Siblings in Zion

The siblings finally return ... with no agenda but to catch up. What have they been doing instead of making new episodes?

Answers include: watching the entire series of 'Lost', reading books like The Denial of Death, Mormonism Unvailed, and The Universal Christ (future episode material) ... experiencing multiple existential crises, dealing with family members learning of the show and completely butchering the message, dreading the upcoming election ... you know, basic stuff.

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Richard Rohr on 'You Made it Weird with Pete Holmes' - http://youmadeitweird.nerdistind.libsynpro.com/richard-rohr-returns

The Denial of Death - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Denial_of_Death

Waking Up meditation app - https://www.wakingup.com/

(try 30 days free: https://dynamic.wakingup.com/redeemMonth/dfc2a4?optionValue=2)

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Website: siblingsinzion.com

Instagram: instagram.com/siblingsinzion

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@siblingsinzion

The siblings discuss some of Sister Lisa's favorite passages of '21 Lessons for the 21st Century' by Yuval Noah Harari, author of 'Sapiens' and 'Homo Deus'.

Subjects covered include: Technology evolution and data privacy, the pursuit of happiness, globalization, immigration, ethics before the Bible, monotheism, racism, and intellectual honesty.

'I gather together the different threads and take a more general look at life in an age of bewilderment, when the old stories have collapsed, and no new story has emerged so far to replace them. Who are we? What should we do in life? What kinds of skills do we need? Given everything we know and don't know about science, about God, about politics and about religion – what can we say about the meaning of life today?' ... 'That's everything I care about right there. I was hooked. After leaving Mormonism, those are pretty much all your questions' - Sister Lisa

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More from Yuval Noah Harari – https://www.ynharari.com/

'Sentient World Simulation' episode from Everywhere You Go is Bullsh*t podcast – https://bit.ly/3og1OqY

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Website: siblingsinzion.com

Instagram: instagram.com/siblingsinzion

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@siblingsinzion

Theme Music: 'The Falls' by Umbrellaman - http://umbrellamanband.com

They say the gospel is so simple that a child can understand it. Let us see how well Sister Lisa, former missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, having ingested marijuana drugs into her brains, can explain the timeline of events once Jesus returns and the real party begins: Resurrection!!

After attempting to lay out the trajectory of our promised life after this life from the Mormon perspective, the siblings take the opportunity to bear their testimonies of dropping the denial of death and the liberty in accepting the finite existence we have.

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Website: siblingsinzion.com

Instagram: instagram.com/siblingsinzion

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@siblingsinzion

Theme Music: 'The Falls' by Umbrellaman - http://umbrellamanband.com

With all this scariness in our current earthly existence, death might be on the brain a little more lately. But don't worry, you will live again! Also, you already lived before!

In this episode, the siblings intend to speak on the concept of resurrection and the Mormon teachings about it but end up being sidetracked into first talking about the unique take on what happened before we were born (Premortal Life) and what happens while we wait to finally get our body back (Spirit Prison and Spirit Paradise).

Along the way they touch on Adam & Eve in the garden, who were definitely real people in a real place, the Plan of Salvation and how participation in it is essentially a spiritual suicide, Judgement Day, 'outer darkness', and what it could possibly mean to have a 'perfect body'.

Sister Lisa also shares an inspirational message from Tanner of Zelph on the Shelf about considering mortality after letting go of faith, and how she now views mortal life and conscious experience without religious prescription.

Join us next time for Part 2, when we're all finally dead! YAYYYY!

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Website: siblingsinzion.com

Instagram: instagram.com/siblingsinzion

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@siblingsinzion

Theme Music: 'The Falls' by Umbrellaman - http://umbrellamanband.com

Heavenly Father, are you really there?

The siblings discuss the act of praying, the mechanics of a Mormon prayer, and interpreting results as God's answer or the outcome of probability.

They also discuss their experiences with prayer as believers, confronting the call to pray as non-believers, the seemingly nonsensical act of praying at all when God already knows all that will happen from beginning to end, and the concept of foreordination.

Sister Lisa also describes all the recent positivity in her life, with no help from prayer or tithing blessings, and how unfair it would be to take away from one's own accomplishments due to their efforts by attributing them to divine intervention or allowance.

Eventually, they veer into a debate on the point of the 'plan of salvation' and after getting pretty fired up, they end with the positive results of meditation and compassion for others, and introduce a new segment where they share a passage of uplifting prose that is not traditional scripture.

