This is another dream post, so skip it if you aren’t in the mood. Also, my Puritan conscience impels me to tell you that this dream does not have social value, great wisdom, or an improving message. (more…)

Poor C.S. Lewis, he had to write the Screwtape Letters by himself, before ChatGPT was around.

The machine has the perfect tone of unctuous smarm for Screwtape, Jack Lewis could have fired off a few queries and then zipped over the pub.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/america-it-s-time-to-pay-the-demographic-piper

in 2024, the Historical Reversal of America’s age structure is expected to occur, i.e., when persons aged 65 and older outnumber children under the age of 15. That demographic milestone represents a significant and far-reaching transformation of the U.S. population. It will usher in a new demographic era unlike much of the country’s youthful past when approximately one out of three Americans were children under 15.

Ladies,  I’m going to share some cute decorating tips for protecting your egg from marauders.

A young man went climbing the mountain to speak to the guru at the mountain top.  On his way up, he met a wiry man in a robe climbing down.

“Did the guru give you wisdom?” the young man asked.

“I am the guru,” the other man said.

“Then why . . .?”

The guru nodded.  “Because I saw another mountain peak over there higher than this one that I’m going to ascend.  Because a voice said to me, ‘you are not the guru at the mountain top.  You are the guru climbing the mountain.’  And because I don’t know if any mountain top can be high enough.”

The guru took his leave and continued on down, but when he  looked back the young man was following him.

“Why are you following me?” Then the guru grinned and the young man grinned.  They both knew why.  They  continued on their way. (more…)

This is the true church.  I believe that through revelation and experience.

At the same time, well, look at all those other guys.  They aren’t LDS, they probably aren’t gonna be anytime soon, and sometimes they do some things that seem pretty cool.

I am of the opinion that we cannot heal the breaches in religion in this world and we really do need to find effective ways to live—if not together then apart. The old idea that not everyone converts during the Millennium means something interesting is going on that belies our expectations

-un amigo.

I’ve been gnawing at that for awhile, and it led me in the same direction. (more…)

Congressman Renault is shocked, shocked to find quid pro quo lobbying going on in this fine legislative establishment.

Kids want to feel like grown ups (which is different from being grown ups).  However, this is by no means only children.  Everyone wants to ape those higher up the food chain than themselves.  For children, that just happens to mean grown ups.

Think of how names work, for example.  Anyone who studies name changes over time realizes it works like this.  Rich people get some sort of fashion in names.  A few years later, middle class people start using that name and the rich people stop.  A few years later, working class people start using that name and the middle class people stop. (more…)

Someone in Sunday School made the interesting observation that Joseph was of royal descent according to Matthew’s genealogy but was a carpenter in humble circumstances, and in this way was a type and shadow of Christ.

We all know that Christ was born in humble circumstances.  In a stable in a manger in a small town in a backwater province.  You and I have both had tender feelings when we think about the King being wrapped in common cloth by his young  mother there in what was effectively a barn, or according to some scholars a campground or an RV park.

However, Jesus being born in what we perceive as humble circumstances is just God’s way of making the point obvious enough that we can get it.  Because no matter where Jesus as born, be it an undersea palace dripping with pearls, it would have been humble circumstances.  He was the Lord of the universe, stars blazed at his command.  Any circumstance would have been a humble circumstance.

When Nephi says, behold the condescension of God, he doesn’t mean, ‘because he chose to be born in Palestine instead of a nice hospital in an American suburb.”

When this photo was shared with me yesterday, I was struck by the expressions an the three faces. The young mother on the left, XX, is preparing for the upcoming blessing by the elders of the church of her firstborn, YY. The little girl standing next to XX and her daughter is XX’s cousin, ZZ. For ZZ, this day sharing in XX’s motherhood joy will be worth more than a half dozen Sunday lessons on motherhood. But ZZ is too young for this day to stay a specific memory. It will form the background of things she has always known. This day will have to be built upon with future experiences like this one. And since truths must be taught by precept and by example, a couple dozen Sunday lessons on motherhood will be a valuable way to explicitly bring the meaning of her experiences to the fore, felt and also thought about intelligently.

Considering what an opinionated bunch we are around here, full of gloom about “the current situation,” we don’t really touch politics much, so I hope this comment of mine doesn’t ruin things. (more…)

It occurred to me on Sunday, July 10 while sitting in my ward’s chapel that Pioneer Day this year would fall on a Sunday. For years I have said that half of us are no less qualified to sing a solo in church than we are to speak in church; that doesn’t get any of us out of speaking, so maybe those who sing to us shouldn’t only be “singers.” Another thought that had been growing on me these past years was the desire to sing a hymn I heard in 1988. David Pettit and Steve Ostler were walking along singing it together one evening.

“We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.”

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Don’t get me started on the GOP.