tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86967392011-04-21T20:19:49.063-04:00Ronannoreply@blogger.comBlogger1441100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1131734545284157842005-11-11T13:32:00.000-05:002006-01-31T09:02:50.106-05:00

Sahar's final post is about her life in Turkey (where she is studying for a PhD). One hopes that Turkey--if it really wants EU membership--will improve its religious freedom laws. The Church in TurkeyThe church in Turkey consists of 3 branches. The first and main branch is in Istanbul. The membership records of that branch show 30 members, but about 15-20 attend church every Sunday. There is

Ronannoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1131238669784521792005-11-05T19:36:00.000-05:002005-11-08T00:32:13.896-05:00

I just got back from a whirlwind trip to Utah. I was there to give a faculty lecture at the BYU religion department (speaking about my FARMS-funded ancient beekeeping project). For this mission-field blogger, it was also fun to schmooze with some of the bloggernacle elite.First up, FPR's John C., an old mate from Johns Hopkins. John C. is a wonderful human being and funny to boot. I stayed with

Ronannoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1130603652616319332005-10-29T12:34:00.000-04:002005-10-29T12:34:12.666-04:00

Latter-day Saint Liberation Front has joined the "Founding Islands" of the Mormon Archipelago. We have it on good authority that Roasted Tomatoes and Serenity Valley are real people. We think their names may be fake, though.

Ronannoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1130254722571783772005-10-25T12:31:00.000-04:002005-11-14T07:47:20.560-05:00

Everyone needs a Mormon T-shirt, but Moroni-Nike swooshes are so lame, don't ya think? Enter the Mormon Archipelago into this gaping breach. We are now selling T-shirts via Zazzle. Thanks to Rusty for the graphics and Mark for two of the slogans. The $3.57 that we make will go into the Great Mormon Archipelago Webspace Fund (aka J.'s wallet) and for buying stamps so we can send out junk-mail

Ronannoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1099070810963930462005-10-23T16:16:00.000-04:002005-11-08T04:16:41.830-05:00

It's always been a slight puzzlement that a religion that has an aversion to playing with face cards (occultic?) celebrates Halloween (also occultic?) with abandon. I'm glad, though, because I get to dress my son as Yoda today without guilt.Anyway, here's my Halloween post.In the famous Salem witch trials of 1692, Joseph Smith's great-great-grandfather Samuel Smith and Samuel's father-in-law John

Ronannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1129066606514406772005-10-11T17:35:00.000-04:002005-10-11T18:03:51.483-04:00

Great picture from the New York Times of a Mormon woman (left) at the Wailing Wall :"I never really dreamed that I would make it there someday, but it was a dream come true. I had a very peaceful feeling when I was at the wall, and I was thinking about Jesus and that he could have been there. Just the thought of that was very overwhelming. I thought it was great that, with all those people of

Ronannoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1128992539378959902005-10-10T20:47:00.000-04:002007-05-05T06:20:00.230-04:00

The family and I spent Columbus Day at Gettysburg battlefield in Pennsylvania. One marvels at the blood and horror that reigned over these green fields in July 1863. I kept thinking about an image from the movie Kingdom of Heaven when Christians and Muslims fight desperately at the walls of Jerusalem. The camera pans up to give a gods' eye view of the carnage. From on high, the human combatants

Ronannoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1128431444971292182005-10-04T08:48:00.000-04:002005-10-04T09:10:45.040-04:00

Dave's gone fishing.This is a sad moment in the Bloggernacle. Dave has universal "cool," DMI is a 'nacle highlight, and he even made it to Beliefnet's Blog Heaven.So why's he gone? Ostensibly because he's busy right now and can't commit time to three blogs. That's right, Dave is a Bloggernacle polyblogger: DMI, Bloggernacle Times, and BCC. But (and here's the rub), he will still be blogging at BT

Ronannoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1128220368613071932005-10-01T22:27:00.000-04:002006-01-28T18:19:50.976-05:00

From Sahar:When I joined the Church and returned back home to Palestine I was scared of how I would be welcomed. My family, although not religious, were totally against me joining the Church. In my town those who leave the faith (or the family church) and join another “unknown” church are cast out. For example, no-one in my town even speaks to Jehovah’s Witnesses. Of course, no one in my town

Ronannoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1127581303549347252005-09-24T15:42:00.000-04:002005-09-24T15:37:32.010-04:00

Go on laugh.I know what you're thinking: those J-Dub's and their scary apocalyptic artwork. With an aesthetic like this, how could anyone take the Watchtower seriously?But a word of caution to you smug, snarky Mormons:Will you look so bright-eyed when our cities burn and lightening fries the wicked?Is yours a gospel for all God's children, or just those with Mormon Face?Is your art any better?

Ronannoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1127222420434752622005-09-20T09:03:00.000-04:002005-12-28T16:41:09.010-05:00

Please welcome Sahar to United Brethren. She is going to offer a series of guest posts on her life as a Mormon Palestinian. Sahar grew up near Bethlehem, joined the Church as a student at BYU, and is currently studying in Turkey. I have written about Sahar before at Meridian magazine.Living in Bethlehemby SaharThe gospel has changed my life so much that I changed from someone who hated living in

Ronannoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1126992219690859402005-09-17T17:04:00.000-04:002005-09-17T17:49:38.060-04:00

So says this press-release from the Church anyway. The "Latter-day Saints" are doing good work though.True story: when we first got to know some good friends of ours, we found out that Tom and I both shared a passion for mountain biking. In Baltimore, one of the best biking trails starts right next to the LDS (sic) chapel. Many bikers share the car park at the weekend. Tom mentioned this, saying

Ronannoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1126642982492083702005-09-13T16:03:00.000-04:002005-09-13T23:49:36.640-04:00

The restored Nauvoo temple is a beautiful monument to the Mormons of 1840s Illinois. In many ways a faithful reproduction of the original, there are, however, certain differences (beyond architectural accommodations to current temple activities).Here is the original Moroni weather-vane of the Nauvoo temple. Critics contend that the new temple features a modern Moroni statue because the old

Ronannoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1124304762410247772005-09-05T23:46:00.000-04:002005-09-05T12:41:31.766-04:00

This picture, by Elder and Sister Hauck at Meridian, is from the recent dedication of the temple in Aba, Nigeria.Meridian always do nice photo essays, and I appreciate their efforts to show the colour of international Mormonism.Facts about the Church in Nigeria (provided by the always useful cumorah.com):LDS Membership: 55,199Approx. LDS Activity Rate: 55% (Pretty good, although I don't know the

Ronannoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1124056213578665842005-08-30T14:50:00.000-04:002005-08-30T15:29:14.990-04:00

Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought has made a call for papers on "international Mormonism" (deadline January 2006).Guest edited by Ethan Yorgason, this series of papers intends to answer these questions:What are some of the possible cultural-geographic distinctions in Mormonism that might assume doctrinal and practical significance?How might the Church respond to an impetus toward varieties of

Ronannoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1124995876182760372005-08-25T14:46:00.000-04:002005-08-25T15:08:55.103-04:00

According to Oxfam, more than 3.5 million people face a catastrophic food shortage in Niger, the second-poorest country in the world. Insufficient rain and locust infestations, combined with high food prices, have exacerbated already chronic needs. Hunger haunts millions more across other West African countries, including Mali, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso.Talk of free-trade, African despots,

Ronannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1124339096099951272005-08-23T12:24:00.000-04:002005-08-23T12:12:10.233-04:00

As someone who served his mission on the fringes of Eastern Europe, I was delighted that Brock pointed out this article from the 1991 Ensign by Russell M. Nelson, entitled "Drama on the European Stage."In it, Elder Nelson sets out to outline the events that occurred after the collapse of Communism from the point of view of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.For anyone interested in

Ronannoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1124128537399603812005-08-17T13:55:00.000-04:002005-08-17T15:48:00.166-04:00

We've had some sad anniversaries recently (60 years after Hiroshima/Nagasaki etc.), so it's good to see some happy Mormon celebrations doing the rounds, like the 200th anniversary of Joseph Smith's birth, and....the 50th anniversary of the dedication of Korea for the preaching of the Gospel. Meridian has a nice write-up on President Hinckley's recent visit.President Hinckley reminisced about

Ronannoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1124128426653644042005-08-15T22:24:00.000-04:002006-05-14T16:37:37.500-04:00

After converting the Benbows, Woodruff's work had only just begun. The Benbows were members of the United Brethren, a group of Primitive Methodists who had organised themselves in the local area. Once introduced to the Brethren, Woodruff set about teaching them the Gospel. The mass conversion of the United Brethren is well known, but Woodruff's success was more than in just numbers: the UB

Ronannoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1122654377626457172005-07-29T12:23:00.000-04:002005-08-15T23:08:58.993-04:00

I have been reading Richard Burton’s 1863 account of life in Utah, The City of the Saints. It is interesting to compare how Burton situates the Mormon “Kingdom of God” and how Mormons are seen today by foreigners (Burton was an Englishman). For Burton, Brigham Young’s “theocracy” was definitely a world unto itself, far removed from the United States. Today, when the foreign press talks about

Ronannoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1122242607862991172005-07-24T17:52:00.000-04:002005-07-24T18:03:27.876-04:00

Over at BCC I was critical of what I saw as a deaf ear being turned in some quarters of the Church in the UK to the London bombings. It is only fair, howver, that I give credit where credit is due: the Church is donating 20,000 pounds to the Red Cross Relief Fund for victims of the attack. David Baxter, a British Area Seventy has made the following statement:"Our thoughts have turned to the

Ronannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1122197760129970352005-07-24T05:20:00.000-04:002005-07-24T05:36:00.190-04:00

On Sunday, March 1, 1840, Elder Wilford Woodruff was holding a meeting in Hanley, Staffordshire, England. During the meeting, Woodruff heard the Spirit tell him that, “This is the last meeting that you will hold with this people for many days.” Persuaded by an English colleague, William Benbow, to preach to his family, Woodruff set off for Herefordshire in the South.William’s brother John Benbow

Ronannoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1121421505366514362005-07-15T05:52:00.000-04:002005-07-15T06:01:38.653-04:00

A shameless plug for an old Bloggernacle friend: Mark “Mo-Boy” Hansen has been booked to perform in the American Fork Arts Council's Summer Concerts in the Park series. Mark is our resident Mormon rocker. That might sound like an oxymormon (sic) but nevertheless it’s true. I have copy of his “One United Generation” CD which is pretty good and a great thing to turn up at church on Sunday playing (

Ronannoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1120853380576563882005-07-08T16:04:00.000-04:002005-07-08T16:09:40.586-04:00

