Utah tops list as happiest state

Excerpts of Happiest States are Wealthy and Tolerant By Jeanna Bryner, Senior Writer, LiveScience.com

Though you might not be able to run away from your problems, moving to another state could be good for the soul. New research suggests U.S. states with wealthier, better educated and more tolerant residents are also happier on average.

The reasoning is that wealthy states can provide infrastructure and so it's easier for residents to get their needs met. In addition, states with a greater proportion of artists and gays would also be places where residents can freely express themselves.

On average, well-being was highest in the Mountain states and West Coast states, followed by the Eastern Seaboard and then the Midwest and Southern states.

"We can only make generalizations about groups of people," said study researcher Jason Rentfrow of the University of Cambridge in England. "These results don't say wealthy people are happier than unwealthy people, [or that] people who live in areas where people are wealthy are happier."

Happy states

Rentfrow and his colleagues came to their conclusions by analyzing data collected from more than 350,000 individuals who were interviewed between Jan. 2 and Dec. 30, 2008 as part of the Gallup Organization's Well-Being Index. The index includes six types of well-being: overall evaluation of their lives, emotional health, physical health, healthy behaviors (such as whether a person smokes or exercises), and job satisfaction.

Here are the top 10 states and their average well-being scores (out of a possible 100 points):

• Utah: 69.2
• Hawaii: 68.2
• Wyoming: 68
• Colorado: 67.3
• Minnesota: 67.3
• Maryland: 67.1
• Washington: 67.1
• Massachusetts: 67
• California: 67
• Arizona: 66.8

Church backs SLC protections for gays after series of secret meetings

Excerpts of LDS Church supports SLC anti-bias ordinance by Matt Canham, Derek P. Jensen And Rosemary Winters, The Salt Lake Tribune
________________________________

In a rare move, the LDS Church announced Tuesday night its support of Salt Lake City's proposed ordinances protecting gay and transgender people from discrimination in housing and employment.

"The church supports these ordinances," said spokesman Michael Otterson, "because they are fair and reasonable and do not do violence to the institution of marriage."

"I believe in a church that believes in human dignity and treating people with respect when we disagree ... especially when we disagree."

The move was hailed by leaders of Utah's gay community -- some of them stunned -- who called it groundbreaking policy that they hope will set the stage for statewide legislation.

"We're really excited. This is a great step," said Will Carlson, director of public policy for the gay-rights advocacy group Equality Utah. But, he noted, four out of five gay Utahns live outside of the capital and should be afforded protection as well.

Tuesday's announcement follows more than two months of secret meetings between midlevel LDS officials and five of Utah's most prominent gay leaders. And those meetings have their roots in the "kiss-in" protests that took place after LDS security detained two gay men on the church's Main Street Plaza after they were seen hugging and kissing.

Former City Council member Deeda Seed organized the first kiss-in protest and called current Council Chairman Carlton Christensen to talk it over. Christensen then suggested to LDS leaders that a dialogue with Utah's gay community may ease hostilities.

The officials thought it was worth a shot. They reached out to the leaders of Equality Utah and the Utah Pride Center, suggesting they huddle at the Church Office Building. The gay leaders suggested a coffee shop at the Utah Pride Center. They both settled on a neutral location -- the Avenues home of Sam and Diane Stewart. The Stewarts are active Mormons and close friends of Jim Dabakis, who helped found Equality Utah and the Pride Center.

"These were two communities living in the same town that just had no understanding of each other whatsoever," Dabakis said. "It was quite uncomfortable in the beginning."

The LDS Church sees the announcement as an olive branch to the gay community after months of growing tension over the church-backed Proposition 8 vote -- barring gay marriage in California -- and the kiss-in protests. Dabakis hopes it isn't the end of the discussion, but the beginning.

Indeed, Seed says, the meetings were emotional. Gay leaders recounted "horrible" anecdotes about being shut out of decisions regarding a partner's will, hospice decision or general medical care near the time of death.

"It's the power of stories," she added. "We had tears in our eyes."

Nationally, more than 100 cities have enacted such protections for gay and transgender people.

The Sutherland Institute, a conservative Salt Lake City think tank, opposes the anti-discrimination laws.

Becker's legislative liaison, Ben McAdams, says he is optimistic the church endorsement will provide cover for state lawmakers who otherwise may propose legislation to kill the city's anti-discrimination proposal. And it may deflate the fiery rhetoric expressed by conservatives, including Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan.

Read the entire article here.

LDS Church reportedly set to reach out to gay community

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/top%20stories/story/LDS-Church-reportedly-set-to-reach-out-to-gay/aakaBPvawUubWPBHkcoOhg.cspx

Numerous sources are now telling ABC 4 that the LDS Church is poised to extend an olive branch of sorts to the gay community.

These sources say the Church is expected to - both through spoken and written statements - to offer its support for proposed Salt Lake City ordinances extending protection to gays in the areas of employment and housing.

Reportedly, the Church has been in quiet discussion with members of Utah's gay community.

This announcement from the Church is expected sooner rather then later.

It is being described to ABC 4 as being very significant.

We will bring you further details in this major story as it develops. 

Copyright 2009 Newport Television LLC All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Mormon Studies Student Association

Announcing the Salt Lake Mormon Studies Student Association

By: Jared T of the Juvenile Instructor

Announcing the Salt Lake Mormon Studies Student Association.

Mission Statement:

The Salt Lake Mormon Studies Student Association was established to foster the academic study of Mormonism among graduate and undergraduate students in the Salt Lake City area. SLMSSA activities and events will help students network, keep abreast of developments in the academic study of Mormonism, facilitate interaction between students and established scholars of Mormonism, and generally promote academic development.

To achieve this, the Association hopes to sponsor socials, public lectures, and other events.

Any student enrolled in a college or university located in Salt Lake County is eligible for membership though we welcome participation from friends who are students in other areas or other non-students.

1) Our opening social will be Thursday, November 12 at 6 pm in the Common Room (2nd floor) of the A. Ray Olpin University Union building at the University of Utah (#53 on this map). If you are a student enrolled in a school in Salt Lake County, please come to our opening social.

2) Details will be forthcoming on the following lectures which will be open to the public:

November 19-Paul Reeve

December 3-Kristine Haglund

January 28-Steve Harper

February 25-Brian Cannon

March-TBA

April 29-Brittany Chapman

3) And finally, I am in the fund raising stages of organizing a conference on Latin American Mormon Studies in Salt Lake slated for Fall 2010.

Whether future years are as busy as this one is to be determined, but we hope to continue to offer a robust set of activities and many opportunities for interaction.  If you're in the Salt Lake area, I hope you'll attend our lectures and if you are a graduate or undergraduate student at a Salt Lake County school, I hope you'll come to our social and join the Association.

Please direct any questions to saltlakemormonstudies@gmail.com. Thank you!

Jan Shipps lecture in Salt Lake: What Does Religious Studies Bring to the Study of Mormonism?

Jan Shipps on What Does Religious Studies Bring to the Study of
Mormonism? November 17, SLC

Please join us on Tuesday, November 17th for a special lecture by Jan
Shipps, long-time scholar of Mormonism and frequent participant at
Sunstone.

Her lecture will consist of reflections on field of religious studies,
and how the advances and techniques of this larger field equips
scholars of Mormonism.

Tuesday, November 17
Level 4 Meeting Room, Salt Lake City Main Library
210 East 400 South, Salt Lake.

Mingling at 6:30 pm, lecture starts at 7:00 pm.

Notification posted by MormonConferences.org

Polygamist Sect Leader Convicted of Sexual Assault

Excerpts of  Polygamist Sect Leader Convicted of Sexual Assault by JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr., New York Times

ELDORADO, Tex. — One of the leaders of a polygamist sect was convicted Thursday night of sexually assaulting an under-age girl whom the church elders had assigned to him as one of his nine wives.

A jury of seven men and five women deliberated 2 hours 20 minutes before returning a verdict of guilty in the first trial of a dozen members of the Yearning for Zion Ranch just outside this rural hamlet in West Texas.

Mr. Jessop will be sentenced after a second hearing before the jury on Monday. He faces penalties ranging from 2 years' probation to 20 years in prison.

Mr. Jessop is one of the most prominent members of a breakaway sect that has at least four other communities in Arizona and Utah. He is close to Warren S. Jeffs, the self-styled prophet and leader of the sect.

The trial of Mr. Jessop offered a rare glimpse of the inner workings of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a group that split from the Mormon Church. Followers believe polygamy brings heavenly rewards and treat Mr. Jeffs as a modern-day prophet.

Since the woman said to be the victim, who is now 21, did not testify, Mr. Nichols used the documents, along with her photo album, to prove she lived with Mr. Jessop as one of his wives and was impregnated by him when she was 16.

One of the most damning pieces of evidence presented in court was a written record of Mr. Jeffs's instructions in August 2005 not to take the girl to a hospital even though she had been struggling in labor for three days at a clinic on the ranch.

"I knew the girl, being 16 years old, if she went to the hospital, they could put Raymond Jessop in jeopardy of prosecution as the government is looking for any reason to come against us there," Mr. Jeffs was quoted as saying.

Ms. Musser testified that Mr. Jeffs had controlled every aspect of the women's lives, including how they dressed and what they ate. He also controlled whom they married and when.

"Age was not a factor," she said. "It was when the prophet deemed she was worthy."

Gay-Marriage Fight Heads to New Jersey

Gay-Marriage Fight Heads to New Jersey
Wall Street Journal

By KEITH J. WINSTEIN

The battle over gay rights will move to New Jersey and the federal government, advocates said, after Tuesday's narrow rejection of same-sex marriage by Maine voters in a hard-fought contest.

The Democrat-controlled legislature in New Jersey, which currently recognizes same-sex couples in civil unions, is under pressure to pass a bill authorizing gay marriage before Gov. Jon Corzine ends his term in mid-January.

Mr. Corzine, a Democrat unseated in Tuesday's election, said he would sign such a bill. His successor, Republican Chris Christie, opposes same-sex marriages.

"New Jersey is at the very top of our list, and it's going to happen in the next few weeks if it happens at all," said Maggie Gallagher, the president of the National Organization for Marriage, which opposes same-sex marriages. "They're doing it in a lame duck, because it's as far away from an election as possible."

continue the article here

Scientific look at prayer

Excerpts of For Prayer Skeptics: Studies that Show the Health Benefits of Prayer

Monday October 26, 2009

There is overwhelming evidence - enough to say without hesitation: Prayer is healthy for those who practice it.

Dale Matthew's book "The Faith Factor" and William Backus' "The Healing Power of a Healthy Mind" offer reviews of some of these studies.

Here are a few of best known studies linking prayer with health:

Poloma. M. M., Pendleton, B. F. (1991). The effects of prayer and prayer experiences on measures of general well-being. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 1, 71-83. This study demonstrated that prayer and prayer experiences have a positive effect on the general health of those who practice it. 

Laird, S. P., (1991). A preliminary investigation into the role of prayer as a coping technique for adult patients with arthritis (arthritis patients). (Doctoral dissertation, University of Kansas, 1991). Laird found that in arthritis patients 1) having faith in prayer was positively related to better emotional adjustment, 2) praying more days per week was positively related to fewer health concerns, 3) engaging in confessional prayer was positively related to having more health concerns, 4) engaging in receptive prayer was positively related to greater social involvement with friends and relatives. 

Highfield, M. (1992).  Spiritual health of oncology patients: Nurse and patient perspectives.  Cancer Nursing, 10, 1-8. Highfield demonstrates that faith is a significant aid for patients dealing with chronic pain. 

Levin, J. (1994). Religion and health: Is there an association?  Is it valid?  Is it causal?  Social Science and Medicine, v.38, n.11, 1475-82. This study documents how religious practice lessens the effects of sickle-cell anemia. 

Backus, W. (1997). The healing power of a healthy mind. Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers.  Backus recounts studies showing how faith strengthens the immune system and gives bolstering weapons for patients battling AIDS.

Gardner, J., & Lyon, J. (1982).  Cancer in Utah Mormon men by lay priesthood level. American Journal of Epidermiology, 116, 243-57.  These researchers identified a correlation between regular public worship and lower cancer rates. 

Enstrom, J. E. (1989). Health practices and cancer mortality among active California Mormons.  Journal of National Cancer Institute, 81, 1807-14. This study discovered that for those who do contract cancer, faith is a significant factor in recovery.

Graham, T, B., Kaplan, J., Cornoni-Huntley, S., James, C., Becker, C., Hames, S., & Heydon, S. (1978).  Frequency of church attendance and blood pressure elevation.  Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 1, 37-43. They found that participation in some form of public worship is an effective deterrent against high blood pressure. 

Comstock, G. & Partridge, K. (1972).  Church attendance and health. Journal of Chronic Diseases, 25, 665-72. This study of 91,909 individuals in Maryland found that those who attended church once or more per week had significantly lower death rate from heart disease (50% reduction), emphysema (56% reduction), and cirrhosis of the liver (74% reduction). 

Cerrato, Paul L. (1998). Spirituality and healing. RN, 2, 49. Cerrato found that faith elevated the general health of patients.

Berkel, J. & de Waard, F.(1983). Mortality pattern and life expectancy of Seventh-Day Adventists in the Netherlands.   International Journal of Epidermiology 4, 455-59.  This study showed that church attendance, meditation, religious study, and worship quite literally invigorate the body.

BYU terminates it's Women's Research Institute

Excerpts of BYU to fold its Women's Research Institute by Brian Maffly, Salt Lake Tribune

--
Some faculty members at Brigham Young University are mourning the apparent demise of the school's Women's Research Institute, an interdisciplinary center that has sponsored research across the academic spectrum for three decades.

Administration officials announced the move last week, calling it a reorganization that "will result in significantly expanded resources and creative activities pertaining to women," according to BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins.

But in an Internet posting, unnamed WRI-affiliated faculty noted that the reorganization removes an institution with a record of coordinating research across disciplines, from ancient scripture to health science. The center, with 83 affiliated faculty from nearly every department on campus, has published dozens of papers, notably in the areas of peace and violence.

"This is really significant research that has been recognized at the highest levels in social science and it's disappearing as a university priority. It's utterly lamentable because there's still a need for that," said political science professor Valerie Hudson in an interview.

An outside scholar called WRI's elimination "unfortunate," particularly in light of BYU's troubled history with women's studies. In the mid 1990s, a popular women's conference was launched and folded amid much controversy, noted Christine Talbot, a scholar of Mormon history who coordinates University of Northern Colorado's women's studies program.

"A lot of people saw the institute as an effort to revamp women's studies on that campus," said Talbot, who completed her doctoral work at the University of Utah three years ago. "It's the only place in the United States that is a focal point for Mormon women's history."

Read the entire article here.

Gay rights petition delivered to Mormon church

Gay rights petition delivered to Mormon church
Caspar Star-Tribune
November 4, 2009

A foundation that supports gay rights delivered a petition Wednesday to Mormon church leaders asking them to reconsider their policies and political activism against gay marriage.

About 50 members of the Foundation for Reconciliation delivered the petition to mark the one-year anniversary of a ballot initiative that banned gay marriage in California, spokesman Peter Danzig said. The foundation had collected about 2,000 signatures on the petition, which has circulated online since June.

A church security staffer accepted the delivery, which was brought to the downtown Salt Lake City headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by a group pulling a replica of a Mormon pioneer handcart. About half the group had pulled the handcart about five miles from This is the Place state park, which memorializes the entrance of Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake valley in 1847...

http://www.trib.com/news/state-and-local/article_99dcf06a-8997-52ef-a205-de12ee5afdec.html

Creationism and Intelligent Design: Scientific and Theological Difficulties

Creationism and Intelligent Design: Scientific and Theological Difficulties

David H.  Bailey
4 Nov 2009

Introduction

Many religious believers today are comfortable with the notion of an evolutionary process over many millions of years as Gods means for achieving the creation.  In other words, they believe that while God governed the creation in some sense, it proceeded largely by natural laws and processes that can be uncovered by diligent research.  An open-ended philosophy of this sort is entirely consistent with modern scientific knowledge, and for many (the present author included), the war between science and religion ends here.

A recent report by the National Academy of Science observed, Science and religion are based on different aspects of human experience ...  Attempts to pit science and religion against each other create controversy where none needs to exist.  The report adds, Scientists and theologians have written eloquently about their awe and wonder at the history of the universe and of life on this planet, explaining that they see no conflict between their faith in God and the evidence for evolution.[1] Among the notable and openly God-fearing scientists cited in this report are Francis Collins (Director of the U.S.  National Institutes of Health and former Director of the Human Genome Project), Kenneth Miller (a well-known biologist and co-author of the most widely used biology textbook), and George Coyne (former Director of the Vatican Observatory).

Others in modern society (often but not always associated with conservative religious movements) insist on a more traditional view of the creation.  Many of these persons further believe that there is scientific evidence to support such a view.  In a 2004 poll, 45 percent of Americans agreed that God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so.[2] In a 2005 poll, 42 percent of Americans agreed that humans and other living things have existed in their present form since the beginning of time.[3] Such persons have been drawn to the creationist movement and still are, although today the intelligent design (ID) movement has been growing in popularity.

Typical of recent creationist literature is the declaration that millions of years of evolution not only contradicts the clear teaching of Genesis and the rest of Scripture but also impugns the character of God.[4] ID literature is more accepting of modern science, but still holds that Darwinian evolution is scientifically faulty, and cannot be reconciled with Judeo-Christian theism.[5]

This paper will examine the creationist and intelligent design movements from both a scientific and a theological perspective.  This discussion is framed for adherents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), although much of this analysis is independent of any particular religious denomination.

1 National Academy of Science, Institute of Medicine, Science, Evolution and Creationism, The National Academies Press, Washington, 2008, pg.  12.

2 Gallup Poll, 2004, available at (this and all other URLS in this paper were verified on 4 Oct 2009): http://www.gallup.com/poll/14107/third-americans-say-evidence-has-supported-darwins-evolution-theory.aspx.

3 Pew Forum survey, 2005, available at http://pewforum.org/publications/surveys/religion-politics-05.pdf.

4 Ken Ham, Couldnt God Have Used Genesis?, 1 May 2009, available at http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/nab/couldnt-god-have-used-evolution.

5 John G.  West, Is Darwinian Evolution Compatible with Religion?, 22 Aug 2007, available at http://www.discovery.org/a/9721.

Continue the article here

Diaries of Mormon apostle John Henry Smith made available

Diaries of Mormon apostle made available

The content of the diaries of Mormon Apostle John Henry Smith have been made available on-line.

John Henry Smith served as an apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the presidencies of John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow and Joseph F. Smith (1880-1910).  The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is the second highest governing body of the LDS church.

He also served in the church's highest quorum, The First Presidency, as a counselor to Joseph F. Smith (1910-1911).

Continue reading

Gay Marriage law rejected in Maine

Maine election results: Gay marriage law rejected
http://www.examiner.com/x-19632-Salt-Lake-City-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m11d4-Maine-election-results-2009-gay-marriage-law-rejected#

Voters in Maine rejected a law on Tuesday that would have allowed same
sex couples to marry, and would have become the 6th state in the
country to allow same-sex marriages. In May, Maine legalized same sex
marriage and yesterday that law was repealed.

With perhaps one of the most anticipated results from the 2009
November election, many people waited to hear what would be decided.
At 2 am, with 87% reporting votes, opponents of same-sex marriage had
53% of the votes and supporters had 47%.

Maine voters are known for their independent minded views, and gay
rights activists were hoping for a positive outcome. Five states
currently support and perform gay marriages, Iowa, Connecticut,
Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. New York and Washington DC
recognize same-sex marriages, but do not grant them.

California was one of the first states to support gay marriages and
perform same-sex marriages, but then Proposition 8 was overturned,
which resulted in a national debate over the issue.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (also known as the
Mormon Church) has been one of the largest financial supporters
against same-sex marriage. They have been outspoken about their views,
and as a result many gay-rights activists have conducted protests in
Salt Lake City against the Mormon Church since Prop 8 was overturned.

