Truthfully, I don’t have a specific origin story for how I came up with the idea to create my (ongoing) YouTube series. But when I think back, it does remind me of an experience I had on my mission in Peru.
In my final exchange, my missionary companion received a package from home that happened to include a favorite food item of mine—root beer—which he offered to share with me. At that point, it had been almost 2 years since I had last tasted of this nectar of the Gods, so needless to say I was pretty excited. I poured it into a glass and stuck my face near the top while the foam settled, letting the carbonated droplets tickle my nose. After what seemed like an hour, I lifted the glass, winked at my companion (no homo) and took a drink.
It tasted like medicine.
Now, there’s a very simple explanation for this: root beer actually does taste like medicine. No, really. It does. It’s just one of those things—like football, or vegemite—that people love because they grew up with it and fostered an appreciation from an early age. And once you internalize that appreciation, it’s very hard to see it from an “outside” perspective. I knew dozens of Latin American missionaries who had tried root beer and found it strange and (most of the time) gross. “That’s crazy!” I would think. “It’s delicious! Plus you always have it with pizza! And who doesn’t like pizza?” But after a 2 year root beer fast, I got a glimpse of root beer from the “outside,” and it permanently changed the way I see it. Sure, I still enjoy root beer (there’s really is nothing like it with pizza), but whenever I do, I can still taste a faint hint of medicine and the shocking sensation of seeing something I thought I’d never second-guess from an “outsider’s” perspective.
Such has been my experience with Mormonism. Now, I’m not saying that the Church is secretly a revolting beer byproduct and we just don’t see it; but over time, I slowly began to realize that there are certain aspects of Mormonism, such as the verbal heuristics we give each other (“the gospel is simple!”), the ways we approach difficult topics (sexism, racism), or our explanations of Church doctrines (the origins of the Book of Abraham) that, to someone coming from a critical mindset, can seem strange, off-putting, or downright ludicrous. Now, some will likely speculate that my drift toward the “outside” was a result of a personal shortcomings in gospel living, and they may be right. Maybe I didn’t pray or fast or study long or well or hard enough. But whatever the reason, the experience of hearing those things through the ears of an “outsider” is what inspired me to make my videos.
I’m often asked what exactly I’m trying to accomplish with this stuff, and I think it’s a fair question. There are really two main motivating factors for me: first, I was looking for an outlet for the frustration I felt when I heard Mormon platitudes that I found harmful or nonsensical. Second, I wanted to create something that might jolt more traditional members into seeing how their language, arguments, and reasoning sounds like to an outsider. Honestly, I’m not sure I’ve been successful on both fronts; in fact, based on several conversations I’ve had with more conservative (religiously, not politically) believers, I’m probably prioritizing the first motivation over the second—the levity of my approach is too thick, the satire too biting, for traditional believers to feel anything but defensive, despite the fact that I only use arguments and ideas that originate in mainstream Mormonism.
The responses to my videos vary, largely based on the individual’s relationship with the Church. Many of the strongly positive reactions to the videos come from those critical and/or disillusioned by the Church, who see them as a humorous vindication of their own struggles within the belief system, while most of the negative reactions originate from more traditional members, who see them as an attack. The most interesting thing to me, however, has been the aspects of my stuff that each side of the spectrum chooses to focus on. Those who enjoy my videos consistently comment on the content of the videos themselves—how I was able to accurately articulate this or that aspect of an issue. Those who do not, on the other hand, seem to focus almost exclusively on identifying Brother Jake as an “anti,” a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and rarely comment on the content of the videos at all. And while I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little disappointed that critics overwhelmingly opt for ad-hominem attacks, it’s understandable—after all, my videos are satirical, so I can’t say their defensiveness is unjustified, and by being intentionally ambiguous, I’m inviting speculation about where exactly I “stand.”
Speaking of which, I imagine that many of you are wondering when I’m going to just man up and tell you what my personal thoughts and beliefs about the Church are. I know I would be. But you know what? I’m not going to, mostly because I feel it would feed into an aspect of Mormon culture that I truly hate: the reliance on external indicators to determine how one should react to something. If you want to know what to think about my videos, watch my videos. If you want to know what my personal thoughts and feelings are, send me an email; I’d be more than happy to have a conversation.
