In this episode, the good guys from Mormon Expression podcast Interview John Dehlin.
This recording was published on August 11, 2009, and is re-published here courtesy of John Larsen.
Part 1
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3 Responses
Another Great Podcast John!
Thank You for your work on Mormon Stories and StayLDS!
I still haven’t made the decision if I’m sticking with the church or exiting, but I appreciate that you’ve provided support to me in my struggle!
You’re doing a much needed work and I hope you keep doing it!
John,
I just listened to your Mormon
Expressions interview. I loved it. It was so on the mark. It’s like
you are taking a chapter from my soul. I’m so glad you are doing what you are doing. Don’t worry about the haters!
Its interesting how you talk about the way the church doesn’t repudiate a doctrine that no longer serves, it simply moves it into the ‘realm of ambiguity’. I can empathize with your desire for an apology as well. John mentioned the legal aspect of apology allowing room for demands of restitution. Why does this all resonate with me? My father is very much that way. Is it that he was a lawyer that makes him pull away from a true, contrite apology? The way we have had to deal with the times it was appropriate for him to apologize and have him leave us hanging, was for us to realize that when he pushed the issue into that ‘realm of ambiguity,’ the apology was somehow implied. (Or thats how we were supposed to take it.) He has problems with authority. It is something he wields with a sense of entitlement. He was a strict father, a top executive of a large multinational corporation, bishop etc. When they called him to be a mission president, I saw the return of a kind of tyranny that was very disturbing. (Especially considering how much missionaries think of their Presidents, and how the ‘handbook’ requires absolute obedience.) The church calling him to be a General Authority was also not such a smart move. It really gave him a power rush. ‘Love is never having to say you’re sorry,’ he would say. I’m not even sure what that means (I don’t think he does either…) I would settle for the contrite love if I had a choice. The result is that it has adversely affected our relationship. I can deal with him as a ward member to a bishop, but he isn’t capable of being a father. Somehow, I see the church being much the same way. The general authorities will say much about treating homosexuals with compassion, and at the same time leave no doubt that homosexuality is an abomination, and it were better they were dead. Where has the love, compassion, camaraderie that the 19th century church had in spades gone? You know, we had a really kick-ass church once upon a time…