It’s not all that big a deal, really.  But, since the Jewish festival of Hanukkah commences tonight, I think that this nice little anecdote about Mormon missionaries in England, told by a young Jewish woman in a Jewish magazine, might be appropriate:   http://forward.com/scribe/357004/my-incredible-mormon-jewish-encounter-in-the-christmas-market/     Read more

    http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865669668/Mormon-effort-to-Light-the-World-during-Christmas-reaches-68-million-video-views-and-counting.html   And that was four days ago.   Ho ho ho!   This is the real spirit of Christmas.     Read more

    Season’s Greetings!   http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865669856/Hamblin–Peterson-For-first-time-in-nearly-40-years-Hanukkah-and-Christmas-Eve-are-on-the-same.html?clear_cache=1     Read more

    In my judgment, one of the most unearthly, ethereally beautiful pieces of modern classical Christmas music is Morten Lauridsen’s setting of  O magnum mysterium.  Listen up to the 6:25 marker:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7ch7uottHU     Like Es ist ein Ros entsprungen, it seems perfection to me, and, as I said of that piece, achingly and piercingly lovely. Latin text O magnum mysterium, et admirabile sacramentum, ut animalia viderent Dominum natum, jacentem in praesepio! Beata Virgo, cujus viscera meruerunt portare... Read more

    “Want to keep Christ in Christmas? Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, forgive the guilty, welcome the unwanted, care for the ill, love your enemies, and do unto others as you would have done unto you.” Steve Maraboli     Read more

    I have no privileged access to the reasoning of leaders of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with regard to the Choir’s acceptance of an offer to sing at the inauguration of Donald J. Trump and Mike Pence.  But I think that I can imagine pretty well, at least in part, what it must have been.   When the invitation arrived, these leaders must immediately have realized that it placed them... Read more

    “Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” Sir Winston Churchill on the floor of the House of Commons (11 November 1947)     Read more

    We at the Interpreter Foundation extend to you and yours our very warmest wishes for a richly satisfying and joyous Christmas, and for a New Year that will be healthy, happy, and fulfilling.  Our special Christmas essay for 2016 has now appeared:   http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/the-song-i-cannot-sing/       Read more

    I want to take this opportunity to extend sincere best wishes to the small group of dedicated critics who annually spread the lie that Mormons virtually ignore Christmas and the birth of Christ but celebrate “Smithmas” on 23 December.  Notwithstanding their cynicism, mendacity, and (in many cases) bitter hatred, I hope that they fare well.  I also hope that they’ll repent.   I likewise want to remind believing Latter-day Saints — the vast majority of whom are busy with shopping and... Read more

    I still vividly remember the first time I heard it.  Sunday morning, on my mission, sitting in the Interlaken Switzerland Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We sang it as a congregation.   It was, I thought then and think now, one of the most achingly, yearningly, beautiful things I had ever heard.  Even now, I far prefer it in the original German to any English translation.   Here it is, in two renditions:... Read more