Mormon "zeal of the convert" runs counter to other religions

Excerpts of The "Zeal of the Convert": Is It the Real Deal?" Pew Forum on religion and public life
--

A common perception about individuals who switch religions is that they are very fervent about their new faith. A new analysis by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life provides quantitative support for this piece of conventional wisdom often referred to as the "zeal of the convert." The analysis finds that people who have switched faiths (or joined a faith after being raised unaffiliated with a religion) are indeed slightly more religious than those who have remained in their childhood faith, as measured by the importance of religion in their lives, frequency with which they attend religious services and other measures of religious commitment. However, the analysis also finds that the differences in religious commitment between converts and nonconverts are generally very small and are more apparent among some religious groups than others.

One of the most striking findings of the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, conducted by the Pew Forum in 2007, was the large number of people who have left their childhood faith. According to the survey, roughly half of all Americans say they have left the faith in which they were raised to adopt another faith or no faith at all, or if they were not raised in a religion, they have since joined one.

The new analysis finds that, overall, people who have switched religions consistently exhibit higher levels of religious commitment than those who still belong to their childhood faith, but the differences are relatively modest. For example, among people currently affiliated with a religion:

• Slightly more than two-thirds of converts (69%) say religion is very important to them, compared with 62% of nonconverts.

• Half of converts (51%) attend worship services at least once a week, compared with 44% of nonconverts.

• More than eight-in-ten converts (82%) believe in God with absolute certainty, compared with 77% of nonconverts.

• Seven-in-ten converts (70%) pray every day, compared with 62% of nonconverts.

• About three-in-ten converts (29%) say they share their views on God with others at least once a week, compared with two-in-ten nonconverts (20%).

• And slightly more than one-quarter of converts (27%) say theirs is the one true faith, compared with 22% of nonconverts.

The analysis reveals only one striking exception to this pattern: Lifelong Mormons are significantly more religious than converts to the faith on two measures. Nonconverts are, for instance, more likely to attend church regularly and to believe that theirs is the one true faith than are converts to the Mormon faith. Outside of Mormonism, however, the analysis finds no instances where lifelong members of a particular faith exhibit significantly higher levels of religious commitment than converts on any of the six measures.

Spong: A Manifesto! "The Time Has Come"

John Shelby Spong  is the retired American bishop of the Episcopal Church Diocese of Newark.  He is a theologian, Biblical scholar and author.
 
http://secure.agoramedia.com/spong/34674.asp

October 15, 2009

A Manifesto! The Time Has Come!

I have made a decision. I will no longer debate the issue of homosexuality in the church with anyone. I will no longer engage the biblical ignorance that emanates from so many right-wing Christians about how the Bible condemns homosexuality, as if that point of view still has any credibility. I will no longer discuss with them or listen to them tell me how homosexuality is "an abomination to God," about how homosexuality is a "chosen lifestyle," or about how through prayer and "spiritual counseling" homosexual persons can be "cured." Those arguments are no longer worthy of my time or energy. I will no longer dignify by listening to the thoughts of those who advocate "reparative therapy," as if homosexual persons are somehow broken and need to be repaired. I will no longer talk to those who believe that the unity of the church can or should be achieved by rejecting the presence of, or at least at the expense of, gay and lesbian people. I will no longer take the time to refute the unlearned and undocumentable claims of certain world religious leaders who call homosexuality "deviant." I will no longer listen to that pious sentimentality that certain Christian leaders continue to employ, which suggests some version of that strange and overtly dishonest phrase that "we love the sinner but hate the sin." That statement is, I have concluded, nothing more than a self-serving lie designed to cover the fact that these people hate homosexual persons and fear homosexuality itself, but somehow know that hatred is incompatible with the Christ they claim to profess, so they adopt this face-saving and absolutely false statement. I will no longer temper my understanding of truth in order to pretend that I have even a tiny smidgen of respect for the appalling negativity that continues to emanate from religious circles where the church has for centuries conveniently perfumed its ongoing prejudices against blacks, Jews, women and homosexual persons with what it assumes is "high-sounding, pious rhetoric." The day for that mentality has quite simply come to an end for me. I will personally neither tolerate it nor listen to it any longer. The world has moved on, leaving these elements of the Christian Church that cannot adjust to new knowledge or a new consciousness lost in a sea of their own irrelevance. They no longer talk to anyone but themselves. I will no longer seek to slow down the witness to inclusiveness by pretending that there is some middle ground between prejudice and oppression. There isn't. Justice postponed is justice denied. That can be a resting place no longer for anyone. An old civil rights song proclaimed that the only choice awaiting those who cannot adjust to a new understanding was to "Roll on over or we'll roll on over you!" Time waits for no one.

I will particularly ignore those members of my own Episcopal Church who seek to break away from this body to form a "new church," claiming that this new and bigoted instrument alone now represents the Anglican Communion. Such a new ecclesiastical body is designed to allow these pathetic human beings, who are so deeply locked into a world that no longer exists, to form a community in which they can continue to hate gay people, distort gay people with their hopeless rhetoric and to be part of a religious fellowship in which they can continue to feel justified in their homophobic prejudices for the rest of their tortured lives. Church unity can never be a virtue that is preserved by allowing injustice, oppression and psychological tyranny to go unchallenged.

In my personal life, I will no longer listen to televised debates conducted by "fair-minded" channels that seek to give "both sides" of this issue "equal time." I am aware that these stations no longer give equal time to the advocates of treating women as if they are the property of men or to the advocates of reinstating either segregation or slavery, despite the fact that when these evil institutions were coming to an end the Bible was still being quoted frequently on each of these subjects. It is time for the media to announce that there are no longer two sides to the issue of full humanity for gay and lesbian people. There is no way that justice for homosexual people can be compromised any longer.

I will no longer act as if the Papal office is to be respected if the present occupant of that office is either not willing or not able to inform and educate himself on public issues on which he dares to speak with embarrassing ineptitude. I will no longer be respectful of the leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who seems to believe that rude behavior, intolerance and even killing prejudice is somehow acceptable, so long as it comes from third-world religious leaders, who more than anything else reveal in themselves the price that colonial oppression has required of the minds and hearts of so many of our world's population. I see no way that ignorance and truth can be placed side by side, nor do I believe that evil is somehow less evil if the Bible is quoted to justify it. I will dismiss as unworthy of any more of my attention the wild, false and uninformed opinions of such would-be religious leaders as Pat Robertson, James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, Jimmy Swaggart, Albert Mohler, and Robert Duncan. My country and my church have both already spent too much time, energy and money trying to accommodate these backward points of view when they are no longer even tolerable.