All that aside, here’s the bottom line: I’m perfectly happy with what I’ve made thus far. Brother Jake is exactly what I want him to be, and I plan on keeping him around for the foreseeable future. So, in the words of the Terminator:
“I’ll probably be around here again at some point.” Or something like that.
Sincerely,
Brother Jake
Email: askbrotherjake@gmail.com
Twitter: @askbrotherjake
We love you, Brother Jake!
For some reason I can only read this at double speed.
My experience has been if you have the need to explain yourself, you probably aren’t doing the right thing.
That comment is among the dumbest things I’ve ever heard, Will.
Will probably has plenty of experience with needing to explain himself, so we should listen, guize.
Jake: The root beer experience is the same as what Third Culture Kids (TCKs) experience. Third Culture Kids are usually kids who have lived abroad, although the US is culturally diverse enough that you can have a TCK experience within the country depending on where you move (e.g. from New York to LA or from Boston to Dallas).
In my experience as someone who moved a lot as a child and who just returned from living in Asia for the last couple of years, all I can say is that you really cannot understand and articulate your own cultural assumptions, biases and values until you experience a different set of cultural assumptions, biases and values up close, noting your own disagreement and differences. When you leave your own culture and enter a place with different cultural assumptions, suddenly you can begin to evaluate what does and doesn’t work about your assumptions. You may find your values are held more strongly due to the comparison, or you may find that some of them fall away when you see something that seems more right to you. But without that exposure, we can develop very provincial, limited views.
I’ll have to work up another post on this topic. For some in the church, just serving a mission abroad will give them this viewpoint. For those Mormons who are raised in areas where there are very few members and Mormons are greatly misunderstood, they may also experience a form of this TCK experience (the “hidden immigrant” – meaning “I look like you, but I’m not like you”).
I like the videos for the most part, but I am more concerned about those who are young and inexperienced in the Gospel getting the wrong impression. Since we have so many supposedly strong members that get wiped out when finding out the “rest of the story.”
I am comfortable with my understanding and testimony to handle it.
Why do orthodox Mormons care where Bro Jake stands in the Gospel? Probably because of scriptures like Mosiah 23:14 (“trust no one to be your teacher… except he be a man of God, walking in his ways and keeping his commandments”) and counsel from leaders saying the same thing.
“My experience has been if you have the need to explain yourself, you probably aren’t doing the right thing.”
That literally makes no sense at all.
Anyway, I’ve tended to find the videos a bit more smart-assed than satire, which is fine (eye of the beholder, anyway), but they do basically restate apologetic arguments that really can look silly from the outside. Every believer should feel comfortable confronting thorny issues, and the church should probably help provide the tools to do so rather than denying or papering over problems. I’m not sure that “have a testimony of X, therefore don’t worry about Y,” is always sufficient. Either way, I really wish we could move away from the idea that interrogating or questioning orthodoxy or other norms is necessarily a byproduct of a lack of faith or of some kind of unresolved sin. So, keep up the videos, I guess!
Jeff,
I’m interested: what do you mean by the “wrong impression”? Do you feel that people who leave over these kinds of issues are getting the wrong impression? If so, in what way?
“no homo”
What was that about?
Jake-
We each have agency, a gift from Heavenly Father. You’re expressing your agency the way you see fit. Of course, there are earthly and eternal rewards and consequences for the way we employ our agency
In your last post I left a comment about church members who leave the church over issues like the Book of Abraham as being spiritually anemic. A few at W&T didn’t like that combination of words and accused me of various things.
Essentially, the main question in all of this is: some church members leave the church when they encounter uncorrelated history and/or doctrine while others stay. Why?
The answer to the question is manifold. But the best reason for staying is because of the depth and breadth of ones testimony (Some stay because they are cultural mormons-so called new order mormons, but that is another subject).
It’s true Jake, some church members have genuine God given testimonies just like the Book of Mormon teaches. But, as I have found, when one declares such a testimony many say they respect that, then inexplicably will soon thereafter begin to accuse and marginalize those who shares their testimony, saying they respect the testimony then go on to find fault with the messenger.
Those who are spiritually anemic often have hard hearts as well. The Book of Mormon gives many examples of how this plays out.
