Even More Islands and Atolls

Sacred Music Sunday: Come, Come, Ye Saints @ Exponent
  -   I was never a big fan of the hymn Come, Come, Ye Saints. As a matter of musicality, I...

Better styles and fabrics aren’t enough. Let’s end the garment-wearing mandate. @ Exponent
  -   The New York Times recently featured an article about Mormon women’s garments,...

Guest Post: Wounded Hearts Wanting Wonder and More Than Monotonous Relief Society @ Exponent
  -  Guest post by Shannon Milliman. Shannon Milliman, CPTD, CLMS is a playwright, published...

Come Follow Me: Doctrine and Covenants 84 “The Power of Godliness” @ Exponent
  -   The Spirit Gives Light to Everyone As you read these verses, note the contrast between...

Consecration and Community, or Living “As for Years” @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
  -   Last month, I was asked to give a talk in my new ward in New York City. I was given...

It’s the Message, Not the Messenger, That Matters. Or Is It? @ Exponent
  -   I had a conversation recently with an elderly woman who is a dear friend of...

Netflix Debuts Documentary By Female Filmmaker Who Loves Mormon Feminism! @ Exponent
  -   First Netflix Feature Film By Female Feminist Filmmaker Mom (I made that up as a...

Come Follow Me: Doctrine and Covenants 81-83: “Where Much Is Given Much Is Required” @ Exponent
  -  Set the spirit for this lesson by listening to this musical medley: Because I Have Been...

Let Youth Lead: 7 Ways to Build Strong Church Youth Programs @ Exponent
  -   Let youth lead. This is perhaps the most difficult recommendation for...

What I Learned when I Joined a Latter-day Saint Emotional Resilience Group @ Exponent
  -   After a year of pandemic quarantines, I was feeling emotionally drained. So when my...

Finding Mary @ Exponent
  -   TW: birth experience Did she scream? It bothers me, the way we see Mary after...

My “New” Article with Interpreter @ Worlds Without End
  -   Well, that was interesting.  Following my last post, which expressed some...

The COVID Lab Leak Hypothesis @ LDS Science Review
  -  Humans abhore uncertaintly like nature abhores a vaccum. The exact origin of the...

We Don’t Really Know How Long Jaredite History Spans @ Sit At Cit
  -  The Jaredite king list is not consistent, so how sure can we be about their timeline?

A Prayer in the Face of Anxiety @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
  -   This has been an anxious week for me. A lot of changes have happened with the move to...

Critical Race Theory, Injustice, and a Gospel of Life @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
  -   “Critical Race Theory”, a legal theory focused on the intersection of race...

The Christian Mood @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
  -   Following-up on yesterday’s post on emotion and discipleship: I’ve been...

Feeling What One Ought to Feel @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
  -   Is emotion important to discipleship? I’ve increasingly come across great authors...

How To Get the Church's Stock Returns @ LDS Science Review
  -  And now for something different: Today my attention was drawn to news articles...

Learn to Look @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
  -   Related to yesterday’s post and D&C 88:78-80: So acquire the habit of being...

Apologetics and the Documentary Hypothesis: A Response @ Worlds Without End
  -   Since the 19th century, scholars have made exciting discoveries that shed...

God Wants Me to Learn because He Wants Me to See @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
  -   When I arrived at Brigham Young University over a decade ago—bright eyed and...

U.S. Excess Mortality was Not Higher in 2017 @ LDS Science Review
  -  Yesterday over at Millenial Star, Geoff B. asserted that, according to a recent study,...

Worries about COVID vaccines and infertility are ridiculous @ LDS Science Review
  -  Public Service Announcement: Claims that the COVID vaccine could cause infertility are...

PSA: The Truth About Pterodactyls @ Sit At Cit
  -  Pterodactyls may not be what you think they are.

Vaccination: What If I Already Had COVID? @ LDS Science Review
  -  Current recommendations are that people who had COVID should still get vaccinated. Does...

The Book of Mormon is Consistent With Human Evolution: Living Upon Raw Meat In the Wilderness @ Sit At Cit
  -  The raw carnivore diet of the Lehites is spot on with human evolutionary history.

