Daniel C. Peterson's Blog, page 988

“The designing hand of a super intelligence”

    “A common sense and satisfying interpretation of our world suggests the designing hand of a super intelligence.”  (Owen Gingerich, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and of the History of Science, Harvard University; Senior Astronomer Emeritus, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory)  

New Testament 353

    Matthew 28:9-10 John 20:14-18 Compare Matthew 26:32; 28:7-8; Mark 14:28; 16:7, 9-11; Luke 24:10-11   Notice the statement in the Matthew passage that the women, having met the resurrected Christ, “held him by the feet.”  This, by itself, is enough to suggest a problem in a common reading of the “Touch me not” [Read More...]

‘Twas the last Sunday before Smithmas

    One of the most dishonest accusations leveled against the Church by its most dishonest critics is alleges that Latter-day Saints celebrate “Smithmas” — Joseph Smith’s birthday — on 23 December, instead of Christmas.  Allegedly, our worship services on the Sunday closest to Christmas typically focus on the Prophet, whom we really worship.  Jesus, [Read More...]

“Iranians spontaneously create ‘walls of kindness’ to help the homeless”

    I like this story very much, for several reasons:   http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trendin...    

New Testament 352

    Matthew 28:1-8 Mark 16:1-8 Luke 24:1-12 John 20:1-13 Compare Matthew 26:32; 28:10; Mark 14:28; Luke 23:56; John 20:17-18   1.   I’ve been aiming to finish this reading of the four gospels before the end of the year, but it’s led to some seemingly quite un-Christmas-like discussions (e.g., of the scourging and crucifixion [Read More...]

“Confessions of a Non-Mormon”

    Positive statements about Utah and Mormons from somebody who might have been expected to think otherwise:   http://theodysseyonline.com/george-fo...   Thanks to Kevin Taylor for alerting me to this.    

New Testament 351

    Matthew 27:62-66   His disciples hadn’t always grasped the idea that Jesus would rise from the dead, but the prophecy was well enough known to concern the local authorities.   And, in fact, theft of the body will become one of the common skeptical explanations — already in antiquity — for the claim that [Read More...]

Orson Scott Card: “Christmas is About a Baby”

    Last year’s Christmas devotional piece in Interpreter was kindly contributed by the prominent Latter-day Saint writer Orson Scott Card:   http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/chri...   It was the first in a series that has since added generous contributions from Mitt Romney (for Easter) and, now, Clayton Christensen.   You may or may not have noticed this [Read More...]

Power in swaddling bands

    “Politicians compete for the highest offices. Business tycoons scramble for a bigger and bigger piece of the pie. Armies march and scientists study and philosophers philosophise and preachers preach and labourers sweat. But in that silent baby, lying in that humble manger, there pulses more potential power and wisdom and grace and aliveness [Read More...]

“The Real Trouble with Trump”

    Although this article was written by a former but long-time neighbor and member of my ward, it was Nicol Sorenson-Legakis who called it to my attention:   http://ldsmag.com/the-real-trouble-wi...