I I had to bet on one thing showing up in general conference, Elisabeth, I’d bet on numbers.
From the Archives: Chastity and Terrorism
What are the root causes of terrorism? Poverty (problem: most terrorists seem to come from middle class or upper middle class Middle Eastern families). U.S. hegemony (at least in part). Embarrassment and rage at the decline of Islamic civilization (almost certainly). Another recent candidate has emerged: Chastity. (more…)
A Book Suggestion from George Q. Cannon
I am currently reading a book suggested to me by President George Q. Cannon.
The flute
Jessica is sad.
Report on Incident #C40859
REPORT OF THE SPECIAL JOINT TASK FORCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS AND THE UNITED NATIONS WAR CRIMES COMMITTEE
Sunday School Lesson 38
Lesson 38: Doctrine and Covenants 38:30; 42:30-31, 42; 44:6; 52:40; 56:16-17; 58:26-28; 88:123-125; 104:13-18 I owe an apology to those who have been receiving these by e-mail.
The Whitest Law School
Despite what you might think, BYU is not the whitest law school in the country — it is not even in the list of ten whitest schools.
Health Care: What to Do?
This from a new report by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research Educational Trust: “The average cost of health insurance for a family of four has soared past $10,800 — exceeding the annual income of a minimum-wage earner, according to a survey released Wednesday.”
The Promethean Comedy
Prometheus would have loved Joseph Smith.
Implications of Not Answering the Big Question?
Mormonism rather spectacularly refuses to answer one of the big questions that has kept philosophers and theologians busy for the last couple of millennia.
God’s Plan of Grace (/of Love/of Happiness/of Salvation)
Some Mormons seem to think that Mormons don’t understand grace. This is a grave mistake, even if it is an honest mistake. The Book of Mormon is the best discussion of grace in the Christian world.
Sunday School Lesson 37
Lesson 37: Doctrine and Covenants 1:38; 20:21-26; 21:1, 4-6; 43:2; 68:3-4; 101:43-54; 107:22, 91-92
Touched With Our Infirmities
Do we humans in part choose what forms of worship God will require of us?
Sunday School Lesson 36
Lesson 36: Doctrine and Covenants 58:2-4; 64:33-34; 82:10; 93:1; and 130:19-21
The Very Model of a Mormon Intellectual (with apologies to Gilbert and Sullivan)
As some readers of this blog may have guessed, comic operetta is a staple in the Oman home,
Luck
There’s a new family which just moved into our ward; the father is also a new professor at WIU, like myself, and he’s occupying a temporary slot here, trying to figure out what will come next, also like myself. So we have a fair amount in common. We had them over for dinner on Monday, and I discovered something else we have in common: Katrina. Or rather, how close we came to being in its path.
Mother Eve Goes to Relief Society
The August Ensign reprints a talk prepared by Elder Richard G. Scott for an international leadership training session in 2004; entitled “The Doctrinal Foundation of the Auxiliaries,” the piece outlines the functions and footings of the three female-led auxiliaries.
Legislatures, Courts, and Gay Marriage
When the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that gay couples had a constitutional right to marry, conservative commentators excoriated the court for usurping — critics claimed — the rightful role of the legislature.
A Response to Kaimi
I like Kaimi, but I am afraid that he is just wrong.
The date
The phone call was innocent. Sister Walker, the mission president’s wife, wanted me to come over for dinner.
The Myth of Religious Liberty as a Precondition for the Restoration
It’s a message you’re likely to hear every Fourth of July, and many times throughout the year as well: The Restored Church could only have been restored in America, the land of religious liberty.
Crystal Palace Ward
Janice and I went to a new ward Sunday.
President Monson’s timely message
It’s always a bit of a booster shot for me, testimony-wise, when I see things like this month’s Ensign message. In an article that appears to have been prepared long before Katrina was around, President Monson delivers a message that is tailored for members dealing with grief and loss.
Quail and the Superdome
I will frankly admit that I have been sickened by the lack of compassion for those victimized by Hurricane Katrina that I’ve seen in some corners of the Bloggernacle.