We didn’t see it coming. I went to publish something half-remembered that I had polished up into a post, and discovered it would be the 5,000th post.
So let us pause, and think about what is gathered here: research and rants, conversations and confessions, history and hysterics, polls and provocations.
There have been many, many posts that I hold dear to my heart and go back to over and over, but as I thought about a favorite, the first one I thought of was There once was a sister missionary from Nantucket. It was fairly soon after I had started here, and the community of like minded (and low-minded) Mormons made me giddy. Aside from the erudition and inspiration, BCC has been a community for me, and this is a ridiculous monument to that community.
Feel free to mention your favorites among the 5,000. (Well, 4,9999. This doesn’t count.)
Here are some of my favorites ever from the blog:
Aaron R’s on mourning with those that mourn
The epic BCC/fMh Meme War
Stapley’s post on teaching the Priesthood Ban
Jacob’s inimitable series
Kristine’s pretty much greatest post anyone ever wrote ever
MMiles post on the role of the RS in stabilizing the Church throughout the world
Rebecca’s epic part one of a million post
Russell serious and moving meditation on the burden of sin
Sam Brown’s piece on the stone in the hat
Steve’s classic, never surpassed treatment of the temple garment
Steve Peck’s greatest Mormon poem ever
WVS’s series on the Infinite
A beautiful classic from the ever-missed Kris
Sunny’s post on mourning
JNS’s Thinking the Temple
Hamer’s epic takedown of the Spaulding-Rigdon Theory
Mattsby’s greatest work to date
Karen’s post that yielded the greatest comment thread in the history of history
Mark’s post about Mormon verbal taboo
Scott’s post on white shirts and signaling
BCC’s comment-free series on pornography
And here are a few of my favorites that I’ve contributed:
On the Priesthood/Temple ban
On Healing
On Heavenly Mother
On the War in Heaven
And the Correlation Series
I have had Steve’s post printed and tucked in my scriptures for years.
https://bycommonconsent.com/2005/05/06/coats-of-skins/
Wow this brings back some nice memories. The haiku and limerick posts were so much fun. Can’t believe how long some of us have been hanging out in here.
I’ll reprise here my contributions to the thread linked in the OP:
1. There once was a Mormon named Mitt
Who was presidentially fit
But Christian ire
soon doused that fire
til the fan got hit by the … shaving cream.
2. Feminist Mormon Housewives
Lead very interesting lives.
At home they won’t stay
Barefoot in that way
For which DH continually strives.
Long-time lurker, but want to mention one of my favorites, Stapley’s narration of the lived priesthood in Of Sons and Fathers. https://bycommonconsent.com/2009/10/02/of-sons-and-fathers/
Tracy’s ‘Perverting Modesty’ post came to mind immediately. Changed my life.
https://bycommonconsent.com/2011/07/09/perverting-modesty/
Congratulations, guys. Feels good, doesn’t it?
My favorite is something by WVS; Mormon Temple, How They Work.
(sorry i can’t locate the address at the moment, i hope someone here can help…)
Thanks, DCL. Its been good. Thanks to everyone.
Too many to count. But I second Tracy’s “Perverting Modesty” post and Brad’s “Pride and Gross Iniquity” post. But really, I have learned a lot from posts from every perma and am grateful that they’ve put themselves into their posts and would agree with all of the posts on Brad’s list and with many others.
I don’t have a favorite, I can’t compete with the longtimers who have been here since long before 2006. Just that it was nice it was to find this. What is amazing to me is how posts will remain relevent for a long, long time after their birth.
All of these and more but especially this one, https://bycommonconsent.com/2010/12/27/holy-holy-holy/
Margaret Young’s 2007 “To the Pastor” (https://bycommonconsent.com/2007/05/03/to-the-pastor/) – It was the first post to which I linked on my personal blog. Stunning doesn’t begin to describe it.
Brad’s 2007 “Thoughts on the Meaning of the Birth of Jesus” (https://bycommonconsent.com/2007/05/03/to-the-pastor/) – I will never forget the phrase “Christ’s kingdom of nobodies”.
Jacob’s 2012 “All Eternity Shakes: Mormonism’s Weeping God” (https://bycommonconsent.com/2012/12/14/all-eternity-shakes-mormonisms-weeping-god/) – I printed it, talked about it in my youth Sunday School class and gave a copy to each student – and to my bishop. My bishop said it was of the most profound things he’s ever read.
Too many of Tracy M’s to list, but here are two from BCC I remember vividly:
2008 “Road Trip, or Conversation Happens at the Darndest Times” (https://bycommonconsent.com/2008/10/29/road-trip-or-conversion-happens-at-the-darndest-times/)
2011 “Life Lessons: Small Shoulders” (https://bycommonconsent.com/2008/10/29/road-trip-or-conversion-happens-at-the-darndest-times/)
I’ve linked to two posts from the Bloggernacle each week on my personal blog for nearly three years now. The large majority of them have come from BCC. In other words, there are lots more, but the above are the ones that came to mind first.
This one time, this jerk put up a post about W. being a Satanist or something. What was that about?
Let’s not forget to honor the commenters. GST, Ray, Ken, Jason Wharton.
Little curtains and Grand AMs.
You all have already mentioned many of my favorites. Here are a few more that I don’t think have come up yet. Two from Kristine:
I Pray You…Bear My Joy Awhile
The Foolish Virgins and the Song of Songs: a Wistful Exegesis for Advent
Scott B.’s Seeking Pastoral Care at BYU.
Cynthia L.’s alternative infographics, for example: here
Karen H.’s Come Ye Poets of the Bloggernacle!
The PBR series has been consistently hilarious. Also, I have fond memories of Steve Evans’s Friday Firestorms. Really, you all have so many good writers saying so many interesting things so eloquently that I have a difficult time picking favorites. Thanks for giving me so much good stuff to chew on, BCC, and congrats on 5000 posts!
Ziff, I’m glad you’ve been along for the memories.
I feel moved to stand (sit) here today and say something profound and/or complimentary. Except my memory broke a couple of years ago, and I can’t think of any particular posts, nor could I find them without a link. Not that I’m not enjoying the links in the comments. (Keep ’em coming.) I don’t keep links of blog posts much, but perhaps I should. I do, however, have a bunch of music links that I gleaned from Kristine. I have been known to mentally stand up and cheer after reading something from the sistern here at BCC. Sorry guys; I’m not enough of a scholar to follow your advanced-degree hobbies, though I read them more than you’d think. I’ve learned a lot, and I consider myself thoroughly inoculated by now. I just relate better to the women; I like the way the gals here think. I’m content to lurk on the fringes of this odd sort of community. Happy 5K and many more!