Category: Society
If Utah Were an Island
What if Utah were an island? OK, I know what you’re thinking, but I mean the kind of island that is near sea level, surrounding by lovely beaches and not…
The Height of Absurdity? Revisiting the Impact of Altitude, Oxygen, and Serotonin on Suicide Rates
Though I disagreed with some of the arguments made in the film Believer, as discussed in my previous post, it did help me to better appreciate how serious our problem…
The Town of Palmyra vs. the City of Helam: A Subtle but Meaningful Contrast in Communities and Culture
A couple days before Christmas when it was Joseph Smith’s birthday, I reflected briefly upon his life in rather small towns in New York and elsewhere prior to publication of…
Update on “Healthy” Alcohol Consumption: Massive New Study Reveals the Optimum Daily Dose is ZERO
My previous post discussed the $100 million government study on “moderate” alcohol consumption that the alcohol industry was furtively funding and designing to give favorable results, a study that fortunately…
Christmas Coincidences, or the Blessings of Bureaucracy
If we were more skilled in listening to inspiration from the Lord and more diligent in seeking it, the Lord might not need to use so many blunt techniques to…
Canadian Mormons by Roy and Carma Prete: Interview with the Authors by Erin Gazdik
A valuable new contribution to the history of the Latter-day Saints will be published this month. Canadian Mormons: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Canada edited by…
Too Complex! Don’t Confuse Me with that Military-Industrial Thing
I am surprised how many Americans who care deeply about politics and current events don’t seem to have considered the forces that act on and influence government. During a recent…
The Creation
Here is a talk I gave at District Conference for the Shanghai International District, March 19, 2017, sharing a few views on the Creation, why we should study and ponder…
What Ammon’s Story Can Teach Us About Blessing China
There are many Christians who want to do something to help China and the Chinese people. Latter-day Saints who are interested in China often consider the story of Ammon in…
The Secret Combination That Saved China
One of the important parts of the Book of Mormon that many Mormons try hard to overlook or downplay is the content regarding secret combinations and their destructive role in…