Daniel C. Peterson's Blog, page 1095

“A New Perspective on the Lamanite ‘Skin of Blackness’”

    Ryan Larsen and Nicholas Garaycochea called my attention to this brief but interesting piece:   http://mormonpuzzlepieces.blogspot.ca...   Posted from Victoria, British Columbia    

“Study: Those Who Go To College Earn More Degrees Over Lifetime Than Those Who Do Not”

    All too often, the results of modern science (e.g., relativity, quantum physics, plate tectonics, and so forth) go against our common sense.   So it’s really comforting when, once in a while, cutting edge scientific research confirm widely-held assumptions, as here:   http://www.theonion.com/article/study...   My thanks to John Hancock for bringing this important [Read More...]

New York Times: “Top Mormons Could Meet Soon About Leaving Scouts”

    Some additional background information on the sudden crisis in the century-old relationship between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Boy Scouts of America:   http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/29/us/...   I’m sad to see this happen, but it may be unavoidable.   Posted from Victoria, British Columbia    

”Did Joseph Smith practice sexual polyandry with Sylvia Sessions?”

    First of all, I want to express my gratitude to all those who’ve contributed to Dr. Ugo Perego’s “Reconstructing Joseph Smith Genome” project.  He has met his initial goal of $5000, which will permit him to do a great deal of work, and has announced a new goal-total of $10,000.   So the [Read More...]

The selfish gene?

    “If I’m walking down the riverbank, and a man is drowning, even if I don’t know how to swim very well, I feel this urge that the right thing to do is to try to save that person.  Evolution would tell me exactly the opposite: preserve your DNA.  Who cares about the guy [Read More...]

Two clarifications

    A couple of questions have come my way in connection with my endorsement of Dr. Ugo Perego’s project.  I’ll answer them here:   1.   The genetic samples in question belonged to the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, not to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  When Mr. Sorenson passed away, it [Read More...]

More on the Church and the Boy Scouts

    http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/27/us/boy-...   It might still be possible for the Church to continue its longstanding relationship with the Boy Scouts of America, given that the BSA still claims to “respect the right of religious chartered organizations to continue to choose adult leaders whose beliefs are consistent with their own.”   But please note the [Read More...]

Newly released photos show the Executive Branch in the first hours after the 9/11 attacks

    A bit of history.   I appreciated the little 2:28 minutes video clip that’s embedded in the article:   http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/27/politic...    

New Testament 218

    Luke 14:34-35 Compare 5:13; Mark 9:49-50   If we become bland, wholly conformed to the society and culture around us, in complete sync with surrounding social trends and current fashions, there’s no reason for us to exist and no reason to call us the Church.    

“Church re-evaluating Scouting program”

    This is, potentially, a really, really big deal:   http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article...