In this episode of Mormon Stories and Mormon Transitions, John and Margi reflect back on their 13 years of experience as semi- and non-believers and provide their advice on how to successfully navigate activity in the LDS Church. Some of the topics discussed are:
- Advice on how to determine whether church attendance is a healthy option for you and your family
- Living the “Law of Tithing” in a way that is meaningful to you
- Focusing on teaching lessons about truths that resonate with you, and less on the topics that trouble you as they most likely will be covered many other times
- How to respond to inquiries about your activity status from fellow ward members
- Setting boundaries and expectations when given a calling
- Protecting your children by having an open discussion after church that allows them to safely process and talk through the information
- Building social credit in your ward to spend thoughtfully when the time arrives
- Advice on how to ethically navigate the temple recommend interview
- Answering the question “can you be honest and ethical in staying?”
This episode is a recording of Dr. John Dehlin’s goodbye presentation to Cache Valley Oasis – a secular support community formed in Fall of 2015 in Logan, Utah.
In his presentation (recorded May 21, 2017), John shared reflections of “lessons” he has learned over the course of 13 years as a Mormon/Post-Mormon activist.
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In this episode of Mormon Stories, Margi and John share and discuss their ideas in creating a family culture. Margi uses the metaphor of a “tower” with 5 building blocks to show their cumulative effect.
These building blocks are:
- Values — the foundational layer
- Embodiment — the living of those values
- Ritual — the framework that integrates those values into your schedule
- Tradition — opportunities to celebrate that cement values
- Home Environment — the space and “vibe” that reflects values
We want to hear your ideas — do you have experience using any of these building blocks in creating a family culture? Leave a comment below!
In these episodes of Mormon Stories, John and Margi have a discussion with Natasha Helfer Parker, LCMFT, CST about forming a foundation for marriage that withstands change. They also discuss guiding principles to maintaining successful relationships.
In Part 1, John, Margi and Natasha discuss:
- Differentiation: the constant tension between “me” and “we” in marriage
- Respect/friendship in a relationship
- The Protection Model vs the Intimacy Model
- Avoiding power differentials in a relationship
- Challenging the rhetoric of “co-dependence”
In Part 2, John, Margi, and Natasha discuss:
- Creating positive communication and protecting marriage when believing family tries to place blame on a spouse
- Belonging to yourself and choosing to share in significant ways as the best method to building intimacy
- Common relationship myths
- Vulnerability within relationships
- How self-discovery and relationship renovation enhances relationships
Part 1 (5/2/2017):
Part 2 (5/9/2017):
Notes:
The Seven Principles for making marriage work:
https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Principles-Making-Marriage-Work/dp/0553447718/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=CC8XZ25YA1P0X7904JTX
Values worksheets:
https://psychologytools.com/values-free-en-us.pdf
https://osp-cp.uchicago.edu/sites/osp-cp.uchicago.edu/files/i/Values%20Inventory%20Worksheet.pdf
https://psychologytools.com/values.html
Natasha Parker
https://www.symmetrysols.com/
Mormon Mental Health Association
http://www.mormonmentalhealthassoc.org/mmha-clinical-providers
Values Resource
http://kairios.com/
Act Mindfully
https://www.actmindfully.com.au/free_resources