More Islands and Atolls
I Am the Queen of Mediocrity @ Segullah
- When I was seven years old, I imagined that I could be anything. I pictured my future as...
Book Review: Finding Mother God by Carol Lynn Pearson @ Segullah
- As a poet and editor, my instinct in reviewing a poetry collection is to evaluate its...
Trying to Take the Shine off Shinehah: Vogel's Response to a Commonly Cited Evidence for Book of Abraham Authenticity @ Mormanity
- This morning I was reading from what may be the premier work of Latter-day Saint...
A Heretic Reviews General Conference, April 2021 @ Zelophehad's Daughters
- Funniest number: The statistical report gives Church membership as 16,663,663. So five...
New Scholarship on the Influence of the Small Plates on Mormon's Writings @ Mormanity
- One of the things that fascinates me in my role as a co-editor for the Interpreter...
Rehearsing Doubt @ Josiah Reckons
- One way of both protecting ourselves and others may be to prepare for these doubt by...
Recorded Devotional for Seminary Seniors who Didn’t Get the Old Testament @ Ben Spackman
- With the alignment of Seminary to the Come Follow Me schedule, this year’s high...
Nutrition and COVID: We Need More Science to Follow @ Mormanity
- While there has been a lot of good news for the country in recent weeks, with millions...
Thoughts on a Pandemic Year @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- It has certainly been a year to remember. I have to go back a few months before the...
Tales from the Archive: Henry Eyring Teaches the First Presidency about Carbon-14 Dating @ Ben Spackman
- Henry Eyring Sr. taught chemistry at the University of Utah, but also served on the...
Geocentric Astronomy in the Book of Abraham? Dan Vogel's Refutation of LDS Scholars @ Mormanity
- Circumpolar star trails in a long-exposure photo of several hours, showing that...
A Highlight from Dan Vogel's Book: A Clever Explanation for the Most Obvious Evidence of Scribes Using an Existing Translation in Making the Book of Abraham Manuscripts @ Mormanity
- In my previous posts reviewing Dan Vogel's recent Book of Abraham Apologetics (Salt Lake...
Missing Some of the Most Important Questions, Documents, and Evidences: Part 3 of My Review of Dan Vogel's Book @ Mormanity
- In Part 1 and Part 2 of my review on Dan Vogel's newly published Book of Abraham...
Spring Journal 2021, Annual Contest Winners Issue @ Segullah
- Featured Image: “Exultation” by Linda Hoffman Kimball Spring Journal 2021,...
Visual Arts Contest Winners @ Segullah
- Segullah is honored to recognize two talented artists of this year’s 2021 Visual...
Prose Contest Winner @ Segullah
- Featured image: Linda Hoffman Kimball’s, “Zion’s Bright Trio”...
Poetry Contest First Place Winner @ Segullah
- Featured image: “Giraffe” collage by Linda Hoffman Kimball Poetry First...
Poetry Contest Second Place Winner @ Segullah
- Featured image by Linda Hoffman Kimball Poetry Second Place: Anne Thomas Gift...
Poetry Third Place Winner @ Segullah
- Featured image: “Zion’s Glory” by Linda Hoffman Kimball Poetry Third...
Poetry Honorable Mention (Second) @ Segullah
- Featured Image by Linda Hoffman Kimball Poetry Honorable Mention (Second): Hannah Uffens...
Many Hits But Plenty of Misses in Vogel's Book: Part 2 of My Review of Book of Abraham Apologetics @ Mormanity
- I'm nearly finished with Dan Vogel's book, Book of Abraham Apologetics: A Review and...
The Valediction of Moses: A 2,700-Year-Old Biblical Document Long Said to Be a Forgery Gains New Respect @ Mormanity
- A version of the book of Deuteronomy, long said to be forgery, has just been declared...
Time to Till @ Segullah
- I began to see the parable of the sower in a different light when my husband and I taught...
Tales from the Archive: Apostasy at the Logan Institute @ Ben Spackman
- In 1950, a number of LDS teachers at the Logan Institute and BYU signed a letter to...
What is an eye single to the glory of God? @ Josiah Reckons
- An eye that is single indicates generosity
What's New at BYU Studies? @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- The quick answer is, “A lot.” The longer answer is, of course, what you’re...
Just Started Dan Vogel's New Book: Already Chagrined by the Treatment of Champollion @ Mormanity
- I just began reading the latest book on the Book of Abraham, Dan Vogel's Book of Abraham...
Invisible (Mormon) Women @ Zelophehad's Daughters
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In her book Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men, Caroline Criado...
