Today’s reading, 2 Nephi 19 (= Isaiah 9) is full of messianic language.  No wonder it’s been a favorite over many Christian generations.   “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined” (verse 2).   From a Christian point of view, Isaiah seems to conflate the first coming of the Savior with his second:   “For every battle of the... Read more

    Well, I finally saw 13 Hours.   It’s a very gripping movie, and not really — despite how we know the story turned out — as much of a downer as I had expected it to be.  Nor, although there’s obviously plenty of violence in it, was it unduly graphic.  I went partly out of duty, both as an Arabist and as a political junkie.  But it’s a good film.   It’s not as political as it could have... Read more

    Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less. C. S. Lewis     Read more

    My friend Ralph Hancock calls my attention to this somewhat longish but brilliant essay by James W. Ceaser of the University of Virginia:   http://www.weeklystandard.com/what-next-for-the-left/article/2000801#.VrYVAKnoqAk.facebook   Its insights and implications go far beyond mere partisan politics, and even beyond politics altogether.     Read more

    It’s overwhelmingly likely that The Donald will win the Republican primary in New Hampshire.  But Republican and independent voters there have the glorious opportunity to finish off his non-substantive and irritating campaign.  Will they seize their chance?  Will they make the nation proud?   If Mr. Trump were to come in second there next week, it would seriously if not fatally damage his quest for the presidency.  What a wonderful thought!  His appeal is predicated to a remarkable... Read more

    This is one of nature’s most astonishing spectacles.  And nature offers a lot of spectacles.   Here are two interesting pieces, with video:   “The Startling Science of a Starling Murmuration”   “The Incredible Science Behind Starling Murmurations”   Watch and be amazed.     Read more

    Gysler is a very familiar name from my missionary days in Switzerland, and Karim Assouad is a pillar of the Church in Lebanon and the Middle East.  Those are only two of the minor reasons that I like this story:   http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865646941/Restaurants-du-Coeur-LDS-Charities-is-assisting-work-in-Lebanon-to-preserve-dignity.html?pg=1   I suppose that this effort is simply another redundant example of how, in the words of the late Christopher Hitchens, “religion poisons everything.”     Read more

    An interesting link kindly brought to my attention by Nathaniel Hancock:   http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/05/opinions/progressive-clinton-sanders-debate-graham/index.html   My friend and colleague Ralph Hancock comments on it as follows:   “Interesting.  Weird, actually, and a sign of the underhandedness of the left:  ‘Liberal’ was a term stolen in order to mask the more radical ‘progressive’ (anti-individual freedom) intentions of the left during the New Deal.  And then liberalism discredited itself.  And so now they bring back ‘progressive’ to mask the ‘liberalism.’  I... Read more

    Today’s installment of the biweekly Deseret News column by Bill Hamblin and Dan Peterson is now up.   http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865647040/Buddhism-and-violence.html   Although many in the West imagine Buddhism to be pacifistic, its history contradicts this — not because of the nature of Buddhism so much as because of the nature of human beings.     Read more

    I actually discussed an important aspect of today’s reading (2 Nephi 18 = Isaiah 8) yesterday, so I won’t revisit that topic in this post.  But the focus today is related to yesterday’s, and it concerns the international political situation of Isaiah’s time — probably in the period 735-731 BC.     The great empire of Assyrians was expanding, led by imperialist kings, and the rulers of Syria, Israel, and Judah were in a state of deep unease because they... Read more