tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66116062011-09-30T14:40:18.918-05:00A liberal-minded, yet grossly intolerant Mormon blog: we tolerate dissent, but not stupidity.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.comBlogger2101100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1101269936025909342004-11-24T01:07:00.000-05:002004-11-24T09:40:03.773-05:00

And now the big news (or part of it).... We've moved! Please update your links accordingly. The new site URL is http://www.bycommonconsent.com. You can also get there by clicking the banner at the top of the page. Do not bookmark this page. This site will no longer be updated, but it will remain open for browsing through our archives or for leaving snarky comments that no one will ever

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1101166171803719542004-11-22T17:14:00.000-05:002004-11-22T18:29:31.803-05:00

The recent bait-and-switch at some other blog has caused us to consider the thirst of the average Bloggernacler for something new, something unique, something mildly blasphemous. We feel your pain, O ye unwashed masses. And so, on Wednesday, we will unveil some changes ourselves, BCC-style. Not the piddling, ho-hum changes you see elsewhere -- oh no! Ours will rattle your teeth like a ride on

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1101052499936251412004-11-21T10:49:00.000-05:002004-11-21T12:51:06.903-05:00

Yes, ladies and gentlemen...the folks at WalMart are recognizing the buying power of Mormons, and are filling that with a glorious bronzed hornsman...complete with a tennis visor. Behold! So how do you all feel about marketing efforts towards church members? Off shoot of church's marketing plan as suggested by Deseret News? Tacky? Priestcraft? Necessary and welcome? Will you be buying a bronzed

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17615060813130763400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1100825313520373142004-11-18T19:29:00.000-05:002004-11-18T19:48:33.520-05:00

This is going to take a minute to explain, and non-musicians may have a little trouble imagining what I'm trying to describe, but hang in there with me for a minute... I sing in a little choir--a pretty decent little chamber choir, about 10 people to a part, not quite enough tenors (of course), but not a bad group. The director, Gary, is new this year, and very, very good. This last Tuesday

Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540793682630220434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1100730734308181682004-11-17T16:44:00.000-05:002004-11-17T17:32:14.306-05:00

I'm planning Thanksgiving this week which got me thinking about previous Thanksgivings. They fall into pretty much two categories. Category One: Long plane rides home for a too short weekend with my family, consisting of doing lots of dishes while hoping that no one in my extended family is fighting. One memorable Thanksgiving red eye plane ride in law school found me sitting next to a very

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17615060813130763400noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1100544273886506392004-11-15T13:52:00.000-05:002004-11-15T13:44:33.886-05:00

On Saturday night, a car pulled up behind me just after I found a convenient parking spot on a narrow Pasadena street. A tall, confident-looking fellow emerged from the car, stuck out his hand, and said, "Hi, I'm Aaron Brown." Not one to miss a line, I replied, "Do you mean the Aaron Brown?" Suitably flattered, he confessed, and I introduced myself as his co-blogging partner in crime. And thus

Davenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1100383895885283622004-11-13T15:35:00.000-05:002004-11-17T16:18:55.186-05:00

It's not often that we at BCC have brushes with greatness, but over the past week I've had some emails with an artist involved in the most original and interesting news the LDS arts community has seen in years. Michael Allred is one of the biggest names in modern comics and graphic novels, with titles under his belt like X-Statix and Red Rocket 7, and his most famous work, Madman, is being made

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1100272998459863412004-11-12T10:21:00.000-05:002004-11-12T10:23:18.460-05:00

Renewed hope for a lasting peace in the Middle East comes in the wake of Arafat's death. After so much violence and misery, it seemed to me that hate had become a permanent part of the desert landscape. Now that the man the world recognized to represent the Palestinian people is gone, a new beginning feels possible. I do not mean to say that Arafat was all that stood between the current state

Mathewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16371751742993179714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1100116431215822592004-11-10T14:52:00.000-05:002004-11-16T10:28:51.960-05:00

The fate of the bloggernacle is WAS in YOUR hands! Poll's over, folks, and here are the results: www.bycommonconsent.com 45.6% with 62 votes www.rameumptom.com 30.9% with 42 votes www.korihor.com 11% with 15 votes (due to T&S tampering) www.zelph.org 10.3% with 14 votes www.zeezrom.com 2.2% with 3 votes total votes: 136 What will we do now? We shall gather in secret chambers to

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1099933669930993002004-11-08T13:08:00.000-05:002004-11-08T14:18:20.803-05:00

Over the last year or so, I decided to read some of the great 'masterworks' of literature in their entirety, instead of just the snippets from the Norton anthologies. Sumer also joined along, reading books alongside. As a result, we've now read Moby-Dick, the complete Sherlock Holmes, War and Peace, Anna Karenina, The Brothers Karamazov, A Passage to India, A Tale of Two Cities, Bleak House,

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1099907947630712232004-11-08T03:34:00.000-05:002004-11-08T04:59:07.630-05:00

The Bloggernacle did its part--just about every weblog posted at least once on the election. I link to some of the more interesting pre- and post-election posts below. Television made its first big impact on presidential politics in 1960 with the Nixon-Kennedy debate. Blogging made its first big impact in 2004 by shooting down Dan Rather's memo story. What role will blogging (or the next Web

Davenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1099694770359487622004-11-05T17:39:00.000-05:002004-11-05T17:46:10.360-05:00

Thanks to the wonders of genealogy (and the marvelous Family History Library in Salt Lake), more than a few Latter-day Saints scratched their heads when they researched ancestors and learned they had been married in a polygamous union after 1890 when the Manifesto was issued. Post-manifesto polygamy has since become a fascinating topic for researchers, and was well-explored by Ken Cannon, D.

John Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01045484455799542671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1099612704423266202004-11-04T18:53:00.000-05:002004-11-04T22:06:44.433-05:00

One of our friends at T&S mentions that the the "official Church advocates using political means to encourage the traditional family" and that lately that has meant supporting the effort to codify the time-honored definition of marriage. Like other good LDS, I'm trying to think of other things we could codify to preserve the sanctity of marriage. 1. Divorce--what is it good for? This is a

Mathewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16371751742993179714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1099588090793790762004-11-04T11:55:00.000-05:002004-11-04T12:10:56.880-05:00

The election is over, my man didn’t win. I liked John Kerry and I was ready to give him a shot for four years to see what he’d offer us. But, unlike some liberals, I’m not announcing my plans to move to Canada or predicting the end of the universe as we know it. George Bush strikes me as a likeable, nice fellow, even if I strenuously disagree with many of his policies. But I am depressed after

John Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01045484455799542671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1099498763045413522004-11-03T10:34:00.000-05:002004-11-03T14:19:17.156-05:00

It's the end of autumn in New England. It's hard to describe how gorgeous it is. I walk around most days with a tight aching in my throat, as though I might cry any minute--the loveliness so intense it's painful. As I type this, I am looking out the window over our backyard, covered in gold and russet leaves, out over a half-mile of rooftops and red and orange treetops to the ocean, the leaves

Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540793682630220434noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1099462186419335262004-11-03T01:02:00.000-05:002004-11-03T01:09:46.420-05:00

That's my prediction. Just because nobody else in the media will definitively call this election, doesn't mean I can't. You heard it here first folks. (Does this qualify me as a prophet?) Liberals, vent! Conservatives, rejoice! Libertarians, shrug your shoulders? Aaron B

Aaron Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15596378076547114611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1099347010193320742004-11-01T16:37:00.000-05:002004-11-01T17:10:10.193-05:00

This past month I celebrated my thirty-first birthday, and in addition to very much enjoying my friend-sponsored surprise party (where my lovely friends contributed to my much needed mental tidy by burning things that upset me in a big big bonfire), I enjoyed some free introspection time. This year, I spent quite a bit of time thinking about my birth mother. Usually, a few days after my

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17615060813130763400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1099346684553187732004-11-01T16:01:00.000-05:002004-11-01T17:33:58.093-05:00

Many have written to me, to complain of how they weren't able to be at the Bloggernacle party last week. I'm sorry you couldn't make it, you non-NYC inferior nerds. For those of you who couldn't make it, I've made a little video of myself for the curious public. It's a bit long, but will fill in a lot of blanks for you all. Enjoy!

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1099172105600472882004-10-31T08:30:00.000-05:002004-10-31T09:20:38.323-05:00

1. The New York City Subway map makes things look close and easy enough to get to. Do not believe it. 2. Mat Parke is not, in fact, the general counsel for a grocery store chain. (yes, I'm stupider than I look!) 3. Really good cheese tastes a *lot* better than pretty good cheese (thanks, Kaimi!) 4. Steve Evans is funny. And his dad played the villain in an old church movie. Somehow that

Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540793682630220434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1099029257411943712004-10-29T00:21:00.000-05:002004-10-29T00:54:17.413-05:00

Am I the only one who finds the Bloggernacle more interesting than television? In case you've spent too much time watching Scrubs, Lost, The O.C., and the other fare so elegantly showcased yesterday by Steve, here are a few Bloggernacle highlights since the last Potluck. Justin gives short teasers on two new books by Terryl Givens that are in the works for next year. Yes, they are both on

Davenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1098913041034336112004-10-28T10:00:00.000-05:002004-10-28T10:13:08.836-05:00

OK, you weak-minded fools, you love your T.V. You spend more time worshipping the boob tube than on your knees before your Maker. That's O.K. -- you are no different than the rest of America and the world. Better for you to be mesmerized by the phosphors than to be a total social outcast. That being said, no amount of T.V.-watching will make you normal, unless you watch the right T.V. Being

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1098848781599681392004-10-26T22:45:00.000-05:002004-10-26T22:46:21.600-05:00

In yesterday's post, Steve talks about jobs in bad environments for terrible pay that his mother forced him to take. Folks, it's as if we led parallel lives. Either that or we have the same mother. That isn't as implausible as it sounds--with so many kids running around its possible that we just didn't bump into each other. As it turns out, even before reading Steve's post, my employment

Mathewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16371751742993179714noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1098800151381000022004-10-26T08:46:00.000-05:002004-10-26T09:15:51.383-05:00

No, not that Pedro. I live in a smallish building on the Upper West Side -- five families, 6 floors and a basement. Each of us lives on a separate floor, but we all share some common areas in the building, like any other condo. We have a small garden out front. We take turns taking the trash to the curb; we take turns shoveling the walk. We all pitch in to tend the garden and clean up common

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1098717615763636742004-10-25T09:51:00.000-05:002004-10-25T10:20:15.763-05:00