Thanks to Times and Seasons for their kind sentiments regarding the bombings in London yesterday. This proud Brit, currently seconded among England’s clouded hills, is grateful.It’s been a funny few weeks for the British. Last month we were thoroughly rounded on by the rest of Europe owing to matters EU. M Chirac said some nasty things about our food and our Prime Minister. Then there was the

Ronannoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1119703566408537572005-06-25T08:43:00.000-04:002005-07-08T05:22:13.100-04:00

I served my mission in Austria at a time (1995-1997) when the former Yugoslavia belonged to the Vienna mission. Essentially we had two missions in one — German and Serbo-Croatian (or Slovenian) — and the two sides rarely met. The war in Bosnia was winding down whilst we were there, but it was still a hot topic and obviously we had no missionaries in Sarejevo. We did, on occasion, have Elders in

Ronannoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1118691861411136012005-06-13T15:44:00.000-04:002005-12-06T15:11:11.920-05:00

The sign says "Visitors Welcome," a sentiment dampened somewhat by the iron railings and padlocks designed to keep Gentiles OUT! It seems to me that the Church would do better in Europe (and elsewhere) if we attempted to be part of our surrounding communities; fortified islands like this are simply alien dots on the landscape that will attract few visitors.

Ronannoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1118691784036549352005-06-13T15:43:00.000-04:002005-11-10T00:27:32.783-05:00

This is my "home" ward chapel. The shockingly ugly architecture is a product of the 1960s "self-build" chapels when local members built meetinghouses themselves. A far cry from some of the chandeliered-chapels I have seen in Provo. But I still have a lot of affection for this monstrosity: not only is it where I gained a testimony, but its bricks and planks were laid by my father and others.

Ronannoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1117878063612776402005-06-04T05:30:00.000-04:002005-06-04T16:13:03.126-04:00

The recent MHA conference included a discussion of how Mormon history is treated in English schools.It came as a surprise to me that Mormonism gets anything more than a cursory look-in. Interestingly, the topic is covered under the purview of history and not religious studies. Many 16-year olds in England who take history as an examination subject study the "American West." As well as the usual

Ronannoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1116511408742772972005-05-25T10:03:00.000-04:002005-05-25T12:04:47.546-04:00

Ghana web has a new article up, this time with some good news:"Latter Day Saints donates books to Accra City Campus."(sic)Note however, that "Mormon" is nowhere to be seen in the article. When they Mormon-bash, they "Mormon"-bash, not "Latter-day Saint"-bash. Is this a deliberate muddying of the waters? Or does it strike at the heart of the branding problem that Professor Decoo often decries?Most

Ronannoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1116446893255043482005-05-18T15:58:00.000-04:002005-12-16T03:27:45.976-05:00

This note was posted on the website of Mormons for Equality and Social Justice:Call for Submissions: Taking MESJ International On June 1, 2005, a Dutch language website called MVG-Mormonen voor Vrede en Gerechtigheid (Mormons for Peace and Justice) will be launched by Robert Poort, contact person for Las Vegas MESJ and a native Dutch speaker. The new website will have a similar appearance as the

Ronannoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1115774872424131482005-05-10T22:13:00.000-04:002005-11-20T01:55:22.926-05:00

Will Mormonism be a "world religion", and if not, do we care?Like all good Mormon topics, this one has already been thrashed out at T&S, but wouldn't you like the opinion of an "international Mormon" (say yes)? Plus, with the Joseph Smith conference, this topic is once again current.The question of what is and what isn't a world religion is a thorny matter. Is size all-important, or do other

Ronannoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1114367636457679892005-05-01T19:33:00.000-04:002006-01-07T14:22:57.836-05:00

I will be announcing my vote over at Headlife soon. Thanks for those who cast their own ballot for the Mother of Parliaments. Clearly Mr. Blair is a popular choice!So-called "moral-values" are getting little air-time in the British General Election. This is because the religious right in Britain is a fraction of the size of its American counterpart. Nevertheless, the Christian Institute has

Ronannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1114779100706960932005-04-29T08:08:00.000-04:002005-04-29T08:51:40.706-04:00

They really don't like Mormons in Ghana. Nevermind the fact that the government once shut the church down, now Mormons are being blamed for "taking food from the mouth of Ghanaians."Everything revolves around the morphing of GhanaAir into Ghana International Airways (GIA). I bet you didn't know that the church owned an airline, but according to Ghanaweb, GIA is "Mormon-owned." And because GIA has

Ronannoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1114003891942126832005-04-21T23:45:00.000-04:002005-11-10T11:21:09.053-05:00

Friday: Earth Day. Have a look at MESJ's Family Home Evening ideas.Saturday: For all you Anglophiles, April 23 is St. George's Day. OK, St. George--the Patron Saint of England-- wasn't really English, but Patrick wasn't Irish either. Go enjoy some English food, like Toad-in-the-Hole, and sing "Jerusalem."Saturday evening/Sunday: Passover. There is a dearth of lamb in the US (or at least in

Ronannoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1113829272255526522005-04-18T09:01:00.000-04:002005-04-18T19:42:19.430-04:00

Geza Vermes, a doyen of Dead Sea Scrolls and historical Jesus studies, has an interesting, if somewhat disingenous piece of advice for the Vatican conclave. In today's Telegraph, he demands that the cardinals return Christianity to the simple religion of Jesus.He finds much to disagree with in the pontificate of John Paul II:There was also a darker side to the highly influential reign of John

Ronannoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1113783376944759482005-04-17T20:16:00.000-04:002005-04-17T20:21:22.793-04:00

