Joel J. Miller is mounting an interesting theological challenge to Islam.  I’ve already posted a link to his article “Islam is a religion of violence: Or, why abstract theology actually matters,” indicating that I disagreed with him at some crucial points.   Now he’s published “The existential crisis behind today’s Islamic violence”:   http://blogs.ancientfaith.com/joeljmiller/islamic-violence/   As I say, I find his challenge interesting and important.  And I mean that.  But I don’t think he’s right.   I think... Read more

    For some reason, I immediately thought of him when I first heard the news.  And now it turns out that he was almost caught in the attack:   http://www.ldsliving.com/LDS-Presidential-Candidate-of-Mali-Narrowly-Escapes-Raid-by-Islamic-Extremists/s/80620?utm_source=ldsliving&utm_medium=email   Posted from Marbella, Spain     Read more

    Most of the universe is dark matter, which we know only indirectly, by inference.  A small nearby galaxy may rank among the highest of extraterrestrial bodies in its proportion of dark matter:   http://www.caltech.edu/news/dark-matter-dominates-nearby-dwarf-galaxy-48790   Posted from Marbella, Spain     Read more

    If, as I do, you spend a lot of time reading comments from apostates, cynics, and bitter enemies of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you might be inclined to believe their enthusiastic and hopeful declarations that the Church is in steep decline — indeed, virtually on its death bed.   But it’s not:   http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2015/november/evangelicals-mormons-jehovahs-witnesses-church-involvement.html   Posted from Marbella, Spain     Read more

    Accosted by sister missionaries at Temple Square, he was inclined at first to be irritated by the interruption.  But his irritation passed quickly:   http://www.realclearreligion.org/articles/2015/11/21/what_mormon_missionaries_taught_me_about_faith.html   Posted from Marbella, Spain     Read more

    Cassandra Hedelius, Jeffrey Mark Bradshaw, Daniel Peterson, and Stephen Smoot discuss 1 Nephi 16-18 (2016 Gospel Doctrine lesson 5) in this, the 149th scripture roundtable published by the Interpreter Foundation:   http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/scripture-roundtable-149-book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-lesson-5-hearken-to-the-truth-and-give-heed-unto-it/   Posted from Marbella, Spain     Read more

    Ernest Hemingway loved Spain.   But he had many loves, both human and urban.   Apparently, more than a few people leaving flowers at the memorials in Paris have also left copies of his posthumously-published memoir of life there in the 1920s, A Moveable Feast, which is something of a love letter to the city.   Here’s the passage from the book that gives it its title:   “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a... Read more

    Christmas is drawing near.  We give gifts at Christmas.  So is Thanksgiving, when we reflect on the many things we’ve been given.  So is the end of the year, leading up to which many of us (in the United States, at least) think of making tax-exempt donations.   Here’s a touching video, relevant to this season — and to all others:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ymy-oHLnnU#t=35   Posted from Marbella, Spain     Read more

    Are the Trump folks ready for prime time?  Have they ever heard of the Constitution?  Do they know anything about history?   http://www.sltrib.com/home/3201632-155/did-trump-spokeswoman-misspeak-she-says   I report.  You decide.   (Actually, I’ve decided already.  But I’ll let you do it for yourself.)   Posted from Marbella, Spain     Read more

    There has been a lot of talk, lately, about how being tainted by any association with the Interpreter Foundation, or with Mormon apologetics, or with BYU Religious Education, or with overtly expressed Latter-day Saint belief, might destroy one’s chances of attending graduate school or ever getting a decent job in academia.  Young scholars have been strongly advised to avoid such things like the plague.  And there has been concern in some circles — including mine — about a... Read more