Yet more evidence, as if more were needed, that Utah, which (according to some of our more judicious critics) is a repressive theocracy filled to overflow with unthinking and brain-dead Mor(m)ons, Morgbots, sheeple, and Utards, is a veritable hell on earth:   http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865676741/Utah-receives-another-high-ranking-for-its-tech-culture.html     Read more

    “Out of all we have heard, there may be a phrase or a paragraph that will stand out and possess our attention.  If this occurs, I hope we will write it down and reflect on it until we savor the depth of its meaning and have made it a part of our own lives.” President Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign (November 2000), 88     Read more

    The annual number of converts continues to drop, as it has been pretty consistently dropping for quite some time.   The figure announced at Conference yesterday was 240,131, which, I’m told, was the lowest since 1987 — thirty years ago — when there were 227,284 convert baptisms.   In 1987, we had 6,440,000 members on the records of the Church.  Today, we’re nearing 16,000,000.   In 1987, we had 34,750 missionaries.  Today, we have twice that.  And, given small family sizes,... Read more

    I loved the talks in the final session of General Conference.   *   I loved Elder Gary Stevenson’s remarks.  I was somewhat acquainted with Elder Stevenson prior to his call as a General Authority and even before his call to serve as president of the Japan Nagoya Mission.  (He once gave a tour of the ICON Health & Fitness manufacturing facility — he was the company’s chief operating officer — to me and a colleague.)  When one of my... Read more

    I hope to offer one or two more substantive reflections on April General Conference over the next day or two, but here are a few thoughts now that we’re drawing near to its conclusion:   *   Yes, President Monson looks (and sounds) very frail.   *   I was very happy to hear the moving tribute given, yesterday afternoon, by Elder Neil Andersen of the Twelve to our mutual friend Bruce Porter.   *   I’m very... Read more

    A brief but usefully clear statement of the claim that the dense and rich information contained in DNA and the complexity of the cell reveals intelligence, not randomness:   http://www.mormonsandscience.com/religion–science-blog/where-did-dna-information-come-from-hint-it-did-not-evolve   This is, to put it mildly, a controversial position — not least because its implications are enormous.     Read more

    The prolific and thoughtful Robert Boylan — that’s a rather rare combination! — offers a couple of interesting notes in defense of the radical and entirely biblical Latter-day Saint teaching that humans are akin, related, to God:   “Defending the LDS reading of Acts 17:28-29”   “Is it problematic to cite Joseph Fitzmyer?”     Read more

    The success of the 2017 Easter initiative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will depend on the support of ordinary members of the Church — but participation in it is simple and painless:   http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/easter-2017-prince-of-peace-jesus-christ     Read more

    This is a nice story, from U.S. Catholic:   https://uscatholic.atavist.com/no-hate-no-fear     Read more

    This is a fantastic program:   http://www.sltrib.com/home/5126049-155/mormons-justserve-helps-helpers-find-places?fullpage=1     Read more