I just noticed (via A Soft Answer) a new bloggernacle aggregation blog — Planet LDS, at KZION. The site includes feeds from almost 50 bloggernaclites, including Times and Seasons. Techies will note that this aggregation is identical to what anyone can do with an aggregator (for example, the free one at Bloglines). However, Planet LDS’s pre-set aggregation blog is a useful fill-in for any readers too busy, lazy, or Luddite to set up their own aggregators. Caveat: For those who don’t know, let me note that there is an important limitation if you’re reading Planet LDS instead of setting up your own aggregator. That limitation is that you’ll only see posts from the blogs that Planet LDS has selected for its aggregation list; you can’t add other blogs that you like or take out ones that you find boring. However, (1) that’s the price you pay for using someone else’s aggregated blogs rather than setting up your own aggregator; and (2) Planet LDS has compiled a very good list of bloggernacle blogs, and most readers are probably unlikely to disagree much with their choices.
Author: Kaimi Wenger
Kaimi is a fellow who blogs every now and again, usually when he should be working.
A Mormon Reinterpretation of a Christmas Carol
Today I heard a well-known Christmas carol, and it occurred to me that the carol’s underlying story was incredibly ahistorical. In fact, it is roughly the opposite of what we know happened. Or rather, it is roughly the opposite of what most Christians know happened.
My Mormon Hanukkah Celebration
This year, on an impulse, I picked up a menorah and candles, and we’re trying out a new (at least, for my family) tradition — Hanukkah.
The cheeses of Times and Seasons
And now for a very serious topic. Which T & S bloggers are like which types of cheese?
More Bloggernacle Watching: Mormon Wasp Discusses the Strengthening Church Members Committee
Recent news reports indicate that former CES instructor Grant Palmer will be facing church discipline. Any time that church discipline comes into the news, the conversation inevitably turns to the secretive Strengthening Church Members Committee which is said to maintain files on church members suspected of intellectual improprities. In a recent and lengthy blog post, the Mormon Wasp collects and discusses information and statements about the Committee (including official church statements). Mormon Wasp’s post is very informative for anyone interested in reading on this topic.
Hatch-ing a New Plan
John Hatch is leaving Sunstone to go to school. Over at BCC, he has a lengthy and interesting further discussion of his own life and faith. It’s a powerful, personal statement that makes fascinating reading (and if you want controversy, well, it has parts that may be likely to offend almost everyone in one way or another). To borrow a line, go read the whole thing.
Swords and Clubs
Drawing on some existing discussion, Jeff Lindsay suggests that the “swords” of the Book of Mormon may have actually been spiked wooden war clubs. This idea seems problematic for several reasons:
Faith, Doubt, Tennyson
I was just reading over Logan’s (re)post at BCC, and I recalled a familiar line about faith and doubt, from Tennyson’s In Memoriam.
Blogwatch
What’s going on in some other blogs: Lisa at Feminist Mormon Housewives wants to know how we can reconcile the Plan of Salvation with a world that allows thousands of children to be sold into sex slavery.
A Scripture for Thanksgiving
It’s one of my favorites, and particularly applicable during the Thanksgiving season (so of course I didn’t think to post it until now):
The Unreality of Life
As I sit another day in my office, feeling strangely detached from the world — a feeling that I seem to have more often these days — a verse from the book of Jacob comes to mind.
Post-Thanksgiving Recipes
Yes, it’s that time of year again: Time to figure out what to do with half a turkey, a big pan of stuffing, and a lot of surplus pumpkin pie.
How Darth Vader was Slain (as told by the children of the Wenger household)
First, Luke Skywalker chopped off Darth Vader’s hand.
A Mormon-Evangelical Rapprochement?
I’m a little behind — I just saw this fascinating article (via Speak Up For Truth). The title of the story alone (on BeliefNet) speaks volumes: “‘We Have Sinned Against You’: A leading evangelical speaks at the Mormon Tabernacle and says evangelicals have spread lies about LDS beliefs.”
A Great Medium-Sized Disturbance in the Force
It’s “as though millions dozens of voices cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced.” Yes, I’m talking about the radical changes at everyone’s favorite blog-child, By Common Consent. The changes are said to be “massive.” They are: (more…)
Spiritual Consequences of Flouted Copyrights for P0rn
A recent story (yes, it’s safe for work, home, etc) highlights what is apparently a problem for online p0rn* retailers: Their “product” is a bundle of ones and zeroes, and other parties (such as search engines) often make the same “product” available for free.
Table test
Is Signature Books an Anti-Mormon Press?
Louis Midgley seems to think it is. My own feeling is that it probably depends on one’s reading of the phrase “anti-Mormon.”
Thanks, Danithew
Because I’m hopelessly behind in everything I do, I hadn’t realized that I neglected to post a thank-you for our guest blogger Daniel Bartholomew. Yes, the Westchester invasion is officially over (whew!). But seriously, it was great having him on board for two weeks.
Rosalynde Welch, a new Guest Blogger
(Now updated!) We’re very happy to announce our newest guest blogger: Rosalynde Welch.
Are We Really a Peculiar People, or are we Just a Bunch of Odd Ducks?
We LDS like to refer to ourselves as a peculiar people.
Bloggernacle, The Movie: A Casting Game
Is there anything more fun than a casting game? You know, “who would be the perfect actor to play Joseph Smith?” or “who would be some good actors for a Book of Mormon movie“? And now, ladies and gents, we have new fuel for the fire. You’ve all seen the pictures of the blog party (in its various nicknames three). And you now know what most of us look like. That brings us to the fun part: In Bloggernacle, The Movie, who will be the actors and actresses playing whom?
Conversations with a seven-year-old, continued
7YO: What if Korihor was a talking bat? Me: (Trying not to laugh) Umm, what? 7YO: He would die! Me: Oh? 7YO: Yep — because bats see with their ears, and they have to use sonar. And so Korihor couldn’t use any more sonar after he got cursed. Can’t argue with that, can I?
Putting Faces to Names
The blog party at D’s was a great success. It was quite interesting to put faces to names. (Kristine’s reaction when Steve Evans introduced himself: “No you’re not!”). We had a lot of people there: D, Kristine, Steve and Sumer, Mat and Gigi Parke, Logan and Amy Bobo, Bob Caswell, Christina Taber-Kewene & Manahi, Chris Williams and wife (I didn’t get her name) and daughter, JL (Celibate in the city) and her sister, Rusty Clifton and Sara, Davis Bell, Jim Lucas, Mark Butler & his wife. I was also there, along with Mardell and the kids. There was good food and good company, and (once D. started playing the piano and Kris singing) good music. But I must admit I’m still trying to sort through the mental gear-shifting of putting faces to names. A few preliminary thoughts:
Bushman in New York
This afternoon, renowned historian (and former T & S guest-blogger) Richard Bushman was the speaker at a meeting of the J Reuben Clark society in New York. The event was held at a reputable law firm in midtown. Brother Bushman discussed Joseph Smith and how politics was viewed in the early church. He suggested that the divide between politics and religion — and the related tension between republican values and prophetic values — has played an important role throughout the church’s history.
A Great New Product from Smith Industries
NEW PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AUSTIN, Texas – October 28, 2004 – Smith Industries LLC today proudly announces the release of their latest product, Child 3.0. Also known as “Truman Michael Smith,� Child 3.0 has been under development for nine months and arrives just in time for the holiday season.
And now, continuing an ongoing series of space-blogs . . .
Tonight is a lunar eclipse. Don’t miss it. Next up in the series: Is Nate Oman really a space alien? New evidence and panel discussion, followed by a grape-juice and cheese reception.
Blog parties
Recent posts at Wump and Birds Eye discuss the blog party which took place last week in Salt Lake. (Are there any more reports I’ve missed?). The consensus seems to be, in Monsonian terms: Blogging was discussed; cheese was eaten; fun was had. And in case anyone has missed the uber-thread (now available without abortion or SSM!), there’s another blog party coming up this Friday in New York City (at D.’s place). I guess that’s one thing you can say about Mormons — we surely know how to throw a party. (Non-members, please try not to laugh :P ).
“Substantially Equivalent Legal Effect”
Over at We Win, They Lose, Brent argues that Amendment 3 opponents are being disingenuous to suggest that the amendment could have a negative effect on unmarried couples. Brent suggests that this is not the case, writing that “I can draft a will leaving property to whomever I like. . . . Furthermore, the Amendment only prohibits government recognition of non-marital relationships (marriage being limited to one man and one woman) by the government, not by private employers or citizens. Thus, what opponents are saying is patently false.” Brent’s position is understandable. However, my impression on reading the proposed amendment is that, while it might not have a harmful effect on unmarried couples, it is probably impossible to conclusively tell (until the language is interpreted) that it won’t have such an effect.
Desert Island CD
It’s completely off-topic, but we can use a few excursions to the off-topic every now and then, in between our discussions of abortion, gay marriage, and the evils of Sunstone. Besides, it’s a fun mental exercise, and it’s also fun to see other people’s musical tastes. So here are the rules: You have a CD with 20 22 songs, and it’s all that you will have to listen to as you’re stranded on a desert island. What are your song choices?