I’m going to quote an atheist quoting a man of no obvious religious conviction to make a religious point. In fact, it may be *the* religious point. (more…)

www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/09/us-usa-housing-churches-idUSBRE82803120120309

This illustrates the wisdom of the LDS church’s economic model of raising (or setting aside) funds in advance and paying cash for church buildings (no mortgages).

It also illustrates the wisdom of church headquarters owning the real estate and not the local congregations.

I suppose some of those empty churches might be just the right size to be easily adapted for LDS use.

On the sweetness of Mormon life (more…)

Gotta say, the clercs have it coming.

Here in the early years of the twenty-first century, the American elite is a walking disaster and is in every way less capable than its predecessors. It is less in touch with American history and culture, less personally honest, less productive, less forward looking, less effective at and less committed to child rearing, less freedom loving, less sacrificially patriotic and less entrepreneurial than predecessor generations. Its sense of entitlement and snobbery is greater than at any time since the American Revolution; its addiction to privilege is greater than during the Gilded Age and its ability to raise its young to be productive and courageous leaders of society has largely collapsed.

Booyah. (more…)

For fans of a Plat for the City of Zion, this article about how our souls are shaped by our setting is an extremely good read. (more…)

Over at the Old Country, I went full-on bloviate about the possibility for distinctive Mormon arts and culture and scholarship/philosophy. I’m reproducing the comment here. (more…)

It’s hard not to see a lot of good in the Amish approach to community and technology. (more…)

Ross Douthat does his best to sound Mormon.

Temples may have led to cities and then agriculture, and not the other way around.

On the sweetness of Mormon life–
I am waiting to pass the sacrament. Our newest deacon explains to me in whispers why “Rock of Ages” is wrong for an opening hymn. (more…)