This is an interesting problem for missionaries. Being a missionary is wierd. It is not “just like you.” But if the missionaries do too much to overcome this barrier, its not obvious that they have anything different to offer. Maybe its not coincidence that in Spain most of the members came from the minority of Catholics who took Catholicism pretty seriously.

On the sweetness of Mormon life. (more…)

This is another guy to be added to our list of heros.

I’m guessing Philadelphia is a gun-free zone. (more…)

The answer is yes.

“A clause in the bill likely would allow most Amish families an exemption from the insurance requirement, but the bill could still create sticky issues for the young people who have not formally joined the church.” (link)

A disturbing aspect of laws with religious exemptions is the notion that religious beliefs are the only legitimate kinds of personal preference. Something matters so much that we pass a law or ruling to make that the way things are, yet there are exemptions for members of religious bodies that don’t think that’s the way things ought to be? Kind of lousy for the person who also disagrees with the law, but for non-religious reasons.

Liberty has to be upheld for everyone. Any law that can justifiably have a religious exemption is a law that shouldn’t exist at all. A person shouldn’t have to belong to a church to get relief from laws running his life. If religious people are only defending religious liberty, and that becomes the only liberty left, then soon enough it will be curtailed as well.

Mormon SF readers will enjoy this First Things essay.

Justice is done.

I’m not one of those chappies that as a regular thing gives gallery owners more than a civil how-do-you-do and a lift of the chapeau, but I’m not above parting with a bit of the Wooster plenty to encourage art of the right sort.

Storing energy in the form of compressed air underground is looking promising. (more…)

I just picked up an audio copy of Past Imperfect on the recommendation of Orson Scott Card. I’m really liking it so far. (more…)

“Canadian MPs will be served seal meat this week in support of hunters fighting an EU ban on products from the animals.”
. . .
“Last month, an offer of seal meat caught by indigenous hunters to the world’s leading economic ministers at a G7 meeting in Iqaluit, 200 miles south of the Arctic circle, sparked outrage.” (link)

What kinder prospector allows to the papers as how he’s discovered a gusher? Shoot. That’s moxie.

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