Daniel C. Peterson's Blog, page 1052

“What Palestinians really want”

    http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/29/opinion...   I rather like this article.   I agree with much of its reasoning, but I would also add this point:  An emphasis on equal human rights rather than on separate statehood would be good, as well, because neither the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip nor the Fatah/PLO-ruled West Bank has an acceptable record with [Read More...]

“The Mormon modesty wars: No more ‘slut-shaming,’ please”

    Okay.  I get the point.  And I’m not altogether unsympathetic:   http://janariess.religionnews.com/201...   I confess that I haven’t noticed any supposed “epidemic” of “slut-shaming” in Mormonism.  However, I pay little or no attention to the Oscars, the Grammys, the Emmys, People Magazine, the National Enquirer, and the Kardashians, and I don’t read blogs [Read More...]

“Should scientific truth be subjected to a vote?”

    We hear, quite often, of “scientific consensus.”   This fine little article makes a very important point in that regard:   http://www.realclearscience.com/artic...   Posted from Victor, New York    

“Calling an Apostle of God”

    As General Conference approaches and three vacancies exist in the Quorum of the Twelve, the Church publishes an official statement:   https://www.lds.org/prophets-and-apos...   Posted from Victor, New York    

Gratitude for modern temples

    “We know now that there are three worlds: the telestial, in which we live; the celestial, to which we aspire; and in between them another world, called the terrestrial. It is of neither the celestial nor the telestial. According to the ancients, this world is represented by the temple, the in-between world where [Read More...]

“Religious Studies at BYU”

    This interview with Elder Jeffrey Holland is interesting both for what it says and what it doesn’t say:   http://fornspollfira.blogspot.com/201...   Posted at Victor, New York    

“Thonis — A Major Egyptian Port Swallowed by the Sea”

      You may have missed this interesting find:   http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/da...   http://www.nature.com/scitable/blog/l...   There are still important archaeological discoveries to be made.  Let’s just hope that ISIS doesn’t get around to destroying them for at least a while.  Because that’s change you can believe in.   Posted from Victor, New York    

“Controversial LDS author tells followers ‘peace out’”

    No, it’s not me.  (My critics will be bitterly disappointed.)   It’s Julie Rowe:   https://kutv.com/news/local/controver...   I sincerely wish her and her family all the best.   Posted from Victor, New York    

Taking the easy way

    Joseph Smith was harassed from the very beginning. “Soon after the Church Began to gro,” remembered Joseph Knight, Sr., “the people Began to Be angry and to persecute and Cald them fools and said they ware Decived.”[1] Knight tells of one occasion, for example, when Joseph was arrested in Chenango County and, because the [Read More...]

“Our Know-Nothing, Anti-Science, Anti-Intellectual Presidential Candidates”

    http://www.realclearscience.com/blog/...   Could it be that crazy Uncle Joe, der Gaffemeister, will be the last one standing?   Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon, Going to the candidates’ debate. Laugh about it, shout about it, When you’ve got to choose Ev’ry way you look at it, you lose. Where have you [Read More...]