There are three LDS branches in Sri Lanka (a country with a population of 19 million). Sri Lanka is part of the Singapore mission, and missionaries there deal with a Buddhist majority and a large Hindu minority. Formal missionary work is not practiced; instead Sri Lanka is home to a few service missionaries, and has been a recipient of LDS tsunami aid.Missionary work of all types in Sri Lanka is

Ronannoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1113480803726887312005-04-14T08:13:00.000-04:002005-04-14T08:22:57.310-04:00

For all of you Doomsday-watchers out there, the Guardian has compiled a list of possible End-of-the-World events that might occur in the next century. Here they are ordered by threat level:1: Super-volcanos2: Climate Change3: Viral Pandemic4: Meteorite impact5: Robots taking over6: Terrorism7: Telomere erosion8: Nuclear war9: Cosmic ray blast from exploding star10: Earth swallowed by a black

Ronannoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1113143548908998162005-04-10T10:09:00.000-04:002005-04-10T10:32:28.913-04:00

As I was preparing my Priesthood lesson today, I came across a passage in the manual that was surprising to me, even though it shouldn't have been.The following quotation is long and it is from the Pres. McKay manual (pp. 62-64). I'm including the whole thing (with occasional emphasis added) as I think the context of the important bits is important.Nearness to the event [of Jesus’ Resurrection]

HPnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1112967248252259982005-04-08T09:34:00.000-04:002005-04-08T09:52:14.333-04:00

There are the Assyrians and there are the Assyrians. There are also the Syrians. They are all different.Syrians are from Syria."Assyrians" are either:1. The ancient inhabitants of northern Mesopotamia (Iraq)2. A small, contemporary, Christian minority in Iraq, Turkey and SyriaModern Assyrians use the symbols of ancient Assyria as a marker of their non-Muslim, non-Arab ethnicity. The New York

Ronannoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1112757123528688932005-04-05T23:00:00.000-04:002005-04-05T23:12:03.526-04:00

A Mormon "liturgy" need not be complicated, nor indeed too somber or serious. Here's what we're doing to celebrate April 6, the day the Church was organised (bear in mind this is geared towards a family with small children):After dinner we're going to have a super yummy dessert (Rebecca's in charge of this so I don't know yet what it's going to be) to celebrate the "richness" of life that the

Ronannoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1112629047327705662005-04-04T11:01:00.000-04:002005-04-04T11:41:46.286-04:00

This is not your typical post-General Conference post. Why? Well, it isn't really about General Conference or the things said there. Instead, I found the reactions to it as displayed in the bloggernacle's various big sites interesting.At Times and Seasons, the open thread bgan with an acknowledgement of the Pope's death and Pres. Hinckley's reaction, then shifted to goofy humor and

HPnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1112577478898702272005-04-03T20:45:00.000-04:002005-04-03T21:22:16.633-04:00

There are three reasons why Mormons don't follow the Christian liturgical calendar (other than celebrating Christmas and Easter Sunday). First, we inherited, I think, the extreme iconoclasm of non-conformist Protestantism. Second, nothing in the revelations given to Joseph Smith instruct us to follow the calendar, and in many ways Mormonism has sought to make a clean break (almost) from what it

Ronannoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1112323723318387852005-03-31T21:41:00.000-05:002005-04-01T07:28:44.910-05:00

Several weeks back I received an email from a Church lawyer asking me to discontinue the name "United Brethren" for this blog. Now I know why....I have it on good authority that the death of Sunday School will be announced in General Conference. Evidently the Brethren want to make the Sunday block a more family-friendly two hours rather than three and Sunday School is the casualty. This will also

Ronannoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1112187023522740172005-03-30T07:50:00.000-05:002005-03-30T07:50:23.523-05:00

Gay Mormons are the cover story of this week's Advocate, a popular gay magazine. The blurb: "Up Against the Mormon Church--one of the most powerful forces against gay equality confronts its most powerful adversaries: gay and lesbian Mormons."

Ronannoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1111886820316091212005-03-26T20:15:00.000-05:002005-03-26T20:33:39.130-05:00

Happy Easter everyone.I went last night with a Catholic friend of mine to a Good Friday service at his parish church in Baltimore. I was looking for somewhere to experience some kind of formal Good Friday worship, and as my Ward wasn't providing anything, I asked if I could join him. It was a good choice.Mormons have a strange relationship with Catholicism. As an example of a centralising,

Ronannoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1111689981001001592005-03-24T13:46:00.000-05:002005-03-24T13:54:43.443-05:00

This is a bit late for Holy Week, but I've just found a link to a daily scripture reading programme at Catholic.org. Basically, you click on the day and are given a selection of short readings.For today (Holy Thursday) the readings are as follows:Reading IEx 12:1-8, 11-14The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,"This month shall stand at the head of your calendar; you shall reckon it

Ronannoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1111455003498607822005-03-21T20:11:00.000-05:002005-03-21T20:30:03.500-05:00

Inspiration comes in strange places. I was listening to a talk at the weekend that caused me to reflect upon a fundamental principle of Mormonism: that humans can become gods. The talk was on the ancient Sumerian kings of Ur.A few (and only a few) kings of ancient Mesopotamia became gods, allowing them to ascend to heaven upon their deaths. This is no small deal as all other kings and people,

Ronannoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1110836752288008832005-03-14T16:24:00.000-05:002005-03-14T16:45:52.293-05:00

I have two questions today. One regards methodology and the other a doctrinal issue. As it happens, I have to address the methodological question in order to address the doctrinal one. Please be patient.1) How does one talk about issues regarding temple ordinances outside of the temple? I surmise from Nibley that it is not inherently blasphemous if you do it through innuendo and sleight of

HPnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1110744277051352262005-03-13T14:29:00.000-05:002005-03-13T15:44:13.296-05:00

Preparing the elder's quorum lesson this week, I ran across two quotes from President McKay that ably explain how I have made peace with the Proclamation (I didn't initially realise that this was something I had to do, but time, talking with my wife and other women, and confusion have led me to this position). It also provides some insight into what exactly is wrong with unrighteous dominion.The

HPnoreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1110424593881834312005-03-09T22:04:00.000-05:002005-03-09T22:16:33.883-05:00

Some bloke called Ronan James, a Mormon from Baltimore, Maryland, has a letter published in this month's Christianity Today magazine. I think Mr. James and I are the same person, but lately I've been blacking out then waking up in the middle of the night butt-naked with mud on my feet, so who knows?Anyway, Mr. James was responding to CT's news piece on the Zacharias/Mouw event at the Salt Lake

Ronannoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1110292426047475842005-03-08T09:33:00.000-05:002005-03-08T09:33:46.053-05:00

A comment made by Phillip Barlow over here has gotten me to thinkin'. Here it is in all of its glory: Despite what they may think they are doing, most people of faith are not actually trying to discover the sense of scripture as it was penned, but rather using scripture devotionally, to gain and maintain a sense of the divine.I would like to add to this quote another from a more formidable

HPnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1110167430966494282005-03-06T22:42:00.000-05:002005-03-06T22:56:03.033-05:00

I have long been fascinated with the language of food in the Scriptures. Recent posts on vegetarianism here and here have led me to do some more thinking on the subject.I do believe that God understands and promotes the concept of moderation in all things food. He doesn't seem to agitate explicitly for or against vegetarianism. The Word of Wisdom also seems to walk the middle path, counseling

HPnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1109681170742343452005-03-04T12:46:00.000-05:002005-03-04T12:59:23.953-05:00

Bill left an interesting comment on my Freemasonry post at BCC. He mentions his visit to the National Heritage Museum in Boston, where he found a copy of the playbill for Pizzaro, a Grand Moral Entertainment, a play put on by the Nauvoo Masonic Lodge on April 24, 1844. The bill gave the purpose of the play:"To aid in the discharge of a debt, against President Joseph Smith, contracted through the

Ronannoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1109943630425734792005-03-04T08:40:00.000-05:002005-03-04T08:40:30.426-05:00

In the beginning, the Mormon Archipelago was born. Soon we were seven. Now, from the depths of the electronic ocean, LDSBlogs.org has emerged. Behold the Three Degrees of Maritime Glory, terrible as a blog with stripey banners: 1. The Mormon Archipelago. Because the original is still best. 2. The Islands of the Sea. Because the 'Nacle is not a partial 'Nacle. 3. The Mainland. Because you've got

Ronannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1109677543601146222005-03-01T06:45:00.000-05:002005-03-01T06:45:43.600-05:00

The latest issue of The Bloggernacle Times is now online.

Ronannoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1109627970820729652005-02-28T16:59:00.000-05:002005-02-28T19:28:52.810-05:00

My wife Rebecca (formerly of United Brethren, now of Beckynews), has set-up a new blog, Household Swap Shop, and this is my shameless plug for it. We have Feminist Mormon Housewives--this is Molly Mormon Housewives, a sector not yet catered for (of course, we're all Mollys at heart).According to the blurb, the aim of the blog is to "share secrets of success/ideas of anything to do with stuff in

Ronannoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1109168286833899062005-02-23T09:18:00.000-05:002005-02-23T09:28:00.843-05:00

Over at the Bloggernacle Times I blogged about the stagnation, even retrogression of Church growth in Europe. Some commenters thought I was being overly negative. Perhaps, but I wanted to point out that the Church is really struggling to grow in Europe, something that sometimes gets forgotten when we marvel at missionary success elsewhere. I don't want the Church to abandon missionary work there,

Ronannoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1108920532061598822005-02-20T12:14:00.000-05:002005-02-20T12:28:52.063-05:00

Justin found the Gay Bill of Rights in question and posted it in the comments to the earlier post about the Ensign article. I'm posting it here in case it was missed by anybody:Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Students' Bill of Educational RightsWe, as teachers and staff of [Your High School], believe that society's stigmatization of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender individuals is

Ronannoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1108749629658939872005-02-18T12:30:00.000-05:002005-02-19T19:28:17.750-05:00

The thing that confuses me about all the discussion regarding homosexuality in the news is that I have very little understanding of what is at stake. What are "gay" rights and are they any different from "human" rights?I assume that this has to do with issues of adoption and marriage. Perhaps with issues of fair housing and discriminatory treatment. But don't most people agree that (aside from

HPnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1108735181622360152005-02-18T08:24:00.001-05:002005-02-18T09:14:17.946-05:00

Julie (in the T&S "Notes from all over" sidebar) doesn't want to talk about it, so I will. This month's Ensign has an article entitled "Disagreeing Without Being Disagreeable" (not yet online). In it, an LDS teacher describes how she came into conflict with the rest of her school over a certain issue but nevertheless managed to stay friendly with her colleagues. It's difficult to argue with such

Ronannoreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1108434933099806692005-02-14T21:02:00.000-05:002005-02-14T21:35:33.100-05:00

