My friend Blair Van Dyke has launched a blog on Patheos.  Here’s one of his recent entries:   http://www.patheos.com/blogs/blairvandyke/2015/10/women-of-the-church-revolutionizing-mormonism/     Read more

    Matthew 21:18-19 Mark 11:12-14 Compare Luke 13:6-9   Some have seen in this strange little episode a fit of unreasonable pique on Jesus’ part.  But that isn’t so.  Here’s a concise explanation of what the story means:   http://www.cgg.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Library.sr/CT/BQA/k/72/Why-Did-Jesus-Curse-Fig-Tree-Mark-1112-14.htm     Read more

    My wife has been in Newport Beach, California, relaxing and spending time with family and friends.  One of my sons is living in Santa Fe, New Mexico; I spoke with him tonight.  Another is visiting Japan with his wife, where they participated in a friend’s wedding.  (That son served his mission in Japan; my daughter-in-law was an exchange student in Japan; their shared interest in things Japanese was their initial point of contact.)  Another son is back in Richmond,... Read more

    Jordanian-Palestinian pre-school girl holds knife and, coached by her father (?), says “I want to stab a Jew.”   “Kuwaiti Columnist: Israel Has the Right to Defend Itself against Palestinian Knife Terrorism”   In my judgment, the Palestinians have legitimate grievances.  But they will never, ever, ever gain the moral high ground in this seemingly endless conflict by using such tactics as the recent knife attacks.  Never.     Read more

    We shall see.   https://www.leeds.ac.uk/news/article/3775/is_the_end_in_sight_for_reading_glasses     Read more

    Matthew 21:10-17 Mark 11:15-17 Compare Mark 11:11; Luke 19:39-40, 45-46; 21:37   Some speak of Jesus as someone infinitely accepting of all lifestyles, never condemnatory, never excluding anybody.  This Jesus does not seem to appear in the New Testament.     Read more

    Elder Dallin H. Oaks has addressed a significant gathering in Sacramento, California.  For an account of his remarks — and, if you’re interested, for his full text and for a recording of his presentation — go to this link:   http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/elder-oaks-balance-accommodation-not-culture-wars     Read more

    “You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working, and just so, you learn to love by loving. All those who think to learn in any other way deceive themselves.” St. Francis de Sales (d. 1622)     Read more

    http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-34577200     Read more

    It would be interesting to see what someone might try to say in defense of Mr. Abbas in this light:   http://www.nationalreview.com/article/425722/one-state-solution-terrorism   I’m not interested in an overall evaluation of the Arab/Israeli conflict, but in specific comments about the things that Mahmoud Abbas has recently said, which seem to be both inflammatory and false.     Read more