'The power of our prayers depends on us' - LDS Gospel Topic Essay on Prayer - https://bit.ly/2ZMoAgH

'It could have been worse' ... No, it was exactly as bad as it was ever going to be. - Brother Dan

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'Meditations' by Marcus Aurelius :

Free - https://bit.ly/3DmQyNH

Best printed version - https://bit.ly/3DgjvLl

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Website: siblingsinzion.com

Instagram: instagram.com/siblingsinzion

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@siblingsinzion

Theme Music: 'The Falls' by Umbrellaman - http://umbrellamanband.com

To kick off season 2, Brother Dan and Sister Lisa discuss the experience of 'feeling the spirit', and how it is not exclusive to any religion or faith-based reward system.

Often referred to as The Holy Spirit in Christianity, Mormons like to call the third personage in the Godhead 'The Holy Ghost'. What's his story? How can he be everywhere we want him to be? If you don't feel his presence, what is wrong with you?!

They talk about how they have recognized the spirit both under the banner of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as other 'holy' places, and especially in nature. How confirmation bias can confuse and distort one's search for that feeling. And ultimately, how one who no longer believes that it results from certain beliefs or behavior might recognize it in their lives.

The Holy Ghost ... he dwells!

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Website: siblingsinzion.com

Instagram: instagram.com/siblingsinzion

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@siblingsinzion

Theme Music: 'The Falls' by Umbrellaman - http://umbrellamanband.com

In this bonus episode, the siblings are reunited after Sister Lisa returns early from China (news of the coronavirus broke right after this was recorded).

Over some traditional Chinese Baijiu, they talk about her experience in China and Hong Kong, her reasons for returning early, being triggered by The Handmaid's Tale, reading The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr, and what's ahead for season 2 of our podcast.

Cheers! - SIZ

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Website: siblingsinzion.com

Instagram: instagram.com/siblingsinzion

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@siblingsinzion

Theme Music: 'The Falls' by Umbrellaman - http://umbrellamanband.com

Early in production of this season, we recorded a special addendum to shout-out some other Ex-Mo creators that have been influential in our journeys but, forgot to include it!

Today we thank them, and you. Check out the various links below. Talk to you next year!

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Heart of the Matter: https://bit.ly/3EkTgoi

Mormon Stories: https://www.youtube.com/mormonstories

Zelph on the Shelf: https://www.youtube.com/ZelphOntheShelf

Naked Mormonism: https://nakedmormonismpodcast.com/

Latter-day Lesbian: http://latterdaylesbian.org

Dan Vogel: https://bit.ly/3ogJoGE

CES Letter: https://cesletter.org

In this first season finale, the siblings further examine the Word of Wisdom - a health code of sorts which was presented to the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1833. Since then, parts of the WoW have been further elaborated and treated more or less as commandments (alcohol, tobacco, hot drinks), while others seem to be overlooked or ignored (meat used sparingly, barley for mild drinks, and wine of your own make). It has continually been a source of confusion for both members and non-members alike.

In August of 2019, an attempt at clarification was made in the church publication 'New Era', which is primarily aimed at the Mormon youth. This attempt only further muddied the waters. They elaborate in childish terms that coffee and tea are evil for some unspecified reason. But, with no mention of caffeine, soda and energy drinks are fine? Hot drinks are not for the body, but hot chocolate for all?! And apparently, prescribed marijuana use is acceptable ...

After examining all this, they wrap up with their thoughts on the first season of the show, how they are feeling about the church today, and what is in store for the future.

Brothers and Sisters, we thank thee for listening to our podcast. We shall return in early 2020 for another season of Siblings in Zion. Cheers!

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Website: siblingsinzion.com

Instagram: instagram.com/siblingsinzion

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@siblingsinzion

Theme Music: 'The Falls' by Umbrellaman - http://umbrellamanband.com

The siblings conclude their overview of the Mormon temple ceremonies with discussions on the 'prayer circle', 'sealings', and 'conversing through the veil' with 'signs and tokens' (secret handshakes). They watch and react to some of the videos of these ceremonies on YouTube and Lisa relates her own personal experiences of her many times participating in these very cult-like scenarios.

They also discuss the comparison between many of these ceremonies and those of the Masonic traditions, including the symbols on the Mormon garments (magic underwear) and some parts that have been changed such as the Five Points of Fellowship and the miming of one's own death as punishment for divulging the 'sacred, not secret' activities. They also watch the video that sent Dan on his journey to learn his way out of his church membership.

Also ... people pay 10% of their gross income to end up voluntarily going to the temple and raking the carpet ... because footprints ...

This episode is brought to you by Sailor Jerry's Spiced Rum and the Hokey Pokey.

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Website: siblingsinzion.com

Instagram: instagram.com/siblingsinzion

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@siblingsinzion