I make these statements because it is time to move on. The battle is over. The victory has been won. There is no reasonable doubt as to what the final outcome of this struggle will be. Homosexual people will be accepted as equal, full human beings, who have a legitimate claim on every right that both church and society have to offer any of us. Homosexual marriages will become legal, recognized by the state and pronounced holy by the church. "Don't ask, don't tell" will be dismantled as the policy of our armed forces. We will and we must learn that equality of citizenship is not something that should ever be submitted to a referendum. Equality under and before the law is a solemn promise conveyed to all our citizens in the Constitution itself. Can any of us imagine having a public referendum on whether slavery should continue, whether segregation should be dismantled, whether voting privileges should be offered to women? The time has come for politicians to stop hiding behind unjust laws that they themselves helped to enact, and to abandon that convenient shield of demanding a vote on the rights of full citizenship because they do not understand the difference between a constitutional democracy, which this nation has, and a "mobocracy," which this nation rejected when it adopted its constitution. We do not put the civil rights of a minority to the vote of a plebiscite.

I will also no longer act as if I need a majority vote of some ecclesiastical body in order to bless, ordain, recognize and celebrate the lives and gifts of gay and lesbian people in the life of the church. No one should ever again be forced to submit the privilege of citizenship in this nation or membership in the Christian Church to the will of a majority vote.

The battle in both our culture and our church to rid our souls of this dying prejudice is finished. A new consciousness has arisen. A decision has quite clearly been made. Inequality for gay and lesbian people is no longer a debatable issue in either church or state. Therefore, I will from this moment on refuse to dignify the continued public expression of ignorant prejudice by engaging it. I do not tolerate racism or sexism any longer. From this moment on, I will no longer tolerate our culture's various forms of homophobia. I do not care who it is who articulates these attitudes or who tries to make them sound holy with religious jargon.

I have been part of this debate for years, but things do get settled and this issue is now settled for me. I do not debate any longer with members of the "Flat Earth Society" either. I do not debate with people who think we should treat epilepsy by casting demons out of the epileptic person; I do not waste time engaging those medical opinions that suggest that bleeding the patient might release the infection. I do not converse with people who think that Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans as punishment for the sin of being the birthplace of Ellen DeGeneres or that the terrorists hit the United Sates on 9/11 because we tolerated homosexual people, abortions, feminism or the American Civil Liberties Union. I am tired of being embarrassed by so much of my church's participation in causes that are quite unworthy of the Christ I serve or the God whose mystery and wonder I appreciate more each day. Indeed I feel the Christian Church should not only apologize, but do public penance for the way we have treated people of color, women, adherents of other religions and those we designated heretics, as well as gay and lesbian people.

Life moves on. As the poet James Russell Lowell once put it more than a century ago: "New occasions teach new duties, Time makes ancient good uncouth." I am ready now to claim the victory. I will from now on assume it and live into it. I am unwilling to argue about it or to discuss it as if there are two equally valid, competing positions any longer. The day for that mentality has simply gone forever.

This is my manifesto and my creed. I proclaim it today. I invite others to join me in this public declaration. I believe that such a public outpouring will help cleanse both the church and this nation of its own distorting past. It will restore integrity and honor to both church and state. It will signal that a new day has dawned and we are ready not just to embrace it, but also to rejoice in it and to celebrate it.
– John Shelby Spong

Claremont School of Religion on ITunes U

CGU now live on iTunesU. University-wide research, news, and major events available in podcast form

Claremont Graduate University announced that it is now active and live on iTunes University. We are part of a group of 175 colleges and universities vetted by Apple, Inc., to be included in this site.

Advancement Vice-President Gregory Pierre Cox underscored the value to CGU as a result of the persistence and efforts of University Communications. "CGU's presence on iTunes University expands our connection to hundreds of millions of iTunes users," said Cox. "It will help us promote the work of our faculty, the quality of their research and publishing, showcase our students, and reaffirm the importance of CGU to society."

This additional communications platform adds another level to the university's leading-edge communications plans featuring our YouTube channel, website, Twitter, and Facebook platforms. University Communications will be working with each of the schools to build their presences as we move forward to share our vision with friends, alumni and alumnae, donors and prospective donors, and the general public.

CGU's iTunesU center is located at the following link: http://deimos3.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/Browse/cgu.edu

Review: "The Joseph Smith Papers: Revelations and Translations" part 2/2 by Jeffrey Needle

Comments by Jeffrey Needle (see part 1 of 2 here)

As you can see, Joe Geisner's comments easily stand on their own; he certainly needs no help from me, or anyone, in expressing his views about this massive volume. Rather than write a separate review, Joe has kindly allowed me to piggyback my few thoughts on to his review, to offer a non-member's perspective. I trust I don't repeat too much of what Joe has to say in his very fine and very complete review.

Since hearing about the content of this volume at a talk given by Elder Marlin K. Jensen, the current Church Historian, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. It sounded a bit like just the thing for Mormonphiles like myself, who have an enormous interest in all things LDS but who have no emotional attachment to the claims of the religion. And as Joe points out in his review, leaders have been reluctant over the years to admit that substantive, important changes were made to the revelations. This volume could signal a new era in Mormon history-telling, surely good news!

I've pondered the reluctance of Church authorities to lay out the historical record cleanly and completely. It's almost as if some of the leaders have feared that Mormonism is, in effect, a house of cards that might collapse at any moment if it is discovered that there have been changes, alterations in the revelations. But is Mormonism so frail, so unsteady on its feet, that a whiff of the truth might make it all come down?

As Richard Bushman said some time ago, "We've grown up. We can now discuss our past openly and honestly." Elder Jensen adds, "We have nothing to hide." Bravo! And with this volume, we can see a glimpse of the richness, and variety, of the revelatory experience in early Mormonism. More importantly, we can now understand revelation as a progressive and flexible phenomenon, rather than a producer of static communication from God to man.

Of course, some realities emerge whenever discussing religious institutions and their telling of their own story. Sociology 101 teaches us that the primary purpose of every institution is self-preservation, that organizations will not do anything that will threaten the stability and existence of that organization. And in Mormonism, the vast number of new members, those who must receive the milk first and then the meat, necessitates a careful telling of history, what Mormonism titles "faith-promoting."

But, in time, the milk no longer suffices; it's time for the meat. And finding meat on the Mormon menu has been pretty tough. The Bible itself tells us: "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." (Proverbs 4:18) Does this apply to prophetic experience as well? Of course it does! Why then do we shy away from the more difficult issues, such as changes to the revelations, when such changes can be understood as the result of that light shining brighter and brighter?

It is to be expected that, as time passes and as that light continues to shine, changes to the early revelations are to be expected. Some may balk: why not just create new revelations? Why alter what previous prophets have written?

The citation from Proverbs, I believe, contains the answer to this question. Not only does the doctrine of continuing revelation *allow* such updating, but it virtually *requires* it. While ultimate truth may be static and unchanging (although some would dispute this), the reality is that our perception of that truth, and our expression of our understanding of that truth, confront us from day to day.

Prophets are fallible; they are, after all, people, just like you and me. With a certain amount of boldness and, perhaps, some private doubts, these inspired men and women have penned their thoughts for all to read. At times they've had to go back and amend their writings. As their own vision of Truth became more focused, it is only natural to expect that they would go back and re-interpret their own views to conform to more recent revelation.

