I find that the hardest work in the world . . .  is to persuade Easterners that growing up in the West is not intellectually crippling.  (Marilynne Robinson, Pulitzer-Prize-winning novelist and essayist)   (There’s New York theater, and then, in tiny villages like Chicago, Seattle, and Los Angeles, there’s regional theater.  Larry McMurtry, a Texan who — among other things — has won both the Pulitzer Prize and an Academy Award, used to wear a tee-shirt that read... Read more

    A 2012 article from the second volume of Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture that you might have missed: http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/evaluating-three-arguments-against-joseph-smiths-first-vision/     Read more

    A new book is out on the topic of “the Mormon Jesus”:   http://www.sltrib.com/lifestyle/faith/3956775-155/the-mormon-jesus-just-how-different     Read more

    Today’s reading, Alma 19, continues with the dramatic story of Ammon’s missionary labors at a Lamanite royal court.   I’m in rather a hurry at the moment, and will be until later tonight.  So I’m just going to highlight one little phrase that catches my attention:   King Lamoni goes into a kind of coma or trance for about two days, and those who aren’t worried are plotting.  But Ammon “knew that king Lamoni was under the power... Read more

    An interesting (though, unsurprisingly, disputed) archaeological claim that, if true, would lend additional credibility to the Old Testament story of King David:   http://www.realclearscience.com/articles/2014/05/07/israeli_claims_discovery_of_king_davids_citadel_108645.html     Read more

    http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160526-how-we-unravelled-mayan-secrets-from-the-air   Agreeing with me on Book of Mormon geography isn’t necessary for your salvation — although, of course, as a general principle it’s never wise or prudent to disagree with my opinions on any subject — but I lean strongly toward an ancient Mesoamerican setting for the story of the Nephites, Lamanites, Mulekites, and Jaredites.   And, so, the account given in the book of Mosiah — with people passing by one another, hiding in the wilderness,... Read more

    Some of you might really, really enjoy these brief Mormon Channel videos, in which (accompanied by very nice recreations of the ancient narratives themselves) children recount famous biblical stories:   https://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/collection/childrens-bible-videos?cid=HP_WE_1-6-2016_dPFD/MC_fLHNA_xLIDyL2-3_     Read more

      .   Those interested in, curious about, or concerned by the relationship between religious faith — and, specifically, Latter-day Saint religious faith — and science will find plenty of useful material at this site, created by David H. Bailey:   http://www.sciencemeetsreligion.org   (Shown above, the Bailey-Borwein-Plouffe formula.)     Read more

    “I’m not asking you to believe anything. I’m simply telling you what I believe. And I have no idea what the next life will be like. Whatever I saw was only from the doorway, so to speak. But it was enough to convince me totally of two things from that moment on: One, that our consciousness does not cease with physical death; that it becomes, in fact, keener and more aware than ever. And secondly, that how we... Read more

    Cassandra Hedelius, Mike Parker, Dan Peterson, and Bruce Webster gather for conversation about Alma 5-7.  This is the 166th scripture roundtable posted by the Interpreter Foundation.  It corresponds to 2016 Gospel Doctrine lesson 22: http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/scripture-roundtable-166-book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-lesson-22-have-ye-received-his-image-in-your-countenances/       Read more