The uniquely skilled and trained Taylor Halverson reflects on perhaps the most important topic of all:   http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865668511/Reflections-on-symbolism-in-the-Atonement.html?pg=all     Read more

    As I write, there are nearly four hundred comments following this article in the Salt Lake Tribune, the vast majority of them (as is usual for the Tribune on Mormon-related and many other subjects) nasty, anonymous, and worthless.   The Book of Mormon still stands:   http://www.sltrib.com/home/4684387-155/the-book-of-mormon-touted-as   It’s nice to see it receive a bit of recognition beyond the Latter-day Saint community.   I leave in just a few minutes to teach my weekly singles Institute class,... Read more

    It’s overshadowed these days by the high-rises of Honolulu, and, of course, for Latter-day Saints, its significance pales when compared with the temple in Laie and Brigham Young University’s Hawaii campus and the Polynesian Cultural Center.  But it’s an important place, and it’s appropriate to think of it today, on the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor:   http://www.sltrib.com/home/4680555-155/mormon-tabernacle-near-pearl-harbor-became?fullpage=1       Read more

    http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2016/12/07/504650215/were-neanderthals-religious     Read more

    http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/05/us/muslim-nypd-officer-harassed-trnd/index.html   Well I’m New York City born and raised . . . New York’s home, But it ain’t mine no more. (Neil Diamond)     Read more

    Finally, an end to crony capitalism!   http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/trump-warns-that-companies-shipping-jobs-overseas-will-be-slapped-with-enormous-bribes   I’m reading ecstatic paeans of praise to Our Leader from Trumpists across the land.  He’s saving jobs, solving our problems with China, cutting government waste!  He’s like Superman without the kryptonite!  And he hasn’t even taken office yet!   Sing along!   When the moon is in the Seventh House And Jupiter aligns with Mars, Then peace will guide the planets And love will steer the stars. This is... Read more

    As this article demonstrates, it was an impressive accomplishment just about however you try to explain it.     Read more

    “Faith is more like being faithful to your husband or wife than it is like believing in magic.  Fidelity is key. . . .  Faith isn’t the opposite of knowledge. Rather, like love, faith perfects knowledge by practicing fidelity to it.” Adam S. Miller     Read more

    German has a perfect word for what I’m now feeling:  Schadenfreude.   http://time.com/4592420/chris-christie-approval-rating/   It’s certainly not the highest of emotions.  On the whole, it’s rather unworthy of a Christian.   More than a few people saw Chris Christie’s behavior during the 2012 presidential election — including a convention keynote address in which, to a remarkable degree, he spoke about himself rather than about Mitt Romney, as well as his literal (and highly public) embrace of President Obama... Read more

    A prominent voice from the conservative Never Trump movement comments on the president-elect’s recent Twitter controversy, and — I agree with him completely — somewhat more broadly:   http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/442842/donald-trump-boeing-air-force-one-tweet-story-behind-tweet     Read more