We have tentatively turned on comments for the past month’s posts, and those posts only. We hope that this will limit the spam and keep the database running. We’re keeping a close eye on the server. If it gets unstable, though, we will close comments again. (So if you’re posting a 32-paragraph novel in comments, make sure to save it as a Word doc first.) We’re looking into other possible technical solutions, and welcome feedback and suggestions.
Author: Kaimi Wenger
Kaimi is a fellow who blogs every now and again, usually when he should be working.
Notes on Charity
A week ago, I spoke in church on the subject of charity. My talk focused on some questions from 1 Cor. 13 and Moroni 7.
Around the blogs
A few posts that I’ve noticed of late: -Bob Caswell at BnL asks how we tell the difference between doctrine and history. E.g., why is the Word of Wisdom doctrine while polygamy is merely history — and how are these decisions made? -Kathleen at some-other-blog writes on free agency and choices: How does our situation influence our choices and our agency, and how does that combination influence the consequences of our choices? –Lynette at ZD asks what it means to translate Christ’s life into our own actions. “I don’t think the question, ‘what would Jesus do?’ is always all that helpful in this endeavor,” she writes. “A more useful question, perhaps, is ‘what would Jesus want me to do?’”
Peace
It happened last night, around midnight, on a near-empty gym floor, after I took a break from grading exams to go work out for a while. I’ve found that I can’t control these things, really — I just take them where they fall, and sometimes, wonderfully, they fall on me.
Utah has the highest percentage of Utahns in the entire country . . .
“Utah has the nation’s highest rate of depression among thirty-seven-year old ambidextrous Battlestar Galactica fans named Zeb.” (That’s based on rock-solid statistical statistickizing.) However, “Utah [also] has the lowest rate of Tuesday afternoon divorce of any mountainous state located west of the Mississippi.”
Infallibility through finality
Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson once famously remarked, “We are not final because we are infallible, but we are infallible only because we are final.” Does this adage apply to the church as well?
Snippets
I’ve been thinking lately about a few conference talks. For a variety of reasons, Elder Nelson’s talk from last fall, Jesus Christ, the Master Healer, has been especially on my mind this Easter season. Let me share a few snippets.
New York snow this time of year, there’s nothing more beautiful
I visited an old love this weekend, almost a year after we parted. I found her more beautiful than ever, and we spent a wonderful few days together before saying goodbye again.
When do you blog, and why?
I blog most on Tuesdays.
He lives, and while He lives, I’ll sing
And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!
From the Archives: The Silver Ring
This Easter, I have a story to tell, a story about the Atonement. (more . . . )
Miller-Eccles Report
Last Friday and Saturday, I participated in a panel at the Miller-Eccles group, on the topic of Mormon blogging.
The Church as a Highly Ineffectual Stalker
Recently, at Feminist Mormon Housewives, a few relatively heated comments focused on church contact with ex-members.
Blogging most Fowles
Our latest guest brings a Fowles mouth and even more Fowles reputation.
A Pack of Wolves
Nate posted recently about the “Gentile Boogie” — that is, things people do or say when they don’t think a Mormon is around. Nate’s post suggests a world of subtle exclusions and small slights. There is a much darker side to the Gentile Boogie, though — one that I caught a glimpse of, a decade ago.
The Joys of Domesticity
Today, out of the blue, I got a query from a friend — a smart, competent, and female professional — who asked me this: What’s the right temperature for baked eggplant? My immediate (and correct, I might add) answer: 350.
Reparations within the Rule of Law
At the upcoming slavery reparations conference at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, I will speak on the topic of reparations within the rule of law.
Holmes at Last
There are many areas in which the “green” hymnal is superior to its predecesor. It has better indexes, lots of added information, and the mixed blessing of simpler, more playable hymns. However, in the vitally important category of hymn-texts-penned-by-parents-of-Supreme-Court-justices, it is sadly lacking.
Bloggernacle invades Miller-Eccles
An announcement for people who may be in the Southern California area on March 24 or 25: Nate Oman, Caroline Kline, and Kaimi Wenger will be speaking as a panel at the Miller-Eccles group in Southern California, on the topic of LDS blogging.
A Wave and a Particle
One of the fun aspects of physics is wave-particle duality: Light behaves as both a wave and a particle.
Tears in the Rain
I’m a keepsake person. I always have been.
The Bread of Life in an Atkins world
Jesus is the Bread of Life: “He that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” How much do we value that promise in an Atkins world?
Singing Time
I have envy — calling envy. Yes, that’s a sin that’s endemic to Mormonism. Unlike some others, I don’t really want to be a bishop or a stake president of a general authority. I’m deeply jealous, however, of people who regularly get to participate in singing time.
Understanding and applying God’s immutability
“God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” This was an argument I used often (and with relatively high success) as a missionary. God spoke to prophets in the past; God is unchanging; therefore, God speaks to prophets now. Is it really that simple?
Valentine’s 1996
Valentine’s Day 1996 found my own life in an interesting state of flux.
Elect
I tend to enjoy using the blog aggregation services provided by sites like Mormon Archipelago and Planet LDS for one-stop shopping in my blog reading. For those of us who like aggregators, there is now further cause for rejoicing — a shiny new player has officially entered the burgeoning world of bloggernacle aggregators. New portal LDSelect features the standard menu of blog feeds and comment feeds, plus intriguing added options like box customization.
Hexing the Pentateuch
Accounting firms move by subtraction: The Big Eight becomes the Big Six becomes the Big Five Four Three Two; eventually we will hit the Big Zero and financial statements will be unaudited thereafter. The nacle trends in the other direction:
Quick and easy
In the past, we’ve discussed favorite recipes and particularly tasty meals. (Some of those recipes are well worth checking out). This thread will take a different tack: Let’s talk about some quick and easy recipes that the cook of the house can fire up when he needs ideas.
Thanks, J.!
We’ve enjoyed having J. Stapley as our guest for the past two weeks. Alas, now it is time to send him back to his home blog. Err, blogs. Thanks for guest blogging with us, J. Your fans will be pleased to know (or remember) that you’re still blogging at Bloggernacle Times, Splendid Sun, and some other blog.
Absolute confirmed irrebuttable evidence of a local flood
Let’s answer this debate once and for all, the easy way. Was the flood local? Sure it was. That’s easy. How do I know? Simple: If the flood were global, then Cain would have drowned. Q.E.D. Ask me something hard.