Daniel C. Peterson's Blog, page 56

“Wow! What a wipeout!”

  As happens several times each week, something new has yet again been posted on the never-changing website of the Interpreter Foundation:  Come, Follow Me — Study and Teaching Helps (2024): Lesson 18, April 29-May 5: Mosiah 4-6: “A Mighty Change,” written by Jonn Claybaugh Editor’s Note: Four years ago, Jonn Claybaugh began writing the Study […]

A “Fiddler on the Roof” or “Sound of Music” of Our Own?

  Some of you might find this interview of interest.  I did it with Ben Hancock, who is based in the United Kingdom, on his podcast “For All the Saints”:  “Latter-Day Saint Scholar Discusses Fasting, Muslims & Ramadan – Daniel C. Peterson”  If you can just get past all of my characteristic sneering, slandering, cruelty, […]

Two Funeral Requests

  In our sacrament meeting today, the ward choir performed “Be Still, My Soul.”  The words were translated by Jane Borthwick (1813-1897) from the original German of Katharina von Schlegel (b. 1697), and the exquisite music (from Finlandia) was written by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957).  If you’re unfamiliar with it, you can listen […]

What persists?

  This passage from somewhere came across my radar screen earlier today, and I think it worthy of sharing: “I asked an elderly woman once what it was like to be old and to know that the majority of her life was now behind her. She told me that she has been the same age […]

Yes to Heavenly Reunions

  “The Unwritten Debates in Moroni1’s Letter,” written by Morgan Deane Abstract: Moroni1’s letter in Alma 60 is not simply an angry and intemperate screed against the government; it also responds to arguments about just tactics (what modern readers would call ethics) taking place among Nephite leaders at this time. Moroni1’s letter argues for his […]

How would I have acted?

  Scott Gordon sent me a link yesterday to the video of a talk that I gave nearly a quarter of a century ago:  “The Divine Source of the Book of Mormon in the Face of Alternative Theories Advocated by LDS Critics,” presented by Daniel C. Peterson at the 2001 FAIR Conference Scott’s discovery is […]

“Where did Enoch go after Genesis?”

  The rear passenger-side door in our luxurious brand-new minivan — just under 275,000 miles on the odometer! — stopped opening, locking, and unlocking reliably, and we’ve had to go get that fixed.  For the second time in the past several weeks.  Just in time, as it happens, since our garage door just fell shut […]

Islamic “fitra” and “the light of Christ”

  Newly posted on the never-changing website of the Interpreter Foundation: The Book of Mormon in Context Lesson 17: “Filled with Love towards God and All Men” (Mosiah 1-3) On the evening of Sunday, 31 March 2024, Martin Tanner and Terry Hutchinson discussed Book of Mormon lesson 17, “Filled with Love towards God and All […]

Once more: Brigham Young, early Utah, race, and servitude

  “A conservative is someone who stands athwart history, yelling Stop, at a time when no one is inclined to do so, or to have much patience with those who so urge it.”  (William F. Buckley, Jr.) I was powerfully reminded of that famous early quotation from the late William F. Buckley while reading the […]

When Joseph Smith is attacked

  On several occasions over the past few years, in various venues — see here, for example — I’ve published a list of four books that I recommend as a kind of “basic  packet” or “starter kit” for people struggling with their testimonies, and I’ve explained that I think it important to preemptively strengthen faith […]