By Common Consent, a Mormon Blog

Among her many talents, Kiskilili has the ability to speak without vowels. She is currently pursuing a degree in Assyriology (or would be if she could stop blogging) and is subject to a recurrent fantasy of moving into a library.

In the anthropological sense, “magic” is often used to refer to the manipulation of supernatural forces without respect to volition. Interacting with a personal deity, however, typically differs: one can implore a deity to behave in a particular way, and one can even submit to a law that arguably constrains even God. But incantations toward a deity using magical formulae which a personal, powerful, wise God is required to honor are, to my knowledge, observed infrequently. Read the rest of this entry »

A festschrift is a book published in honor of a renowned academician by his/her former students and close colleagues, meaning something like celebratory publication in German. Several Mormons have been so honored: Hugh Nibley, Eugene England, Richard L. Anderson and Leonard Arrington come to mind. However, I’ve never seen one for Wayne Booth, the deceased author of The Rhetoric of Fiction, among his other universally acclaimed works. Booth was also a frequent observer of Mormonism, the faith that reared him, set him on his way and then allowed him to come back and sack out in the basement of Sunstone every now and then[1]. How important was this guy? He was arguably the most important U.S. figure in literary theory in the 20th Century. If I were ever asked to contribute to an Essays in Honor of Wayne Booth collection, it would be the essay I’ve posted below called “The Rhetoric of Cheerleading.” In fact, consider this a Wayne Booth Festblog. I invite each of you to make your own contribution in his honor. Read the rest of this entry »

I remember traveling through Italy a few years ago where, at various times during our trip, every method of public transportation was on strike. In Venice, even the taxi boats were on strike, stranding us at our hostel on one of the nearby islands. We couldn’t even hail so much as a gondola to take us back to the mainland. But, since it didn’t make a difference to us whether we stayed an extra day here or there, we took it all in stride and busied ourselves eating more grapes and chocolate until a Fabio look alike rescued us with his private yacht. Read the rest of this entry »

On Sunday, March 27, 1836, 416 saints pressed into the temple at Kirtland. President Rigdon read the 96th and 24th Psalms after which a choir sang. President Rigdon spoke on revelation and the power to seal. The choir sang again and Joseph Smith was sustained as a Prophet, Seer and Revelator by the various quorums and then the saints together. Read the rest of this entry »

Yesterday’s home teaching visit confirmed my suspicions: none of you read the Ensign. If you did, then I think this piece in March’s News of the Church would have been blogged about: “Standardized Meetinghouses Worldwide Give More Members a Place to Worship.”

Apparently, the Church is rolling out a new standard plan for its meetinghouses.

“Under the Worldwide Standard Plan Program, most building options can be expanded according to growth. If substantial growth is anticipated in an area, a “phased” building may be built. When the need arises to expand the building to accommodate larger or additional wards, the original building can be added to, with each phase being added like another puzzle piece.” Read the rest of this entry »

Most mormons — especially LIBERAL mormons — don’t do their home teaching. In view of this plight, we at BCC offer you a remedy: a home teaching visit from Ronan and myself, through the miracle of the Internet, delivered to your home (on the last Sunday of the month, of course). Through us, the teachings of the First Presidency will permeate your screen and fill your whole house with light. Additionally, we will report back to the Church all of your family problems (abuse, apostasy, intellectualism, etc.), so that your local councils will be up to date. Please email your personal family problems to familywatchmen@lds.org.

On with the show! Read the rest of this entry »

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A few years back, a friend of mine — who shall remain namefull (Logan Bobo) — and I worked together and had a mutual acquaintance. Britney was usually good for a laugh around the proverbial water cooler. Until one day when she told us of how she had recently found out something about her husband, which, had she known in the past, would have caused her never to marry him in the first place! At the time, Logan and I were shocked (and curious, actually, we never found out what that one thing was). Read the rest of this entry »

So, some poor ex-Muslim bloke in Afghanistan is in deep doo-doo for converting to Christianity. Do not fear, says Mr. Karzai, we’ll figure it out. This doesn’t change the utter nonsense here: a man “apostasizes” from Islam and so must go to jail (or worse). That’s crazy stuff. Read the rest of this entry »

