Daniel C. Peterson's Blog, page 283

“Faith of the Fatherless”?

    I originally published this column in Provo’s Daily Herald, back around 14 April 2000:   A widespread assumption, especially among intellectuals, holds that belief in God derives from irrational, immature needs and wishes, whereas atheism or skepticism results from a grown-up, rational, no-nonsense view of the world as it really is.  The most […]

“How ‘God is Light'” and the World’s Darkness

    He came to me from the fields With the gold of the grain in his eyes, And soon he was beyond me, Having seen the white sea of light where angels are. (Lucy Mack Smith, speaking of her son, the young Joseph Smith.  From the poetic drama The Prophet, by Clinton F. Larson.) […]

“Brothers and Sisters, do you know who has been in your midst this night?”

    Here are a few more notes from Susan Easton Black and Larry C. Porter, Martin Harris: Uncompromising Witness of the Book of Mormon (Provo: BYU Studies, 2018).  The passage below is actually cited from Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner, “Diary of Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner,” typescript, p 4, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, […]

“Compelling Book of Mormon Evidence for Lehi’s Journey through Arabia”

    New on the website of the Interpreter Foundation:   “Teachings and Testimony of the First Vision: General Authority Teachings and Testimonies of the First Vision”: Part Five of a Series Compiled by Dennis B. Horne   ***   New, from our friends at Book of Mormon Central:   “Archaeological Evidence for 7 Locations on Lehi’s […]

“Don’t Believe in God? Lie to Your Children”

    It is often said of the socialist paradise known as Communist Cuba that, although, sure, yeah, it has sentenced its people to perpetual poverty and taken away their freedom, it has also vastly improved the health of its children and infants.  Here, for example, from his previous bid for the presidency, is Senator […]

“The Near East”? “The Middle East”? “The Nile-to-Oxus Region”?

    Every once in a while, I’m asked to explain the difference between the terms Near East and Middle East.   You may not have asked.  You may not even care.  But I’ll attempt an explanation here nonetheless.  My comments aren’t based on specific research, which would be interesting to pursue, but simply on […]

“‘Hard’ Evidence of Ancient American Horses” (Part 7)

    Proceeding with my notes from Daniel Johnson, “‘Hard’ Evidence of Ancient American Horses,”  BYU Studies Quarterly 54/3 (2015): 162-164:   As of 2015, the scholarly consensus was that all “native” horses in the Americas must have descended from European stock, mostly Spanish and Portuguese, mostly strays.  However, Daniel Johnson observes, the evidence for this is […]

A “Witnesses” milestone

    My wife and I were quite disappointed last week, after having already delayed our tickets once, to miss out altogether on the Utah Opera’s production of Silent Night, about the famous “Christmas Truce” during the First World War.  She was still too sick to go.   But we received considerable compensation on Monday night. […]

Martin Harris on the witness stand in Lyons, New York

    A few more notes from Susan Easton Black and Larry C. Porter, Martin Harris: Uncompromising Witness of the Book of Mormon (Provo: BYU Studies, 2018).  The passages below are actually cited from Lucy Mack Smith’s Biographical Sketch of Joseph Smith.   In March 1829, Lucy Harris brought charges of conspiracy to commit fraud against Joseph Smith. […]

“‘Hard’ Evidence of Ancient American Horses” (Part 6), Plus a Note on Evolution and Faith

    Newly published on the website of the Interpreter Foundation:   Science & Mormonism Series 1: Cosmos, Earth, and Man  “The Theory of Evolution is Compatible with Both Belief and Unbelief in a Supreme Being” Part of our book chapter reprint series, this article by David M. Belnap originally appeared in Science & Mormonism Series […]