The cover article in the New York Times magazine this weekend was about a family in New York in which the two parents are gay women who have raised to now young adulthood two daughters (each conceived through male sperm donors and borne by the mothers, one each). I was particularly interested in the article because I worked for one of the mothers, Sandy Russo, when I was at Legal Services one

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01754640533703916737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1098324515393584392004-10-20T20:56:00.000-05:002004-10-22T03:18:24.346-05:00

I am intrigued by the phenomenon of the closeted blog-reader. You all know who you are. You read By Common Consent religiously (and maybe occasionally stoop to visit BCC-lite), you stay home with your computers on Saturday nights just in case something profound pops up on this site, but you never actually dare to make a comment yourself. Why is that? I mean, it’s not that difficult to chime in,

Aaron Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15596378076547114611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1098253794608326522004-10-20T01:22:00.000-05:002004-10-20T01:38:33.056-05:00

I am a lousy journal writer. Always have been. Yes, I kept a journal as a young child at my parents’ insistence and it is fun to go back and visit those juvenile entries once in a blue moon. But ever since I was seven, I have only made diary entries on rare occasion. Even as a missionary, I couldn’t bring myself to write regularly. I always felt like there was no obvious method for selecting what

Aaron Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15596378076547114611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1098250576492371872004-10-20T00:15:00.000-05:002004-10-20T00:36:16.493-05:00

I'm continuing a feature started on my other blog, highlighting interesting posts around the Bloggernacle since the last Potluck, ones that deserve another go-round and additional comment from the BCC community. This should be especially useful for group bloggers who frequent BCC and T&S but don't get out much (to other Bloggernacle sites). For previous installments, go here. Justin at

Davenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1098218251550293752004-10-19T15:34:00.000-05:002004-10-19T15:37:31.550-05:00

This has absolutely no Mormon content. It's just that I know lots of you are in NYC, and I am in Boston, and I do not want to miss this RARE opportunity to say: Nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah!! And I'm starting a write-in campaign for some candidates I can really get excited about ORTIZ--WAKEFIELD '04 (And yes, tomorrow you can all laugh at me)

Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540793682630220434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1098197264909814782004-10-19T09:18:00.000-05:002004-10-19T10:06:56.060-05:00

The title for this post comes from an old mission field chestnut; a talk given by Spencer W. Kimball, warning missionaries against falling in love in the mission field. You can read the text of it here -- apparently its validity is in dispute. I had little trouble keeping my heart locked during my mission in France; no one really ever tried to bust in, frankly. I can't say that my companions

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1098110766965969842004-10-18T08:57:00.000-05:002004-10-18T09:46:06.966-05:00

I am a skeptic, I have a difficult time with faith, and there aren't many things I believe wholeheartedly that I can't judge based on my own experience, whether spiritual or temporal. There are some truths I hold to, nonetheless, and one of them is the mutability of human nature. I believe we have the ability, perhaps particularly so in this mortal life, to change who we are fundamentally, for

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01754640533703916737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1097780723943027822004-10-14T14:02:00.000-05:002004-10-15T00:13:06.893-05:00

Now that you’re all sick to death of watching Ken Jennings rake in millions while you slave away at your day job, it’s time to direct your attention to the next up-and-coming Mormon celebrity: Ryan Benson. Ryan is a contestant on the new NBC reality show “The Biggest Loser,” which is billed as a “compelling new weight-loss drama in which two celebrity fitness trainers join with top health experts

Aaron Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15596378076547114611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1097719911161008962004-10-13T21:06:00.000-05:002004-10-14T12:38:02.353-05:00

One last time, folks...

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1097698120276861892004-10-13T15:00:00.000-05:002004-10-13T15:13:24.103-05:00

Dave, BCC'er and mastermind of Dave's Mormon Inquiry, has a tremendous post up about fiscal transparency in the Church. Some very strong arguments all over this issue, and raises some fun questions about Church fiscal policy and our relative wealth. I wonder if the Church engages in derivatives, swaps and hedges in complicated structures, Enron-style, or whether it is all about straight-up

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1097253051817836692004-10-11T12:08:00.000-05:002004-10-12T12:42:55.233-05:00

Astute readers (and even, perhaps, some who are not particularly astute) will have noticed that I frequently (er, pretty much always) disagree with John Fowles. Online, at least, we seem to inhabit the opposite poles of possible intellectual orientation to Mormonism. In real life, of course, we'd probably be chatting about obscure German verbs and the best restaurants in Ann Arbor and our kids

Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540793682630220434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1097289051760309832004-10-08T21:28:00.000-05:002004-10-08T21:32:22.093-05:00

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1097285915771075872004-10-08T20:36:00.000-05:002004-10-08T20:38:35.770-05:00

Put aside for a moment the alleged LDS prohibition on viewing R-rated movies (I know that’s asking a lot from this group). Imagine a world in which no reference to movie “ratings” has ever been voiced by any of the Brethren, but a general admonition to follow the “Admonition of Paul” is in force. What I want to know is … “What kind of movies should good LDS members watch, and what kind shouldn’

Aaron Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15596378076547114611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1097266277197482902004-10-08T14:14:00.000-05:002004-10-08T15:12:53.623-05:00

Not content to wait until actual mid-life to have a mid-life crisis, I've decided to over-achieve in this area and have them every 10 years. If it's good enough for the U.S. census, it's good enough for me. Let me sum up me in a few stark words: went to law school, worked in a law firm, worked at an international organization, went back to law firm, hated said work with a fiery passion--usually

