John 16:23-28   “I came from the Father and have come into the world,” says Jesus to his disciples.  “Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”   Plainly, Jesus is claiming some sort of pre-mortal experience for himself.     Read more

    Lindsey Stirling provides the “Social” element for today in the 2015 “A Savior is Born” Christmas campaign:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VzprYCxPBQ&feature=youtu.be&mdcid=10000     Read more

    John 16:16-22   In retrospect, this seems a pretty clear prediction of Christ’s resurrection — which, as much as anything of which I can even conceive — would transform the disciples’ (and any future disciple’s) sorrow into unspeakable joy.   The historically-demonstrable emergence of the unstoppable early apostle-missionaries from what at first seemed clearly just another failed messianic movement ranks among the many persuasive arguments, in my mind, for the plausibility of claims of the triumph of Jesus... Read more

    Unlike the vast majority of those who confidently hold forth on the issue of Amerindian DNA and the Book of Mormon, Dr. Ugo Perego actually does scientific research on Amerindian DNA.  (His twenty-fifth peer-reviewed scientific publication has just appeared here.)   See some of what he’s had to say about DNA and the Book of Mormon, and, for that matter, about the genetic search for descendants of Joseph Smith by women other than Emma, here and here and here.  ... Read more

    http://time.com/4136439/trump-narcissism-strange/   Just for the record:  If Mr. Trump is the eventual Republican nominee, I will very likely vote for a write-in candidate or for the nominee of some third party (probably Libertarian).   If enough people do the same thing — which I suspect they will, in that case — Mrs. Clinton will be our president.   I couldn’t be more thrilled.     Read more

    John 16:5-15   “I have yet many things to say unto you,” Jesus tells his disciples near the end of his mortal life, “but ye cannot bear them now.”   This passage proceeds to suggest that they’ll be passed on to the disciples after his death — by the Holy Spirit.  Which seems to point to ongoing revelation in the Church.     Read more

    We need more such examples of mutual respect between religious faiths (and other world views and ideologies):   http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/news/1.690336   Thanks to Jabra Ghneim for calling this one to my attention.     Read more

    A transcript from 2015’s annual FairMormon conference that some might find of interest or use:   http://www.fairmormon.org/perspectives/fair-conferences/2015-fairmormon-conference/joseph-smiths-polygamy-toward-a-better-understanding     Read more

    John 16:1-4   Persecution was on its way.  But, since the disciples would soon be able to reflect that Jesus had foretold it, that persecution might actually strengthen their faith rather than threaten it.     Read more

    Good points:   http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-are-academic-papers-really-worthless-20151130-column.html   Of course, all you really have to do in order to invalidate anything in some circles is to associate it with Dick Cheney.     Read more