Today’s reading, 2 Nephi 3, has bothered some because of the remarkable specificity of its prediction of Joseph the Seer, who would be named after his father.   Joseph Smith Jr. and Joseph Smith Sr., right?   Get it?   And that prophecy has caused certain critics a great deal of merriment because, on their assumption that Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon himself, it seems so embarrassingly self-glorifying.   There’s not much that I can say in... Read more

    I actually grew up with nine planets.  Yes, I’m that old.   But I’m not old enough to believe that there were just five of them — Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn — orbiting the Earth along with the Sun and Moon.  For that kind of old, you have to go to one of my senior companions in the mission field.   Anyhow, though, it now seems that we were right after all.  There are nine planets.... Read more

    Donald Trump picked up the endorsement of Sarah Palin the other day.  I have no interest whatever in Ms. Palin as a political candidate, let alone as a political thinker, but I sadly admit that her backing will almost certainly benefit Mr. Trump.   I myself give much more weight to this:   http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/21/politics/national-review-magazine-opposes-donald-trump/   Unfortunately, it’s probably far too little somewhat too late.   Angry Trumpites aren’t likely to care as their chosen demagogue cruises toward the Republican... Read more

    This is really good news:   http://www.religionnews.com/2016/01/21/muslim-leaders-plan-summit-protecting-non-muslims-midst/   I’ve long hoped that the Muslim community would begin to mobilize against the extremists within it.  I’m pleased that there are growing signs of such mobilization.  May they continue to increase and to spread.   Thanks to Jabra Ghneim for calling this article to my attention.     Read more

    An interesting video out of London, kindly brought to my attention by Charles Steinman:   https://www.facebook.com/Channel4News/videos/10153464748691939/?pnref=story     Read more

    Brant Gardner delivered these remarks to the annual FAIR conference — now FairMormon — in August 2001:   http://www.fairmormon.org/perspectives/fair-conferences/2001-fair-conference/2001-a-social-history-of-the-early-nephites   [I’m watching the Facebook “share” number at the bottom of this post (and other recent posts).  That function hasn’t been . . . well, functioning for the past two days.  Which means that it’s hard for me to tell whether anybody out there is paying any attention (or, if people are, how much).  Which, candidly, lessens my enthusiasm for posting.... Read more

    The latest installment of my weekly Deseret News assault on reason, civility, and common sense has appeared:   http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865645824/Recent-scholarship-and-the-search-for-the-historical-Jesus.html     Read more

    Bachelors have consciences, married men have wives.  (Samuel Johnson)   The interface between Facebook and Patheos hasn’t been working for the past 24 hours, so this is something of an experiment.  Does anybody out there see this?  If so, are you able to “share” it on Facebook?           Read more

    In order to serve my readers, I range the world seeking the very best in human culture and thought.   Tonight, I offer Philomena Cunk, a female British person explaining philosophy.  And she does it all in only 3:34 minutes:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLAkhyv7E_M   Warning:  This particular little item may not be wholly appropriate for children.  But don’t worry.  It’s not really bad.     Read more

    I’ve never been a fan of Sarah Palin, and, although he has certain undeniable talents, I’m not a fan of Donald Trump.  So her endorsement of him, tonight, leaves me less than ecstatic.   In fact, it leaves me a bit gloomy.   “Of Course Sarah Palin is Endorsing Donald Trump”   “The Death of the Tea Party”   And here’s an article, published on 15 January, that puts the surprising popular support for Mr. Trump (which now... Read more