*** As mentioned in an article from the Times of Israel, this is a weighty issue that recently drew attention here in Jerusalem: “Why do the Utah Jazz, in the Mormon capital, play ‘Hava Nagila’ after wins? Use of centuries-old Jewish folk tune to celebrate NBA victories draws confusion, support and accusations of cultural appropriation from spectators” And here’s another divisive issue out of Jerusalem. This one involves a Russian Orthodox church — though not... Read more
*** I’m a bit delinquent on reporting this, since my schedule here in Israel doesn’t lend itself especially well to regular blogging, but . . . The second of the Interpreter Foundation’s short-feature “reels” — produced in connection with the overall “Witnesses” film project — has now appeared online. It runs to slightly more than nine minutes in length: “Martin Harris, Witness” Martin Harris was one of the earliest supporters of Joseph Smith and the Church. And... Read more
*** Curiously, I still haven’t read the entirety of Alexander Kinglake’s 1844 book Eothen; or Traces of travel brought home from the East. But one particular passage — a fictional conversation between an English visitor and an Ottoman (Osmanli) pasha by means of a somewhat manic-depressive dragoman (an early form of travel guide and translator) — has always struck me as hilarious. Maybe one has to have spent time in the Middle East to fully appreciate it, but... Read more
*** My daily schedule here in Israel is not exactly well-aligned with the publishing schedule of the Utah-based Interpreter Foundation. But I do what I can, when I can. Right now, for example, I’m calling your attention to an article by Kyler Rasmussen that went up on Friday: “Interpreting Interpreter: Commissions and Conversions” This post is a summary of the article “Alma’s Prophetic Commissioning Type Scene” by Alan Goff in Volume 51 of Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day... Read more
*** Unsurprisingly, it being Friday, a new article has appeared in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship: “Alma’s Prophetic Commissioning Type Scene,” by Alan Goff Abstract: The story often referred to as Alma’s conversion narrative is too often interpreted as a simplistic plagiarism of Paul’s conversion-to-Christianity story in the book of Acts. Both the New and Old Testaments appropriate an ancient narrative genre called the prophetic commissioning story. Paul’s and Alma’s commissioning narratives hearken back... Read more
*** Over on the Peterson Obsession Board, one or two of the usual suspects are wondering exactly who it is that pays for all my traveling. One of them declares, as if he actually has the faintest idea of what he is talking about, that my travels are paid for by The Church — cue lightning, thunder, and the terrified neighing of horses — because, of course, I earned lots and lots of cash as a... Read more
*** I’m very happy to report that it is now possible for you to order (or to pre-order) the forthcoming Interpreter Foundation film Undaunted: Witnesses of the Book of Mormon through Deseret Book: https://deseretbook.com/p/undaunted?queryID=1528e0ef254a335421fef178505acd0b&variant_id=199590-dvd It will be available on 24 May 2022. *** It’s good to be back in Israel for the first time, thanks to the enforced COVID travel restrictions, in at least two but maybe even three years. Travelers arriving at... Read more
*** I’m pleased to report that I’ve just been notified that I will be speaking between 3:45 and 4:45 PM on Saturday, 3 September, at the 2022 annual convention of the International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS). It will be held this year in Salt Lake City. I’m really pleased with that date and time, and had actually requested it, because I will have just returned about forty-eight hours earlier from a stay in Europe. My title... Read more
*** I’ve lately suggested a way to approach the forthcoming FX/Hulu miniseries Under the Banner of Heaven and some resources for strengthening that approach. (See here, for example.) Now here’s another valuable article — from the estimable Hal Boyd — that some will find helpful: “Perspective: Under the Banner of Hollywood: Too much real-life anger comes out of Tinseltown. It’s time for Dustin Lance Black and company to let go of the angst toward Latter-day Saints” ... Read more
*** I want to call your attention here to the newly revamped website for our forthcoming two-part docudrama, which will be available on DVD just one month from now, on 24 May 2022: Undaunted: Witnesses of the Book of Mormon On the website, you will be able to watch the one-minute trailer for the docudrama. You will also be able to watch our short-feature videos — our “reels,” as we’re calling them — as they... Read more
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