With the recent proliferation of group blogs, we’ve got a very complicated, interlocking blogger chain going on here: Kristine blogs at T & S. And also at BCC, where Steve and Karen also blog. Steve and Karen also blog at Kulturblog, where Bryce also blogs. Bryce also blogs at Millennial Star, where Matt and Adam also blog. And Matt and Adam blog here at T & S — we’re back where we began! Plus, Russell and Greg also post at Kulturblog as well as T & S; plus, Steve and Karen (BCC/KB), Bryce (Ms. Tar/KB), Clark, Ben S., Ryan, Grasshopper (all Ms. Tar), William Morris (KB) were T & S guest bloggers; plus there’s the Archipelago (Rusty is M-Arch/KB; Dave is M-Arch/BCC). And I’m probably missing a few connections. Ahh, what a tangled web.
Author: Kaimi Wenger
Kaimi is a fellow who blogs every now and again, usually when he should be working.
From the Archives: Church Members and Financial Scams
Following up on Nate’s good idea of links to posts that date to the early days of T & S (when we had very few readers), here is a post of my own from the early days of T & S, suggesting some possible reasons why church members seem to be unusually susceptible to financial scams. (continue to original post…)
Remember the Pain
Alma has a great description of repentance. He writes: And now, behold, when I [repented], I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. Is this a good thing?
Fireworks
The new group blogs in the ‘nacle are positively hopping. At Various Stages, the VSOM-ers are discussing the topic “Is it hard for you to say you’re Mormon? What baggage comes with that label?” Becca F. launches the topic with characteristic aplomb, and Sara and Kaycee continue on the high notes. (And on the question, so far the jury is very much out — no two answers are the same or even all that similar.) Meanwhile, at Ms. Tar, Grasshopper asks whether revelation is really intended to answer questions, and Baron discusses the value of simple answers to complex questions. (And while we’re at it — when are the rest of the muckety-mucks over there going to adopt nifty monikers? Hmm, then again, if Ryan Bell is coining the nicknames, perhaps we’re best off leaving well enough alone . . .)
Blogscars
And speaking of other blogs, congratulations to our Blogscar* winners: Nate (Best Blogger), Kris and Jim (Best Posts, though Kris’s is at an unauthorized location). In the blogs category, congratulations as well, to Heather, Lisa, and, well, us. Yay, us! We rock! I’ll accept the award on behalf of the crew, and say that I’d like to thank my Mom, and Dad, and my old stake president, and my mission trainer, and Al Gore for inventing the internet so that we could blog in the first place, and my kids, and my co-bloggers, and my goldfish, and . . . — *The joy at winning the award is mitigated by the silliness of the name “blogscar” which sounds like either a bad attempt to say “boxcar” or perhaps the mark of a wound received from blogging. Perhaps a better handle can be found?
Eight Questions at BCC
Steve Evans at BCC has just launched a groundbreaking new idea for the bloggernacle: Interviews with interesting LDS figures! He’s starting with an “Eight Questions” interview with Dr. Brian Birch, director of the Religious Studies program at UVSC. The interview is quite interesting. And as for the source of Steve’s trailblazing ingenuity . . . well, I think I can tell you this — Steve confided to me, he feels that that kind of good idea must have come from some higher power.
Biting my Tongue
I just got back home after spending a week with family and friends in Arizona. These trips are always fun — seeing family members, playing with the kids, and so forth. They also result in a lot of interesting exchanges, which usually end up with me biting my tongue.
Not Coveting My Neighbor’s Wife (and other feminist concerns)
I’ve always thought that the rule against coveting my neighbor’s wife was a good one. It seems like a very useful sort of prophylactic measure against adultery. Coveting a neighbor’s wife is probably the initial act in many (or most) cases of eventual adultery. But as salutary as a find this commandment, I also wish it were phrased in a less misogynistic way.
Anti-Gay Violence and Church Belief
We seem to discuss issues of homosexuality ad nausum around here. Surprisingly, one particular subtopic that hasn’t really come up in the past is the real problem of anti-gay violence.