Science as a Legitimate Contributor to our Knowledge of Creation and Earth History @ Ben Spackman
- As noted in a prior post, Orson F. Whitney authored the 1909 First Presidency statement...
D&C 20:1, Plain Reading, and Literal Reading; or, Chexegesis Before You Wrexegesis @ Ben Spackman
- The line “check yourself before you wreck yourself” is from a rap song and...
Joanna Brooks’s Mormonism and White Supremacy @ Zelophehad's Daughters
- I recently read (listened to, actually[1]) Joanna Brooks’s book Mormonism and White...
A Gift from Biblical Reproductions: Alma the Son of Judah on a Bar Kochba Letter @ Mormanity
- There's an interesting business, Biblical Reproductions, selling authorized reproductions...
A quick note on the blog, Amazon, and compliance @ Ben Spackman
- I’ve been writing online for about 17 years, and now with my own site, I get the...
Temple Ratings on Google Maps, Part 2 @ Zelophehad's Daughters
- Last week, I put up a post where I looked at ratings of LDS temples on Google Maps. This...
Dark Waters, Endocrine Disruptors, and Self-Regulating Corporations @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- During the pandemic, since we don’t eat out at restaurants or go to movie...
Temple Ratings on Google Maps, Part 1 @ Zelophehad's Daughters
- I read a mention somewhere recently of the fact that you can rate and review LDS temples...
What I’m Doing Here, and What I Hope Others Will Do @ Ben Spackman
- I am not an “evolution apologist.” Although I suspect I have more scientific...
Why Does the Book of Mormon Say the Nephites "Had Come Down to Believe in Their [the Gaddianton Robbers'] Works"? @ Mormanity
- No, I'm not saying anything in this post about secret combinations and how to identify...
The 1909 First Presidency Statement in Its Historical Context @ Ben Spackman
- Some Latter-day Saints have touted the 1909 First Presidency statement as the definitive...
New Testament Valentines @ Zelophehad's Daughters
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Image credit: Micheile Henderson on Unsplash.
Previous years: Correlated...
Tales from the Archives: Mission President?! @ Ben Spackman
- Imagine coming off your mission, and later getting called back, but as Mission President....
Finding Reliable Sources of Information @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- The following is a priesthood lesson I presented on January 10, the Sunday after...
Fighting in the Comments at the Church Newsroom @ Zelophehad's Daughters
- Before I read all the contentious comments on the Church Newsroom group post that...
The Fox at My Door @ Mormanity
- Tuesday night as I was turning off the lights and preparing to sleep, I stood next to...
Sharper than a two-edged sword @ Josiah Reckons
- Four years ago, when Sunday school last covered D&C, I puzzled over the phrase...
The Wickedness of Hand-washing @ Zelophehad's Daughters
- For context, read comments on this Church Newsroom post about GAs getting vaccinated for...
The Future of the GOP and the Decisions Facing LDS Republicans @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- The Republican Party is at a difficult crossroads, especially after the...
More on the Book of Abraham Manuscripts: What Spelling Errors Teach Us @ Mormanity
- I received a kind email from Kyler Rasmussen in response to arguments I have made about...
The field is white @ Josiah Reckons
- When you grow up in rural Waikato, New Zealand, the fields aren’t white around the time...
Joseph Fielding Smith on Scriptural interpretation and Scientific Conflict @ Ben Spackman
- My dissertation involves a lot of President Joseph Fielding Smith, particularly the way...
A Gift From an Early "Anti-Mormon" Attack on the Book of Abraham: Clear Evidence About the Source of Joseph's Translation @ Mormanity
- In several posts over the years here at Mormanity and on my website, I've noted that the...
Run and not be Weary? @ Josiah Reckons
- Among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the phrase “run...
Nacle Notebook 2020: Funniest Comments @ Zelophehad's Daughters
- Twenty twenty was a decidedly unfunny year. To me, though, this meant that we had more...
Understanding the God of the Old Testament: An Evangelical Scholar Explains the Meaning of "God Is Love" @ Mormanity
- Evangelical Bible scholar Ben Witherington has written a deeply interesting essay on the...
The only True and Living Church @ Josiah Reckons
- In D&C 1, the section prefacing the Doctrine and Covenants, it talks of “the...
More on the Limits of "Endless" and "Eternal" in the Book of Mormon: Awaking from "Endless Sleep" and the "Eternal Band of Death" @ Mormanity
- In a recent previous post, "'From Whence They Can No More Return': What Lehi Teaches Us...
Janus Parallelism in Alma 32 and 33? @ Mormanity
- Alma uses the verb "spring" in an interesting way in his sermon to the Zoramites in Alma...
