A Thoughtful Faith - Mormon / LDS

Over the last couple of years, Michael Wright has discovered his spiritual self anew in the LDS Restoration tradition.  A descendant of Mormon pioneers he spent years trying to make himself straight in the LDS Church so he could be everything that was expected of him.   But, despite his efforts, nothing worked and his religious and spiritual life went on hold.

Then he discovered Community of Christ, (not an offshoot but a Restoration cousin of the Utah Mormons) a Christian church that offers full inclusion to LGBTQ people and women.

Now, the newly baptized Michael participates fully in the spiritual and missional life of Community of Christ from his home in Rome, Italy.   He has discovered, God and Jesus Christ and the Spiritual life as a gay man married to the love of his life, Antonio.

Direct download: Michael_Wright_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:15pm NZDT

For most people, General Conference is a pleasant ritual.  

But General Conference over the years has become less straightforward, particularly for women. Sara Hughes-Zabawa a licensed mental health worker, and Carrie Salisbury, a board member and moderator at Exponent II share their reflections on the General Conference fall out.

Direct download: General_Conference_2019_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:51am NZDT

What kind of claim does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have to the proposition that they are a faithful continuation of the church Joseph established?  What kind of character was Brigham Young anyway?  What did he really want with a church and a people?  

Dr David Mason is the author of Brigham Young: Sovereign in America and he joins me to discuss the man who made the Mormons.

Direct download: David_Mason_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:06pm NZDT

The perennial question is where, how and what do we teach our children about sex and sexuality? What is appropriate, and what isn't? Additionally, those who have come from orthodox faith traditions are often on the back foot and at a loss as to how to re-think sex let alone teach their children about sex and sexuality.

Our Whole Lives (OWL) is life span sexuality programme that caught my attention after being mentioned in 'Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement that Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free' by Linda Kay Klein. The premise of OWL is that the more informed we are, the better positioned we are to make holistic, healthy decisions about our sexuality.

OWL is based on four key values: Self-worth (everyone has worth); Sexual Health; Responsibility; Justice and Inclusivity.

Dr Melanie Davis is the OWL Program Manager for the Unitarian Universalist Association and joins me to discuss OWL a lifespan sexuality program that takes nothing for granted.

Direct download: Melanie_Davis_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:30pm NZDT

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