From the Christopher Hitchens Memorial “How Religion Poisons Everything” File™: “Church Leaders Express Sympathy, Offer Support after Earthquake in Morocco.” I’ll be accompanying a tour to Egypt next month. So here’s a chronology of basic Egyptian history that I think I’ll give out to participants in the group. I make absolutely no claim to originality here; I’ve consulted four other timelines, thus far. And this is a work in progress. I’ll probably include just a bit... Read more
Kindly guided by one of the members of our host family, who is a member at the Center, we spent several hours on Saturday at Space Center Houston, including a tram and walking tour at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, which is located directly next door. Neil Armstrong’s famous statement upon landing on the surface of the Moon — “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” — showed up at several places, e.g. in displays and... Read more
For any who are in the vicinity of Houston, Texas, or who may soon be in the vicinity of Houston, Texas: I’ll be giving a fireside tomorrow night (Saturday, 9 September 2023) at the Friendswood stake center, beginning at 6:00 PM. The title of the talk is “Six Days in August: The Twelve’s Rise to Leadership.” Please feel free to drop in. If nothing else, there will be air conditioning. I believe that the address of the stake... Read more
With my late friend Bill Hamblin (whom I miss literally every day), I published the article immediately below back on 12 October 2004. I wrote this one; the Hsi Lai Temple sits just over the hill from the home in which my parents spent their final three decades (and where my nephew and his family currently live) and was built while they were living in the area. There was some opposition to its construction back in the day,... Read more
The adventure begins: Our movie crew heads out on Friday. They will start filming for Six Days in August at Upper Canada Village, in Ontario, on Monday, 11 September. After that, if plans hold, activity moves to Genesee Country Village in upstate New York on Monday, 25 September 25. Following that, there will be several days of filming at the LDS Motion Picture Studio during the first half of October. I’m pleased that we’ve come this far. I... Read more
The second part of my “Follow Him” podcast interview with Hank Smith and John Bytheway (on 1 Corinthians 14-16, “God is Not the Author of Confusion, But of Peace”) is now up online: 1 Corinthians 14-16 Part 2 • Dr. Daniel C. Peterson • Sept 4 – Sept 10. The first part of the interview is also available: 1 Corinthians 14-16 Part 1 • Dr. Daniel C. Peterson • Sept 4 – Sept 10. Having been informed of... Read more
This article of mine — inspired by the heartbreaking recent events in the former Maui town of Lahaina — appeared yesterday in Meridian Magazine: “Losing an Earthly Paradise.” For us, flying out of Provo (and back into Provo) is about as good as it gets, flying-wise. Just a few minutes on surface streets (no freeway travel required, no traffic jams risked). The airport is small but clean and new. The lines range from manageable to non-existent.... Read more
An interview that I recently did with Hank Smith and John Bytheway on 1 Corinthians 14-16 has begun to go up, in two parts, on their “Follow Him” podcast, under the title “God is Not the Author of Confusion, but of Peace”: 1 Corinthians 14-16 Part 1 • Dr. Daniel C. Peterson • Sept 4 – Sept 10 I’m not sure that the second part has actually been posted yet. Happily, whether or not to listen to either... Read more
For reasons known only to me, although a couple of other folks might be able, if they put their minds to it even slightly, to divine my intent — is that mysterious enough for you? really, it’s no big deal — I have been gathering notes over the past few days on the topic of the biblical concept of “creation.” And here is a portion, albeit only a small portion, of what I’ve written up on the topic... Read more
Two new articles went up today on the website of the Interpreter Foundation. We wish you a happy weekend! “Joseph Smith at the Veil: Significant Ritual, Symbolism, and Temple Influence at Latter-day Saint Beginnings,” written by George L. Mitton Abstract: The prophet Joseph Smith was paced through a life steeped in ritual and symbolism. Notable things Joseph did or experienced under angelic guidance may be seen as ritual procedures that may require careful consideration to discern their meaning,... Read more
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