We do a great disservice to the New Testament when we read the Gospels synoptically, as if they were all one large book with just a few variations between them. If you are not used to reading the NT, may I suggest you read each Gospel on its own merits and begin with Mark. (and whilst Talmage's Jesus the Christ is a monumental work, I am sorry that more Latter-day Saints seem to have read him

Ronannoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1107821818555622922005-02-07T18:51:00.000-05:002006-03-10T11:53:29.813-05:00

It appears that I have succeeded in doing something that I never officially set out to do. I have outraged the other resident John by making the following statement: Evangelicals aside (there's no pleasing some people), I don't think most of the nation really believes that the Mormons take their own faith seriously.I have been asked to defend said statement and will. Most people think that

HPnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1107797750513813842005-02-07T13:26:00.000-05:002005-02-08T20:35:25.990-05:00

Long title, short substance: My brother-in-law and I were talking in pure hypotheticals about the political prospects of a Latter-day Saint running for President of the United States. I have always been of the opinion that it is a true impossibility. Anti-Mormon bigotry simply will not let it happen. This bigotry stems from the ingrained and in-bred antagonism of Evangelicals against Latter-day

john f.noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1107648959337487212005-02-05T19:00:00.000-05:002005-02-05T19:20:51.536-05:00

Regarding the Martha Beck controversy, she is clearly a troubled person (whether or not her accusations are true). Over at DMI, a link has been posted to the publisher's page regarding the release of the book. Now, I suppose I can't blame the various doctors and life Coaches who offer support to Martha's book as the product of a deeply troubled woman, but Terry Tempest Williams is a Utah native

HPnoreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1107615201523562662005-02-05T09:52:00.000-05:002005-02-05T10:13:02.640-05:00

More confessions: I used to think that I was Mormon the core. After all, I was born and bred a Mormon and I've done all the good Mormon things. Recently, however, I'm having doubts about my Mormon-ness. I have come to realise that much of my world view comes from other sources. For example, I consider myself a political liberal and I can tell you the day of my conversion to things Left. It was

Ronannoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1107404284751608482005-02-03T23:13:00.000-05:002005-02-02T23:19:12.770-05:00

There's some terrible news over at Headlife. Quick, conservative friends, help me sustain my new-found devotion!

Ronannoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1098248932391740372005-02-03T01:44:00.000-05:002005-02-05T13:11:05.456-05:00

Anyone else dissatisfied with this explanation as to why Mormons don't use the Cross as a symbol of our faith: True to the Faith, Cross, 45–46 "Because the Savior lives, we do not use the symbol of His death as the symbol of our faith." I raise this issue because of one of the criticisms I heard used by some Mormons about Mel Gibson's The Passion: "We all know the Atonement really took place in

Ronannoreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1106778432583437012005-02-02T23:26:00.000-05:002005-02-13T21:38:54.850-05:00

Revised edition 3.ii.05: welcome to New Cool Thang.In a Bloggernacle dominated by Target and Walmart (or the United States and the Soviet Union, or Manchester United and Chelsea - choose your metaphor), what are the Mom and Pop stores to do? What hope is there for the Lichtenstein's and Andorra's of this world? Should Tottenham Hotspur and Charlton Athletic even bother to show up?Membership of

Ronannoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1107219608946156692005-01-31T19:52:00.000-05:002005-01-31T20:00:08.946-05:00

A Florida Catholic paper has reported that Catholic Volunteers in Florida examining the LDS Church model of missionary work for possible emulation in the Catholic Church. Soon, young Catholics will be singing, "I hope they call me on a mission". Good luck to them, but I think finding people willing to give up two years' of their life is one thing; getting them to pay for it themselves is another

Ronannoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1106946800670123742005-01-28T16:10:00.000-05:002005-01-28T22:59:30.146-05:00

NPR's All Things Considered recently aired a segment on the LDS Indian Student Placement Program. Show blurb: Between 1954 and 1996, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sponsored a program for American Indian children. The Indian Student Placement Program had two aims: to provide Native children with an education and to help the Church fulfill one of its central prophecies.

Ronannoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1106850818571089592005-01-27T13:32:00.000-05:002005-01-27T13:33:46.766-05:00

They have drunk the Black Milk: Of Schiller and Shulamith over at a bird's eye view. [sorry for the cross post]

john f.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1106710460842262642005-01-25T22:34:00.000-05:002005-01-25T22:42:37.030-05:00

Here's an interesting dilemma (at least in the way it is portrayed by Britain's liberal Guardian newspaper): BYU's World Family Policy Center, in an effort to build an international coalition of "pro-family" organisations and governments, has made some unsavoury friends. Chief among them are Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a controversial Islamic scholar who apparently "approves of wife-beating" and

Ronannoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1106669235521034242005-01-25T11:06:00.000-05:002005-01-25T11:15:20.990-05:00

At last! It's taken me a lifetime, but I can now categorily prove that the Restoration is in fact an English invention, not American: Manuscript History of the Church: "...if Satan could not speak in tongues, he could not tempt a Dutchman, or any other nation, but the English, for he can tempt the Englishman, for he has tempted me, and I am an Englishman;" (Ehat & Cook pg. 81) As my dad has

Ronannoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1106505457056061862005-01-23T11:35:00.000-05:002005-01-25T10:12:01.273-05:00

Church was cancelled today (snow in Baltimore = end of the world), and besides we have a new baby at home. So it's a good time to continue the "D&C changes" series. I'm placing a chronological framework on this enterprise, using the order of the revelations that appear in our current D&C. I've already talked about the Lectures on Faith and D&C 3. Today, I'll pop back in time to D&C 2 then return

Ronannoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1106435280018582762005-01-22T18:01:00.000-05:002005-01-25T10:15:10.120-05:00

Call it British self-deprecation, but I'm not going to demand you vote United Brethren over at intellecxhibitionist (well, you can if you want, or create a new category - Best Semi-British Blog, or recognise John's A bird's eye view). Although T&S is clearly in a world of its own, you should vote for whatever combination of Justin n' Dave you can. DMI is a wonderfully cosy little blog, and Mormon

Ronannoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1106270610444375062005-01-20T20:21:00.000-05:002005-01-25T10:16:57.173-05:00

The United Brethren have produced another sister. We welcome Mary Elizabeth Head to Planet Earth. See Beckynews for more information.

Ronannoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1106020318992382002005-01-17T22:34:00.000-05:002006-10-19T17:05:53.163-04:00

Here's the partial transcript from Orrin Hatch's recent Hardball appearance. Chris Matthews asks him whether America is "ready" for a Mormon president. Hatch says it is:MATTHEWS: Mitt Romney has been making some noises. He's a very impressive fellow. He's a Republican governor of Massachusetts, and that‘s an accomplishment in itself for a Republican.He's an LDS member, a member of the Mormon

Ronannoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1124308543589670312005-01-17T15:48:00.000-05:002006-10-19T17:07:43.566-04:00

October 2004: United Brethren is born, the only child of Headlife, Ronan's expat life blog.United Brethren blogged the Mormon text and image from an international (British-European) perspective. Its name and subtitle intend to do honour to the thousands of British Mormon converts of the mid-19th century in Ronan's neck of the woods. The "United Brethren" were a group of Primitive Methodists who

Ronannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1105915042344031892005-01-16T17:37:00.000-05:002005-01-25T10:19:13.773-05:00

Church finances are famously mysterious. Time estimated that the Church brings in almost $6bn a year (mostly from tithing). The Church denies this figure, but has offered no alternative (Brother Dave has discussed this topic at length here). The Church has never been embroiled in a major financial scandal (in recent history) and most Church members are confident that their money is in safe hands:

Ronannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1105657919222575622005-01-13T18:03:00.000-05:002005-01-25T10:20:19.636-05:00

So, as has been stated before, I am teaching ethics at UVSC nowadays. As a result, I am teaching, amongst other things, about the relationship between God and morality. Or rather, what we think it ought to be. Divine command ethics (the most explicit attempt to link the divine commandments with morality) states simply that the Good is God's will. There you go. So, what God likes is good and what

HPnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1105493269533758502005-01-11T20:27:00.000-05:002005-11-10T00:00:35.986-05:00

It's a long and boring story, but one of the privileges/curses I have is to catalog many of the books that arrive in the Johns Hopkins University Library. There's some weird stuff out there. Anyway, I was browsing though a book on underground cinema, wondering whether there would be anything about Mormons in it, and hey presto I stumbled upon a review of the film Byromania, which, among other

Ronannoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1105407133288138642005-01-10T20:22:00.000-05:002005-01-25T10:22:28.543-05:00

Were I a false prophet, I would be reluctant to publish revelations where God chastised me. Anyway, here are changes relevant to D&C 3 ( = Book of Commandments 2, 1835 Doctrine and Covenants 30) (italic: removed from BoC; bold: added to D&C) - BoC (4): ...but remember God is merciful: Therefore, repent of that which thou hast done, and he will only cause thee to be afflicted for a season, and

Ronannoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1105042185045761702005-01-06T14:38:00.000-05:002005-01-25T10:46:52.880-05:00

There's some discussion floating through the ether (see, for example, darronsmith.com) about whether the Church ought to clarify its doctrine towards blacks (or more strongly, apologise for it). The basic idea is that although it has been 25 years since the priesthood ban on blacks was lifted, the Church has done little to repudiate past teachings. The continued printing of McConkie's Mormon

Ronannoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1104789624157198402005-01-03T17:00:00.000-05:002005-01-25T10:25:16.916-05:00

(Cited in "The Holy Spirit and the Godhead," a discourse by Elder Orson Pratt, Feb. 18, 1855. See Journal of Discourses, Vol.2, pp. 342-343.) "There is one revelation that this people are not generally acquainted with. I think it has never been published, but probably it will be in the Church History. It is given in questions and answers. The first question is, "What is the name of God in the

Ronannoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1104760016563957082005-01-03T08:39:00.000-05:002005-01-25T10:48:03.610-05:00

An article on the BBC news web site gives the opinion of people from different faiths regarding the recent tsunamis in Asia, and their devastating effects. It asks a question I cannot even begin to answer - is it an act of God? If it is, how can I believe in such a merciless, cruel God? If not, why didn't He do something to stop it or lessen its effects? If anyone can help me understand the

Rebeccanoreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1104714989251680222005-01-02T19:35:00.000-05:002005-01-25T10:49:35.906-05:00

As a new UB feature, I'm intending to take a look over the year at the changes that have taken place in various editions of the Doctrine and Covenants. The best tool to do this is the website Saints Without Halos. They have a nice side-by-side comparison of the D&C changes. These changes get some people excited (FAIR dismisses any significance in such things). They are generally typographical,

Ronannoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1104699615558799002005-01-02T16:00:00.000-05:002005-01-25T10:51:53.916-05:00

