Daniel C. Peterson's Blog, page 1088

“Learning Nephi’s Language: Creating a Context for 1 Nephi 1:2″

    No, Interpreter didn’t miss a week of publication.  And we haven’t in well over three years.  Which means “never.”   I’m just late posting an announcement:   http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/lear...   Posted from Cedar City, Utah    

Listen to the lament of the reed

    For a wise and glorious purpose Thou hast placed me here on earth And withheld the recollection Of my former friends and birth; Yet ofttimes a secret something Whispered, “You’re a stranger here,” And I felt that I had wandered From a more exalted sphere. Eliza R. Snow   One of the principal [Read More...]

“South Pacific”

    Our afternoon play was the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific.   For some reason, notwithstanding even it several very famous songs, it’s never really been a favorite of mine.  I like it, but not that much.   It’s historically significant, though, for its direct, quite intentional, and maybe even somewhat heroic [Read More...]

What motivates scientists?

    The scientist does not study nature because it is useful; he studies it because he delights in it, and he delights in it because it is beautiful. . . .  Of course I do not  here speak of that beauty that strikes the senses . . . I mean that profounder beauty which [Read More...]

Of the universe, a possible multiverse, and, even, a bit about cosmic fine-tuning

    A helpful article from the Economist:   http://www.economist.com/news/science...   Posted from Cedar City, Utah    

Causes for apostasy from sporting events

    Helen Condon called my attention to the item above, from a Facebook site called The Cultural Hall.  I don’t know, otherwise, to whom I should give credit.   Posted from Cedar City, Utah    

Is the Church deceiving us by means of its art?

    I’ve seen this claim a lot over the years, and quite a bit, especially, in the past few weeks.   I understand where it’s coming from, but it seems to me misguided.   First of all, I would like to know who, exactly, “the Church” might be.   We don’t have a professional [Read More...]

Miley Cyrus denounces Taylor Swift for not being a good role model

      It would have been difficult to make this up.   And I assure you that I didn’t.   If you want to see the proof of that — please be warned that, predictably, coming as it does from every family’s first choice of role models, Miley Cyrus, it’s somewhat crude, unattractive, and raunchy [Read More...]

In which I endorse a presidential candidate

      I haven’t made up my mind about Donald Trump yet.   Perhaps, if he’ll just speak in more demagogic generalities, supply even fewer specific policy details and — most importantly — insult more people with crude, seemingly misogynistic and borderline racist remarks, I’ll endorse him.   I am, after all, reputedly a [Read More...]

“After nuke deal, European countries rush into Iran to sell tools of oppression”

    http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/08/...   A musical group called The Fifth Dimension sang prophetically about this back in 1969:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjxSC...