I was reading some LDS blogs earlier this week and happened upon this cryptic post about how “Someone else shouldnt decide if I can write a book, and which course I should pursue in the process. […] When our founding fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776, they gave…
Why the LDS brand matters
General David Petraeus discusses Iraq & Afghanistan war strategy with BYU students: Petraeus began his remarks by listing the Top 10 reasons BYU students make such great soldiers: Number One – They understand how far Iraq has come over the past seven years. In fact, they think that Iraq’s old…
atheist v. Muslim – part 1
I play soccer on occasion during the lunch hour at my university. One of the other players (probably the best player) is an Iranian-American, “H”, who is also Muslim (he’s in IT). He asked me what I teach and when I told him Sociology of Religion, he became very interested….
BYU in the 1970s
In “The Feminine Mystique”, Betty Friedan wrote about the “problem with no name”. Women (mostly middle class white women) had left the workforce after WWII to work full time at home. And yet some women found themselves unfulfilled and often depressed. Some had lost their identity by devoting their lives…
Sunday in Outer Blogness: Creation Edition!
It has been a big week for the arts!! First of all, check out Tom Clark‘s gorgeous book of photographs: The Utah Collection. (It’s a little bit NSFW, otherwise I’d post a picture of the cover here for you.) We’ve watched Tom build this collection over the past year, and…
What is it with Utah and standing ovations?
Before Kevin Garn got his Big O, Cardinal Francis George brought a BYU crowd of 12,000 to their feet. I just threw up a little in my mouth.
Sunday in Outer Blogness: Reporting Live Edition!
This is Chanson, reporting live (as usual) from my desk in Switzerland. But is seems like everybody else is reporting from some conference or convention or other. First of all, we have live coverage — straight from Australia — of the Global Atheist Convention! Daniel has heard fascinating talks and…
BYU Management Society to award NOM director Orson Scott Card
X-posted. From the press release: The Washington, D.C. Chapter of the BYU Management Society (BYUMS-DC) announced today that it would honor best-selling author and columnist Orson Scott Card at its annual Gala Dinner on April 24, 2010. Card will receive the chapter’s Distinguished Public Service Award and will deliver keynote…
Sunday in Outer Blogness: Clash of Perspectives Edition!
I have often heard the criticism that Latter-day Saints classify everyone who disagrees with our beliefs as “anti-Mormon.” Of course, the people who say this are usually anti-Mormons. Am I proving their point? I don’t think so. — McKay Coppins, Mormon Times Uh… How to begin to respond to such…