As great as the Beatles were in their individual careers (the inclusion of Ringo as great is questionable here, but I suggest “It Don’t Come Easy” squeaks him by), something was definitely lost when they disbanded. The whole was truly greater than the sum of the parts. I guess it’s possible that McCartney’s “Yesterday,” “Hey Jude” and “Let it Be” could have been written with Wings, but I seriously doubt it. Which leads ineluctably to the next question–what about the original Fab Four: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John? No, I’m not asking whether McCartney could have written the gospels after the Beatles folded (or before, although it makes you wonder), but whether the four gospels harmonized as a whole are greater than the sum of their accounts individually? Let’s explore this issue.

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I spent the weekend in Seattle, ostensibly to attend a conference, but also to determine the worthiness of the Seattle area bloggernacle luminaries. Here’s what I learned:

0.5 The sun always shines on Steve Evans. Note that Stapley and Aaron are in darkness. They are all, however, at the right hand of….

0.75 …Justin Butterfield is one of the Three Nephites.

Read the rest of this entry »

D&C 131:1-4 reads as follows:

In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; And if he does not, he cannot obtain it. He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase.

These words represent comments on the priesthood from Joseph to Benjamin F. Johnson and his wife on 16 May 1843 at the home of William G. Perkins in Ramus, Illinois, as recorded by William Clayton in his journal, which is the source for them.  This material was first published in the Deseret News on 24 September 1856, and was included in the 1876 edition of the D&C (which is when the bracketed editorial insertion was also made).
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Okay, we’ve all read this little note scribbled in the JST bible manuscript: “The Songs of Solomon are not Inspired Writings.” This is attributed to Joseph Smith himself, but I suspect someone somewhere is writing an article to be published by FARMS demonstrating that DNA found on the page shows that this was not written by Joseph but by one of his scribes, thereby letting Joseph off the hook. But, for argument’s sake, let’s assume this statement comes from the Prophet himself. If so, then why does the D&C quote from the Song of Solomon on several occasions? Read the rest of this entry »

On April 7th, 1842, Joseph Smith received a revelation instructing the establishment of a new organization parallel to the church. Since its inception, this organization has been referred to as the Council of Fifty, though the true name is quite different. It is an organization that has captured the fancy of many, both sympathetic and critical of Mormonism, yet it remains somewhat enigmatic for want of public documentation (1). In short, Joseph Smith ordained the council to be the governing body of the world, with himself as its King. Read the rest of this entry »

Just when you think all is well in Zion, an internet essay comes to your attention that promptly disabuses you of your naive sense of safety. I just read “Who are the Signaturi?”, in which the author attempts to identify a deadly cancer within the LDS community, and save all of us from falling prey to its malignant influence. Apparently, there is a dangerous dissident movement in the Church today, made all the more sinister by the refusal of its members to reveal their true feelings and intentions. Who are these wolves-in-sheep’s-clothing? Is my Elders Quorum instructor one of them? My hometeacher? My fellow bloggers? This beastly clique of Satan’s minions masquerades as a group of faithful Churchmembers, but don’t be fooled … they are biding their time until they have the numbers and strength to wreak havoc on the righteous!. Personally, I would have named them the “Gadiantoni,” or the “neo-Gadianton Robbers,” but I guess “Signaturi” will do. Read the rest of this entry »

Some highlights from the list of failures:

1976 (age 4): I awaken after bedtime, needing a trip to the little boy’s room. I am happy to be able to do these things myself. Unfortunately, I am still dreaming: the “toilet” is a kitchen drawer that I’ve pulled open and begun urinating into with company present. The first of many such incidents, sadly.

1977 (age 5): Having seen Star Wars 7 times, I attempt to kill my sister with my lightsaber. Paper towel rolls prove to be nonlethal instruments. Fortunately, opportunities for sororicide continue to present themselves.

1980 (age 8 ): I open my eyes underwater during baptism to see my sins being washed away. Water gets up my nose, but I see nothing unusual, nor does my Pooh Bear, sitting near the font. Parents question my attachment to said Bear. This attachment will naturally fade over time, around the time I first notice Susanna Hoffs.
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I’ve been reading a pretty interesting book for one of my classes: “A Spy for all Seasons” by Duane Clarridge. He’s a fairly egotistical but clearly bright man who spent years in the Clandestine Services at the CIA. He spends a fair amount of the book commenting on other people’s careers, strengths, and ineptitudes–which is both fascinating and makes me grit my teeth in annoyance. Eventually he got to a Mormon (who’s name was changed to protect his identity). Read the rest of this entry »

Once upon a time when we studied the OT in Gospel Doctrine class, we discussed Isaiah 28:9-13. My wife was asked to be the reader; she stood and read the passage, which I have pasted below from Infobases (brackets indicate italicized words):

9 ¶ Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? [them that are] weaned from the milk, [and] drawn from the breasts.

10 For precept [must be] upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little:

11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

12 To whom he said, This [is] the rest [wherewith] ye may cause the weary to rest; and this [is] the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Read the rest of this entry »

A lawyer, scientist and engineer sit talking about God. “I’m telling you, God’s a scientist–he cloned Eve from Adam,” says the scientist. “No, he’s an engineer–he constructed the heavens and the earth before he made humans,” says the engineer. Both of them look at the lawyer, who seems stumped. Then the lawyer speaks up, “No, you’re both wrong. Before the heavens and the earth were created there was chaos–now just who do you think created that?” Well, at any rate, God is a creator. My question today: what does it mean to be created in the image of a creator? Read the rest of this entry »

So I was sitting in Priesthood a few weeks ago when good ol’ Wilford Woodruff was quoted as to saying something about the Church’s amazing growth. This, of course, sparked positive comments from the Elders including the classic false superlative “fastest growing Church.” After a few more comments / proverbial pats on the back for our Church’s amazing growth, I made my comment. Read the rest of this entry »

KJV Acts 20:28 reads as follows:

“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”

Translations seem to be about evenly divided between those that read at the end of the verse something like the KJV’s “with his own blood” and those that read something like “with the blood of his son.” Trying to determine the better reading is an interesting exercise that involves textual criticism, grammar and theology. First I will lay out the possibilities, then I will discuss them, finally indicating where I would come down on this question. Read the rest of this entry »

Note: although this is posted in my name, in fact it is a collective statement by Steve Evans, Ronan, Ed Snow, Davis Bell, Kaimipono Wenger, Karen Hall, Kris Wright, J. Stapley, Aaron Brown, Elisabeth Calvert Smith, John Hatch, and me.

*****

Just before a mass baptism of the people that he led, Alma explained the baptismal covenant. The ordinance is for those who

are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death (Mosiah 18:8-9).

If these requirements are binding on us “at all times and in all things, and in all places,” then surely they apply to our interactions within the world of the Mormon internet. We have all, at times, failed in our obligation to comfort and bear the burdens of others within our community, and we recommit here to do better.

Accordingly, we pledge: Read the rest of this entry »

Do I have any moral responsibility for what goes on in the ‘nacle? Should we all be blamed for what others write? Let’s examine the opposite concept first, should we get credit for the bloggernacle as a whole because we are participants? This is of course a loaded concept in Mormonism, but I’m proud to be part of this community. I learn from you all, I find comfort from your words, I laugh with you even though I don’t know most of you. There is something surprising and fresh and real about our community, and I’m proud of it. Does pride connote ownership and responsibility? Read the rest of this entry »

As I indicated earlier, study is a form of worship for me. Also, it just so happens that worship is something I study. Is that circular in some way? Is it like hooking up a transmitter from your mouth to your brain so you can tell your brain what to think? (I vaguely recall this as a surgical procedure once performed by Buckaroo Bonzai.) I suggest it is a peculiar thing when you start studying your own worship, your own faith. Read the rest of this entry »

Jacob can run a mile in under six minutes. He can easily eat a half dozen pieces of pizza in a sitting. His pants are getting too short again. The writing is on the wall — he is growing up. Perhaps nothing underscores this reality more than the fact that he turned twelve this weekend. Read the rest of this entry »