Vaccine #2 Achieved @ LDS Science Review
  -  This week I received my second dose of the Pfizer COVID vaccine. Hooray! The next day was...

Why I Think Abraham 3 Explains Evolution @ Sit At Cit
  -  "If there be two spirits, ... one shall be more intelligent than the other."

Worship as Real-making @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
  -   Is religion easy or hard? In How God Becomes Real: Kindling the Presence of Invisible...

Links: Reimagining discipleship as craftsmanship, offering our best to God’s glory @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
  -   I’m going to try a new post format, “Links,” where I share snippets of...

Vaccine #1 Achieved @ LDS Science Review
  -  This week I received my first dose of the Pfizer COVID vaccine. Hooray! Right now, cells...

How the New COVID Vaccines Compare to Other Viral Vaccines @ LDS Science Review
  -  The leading vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 are based on a new technology that delivers mRNA...

Not Even Atheists Are Going to Hell Forever (D&C 19 & 76) @ Sit At Cit
  -  Latter-day Saints don't believe in an eternal hell.

How the Earth Really Could Become a Sea of Glass, According to Science @ Sit At Cit
  -  Astronomers may agree with Joseph Smith's mid-1800s teachings on the future solar system.

Four Years Ago: What I Got Right and Wrong About Trump @ LDS Science Review
  -  Four years ago today, on the first day of the new Trump administration, Sean Spicer...

How 2020 Went on the Blog @ Sit At Cit
  -  A summary of all posts on this blog during the year 2020, in case you wanted to know.

I Was Told That Trump is Like Captain Moroni, Doesn't Seek Power @ LDS Science Review
  -  This is just a reminder that, days before the election, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) compared...

The Common Ancestor I Share with Charles Darwin @ Sit At Cit
  -  When the Church tells you how you're related to the guy behind the theory of evolution.

How to Tell that Someone is Full of Crap: A Short Guide @ LDS Science Review
  -  A non-exhaustive list of signs to watch for:When they say one thing in public, and...

Kolob & God’s Throne as Sirius A & B @ Sit At Cit
  -  Sirius A is orbited by a white dwarf; and Kolob, we're told, is close to the throne of...

The Jaredites Came From Gobekli Tepe, 10,000 Years Ago @ Sit At Cit
  -  Are the Jaredites thousands of years older than we think?

Review: Producing Ancient Scripture @ Worlds Without End
  -   I’ve been intrigued with what seem to be esoteric[1] influences flowing into...

From my mission. @ Ethesis
  -   Thanks to President & Sister Siddoway and the A.P.'s who put this together originally,...

Adam Clarke’s Commentary and the Book of Mormon @ Worlds Without End
  -   In his most recent podcast episode, Radio Free Mormon spent an hour and a half exploring...

What does the Book of Alma mean? @ Stagger Onward Rejoicing
  -   I’ve been reflecting on the structure of the Book of Alma1 , as well as what the...

“Writing Mormon History” is an emotional roller coaster ride @ Worlds Without End
  -   A review of Joseph W. Geisner, ed., Writing Mormon History: Historians and Their Books...

3rd Father’s Day Without Dad @ Mormon Heretic
  -  This is my 3rd Father’s Day since my dad passed away. It feels a little weird...

Review: The Writings of Oliver H. Olney: April 1842 to February 1843 – Nauvoo, Illinois @ Worlds Without End
  -   The Writings of Oliver H. Olney: April 1842 to February 1843 – Nauvoo,...

Book Review: Mercy without End: Toward a More Inclusive Church @ Worlds Without End
  -   Title: Mercy without End: Toward a More Inclusive Church, by: Lavina Fielding...

Book Review: Visions in a Seer Stone: Joseph Smith and the Making of the Book of Mormon @ Worlds Without End
  -   Title: Visions in a Seer Stone: Joseph Smith and the Making of the Book of Mormon by...

Book Review: Kingdom of Nauvoo @ Worlds Without End
  -   Title: Kingdom of Nauvoo: The Rise and Fall of a Religious Empire on the American...

