- bbell on “Modar” is a Thing: “You can totally pick out LDS families on Cruise ships. Also at Costa Vida outside of Utah This might fade away though as less and less women are now wearing garments Modar is real at least for now.” Apr 23, 10:49
- on “Modar” is a Thing: “My wife and I engage in “Mospotting” in our local Costa Vida here in Texas. Because suburban Texas has become a destination for many Utah LDS folk for the great cost of living and booming job market, we expect many of them will find a home-away-from-home in this recognizable Utah Fresh-Mex chain. We think we’re pretty good at spotting them. We just got a Swig in the area, so we will probably try it there on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening some time.” Apr 23, 06:52
- on “Modar” is a Thing: “I feel like clothing also factors in, especially for women, especially in warmer weather. There is a specific look that results from needing to cover garments. Maybe that will lessen somewhat with new sleeveless garments but not completely. As far as health, I am also skeptical but there may be something to it. Seventh Day Adventists are healthier than we are but I don’t notice a “look”. I have been in so many social situations where I think my choice of beverage gives me away.” Apr 23, 06:47
- on Beyond the Lippelt Letter: The Strategic Reality of the First Brazilian Missionaries: “My sense is that there’s a lot of that “behind the scene” work going on all the time–and most of us don’t know the half of it. The spreading of the kingdom is really a product of a continuous outpouring of small miracles–a large portion of which, I’m sure, is an answer to the faith of local converts.” Apr 22, 16:50
- on Rejecting the Restoration in 1654: “Yes, these are all topics that interest me greatly. This stuff starts with Luther who wanted to reject all prophets as schwamer, and as I’ve shouted for a very long time, orthodox Protestants were in no way precursors to the Restoration. As JS said in his very last church, “the old Catholic church is worth more than all” the Protestants. JS had some praise for Methodism and John Wesley, but not the Reformers. This didn’t mean that JS wanted to join the Catholics, but he was correct that Mormonism is closer to Catholicism than Protestantism. And thanks for noting Plato. There is ANOTHER Christian tradition of Christian mysticism that draws heavily on Plato that is much closer to Mormonism. It has roots in early Christianity, but really gets revived by medieval German mystics like Meister Eckhart. Persists into the Reformation especially the Family of Love who have a big influence in 17th century England. Jane Lead noted she was tapping into that network in the autobiography she wrote for her German followers that you translated for me, Jonathan. Thanks again! A number of Lead’s German followers settled in eighteenth-century Pennsylvania: the Society of the Woman in the Wilderness, the Dunkers, and the Ephrata Cloister. The Thirty-Years War left many on the continent hyper interested in what they saw as the coming end times and saw Lead’s visions as a sign of the outpouring prophecy marking that the end was near.” Apr 22, 09:21
- on What Was Revealed to You In Church (Or What Did Church Lead You to Think About Yesterday), 4/19)?: “I really appreciate these posts. I’ve read them for many weeks/months, and left a comment last week for the first time. It has caused me to think more about my weekly worship experience, so thank you for doing this. We had a convert from India speak. He sounded like he had been a member of the Church his whole life. I was so impressed with how he has jumped in with both feet and seems to be loving life in the Church. Before heading to Sunday School, I was speaking with a couple of the YSA out in the hallway. I ended up being invited to attend their YSA class (even though I am an OMA). The few YSA that attended (we are out in the “mission field”) were having a very good discussion. It was good to see, but I still worry about them. I hope they feel supported, and not alone.” Apr 21, 16:39
- on Rejecting the Restoration in 1654: “Well, he probably would have been martyred and his followers driven into exile, maybe even forced to flee to some less-populated part of North America…” Apr 21, 15:11
- on Rejecting the Restoration in 1654: “Thanks for this. Reminds me of a discussion we sometimes have with traditional Christian types about why God waited until the 19th century to restore the Church, and then you think about what Joseph Smith’s fate would have been in 16th century Prague.” Apr 21, 07:25
- on What Was Revealed to You In Church (Or What Did Church Lead You to Think About Yesterday), 4/19)?: “A member of the stake Young Women’s Presidency spoke in sacrament meeting. She started with President Nelson’s quote that “The Lord loves effort” and then talked about the feeding of the 5,000. Her message was that the Lord loves our effort, and he will take our five loaves and two fishes’ worth and make it enough. Which surprised me, because I’d always taken that quote in a more negative sense: “So put forth effort or else!” Now that I drag it out into the light, the “or else” was “Or the Lord won’t love you.” That got me thinking about why my brain would go there, given what I know about the Lord. Clearly that sister had the better understanding.” Apr 20, 22:13
- on What Was Revealed to You In Church (Or What Did Church Lead You to Think About Yesterday), 4/19)?: “While teaching Gospel Doctrine, I realized that every class is the investigator class, at least in my ward. And that’s okay. The newer members and friends of the missionaries had some great insights to share.” Apr 20, 19:43
