Honoring the prophets

Actually heard someone say that the honors given to recent prophets by governmental leaders is proof that God and God’s laws are unchanging. Really? It signifies that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever that the US government now honors Mormon leaders instead of trying to imprison them? Guess it must be valid logic, since it came over the pulpit…

Being forgiven

Actual sacrament meeting quote: “Even though he was wicked, he was forgiven.” Well, yeah—I mean, what other kind of person can receive forgiveness? (Aside from hyperdevout Mormons, I suppose—they never sin, but apparently get forgiven anyway.)

Work parties

I always wonder when someone talks about putting together a quorum “work party”. Seems vaguely Orwellian to me (if only ’cause if there’s work, you know there ain’t no party!)—well, unless you’re talking about a “Worker’s Party”, in which case it would simply be proof that the church in the Eastern US really is more left-leaning than the church in the West!

Earning God’s trust

Serious thought: Can we ever actually “earn the trust” of God in the same way we earn the trust of mortals? After all, trust among mortals is based on, well, trust—a belief that one will not violate expectations. God, however, has knowledge of whether we’ll violate expectations. Therefore, while one can violate a mortal’s trust, if there’s a divine analogue it can’t be violated, since it wouldn’t be “given” in a situation where it would eventually be violated. One certainly can violate one’s trust in oneself, though—I wonder if that’s related to all this somehow.

A burning in the bosom

I have felt the influence and inspiration of the Holy Spirit on many occasions, but i have never felt anything i would describe as a “burning in the bosom”. Of course, i’ve never had heartburn, either.

Fighting, then dying

In honor of Valentine’s Day:

I loathe, absolutely loathe, the attempted-glurge tragic stories about a couple getting into an argument followed by one of them dying, leaving the other filled with a lifelong guilt about it. Therefore, a public announcement to Jeanne, my wife: If you yell at me right before i die, you have my permission to know we would have worked it all out soon enough, and you shouldn’t feel guilty. Arguing happens in a relationship, but making up does too, and it’s worth not forgetting that.

The Ammonites

Ah, yes, the Book of Mormon talks about the Ammonites. I remember reading about them—they’re a class of sea creatures from millions of years ago, sort of nautilus-looking, very well attested in the fossil record, right?

The centrality of sealings?

Serious thought: Those who die before reaching the age of eight need no proxy ordinances, save sealing to parents. Maybe it’s sealing that’s hypercentral, and all the other sorts of things (priesthood ordination, baptism, and so on) are necessary only insofar as they allow sealings of parents and children to be efficacious. I may be completely wrong, of course, but it’s an intriguing line of thought (especially since those who die as small children don’t even need to be sealed to a spouse, apparently).

Chickens!

Actual sacrament meeting quote: “We just ran around squawking like chickens* with our heads cut off!” Squawking?! Out of what mouths?

* By way of an inside joke, i apologize to my sister for the horrible suppressed eye-twitch-inducing childhood memories this subject brings up.

Important birthdays

There are a few important milestone birthdays in anyone’s life. You know, first birthday, turning sixteen, turning eighteen—and for Mormons specifically, turning eight or twelve.

But the most important birthday of all, the one that gives rise to the greatest and most wonderful celebration? The one I get to experience this week—when the youngest child in the family finally turns eighteen months old, and her parents finally get to actually participate in their church meetings.

It’s been a long time coming.

I don’t like fasting

I will freely admit that i have never had a spiritual experience resulting from fasting. I’m very happy that others apparently do, but i’d really like it if people would stop talking about fasting like it’s an inherently spiritual thing for everybody. For some of us* it’s a cross to be endured.

* Like, oh, to pick a group completely not at random, those of us with chronically low blood pressure…