The pictures accompanying this month’s cover story entitled “Strengthening Future Mothers” make my heart hurt.
Month: May 2005
Political versus Theological Friendships
Are theological friendships possible between different religions? At times I am skeptical. Consider the always fascinating question of which Christian denomination likes Mormons the least?
A Preview, A Review
Jonathan Green reviews Prelude to the Restoration.
Sunday School Lesson 23
Lesson 23: Doctrine and Covenants 88 Notice that section 87, on war, was given only a few days before this section, “an olive leaf [. . .] plucked from the Tree of Paradise, the Lord’s message of peace.” How is the message of section 88 one of peace to the Saints?
What Do We Think of the Jews?
I confess to being something of a universalist when it comes to Christianity.
In-laws
Both of my daughters-in-law are very smart and good-looking, and they are good writers
Mormons and Markets, III: Strangers and Neighbors
In my last post on this subject, I argued that one of things that markets do well is coordinate dispersed information. Another thing that markets do fairly well is facilitate cooperation among strangers. This is worth thinking about.
Learning from Enrique
Enrique was the kind of member you don’t forget. He was a fifty-something former alcoholic, and a former evangelical Christian. He had given up his drinking, but the jury was still out on whether he had given up his evangelical tendencies. Actually, the jury had come back with a pretty solid verdict: Enrique’s evangelical tics were here to stay. And stay they did. Every time that a speaker mentioned a key concept — “we must have faith,” for example — Enrique would call out “amen, hermano!” He had a loud and beautifully resonant voice, and often after firing off a few amens, he would begin to sway back and forth in a rhythm. Our few long-term members mostly ignored him; newer members would look around, a little disconcerted. Was this what Mormons did? Every few weeks, it seemed, Enrique’s contagious enthusiasm would catch on — usually with the newer converts — and some of the other members of the congregation would join him, until we had a chorus of ecstatic amens punctuating the sacrament talks.
Can Satan give the gift of prophecy?
One of the more interesting stories in the Old Testament concerns Saul and the Ewok Witch of En-dor. The ewok witch calls up a spirit, which foretells the events of the battle which will take place the next day: “The Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David . . . Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.” The events occur as foretold, of course. What does this story tell us? Well, if the witch did not receive this vision from God, but rather from Satan (and our Bible Dictionary explicitly states that this is not a vision from God), then Satan appears to be capable of granting prophetic visions to his followers. Is he?
Against Fundamental Questions
We tend to think that fundamental questions are important and therefore that they ought to take up much of our intellectual effort. This view may be mistaken. Consider, for example, Islamic law.
Interreligious Dialogue at the LOC, Part II
Here are some reflections on the second session, “Joseph Smith and the Recovery of Past Worlds.” (web archives on lds.org) I have tried to give just enough summary to support my reflections on how it went as a dialogue. Main speaker Terryl Givens described Joseph Smith as an explorer and re-discoverer of ancient worlds.
Ricoeur Dies
Paul Ricoeur, Christian philosopher, friend of Emmanuel Levinas, colleague of Jacques Derrida, is dead.
Thoughts on Ricoeur
Paul Ricoeur, the French phenomenologist and scholar of hermeneutics, has passed away at age 92. He was a profound and important thinker, especially for those interested in addressing the problem of belief–in the Bible, the reality of evil, the possibility of justice, the meaning of life–in the midst of our skeptical, modern world. Several months back, when Jacques Derrida died, Jim and I ended up writing dueling posts. Perhaps that’ll happen again. I’d certainly be happy if it did, since I’d very much like to read Jim’s assessment of Ricoeur’s work, and perhaps something on its relationship to our own religious concerns. In the meantime, as before, my long, philosophical ramblings have been confined to my own blog; you can read them here. Paul Ricoeur, RIP.
Mormons and Markets, II.A: Information and the Failure of the United Order, an Addendum
Consider this an addendum to Nate’s post on the catastrophically large amounts of information needed to plan an economy.
