Of course, nobody really expected graciousness from President Trump: “Trump Hits Romney as ‘Democrat'” And, quite predictably, many infuriated Trumpists have been denouncing Senator Romney as a “RINO,” a “Repubican in Name Only.” This is flat nonsense. It is either ignorant or dishonest or some blend of the two. My friend and neighbor Tom L. Pittman VII posted a refreshing bit of sanity on Facebook the other day and has kindly given me permission... Read more
Another new article has appeared in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship. It was written by Dr. Stanford Carmack: “Bad Grammar in the Book of Mormon Found in Early English Bibles” Abstract: This study describes ten types of grammatical usage found in early modern Bibles with correlates in the original text of the Book of Mormon. In some cases Joseph Smith’s own language could have produced the matching grammar, but in other cases his own... Read more
Since I’m not a fan of Mr. Donald J. Trump and since I have recently posted and will shortly post some items that have infuriated his partisans, I think it important to offer some context for my position: I’ve been repeatedly denounced as a liberal because of my disinclination to bow the knee to Mr. Trump. One of my personal favorites came from a poster on my Facebook page, who declared how “sad” it is that I’m... Read more
I’ve plainly angered and alienated a number of people over the past day or so because of my belief that Mitt Romney’s principled and courageous vote in the Senate regarding the impeachment of President Trump is worthy of respect, regardlesss of one’s stance on the merits of his vote. So — what the heck! — it occurs to me that I might as well resurrect a blog entry that I posted almost exactly three years ago, on 4... Read more
I published the article below in the Provo Daily Herald on 1 December 1999: The approach of the year 2000 has led to much reflection, speculation, and arrant nonsense. For some it has become an excuse to celebrate the “party of the millennium.” Some fear the economic and social chaos of the Y2K bug. Others expect the apocalypse; hundreds are flocking to Jerusalem to prepare for what they believe to be the imminent return of Christ. Few... Read more
I published this column in the Provo Daily Herald on or around 5 March 2001: Notwithstanding the international outcry that followed their announcement that they intended to destroy two massive ancient statues of the Buddha, the Taliban militia who control 90% of Afghanistan have apparently proceeded with the demolition. “It is not a big issue,” said Taliban minister of information and culture Mawlawi Qudratullah Jamal. “The statues are objects only made of mud or stone.” The two... Read more
Things are constantly in flux in the world of science. Here are two examples of revised dates in the history of primitive humans: “Homo erectus arrived in Indonesia 300,000 years later than previously thought” “Wasp nests provide the key to dating 12,000-year-old Aboriginal rock art: The technique involved dating mud wasp nest remnants found both beneath and on top of the paint” These items are more geological in character: “Geologists Dig Into the Origins of Plate... Read more
I received a message today from one Katie Witt, who is evidently the mayor of Kaysville, Utah, and a Republican candidate for a seat in Congress. Ms. Witt invited me to join her in a campaign to recall Mitt Romney from the Senate of the United States. I replied to Ms. Witt, indicating that I would not join her campaign and that, now, I would certainly not be supporting her candidacy for Congress. I am, I said,... Read more
“Teachings and Testimony of the First Vision: Present and Past Church Leaders Teach and Testify of the First Vision” (Part Six of a Series Compiled by Dennis B. Horne) Also available via the website of the Interpreter Foundation: “The First Vision,” with Spencer W. McBride And this, too: Interpreter Radio Show — January 26, 2020 The hosts for the 26 January 2020 edition of the Interpreter Radio Show were Steve Densley, Craig Foster, and Matthew... Read more
“There is no music in hell, for all good music belongs to heaven.” (Brigham Young) We’re just back from a fantastic, really wonderful, concert in BYU’s Madsen Recital Hall by the Dublin Guitar Quartet. I thoroughly enjoyed it. They are the first classical guitar quartet entirely devoted to new music. Since its formation at the Dublin Conservatory of Music and Drama, the Quartet has made an effort to expand the limited repertoire of contemporary “classical” guitar... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In