Quora: Is Religion a problem for Science?

Someone recently asked the question "Is religion a problem for science?" on Quora - this was my answer....

To be honest, there are a few ways to address or interpret this question, so I’ll do the best that I can.

LDS Resignation Update: It's DONE!

Well, it's DONE!

I received my letter stating that my membership has finally been removed from LDS Church records. I tried logging in to www.lds.org and was denied access, and I double checked the roster with the help of a friend; it's all 100% done.

To be honest, it's quite a relief knowing that I don't have to stress about whether or not they were going to let me leave without going through a bunch of meetings or extra hassle. For anyone who doesn't know, the LDS Church's resignation procedures are somewhat simplistic but also somewhat complicated. The short version is that the Church considers a

Resigning Mormonism

THIS IS MY OFFICIAL MORMON RESIGNATION LETTER.


Membership Records Division
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
50 E North Temple Rm 1372
SLC UT 84150-5310

Dear Membership Records Division:

My name is Joseph Samuel Edwards, I am writing to resign my name and records from the membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

#MormonLeaks

So many people have been tuned into the LDS General Conference this weekend! Thousands upon thousands have been Tweeting and Posting Conference messages and musings for the last two days but something else has happened today that may at first seem overshadowed by the shear mass of #LDSconf (and other hashtags). Despite being overshadowed by the popular LDS media frenzy this new event is extremely important to the future image of Mormonism.

I'm sure we have all heard of the controversial power house WikiLeaks, well as of today the world has been introduced to MormonLeaks (#MormonLeaks)!

MormonLeaks appears to have the same basic mission of WikiLeaks, to expose secrets and damning information that governments and corporations don't want the general public to know, only this time the information in question directly and only involves the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

At the moment the videos are available on YouTube at this URL: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJTIFO9JJWiXABNXHDUKj4A?app=desktop

Framing The Transgender Reality For Mormons

The Mormon reaction to a person being Transgender has confused me for several years. The LDS Church repeatedly has insisted that gender identity (like sexual orientation) is a matter of Mental Health or Wretched Wickedness. These positions may fluctuate from time to time but generally speaking Mormons seem react with even more disdain towards a Transgender person than they do to a Homosexual or Bisexual person. This hostility is something I simply don't understand from a doctrinal standpoint, being Transgender is living proof for some of the most fundamental doctrines in the LDS cannon, so opposing a Transgender reality has the effect of shooting your own doctrines in the foot.

In Mormonism the belief in a Pre-Mortal Existence is paramount and is one of the most supreme tenants of a Mormon's faith. It is the Pre-Mortal Existence that solidifies the beliefs in Family, Gender, Satan, Creation, Divine Potential, Mortal Trials, Pro-Creation, Choice/Agency, Afterlife, etc.

Elder Oaks Promotes Fake Science and Conspiracy Theories From The Pulpit

On Sept. 16, 2016 Elder Oaks participated in a Stake Conference Q&A where he was asked how to bring LGBT members back to Church. Instead of answering that question he spoke on LGBT related principles. During his response Elder Oaks appears to reference (with high praise) Dr. McHugh's research claiming that "Gender Confusion" was a mental illness which usually is "grown out of". Oaks continues by suggesting that the "Media" is purposefully avoiding references to McHugh's work for undisclosed reasons. The audio file and transcript for that response can be found HERE.

 

Dr. McHugh is famous for his Anti-LGBT beliefs and research. His Wall Street Journal article claims to have research support, but was exposed by pro-LGBT advocacy groups as a hoax because he falsified research data in his citations, modifying other research studies until they support his claims. Elder Oaks gives credibility to this falsified study by promoting it from the Pulpit. It is also disconcerting that an LDS Apostle would promote Media Conspiracies from the pulpit over his own personal beliefs.

 

Just as dangerous is the notion that an LDS Apostle is publicly endorsing the idea that being Transgender is nothing more than a Mental Illness, a claim no longer supported by the international scientific community.

More information will be forthcoming about Elder Oaks' comments in a future post.

Answering A Mormon

Today's Post is copied from my Facebook response to a Mormon who held some misconceptions about what it means to be LGBT and Mormon, especially at BYU. This is entirely in my own words, I just copied my post from Facebook to here. Please feel free to share this link to any Mormons who you feel need to better understand the LGBT/Mormon situation.