Mormon Political Trilogy: A Brief Book Review @ Worlds Without End
  -   Utah, the Murder Hornet, err, Beehive State! It was not a planned, coordinated...

A Reign of Dangerous Lunacy @ kiwimormon
  -  In 2016, when Donald Trump was elected to be President of the United States, I was...

Hoarding the Sacrifices of Ordinary People: A Question of Ethics @ kiwimormon
  -  “There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and...

A Year After a Church Discipline and I’m Still Mormon! @ kiwimormon
  -  I would be remiss if I didn’t give a  huge shout-out to President Russell Nelson who...

A post about charity vs. poverty zoo visits @ Ethesis
  -  https://wheatandtares.org/2019/11/21/charity-or-holiday-entertainment/ It is better than...

Please ignore this post if you are here for actual content. @ Ethesis
  -  Please ignore this post if you are here for the older content. The last substantive...

Please ignore this post if you are here for the older content. @ Ethesis
  -   Please ignore this post if you are here for the older content. The last substantive...

A Brief Tribute to Clark Goble @ LDS Science Review
  -  I was saddened to hear of the passing of Clark Goble a week ago. I started this blog in...

Marketing sample @ Ethesis
  -  Please ignore this post if you are here for the older content. The last substantive...

Coda on my law practice @ Ethesis
  -  When I retired, I still had three appeals pending. The last of them just had an opinion...

Five Days after the Christchurch Shootings: Subversive Compassion @ kiwimormon
  -  As I read the international response to the Christchurch mosque shootings,  I find some...

Matriarchy and Patriarchy at Baptism @ Mormon Heretic
  -  My brother called me up a few days ago and asked me if I would serve as a witness to his...

From Christchurch: A Critique and a Lament @ kiwimormon
  -  After gathering in our five sons from their schools where they had been in lockdown for...

A change of pace @ Ethesis
  -  I think I have said what I have to say about grief, recovery and finding life again. So,...

On hope @ Ethesis
  -   Borrowed from Tatiana Boshenka Thought 1: This post reminds me of what Vaclav Havel...

Grief, recovery and changes @ Ethesis
  -  One thing that happened, each time a child died, a coping mechanism that I was using...

Father Forgive them…Not in Original Bible? @ Mormon Heretic
  -  My wife gathered the family together to go over the 1st lesson of the new Home Study...

An Open Letter to the Christchurch Stake on the Day of My Church Discipline @ kiwimormon
  -  Dear Sisters and Brothers of Christchurch Stake, I recall several years ago talking with...

Why not just resign? @ kiwimormon
  -  Before I address the concerns of the many, many people who have reached out to me since...

When the LDS Church Disciplines a Woman @ kiwimormon
  -  Whatever you may think about the soteriology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day...

Mixed Feelings About 2-hour Block/Pageants @ Mormon Heretic
  -  I am probably in the minority. I think I’m going to miss weekly Sunday School....

Information Terrorism as a Tool of the Far Right @ LDS Science Review
  -  This article from Wired is worth a read. It shows how the Kavanaugh hearing fit right in...

In the Wake of General Conference: Let’s Talk About Spiritual Abuse @ kiwimormon
  -  Zina Huntington (1821-1901) was a young woman in her prime when she married Henry...

Is the Church Running Scared? (Plus Elizabeth Smart Notes) @ Mormon Heretic
  -  The LDS Church has been subject to increasing leaks and protests lately.  MormonLeaks...

When Church Leaders are More Important than Church Children @ kiwimormon
  -  “Some churches, sects, cults or religious movements are basically collective egoic...

Please Give Me Advice for a Calling I Don’t Want @ Mormon Heretic
  -  After a few pleasantries, including how busy my life is, here’s the gist of a...

Things That Make You Go Hmmm… @ Mormon Heretic
  -  Fair warning:  this post is a downer.  But first let me say how blessed I am.  I was...

Backpacking shoes @ Ethesis
  -  I've found that I can't use zero drop (causes me knee problems, probably because of tight...

Elder Oaks: Be One, Unless You’re Gay @ Mormon Heretic
  -  I attended the “Be One” celebration last night at the Conference Center.  It...

