http://www.dailywire.com/news/11629/report-here-single-reason-romney-lost-sec-state-hank-berrien   I’m proud of Governor Romney for doing the right thing, and for having the integrity to stick to his principles.   Thanks to Jacob Billings for bringing this analysis to my attention.     Read more

    Donald Trump is number two.   Guess who’s number one?   http://www.forbes.com/powerful-people/list/#tab:overall     Read more

    Despite having been recently forbidden by one of my readers ever to post on political subjects again, I’m going to plunge ahead and do it nonetheless.   Two items from David French on the Trump administration’s orientation toward Vladimir Putin and Russia:   “How Russia Wins”   “The Trouble with Tillerson”   And, since I’ve been asked how “Never Trump” people like me are intending to respond to the ascendancy of Trumpism, I share this:   “No, Trump’s Conservative... Read more

    If anybody has an update on this matter — factual, please, not an angry rant or an ad hominem attack — I would appreciate seeing it:   http://www.nationalreview.com/article/442691/social-science-gay-study-doesnt-add   In the meantime, it scarcely needs to be pointed out that ideological dogmatism and science don’t mix very well.     Read more

    We at the Interpreter Foundation don’t want you to run out of things to do at this uneventful time of the year.  So here’s a little something for you:   Video of Margaret Barker’s Speech, “Theosis & Divinization,” Now Available   Enjoy!     Read more

    Samuel Tadros provides a very helpful historical overview and an analysis of the current situation.  It’s a bit longish, and you can easily see that he has his eye on a primary audience in Australia, but, for those who’re interested in the topic, the article is entirely worthwhile:   “Endurance and Decay: Does Christianity Have a Future in the Middle East?”   This article, from the Economist, is shorter and much more oriented toward current events:   “The... Read more

    There’s been a recent flurry of excitement among certain critics of Joseph Smith and Mormonism regarding a new video by Dan Vogel.  Brian Hales responds to it here:   Response to Vogel’s Second Polyandry video   Incidentally, for those interested in (or troubled by) the subject of Joseph Smith and early Mormon plural marriage, Brian Hales runs an excellent site.  And this site, run by Ugo Perego, is also well worth watching on early Mormon polygamy as on several... Read more

    “Some people grumble because roses have thorns; I am thankful that the thorns have roses.” Alphonse Karr (d. 1890), French critic, journalist, and novelist     Read more

    Although one hubristic reader directed me this morning to post no more political comments on my blog, I’m going to throw caution to the winds and do so anyway:   https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/12/13/why-the-political-world-needs-more-mitt-romneys/?utm_term=.99f0f832f5c3   I agree with this article.     Read more

    An entertaining and provocative 17.5 minutes:     It’s pretty painfully obvious to me that the two atheist interlocutors didn’t really get the point.  Of course, in fairness, they’re scarcely alone in this.  I’ve found that the atheists I’ve spoken to have rarely been able to see the issue, either.  They often assume, quite indignantly, that the claim is that atheists can’t be good people, or that atheists are indifferent to moral evils.  But that isn’t the point... Read more