I can recall coming across a volume from Bookcraft early on in my explorations of Mormonism. It discussed Joseph's First Vision. To my surprise, it related several versions of that experience. The version canonized in the Pearl of Great Price is not the earliest, but rather the version, it seems, that is most faith-promoting. I wondered at the time how Mormons could accept the canonized version so readily. Today I understand the rationale and, surprisingly, have little trouble with it.

Was the Church ready for this book on the First Vision back when it was published? I recall it was published in 1980. Disturbingly, since then, the Church has shown little willingness to turn the historical pages and find the exquisite truth that lay behind the faith-promoting teachings. Joe mentions a few of the General Authorities who have tried to perpetuate a stereotype that simply falls to the side when considered closely and with complete honesty. I'm confident they're aware of what has actually taken place throughout their history. I'm also confident that their mission has not been to lay out the whole story before the world, but rather to present a confidence-building account that would feed the flock and encourage faithfulness.

Maybe this is why I treasure this newest volume so much. Yes, it weighs about 100 pounds (slight exaggeration?). And no, it isn't as compelling as a Dan Brown novel, nor as titillating as the latest Danielle Steel romance. But after Brown and Steel recede into our collective memory, this volume will stand tall as one of the most important and relevant releases from the Church's press.

Make no mistake: at nearly a hundred bucks, this is a big investment. But it's worth grabbing this volume now and spending some quality time re-discovering the roots of your faith. If Karl Barth was correct, that Scripture was, in effect, a "divine-human encounter" that morphs into a personal contact point for each of us individually, this book can come alive as evidence that early LDS revelation was, and still is, this same kind of encounter.

Each reader meets God in the Scriptures in a different way. Early LDS leaders likewise experienced God in their own deeply personal way. And as their minds scanned the theological horizon, and came to understand Joseph's revelations in new and exciting ways, they journeyed through those revelations and clarified so many points, filled so many holes.

What a treasure this book is! My excitement about owning this book is eclipsed only by my anticipation of what's coming next. Have we turned a corner in the telling of Mormon history? I hope so. I hope that Mormonism can now emerge from behind the sacred doors of the President's vault and present itself in all its glory and wonder.

Review: "The Joseph Smith Papers: Revelations and Translations" part 1/2 - by Joe Geisner

Review
======

Title: The Joseph Smith Papers: Revelations and Translations,
Manuscript Revelation Books , Facsimile Edition
Editors: Robin Scott Jensen, Robert J. Woodford, Steven C. Harper
Publisher: Church Historian's Press and Deseret Book
Genre: Non-fiction
Year Published: 2009
Number of Pages: 726
Binding: Hardcover
ISBN10: 1570088500
ISBN13: 978-1570088506
Price: $99.95

Reviewed by Joe Geisner, with additional comments by Jeffrey Needle
(see part 2/2)

The latest volume from the Joseph Smith Papers project, "Revelations
and Translations," has created quite a buzz in the Mormon historical
community. Numerous articles in the Church News, Deseret News, Mormon
Times, Salt Lake Tribune and The Ensign have covered the publication
of the volume. The next issue of BYU Studies will publish the papers
presented at the Mormon History Association conference this last May
about this volume. Many blogs have posted interviews with editors or
presented reviews of the volume. The reason for all the excitement is
manifold. The book is a beautiful example of printing. It provides
Mormons with some of the earliest records of the church, and the
contents of pages 8-405 are being made available for the first time
with this publication.
This volume consists of two revelation books recorded by scribes
employed by the Prophet Joseph Smith. The manuscript books cover the
years 1828 to 1834, which is a large percentage of Smith's
revelations.

This new volume may be the crown jewel of the thirty plus projected
volumes. In this volume of "Revelations and Translations" the reader
will find the raw manuscripts of one hundred and nine items in
Revelation Book 1 and fifty three items in Revelation Book 2. The
volume has two parts: the Book of Commandments and Revelations is
designated Revelation Book 1, and the Kirtland Revelations Book is
designated Revelation Book 2. The volume has a series introduction, a
volume introduction and each Revelation Book has an introduction. Each
page of the two revelation books is reproduced in a color photograph
on glossy paper. The facing page has a printed line-for-line, matching
typescript. Changes found in the manuscript are color coded to the
name of the person making the changes for easy identification.

The importance of these manuscript books can be illustrated with a
letter written by Joseph Smith and the revelations themselves. On July
31, 1832 Joseph Smith wrote a letter to W. W. Phelps warning and
instructing Phelps: "I will exhort you to be careful not to alter the
sense of any of them for he that adds or diminishes to the
prop[h]ecies must come under the condemnation writen therein." The
manuscripts themselves declare these are the words of Jesus Christ and
they are not to be tampered with: "Behold, and lo, these are the words
of Alpha and Omega, even Jesus Christ. Amen" (D&C 81:7), "listen to
the words of Jesus Christ, your Lord and your Redeemer" (D&C 15:1) and
"These sayings are true and faithful: wherefore transgress them not,
neither take therefrom" (D&C 68:34). The preface to the Book of
Commandments, itself a revelation, on page 223 in Revelation book 1,
declares the published volume of these manuscripts is the Lord's and
his servants' authority and those "who go forth bearing these tidings
unto the Inhabitants of the Earth to them is power given to seal both
on Earth & in Heaven." This new volume contains these sacred writings.

Exploring the manuscripts makes us feel like we have become an ancient
manuscript hunter or leaped into a Dan Brown novel. The volume
provides us with all kinds of avenues to take; research, critical text
evaluation, theological development, historical context and
understanding the revelatory process.

Some revelations are recorded in both Revelation Book 1 and Revelation
Book 2 like sections 76 and 78. This allows us to compare changes and
theological developments. Section 78 is found in manuscript in both
revelation books, and can also be found in manuscript in the Newel K.
Whitney collection. This last manuscript could be the earliest
manuscript of the three. Quite a number of changes occurred in section
78 when it was published in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants. The text
about "Michael your prince" and "Adam ondi-Ahman" were additions to
the revelation after these manuscripts were made. Section 76 is one of
the most popular theological teachings for Mormons and is commonly
called "The Vision." Though neither manuscript is the original
recording of the vision, they allow us to get as close to the original
as is possible. There is debate as to which of these two manuscripts
is the earliest.

