***   We spent our afternoon and early evening in a way that we don’t typically do on Sundays — or, for that matter, on any other day of the week.  We attended the promotion of a friend, the son of friends, from the rank of Colonel in the United States Army to the rank of Brigadier General.  The event also featured the change-of-command ceremony whereby he assumed the position of Assistant Adjutant General-Army for the Utah National... Read more

    ***   But first:  Yes, Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” to save Ukraine from Jewish Nazis and to defend Russian against Ukrainian aggression is likely to have religious implications:   “Podcast: What’s next for Russian priests who asked if Putin will be damned for invading Ukraine?”   “Russian Victory Would Mark End of Religious Freedom in Ukraine”   As of three days ago, anyway: “Kyiv Ukraine Temple still standing as the Russian onslaught continues”   ***   But... Read more

    ***   Two new pieces went up today in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship.  The second offers a concise summation of the first:   “Serpents of Fire and Brass: A Contextual Study of the Brazen Serpent Tradition in the Book of Mormon,” by Neal Rappleye Abstract: The story of the Israelites getting bitten in the wilderness by “fiery serpents” and then being miraculously healed by the “serpent of brass” (Numbers 21:4–9) is one of the most... Read more

    ***   I had an enjoyable time, early this afternoon, recording two “Come, Follow Me” podcasts with Scot and Maurine Proctor of Meridian Magazine.  The first covered Exodus 1-6 and the second treated Exodus 7-13.  I’m not sure when they’ll be publicly available.   There were several relatively small things that I intended to cover during our discussion, but didn’t.  I’ll mention one of them here.   The King James Version of Exodus 6:2-3 reads as follows:  ... Read more

    ***   I was delighted, some time ago, to discover that the British ITV mystery/detective series Midsomer Murders (1997-) has, at least in the past, featured a character named “Dr. Dan Peterson.”   Who, I wondered, could they have hired to portray a person bearing so solemn — so august, respectable, and important — a name?  This would surely have been a decision fraught with cultural significance, entered into after long and serious deliberation.  Several actors came immediately... Read more

    ***   “Interpreter Radio Show — February 6, 2022” During the 6 February 2022 episode of the Interpreter Radio Show, Neal Rappleye and Jasmin Rappleye discussed the Old Testament and various relevant poetic forms. The second portion of the two-hour show was devoted specifically to a roundtable discussing the upcoming Come Follow Me lesson #12 (Genesis 42–50). You can listen to or download an archived recording of the 6 February 2022 broadcast of the Interpreter Radio Show, liberated... Read more

  ***   In an 1850 debate with several Christian ministers, John Taylor — the British-born member of the Council of the Twelve who would eventually succeed Brigham Young to serve as the third president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and who was grievously wounded in the same anti-Mormon mob attack on the jail at Carthage, Illinois, that killed Joseph and Hyrum Smith — spoke about his relationship with the Prophet Joseph:   I was acquainted with Joseph Smith for... Read more

      ***   I now own an “I Stand with Ukraine” t-shirt that bears the image of a Ukrainian flag.  That pleases me, of course.  But it’s pretty weak stuff, really, and wholly unsatisfying.  Like so many others around the world, I’m deeply indignant at Russia’s unprovoked invasion of a sovereign, democratic nation.  But I’m also frustrated, feeling powerless.  Vladimir Putin doesn’t care about my t-shirt.  He won’t be affected by it.  Ukrainian fighters won’t be helped by... Read more