So the beat goes on, as some like to put it. I following verse of from the D&C says it well,
1 HEARKEN, O ye people of my church, to whom the kingdom has been given; hearken ye and give ear to him who laid the foundation of the earth, who made the heavens and all the hosts thereof, and by whom all things were made which live, and move, and have a being.
2 And again I say, hearken unto my voice, lest death shall overtake you; in an hour when ye think not the summer shall be past, and the harvest ended, and your souls not saved.
3 Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him
4 Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified;
5 Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life.
(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 45:1 – 5)
“Will probably has plenty of experience with needing to explain himself”
Exactly why I said that.
I don’t need to explain why I did my home teaching, or why I paid my tithing or why I helped my neighbor or why I donated food for the food drive. It is typically when I don’t do what I should that I need to offer an explanation.
Jared: In my experience, testimony bearing benefits the bearer, but at least on the internet, not really anyone else. Maybe it’s casting your pearls before swine, or maybe it’s just different strokes for different folks. I think people (like you and me) who have had a testimony experience benefited greatly from it, but hearing about someone else’s experience when your own doesn’t match fails to resonate. However, another type of person exists (I’m thinking about Tom Phillips here) who have had strong spiritual experiences yet been completely thrown over by uncorrelated stuff. Is he spiritually anemic? I think his spiritual experiences were strong. His information was wrong. The problem is when someone feels deceived or betrayed. It doesn’t mean they WERE deceived or betrayed (although maybe they were), but the foundation of what they thought they believed, what they associated with the spiritual experiences, is revealed to have been a house of cards. All this stuff is very psychological. It’s a very human problem.
BoA is the quintessence of this issue. It’s difficult to see translation as translation again after this one, for those who had a “clear” (imagined) view of what it was. It can be a deal breaker. It does create a very real cognitive dissonance. I don’t think it’s fair to say they are spiritually anemic for being rocked by BoA. Even FAIR struggles to sound cogent on this one.
hawkgrrrl-
I appreciate your response. I carefully read and thought about what you wrote.
Each of us have a window to the world based on our beliefs and experiences. Robert F Bennett in his book Gaining Control described this window,
“Out in front of every person in the world is a large window through which he or she views everything that goes on. Although it is invisible to the naked eye, it is very real. Not only do we see the world through it (looking out), but we also use it as a filter through which all of the world’s data is passed (coming in).”
The window the natural man/woman looks through restricts their view. They see the world in a way that the BoM labels as being enemies to God.
The BoM also identifies another group who yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and puts off the natural man/woman. Their window allows them to begin to see the world as God does.
Heavenly Father has given His modern church the BofM (and other scripture and living prophets) to use as their window to navigate the opportunities and challenges of mortal life.
Even with all of this we still see through a glass darkly. Why? Because we’re required to exercise faith. Those who seriously pursue the Lord’s way are given the additional blessing of the gift of the Holy Ghost.
With the above as back ground I’ll reply to a few of the things you wrote in #14.
Regarding testimony. When I share a sacred experience in a comment I do so with the hope that it will add balance to the topic being discussed. For example, Jake’s view of the BofA. It is how the natural man sees it. You mentioned Tom Phillips, in my opinion, he is like Jake. The fact he was a stake president makes no difference.
How do I justify what I just said? By using the BoM an other scriptures. Now some will say that I am being judgmental and harsh. I don’t see it that way. I think Jake and others who frequent W&T are the ones who are harsh. They come here preaching their natural man point of view. And very few at W&T are willing to challenge them as the BofM prophets did.
On occasion, I try. I attempt to do it without using strong scriptural terms, so I suggest their spiritually anemic. I could use the strong language of the BofM but I’m not called to condemn others, but I am willing to defend the Lord’s gentile church and those he has called to lead it.
Take the BofA for example. We don’t know all there is to know about how it came into being. However, what is contained in the BofA is powerful. Scholars like Hugh Nibley, Daniel Petersen, and others can make a strong case in support of it, but I don’t see anyone using the resources BYU makes available. Why?
I personally feel that the BofA and other challenges the church is facing in our day were designed/allowed by the Lord to try His people. The adversary tries and tempts women through the flesh, the Lord tries His people through incongruity/paradox. Those who can’t weather the challenge are lacking in the things of the spirit. I refer to it as anemic.
So if Jake and others want to use their agency to condemn, belittle, or challenge the Lord’s latter day kingdom I will on occasion try to add balance and defend it. Sometimes I’ll use the sacred experiences the Lord has extended to me just like Alma and the sons of Mosiah, and other did in the BoM.
Jared, how come you never comment on the “spiritual” posts here?
Jared, I see a lot of “us vs. them” in what you are saying. I see people as inherently more similar to one another than you do. Lumping Jake and Tom P together is again just a way to try to put people into categories rather than listening to their individual points of view. The glass we see through darkly is a mirror. It’s a looking glass. The thing we often don’t see is our own human potential. I think there is a fundamental difference between those who are very hung up on purity among the membership and weeding out those with less faith and those who focus on finding the potential in every person. The former may be good at guarding the borders, but they are not great missionaries. The latter are the ones who can make space for thought and belief to grow. There is no single “natural man” point of view. We are all human beings, each with our own thoughts and experiences.
You sure have a way with words, hawkgrrrl.
“The adversary tries and tempts women through the flesh, the Lord tries His people through incongruity/paradox.”
?
MH # 16
I don’t see that many spiritual post at W&T. W&T is like the other major blogs in the ‘nacle, the use of scripture is almost entirely absent.
Please don’t take what I said as criticism. Please think of it as an observation. Years ago, I said this at BCC blog and now any comment I make goes into moderation. The Sun Stone crowd embrace book burning in the form of comment censorship.
They have an interesting blend of not allowing anti-mormon comments and yet many of their post are thinly veiled attacks on the church.
#17 hawkgrrrl
I hope we’re not talking past each other.
I have the advantage here. I understand your position because I’ve been there. I can relate to your point of view.
The contribution I hope to make at W&T is not to be a critic or antagonist as you appear to see me. I’m trying to persuade those who are “disaffected” (to any degree) to reassess their view of the gospel. I don’t know of any other way to accomplish this other than by what I’ve been doing over the years.
Missionary work to introduce people to the church for the first time is a tough challenge. But it is not as difficult working with those who have disaffected from the church. The BofM spends a lot of space teaching this idea.
So, I hope you can begin to see that I don’t view the disaffected in the “us vs. them” motif you painted.
I sincerely hope Bro. Jake will reassess his view of the church and do as Elder D. Todd Christofferson suggest at a recent BYUI devotional. He cautioned members to not study Church history too little. He also added, “But I would offer you this advice in your own study: Be patient, don’t be superficial and don’t ignore the Spirit.”
The link is below
I appreciate your willingness to exchange points of view. I’ve been looking forward to it for years.
https://video.byui.edu/media/D.+Todd+Christofferson+%22The+Prophet+Joseph+Smith%22/0_gxm7f8l5/11602882
#19 GBSmith-
I think we live in that day prophesied by Heber C. Kimball. He said:
This Church has before it many close places through which it will have to pass before the work of God is crowned with victory. To meet the difficulties that are coming, it will be necessary for you to have a knowledge of the truth of this work for yourselves. The difficulties will be of such a character that the man or woman who does not possess this personal knowledge or witness will fall. If you have not got the testimony, live right and call upon the Lord and cease not till you obtain it. If you do not you will not stand. Harold B. Lee quoting Heber C. Kimball, BYU, June 28, 1955; also in “We Believe” by Rulon T. Burton, p. 1038-39.
The Lord tries his people. The BofM reports many examples of this. See Mosiah 23:21-24.
Think of father Abraham and his trial of sacrificing his son.
John Taylor said:
“I heard the Prophet Joseph say in speaking to the Twelve on one occasion: `You will have all kinds of trials to pass through. And it is quite as necessary for you to be tried as it was for Abraham and other men of God, and (he said) God will feel after you, and He will take hold of you and wrench your very heart strings, and if you cannot stand it you will not be fit for an inheritance in the Celestial Kingdom of God.’” (Journal of Discourses, 24:197.) (Neal A. Maxwell, Wherefore Ye Must Press Forward, p.51.)
Jared, do you only consider posts that revolve around scriptural references to be spiritual? My post earlier this week asking if Mormons are becoming anti-modernists was based on the story of the Tower of Babel. Is it not faithful to discuss the implications of how this story is interpreted? I see Mormon theology and interpretation shifting considerably during my lifetime. I comment on those shifts. Is that a “thinly veiled attack”?
