In the very first verse of today’s reading, 1 Nephi 22, Nephi’s brothers seek to know whether the Isaianic prophecies that he’s just read to them from the plates of brass are intended literally, physically, or whether they’re intended “spiritually,” as a metaphor.   He assures them that they will be fulfilled — and were intended to be taken — both spiritually and physically.  They will literally come to pass.   There are, of course, metaphors throughout the scriptures.  There are... Read more

    http://www.mormonnewsroom.org.uk/article/prince-andrew-thanks-mormon-helping-hands-volunteers     Read more

    The world of strict naturalism in which clever mathematical laws all by themselves bring the universe and life into existence, is pure [science] fiction.  Theories and laws do not bring matter/energy into existence.  The view that they nevertheless somehow have the capacity seems a rather desperate refuge . . . from the alternative possibility. . . .  Trying to avoid the clear evidence for the existence of a divine intelligence behind nature, atheist scientists are forced to ascribe... Read more

    A serious issue of (literally) life and death:   http://thefederalist.com/2016/01/14/dont-kill-yourself-kevin-drum/   Posted from Bountiful, Utah     Read more

    You can be saved without going to the Holy Land.  But you’ll learn a lot if you go.  And you can read the scriptures without visiting Israel.  But you’ll read them differently if you’ve been there.   I’m going.  At the end of April.   Would you like to come along?   http://www.cruiselady.com/tours/?sname=187   Posted from Bountiful, Utah   Read more

    The prominent Mormon philosopher David Paulsen delivered these remarks at the 2004 FairMormon conference.  (The organization was called “FAIR” in those days.)   http://www.fairmormon.org/perspectives/fair-conferences/2004-fair-conference/2004-the-god-of-abraham-isaac-and-joseph-smith-defending-the-faith     Read more

    It’s marred a bit by several small mechanical errors, and there are a few points where I disagree, but this brief article by the prominent Austro-American sociologist of religion Peter Berger offers an interesting, useful, and very clear survey of the intellectual/cultural history of American Evangelicalism over the past century or so:   http://www.the-american-interest.com/2016/01/13/the-long-road-to-harvard/     Read more

    Half of disbelief in God in the world is caused by people who make religion look ugly due to their bad conduct and ignorance. Al-Ghazali (d. AD 1111)   Read more

    Or, at least, that’s how it seems to me from developments such as this:   http://www.anglican.ink/article/primates-suspend-episcopal-church-full-participation-anglican-communion   The “Anglican communion” includes a number of national churches — Henry VIII, of blessed memory, pioneered the idea of autonomous national churches for well-known reasons of his own — under the leadership, more or less, of the archbishop of Canterbury.  In recent years, as the numbers and vitality of the parent body in the United Kingdom have sharply declined, the vigor... Read more

    A thought experiment:   http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/01/rare-supernova-crab-nebula/424125/     Read more