A Hamblin/Peterson Deseret News article from nearly 3.5 years ago that I think some will still find of interest:   http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765621073/Old-Testament-divine-council-called-a-sod.html     Read more

    As if the possibility of a Trump presidency weren’t scary enough on its own:   http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/b2f0ca3a594644ee9e50a8ec4ce2d6de/Article_2016-05-19-US–Nile%20Crocs%20in%20the%20Everglades/id-cb3292f5d4514107b2272b6a83102933     Read more

    http://injo.com/2016/05/609915-mormons-libertarian-trump-hillary/?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=political-edit&utm_medium=owned   I’m proud of my fellow-religionists’ misgivings about Mr. Donald Trump.   People sometimes wonder whether we’re really all that different from other Americans, and from conservative Evangelicals.  Well, Evangelicals (and certain Evangelical leaders) have gone all out for Mr. Trump — but Latter-day Saints have been demonstrably much less inclined to support him.  And that, it seems to me, is a very clear marker of genuine difference.     Read more

    Many support Mr. Donald Trump for the presidency because of his alleged business acumen.  Personally, I see no conclusive that he’s a very good businessman, although he’s certainly played one on television.  (Bill Cosby played an obstetrician on TV, but — although like Mr. Trump he’s exceptionally interested in women — he’s not actually a doctor.)   Anyway, here’s a piece from the Economist — one of the finest magazines in the English-speaking world — that describes some of... Read more

    This article appeared in — of all places! — the Washington Post:   https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/05/19/call-yourself-a-christian-start-talking-about-jesus-christ/     Read more

    The 20th century gave rise to one of the greatest and most distressing paradoxes of human history: that the greatest intolerance and violence of that century were practiced by those who believed that religion caused intolerance and violence. Alister McGrath       Read more

    Science and religion are two windows that people look through, trying to understand the big universe outside, trying to understand why we are here.  The two windows give different views, but they look out at the same universe.  Both views are one-sided, neither is complete.  Both leave out essential features of the real world.  And both are worthy of respect. . . .   Trouble arises when either science or religion claims universal jurisdiction, when either religious dogma... Read more

    It was announced a few weeks ago that British-born Michael Otterson, who is retiring after having served for many years as director of Public Affairs for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has been called to preside over the London England Temple.   I saw a few posts from critics describing this new assignment as his “reward,” supposedly for the slavish lies he’s told on behalf of the Cult.   And, over the years, I’ve seen calls of... Read more

    This is a very good step, I think:   Meet Jewish America’s first ambassador to Muslims   Given his background, Ambassador Silverman will have a very realistic view of things and is unlikely to be handicapped by any major illusions about what can be done and how easily it can be accomplished.  (Academics can often, by contrast, be fairly starry-eyed and overly optimistic.)   Nevertheless, I’m confident that there is much of value that he can do.  ... Read more

    “Abba is not Hebrew, the language of liturgy, but Aramaic, the language of home and everyday life . . .  We need to be wary of the suggestion . . .  that the correct translation of Abba is ‘Daddy.’  Abba is the intimate word of a family circle where that obedient reverence was at the heart of the relationship, whereas Daddy is the familiar word of a family circle from which all thoughts of reverence and obedience have... Read more