I read 2200 comments on the Church Newsroom post so you don’t have to. @ Zelophehad's Daughters
- Two weeks ago, the US Electoral College voted Joe Biden in as the next US President. The...
Christmas Mother Decorations @ Josiah Reckons
- What do Christmas trees mean to you?
The Jewish Copper Plates of Cochin, India and a Hint of an Ancient Jewish Tradition of Writing on Metal Plates @ Mormanity
- A recent post here critiqued an attempt to explain the origins of the book of Ether based...
Most correct book on Earth @ Josiah Reckons
- In 1841, Joseph Smith told the council of the twelve “that the Book of Mormon was the...
Three short memories of gifts and service @ Josiah Reckons
- “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under...
Religious Liberty: Have We Forgotten the Pain of the Hutterites? @ Mormanity
- College students these days learn what a wise leader President Woodrow Wilson was, a good...
"From Whence They Can No More Return": What Lehi Teaches Us About the Book of Mormon's Harsh Language on Hell @ Mormanity
- The Book of Mormon's teachings on hell sometimes sound much harsher than what we...
Four Types of Chiasmus in Deuteronomy and Jeremiah, with Implications for the Book of Mormon @ Mormanity
- Students of biblical literature and of the Book of Mormon can now access an important new...
A Most Appropriate Thanksgiving Message for This Day: President Nelson on the Power of Gratitude @ Mormanity
- I just listened to President Nelson's short message delivered at noon (Central Time) via...
The Perfect Virus @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- If the Chinese had indeed attempted to design a virus that would disrupt American...
The Human Brain and Rational Thought @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- Lately, I have been living a dual existence. By day, I am the editorial director at...
Video of My Presentation with Noel Reynolds, “'Strong Like Unto Moses': The Case for Ancient Roots in the Book of Moses" @ Mormanity
- On Sept. 18 and 19, 2020 in Provo, Utah, the Interpreter Foundation sponsored a virtual...
Sabbath Speeches: Humility, Grace, and Faith @ Josiah Reckons
- Sabbath Speeches is a new feature of the blog where I post sermons I give in church...
The Dangers of Censorship: Static Science, Diminished Liberty, and a Population in the Dark @ Mormanity
- A few weeks ago I made a post on Linkedin.com that cited a report on the apparent media...
An Update in the Scholarship Regarding the Archaic Language in the Book of Mormon @ Mormanity
- One of the most interesting puzzles about the Book of Mormon is the recent discovery that...
The Republican (and LDS) Fascination with Authoritarianism @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- I’ve been wondering lately about the obvious fascination both Republicans and...
What Does It Mean to Be Conservative in Today’s Republican Party? @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- I’m going to quote three “conservatives” in this column. I want you to know this up...
The Gaping Hole in the Church’s Official Policy on Abortion @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- Several years ago, my high priests group had a lesson on a topic I can’t now recall....
An Open Letter to My Republican Friends @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- The election that is just over four months away is certainly the most important election...
More on Utilitarianism @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- Following up on a previous post, let’s look at utilitarianism in the Book of Mormon. It...
Remembering Pvt. Amos Franklin Terry Jr. on Memorial Day 2020 @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- The beginnings of Memorial Day are a bit confused. Apparently, the May holiday began as...
A Real Miracle Drug? @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- For many years now I’ve been doing an experiment with a drug that seems to have an...
Opening the Economy, Utilitarianism, Abortion, and Our Pressing Ethical Project @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- One of the best books I’ve read in recent years is, surprisingly, a textbook: The...
Donald Trump, MD @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- There is nothing Donald Trump likes more than being in front of television cameras,...
What to Do with the Money? @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- We live in strange times. Here we were, cruising along, living under the delusion that...
Last Nurse Standing and the Coronapocalypse @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- These are odd times. But sometimes crises have their lighter side. My daughter is a...
Streamlining Temple Ordinances @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- I’ve been thinking about temple ordinances and wondering if we couldn’t streamline...
URLs for My Mormon Studies Articles and Essays @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- I decided it might be useful for me, if not for others, to have the URLs to all my Mormon...
Donald or Jesus? @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- In a revelation given to Joseph Smith on August 6, 1833, we find the following: “When...
Power and Corruption @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- Corruption is in the news almost constantly these days. Of course, we’re all aware of...
How Can a Latter-day Saint Vote Republican in Trump’s America? @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- I’ve taken a bit of a break from blogging. Life’s been busy, and I’ve been working...
Statistics, Misconceptions, and the Imperatives of Millennialism @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- The Deseret News ran an article this week about the American Family Survey, an annual...
