undergoing tumultuous times, and there will be more to come. In fact, I'd repeat Pres. Uchtdorf's plea to "Come, Join With Us."

One might ask, “If the gospel is so wonderful, why would anyone leave?”

Sometimes we assume it is because they have been offended or lazy or sinful. Actually, it is not that simple. In fact, there is not just one reason that applies to the variety of situations.

Some of our dear members struggle for years with the question whether they should separate themselves from the Church.

In this Church that honors personal agency so strongly, that was restored by a young man who asked questions and sought answers, we respect those who honestly search for truth. It may break our hearts when their journey takes them away from the Church we love and the truth we have found, but we honor their right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own conscience, just as we claim that privilege for ourselves.⁵

Unanswered Questions

Some struggle with unanswered questions about things that have been done or said in the past. We openly acknowledge that in nearly 200 years of Church history—along with an uninterrupted line of inspired, honorable, and divine events—there have been some things said and done that could cause people to question.

Sometimes questions arise because we simply don’t have all the information and we just need a bit more patience. When the entire truth is eventually known, things that didn’t make sense to us before will be resolved to our satisfaction.

Sometimes there is a difference of opinion as to what the “facts” really mean. A question that creates doubt in some can, after careful investigation, build faith in others.

Mistakes of Imperfect People

And, to be perfectly frank, there have been times when members or leaders in the Church have simply made mistakes. There may have been things said or done that were not in harmony with our values, principles, or doctrine.

I suppose the Church would be perfect only if it were run by perfect beings. God is perfect, and His doctrine is pure. But He works through us—His imperfect children—and imperfect people make mistakes.

In the title page of the Book of Mormon we read, “And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.”⁶

This is the way it has always been and will be until the perfect day when Christ Himself reigns personally upon the earth.

It is unfortunate that some have stumbled because of mistakes made by men. But in spite of this, the eternal truth of the restored gospel found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not tarnished, diminished, or destroyed.

As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ and as one who has seen firsthand the councils and workings of this Church, I bear solemn witness that no decision of significance affecting this Church or its members is ever made without earnestly seeking the inspiration, guidance, and approbation of our Eternal Father. This is the Church of Jesus Christ. God will not allow His Church to drift from its appointed course or fail to fulfill its divine destiny.

There Is Room for You

To those who have separated themselves from the Church, I say, my dear friends, there is yet a place for you here.

Come and add your talents, gifts, and energies to ours. We will all become better as a result.