I think you might understand more if your child (scenario) was active in the Church and yet came out of the closet as LGBT. The pain you witness in your child is absolutely destructive and not at conducive to the faith you both once had. I grew up a very faithful and active Mormon but now want practically nothing to do with it because of the LDS efforts to go out of their way to attack LGBT beliefs (even when those beliefs have nothing to do with the Church, like Gay Marriage). 

The horrible name calling I've received from Church members and leaders has scarred me forever;

What If Abinadi Lived Today

Perhaps the most repeated defense for the Prophets and leaders of the LDS Church, and why members or non-members (mostly ex-members) cannot or should not criticize the Prophet or other Church leaders, is that these men have the Authority to speak for God. To so many active and devoted members of the Church their authority seems like an impenetrable defense, unfortunately for them however, it is actually a very weak scriptural defense, one that is contradicted regularly in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. There are multiple accounts in both scriptural records proving that a Prophet's Authority is not enough to protect a Prophet from being rebuked over his own wrongdoing. Anyone who desires to protect the Prophets and Apostles will need to prove the defense of their leaders by other means after these examples are published and explained.

Abinadi's story is well known to Mormons, as is the painting of his trial before the Wicked King Noah, but perhaps the details of his situation are not so clearly understood.

Roll Call - Good Things Only

Looking through a number of my blog posts you'll notice that I have a lot of negative experiences and opinions about the LDS Church. I am very willing to criticize them on what I believe they do wrong or what hurt they cause through their words and behaviors. However, there is one thing that distinguishes me from certain other Ex-Mormon, Angry-Mormon or Gay-Mormon messages: I am willing to compliment the Church whenever they might deserve it. Today's post on Good Things is directly inspired by a General Conference talk titled "O Remember, Remember" by President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency of the Church.

Leading Them Away From Suicide

*NOTE: I am not a Psychologist or a Counselor, instead I've survived my own war with Suicide for over 15 years.

Suicide is a Tragedy that is happening all over the world every day. Suicide is a child of fear, hate, despair and most importantly, the loss of feeling loved.

Suicide is an epidemic affecting all walks of life, from the very poor to the very rich. It affects all races, religions, nationalities; it literally crosses all boundaries and knows no discrimination. Suicide, no matter who is affected is heartbreaking. No matter who you are, if you struggle with wanting or needing to commit suicide, you are not alone, there are many people all over the world who can find you and help save you if only they could see your personal SIGNAL FIRE. We WILL search for the human being behind every S.O.S. If you live in the United States, the National Suicide Hotline is a good potential resource for anyone who needs help (1-800-273-8255).

Even though Suicide reaches everyone, not all groups are affected in quite the same way. Sometimes the causes are different, sometimes the behavior leading up to suicide might be different, sometimes the community response is different, sometimes even the number of people affected can be different within a community. That is why I and so many others concentrate so hard on Suicides affecting youth, children and young adults who are Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgender. We do not diminish the tragedy of any other person who feels so alone and desperate that suicide feels necessary or desirable, we reach out to them as much as we can too. All are welcome at the doors of the LGBT community.

If you are feeling like suicide is an option, how do you light your SIGNAL FIRE and ask for help?

Consensus vs Dissension

We regularly hear in the Church the idea that Consensus between the Brethren (Prophets and Apostles) is an indication of Truth. If they are united on a principle it is more likely to be appropriate and doctrinally true, or at least that we are told. We've also been told frequently (as was reiterated in Elder Rasband's talk this past General Conference) that it is acceptable to have questions but never to be "questioning" the Brethren. We are taught to sustain and unite with the Brethren in word and in deed. In essence we are told to be in Consensus with the Brethren of the Church at all times.

But is Consensus all that it is cracked up to be? Is Consensus always considered a good thing? President Monson openly acknowledges that it is not always for the best to be in Consensus and that sometimes Dissension is necessary and right.

So sometimes Consensus is right and sometimes Dissension is right.

