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Such stories don\u2019t get much coverage in the major media:<\/p>\n
National Review<\/em>, from back in 2018: \u00a0\u201cDesperate Pakistani Christians Languish in Thailand: The U.S. should provide asylum.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n BBC, from way back in May 2019: \u00a0\u201cChristian persecution \u2018at near genocide levels\u2019: The persecution of Christians in parts of the world is at near \u201cgenocide\u201d levels, according to a report ordered by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n But now for much more recent<\/em> items:<\/p>\n Christianity Today<\/em>: \u00a0\u201cSyria Massacre Leaves Christians Asking If They\u2019re Next: <\/span>Islamists didn\u2019t target the church in the violence that killed more than 1,000, but the community is on edge.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n Christianity Today<\/em>: \u00a0\u201cA Closing Door to Persecuted Christians:\u00a0Trump\u2019s new immigration policies will hurt believers at risk for their faith.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n Religion News Service: \u00a0\u201cFor one Iranian family and their church, Trump\u2019s refugee freeze leaves son in exile \u2014 In California, a church had worked for years to help an Iranian family in their congregation bring their son to the US. He had all but boarded a flight when the freeze came.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n Newly posted on the never-changing and pretty-much-dead website of the ever-dying Interpreter Foundation: \u00a0Come, Follow Me \u2014 D&C Study and Teaching Helps (2025): Doctrine and Covenants 27\u201328 March 24\u201330: \u201cAll Things Must Be Done in Order\u201d<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Jonn Claybaugh generously continues with his series of concise notes for students and teachers of the \u201cCome, Follow Me\u201d curriculum of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Also newly posted on the comatose Interpreter Foundation website: Nibley Lectures: Come, Follow Me<\/em> Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 13: \u201cAll Things Must Be Done in Order\u201d <\/em>D&C 27-28<\/a><\/p>\n During 1978, 1979, and 1980, Hugh Nibley taught a Doctrine and Covenants Sunday School class. Cassette recordings were made of these classes and some have survived and were digitized by Steve Whitlock and recently enhanced by Nick Galieti. Most of the tapes were in pretty bad condition. The original recordings usually don\u2019t stop or start at the beginning of the class and there is some background noise. Volumes vary, probably depending upon where the recorder was placed in the room. Many are very low volume but in most cases it\u2019s possible to understand the words. In a couple of cases the ends of one class were put on some space left over from a different class. There\u2019s some mixup around D&C90-100 that couldn\u2019t be figured out so those recordings are as they were on the tapes. Even with these flaws and missing classes, we believe these these will be interesting to listen to and valuable to your Come, Follow Me<\/em> study program.<\/p>\n This week we have one Lecture relevant to the March 24 \u2013 30 Come, Follow Me<\/em> lesson, \u201cAll Things Must Be Done in Order\u201d covering D&C 27-28.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n And here is a link that is not<\/em> to the Interpreter Foundation\u2019s website but, rather, to \u201cThe First Presidency\u2019s 2025 Easter Message: \u2018He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows \u2026 and with his stripes we are healed.\u2019\u201d<\/a>\u00a0 See also \u201cFirst Presidency witnesses of Jesus Christ\u2019s Resurrection in Easter social media messages:\u00a0The Resurrection is the \u2018ultimate expression\u2019 of Christ\u2019s love, President Russell M. Nelson testifies.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n A couple of days ago, I published an entry here in which I shared four items from a 1992 book called Reexploring the Book of Mormon<\/em>. \u00a0I noted that<\/p>\n They represent the state of the questions as of the early 1990s and, in many cases, they will need to be fleshed out with whatever developments may have occurred over the past thirty-three years. \u00a0(It\u2019s also possible that, in a few cases, subsequent developments will have negated them altogether.) \u00a0But that is a task for another time (or times).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n It seems that, for one of the items, that time has already come. \u00a0The matter involves two purportedly ancient Egyptian ushabti\u00a0<\/em>figurines that were supposedly found three meters below the soil surface in eastern El Salvador. \u00a0I was cautious, writing<\/p>\n But has this initial report held up? \u00a0That needs to be determined before any weight can be placed upon it. \u00a0If two authentic ushabti\u00a0<\/em>figurines were actually found at archaeological depth in El Salvador, that is of potentially enormous importance. \u00a0But I, at least, have heard nothing about the two figurines since the early 1990s.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n It turns out, though, that I probably had<\/em> heard more about them. \u00a0It apparently just hadn\u2019t really registered or, anyway, I no longer remembered it. \u00a0Happily, a reader here kindly reminded me of John Gee, \u201cNotes and Communications: New and Old Light on Shawabtis from Mesoamerica,\u201d Journal of Book of Mormon Studies<\/em> 6\/1 (1997): 64-69<\/a>:<\/p>\n In 1992, FARMS republished a notice about two inscribed Egyptian shawabti-figurines (also called\u00a0ushabtis<\/em>) from Acajutla, Sonsonate, El Salvador.. . . .\u00a0 Because the figurines would prove cultural contact between Egypt and Mesoamerica, the article suggested that \u201cthese figurines may be very important indeed.\u201d A note appended to the article remarked that this report \u201cstill calls for further information.\u201d . . .<\/p>\n The FARMS article announcing the two figurines warned that \u201cpremature enthusiasm ought to be avoided.\u201d . . .<\/p>\n [T]he figurines assuredly are not authentic Egyptian artifacts but forgeries. . . .<\/p>\n While the news that the figurines are forgeries might strike some as disappointing, it is important that only real evidence be used in discussing the Book of Mormon.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Scholarship giveth, and scholarship taketh away. \u00a0Blessed be the substance of good scholarship. \u00a0And, as John writes, it\u2019s essential that work on the Book of Mormon follow the best evidence and analysis of which we\u2019re capable at any given moment. \u00a0(Which, of course, will change<\/em> over time.)<\/p>\n Meanwhile, speaking of ancient Egypt, my wife and I went out last night with her friends \u2014 given my toxic personality and my appalling lack of character, it\u2019s scarcely surprising that I have none myself<\/em> \u2014 for a Chinese dinner and then on to a literally spectacular performance of The Prince of Egypt.<\/em><\/a>\u00a0 A musical about Moses and Ramses from DreamWorks, it was performed at the nearby Hale Centre Theatre. \u00a0If there is a theatrical venue anywhere in the world that is even remotely like the Hale in Sandy, I\u2019ve<\/em> certainly never seen it.<\/p>\n<\/a>
(LDS Media Library)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a>