Far as the Curse was Found, Farther than We Think @ LDS Science Review
  -  My ancestry is thoroughly European and Mormon. The ancestors of three of my grandparents...

Would You Buy A Product That Tells You It Doesn't Work? Of Course You Would! @ LDS Science Review
  -  Whenever I go to a drug store, I feel a renewed sense of amazement. Consider the...

The Creationification of America @ LDS Science Review
  -  In this strange era of 'fake news,' where truth is discounted as lies, and lies are...

Selling off a now extra tent. @ Ethesis
  -  Same tent I have listed at Gear Trade, discounted since if I sell direct it will have...

Mules: On Confusing Outcomes with Inputs @ LDS Science Review
  -  While surfing the Internet I came across a new scientific article describing progress in...

A Couple of Interesting Sacrament Meetings @ Mormon Heretic
  -  I’ve attended a couple of interesting Sacrament Meetings the past 2 weeks.  In...

We All Fall @ LDS Science Review
  -  We each had our own fall.The first, almost immediate condition the fall introduced was a...

How the Creation Accounts Differ @ LDS Science Review
  -  One of the first questions in Lesson 3 (The Creation) of the Sunday school Old Testament...

Conspiracy Theories are Sweatpants of the Mind @ LDS Science Review
  -  There's a classic scene in Seinfeld where Jerry admonishes George for wearing...

Remember Planet Nibiru? It's (Not) Back! @ LDS Science Review
  -  Some people never learn. The Washington Post reports that a poor NASA scientist is having...

Why It's Hard for Me to Get On Board with the Pro-Life Movement @ LDS Science Review
  -  Few topics in politics get as heated as abortion, and the Church is pretty clear about...

On Temples (a religious post) @ Ethesis
  -  I wrote this: https://wheatandtares.org/2017/09/07/asking-about-the-temple/ It follows...

Losing a Lost Tribe @ Mormon Heretic
  -  The 2nd post ever on this blog was Why are the 12 Tribes of Israel important? ...

President Erying, His Father, and the Letter @ LDS Science Review
  -  In two different General Conference addresses, President Henry B. Eyring has briefly...

Donald Trump is Nothing If Not Meticulous About Facts @ LDS Science Review
  -  At yesterday's press conference, when asked why he didn't condemn the hate groups...

On Paris and Tribal Politics @ LDS Science Review
  -  I don't have much to say about President Trump's announcement today that the U.S. will...

Lesson in church today @ Ethesis
  -   -Women need to be faithful to themselves.:how do they do that?:how do...

Bible Lessons @ Ethesis
  -   May you be like Ruth and like Esther, Marry someone of a different race, All will...

The day my dad got arrested @ Ethesis
  -  In the hospital. While donating blood. There was a police officer bleeding out, and...

@ Ethesis
  -   Most organizations face a dilemma. On the one hand, too much factionalism and...

@ Ethesis
  -   Getting Involved Wondering how to get involved? These resources can help you and your...

At the last day the King shall come ... @ Ethesis
  -   This moment does not define the refugees, but our response will help define...

Lesson 12, Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson @ Ethesis
  -   Chapter 12: “Seek the Spirit in All You Do” Teachings of Presidents of the Church:...

Working on a rough draft @ Ethesis
  -   Changes. Introduction There have been four changes in the Church in the last fifty...

Lesson Eight -- Overcoming the Walls of our Minds. @ Ethesis
  -   “The purpose of the gospel of Jesus Christ is to bring about love, unity,...

Memory, Simplification and Lies @ Ethesis
  -  I realized recently that by the standards of some people who insist that all...

Rough Draft Interview of Jerilyn Hassell Pool @ Ethesis
  -   Welcome to the interview series Ms. Jerilyn Hassell Pool. You are famous in some...

Finding Faith in Jesus Christ -- January 10th lesson @ Ethesis
  -  When you think about how Howard W. Hunter lost his job about seven months after getting...

On the passing of my father-in-law @ Ethesis
  -   In the end it comes to three things. Did we accept that we needed a Savior? Did we...