Daniel C. Peterson's Blog, page 1213

Hurtling down the road toward tyranny

    If this account is accurate, we seem to be losing religious liberty far faster than even I had feared we might:   http://www.adfmedia.org/News/PRDetail...    The invaluable legal blogger Eugene Volokh (who teaches at UCLA Law School), thinks that the Idaho authorities are on very flimsy ground in this case:   http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/vo...   And, [Read More...]

“The Ornament of the World”

    Some years ago, I read a fine by María Rosa Menocal, a Havana-born scholar at Yale University, entitled The Ornament of the World:  How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain.  Professor Menocal was also the co-editor of the volume in The Cambridge History of Arabic Literature entitled

Two quotes on science and religion

    “This sense of wonder leads most scientists to a Superior Being – der Alte, the Old One, as Einstein affectionately called the Deity – a Superior Intelligence, the Lord of all Creation and Natural Law.” –Abdus Salam, winner of the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work in electroweak theory (quoted from his article [Read More...]

Temple Garments

    I’m impressed by this new item on the Church’s official website.  I’m impressed (and somewhat surprised) by its openness — which extends to showing photographs of temple robes and temple garments:   http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article...   I think it’s a very good step to demythologize these things — and, at the same time, to appeal [Read More...]

2 Nephi 26

    Today’s reading, 2 Nephi 26, is a parade example of the clarity and plainness with which Nephi had promised to prophesy, for it is, indeed, very plain.  It outlines much of what will be unfolded, in terms of historical events, over the remainder of the Book of Mormon.   Three passages stand out [Read More...]

A pediatrician’s service

    http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mo...   Training in neonatal resuscitation is among the principal areas of focus for LDS Charities.   Here’s how you can help:   http://ldscharities.org/articles/how-...   The effort needs the contributions of doctors and nurses, of course, but it can also use financial donations.    

“Niumatalolo balances job as Navy football coach with faith”

    In the recent course of my desultory browsings on the web, I’ve noticed a lot of derisive sneering from critics of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regarding the film Meet the Mormons.   It’s a failure, they triumphantly declare.  The only people going to see it are Mormons, they claim, who’ve purportedly [Read More...]

Doubt your doubts

    “Therefore,” said President Dieter F. Uchtdorf at the October 2013 general conference of the Church, “my dear brothers and sisters—my dear friends—please, first doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith.”   “We are always prevented from accepting total scepticism,” wrote C. S. Lewis, “because it can be formulated only by making a [Read More...]

“Netflix’s ‘Crouching Tiger 2′ takes on theaters”

    A Deseret News article by a brilliant young film writer:   http://www.deseretnews.com/article/86...    

Another volume of “Interpreter” is now available in paperback and e-book!

    http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/volu...