An interesting suggestion from two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nicholas Kristof of CNN and the New York Times (who, by the way, according to his Wikipedia entry, holds degrees from both Harvard University and Magdalen College, Oxford, and who claims to have visited at least 150 different countries):
“Utah may well be the most cosmopolitan state in America. Vast numbers of young Mormons — increasingly women as well as men — spend a couple of years abroad as missionaries and return jabbering in Thai or Portuguese and bearing a wealth of international experience.”
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“Adventists mark Reformation’s 500th anniversary with launch of new book”
And there’s a BYU connection.
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I was saddened to learn about this just last night:
“Longtime Alhambra resident Earle Bunker dies”
It was Bishop Bunker, I believe, who sent me on my mission. (I had been away at BYU.) And, a year after I baptized my father (on the night that I was set apart as a missionary), Bishop Bunker called Dad to serve as one of his counselors.
He was a wonderful man. I last saw him just a few years ago, and he was still serving as an ordinance worker in the Los Angeles California Temple.
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Another item for your bulging and ever-expanding “The Church helps nobody; it’s just a heartless business focused on profits” file:
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Elder Rasband has been getting around a bit:
“Elder Ronald A. Rasband to fire-weary Santa Rosans: ‘We can go forward with hope.'”
“Elder Rasband returns to missionary roots, calls Harlem ‘a very special place'”
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Not bad advice for us Norteamericanos, as well:
“‘Find one, just one,’ Elder Ballard gives special message to European members”
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“Elder Christofferson says safety comes from protecting free speech, freedom of religion”
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Not to worry! (It’s just the United Kingdom.)
“Court rules student can be expelled for quoting Bible on Facebook”
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“Why Detroit Is Embracing a Mormon Halloween Tradition”
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You might find this of interest, from Jeff Lindsay:
“A Rookie Mistake in Forging an Ancient Document”
Incidentally, I drove on Saturday from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. (I’ve done it many times before.) They really are quite close together. In fact, urban sprawl (and Jewish settlements) virtually connect them these days.
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I just keep pumping out my characteristically hateful columns in the Deseret News. Here’s yet another one, virtually dripping (as usual) with venom:
“Why faith matters so very, very much”
Ugh.
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