I’m sure this point has been made many times and is obvious to any serious student of the Book of Mormon. The Liahona that Lehi found in the desert worked ‘according to the faith and diligence and heed’ which the family gave it. Countless seminary, institute, gospel doctrine and primary teachers have made the point …
Jeff Lindsay’s post in Mormanity yesterday brought up an issue from a former presidential election that was oft repeated at the time. It was refreshing to read it again. It has to do with character. Isn’t that ultimately why we vote from who we do in the presidential election? I think I have made it …
I’m going nuts with this embedded video thing. It adds so much to my blog. Anthony Larson made a 27-minute video some twenty years ago called Joshua’s Long Day. It is a telling and intrepretation of the events surrounding the day that Joshua commanded the earth to stand still in Old Testament times. Did it …
I received an email from a PR firm for the new movie Article VI that came out today. I normally ignore blatantly commercial stuff like this but after reviewing the trailer I just had to respond. I am impressed. If the movie is anything like the trailer you are going to come away with a …
Anthony Larson has made a series of videos promoting his books and placed them on YouTube. I decided to embed a couple of them here as my first attempt at embedding video. It is not a difficult thing to do. Just highlight and copy the code to the right of the video and then paste …
In my scripture study today I jumped from the Book or Mormon to section 84 in the Doctrine and Covenants, specifically to the last verses 114 to 120. In verse 114 the Lord refers to the desolation of abomination. Is that a typo, a reversal in the mind of the prophet Joseph of the familiar …
In yesterday’s post I mentioned briefly one of the verses (v10) in 1 Nephi chapter 14 that has always intrigued me regarding the great and abominable church. That phrase has been the subject of much study and debate over the years by many a student of the scriptures. I am certain it has been well …
As we read through the Book of Mormon again this year, I am enjoying my visits to Nephi’s chapters on his vision of the future of America. It brings back memories of reading them with my family when I was little, then reading them in Seminary, on my mission, in Institute classes, teaching Seminary and …
In what surely will be a politically divisive post, I would like to comment on my recent readings in the Book of Mormon. In particular I would like to focus on Nephi’s vision of the destiny of America. Nephi makes it very clear that the hand of God was involved in the discovery and the …
A few posts back I mentioned in passing the ‘Prophecy Trilogy‘ books of Anthony E. Larson. Mr. Larson and I have begun a correspondence that has included discussion of his books, publishing in the LDS market, and the idea of ‘strange doctrine’. He didn’t call it that but I do. It’s strange because it is …
From this morning’s scripture reading: “And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost.” 1 Nephi 12:17 I see three things in this verse caused by the …
It seems like I read for a living. From the time I get up in the morning until the time I go to bed at night, the majority of my day is spent in front of my computer screen reading or writing. I suppose I read at least a hundred news or opinion pieces each …
Carol and I recently finished reading Sheri Dew’s new book, God Wants a Powerful People. We bought it when it first came out in October but only finished it just before Christmas. The reason it took so long is that I read it out loud to Carol a few pages at a time each night …
When I was much younger and first heard the word ‘standards’ used in the church I confess that it sometimes had a negative connotation for me. It used to be that when I thought of standards I would think of commandments and then I would think of ‘things I can’t do’. In Mutual we had …
Ken Jennings recently wrote an opinion piece in the New York Daily News. If you’ll recall Ken Jennings is the Latter-day Saint who became somewhat famous after winning over two and a half million dollars on Jeopardy in 2004. He suggests that the only way to get Mormonism out of the race is for Mitt …
Once again, Elder Ballard drives home the message that using the new media to share the gospel is not only acceptable but encouraged of the members of the church. I am particularly interested in the new media because of my involvement in the Internet. Web development and social networking is such a major part of …
So I was on the phone walking one of my associates at work through a printer install when I hear a knock at the door. I work from home most of my work week. The boss is very kind that way. There stands a neighbor with a Ron Paul hat on. ‘Nice hat,” I say. …
The Ron Paul – Mitt Romney poll in Meridian magazine Read More »
I was wondering when stuff like this would come up. Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and an ordained Southern Baptist minister who happens to be running for President of the United States asked of Mitt Romney’s religion, “Don’t Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?” Mitt also happens to be campaigning for …
I would like to expand upon a theme I touched upon in my previous post. It has to do with the influence of the adversary in the lives of troubled teens and others who do outrageous things. Do you remember a survey from a few years back in which people were asked about their belief …
I just have to comment on the tragedy in Omaha the other day. It was a horrible thing to have a young 19-year-old man take the lives of eight others before taking his own. Any mass murder and suicide is an awful thing to hear about. It is a reminder of the Columbine killings and …
Of all the commentary on Mitt’s ‘religion’ speech today, I like this one from Patrick Buchanan. He called it “a splendid and moving defense of his faith and beliefs.” While declaring, “I will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause and no one interest,” he did not back away an inch from …
An AP writer wrote a great article on the church today. If Mitt Romney has done nothing else, he sure has focused attention on the LDS church. In the past I have sometimes been outraged by the poor reporting the church has received. Articles have been full of misconceptions, stereotypes and outright falsehoods. For the …
The Church in the news – impacting public policy Read More »
Governor Mitt Romney will deliver a much-anticipated speech on religious faith at the George H. W. Bush library on Thursday. Romney’s Mormon faith has been an underlying theme of his presidential candidacy but, until today, it has been an area he and his campaign have shied away from addressing directly. “This speech is an opportunity …
I am just a little behind on this issue. In fact I didn’t even know it was an issue until Carol mentioned it the other day. She belongs to a Relief Society email newsgroup where the subject was being discussed. Apparently, a number of sisters took offense at the wonderful recent general conference address by …
I thought I had heard all the arguments against having children until I read this article in the Daily Mail UK. I just about fell out of my chair laughing until I realized that these women were serious. I am positive the writers of the article presented the story the way they did because they …
Another great thing I like about my church is how I am constantly encouraged to study and learn. The LDS Church has placed tremendous value and emphasis on education. Besides the four church-owned colleges and Universities, which are subsidized through tithing contributions, there are the thousands of seminary and institute facilities throughout the world. Seminary …
We had Stake Conference today. If you’re not LDS that just means we had a semi-annual gathering of members of the church from the Camarillo–Oxnard CA area. One of the speakers at the meeting was the mission president of the Ventura CA mission, President Richard Ellsworth. Mission presidents are the men who supervise all the …
From Politico: “In an apparent push poll, a research firm has called Iowa Republicans this week praising John McCain and criticizing Mitt Romney and his Mormon faith. …there were “lots of negatives on Romney, including mentions of his “flip-flops,” hiring illegal immigrants as landscapers and extensive discussion of Mormonism. “Statements were on baptizing the dead, …
I love books. I always have. There’s just something about holding a book in your hands and turning the pages to read it. A book to me represents an accomplishment. The author worked long and hard to get it into a format to be published. The editors made sure that there were no typos and …
OK, I’ve just got to say something about the Osmonds on Oprah today. No, I’ve never watched Oprah before in my life. I was working from home today and Carol had the show on in the front room. Frankly, it was simply an amazing show and a celebration of life. More specifically, of the life …
One of favorite books from the seventies is Winning Through Intimidation by Robert J Ringer. I also liked his other bestseller, Looking Out for #1. If you have read the books you know that they do not endorse selfishness or thoughtlessness towards others. In fact, they are quite the opposite. Mr Ringer preaches that the …
Carol and I have met over the past several years on a regular basis with our friends from the local congregation of the Church of the Nazarene. While the subject was improving marriage we were encouraged to find so much good and so many things on which we agreed in the theological doctrines we discussed. …
I received an email this morning from a good friend who got it from a best friend who got it from a trusted friend who got it from…you can guess the rest. It was one of those sensational Mormon stories about some impending pandemic and how we need to rush out right now and buy …
A while back (Oct 05) I read a good article in the Ensign by Elder Alexander B Morrison of the Seventy about dealing with psychiatric disorders. He spoke from somewhat of a personal perspective if I remember correctly because he had a family member who struggled with mental illness. In the article Elder Morrison debunks …
I visit lds.org most every day. I especially check the newsroom for current topics. It’s been a while since I went to mormon.org but found a great story right on the opening page. Watch the video. A young woman is telling the story of what happened when she asked some thoughtful questions in her weekly …
I loved Elder Holland’s introduction in his article in this month’s Ensign magazine on same-gender attraction. He was speaking with a young man in his early twenties who said, “I don’t know if I should remain a member of the Church,” he said. “I don’t think I’m worthy.” “Why wouldn’t you be worthy?” I asked. …