With the publication of this volume we have the earliest wording for
the "Testimony of Witnesses" for the revelations of Joseph Smith, much
like the testimonies for the Book of Mormon. The testimony is found on
page 215 and titled "73 Revelation," with the editors suggesting it
was given about November 1, 1831. The testimony is signed by thirteen
priesthood holders, most signing after November 1831. John Whitmer
copied five additional names on to the testimony manuscript. It is
interesting to note that none of the eleven witnesses of the Book of
Mormon sign this testimony document. Some of the witnesses —Joseph
Smith Sr., Hyrum Smith, Martin Harris, Hiram Page and Samuel Smith —
were not in attendance for the meetings in November 1831 when this
revelation was recorded. Other Book of Mormon witnesses — Peter
Whitmer Jr, Christian Whitmer, David Whitmer, John Whitmer and Oliver
Cowdery — were in attendance for these November meetings, but did not
sign the testimony. Why these Book of Mormon witness names are
missing from this testimony is an area that needs further study. The
1835 Doctrine and Covenants page 255 also contains this revelation but
it is called "the written Testimony of the Twelve" for the Doctrine
and Covenants. The revelation can also be found in Dean Jessee's "The
Papers of Joseph Smith," volume 1, page 367-368. This manuscript
version has some ten words missing from the manuscript found in
Revelation Book 1. Having this testimony manuscript available allows
us to see its original intent and how it was later used by Smith and
the church.

The volume gives us an appreciation for the accuracy of Ezra Booth's
letters that Ira Eddy published in the Ohio Star. Booth wrote these
letters from September 12, 1831 to December 6, 1831. Booth gives a
brief history and some details about the early church not usually
found in other works. In one of Booth's letters he writes, "I have in
my possession the '27th commandment to Emma my daughter in Zion;'" and
in Revelation Book 1 page 38-39 John Whitmer has written "27th
Commandment A Revelation to Emma." People had always wondered what
Booth meant by "27th commandment" and now we know the reason he used
this phrase. Another more substantial comparison can be found with
Doctrine and Covenants section 28. This section is Book of
Commandments Ch. 30 and in Revelation Book 1 page 51-53. If you
compare this document with the Book of Commandments and the "Ezra
Booth letter," Ohio Star December 8, 1831, you discover some very
important differences. The manuscript in Revelation Book 1 provides us
with the source for these changes found in the Book of Commandments.
Sidney Rigdon is the person who went through the manuscript and made
changes for its publication in the Book of Commandments. One of the
important changes Rigdon makes is identifying the place for the city
of Zion. The original revelation has "among the Lamanites"; the Rigdon
change found in the Book of Commandments has it "on the borders by the
Lamanites." Booth's letter has the original wording found in the
manuscript. This does not mean Booth copied the revelation from
Revelation Book 1. Revelation Book 1 has an error John Whitmer made in
copying the revelation; Booth's copy found in his letter does not
contain this error.

I think it is important to put this new volume in perspective. One of
the manuscript books, Revelation Book 1, has been housed in the First
Presidency vault or collection since Joseph Fielding Smith became
church president in 1970. According to the introduction, Smith may
have known about the manuscript book as early as 1907. Church
authorities like B.H. Roberts who worked in the historian's office and
wrote extensively on church history had no knowledge of this
manuscript book. From the beginning of the twentieth century to about
2005 the importance of this manuscript book and the information
contained therein have been unknown to the church leadership, its
historians and scholars studying the texts of Joseph Smith's
revelations.

For years historians have believed a manuscript collection or
manuscript book existed for the publishing of the Book of
Commandments. This collection was believed to have been written and
organized in November 1831 at Hiram Ohio. When Revelation Book 1 was
first announced last year, many people came to the conclusion this
must be the manuscript collection for the Book of Commandments.
Internal evidence in the manuscript book itself shows it was used for
the publication of the Book of Commandments. The editors of this
volume have concluded the book was not intended as the manuscript book
for the Book of Commandments publication. Revelation Book 1 was
actually created and maintained as part of John Whitmer's church
calling. John Whitmer was called to be Church Historian on March 8,
1831. In response to his calling, Whitmer began copying Smith
revelations into the manuscript book. When Whitmer and Cowdery were
called at the conference of November 1831 to publish Smith's
revelations, it was decided to use the manuscript book Whitmer had
created for his calling as church historian. This is an example of how
the publication of this important volume is providing new historical
evidence that completely changes the way we thought events occurred.

In the last few years we have seen an avalanche of primary source
books published. This volume fits quite well with books like; "Early
Patriarchal Blessings," "Personal Writings of Joseph Smith," "Wilford
Woodruff's Journals," "Far West Record," "Kirtland Council Minute
Book," "The Nauvoo Endowment Companies," and "Words of Joseph Smith."
All of the forgoing publications provide us with the various types of
documents that help us understand our rich history. This new volume
will help us understand those first critical years of the church's
infancy. This book provides documents for a period where the
historical record is quite limited. Many questions will be answered
and many questions will be raised because of this volume.

Church leaders have discussed and written about changes in Mormon
scripture. This volume brings to light many changes in Joseph Smith's
revelations. Only forty five years ago, President Hugh B. Brown as a
member of the First Presidency wrote, "None of the early revelations
of the Church have been revised, and the Doctrine and Covenants stands
as printed…" (Hugh B. Brown letter 5-13-66, copy in my possession)
During this same period Wilford Wood's "Joseph Smith Begins His Work"
was pulled from Deseret Book Stores and individuals were told the
books were out of print, when in fact they were still in print and
available to book stores. In addition, people who inquired after the
books were told that "the Scriptures in their present format are
identical in content." (Wilford Wood letter 3-22-67, Marie Openshaw
letters 10-3-67 & 1-24-73, copies in my possession) The Wood books
reproduced the first edition of the Book of Mormon, the 1833 Book of
Commandments, and the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants. Elder Boyd K.
Packer said in the April 1974 conference, "Now, I add with emphasis
that such changes [in the books of revelation] have been basically
minor refinements in grammar, expression, punctuation, clarification.
Nothing fundamental has been altered. Why are they not spoken of over
the pulpit? Simply because by comparison they are so insignificant and
unimportant as literally to be not worth talking about. After all,
they have absolutely nothing to do with whether the books are true."

Similar ideas about Smith's first revelation, The Book of Mormon, can
also be found. In the Oct 1961 conference President Joseph Fielding
Smith said, "It is true that when the Book of Mormon was printed the
printer was a man who was unfriendly. The publication of the book was
done under adverse circumstances, and there were a few errors, mostly
typographical — conditions that arise in most any book that is being
published — but there was not one thing in the Book of Mormon or in
the second edition or any other edition since that in any way
contradicts the first edition, and such changes as were made, were
made by the Prophet Joseph Smith because under those adverse
conditions the Book of Mormon was published. But there was no change
of doctrine." Recently Royal Skousen has written, "The original [Book
of Mormon] manuscript supports the hypothesis that the text was given
to Joseph Smith word for word" and "Joseph Smith's editing for the
second and third editions (1837 and 1840) represents human editing,
not a revealed revision of the text.".
(http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2009/10/royal-skousens-12-questions-the-critical-text-version/)