We have done many many faithful posts, and they simply don’t get much traffic or commentary, and honestly I am always surprised that the people who do read and comment on them are usually the ones that folks like you consider the apostate frequenters of the blog. So, why is it that they can get something positive out of the faithful posts, but those who claim to be faithful won’t touch those posts with a ten-foot pole? Do you deliberately cherry pick the posts you read and respond to so that you can preserve your idea that we don’t post anything faithful and non-controversial? You seem to be the one drawn like a moth to the flame to the posts you dislike.
Jared: I appreciate what you are saying in 21. I have been an admin at staylds since its inception. I have generally found you to be a sincere person. I simply don’t understand how you can reach out to the disaffected coming from your vantage point today. You don’t seem to want to understand, but to be right. You can’t do both.
#23 hawkgrrrl
You asked a good question: “do you only consider posts that revolve around scriptural references to be spiritual?”
I think I lean in that direction with one modification, the references aren’t as important as using the stories, themes, and conclusions found in the scriptures. Our individual window to the world will remain that of the natural man unless we drink deeply from the scriptures and then incorporate the teachings in our daily walk.
I’ve done what the Lord ask His followers to do to a sufficient degree that I have received many of the promised blessings contained in the scriptures. The most important single blessing we can obtain in this life is to fulfill the baptism covenant and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
l’ve had enough experience with this gift to know of its reality and I am driven to help others receive the same blessing.
Joseph Smith said:
“The nearer we get to our heavenly Father, the more we are disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls; we feel that we want to take them upon our shoulders, and cast their sins behind our backs.” History of the Church 5:24
I have a long ways to go to be like those I count as prophets, but I have tasted enough of the promised blessings feel compassion on those who are struggling spiritually.
In that sense, I think the moth analogy fits. However, most of my efforts are not in defending the kingdom but in writing about the doctrine of Christ. I do this on my blog.
Jared: I read the quotes and I don’t see how they apply to “the adversary trying and tempting women through the flesh.” Maybe I missed something
For the other part I don’t see how it indicates that God “tries us with incongruity and paradox”. I mean I can see pestilence, famine, plagues, war, desolation, Republicans, acne, and all that but why would God try us by trying to confuse us? Just wondering
#24 hawkgrrrl
One of the reason I visit W&T is to enter into discussions like this. It helps me keep a perspective on what other LDS are thinking and discussing. This helps me prepare things for my blog.
You said you simply don’t understand how I can reach out to the disaffected from my vantage point.
What does the BofM say about how to approach church members who are struggling?
You said: “You don’t seem to want to understand, but to be right.”
Take Bro Jake’s post about the BoA as an example. I understand the problem Jake presents about the BoA. I agree with most of what he says, so I understand his position. If you read my comments I think you will find that I said just that.
But then I go on present my feelings and thoughts. In a nutshell they are:
1. The BoA official explanation of its origin is troubling.
2. The content of the BoA is powerful and can not be easily explained away. See link for details.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/print/765592200/How-could-Joseph-know-all-of-this.html
3. Those members who have sought the Lord diligently and acquired a genuine testimony don’t lose their faith over problems like the BoA. Those who do lose faith are spiritually anemic and need to do all in their power to obtain a genuine testimony. The best place is by using the BofM the way it was intended.
I’ve been collecting accounts of church members who had anemic testimonies but persisted calling on the Lord and then had an epiphany.
An epiphany doesn’t come by intellectual reasoning alone. The latest is in a new book by S. Michael Wilcox, Face to Face. He had a great deal of trouble obtaining a testimony of the Book of Mormon. He struggled for years and then suddenly, in a moment as it were, his many prayers were answered. It happened while he was praying about something else. He writes:
“With a voice as audible as the Spirit can offer without literally penetrating the ears”, he obtained his long sought testimony of the Book of Mormon. See pages 63-66.
Once again, thanks for the exchange of ideas. I enjoyed seeing, ever so briefing, through you window. Thanks for the opportunity.
Jared:
I don’t understand how you think the spirit is going wade through the murky river of condescending words you deliver and somehow pass on a message of love and acceptance to the disaffected.
I am one of the spiritual anemic you speak of. After 40 years of activity, I decided it was time to listen to my inner self and get rid of the fables of Mormonism.
