It being Friday, Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture has published yet another essay for your edification and enjoyment:   http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/a-response-to-denver-snuffers-essay-on-plural-marriage-adoption-and-the-supposed-falling-away-of-the-church-part-2-facade-or-reality/   And, as always, we provide it at no charge.   Posted from San Diego, California   Read more

    Canada doesn’t have a precise equivalent to the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.   Still, this is a troubling decision, and one that indicates a highly possible trajectory for the United States a few short years from now:   http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario-law-societys-decision-to-refuse-trinity-western-accreditation-upheld/article25230491/   You think, since it’s from a foreign country, that this case is irrelevant?   Think again.   Some American judges, including some who have been or currently are justices of the U.S. Supreme... Read more

    Our universe is, actually, quite a remarkable place.   And its “remarkableness” is apparent, if and when we think about it, even in very “ordinary” things.  As here:   http://www.forbes.com/sites/ethansiegel/2015/07/01/the-only-three-heavy-elements-in-the-universe-that-arent-made-in-stars/   Thinking about ordinary things in this way should increase our wonder and astonishment.   Posted from San Diego, California     Read more

    We participated in a session at the San Diego Temple this afternoon with the friend who’s been down here with us.   Afterward, we dropped her off at the airport.   We next had a really good seafood dinner at Roy’s San Diego Waterfront restaurant, right on the marina.  Beautiful weather, too.     And then, after relaxing for a while in our hotel room, we saw an excellent and very funny (if occasionally somewhat raunchy) production of Cole Porter’s... Read more

    http://www.realclearreligion.org/articles/2015/07/02/how_to_save_the_mormon_sabbath.html   I’m not particularly enthused with the idea of abolishing Sunday School.  I served for more than eight years on the Church’s Gospel Doctrine writing committee, generating curriculum material for the Sunday School.  I’ve spent much of my adult life teaching Sunday School, my absolute favorite among Church callings, and, in fact, that’s what I’m doing now.  Moreover, I don’t think, on the whole, that Latter-day Saints are suffering from a surfeit of knowledge about the scriptures and... Read more

    David French, an Evangelical Christian with a Harvard law degree, writes an insightful little essay here from which Latter-day Saints, too, can benefit:   http://www.nationalreview.com/article/420376/marriage-christians-religion-love   Posted from San Diego, California     Read more

    “We should be rigorous in judging ourselves and gracious in judging others.”  (John Wesley)   Posted from San Diego, California     Read more

      http://thefederalist.com/2015/06/29/ending-tax-exemptions-means-ending-churches/   Posted from Newport Beach, California     Read more

    This week’s Thursday column in the Deseret News is up:   http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865631794/Treasures-in-earthen-vessels.html   Posted from Newport Beach, California     Read more

    Whatever else one may think of him, Matt Walsh is one very brave fellow:   http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/yes-gay-marriage-hurts-me-personally/   My thanks to Bianca Lisonbee for bringing his essay to my attention.   Posted from Newport Beach, California     Read more