Other writers have felt differently about changes made to scripture.
Joseph Anderson, secretary to the First Presidency, wrote in the 1970s
attesting to the accuracy of Wood's books. Anderson, in discussing
changes made in the Book of Mormon, writes: "Smith made many
corrections in the 1837 and the 1840 editions of the Book of Mormon."
Anderson then goes on to discuss the changes in the Doctrine and
Covenants, where he writes: "Smith, being the one who received these
revelations and had them recorded, likewise would have a right to add
or to subtract from, or change, the revelations and did so in some
cases." (Joseph Anderson letter 4-29-74, copy in my possession)
Currently, the FAIR wiki site has the following: "Joseph didn't claim
to be hearing a voice, and he didn't claim to be quoting God or
'taking dictation.' Rather, impressions would come to him, which he
would put into words. Joseph clearly did not consider them' direct
quotations' from God, since he was quite happy to revise them, edit
them later, etc."
(http://en.fairmormon.org/Lamanites_in_the_Doctrine_and_Covenants)

How one handles the above comments in light of the redactions, changes
in words and phrases, and theological changes will be an individual
endeavor. This new volume will allow each person access to these
revelations and see for themselves the changes that have been made. By
seeing these pages of scripture in their early form the reader can
have an informed understanding of this revelatory process. I highly
recommend this book, it is essential for everyone's library. This
volume makes clear that the manuscript revelations are gifts from God,
this printed volume is a gift from the church, and the editing and
photographs are gifts from the editors and those working on the papers
project.

(see part 2 of 2 for Jeffrey Needle's comments)

Sunstone Fundraiser: Oct 25th

Please consider making a big difference for Sunstone by donating $25 online to the Sunstone Cause on October 25 after 1:00 p.m. MST at http://bit.ly/2gXQXk

The Case Foundation Daily Giving Challenge awards $1000 to the nonprofit organization that receives the greatest number of unique donations on a single day (not the most money raised). With your help, we estimate that if 300 of Sunstone's subscribers make an online donation that afternoon, we will have a very good chance of winning $1000.

Your donation will also make us eligible to compete for additional cash prizes of up to $50,000 for our ability to "build collective action" and rally people to our Sunstone cause using social media tools through November 6.

If you send an email now to 25@sunstonemagazine.com, we will send you an automatic donation reminder on 25 October after 1 p.m. MST

Thank you for considering supporting the Sunstone Cause on Oct 25!

Movie - "8: The Mormon Proposition"

Trailer: 8: The Mormon Proposition

Movie web site,

IMDB synopsis of the film:
---
As California's anti-gay marriage proposition 8 languished in the polls, Mormon Prophet Thomas S. Monson issued a call from Salt Lake City to millions of Mormons all over the world. His was an order to action containing the secret code language of the highly secret Mormon temple ceremony. The action alert commanded Mormons in and out of California to do all things necessary to insure the passage of California's Proposition 8. Within days, hundreds of thousands of Mormons all over the United States funneled thirty million Mormon dollars in to California coffers to purchase the passage of California's anti-gay marriage Proposition 8.

Before the Mormons and their participation in the passage of Proposition 8, evangelicals were flopping in the fight. After Mormons got involved, the fight flourished.

During the fight, the Mormon Church media-engine, including mega-million dollar public relations and political consulting firm support, barraged Californians with a suffocating number of misleading television and radio ads and door-to-door campaigns manned by the Mormon NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MARRIAGE.

When Prop. 8 passed in California by a slim margin, Mormons were quick to take credit for the success. But when backlash from LGBT citizens targeted Mormon temples throughout the United States, the Mormon Church was the first to complain that they were the ones being persecuted.

In the wake of it all, documentary producer Reed Cowan was collecting secret recordings, secret documents and never before seen footage exposing Mormon efforts to quash ANY rights for LGBT citizens anywhere in the world. 'As a former Mormon missionary, I am appalled in knowing that a church which itself worships the practice of alternative marriage (polygamy), would become so vehemently involved in the marriage debate,' says Director Reed Cowan.

8: The Mormon Proposition follows the story of many LGBT citizens seeking marriage equality. One of the couples Cowan follows is Tyler Barrick and Spencer Jones. Barrick is the direct descendant of Mormon founder and Prophet, Joseph Smith's right hand man Fredrick G. Williams.

The Barrick-Jones family history tells tales of Mormon ancestors chased from state to state because of their own practice of alternative marriage (polygamy). Now, decades later, the Barrick-Jones family is experiencing cultural and governmental discrimination of the same kind that haunted their ancestors. Only now, they're at war with their own religion of Mormonism and the people their religion seduced in to voting against their union.

'When 8 passed, I called my mother crying--why did the Mormons do this to us? Why would our own people do this to us? They have turned their backs on us, ' says Barrick-Jones.

8: The Mormon Proposition exposes decade's-long campaigns against LGBT rights, not only working behind the scenes to unseat political leaders who advocate for marriage equality, but also abuse against their own people through electric shock therapy and frontal lobotomies for BYU men arrested by Mormon security police. For the first time in history, the film goes on record about alleged prurient meetings between Mormon Prophet Spencer W. Kimball with a secret group of gay BYU students who called themselves 'Spencer's boys.' The film chronicles the hundreds of gay-Mormon suicides, including the story of Mormon Stuart Matis, who shot himself on the steps of a California Mormon Church during another of the church's work against marriage equality during the days of California's Knight Initiative.

Long before its official completion, 8: The Mormon Proposition has already received considerable international press coverage. During the filming of 8, Reed Cowan interviewed Mormon Bishop and Senator D. Chris Buttars, who compared gay people to radical Muslims and said 'gays represent the greatest threat to America going down today.'

Buttars characterization of gays engaged in so-called pig sex, brought on an HRC action alert, a scolding from GLAAD, and the eventual ouster of Utah Senator Buttars from his position as chair of Utah's Senate Judiciary Committee.

In the days during the media backlash following Buttars interview with Cowan for 8, major media outlets and programs like FORBES, WASHINGTON POST and THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW picked up on the story with considerable coverage that resulted in thirty thousand e mails to the Utah Senate President and the crashing of the Utah Senate computer server for three days.

8: The Mormon Proposition also reveals the truth about Utah's gay homeless youth and the fact that the lions-share of hundreds of homeless teens on the streets in Utah, are LGBT youth who have been kicked out after coming out to their families.

Finally, in the telling of the Mormon Church's risk of losing their tax-free status, 8: THE MORMON PROPOSITION is a call to action not only to LGBT citizens, but all citizens everywhere to not only stand up for human rights, but also to pay attention to where the money and the information is coming from whenever a ballot measure picks up uncommon speed, money and heat.

In the words of Reed Cowan, '8: The Mormon Proposition puts on record one of the greatest election shams in the history of the United States. If the Mormon church gets a pass on this one, we're in grave danger as a society of letting other groups purchase votes and we're putting power behind their so-called 'secret combinations' to do it again. This can never happen again. Never.'