Elder Bednar - No Gays in the Church

To be honest, when I first heard Elder Bednar say there were no homosexuals in the Church my reaction was: because anyone who is left is likely trying very hard to pretend they're straight so that they don't get bullied or kicked out, or even more importantly, so that they are allowed into heaven.

There are fewer and fewer gays who find the strength to keep attending and stay active, I stopped going months ago and many of the gays I knew nationwide (who were active) have also gone inactive since I left.

Soon Elder Bednar's words will actually be true, and in part I believe that that's how the Apostles want it. I honestly do believe that they don't want gays or anyone else who challenges their sense of perfection in the Church and I honestly believe it's because we are viewed as impure, unholy or simply "not good enough". I may be wrong but the Apostles haven't done anything to suggest that I am.

This is in both English and Spanish. Elder Bednar's rhetoric is so confusing and makes absolutely no sense to me. Also, if you're going to claim that there are no homosexual members of the Church then you have to also claim that there are no heterosexual members of the Church. At which point you have to acknowledge that your entire premise of sexuality and gender being integral to Salvation and eternity is flawed and non-existent.

The Proclamation on the Family made it very clear that gender and sexual identity are of eternal importance to the Plan of Salvation. So that alone makes the argument of a society without defined identities counterproductive to God's plan.

Also if we did have such a definition-less society there would be no point in making any distinction between heterosexual marriage and gay marriage which would effectively make gay marriage appropriate in God's eyes despite the Church's constant insistence on the opposite. Gay marriage would become, to the Church, the simple union of two loving children of God. Much like how it is already perceived by the so called Apostates of the Church.

Preguntas y Respuestas con élder David A. Bednar, del Cuórum de los Doce, 23 de febrero de 2016¿Cómo pueden hacer los miembros homosexuales de la Iglesia para vivir y seguir firmes en el Evangelio?
Posted by Biblioteca SUD on Sunday, February 28, 2016

Labeled by Sin or Name

I think a lot of people need to remember this when talking to others. Too often I hear members of the Church (and other churches) refer to people by whether or not they drink, smoke, are gay, looked at porn, had premarital sex etc. and continue to refer to that person by their sin for years. Just because we try to follow Christ does not mean that the Devil still can't use our mouths to do harm. 

Mormons for Trump?

Anyone who personally knows me will know that I have absolutely no respect for Donald Trump as a person or as a Presidential candidate, I've been quite clear on my views regarding his lack of qualifications and unsafe social/political positions. However, at this point I'm not going to go on a tirade about Trump himself or his views/policies. Instead I want to touch on a few basic realities about Mr. Trump and primarily focus on how terrified I am that Mormons, even "high ranking" leaders (including retired ones) are actually supporting him in his candidacy.

Donald Trump has proven himself to be racist, on multiple occasions and in multiple ways. Most recently he discussed torture tactics and promoted a (false) mass murder story of Americans butchering Muslims and claimed that that was the direction America needed to go in. Click HERE for CNN story. He's also promoted plans to forcibly identify Muslims in the U.S. (very similarly to how Jews etc. were treated in Nazi Germany) and bar immigration to an entire ethnic and religious group of people worldwide. All of this is in addition to other statements made against Blacks and Hispanics.

President Hinckley, one of the longest serving Presidents and Prophets of the LDS Church made his views on racism perfectly and crystal clear:

Are Mormons at War?

It may not be obvious to everyone but what you say and how you say it does and will affect the behavior of those who listen to you. Regardless of your intentions, your words have the power to inspire good behavior or extremely inappropriate actions. My purpose in this article is show that the LDS Church has repeatedly encouraged hostility against LGBT individuals worldwide, despite some official statements denouncing bullying and the like.

NOTE: In this post I am not contesting the Mormon position on sin. I do not believe that homosexuality is a sin but I recognize that at this time that is not the position of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Instead my focus is literally that hostile quotes frequently circulated in the Church inspire and encourage, as well justify, various forms of bullying among the LDS people.

