“The great blessing of private property, then, is that people can benefit from their own industry and insulate themselves from the negative effects of others’ actions.  It is like a set of invisible mirrors that surround individuals, households or firms, reflecting back on them the consequences of their acts.  The industrious will reap the benefits of their industry; the frugal the consequences of their frugality; the improvident and the profligate likewise.  They receive their due, which is to... Read more

    Two rather different ways of looking at the data:   The Deseret News:  “‘You’re getting warmer’ — Pew studies Americans’ feelings toward religious groups, including Mormons”   IBT:  “Most Popular Religions In America: Jews Viewed Most Favorably With Muslims Least Favorable”   One of the (many) reasons why Mormons should perhaps feel a little bit of sympathy for Muslims is that we’re right down there with them in the cellar of American public opinion.  If religious prejudice spreads... Read more

  If we can take a break, if we can avert our gaze from the perpetually zany circus of our new president’s tweets and press conferences, there’s tyranny on the horizon:   http://www.nationalreview.com/article/444989/washington-supreme-court-christian-florist-religious-freedom-gay-discrimination-case   This is much more serious than how big Mr. Trump’s inaugural audience was, how vast his election victory was, whether Vogue was naughty to him, and whether or not Ivanka’s fashion line deserves to be carried by Nordstrom.     Read more

    Meet Earth’s newest continent!   http://uk.businessinsider.com/zealandia-continent-new-zealand-australia-2017-2?r=US&IR=T     Read more

    The edited transcript of a very interesting 2007 FairMormon presentation by Blake Ostler:   http://www.fairmormon.org/fair-conferences/2007-fair-conference/2007-spiritual-experiences-as-the-basis-for-belief-and-commitment     Read more

    A good article by my friend and colleague Jim Toronto (Ph.D. Harvard, Islamic studies) who, having already presided over the Italy Catania Mission, is now serving as the president of the Church’s mission in Istanbul.  He has spent many years in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan, as well.   https://www.lds.org/ensign/2000/08/a-latter-day-saint-perspective-on-muhammad?lang=eng     Read more

    “An age is called Dark not because the light fails to shine, but because people refuse to see it.” James A. Michener (1907-1997)     Read more

    Martin Tanner, Bruce Webster, and Kristine Frederickson joined together for the Interpreter Foundation’s 197th scripture roundtable, which focuses on 2017 Gospel Doctrine lesson 8 (covering Doctrine and Covenants 13, 20, 27, 84, 107, 110, and Joseph Smith-History:   http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/scripture-roundtable-197-doctrine-and-covenants-and-church-history-lesson-8-the-restoration-of-the-priesthood/     Read more

    Salt Lake City is only the second healthiest city in the United States, according to this study:   https://www.studyfinds.org/study-finds-detroit-san-francisco-healthiest-unhealthiest-cities/   I get just a bit of a kick out of this because, among certain critics of Mormonism, a recurrent theme is that the Mormon lifestyle is a very unhealthy one, with Latter-day Saints strikingly obese and out of shape, etc. and etc. and etc.   Alas, though, the facts don’t support their criticism.  While things can always be... Read more

    Just in case anybody out there has any interest in joining me on a Mediterranean cruise in June, I’m told that Cruise Lady has been given an extension on a discounted price.  But also that that extension will come to an end in a few days, at most.  There may still be places available after that, but at a significantly higher cost.   Here’s the itinerary for the cruise:   http://www.cruiselady.com/cruise/highlights-exotic-mediterranean/ I think it’s going to be great... Read more