The Pragmatic Benefits of the LDS Religion:
> 2019 Pew Research Center on Religion’s Relationship to Happiness, Civic Engagement and Health Around the World: In the U.S. and other countries, participation in a congregation is a key factor in happiness
> What Positive Psychologists and Mormons Can Learn From Each Other (PDF) by Elisa V. Hunter
> Why You Should Go to Church (Even If You’re Not Sure of Your Beliefs) by Brett and Kate McKay
This article is from The Art of Manliness website, and I learned after reading it that Brett and Kate McKay are LDS
> Give Me Something Better Than The Mormon Church by Greg Trimble (Note: I do not endorse or agree with every post, statement and opinion on Trimble's blog but this post I agree with in comparing Mormonism to other Christian options).
On Joseph Smith as a Great Leader and Philosopher:
> Reddit Thread on Phiosophers and Joseph Smith
Navigating Church Attendance after a Faith Crisis and Reconstructing your Beliefs
> HOW TO STAY IN THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS AFTER A MAJOR CHALLENGE TO YOUR FAITH by Current Authors: Brian Johnston and StayLDS.com Note: there are additional audio and video resources at the end of the article
> Additional Support Resources by StayLDS.com
On the New Historical Transparency:
What About Polygamy?
> Timeline of Joseph Smith’s Life: Highlights in the Prophet’s Life.
This article does a good job of showing that Joseph's plural marriage theology tracks with the loss of loved ones; and supports the thesis of Samuel Brown that Smith had a strong desire to bind himself to friends and loved ones in the hereafter.
> Sex & Sexual Ethics (in the Bible) by Joshua Washington (a non-mormon)
I recommend this article to anyone who has questions or issues with Joseph Smith's practice of polygamy. This article clearly demonstrates, from academic critical Bible scholarship, that the God of the Hebrew Bible endorsed polygamy. Reading this article one will gain a greater perspective of why Joseph Smith believed that "the restoration of all things" would include the Hebrew Bible's emphasis on having wives and concubines.
> Wait, that’s in the Bible?! Celestial Sex (May 4, 2009 by THEYELLOWDART)
Joseph Smith's Egalitarianism:
> Law of consecration From Wikipedia
What these two Wikipedia articles above demonstrate is Joseph Smith’s kind-heartedness and vision of an ideal fair-minded/egalitarian society.
Mormon Scripture As Midrash or Scripturalization:
> Scripturalized Narrative in the Gospel of Mark and the Second Temple Period (SBL Annual Meeting, 2020) by Nathanael Vette. This short article does an excellent job summarizing how the Gospel of Mark is largely a midrashic or a narrative scripturalization of Old Testament texts.
> As One That Hath a Familiar Spirit: A Parallel Textual Comparison of the Book of Mormon to the Authorized King James Bible by Lincoln Cannon. These articles provide evidence that the Book of Mormon is largely a midrashic narrative scripturalization of both the Old Testament and New Testament.
Hayes is important in regards to Mormonism because he shows how the New Testament Gospels re-tell or "echo" the Old Testament stories in order to proclaim the divinity of Christ using Figural Reading (what other scholars call midrash). Hayes' book The Conversion of the Imagination: Paul as Interpreter of Israel’s Scripture could be equally applied to Joseph Smith; in that one could write a similar book titled, The Conversion of the Imagination: Joseph Smith as interpreter of the Bible.
> Hayes Book summarized and discussed on Goodreads
> Figural Exegesis and the Retrospective Re-cognition of Israel’s Story by Richard B. Hays
> Interview with Richard B. Hays (2016)
> Article on the Translation of the Book of Mormon
> The Book of Mormon Can Be True Without Being Historical: "A Conversation with the Master" by Nathan Florence The comment section contains an interesting and friendly discussion on those who believe in the historicity of the Book of Mormon and those who do not, yet remain LDS, and still consider the book inspired.
> Book of Mormon Modern Expansion Theory (Posted by churchistrue) (This blog post is discussed in the churchistrue Podcast Episode 5 Book of Mormon Translation).
> Blake Ostler discusses the Expansion Theory in his podcast Exploring Mormon thought # 23. Also see Ostler's Original Article as a PDF download. His Update. As well as the PDF download on his Response to Criticism.
Articles Debunking the Belief that The Book of Mormon teaches that Dark Skin Pigmentation is a Curse:
> Race and the Priesthood (This 2013 essay was approved by the LDS First Presidency and rejects any idea that dark skin color/pigmentation is a curse by God.)
> Campbell, Douglas, “‘White’ or ‘Pure’: Five Vignettes,” Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon PDF
> Gardner, Brant A., Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 4 (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford, 2007), 696–697
> Tvedtnes, John A., “The Charge of ‘Racism’ in the Book of Mormon,” PDF
On Avoiding & Reforming "Shame Culture" in the LDS Church:
> Four Ways The Shame Culture Is Corrupting Mormon Culture.
> The Mormon Therapist: Neither a Sin nor a Transgression by Natasha Helfer Parker
> Typical Sexual Shame Residue from Religious Upbringings (Podcast)
> Bishop’s Interview Timeline (Posted on June 4, 2013 by Mithryn)