I imagine a lot of people will ask me why the opinions the Church or its members would or should hold any weight to me after all the horrible pain they've caused me over the years. If you want some clarification on that bad blood and history feel free to read one of my previous articles The Church and I. As for the question itself, I'll counter with a question. Let's say you had an abusive parent or sibling, yet you still found place in your heart to have love for them (they're family); would you care about their perception of you? For some, the answer is undoubtedly "no", but we can see examples of a resounding "yes" all around us. The Church has meant everything to me for my entire life and their opinion still has the power to hurt or uplift me to some degree. Mind you, I do not consider the opinion of the Church to be always be the same as the opinion of God; if they were always the same there would be no need for future revelation on any subject. Nevertheless, the Church has its pull on me spiritually.

Family History

Here's a little snippet about me as a person and something I am very excited and passionate about: DOING GENEALOGY! I've loved doing my Family History work since I was a little kid. I was fortunate that my grandmother had recorded a decent amount of her husband's line years and years ago. She was able to contact grandparents and great grandparents for letters and information that they could verify going back with certainty to 1818 and with some question marks all the way back 1690. I loved doing genealogy so much that I actually worked on memorizing the names, birthdays and locations of as many direct ancestors as I could (which actually was a habit that paid off later on during my mission for the Church).

I'm not going to bore you with a detailed history of my ancestors (though I'm more than happy to provide some) but I am excited to show just how much information you can find going back to the early 1600's and even farther. I'll also share a little bit of why genealogy means so much to Mormons (Latter Day Saints).

The Church and I

I've been thinking lately that I've never truly explained who I am and what my situation is with the LDS Church. Today I'll give a short (hopefully) overview of my story and why I am willing to risk so much to criticize the Church on the errors and injustices I see. Even though I'll be sharing my story honestly I do not intend to share all I've been through, I intend to be very candid and forthcoming about my experiences but there are definitely things that are better left unsaid or said in very limited detail.

Technically I was born a third generation Mormon since it was my grandparents who were baptized which incidentally led to both my mother and I to eventually be born into the Church. I say "technically" because for a long time my mother and I were the only ones in our family to actually be active members. I was baptized by my Bishop at 8 years old, received the Priesthood at 12 and served in virtually every Presidency available to young men my age. I graduated Seminary (Mormon youth scripture study program during the high school years) with all the extra awards for full attendance and scripture memorization etc. I served a Full Time 2 year Mission for the Church, Spanish speaking, received a 4 year Diploma in graduating Institute (the college version of Seminary), and served in various leadership and teaching positions. I studied the scriptures so much, and thankfully had a good memory, that whenever others had gospel related questions they usually came to me for the answers.

Mormonism 101

So I'm thinking that somebody, somewhere, somewhen (yes I know that isn't a word), might find my blog even though they aren't actually Mormon and I'm thinking that they might not know a lot about what the Church is and whatnot. I understand that there is a lot of mixed information out there from different sources and so I thought that this might be a good place to just go over a few basics; how the Church got started, what it claims to be, what certain terms mean, what the organizational structure looks like etc.

I know I've written a lot of really long posts lately so I'll do my best to keep this short and sweet!

Dear Sister Nelson

 Dear Sister Nelson,

I would kindly ask you to refrain from spreading false doctrines in your official speaking assignments. No one can completely condemn you just for your sincere (though incorrect and non-doctrinal) beliefs but you are not safe from scrutiny and condemnation when you teach those falsehoods publicly.

Now, you might very well become defensive and upset at hearing a statement like this and that is understandable. Nevertheless it is much more polite than what most members of the Church (and leaders) have said to members of the LGBT community and to persons who are friendly to our community, even recently. Still, it is true that you said things that are not doctrine and are in fact not accepted by the First Presidency. I am not simply stating my own opinion of your words but I intend to prove by the words of the First Presidency and various Apostles the truth of my own claims.

Mormons, Pharisees and Zoramites

I POSTED THIS AS A COMMENT IN A FACEBOOK DISCUSSION:

"I've recently begun to realize that the current behavior of the Church and many of it's members is very comparable to the Zoramites of the Book of Mormon and the Pharisee's at the time of Christ.
Christ condemned the Pharisees for putting overly strict obedience before the well-being of humankind. Also for multiplying laws and commands to govern every aspect of life.

The Zoramites put intense stock in their own purity and spiritual superiority over all other religions and beliefs. They claimed that they were set apart to be special above all others. How often in testimony meetings do we hear similar statements about the "One True Church" and being set apart as the only people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ?