Can it withstand constitutional scrutiny?  What are its strengths and weaknesses?  This brief article provides a good, balanced introduction to the subject:   The ‘Splainer: Does Trump’s ‘Muslim ban’ flout the law?     Read more

    An article from BYU’s student newspaper:   http://universe.byu.edu/2017/02/04/mormons-march-for-muslims-joins-utah-march-for-refugees/   I think that some of my students were there.  I certainly hope so.   If our schedule had not already been full with inescapable obligations, my wife and I would happily have participated.     Read more

    http://blog.chron.com/mormonvoice/2017/02/mormons-support-muslims-after-seattle-arsonist-targets-mosque/?view_comments=1   Thus far, there’s only one comment online, but it marries anti-Mormonism so neatly and naturally with hostility toward Islam (and with poor punctuation) that it’s worth quoting here in full:  “Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon church wanted to be the Mohammed of North America. Is thee any wonder that his descendants and followers are enchanted with Islam, the Anti-Christ.”     Read more

    In the Interpreter Foundation’s 195th scripture roundtable, Kristine Frederickson, Craig Foster, Daniel Peterson, and Martin Tanner discuss the 2017 Gospel Doctrine manual’s Lesson 6, which focuses on Doctrine and Covenants 6, 8, 9, and 11: http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/scripture-roundtable-195-doctrine-and-covenants-and-church-history-lesson-6-i-will-tell-you-in-your-mind-and-in-your-heart-by-the-holy-ghost/     Read more

    “Hatred is the coward’s revenge for being intimidated.” George Bernard Shaw   I receive malevolent and insulting anonymous emails almost every day, and sometimes — today, for example — several on a given day.  Naturally, when I receive them, I think about cowardice.   It seems unavoidable.     Read more

    The Universe is vast beyond our wildest imagination, and it’s infinitely fascinating, as well:   http://www.realclearscience.com/quick_and_clear_science/2017/01/30/a_huge_cosmic_void_is_repelling_our_galaxy.html   Wanting to learn more about it is, in my view, sufficient reason — apart from anything else — to desire immortality.     Read more

    I’ve just listened again to a 1974 General Conference address on the subject of ongoing revelation, delivered by a still quite young Boyd K. Packer.  I liked it very much.   In his remarks, Elder Packer quotes part of a parable created by Hugh Nibley about the Book of Mormon, which I also like very much:   “A young man once long ago claimed he had found a large diamond in his field as he was ploughing. He put the... Read more

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/02/03/why-do-so-many-americans-believe-that-islam-is-a-political-ideology-not-a-religion/?utm_term=.1681f5d89e9e   Latter-day Saints, I think, should be particularly vigilant against this false and misleading notion.  I can’t count the number of times that I’ve read, or been told, that LD$ Inc. isn’t really a religion but a business and/or a political conspiracy.     Read more

    The world is too complicated in all parts and interconnections to be due to chance alone.  I am convinced that the existence of life with all its order in each of its organisms is simply too well put together.  Each part of a living thing depends on all its other parts to function.  How does each part know?  How is each part specified at conception?  The more one learns of biochemistry the more unbelievable it becomes unless there... Read more

    “All of us should banish hateful communications and practice civility for differences of opinion.” Dallin H. Oaks   I’ve had a to delete a number of comments from my Facebook page that were posted by Latter-day Saints who apparently felt an urgent need — despite (or, more likely, because of) my express wish that such comments not be posted on my blog and Facebook page today — to begin their Sabbath by posting vulgar insults about Harry Reid (and, in a couple of cases,... Read more