On Judgement and Theistic Science

This quote from Andrew Steane is insightful. Atheists fear that theism is oppressive because it sets an all-powerful judge over us. Obviously, all good things can be abused, but theism is not oppressive when it connects God profoundly to weakness, not power when it comes to personal relationships. It does include judgement, because caring about … Read more

Tough Love from Jesus

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland had some wise words in his April 2014 General Conference address. Sadly enough, my young friends, it is a characteristic of our age that if people want any gods at all, they want them to be gods who do not demand much, comfortable gods, smooth gods who not only don’t rock … Read more

Faithful to Science

I continue to enjoy Andrew Steane’s new book Faithful to Science: The Role of Science in Religion. Below is another part of his book that I found particularly insightful. Faith is also central to science. This is not only in the obvious (and important) sense that scientists have to talk to and trust one another, but … Read more

More Thoughts from Andrew Steane

Here is a collection of more quotes from Andrew Steane’s excellent book Faithful to Science. (See also here and here.) Miracles are events that break the rules, but not in an arbitrary way–––they are pointers to a larger set of rules (p. 95). Compare this with these remarks from the LDS Bible Dictionary. Miracles should … Read more

On Questions and Patience

The British physicist Andrew Steane has this to say about questions. Questions should not be dismissed or discouraged, but sometimes answers have to be postponed, because the student has to first acquire the necessary conceptual apparatus in order to understand the very language of the answer. . . . [O]ne wants the student to . … Read more

John Dehlin Has Been Excommunicated. Here’s the Reason Why

As announced in various news outlets (here, here, and here) John Dehlin has been excommunicated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Below is the letter (taken from here; see also here) sent by President Bryan King to Dehlin, dated February 9, 2015. This letter details exactly why Dehlin has been excommunicated. (Click to … Read more

On “Unrighteous Dominion”

Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail by Liz Lemon Swindle. I have problems with people casually throwing out accusations of “unrighteous dominion” at Kate Kelly’s and John Dehlin’s priesthood leaders. The phrase, of course, comes from Doctrine and Covenants 121. We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all … Read more

Are You an Active Mormon? Kate Kelly is Insulting You (But You’re Probably Too Stupid to Realize It)

If you’re an active, faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are content with your membership in the Church, are happy to sustain Church leaders, willingly keep your covenants, and aren’t on a feminist crusade to tear down the patriarchy at any cost, then Kate Kelly has a message for you. … Read more

Is the Church “Burying” the Gospel Topics Essays?

A phenomenon I’ve observed with some critics of the Church on the Internet is the propensity to “move the goalposts” when confronted with evidence that contradicts their arguments. For those who aren’t familiar with this metaphor, moving the goalposts occurs when someone in a debate “change[s] the criterion (goal) of a process or competition while still … Read more