Interesting Site: Urban Legends Repository
We all hear members who say “well, you can’t do X because there’s a letter from Spencer W. Kimball on it . . .” It’s an interesting problem — how to treat statements of dubious provenance such as ostensibly-from-the-leaders, no-longer-publicized statements. A related issue is finding out if these statements even really exist. A church member named David Bowie (no, not the rocker) has an interesting online collection of “Disputed Mormon Texts” — texts that may seem to be urban legends. Thus far, he has verified a few as authentic (like the 1910 statement on evolution) and a few as fraudulent probably incorrect (like the “Prophecy of a Catholic Priest”). Others, including purported official statements about birth control, decaffienated coffee, near-death experiences, and oral sex, remain in his “unverified either way” camp. It’s a fun place to see some common “are-they-official?” disputed texts.
Guest Blogger: Eric James Stone
We’re happy to announce our latest guest blogger, Eric James Stone.
Just a Quick Note
If you follow the links in William Morris’s post, you’ll note that the deadline is fast approaching for paper submissions for the AML conference. So if you’re sitting on that brilliant analysis of feminist themes in The Work and the Glory, now’s a good time to dust it off and send it in to AML.
The 50 Book Challenge
Will Baude discusses something called the 50 book challenge, with the idea being to read 50 books this year and blog about them. Not a bad idea.
Laughter
Don’t laugh. Especially not on Sunday. The Doctrine and Covenants makes this pretty clear: And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day . . . And inasmuch as ye do these things with thanksgiving, with cheerful hearts and countenances, not with much laughter, for this is sin, but with a glad heart and a cheerful countenance
Hymns that Need to Go
Now for a fun project — let’s rewrite the hymn book! In particular, let’s discuss a few hymns which (in a perfect world) might be headed for the chopping block.
Why “Remove This Cup”?
Over the past few days, I’ve been discussing the atonement with a Catholic friend. We’ve been comparing the different ideas our two faiths have (he’s fascinated, for instance, by the primacy that Mormons give to Gethsemane). One issue that has arisen, and that I don’t have a good answer for, is this — why does Jesus ask for the cup to be removed?
The Uneasy Case for Janice Kapp: A (sort of) defense of Mormon Pop
I’ll preface this by noting that it is axiomatic that I am nowhere near as cool as Greg Call. I’m not as cool as William Morris, either, and I’m not really as cool as Kristine, even if she does like Abba. I like to think that I’m as cool as D. Fletcher, but I’m probably wrong there too. The fact is, I’m probably not cooler than anyone — Nate Oman and Steve Evans aside, of course. But enough is enough.
A Sweet Offer
Over on the film thread, a minor side question has arisen over which is the best chocolate: Dutch, Swiss, or Belgian, (or perhaps another?). These discussions are always interesting. However, as we all know, contention is of the devil. So, out of a heartfelt desire to help quell any contention, I’m willing to do my part to help try to resolve the question of which is the best chocolate. If everyone will just send me a sample of the kind that they believe is best, I promise to taste them all, and then report with results.
Brief “Operation Give” Update
LDS philanthropic organizer Chief Wiggles (who runs the charity “Operation Give”) has been on a roll recently. First, he has posted pictures last week of the Iraqi toddler who, though Op Give’s efforts, was flown to the U.S. for life-saving surgery. She’s doing just fine. Now, he’s lined up a Fed Ex plane ready to fill with help for tsunami victims. As usual, it’s a great cause. They’ve got suggestions and instructions for anyone who’s interested in donating. As for me, there’s a Rite Aid across the street, and I think I’m going to make a visit and put together a medical kit.
What ever happened to instantaneous healings?
We read in the scriptures about people raised from the dead. We read of blind men and lame men instantly cured of their afflictions. And we read in church history of miraculous healings by early leaders like Joseph Smith.