Sunday School Lesson 22
Lesson 22: Doctrine and Covenants 89 Notice that this is the first revelation given after the School of the Prophets was organized. Is there a connection between that organization and this revelation?
A Gender Correlation to Topical LDS Group-Blogging?
Group blogging can be done in one of two basic ways: Topical or ad hoc. Ad hoc group blogs allow members to post at any time on any subject. Today Nate posts on sugar beets, tomorrow Jim writes about Heidegger, and the next day Kaimi is whining about gender issues. Topical blogs, as the name implies, stick with particular topics for a set period of time. The members agree beforehand that they will all write about faith in week one, repentance in week two, and same-sex marriage in week three. There are two topical group blogs in the bloggernacle. Both are run by women.
Sunday School Lesson 21
Doctrine and Covenants 29:9-29; 34:5-12; 45:16-75; 88:86-89; 101:22-34; 133
An Ethical Question from the Laws of War
Are executions in the town square less moral than air bombing? Consider the following hypotheticals from the international law of war.
Temples: Service, Education, Ward, or Remembrance?
Recently I’ve made some effort to go to the temple more often. The goal is to go multiple times a month, either to an endowment or initiatories. Since I live about 7 minutes away, this is actually a do-able goal.
Learn to Dance with Napoleon Dynamite
Quick, there’s still time before the next youth dance! Check it out! Hat tip to Metafilter.
Why I have a testimony
In my Belgian environment, I’m an oddity. A university professor who is a Mormon. Colleagues and students whisper about it. They can’t place me in the normal spectrum of the centuries old allegiances to our society. They wonder: how can this scholar believe the rigmarole of that foreign cult?
New LDS E-Journal
See here for the announcement.
Correcting Our Priesthood Leaders
Should members feel entitled to correct their Priesthood leaders, based on their own understanding of higher authorities?
Catholics and Protestants
Mormons are often dismissive of some Protestants, especially evangelicals.
About Those “Other Sheep” …
In 3 Nephi 16:1-3, Jesus proclaims: And verily, verily, I say unto you that I have other sheep, which are not of this land, neither of the land of Jerusalem, neither in any parts of that land round about whither I have been to minister. For they of whom I speak are they who have not as yet heard my voice; neither have I at any time manifested myself unto them. But I have received a commandment of the Father that I shall go unto them, and that they shall hear my voice, and shall be numbered among my sheep, that there may be one fold and one shepherd; therefore I go to show myself unto them. Is there any passage of scripture that has led to more bizarre speculations than this? Who are those “other sheep”? And should we care?
Spinach
An update on the Oman garden is in order.
Flags, Idols and Envy of the SPQR
Of late, I have been reading about the Romans, a group of exceptionally creative — if frequently cruel — lawyers with a really good army. What is not to like? It has got me thinking a bit about patriotism.
Book Review: Fire in the Bones and Prelude to the Restoration
This review contains good news and bad news. I’ll start with the bad news: Fire in the Bones is pretty disappointing.
R.’s First Talk
I’m the primary pianist, and so I’ve seen R. nearly every Sunday over the past few years. She’s a bright and polite young woman who comes to church regularly with her mother. She just turned 12, and graduated from primary into young women’s. And like a typical 12-year-old, R. is just starting to turn into a young woman. The boys aren’t, that I can tell, paying her any attention yet, which is probably a source of mixed frustration and relief. Meanwhile, she’s a month or so into YW, and valiantly trying to make that awkward social adjustment. Last Sunday R. and her mother were giving talks in Sacrament meeting. Excellent, I thought — a good chance for her to start the public speaking that most LDS youth experience. She stepped up to the stand and announced that she had been asked to speak on . . . the law of chastity.
Sex Ed
For me one of the enduring frustrations and perplexities of parenting children in public schools is the need to monitor sex education curricula. If you think that schools don’t need monitoring, you aren’t paying attention.