Pop Theology

Popular theology is an interesting concept, to be sure. Apparently it's not a real word--I've been marked down by theologians for using it in a paper. However, I will likely talk more about it in future posts, but I wished to introduce the idea in this post.
Pop theology is the act of laity theologizing. No, I don't mean trained professors or students who make it their life to study theology. Nor do I mean deacons who might be asked to deliver homilies at Mass. I mean to say that popular theology is the theology of the common man.
I have witnessed this very process several times in my life. The reason it is on my mind at present is that last night I listened to my parents discuss what they thought would occur during the Resurrection.
As far as I can tell, Mormons engage in popular theology more than any other religious groups. Generally, popular theology revolves around things of apocryphal or unclear natures. For example, the afterlife seems to be a huge topic of pop theology. So does Christ's atoning sacrifice.
I don't wish to discount all theological musings of the masses, but I can attest to the fact that it leads to a lot of confusion. There tends to be a large enough spectrum across theologians of the same faith tradition that with the popularization of theology, things only get more and more confusing. How can a non-believer understand what the faithful adhere to if they all follow separate theological ideologies?
In order to be able to properly engage in theological discussion, I believe it is necessary to be aware: first, of what your faith says on the doctrine; second, on what other faiths might say about it; and third, whether or not your specific theology does anything to help with the controversy; and finally, whether or not your specific belief is compatible with the doctrine specifically and your faith tradition overall.
What I mean to say is that there should be some basis for whatever theological discussion you wish to take up. The background is important, as are the intricacies of it.
If, however, we decide to engage in uninformed theological discussion, or preach half-baked theologies we only add to the confusion brewing between Creeds and, at worst, can lead to the kind of disastrous faith traditions that men like David Koresh and Jim Jones started.