Maternal Hormones Strike Again

Posted on January 30th, 2009 by Winston Smith

I came across an interesting blog piece about the lingering effects of maternal stress hormones on the psychiatric development of children. One study looked at the later-life mental health outcomes of children whose fathers had been killed while their child’s mother was pregnant with the child, versus children whose fathers had been killed after the child’s birth. In other words, both groups of individuals grew up fatherless, the main difference being whether or not the mother faced the unusual stresses of spousal loss during or after her pregnancy. The data indicate that stress of the mother during pregnancy was a significant predictor of mental health of the child in the child’s later life. Take home messages: ladies, when you are pregnant, try to chill out; gents, when your baby’s mama is pregnant, be nice to her and don’t add to her stress!

These results are corroborated by lab animal tests, confirming the powerful influence of in utero hormonal environment (i.e., the balance of hormones in mom’s belly) on the brain and life of the child. Check it out:

http://scienceblogs.com/cortex/2009/01/pregnancy_and_stress.php#comments

Any science hacks want to chime in? Non-science hacks are also welcomed to comment.

Wise Purposes That We LOVE!

Posted on January 28th, 2009 by Boo

I have been really impressed with this thought since I heard it on Sunday at church.

“And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will” (W of M 1:77).

In learning about this in context, we all know that the wise purpose of which Mormon is speaking is the fact that there were two records from Nephi and he was including them both because Martin Harris would lose the 116 pages of manuscript.

Biblical Oral Sex

Posted on January 26th, 2009 by Winston Smith

I’ll be honest—at first I thought this guy was just some shock-jock gone pastor. Oh contraire.

If you ever wondered what it would be like to cross Spencer W. Kimball with Eminem, prepare to meet Mark Driscoll:

From the Bloggernacle (1-25-09)

Posted on January 25th, 2009 by Northern Lights Admin

The following are recent homosexuality-related blog discussions on other popular LDS-themed blogs:

The Implications of Sex As a Desire and Not a Need
Feminist Mormon Housewives - January 23, 2009

Dear fMh: One of My Sunday School Students is Gay
Feminist Mormon Housewives - January 22, 2009

Aubrey O’Day, Prop 8, and Mormons
The Seer Stone - January 21, 2009

North Star Newsletter - January 2009

Posted on January 24th, 2009 by North Star

View the January Newsletter.

Sign up to receive future North Star e-Newsletters.

A Little Endurance Story

Posted on January 24th, 2009 by Kim Mack

Since it feels like I have nothing new or profound to say about SSA anymore, I began looking at some things I’ve already said.  I came across a bit of my history I thought might be worth sharing again.

Many years ago I wanted my SSA to be taken from me.  I prayed daily for my SSA to be removed from me. I wanted it gone, I wanted it rooted from my soul, I’d do anything for that to happen.

New Specialty Online Discussion Groups

Posted on January 23rd, 2009 by North Star

One of the primary features of North Star is our online discussion groups. Since its organization, North Star has sponsored groups for believing Latter-day Saint youth, young adult men and women, men, women, spouses, and friends and family.

A couple months ago, we sent out a Discussion Groups Survey to gauge how we can better serve you and provide and maintain groups that will strengthen and support you in the ways you most want. In that survey, we asked for feedback on existing groups and proposed several options for additional groups that might offer special focus on interests or concerns that may not be addressed sufficiently in the general groups.

From the Bloggernacle (1-11-09)

Posted on January 11th, 2009 by Northern Lights Admin

The following are recent homosexuality-related blog discussions on other popular LDS-themed blogs:

Gay Activists Seek LDS Church Support
Messenger and Advocate - January 8, 2009

Canada Prosecuting Polygamy, Protecting Gay Marriage
Messenger and Advocate - January 7, 2009

More Anti-8 Idiocy
Messenger and Advocate - January 4, 2009

This is your (cyber) hometeaching for the month of January

Posted on January 10th, 2009 by Winston Smith

Hi all. Many times when I am hometeaching, themes from the First Presidency message will stimulate thoughts for me about living the gospel within the context of same-gender issues. Most of the time, I sense that it would be inappropriate for me to guide my hometeaching visit discussions toward topics related to same-gender attraction. Freshly starting off the new year, however, I’m going to experiment with this forum for discussing the First Presidency message themes that speak to me about same-gender attraction.

This month, Elder Eyring’s message is about raising the voice of warning. He uses an anecdote from his childhood to frame the ensuing topics:

“I can still remember my mother speaking softly to me one Saturday afternoon when, as a little boy, I asked her for permission to do something I thought was perfectly reasonable and which she knew was dangerous. I still am amazed at the power she was granted, I believe from the Lord, to turn me around with so few words. As I remember them, they were: ‘Oh, I suppose you could do that. But the choice is yours.’

“Her power to warn with so few words sprang from three things I knew about her. First, I knew she loved me. Second, I knew she had faced similar situations and had been blessed by making the right choice. And third, she had conveyed to me her sure testimony that the choice I had to make was so important that the Lord would tell me what to do if I asked Him. Love, example, and testimony: those were keys that day, and they have been whenever I have been blessed to hear and then heed the warning of a servant of the Lord.”

Getting past the knee-jerk reaction I sometimes have to “1, 2, 3-easy” lists of gospel deconstructionalism, this formula is actually very good. The past few months I have been

All That I Am

Posted on January 8th, 2009 by Rex

I’ll have to cheat with what I’m about to say, because it’s impossible to describe all that I am in a few paragraphs. I have been thinking about who I am and what my life means lately. I’ve been especially thinking of it in terms of the notion that people shouldn’t label themselves or others. I think that the notion is ridicululous.

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