“We don’t know all there is to know about how it came into being. However, what is contained in the BofA is powerful. Scholars like Hugh Nibley, Daniel Petersen, and others can make a strong case in support of it, but I don’t see anyone using the resources BYU makes available. Why?
I personally feel that the BofA and other challenges the church is facing in our day were designed/allowed by the Lord to try His people. The adversary tries and tempts women through the flesh, the Lord tries His people through incongruity/paradox. Those who can’t weather the challenge are lacking in the things of the spirit. I refer to it as anemic.”
No one outside Mormonism takes the BofA seriously. No non-LDS Egyptologist wastes time with it because it is not what is was originally said to be. Now that it has been recharacterized by church leaders as an “inspired translation” (i.e. not a real translation), what it says it of no interest to me. The fact of the matter is, the BofA and the facsimilies have made-up Egyptian words in them. Hilarious, nonsensical, made-up words. If it is of fraudulent origins, I don’t care what its message is. The idea that its origins are a lie because god wants people to have their faith tested is a another weak argument in a long line of desperate arguments. God is going to lie to us so we learn the truth? (There I go with that natural man puzzle solving.) That goes along with the absurd idea that dinosaur bones were transplanted here from other worlds to confuse and test the faithful.
Your name-calling, i.e. the spiritually anemic, shows a myopic world view typical of extreme believers of any religion. Your truth is the only truth, anything else is from the dark side. It’s a big world out there, Jared. You can stay cloistered in your comfortable cocoon, convinced of others’ shortcomings. Let me know how connecting in your heartfelt manner to the disaffected works out for you.
JARED
“What does the BofM say about how to approach church members who are struggling?”
I don’t know, what does it say?
GBSmith-
I don’t know if you are an active believing follower of Christ or what. But the following may be of interest to you.
I suggest reading the following about Abraham and trials of paradox
http://www.lds.org/manual/old-testament-student-manual-genesis-2-samuel/genesis-18-23abraham-a-model-of-faith-and-righteousness?lang=eng
Hope this is helpful
Well, Jared, I read it and I guess I’m not sure how it applies. God tried Abraham but how does that command to kill his son apply to the trials you face. I can see something similar to Abraham’s trial in the trials of refugees from famine and war but then you’d have to make God responsible for that and I’m not sure I’d want to do that. So, anyway, I guess I’ll just have to not understand. I am still wondering about the trials and temptations of women through the flesh. Do you think it’s just women the adversary targets?
GBSmith-
I think if you reread that part you will see that I was interchanging the words women and men to identify people/mankind, and never intended to suggest that the adversary just targets women. In this day and age I see more and more writers doing this.
#28 Brian & et al,
Brian says that I am name calling. I never called anyone a name. I never accused anyone, never belittled anyone. You can see it that way if you choose to, but I am not motivated by that kind of attitude.
Bro Jake explained why he makes video that put the LDS church in a bad light, he explained:
“There are really two main motivating factors for me: first, I was looking for an outlet for the frustration I felt when I heard Mormon platitudes that I found harmful or nonsensical. Second, I wanted to create something that might jolt more traditional members into seeing how their language, arguments, and reasoning sounds like to an outsider.”
1. He is frustrated
2. He wants to “jolt” or shock members to their senses
Bro Jake gets high fives from many at W&T for his “satirical” videos about Mormonism. On the other hand, I say that those who lose faith over uncorrelated history and doctrine may lack spiritual vitality. This isn’t satirical, mean spirited, or even judgmental–it’s a reason, an explanation, and an invitation to man/woman up and try to salvage ones faith.
Jared, you’re anemic when it comes to self-awareness.
Furthermore, when I was offering Sunday School/PH posts at MM, you never commented and complained that there weren’t spiritual posts. We have 2 guest posts this week–no comments from you. Guy Templeton frequently addresses temple issues/Bible Dictionary, and you never comment. You only seem to comment when you disagree, you never comment when you seem to agree. It would be nice to hear your perspectives on the temple, for example when those posts come up.
MH-
I appreciate your invitation to comment on spiritual post. I will try to do better.
Jared – I’ll add to MH’s comment. We’d also love to have a guest post from you if you ever get the urge.
hawkgrrrl-
What an awesome offer–thank you.