Onward and upward!   http://brianpellot.religionnews.com/2015/08/14/polyamory-polygamy-religion-same-sex-marriage-supreme-court-obergefell/   Marriage and the traditional family may be dying, but that doesn’t seem very important, really.   What are the Kardashians doing this week?   Posted from Cedar City, Utah       Read more

    Owing to complex summer schedules, we haven’t yet recorded Gospel Doctrine lesson 35.  But we will, very shortly.   In the meantime, Craig Foster, John Gee, Cassandra Hedelius, and Martin Tanner have gathered together to discuss selected passages in Paul’s epistle to the Romans, which is the focus of 2015 Gospel Doctrine lesson 36 and, therefore, of Interpreter Foundation roundtable 134:   http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/scripture-roundtable-134-new-testament-gospel-doctrine-lesson-36-beloved-of-god-called-to-be-saints/   Posted from Cedar City, Utah   Read more

    A liberal Protestant minister from the Twin Falls, Idaho, area finds a positive spiritual message in the satirical play — and it’s not even an anti-Mormon one:   http://magicvalley.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/pastor-s-corner-the-religious-message-of-the-book-of/article_dbea7a1a-22ba-553f-afba-7fcfc9e38023.html   Posted from Cedar City, Utah     Read more

    John 7:1-13   “It cannot be,” said Jesus in Luke 13:33, “that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.”   Members of his family knew that the authorities in Jerusalem were plotting Jesus’ death, so they encouraged him to “go up” to the city.   He told them that he wouldn’t, yet.  And then, after they had left, he did so secretly.  Plainly, Jesus was capable of stratagem.  He knew that he had to die, but there were other... Read more

    “Solitude well practiced will break the power of busyness, haste, isolation, and loneliness. You will see that the world is not on your shoulders after all. Your will find yourself, and God will find you in new ways. Silence also brings Sabbath to you. It completes solitude, for without it you cannot be alone. Far from being a mere absence, silence allows the reality of God to stand in the midst of your life. God does not ordinarily... Read more

    We saw King Lear at UCLA’s Royce Hall in 2007, with Sir Ian McKellen in the title role.  But that seems an awfully long time ago, and, although I can’t find a list of previous Utah Shakespeare Festival seasons, I think we’ve seen it here in Cedar City since then.  (Our first Festival Lear, I believe, was the late Harold Gould.)  I couldn’t say how many times we’ve seen it in total.   As I sat there tonight, seeing it... Read more

    Pope Francis is very popular, and he typically receives rave reviews from the press.   Here’s one area, though, where (at least as of now) perhaps he shouldn’t:   http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/08/13/cuba–embassy-pope-francis-human-rights-column/31548615/   Posted from Cedar City, Utah     Read more

    A nice article about efforts in central Florida:   http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-mormons-helping-homeless-20150813-story.html   Posted from Cedar City, Utah     Read more

    Just back from dinner with the mother of a long-time friend.  It was his parents and his family who first introduced me to the idea of Shakespeare festivals when they invited me to go to Ashland, Oregon, with them for the famous festival there.   I fell immediately in love with the idea.   Charley’s Aunt is an insubstantial farce, but very, very funny.   Incidentally, we ran into another member of our monthly reading group there.  ... Read more

    Women of the world unite!  You have nothing to lose but your chains!   http://www.nationalreview.com/article/422466/women-makeup-sexist-makeup-tax   Posted from Cedar City, Utah     Read more