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17615060813130763400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1097217928726052932004-10-08T01:38:00.000-05:002004-10-08T01:45:28.726-05:00

The R rated movie debate emerged recently at another blog, so I can thank them for inspiring this post. It goes without saying that what is offensive is highly subjective. Hopefully we as Latter-day Saints would have at least some consensus about some films. Try as you might, justifying a XXX movie is pretty tough to do (and that goes for either the porno kind or the abysmal Vin Diesel kind). But

John Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01045484455799542671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1097014706459881342004-10-05T16:55:00.000-05:002004-10-05T17:33:42.186-05:00

A friend of mine asked me why I hadn't blogged about General Conference, in particular wondering if I had any spectacular thoughts on Pres. Hinckley's words regarding women. My initial, glib response to him was that I hadn't posted because I was underwhelmed, but upon reflection, I remain underwhelmed. With a couple of (major) exceptions, GC just didn't do it for me, and I was a little

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1096773356514736752004-10-02T21:35:00.000-05:002004-10-02T22:15:56.513-05:00

So, apparently my friend thought it was rude when I tested the length of the scarf I was crocheting during the closing prayer in conference today. Which made me wonder, really, what proper t.v. prayer behavior is, which started me questioning all of my little conference rituals. So, in the style of the Mormon Miss Manners, I present to you: Conference Etiquette. 1. T.V. prayers are real

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17615060813130763400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1096766839219541662004-10-02T20:24:00.000-05:002004-10-03T08:44:38.020-05:00

Heh-heh. Can't wait to show this to my 7-year-old. (Well, most of it--some of it's PG-10, I think ;)) UPDATE: Eep!! I hadn't looked at all of it. Some of it is actually PG-28 or so!

Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540793682630220434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1096595952397423572004-09-30T20:56:00.000-05:002004-09-30T20:59:22.190-05:00

oh yeah!

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1096489042998202352004-09-29T14:33:00.000-05:002004-09-29T15:47:31.966-05:00

The other day, over at that other blog, Sunstone was getting its quarterly flogging. I've reread my responses on that thread, and it strikes me that I was not my usual cool-as-a-cucumber (ha!) self. I'm irrationally defensive of Sunstone and Dialogue and Exponent II and all of those independent Mormon publications that some people think are soooo two decades ago. The reason is simple, really:

Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540793682630220434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1096426849252118452004-09-28T21:59:00.000-05:002004-09-28T22:04:45.820-05:00

[Cross-posted at OT] The topic of Same-Sex Marriage has bounced around the bloggernacle so much it has taken on a universally-recognized acronym. The topic of gay adoption has received much less attention, and, as far as I know, has elicited little (or no?) specific ecclesiastical counsel (unless one counts Sheri Dew’s controversial speech, which was delivered after her tenure in the Relief

Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00886139430380051174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1096345282196362582004-09-27T22:34:00.000-05:002004-09-27T23:22:34.316-05:00

There I said it. I finally admitted it. It has been 6 weeks or so since I've been to church. I'm in a new ward somewhere. So I don't have a calling and dread going to a brand new ward where I don't know anyone. The questions alone: 'And who are you?' "Are you married?" "Where are you from?" "where did you serve a mission?" "And what brought you to New York?" It's not just going to a new ward,

JLnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1096303794485744492004-09-27T12:03:00.000-05:002004-09-27T11:49:54.486-05:00

I returned late last night from the John Whitmer Historical Association meeting in Omaha, Nebraska (the RLDS equivalent of the Mormon History Association). It was a great conference and I always enjoy driving along the Mormon trail, looking out at the Platte River and imagining the columns of Saints making their way to their new home in the west. Meetings with our RLDS (now Community of Christ)

John Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01045484455799542671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1096003049981661892004-09-24T00:11:00.000-05:002004-09-24T00:17:53.493-05:00

It was the late 1980s. Las Vegas, Nevada. The Church had just completed construction of the Las Vegas Temple. I was in highschool at the time, and the leadership of my Southern California ward decided to plan a youth field trip to the Open House. I have various random, but vivid, memories from the trip: Flirting via CB-radio with the occupants of a minivan on the ride up, heckling a prostitute

Aaron Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15596378076547114611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1095826676607193002004-09-22T00:12:00.000-05:002004-09-22T08:24:42.400-05:00

I recently spent a few weeks in the hinterlands of Utah where I found myself admiring again the Mormon pioneers, many of whom not only crossed the plains but then left the relatively verdant Salt Lake Valley to settle what even today looks like forsaken desert. As I drove through those dusty towns in Southern Utah I wondered what beliefs inspired them enough to leave everything they had ever

Mathewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16371751742993179714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1095792363072746742004-09-21T13:37:00.000-05:002004-09-21T13:46:03.073-05:00

In 1877, shortly after the dedication of the St. George Temple, Wilford Woodruff reported what would become one of the most beloved stories in Mormonism. He described a visitation by the Founding Fathers of America, who demanded to know why their temple work had not been performed in the Endowment House. After the experience, Woodruff quickly had the work performed for these Brethren and their

John Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01045484455799542671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1095570908032893062004-09-19T00:43:00.000-05:002004-09-19T00:15:08.033-05:00

