The latest incarnation of my weekly Thursday column in the Deseret News:   http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865677222/Paul-and-the-nature-of-the-Resurrection.html   It seemed an appropriate topic as we approach Easter.     Read more

    I myself have led perhaps half a dozen seders for local Church groups and etc., and I think they’re fantastic teaching tools.  But the big one for Mormons is the one at BYU, launched by my former colleague Vic Ludlow and now continued by my friend and BYU colleague Jeff Chadwick.  And an Israeli newspaper has taken note:   http://www.timesofisrael.com/let-all-who-are-hungry-come-and-eat-mormons-make-model-seders/     Read more

    A book by a Muslim author whose work I’ve often admired:   http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/Book-Reviews/2017/0403/The-Islamic-Jesus-seeks-commonalities-between-Christianity-Judaism-Islam     Read more

    A “canary in the coal mine” for Russian Latter-day Saints?   https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/04/world/europe/russia-moves-to-ban-jehovahs-witnesses-as-extremist.html?_r=0     Read more

    http://www.sltrib.com/home/5139231-155/byu-and-uvu-scientists-question-research     Read more

    “Good judgment comes from experience, and lot of that comes from bad judgment.” Will Rogers       Read more

    This is pretty much my viewpoint, as well, and the situation is exactly what I expected:   http://www.nationalreview.com/article/446441/donald-trumps-character-causes-political-strategy-twitter-problems   There are, as I’ve said several times before, aspects of the Trump administration that I actually rather like, and knew in advance that I would.  I’m a strong supporter, for example, of the nomination of Judge Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.  And I’m happy that Obamacare may soon be repealed.  And so forth.  But Trump himself?  Not a thoughtful man…. Read more

    This article, by an Orthodox Jewish academic named Michael A. Helfand, was brought to my notice by Nathan Oman.  It’s interesting in and of itself, but, like Professor Oman, I also think that it has particular relevance to the mission of Brigham Young University:   https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2017/04/05/orthodox-jew-describes-his-positive-experience-christian-university-essay     Read more

    The hell of the Syrian civil war continues:   https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/world/middleeast/syria-bashar-al-assad-atrocities-civilian-deaths-gas-attack.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0   Back in 2012, President Barack Obama said that Syrian use of chemical weapons would be “a red line” for the United States.  That line has now been repeatedly crossed.   It seems to me that, if one is going to talk about “red lines” or “lines in the sand,” one needs to be prepared to act when such lines have been violated.  Or, alternatively, it would be… Read more

    https://aeon.co/ideas/eating-people-is-wrong-but-its-also-widespread-and-sacred   I think I’ll have pasta or a hamburger tonight, instead.  Or maybe some Thai food.  (I was going to say “I think I’ll have Thai tonight,” but, in this particular context, that’s perhaps just a tad too ambiguous.)     Read more