Daniel C. Peterson's Blog, page 982

BOM 1 Nephi 2

  Note:  Henceforth, as requested by some for ease of searching, each of these Book of Mormon comments will bear the title “BOM,” followed, simply, by the Book of Mormon reference in simple form.     1 Nephi 2.   Lots to discuss here.   I’ve vowed to discuss only one item per chapter, and [Read More...]

“Milwaukee Constitution Party: ‘Islam Isn’t Christian!’”

    The battle against stupidity seems hopeless, sometimes:   http://amthirdpartyreport.com/2015/12...   It’s tempting to despair.  But we mustn’t.   (Thanks — I guess — to Cody Quirk for bringing this item to my notice.)   Posted from Richmond, Virginia    

Jolly Old St. Nick

    St. Nicholas of Myra, the prototype for St. Nicholas > Santa Claus, was an active participant at the Nicene Council.  My favorite scene from Nicaea comes when St. Nick, incensed at what the soon-to-be-designated arch heretic Arius of Alexandria had said, walks up and clobbers him.   Ho ho ho!   (And thus [Read More...]

“Rural Wyoming town’s first mosque sparks anti-Muslim rhetoric”

    This is distressing:   http://www.npr.org/2015/12/25/4610465...   If I were in that part of Wyoming, I would do everything that I could to be supportive of that small, beleaguered Muslim community.  Not only because it’s the humanly and ethically right thing to do, and the appropriate American thing to do, but because, as a member of [Read More...]

A new low in ISIS depravity?

    In a world more and more given to multiculturalism and intercultural tolerance, ISIS is plainly choosing the road less traveled:   http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/12/...   Posted from Richmond, Virginia    

1 Nephi 1

    Today, I offer the second installment of my project to read the Book of Mormon through in company with others here.  We now begin with the text of the Book of Mormon proper, with 1 Nephi 1.  (Yesterday, we looked briefly at the Title Page of the Book of Mormon.)   I choose to [Read More...]

But is it even science?

    Nearly a week ago, I posted a little item entitled “A Fight for the Soul of Science.”   Here, now, are two more pieces that are directly relevant:   “Feuding Physicists Turn to Philosophy for Help”   “Why String Theory is Not a Scientific Theory”   Why do I find this dispute so [Read More...]

“Is Islam a religion of peace?”

    The biweekly Hamblin/Peterson column in the Deseret News has appeared, on a topic that seems to be much in the news in recent weeks:   http://www.deseretnews.com/article/86...   Posted from Richmond, Virginia    

“Monsters and Monks in ‘Star Wars’”

    Father Dwight Longenecker, a (married — see his bio) Catholic priest, provides some brief commentary on the latest installment of Star Wars:   http://www.patheos.com/blogs/standing...     It seems that it’s not only uncultured and shallow Mormons (like me and Matthew Bowman) who sense some resonance in the films with their religious convictions.   Posted [Read More...]

“The Greatest Archaeological Treasures Come from Garbage”

    Scientists in Norway have found a 1500-year-old Viking settlement beneath the site of an airport expansion:   http://arstechnica.com/science/2015/1...   Posted from Richmond, Virginia