Matthew 26:6-13 Mark 14:3-9 Compare Luke 7:36-50; John 12:1-8   Life — and our obligations under the Gospel — present us with competing values.   Every cent could be spent on alleviating poverty, but that would leave nothing over for supporting the arts, building temples, funding missionary work, beautifying our lives, taking music lessons, attending concerts, and a host of other worthwhile and indeed excellent things.  The world would be impoverished.   Love is a vitally important principle.... Read more

    Thanks to Anne Palmieri for reminding me of this statement from President Harold B. Lee:   “The only safety we have as members of this church is to . . . give heed to the words and commandments that the Lord shall give through His prophet. There will be some things that take patience and faith. You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your [personal] views. It may contradict your... Read more

    I’m deeply saddened by the responses I’ve seen among some Latter-day Saints to the Church’s recent policy adjustment regarding homosexual couples and their children.   Accordingly, as I notice such items and to the extent that I have the time — this is all coming at a very time-poor juncture for me — I’ll continue to post links to materials that I think might be helpful to some out there.   Here’s one:   http://www.ldsliving.com/I-Am-the-Daughter-of-Lesbians-and-I-Am-a-Proud-Mormon/s/80508?utm_source=ldsliving&utm_medium=email   Incidentally, somebody on one... Read more

    Bruce Webster and Martin Tanner join forces in scripture roundtable 142 from the Interpreter Foundation.   Focused on 2015 New Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 44, their discussion covers 1 John 1-5, 2 John, and 3 John:   http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/scripture-roundtable-142-new-testament-gospel-doctrine-lesson-44-god-is-love/     Read more

    As always, Cassandra Hedelius has something very worthwhile to say, this time in the wake of the controversial recent policy clarification from Church leadership regarding same-sex couples:   http://blog.fairmormon.org/2015/11/09/the-brethren-are-not-bigots/   And, if you haven’t already read it, you should take a look at the FairMormon piece “A Look at the Church’s New Policy on Children of Gay Couples”:   http://blog.fairmormon.org/2015/11/06/a-look-at-the-churchs-new-policy-on-children-of-gay-couples/     Read more

    Matthew 26:1-5 Mark 14:1-2 Luke 22:1-2 Compare Mark 11:18-19; Luke 19:47; 21:37; John 11:47-53   If the three synoptic gospels are accurate here, the death of Jesus was a pre-planned judicial assassination.  And, quite illegally, the verdict in his “trial” was predetermined.     Read more

    This story is archaeologically and historically fascinating.  But it’s also humanly moving.  There’s been so terribly much pain and sorrow and horror in human history:   http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/selinunte-site-of-ancient-massacre-yields-the-secrets-of-a-lost-greek-city-a6726496.html   Stories such as this make it impossible for me to understand how any thinking, feeling human being can be indifferent to, apathetic about, the idea of God, an afterlife, and an atoning Redeemer.   I can understand thinking such things untrue.  I cannot understand believing that they don’t matter.  ... Read more

    I look forward to reading this book, both because I think its theme looks very interesting — intriguing title! — and because I’ve long admired the writing and thinking of Catherine Thomas:   http://ldsliving.com/God-in-the-Making-How-Science-Supports-that-We-Can-Become-Like-God/s/80483     Read more

    In the Interpreter Foundation’s 141st scripture roundtable, Martin Tanner and Bruce Webster discuss 1 Peter 1-4, 2 Peter 1-3, and Jude, which are the focus of 2015 New Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 43:   http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/scripture-roundtable-141-new-testament-gospel-doctrine-lesson-43-a-chosen-generation/     Read more

    John 12:37-50 Compare Matthew 13:10-17; Mark 4:10-12; 8:17-18; Luke 8:9-10   Failure to follow Jesus can come from various causes.  John here suggests two:  (1) hard-hearted blindness, a failure (or refusal) to see what ought to be plainly evident, and (2) fear of human opinion and/or desire for human approval, which overwhelms belief — “for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”   Neither will hold up well as a defense, come Judgment... Read more