I’ve written before about sexuality in Joseph Smith’s plural marriages, but until now there seemed to be definite evidence that one of his polyandrous marriages, that with Sylvia Sessions Lyon, involved sexual relations. If we are to believe Sylvia’s statements (and I have no r/… Read full post »

Recently I read an account in the New York Times of some LDS missionaries in Uganda, a location chosen, no doubt, because that country is the setting for the fictional The Book of Mormon: The Musical. The article dutifully explained the basics of the missionary program, describing it a/… Read full post »

Just a quick note to link to an interview I gave to the Salt Lake City Weekly newspaper. It was fun, and it was great to say what I think and feel in public.

 Mormon Mission Spin Read full post »

It’s amazing how the Lord’s true prophet and church could be so persecuted. After all, the mark of the true church is that its members will be persecuted and its prophet martyred.

After the Saints had gathered into one place to build a Zion society with their prophet, neighboring Gentiles… Read full post »

From the time we were very small, we Mormon children sang

I am a child of God,
And he has sent me here,
Has given me an earthly home
With parents kind and dear.

Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with/

… Read full post »

I haven’t decided who I’m going to vote for this fall. I’ll probably get a lot of grief for posting this, but I’m really dismayed at the petty attacks from the Obama campaign on Romney’s record at Bain Capital.

Our country is in deep trouble right now, and all they… Read full post »

Author Donna Banta has kindly reviewed my book, Heaven Up Here, on her blog.

 http://wardgossip.blogspot.com/2012/07/heaven-up-here-by-john-k-williams.html 

I've been very happy with the book's reception, but more pleased that it has resonated with so many people, Mormon and non-Mormon alik… Read full post »

Something I wrote a while back, but I'm putting it here so I don't lose it:

At lunch today I chatted with a woman from Toronto, who told me that her initial impressions of Houston were quite negative: "All you see between the airport and the office is strip malls. I… Read full post »

10. The Book of Abraham turns out to be a common Egyptian funeral text called the Breathing Permit of Horus.
9. Anachronisms and clear plagiarisms in the Book of Mormon.
8. Joseph Smith’s history of claiming to be able to find buried treasure by looking at a rock in a hat, the/… Read full post »

I've avoided commenting on the recent changing of the guard at Brigham Young University's Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, mostly because just about everyone has already chimed in. For the record, as mentioned in the comments of Peggy Stack's article, the story brok/… Read full post »

A recent article by Maren Stephenson published on Salon.com seems to have struck a chord with some Mormons. In response, Ryan Bell offers a derisive piece contrasting Ms. Stephenson's spiritual immaturity with the thinkers at MormonScholarsTestify.org. (That Mr. Bell is a fan of the FARMS style of at… Read full post »