Ben Spackman has put together a nice collection of Temple Preparation resources. Kudos to Ben for taking the time to do this. Preparing people to go to the Temple is an important responsibility. The Temple is the crown of LDS worship, but we hardly talk about it, other than "it's wonderful, you should go". Having people ready for the Temple experience whilst being sensitive to its sacred nature

Ronannoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1104586300741154802005-01-01T08:31:00.000-05:002005-01-25T10:52:29.140-05:00

ABC News last night gave this story a brief mention: Muslims and Mormons in Salt Lake City join together to send aid to tsunami victims

Ronannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1104289795217099242004-12-28T21:38:00.000-05:002005-01-25T10:53:04.030-05:00

President Hinckley's CNN appearance has drawn the usual criticisms from ex-Mormons, anti-Mormons, and NOMs. Chief among them is the notion that sure, Hinckley is a nice guy, and an effective CEO, but why does the world's Prophet only receive divine revelation relating to such minor things (in the grand scheme) as, say, the building of the Conference Center? Here's the crux of this matter, and

Ronannoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1103732404031072782004-12-22T11:06:00.000-05:002005-01-25T10:42:06.706-05:00

Let me first wish UB readers a very happy Kwanzaa, Divali, and Hanukkah. I have only felt real fear three times in my life. The first was when I completely lost the road as I was driving at night and ended up in the central reservation. The second was on the NY subway not long after 9/11 when someone shouted "bomb" and the station erupted into chaos. The third was on my mission in Austria when a

Ronannoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1103499752254775852004-12-21T13:44:00.000-05:002005-01-25T10:43:22.286-05:00

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: And suddenly there was with the angel a

Rebeccanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1103551721129977972004-12-20T09:08:00.000-05:002005-01-25T10:44:04.030-05:00

Just to underline (and finish) the thread on Mormon/Early Christian historicity, here's an article by Geza Vermes - doyen of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Historical Jesus - on Matthew's Nativity story. To sum: "The doctrine of the miraculous conception and birth of a God-man was based on a remarkable mistranslation into Greek - wilful or otherwise - of Isaiah's original, quite specific Hebrew

Ronannoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1103206329987660512004-12-16T09:12:00.000-05:002004-12-16T09:12:09.986-05:00

Mychal Massie SLAMS Mormon racism (and Harry Reid)

Rebeccanoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1101765915805723552004-12-15T19:04:00.000-05:002004-12-15T19:01:23.433-05:00

I taught Gospel Doctrine in a branch when I was first married. There was always one member of my class (and I'm sure similar ones are everywhere), who would come out with the most ridiculous, and often prejudiced things. Our Stake President was also in the class, and this same individual would always direct questions to him - me being a woman, and a lot younger than him, obviously I wasn't

Rebeccanoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1102993187029184962004-12-13T21:28:00.000-05:002005-12-09T21:01:54.166-05:00

Often when people become intellectually disillusioned with the Church they still claim to have "faith in Jesus". Apparently Grant Palmer, "still believes in the church because he has refocused his faith on Jesus Christ" (AP). Now, this is all to the good and I applaud anyone who focuses their faith on Jesus (who is, after all, the only name under heaven whereby we may be saved). But, something

Ronannoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1102862151016474732004-12-12T09:20:00.000-05:002004-12-12T09:35:51.016-05:00

The United Brethren were a sect of Primitive Methodists who were organised in the Malvern Hills area of England in the 1830s. They converted en masse to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through the ministry of Elder Wilford Woodruff. Many of them were baptised in a pond belonging to John Benbow, a prominent convert. The United Brethren donated their meetinghouse to the Church, and

Ronannoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1102615705544748042004-12-09T13:41:00.000-05:002004-12-09T13:08:25.543-05:00

Knowledge is power and the Church, whether it likes it or not, faces a new information war. The Grant Palmer case (discussed ad infinitum all over the Bloggernacle), raises interesting issues. A letter in defense of Palmer published in the SL Trib highlights the core of this challenge: "The gap between what is taught in LDS chapels, missionary discussions, etc., about Mormonism's foundational

Ronannoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1102532362107727772004-12-08T13:42:00.000-05:002004-12-08T17:47:27.673-05:00

I have at times made comments in the bloggernacle that have bemoaned the Church's American-bias. I still hold to those, but I would like to point out that in some ways being an American Mormon is a curse as well as a blessing. Two examples: 1. Marriage. There is often much hand-wringing in the Church over the fact that non-member family cannot attend a Mormon couple's wedding. This is indeed a

Ronannoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1102524920025618292004-12-08T11:04:00.000-05:002004-12-08T11:55:20.026-05:00

Since 1833 at Kirtland, the ceremonial laying of a cornerstone has been an integral part of Mormon Temple construction and dedication. Cornerstone ceremonies are also important to Freemasons, and the building of public structures in general. These construction rituals go back to Solomon, and beyond--to the Sumerians and the Egyptians. Often they are accompanied by much fanfare and jubilation, as

Ronannoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696739.post-1101224582985875832004-12-06T09:53:00.000-05:002004-12-07T17:03:31.840-05:00

To follow on from the previous post on the lack of good Mormon music, and to steal an idea from headlife, let's hear some favourite hymns and/or spiritual music that have had an impact on you. I really like the music from 'The Passion of the Christ' Soundtrack. It complimented the film superbly. My favourite piece is 'Mary goes to Jesus', which accompanies a scene where Mary sees Jesus fall on

Rebeccanoreply@blogger.com6