Exploring Beyond the Horizon

[Originally written in October 2018] "Deep within us—no matter who we are—there lives a feeling of wanting to be lovable, of wanting to be the kind of person that others like to be with. And the greatest thing we can do is to let people know that they are loved and capable of loving." -Fred Rogers Mr. Roger's Neighborhood will be forever remembered as a classic children's television show, featuring the fictional kingdom of puppets in the Neighborhood of Make Believe. It's enduring message "won't you be my neighbor?" is one that echos the life of the man responsible for the show, Fred Rogers.  Mr. Rogers took a bold stand on love and inclusiveness. In an era when there were heated arguments about segregation of swimming pools and other public spaces, Mr. Roger's was joined on the show by his new good friend, Francois Clemmons, an African-American man who plays the role of a police officer.  Mr. Roger's gives the man the stool he was sitti...

Today I attended a conference in Salt Lake called Thrive, which a group dedicated to providing healing, joy and community to those who have or are transitioning from Mormonism. (See website here ) Deconstructing one's faith system can be an incredibly emotional and challenging experience that is often referred to as a "dark night of the soul." In processing the grief associated with losing one's beliefs, there can be significant anger, frustration and pain in learning new things that contradict the narratives you always accepted as true. Many have feelings of being lost, confused, broken and often have no one they can safely turn to. Doubt is seen as a disease and loved ones that want to help either don't know how to help, are eager to bear their testimony at them, and try to "fix" them rather than seeking understanding.  And in all honesty, when someone is in the "anger" stage of grief, they are difficult to talk to and frequently make mista...

What are your thoughts on Jesus and the Atonement? I believe there was a man named Jesus of Nazareth and that following many of the teachings attributed to Him may lead to satisfying life of love and service. The greatest form of worship one can ascribe to any individual is to strive to live life in accordance with the wisdom that he or she imparted.  Christ represents to me radical love and compassionate outreach to all, even those considered to be less desirable or misunderstood by traditional society. In this sense, as I strive to follow many of the teachings attributed to Jesus, I consider myself to be a Christian.   I think the concept of the atonement is one of the enduring principles of Christianity. We are all inherently limited in our ability to truly experience and understand the sorrows and struggles of any other human being.  So the concept of there being One who has "descended below all things" "that his bowels may be filled with mercy" and ...

"If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." -LDS Articles of Faith The purpose of this new blog is to be able to share my personal insights and observations as I move forward with the next phase of my life after my faith transition from the LDS Church. This is largely for my own benefit as I do not think my personal insights are likely any more insightful than anyone else's.  But to the extent it benefits anyone else, then that's great. The blog title "Exploring Beyond the Horizon" reflects my desire to seek out new perspectives and experiences to expand my current view of the world beyond the limits of my current paradigms.  (It was also chosen because almost any other title I tried using the word "horizon" was already taken.) I intend to explore lessons learned from various religious and philosophical traditions and other influential individuals in the world. I love this quotatio...

"I know you don't get me, I know you don't understand, I know you're afraid for me. But please trust me. Somehow or another, even though I don't have it all figured out, I feel like I'm on a good path. I feel like God is with me. God is still working with me in this journey of mine." – Dan Wotherspoon About one month ago, I stopped attending the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka "LDS" or "Mormon"). Why?   The short answer is that after over two and a half years of significant study, heartache, tears, and pleading in prayer, I no longer believe in the unique claims of the LDS Church.  At some point, the question "is it true?" shifted to "does it work for me?"  I actively sought out various reconciliations and perspectives on how to make it work for me, but I've ultimately concluded that for my own mental health and to better be present for my family, I need to take a break.  Why shar...