Daniel C. Peterson's Blog, page 1168

On not reading good books

    “The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them.” Mark Twain (1835-1910)    

“Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God”

    Jeffrey Bradshaw, Kristine Frederickson, Benjamin McGuire, Daniel Peterson, and Bruce Webster join up for The Interpreter Foundation’s 107th “scripture roundtable”:   http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/scri...   The discussion focuses on Lesson 9 in the 2015 Gospel Doctrine manual, which treats Matthew 6.    

On the frontiers of geoengineering

    A relatively recent article in the Economist (“Into the great wide open,” 13 December 2014) describes forthcoming experiments that might be used to modify earth’s climate.   If, for example, low-lying maritime clouds — that is, clouds over Earth’s oceans — could be made just a tiny bit brighter, thus reflecting sunlight back [Read More...]

New Testament 57

    Matthew 5:33-37   Some Christian groups have, quite understandably, taken this passage to mean not merely that disciples of Jesus shouldn’t swear falsely but that they should never take oaths (e.g., of citizenship) at all.   But this seems to me mistaken, and quite impractical.   Why?  Because our society runs on promises [Read More...]

Salt in the wound

  My wife is really rubbing it in.  She sent these last night:           I think that I may change the locks on the doors of our house.    

Two contrasting responses to the Church’s stance on gay rights and religious liberty

    A gay activist welcomes the Church’s stance on anti-discrimination protection:   http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/jo...   However, many — this one, for example — haven’t been so enthusiastic.  It seems clear to me that some are demanding total surrender.  People who disapprove of homosexual acts must not only tolerate them but, effectively, endorse them.  Or be [Read More...]

“The Christian example for modernizing Islam”

    I’ve tried this link several times, and it’s worked for me.  I hope it will continue to work for you, but my experiences with linking to the Wall Street Journal have, thus far, been negative.  Kevin Madigan, a historian of Christianity at Harvard Divinity School, offers his perspective on the current situation in [Read More...]

“Absence of White House strategy makes ISIS, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan wars unwinnable”

    A trio of formerly high-ranking military officers — now retired, or they wouldn’t be able to speak so freely — testify to the painful truth:   http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2...    

“Astronomers discover a replica solar system”

    Thanks to Michael Davidson for bringing this intriguing item to my notice:   http://news.yale.edu/2015/01/27/astro...    

“Religious freedom and refusing service”

    The indispensable Cassandra Showell Hedelius weighs in with a calm and legally-informed piece, commenting on the Church’s Tuesday news conference regarding discrimination and religious liberty:   http://ldsmag.com/religious-freedom-a...