A quotation of which I’m fond, from a man for whom I always had enormous respect — Hugh B. Brown (1883-1975), who served as the first counselor in the First Presidency of the Church during the years in which I became aware of such things:
“We should all be interested in academic research. We must go out on the research front and continue to explore the vast unknown. We should be in the forefront of learning in all fields, for revelation does not come only through the prophet of God nor only directly from heaven in visions or dreams. Revelation may come in the laboratory, out of the test tube, out of the thinking mind and the inquiring soul, out of search and research and prayer and inspiration. We must be unafraid to contend for what we are thinking and to combat error with truth in this divided and imperiled world, and we must do it with the unfaltering faith that God is still in his heaven even though all is not well with the world.” — “A Final Testimony,” from Edwin B. Firmage, ed., The Memoirs of Hugh B. Brown: An Abundant Life (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1988).
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I liked the mention of L. Tom Perry in this story:
“How an Anti-Mormon Attorney Became a Member of the Church He Hated”
Having known Elder Perry somewhat over the years, I can believe the account. A very good and kind man. And, in fact, in my mind I can just about hear him saying what he’s reported to have said.
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I was also privileged to have a few personal experiences with LaVell Edwards, so I really enjoyed this little four-minute video about him, and I suspect that some of you will, too:
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This somewhat longish article would be interesting (and perhaps just a tad troubling) even if it weren’t for the Mormon reference:
“The New Gods: Reforging Harvard Divinity School”
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Copies of John Gee’s new volume, An Introduction to the Book of Abraham, are beginning to arrive. Neal Rappleye offers an early take on it:
“The ‘Best Book’ on the Book of Abraham”
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Here’s a touching account from the tragic mass murder in Las Vegas:
“Survivor held stranger’s hand as he died”
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Here are two far less touching responses:
“CBS executive fired after saying Las Vegas victims didn’t deserve sympathy”
She certainly deserves none herself. CBS was entirely right to fire her.
This contemptible fool, however, has complete job security:
American academia leans strongly to the left; I’ve long since ceased to be surprised at that. But, sometimes, I’m ashamed to be numbered among the professoriate.
This eminent Drexel University scholar merits comparison to Ward Churchill, formerly a non-doctorate-holding and scarcely-publishing professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder, who infamously labeled the victims of the 9-11 attacks as “little Eichmanns” (referring to the Nazi mass killer Adolf Eichmann). Incidentally, the very best description of Mr. Churchill, who claimed to be a Native American and who taught and agitated on behalf of Native Americans, came from a real Native American (whose name, alas, I don’t recall): In his circles, the man said, Ward Churchill was known as “Chief Walking Eagle.” When asked the reason for the name, the man answered “It’s because he’s so full of ____ that he can’t fly.”
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