I’m sure you know that headlines are meant to be provocative and to entice you to read the article. It has always been a pet peeve of mine that most headlines are also mis-leading. How about this headline for example: “Home Sales Plunge by 8 Percent.” Why, how awful! How could such a thing happen? …
The city of Philadelphia will start charging the local council of the Boy Scouts of America $200,000 a year to use the city-owned land under the council headquarters building. Since 1928 the City had been charging the Council only $1 a year. What would make them start charging such a high amount now? The city …
Tony Badillo from Dallas TX wrote: “In case the people of Malibu can’t figure it out, the fire is almost certainly Divine punishment. There have been other types of punishments and there will me many more until materialistic America in love with sex, porn, riches, violence (including abortion), and deceit and lying is brought to …
So Cal fires: Divine punishment or natural causes? Read More »
Quoting the Dallas Morning News: “Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, said that Mormonism is a false religion and that Mr. Romney was not a Christian. “Mitt Romney is a Mormon, and don’t let anybody tell you otherwise,” Dr. Jeffress said in a sermon Sept. 30. [ed: (sarcasm on) Well duh! …
Mitt Romney said today that the United States should get out of the United Nations. I totally agree. He pointed out that the UN Human Rights Council has repeatedly condemned Israel while taking no action against nations with repressive regimes. Yep, that’s been my observation as well. He said, “The United Nations has been an …
Israel has a special place in LDS theology, both as a people and as a state. Part of our tenth Article of Faith states, “We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes” We believe that the gathering started many years ago and will continue to take place …
What does making a phony movie about global warming have to do with promoting world peace? Someone had to really stretch to come up with an explanation. They said that his movie and touring is laying the groundwork for changes that we’re all going to have to make. Therefore he is preventing the future riots …
In a worldwide priesthood leadership training meeting, President Hinckley, noting the immoral conditions in the world, stated, “I do not know that things were worse in the times of Sodom and Gomorrah.” He went on to say, “They and their wicked inhabitants were annihilated. We see similar conditions today. They prevail all across the world. …
One of the great things I like about my job is that I get to work from home three days a week. In the two days a week I go into the office I go in after the traffic – with a drive time of about 9:30 to 10:30. I usually travel in peace and …
I have been pondering Elder Ballard’s talk in General Conference on Saturday afternoon about not overwhelming our friends and associates with too much information when they ask about the church out of curiosity. He said: “All members should be prepared to offer simple, direct information, in part to offset misunderstandings and false information about the …
I love Sheri Dew and I mean that in a most professional and respectful way. She is absolutely one of my favorite living authors. I love her style, her stories, her humor, her depth of understanding of the gospel and her deferential respect for the priesthood of God. I do not know her personally and …
I hope that Mitt Romney sticks it out so I can vote for him in the California primaries on Feb 5 2008. I also hope he proves to the American people that he is a better candidate than Rudy Giuliani. I base my decision not on the fact that he is a Mormon but on …
I was searching for the press release about General Conference from the church website this morning. General Conference is the semiannual gathering of members and leaders of the LDS church in Salt Lake City. It happens the first weekend of each April and October. I never did find the press release (Update: it was posted …
I confess that I have been a little bit taken aback lately by the attacks that Harry Reid has made on one of my favorite conservative talk-show hosts, Rush Limbaugh. I’ve already stated in a previous post that Rush Limbaugh doesn’t need me to defend him. His record stands for itself and is readily available …
Carol and I just finished a small marriage group series on ‘Love and Respect‘ from Dr. Emerson Eggerichs which has enriched our life immensely. I endorse it wholeheartedly. It was one of the most eye-opening experiences for each of us to come to an understanding of the pink-vs-blue way that we each experience life. To …
In case you missed it, there was a big hue and cry recently claiming that Rush Limbaugh called service members who support U.S. withdrawal “phony soldiers”. Supposedly, Mark Udall (D-CO) will be introducing a resolution in the House of Representatives on Monday condemning Rush Limbaugh for his “phony soldiers” remark. I would provide a link …
For years I have been an avid reader of dozens of news sites and news-related blogs. I have long been searching for a site or blog that comments on news of the day from a Latter-day Saint perspective. I have especially been interested in finding a site that links to an article and then links …