The Antiquated Second Amendment @ Mormonomics & Mormonethics
- One of the most confusing, misunderstood, and misapplied pieces of the Constitution is...
Pyrric Victories @ Mormon Metaphysics
- JSTOR on Pyrric victories and the origin of the term.
Jerusalem’s Economy in Second Temple Period @ Mormon Metaphysics
- I’ve always had the assumption that the Jerusalem region was fairly poor — perhaps...
Chris on Religious Evolution @ Mormon Metaphysics
- Chris Goble has an interesting Twitter thread on the emergence of monotheism in axial...
Getting the Blog Back Together @ Mormon Metaphysics
- I’ve been posting regularly at Times and Seasons and plan on continuing with that....
To the People Defending the Church’s Decision to Ditch the “Mormon” Nickname @ Peculiar People
- First, I want you to know that I respect your decision to call yourself something other...
The Women Who Enable Abusive Men @ Peculiar People
- After the Kavanaugh hearing last Thursday, an image went viral that depicted a row of...
Joseph, Potiphar’s Wife, and the Truth about False Allegations @ Peculiar People
- In response to multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against Brett Kavanaugh,...
Robert Kirby and Edgy Mormon Men @ Peculiar People
- Like many progressive Mormons, I’ve enjoyed Robert Kirby’s self-deprecating...
To the Men Who Grabbed McKenna Denson and Dragged her away from the Pulpit @ Peculiar People
- To the men who grabbed McKenna Denson without her consent and dragged her away from the...
Why Would a Feminist Keep her Father’s Name? @ Peculiar People
- Back in April I wrote about my experience with software systems and institutions...
Mormon: The New Shibboleth @ Peculiar People
- Here’s hoping Lindsey releases a new, revised video: I’m a member of Church...
Sorry to Bother You: The (Human) Body as Technology @ Peculiar People
- This review contains major spoilers for Boots Riley’s 2018 film Sorry to Bother You....
Do Married Mormon Men Understand Consent? @ Peculiar People
- Image obtained through creative commons. I was 28 years old when I got married...
Making Ministering Holy @ Peculiar People
- My priesthood lesson prompt was very open-ended: “ministering.” My mind leapt to the...
What Will Combined MP Quorums Mean? @ Small and Simple
- In a shocking announcement during the Priesthood Session of the 2018 March/April General...
How Can Anyone Remain a Mormon in the Face of All the “Facts”? @ Small and Simple
- One of the things that you will see sometimes in anti-Mormon forums is what appears to be...
About That Taylor Christensen Video @ Small and Simple
- There is a video making the Mormon facebook circuit by Taylor Christensen. He starts...
The New York Times Thomas Monson Obituary and Fake News @ Small and Simple
- The president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently died, and the...
Perfect College Football Playoff System: 2017 Version @ Small and Simple
- Several years ago I published to the world the perfect college football playoff system. ...
Moderate Worship Losing Ground @ Mormon Metaphysics
- While it’s not really new news, Sociological Science had an interesting story on how...
Philosophy, Science and Religion: The Divine Hiddenness Argument @ Small and Simple
- The fourth week of the Coursera course on Philosophy, Science and Religion focuses on the...
Philosophy, Science and Religion: Friendly Disagreement, Testimonial Knowledge, and the Importance of Fellowship @ Small and Simple
- The third week of the Coursera course on Philosophy, Science and Religion addresses...
Philosophy, Science and Religion: The Conflict Between Science and Religion @ Small and Simple
- In the second week of the Coursera course on Philosophy, Science and Religion, professor...
Philosophy, Science and Religion: The Mind and The Religious Experience @ Small and Simple
- I am taking an online course through Coursera on Philosophy, Science and Religion. In...
Testimony and the Spiritual Experience @ Small and Simple
- I was raised in the religious tradition of my parents, which happens to be The Church of...
Bows, Arrows & the Book of Mormon @ Mormon Metaphysics
- This is just a “holder” post for a discussion I was having over whether...
Salvation in Mormonism @ Mormon Metaphysics
- Robert at Scriptural Mormonism does a good job discussing the place of grace in “old...
Terryl Givens on Mormons at the Forefront @ Mormon Metaphysics
- Terryl Givens has up an essay at First Things called “Mormons at the Forefront.”...
God and Evolutionary Psychology @ Mormon Metaphysics
- Evolutionary psychology suggests God makes more sense than not. I’m not sure he sees...
PEL on Scientism @ Mormon Metaphysics
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“…[scientism] is contributing to a growing trend on the left, quite as ferocious...