I have to say, I'm approaching the Sabbath with a bitter- sweet kind of feeling. Tomorrow I'm getting released from being the gospel doctrine teacher. I always pictured myself as the "smile and agree to serve" kind of gal....no matter if it was nursery, homemaking, or ward librarian. But when I got called into chat with the first counselor a couple of weeks ago, he told me that they had

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17615060813130763400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1095437133839118742004-09-17T10:53:00.000-05:002004-09-17T11:05:33.840-05:00

I have too much to do. At the end of every day, I collapse into bed with a list of things left undone churning through my head. It's hard to pray, hard to sleep without this list intruding. It's even worse since I've had children, and my list of important things to do rattles around in my brain all day before I can even check off one item after the creatures are asleep. I've tried to explain

Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540793682630220434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1095176110595525992004-09-14T10:31:00.000-05:002004-09-14T10:35:10.596-05:00

There's an excellent article over at McSweeney's, addressing errors in one person's Bible. I have similar errors in my own Bible. Hey, while I'm thinking of errors, what does it mean to say that a book is the "word of God"? Do mormons have a consistent approach to defining that catchphrase? Just curious, because it seems to mean a lot more to some religions (i.e., Islam, So. Baptists) than

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1095052904494492162004-09-13T00:01:00.000-05:002004-09-13T00:21:44.496-05:00

So I went to Napoleon Dynamite with a friend last night. For the uninitiated, it's an independent film made by several BYU grads. They entered it into Sundance, where it was apparently wildly popular. A movie studio bought it, and now it is being slowly rolled out on the limited release model. It's been in D.C. for a couple of months now, and is still gaining momentum. (Full house Saturday

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17615060813130763400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1094697400704239522004-09-08T20:46:00.000-05:002004-09-08T21:46:10.930-05:00

"The LDS Church is nearly 1,000 couple missionaries short despite the church's efforts to recruit more volunteers." So states a BYU NewsNet article, summarizing a recent report they say was posted at LDS.org, although I couldn't find it there. The article says there are "2,110 senior couples" presently serving, with a need for "3,093 couples" at the present time. Well, if they are short nearly

Davenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1094672053969639402004-09-08T14:06:00.000-05:002004-09-08T14:34:14.046-05:00

If you haven't noticed from my posts, there are many issues which I haven't thought about in great detail or depth, but that I like to pontificate about anyway. One such issue is the story of Abraham sacrificing Isaac in the book of Genesis. I'm no scriptorian or scholar of any kind of the Old Testament. So my hope is that some will be able to shed a positive light on what strikes me as an

John Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01045484455799542671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1094436998634259562004-09-05T20:29:00.000-05:002004-09-05T21:16:38.633-05:00

Yes, the one and only true Mormon blog managed to sneak a correspondent into the RNC this past week. Yours truly spent a couple of memorable days sitting in Madison Square Garden, with press credentials around my neck, smiling politely and thinking..."whatever you do, don't let anyone know you're a Democrat." I was planning on filing blow by blow descriptions of the Convention, but didn't quite

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17615060813130763400noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1094178066703458262004-09-02T20:53:00.000-05:002004-09-02T21:21:06.703-05:00

Late August is when freshmen at semester schools move to campus and start learning what campus life is all about. At BYU, a fair percentage of campus life seems to be centered around the Honor Code these days, as reflected in this Deseret News story about Honor Code skits performed during Orientation Week. My recollection of how the system worked a few years ago was that if you didn't drink

Davenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1094070663813597092004-09-01T15:15:00.000-05:002004-09-01T16:15:11.263-05:00

It's finally happened. After whipping up a nefarious, Gadianton-like scheme to bring down the Behemoth of the Bloggernacle, Steve E. and I were able to take down the website of those intellectual upstarts with smashing success! In case you haven't noticed, that other blog no longer works. You can no longer make comments there. At last, BCC will finally be able to fulfill its destiny, step up to

Aaron Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15596378076547114611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1094055446603981522004-09-01T11:00:00.000-05:002004-09-01T11:58:38.330-05:00

It's frightening. Walking around Manhattan has become scary. There are groups of police on every corner in Midtown. Subway entrances are blocked (hope there aren't any fires), some streets are closed off so pedestrians can't even cross them. People are afraid and confused. Look at the view here. Most Americans probably aren't getting the 'real' news about what is happening so I want to share

JLnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1094009921309250952004-08-31T22:36:00.000-05:002004-08-31T22:38:41.310-05:00

The single biggest reason I can think of why any American should not vote for Bush is the way he squandered the good will of the world after 9/11. Instead of seizing the moment to further discredit a corrupt ideology not only here at home but around the world, Bush’s poor judgment has given it strength. In May the International Institute for Strategic Studies released a report which noted that

Mathewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16371751742993179714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1093799140493330232004-08-29T11:15:00.000-05:002004-08-29T12:05:40.493-05:00

Over at some other blog, in a topic that seems to be winding down, a comment made by Jared really grabbed my attention. He said, "As Nate Oman and others never tire of pointing out, the church mostly cares about what we do rather than what we believe." Upfront I have to say I'm not familiar with previous threads or discussions that have touched on this topic. So I'm most likely misunderstanding

John Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01045484455799542671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1093449150117617192004-08-25T10:22:00.000-05:002004-08-25T10:52:30.116-05:00

The First Presidency has written the expected letter on political neutrality and by now it has been read over most pulpits throughout the U.S. But this year as I sat in Sacrament and heard the letter, I could swear there was a new addition. As it turns out, I wasn't wrong. (You can view the full text of the letter here.) The last line in this year's letter reads, "In addition, members who hold

John Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01045484455799542671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1093204324979451332004-08-22T14:42:00.000-05:002004-08-22T15:10:45.086-05:00

So today I had the slightly surreal experience of having our ward mission leader approach me in the hallway with a visitor in tow, saying "there she is--she's our Ward Sunstoner. She just got back from the symposium" with a beaming grin on his face. Turns out that he (the WML) had met a young man during a fair at which our ward was manning a family history booth. The young man seemed

Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540793682630220434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1092957462741873892004-08-19T18:03:00.000-05:002004-08-19T18:17:42.743-05:00

I was getting a haircut today (for the record, I get my hair cut at a posh salon known as "Dollar Cuts") when the stylist had to run to the front to make an appointment for a walk-in. While she was gone, I looked down at some of the hair that had fallen in my lap. It looked remarkably like salt and pepper. "That's impossible," I thought. I'll find a rogue gray hair now and then, but I'm 27 years

John Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01045484455799542671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1092759657897308082004-08-17T10:27:00.000-05:002004-08-17T11:25:00.380-05:00

Confession time: I am a vain, vain man. At the same time, I take terrible care of myself and am not a particularly sharp dresser. So, you can imagine how deep my dissatisfaction runs. But all that is about to change: I am going to have cosmetic surgery. No, really -- next week, Sumer and I are flying to Vancouver, where we will both have Lasik eye surgery, following which, we will be

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1092537765886578032004-08-14T21:34:00.000-05:002004-08-15T15:41:45.456-05:00

So, for those of you who've been holding your breath... I talked (a little) about BCC at the Sunstone symposium yesterday, in an exceedingly weird session titled "Internet Mormons vs. Chapel Mormons." It was mostly (I think) meant to explore Dr. Shades's contention that the Church is in imminent danger of schism because people are being exposed to uncomfortable facts about Mormon history and

Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540793682630220434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1092297544646521242004-08-12T02:57:00.000-05:002004-08-12T03:34:25.743-05:00

I have a confession to make: I am a liar. I have deliberately told an untruth about a fellow human being, with the intent to convince my listeners to believe something unsavory about that person and to affect her negatively. Shame on me? You decide. The story that follows has virtually no connection to Mormonism, other than that I happen to be Mormon, the Gospel demands that we not bear false

Aaron Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15596378076547114611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1092241886360930282004-08-11T11:28:00.000-05:002004-08-11T11:31:26.360-05:00

A recent column by Ms. Buttinsky herself threatens the very core of LDS dating relationships! Now I have the "Will I Wait For You" bit from Saturday's Warrior stuck in my head. At least she encouraged young Johnny to go on his mission...

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1092108705418741962004-08-09T22:29:00.000-05:002004-08-09T22:31:45.416-05:00

I don't consider myself an intellectual because by now I've known too many genuine intellectuals and I know that they are in a different class. They are almost always people I admire, not just because they are well read, erudite and full of interesting ideas, but because of the way they lead their lives. In Russian the phrase used to describe this is "lives intelligently"—an idea that has

Mathewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16371751742993179714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1091926667846321892004-08-07T19:55:00.000-05:002004-08-07T19:57:47.846-05:00

In the wake of Jennifer's great post on the supposed repression of Mormon women, I thought I'd ask if Mormon men are repressed. As a Mormon man, I've certainly never been confronted the way Jennifer was and told that I'm repressed. On the surface, it looks like we've got it pretty sweet. But deep down, are we not allowed to participate in the world of maleness? Let's look at some facts: •

John Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01045484455799542671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1091757412000671722004-08-05T19:59:00.000-05:002004-08-06T10:12:29.833-05:00

A few weeks ago, while traveling, I met an American woman with whom I had a lengthy conversation. She was in her late 50s or early 60s. She wanted to know about my work so we discussed philosophy for awhile among other things. I quite enjoyed talking to her. But later that evening I mentioned that I had met people at church who let me stay in their homes for free. She immediately asked me what

JLnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1091553656520659192004-08-03T11:53:00.000-05:002004-08-03T12:20:56.520-05:00

I recently read an address given by the Reverend Canon Dr. Lauren Artress in which she discusses the work of the twelfth-century abbess, Hildegard of Bingen. Hildegard had been pledged to the Church as a young child and served as a nun the remainder of her life, but it was not until she suffered a severe and prolonged illness in her 40's that she developed a deep relationship with God, began to

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01754640533703916737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1091385649286439642004-08-01T12:55:00.000-05:002004-08-01T17:27:59.013-05:00

This Sunday, my ward offered the usual cast of stock characters for an LDS testimony meeting: the returning wayward member who confessed to a variety of heinous but unspecified sins; a couple of grandmotherly types who discussed their ailments or those of other family members; a couple of auxiliary leaders sharing the good things happening with this or that person or group; a dynamic Polynesian

Davenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1091291883226846962004-07-31T11:27:00.000-05:002004-07-31T11:38:03.226-05:00

Elder Haight passed away this morning of causes related to old age. When I mentioned his death to my mother she asked me if I was sure he wasn't just taken up. I will remember him for his soothing demeanor, his sense or humor and his frequent references to Ruby. In his last conference talk he had the following to say: I understand the power of prayer and of faith and of devotion, and I

Mathewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16371751742993179714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1091209863451270702004-07-30T12:49:00.000-05:002004-07-30T12:51:38.383-05:00

Because you were looking for something fun to do on a Friday afternoon.

