“I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than those attending too small a degree of it.” “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.”     Read more

    Among some of the more deranged (or at least unreasonable) critics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints there has been intense criticism of yesterday’s announcement that Elder Whitney Clayton will now serve as the senior president of the Seventy.  This, a few have suggested, is his consolation prize for having been passed over for the apostleship.  He got a promotion nonetheless, they say, and will get a handsome raise.  And he’s a white Utahn.  (Icky!)... Read more

      There are elements in this article with which I disagree, but I do agree that the United States lack, and have lacked for some time, a coherent strategy in the Middle East:   http://www.nationalreview.com/article/425114/middle-east-after-obama-conrad-black   I attended a dinner last night hosted by BYU’s International Center for Law and Religion Studies in connection with its 2015 conference on “Religion, Law, and Social Stability,” which formally ended yesterday but effectively concludes this afternoon.   To my delight, I... Read more

    President Monson’s near-crisis, President Uchtdorf’s loving concern and alert readiness to help, and a remarkable private sequel:   http://lds.net/blog/faith/lds-conference/lds-womans-viral-posts-share-conference-led-re-convert/     Read more

    Recalling his early experiences with Joseph Smith, Brigham Young remarked, Who can say aught against Joseph Smith? I do not think that a man lives upon the earth that knew him any better than I did, and I am bold to say that, Jesus Christ excepted, no better man ever lived or does live upon this earth. I feel like shouting Hallelujah all the time, when I think that I ever knew Joseph Smith, the Prophet.[1] “It must... Read more

    Brian Hales is a leading published authority on the subject of plural marriage, but, alas, he’s an active and believing Latter-day Saint.   Accordingly, those who really, really, really, really dislike his point of view on the subject — it doesn’t lend itself easily to attempts to discredit Joseph Smith — have sought to dismiss him as a mere amateur who needn’t be taken seriously.   Here’s a response to such dismissals:   http://www.plonialmonimormon.com/2015/10/brian-hales-amateurrevisited.html     Read more

    “Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion.  Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” George Washington     Read more

    A really interesting insider’s perspective from the niece of one of the three new apostles just called:   http://www.mormonobserver.com/2015/10/05/want-a-new-apostle-with-a-diverse-background-hes-already-there/   Thanks to Bradley Perkins for bringing this piece to my attention.     Read more

    What with the Society for Mormon Philosophy and Theology conference and the Annual International Law and Religion conference, along with who knows what else, this week at BYU is proving to be what the French call an embarrass de richesses, an “embarrassment of riches” or a confusing overabundance.   And don’t forget the visit of Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman!   http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/details-about-berman-lectures-on-october-7-8/   My teaching schedule will probably allow me to attend only one of his three lectures, alas.... Read more

    “Earth, stars, and the vastness of space; yesterday, today and tomorrow; and the endlessly increasing knowledge of the relation of forces, present an illimitable universe of numberless phenomena. Only in general outline can the universe be understood. In its infinite variety of expression, it wholly transcends the human mind. . . .  In the midst of this complexity man finds himself. As he progresses from childhood to manhood, and his slumbering faculties are awakened, he becomes more fully... Read more