Category: Social Issues
David French of the New York Times Speaking at BYU on Sept. 24: Some Thoughts and Questions for Students and Faculty
Update, Sept. 25 & 26, 2026: David French’s speech at the the BYU Forum on Sept. 24 was refreshingly non-political. It was rather short and light but very upbeat, with…
Help for My Mother’s Funeral From the Best Priesthood Lesson Ever, Courtesy of Latter-day Saint Poet Elaine W. Christensen
My mother, Mary Lyon Miles Lindsay, passed away a few days ago at the age of 91 years. Many blessings, even small miracles, made it possible for my wife and…
The Rapid Fall of Nephite Society: Another Book of Mormon Weakness Begins to Make More Sense
As I saw troubling reports and videos this week of students at the once-great Harvard University and other major universities harassing Jewish students for being Jewish or chanting in…
No, WHO Is Not a “Secret Combination” for Corrupting Children, in Spite of Their Sex Ed Guidelines for Ages Four and Younger (But Being Public Doesn’t Make WHO Safe)
For people losing faith in local or national government over abuses regarding free speech, excessive spending, corruption, or other misdeeds, it’s easy to be even more skeptical of global agencies…
“The False Gods We Worship”: Why Is This First Presidency Message So Hard to Find When Searching?
UPDATE, DAY 0: With the help of my untrustworthy but still very smart friend, ChatGPT 4, I was able to determine that the reason a controversial 1976 First Presidency message…
A Slow Learner, But a Fast Liar: Meet ChatGPT, the Smart Research Tool Willing to Make Up Quotations
After being disappointed with the blatant political biases of ChatGPT, as discussed in my previous post about my efforts to examine issues related to abortion and race, I remained hopeful…
Can We Have an Honest Chat About Abortion and Race? Not With ChatGPT
Curious about the knowledge of the impressive new Artificial Intelligence tool, ChatGPT, I started my day with a question about abortion and race. This tool, now owned by…
The Church Announces Support for a Bill Supporting Same-Sex Marriage
The Church has spoken in favor of a federal bill supporting same-sex marriage, while still maintaining the position that homesexual activity is inconsistent with the teachings of the Gospel. Here…
A Catholic Family Gets a Visit From the FBI: A Time to Carefully Follow Stories on Threats to Religious Freedom
The opening talk of the October 2022 General Conference, “Caring for the Poor and Distressed” by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, asked us to not only do more to help to…
AP’s Narrative-Based Reporting on the Church’s Handling of an Abuse Case in Arizona
The Associated Press recently published an article about a case of abuse in Arizona that sharply criticized the Church. In “Seven years of sex abuse: How Mormon officials let it…
