Rabbi Prager

I have quoted Dennis Prager before on family values, etc. in this audio clip at Article 6 blog he really demonstrates his commitment to religious tolerance and freedom as well as a defense of values as held by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as compared with theological beliefs, showing how important values are to political office and how irrelevant religious beliefs are. He also plainly demonstrates the bigotry of anti-religious commentary to politics. As Dennis often says, he is most interested in clarity. This exchange was very clear in its meaning. Dennis obviously hates bigotry. Me too.

Strength in Youth

Our young people can carry with them a great spirit. We have several non-members who attend our mutual activities and even Sunday classes. The other day we reorganized the Young Women's class presidencies and I made a comment to one of the visitors that I could see her presiding in one of these classes and that I hoped one day she could, but that she would have to be a member of the organization in order to preside. Tonight the missionaries stopped by to tell me that this young lady wanted to be baptized because she wanted to someday serve in a presidency. Being one of the Lord's followers isn't easy but it is good. I am pleased by her attitude and that His Spirit could be felt through something I said. I know he loves his children.

Mitt vs Newt

A Poygamist who doesn't polyg vs a mongamist who doesn't monag

If you follow the Republican primaries you might be familiar with the difficulty that Governor Romney has in gaining supporters in Iowa. Apparently Iowa is overrun by those with a common religious persuasion determined that Mormons are "not Christians", a "cult", untruthful, "unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God", and every other unbecoming attribute. I can't say that Mormons are without fault, in fact, we sometimes bring criticism upon our selves because we see ourselves as follows: We are "honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and .. doing good to all men; indeed, we may say -- We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things." On the other hand we see non-Mormons this way: "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof". The political question becomes "Is it possible to support one in a political office for whom one has such fundamental religious disagreements?" Latter Day Saints have been in the minority for so long in most places that we have had to accept political leaders from a variety of religious traditions. Non-Mormons have less experience in accepting a Mormon political leader.
The first Mormon Senator elected from Utah was Senator Smoot back in 1903. He was challenged by the Senate. "We’ve come a long way since 1903, when the Utah Legislature elected Reed Smoot to be the first Mormon to be seated in the Senate. But when Smoot arrived in Washington in early 1904 with every expectation that he would be sworn in, he instead spent the next four years on the sidelines while a Senate committee investigated the charges against him, prompted by a nationally organized campaign by church leaders who passionately opposed the seating of any Mormon, however deserving, in Congress." For the whole article click here.http://www.rollcall.com/news/bonker_religious_intolerance_a_political_problem_for_romney_but_a_bigger-211131-1.html. "On the last day of the Senate deliberations, Sen. Fred Dubois (R-Idaho), who led the attacks against Smoot, charged that the Mormon doctrine commanded the “Saints to take unto themselves a multiplicity of wives, limited in number only be the measures of their desires.”
That prompted Sen. Boies Penrose (R-Pa.) to respond by making the point that Smoot had always been faithfully married to the same woman; then, as he deliberately cast his eye around the Senate chamber, he commented that he was well familiar with the behavior of some of his colleagues known for philandering, concluding with this rhetorical line: “I would rather have seated beside me in this chamber a polygamist who doesn’t polyg than a monogamist who doesn’t monag!”

All is Well in Zion

Look at the big picture.

The Democrats and the President keep pushing the country into more and more spending. It is incredibly confusing why they would continue on such an apparently destructive path. where is the money going to come from? All they really want is to stay in power, damn the consequences. Krauthammer's article is instructive.. What huge liars these people are. They talk about these minuscule efforts to even slow down the GROWTH in the most massive increase in spending ever seen as if pablum was being stolen from the mouths of babies. Are the people so stupid as to believe their lies? I am afraid so many people see themselves as being on the receiving end that they are willing accomplices to the theft.

Oh well, football season is starting. We can go back to ignoring the politicians. They can get on with leading us "carefully down to hell".

Modern Culture

I am such a nerd. I listened to the Tony awards the other night and watched the ersatz missionary sing about faith. I didn't get the humor. One has to be completely faith-less and heartless to actually enjoy blaspheming one's religious beliefs. I hope that I have not held to ridicule someone's personal beliefs no matter if I might feel they are ridiculous. A person without religious beliefs could easily belittle any faith. I hope that those with faith in God and in His Christ will stand together in defending our right to believe even if we do not hold each other's particular beliefs. It is great to read the thoughts of a great thinker like John Mark Reynolds and see his integrity in standing up for the Golden Rule.

"When Broadway revels in impiety and offending Mormons, this disturbs me. It does not disturb me in exactly the same way as if a play mocked my own beliefs, but it breaks the Golden Rule. If I give blasphemy against Mormonism an easy personal pass, then I am not doing to another faithful man what I would have him to do to me."

Thanks Dr. Reynolds. I appreciate your great heart and brilliant mind even while being confused by your belief in a trinitarian God.

Mother's Day

This will be our first Mother's Day without Mom. Hopefully it will be a wonderful time to reflect on her life and a chance to re-commit ourselves to being men and women she would be proud of and not just blubbering babies.

I read a sweet article about a mother in which the mom explained that seeing her pain was the only way the children could let her go. "On one particular difficult day, I confessed I hated to see her suffer. And her response has profoundly affected me ever since. She said, “Don’t… I don’t… it is what is going to make you able to give me up.”"

How true it is. Our mother taught us lessons up to the end, and how sweet is was to let her pass. Too bad we don't get the Mother's Day phone call. Even missionaries get that.

Freedom to chose

I just read about the Book of Mormon musical on Broadway. I probably won't see it, but from the reports I have read it is probably somewhat cynical towards my faith. As one reviewer wrote, it may be another sign that we are seen as more mainstream than ever, like Catholics, we can be ridiculed freely without fear of retribution. Hooray!

With all the freedom of choice in entertainment available these days, it is remarkable that movie production companies do not make DVD versions of their movies available with reduced nudity and profanity. The movies are edited with various levels for release on airplanes or future television release, but they are not available to the general public. Here is a fine article detailing the practice. It seems that the DVDs are often available in an "unrated" version (meaning more profanity, nudity, and violence than the theatrical version) but not in a cleaner version. Independent editing is vigorously challenged as an attack on artistic control. This article clearly points out the hypocrisy in this stance and moderately encourages the film industry to act in its own best interest in providing choice to all. Hooray again!!