Kids’ Testimonies – Last Sunday
Last week we were over at a friend’s house and the missionaries stopped by. They gave the usual spiritual thought, and challenged us all to bear our testimonies this week. It worked. But the most surprising part was that my kids also participated.
Flouridation
Always a hot topic among Mormons. Discuss.
The Wackiness of Mormon Teen Dating Rituals
Rebecca is discussing the wackiness of Mormon teen dating rituals. “Dating was a serious of creative ideas that ended revealing who it was that was asking me out,” she writes. “Is this stuff uniquely Utah?” Well, I can attest that these rituals extend at least to the quasi-Utah of Mesa, Arizona. I remember them well.
The Mormon Church is for Sale. On eBay.
I just noticed this: Go to Philocrites’ blog and look at the google ads on the sidebar. (The ads run according to some pre-set computer algorithms that advertise for things relating to the topics discussed.) This particular post discusses a Mormon baptism, and the ads included, on a recent viewing, links to “Mormon dating” . . . “Mormon beliefs Biblical?” . . . “Mormon dating” again . . . so far, so good — ads for the kinds of things one would expect the algorithm to come up with. And then we get to: “Mormon Church for Sale. Discount Mormon church! Check out the deals now! www.ebay.com”. Conspiracy theorists everywhere, please take note. The Mormon Church is for sale. On eBay. At a discount. Paypal accepted. Don’t let this auction slip away! Check Philocrites to see if it’s still in the sidebar!
Blogwatch 1/3/05
Announcements of new bloggernacle blogs are about as rare as birth announcements in a student ward. Or dating melodrama in a singles ward. Or semi-apostate ramblings in your ward’s geriatric section high priests group. Pick your metaphor. In any event, some recent new arrivals to the ‘nacle that I’ve noticed include: –Various Stages of Mormondom looks interesting.
John Leo, Sloppy Journalism, and Anti-Christmas (Mythical?) Anecdotes
In his most recent anti-PC rant, U.S. News columnist John Leo applies his characteristic sarcastic outrage to a subject that he loves to pontificate about — the problems of “PC” behavior. Christmas is being banned — or so Leo would have us believe. But Leo’s piece is sadly lacking in specific facts to substantiate that claim, as the most cursory examination of his piece makes clear.
“Liberals,” “Tolerance,” and Other Canards of the Right
Over at A Bird’s Eye View, I’ve been having a conversation in comments with John Fowles. In one comment, John castigates a student who made a remark that he viewed as derogatory towards Mormons. John writes: “If she is ‘liberal’ doesn’t that mean she is supposed to be ‘sensitive’? Or does that only mean she is sensitive to the favored social causes and minorities and intolerant towards others?” Ahh, where to begin?
Judge Posner on Faith Based Morality and Public Policy
Judge Richard Posner — one of the most influential judges of the past several decades — is guest blogging on professor Brian Leiter’s blog. His first post deals with faith-based morality and how this affects public policy. (A topic that T & S readers will recognize as familiar — we discuss it a lot around here). Judge Posner suggests that: “If the population is religious, religion will influence morality, which in turn will influence law, subject to constitutional limitations narrowly interpreted to protect the handful of rights that ought not to be at the mercy of the majority.” Instead of giving further snippets, I’ll commend for reading the entirety of Judge Posner’s fine post.
Ender’s Game as Mormon Literature
Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past twenty years, you’ve probably heard of Orson Scott Card. He’s a Mormon author who primarily writes science fiction. And he’s a very good author — to this day, his best work, Ender’s Game (which won Hugo and Nebula awards) is considered one of the better sci-fi novels of the past quarter century. Of course, Card’s Mormon background raises the question of what we can learn by viewing Ender’s Game as Mormon literature.
Christmas songs: Navidad Sin Ti
In this time of the year, we hear lots of Christmas songs. There’s one song in particular that I’ve come to enjoy hearing around Christmas, though at one time I never thought this would be possible. The song is “Navidad Sin Ti” by the Ranchera music group (essentially country music in Spanish) Los Bukis.