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1091110815179643652004-07-29T09:12:00.000-05:002004-07-29T09:25:33.276-05:00

An increasing portion of our traffic here at BCC has been via Google searches that include the term "rumspringa."  For example, a search for "rumspringa amish biography" shows BCC solidly in fifth place.  I would like to extend a special greeting to those seeking further knowledge of our Amish teenage friends, running free in their early adulthood.  This is doubtlessly the result of the upcoming

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1091065085792083302004-07-28T19:52:00.000-05:002004-07-28T20:38:05.793-05:00

Lots of Mormon women make nifty scrapbooks of their kids', their family's lives. I don't. Sometimes I feel bad about that, worry that my kids will feel deprived if all the events of their young lives are not recorded in carefully cropped snapshots, with cute die-cut figures and fancy paper borders. For a long time I thought my resistance to scrapbooking was just mild anti-Mollyism combined

Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540793682630220434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1090968303220538162004-07-27T17:45:00.000-05:002004-07-27T17:45:03.220-05:00

Patty Henetz of the Associated Press has written an article on DNA and the Book of Mormon, focusing on geneticist Simon Southerton and his forthcoming book, Losing a Lost Tribe. Although DNA and the Book of Mormon has probably made the rounds through the bloggernacle, I suspect it’s a story that won’t go away for a while. I find the DNA issue to be fascinating, though hardly the death knell for

John Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01045484455799542671noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1090947415027020492004-07-27T11:56:00.000-05:002004-07-27T12:08:53.906-05:00

I read in the Rochester and Democrat and Chronicle this afternoon that prominent businessman and devout Mormon Kay Whitmore passed away last night after a struggle with leukemia. It's only by chance that I read it in the paper before I heard it over the phone; he happened to be a member of my ward. I can't say I knew him very well. When we moved here he and his wife were serving in a singles

Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00886139430380051174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1090685986785086562004-07-24T10:50:00.000-05:002004-07-27T11:17:26.790-05:00

I realize that in the company of the intellectual giants in the bloggernacle, this next confession may forever peg me as a lightweight (if my previous posts have not already pegged me as such...) I watch reality dating shows. Not the serious ones like the Bachelor, no, I prefer the gimicky rip off shows. (My personal favorite moment was when the preening queen from Average Joe Hawaii dumped

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17615060813130763400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1090448110596804222004-07-23T10:04:00.000-05:002004-07-23T10:09:20.440-05:00

As you may know, I'm a lawyer, and draft contracts and other arrangements for a living.  Another way of looking at this is to say that I'm a bottom-feeder, and my job would not exist if people were honest with each other.  Either way, lawyers spin no cloth and till no fields.  My work, as with most modern office work, is heavily decontextualized, and I find myself far removed from any actual

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1090591862279402452004-07-23T09:04:00.000-05:002004-07-23T09:11:02.280-05:00

is available here.  Not a bad tune, either.

Kaiminoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1090507044110233872004-07-22T09:33:00.000-05:002004-07-22T09:37:24.110-05:00

As noted on the LDS.org site, Elder Maxwell passed away last night.  I will miss him, as one of the most thoughtful and well-spoken apostles in recent memory.  His thoughts on the meaning of discipleship, the hallmark of his tenure as apostle, were of personal importance to me and to many others.  Our thoughts are with wife and children.

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1090500706240340902004-07-22T07:41:00.000-05:002004-07-22T07:51:46.240-05:00

Steve asked what I'm going to say on the Sunstone panel. I really don't quite know; I *told* Dan Wotherspoon that I wasn't sure I had much to offer, so they've been forewarned. (I'll try to at least wear something interesting, so I can be decorative). But here's my hypothesis, such as it is: I think that there isn't really much difference between "Internet Mormons" and "Chapel Mormons." I

Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540793682630220434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1090425244983558242004-07-21T10:42:00.000-05:002004-07-21T10:54:04.983-05:00

The annual Salt Lake Sunstone Symposium is three weeks away, so it's time I started spreading the word. I'll just mention a few things: 1. The program is online in pdf format at www.sunstoneonline.com. Do check it out. Note that students with a valid ID can attend for free and first time attenders are $50 for the whole conference. (Make sure to look over the workshops - Linda King Newell

John Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01045484455799542671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1090296402394423842004-07-19T22:57:00.000-05:002004-07-19T23:06:42.393-05:00

Once upon a time, I politely suggested we change the name of this site to "Zeezrom and the Kori-Whores."  I was callously and rudely rebuffed by my cruel, heartless co-bloggers here at BCC. (sniff!)   Well, I've got a new argument to add to the pile:  If we keep our name, we might get confused with the official newsletter of the Mormon Alliance!   Solution:  Take my original advice ... or perhaps

Aaron Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15596378076547114611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1089960994037061072004-07-16T00:53:00.000-05:002004-07-16T02:02:38.540-05:00

I stumbled across an interesting set of directives to Catholic voters entitled A Brief Catechism for Catholic Voters. It's written by a Catholic clergyman with a PhD and it's posted on a website that looks pretty darned Catholic, so I'll take it as a fair expression of conservative Catholic thinking on this tricky issue of church and state. Mormons, too, like to mix religion with their politics

Davenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1089908599814388972004-07-15T11:13:00.000-05:002004-07-15T12:51:13.770-05:00

After the Federal Marriage Amendment failed to gather enough support to put it to a vote, Senator Hatch had the following to say: "If Massachusetts starts honoring gay marriage, that means a state like my home state that doesn't want to have gay marriage has to honor them," said Hatch. "Virtually every constitutional authority I know of thinks the full faith and credit clause [in the

Mathewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16371751742993179714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1089781111313034682004-07-13T23:52:00.000-05:002004-07-13T23:59:22.503-05:00

Over at the Evil Blog, those raving, intellectual apostates have finally gone too far. Brace yourselves … Russell has had the audacity to promote khaki pants for missionaries! Scandalous! Outrageous! I’m not sure I can visit T&S anymore. Steve, remove the heathens from our blogroll, forthwith! What Russell obviously doesn’t know is that non-black and non-navy pants aren’t just prohibited in

Aaron Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15596378076547114611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1089528356467594052004-07-11T00:40:00.000-05:002004-07-11T01:45:56.486-05:00

I'm starting to think I'm extremely naïve. There's something I believe that seems like it ought to be the most obvious fact on the planet. "Two plus two equals four" or "the sky is blue" kind of obvious - the sort of thing everyone ought to know. But it turns out not everyone does know it. And the many people that do know it have long ago made peace with it - it's just not the issue to them that

John Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01045484455799542671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1089252193555825712004-07-07T20:59:00.000-05:002004-07-08T12:07:52.876-05:00

In the comments at my recent post at Sons of Mosiah, Grasshopper shared his fond memories of “streaking” through the halls of the MTC with nothing on but a shower cap, and the accompanying brush with ecclesiastical authority that ensued. He says he learned some lessons that have served him well. Not to be outdone, I also have an MTC experience that involves a ruckus through the MTC halls and an

Aaron Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15596378076547114611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1089223052890918152004-07-07T12:41:00.000-05:002004-07-07T15:58:56.793-05:00

You've probably read about this elsewhere, but the U.S. Air Force pilot who killed four and wounded at least eight Canadians in Afghanistan has been fined $5,672. This article provides a fairly good summary of the decision. Personally, I'm disgusted that criminal charges against him were dropped, and that all he gets is the 'maximum' administrative penalty of about a month's pay, along with a

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1089220366535835022004-07-07T12:11:00.000-05:002004-07-07T12:12:55.360-05:00

Don't worry, we won't tell your old AP what your reply was . . .

Kaiminoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1088921747313705772004-07-03T23:46:00.000-05:002004-07-04T01:15:47.313-05:00

Most of the time, I feel right at home in the Church. I love the people, the theology, the leaders, and especially the history. The thought of somehow not being a Mormon is beyond my comprehension. On occasion, however, I feel very out of place at Church. When I hear comments that seem to be espousing Mormon values, whether uttered in Sacrament meeting, Sunday school, or even General Conference

John Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01045484455799542671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1088877466913373612004-07-03T12:49:00.000-05:002004-07-03T12:57:46.913-05:00

So here's a simple question, for which I failed to come up with a satisfactory answer during 8 weeks of several-times-daily hikes to the top of the stairs in the Lee Library last summer(I thought that if I took the elevator, people would realize more quickly that I was pushing a matronly 35 and not a bouncy coed... women can be silly that way): Doctrine & Covenants 88:118 is prefaced with "And

Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540793682630220434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1088715409591603652004-07-01T15:38:00.000-05:002004-07-01T16:31:55.636-05:00

This article printed in today's Washington Post outlines the Bush/Cheney election team's attempt to mobilize its religious base. The article outlines strategies sent to Bush supporters to help those supporters involve their congregations in the Bush campaign. The suggested "goals" include turning over membership lists to the campaign, organizing voter registration drives, and hosting partisan

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17615060813130763400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1088694919507025602004-07-01T10:14:00.000-05:002004-07-01T10:15:26.150-05:00

OK, let's settle this once and for all.

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192709470064724913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1087918371311482862004-06-30T10:26:00.000-05:002004-06-30T06:15:24.156-05:00

Mormons are neither Catholic nor Protestant, so what happens to a convert in Northern Ireland, when their class, their identity, their traditions and their politics are tied to one of these two religions? It's not easy for them as you can imagine. I went to church at the branch in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Asking around I found out most of the converts were protestants who lived in Waterside

JLnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1088487456629152512004-06-28T23:53:00.000-05:002004-06-29T15:21:38.130-05:00

What an odd piece of advice to hear over the pulpit, but hear it we did earlier this month, as explained (for late arrivers or early snoozers who missed the announcement) in this Salt Lake Trib article. And the Trib article gives "the rest of the story": the blunt advice appears to be a response to notes (apparently accurate) made of an apostle's Stake Conference remarks, subsequently

Davenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611606.post-1088281549124347672004-06-26T14:27:00.000-05:002004-06-26T15:25:49.126-05:00

Surfing for something to kick around the blog, I noticed Christianity Today's review of Michael Moore's latest film/documentary/satire/comedy (real name: Fahrenheit 9/11, whatever that is supposed to mean). CT calls it "heavily sarcastic, rather entertaining, and somewhat incoherent." The title he borrows from Ray Bradbury, and the poster borrows a picture of George Bush (putting just Moore on

Davenoreply@blogger.com0