[I have blogged at a number of different places previous to starting Sixteen Small Stones, and in an effort to consolidate my writing, I will be posting some of my previous content from elsewhere, here.]
The Savior’s Lemonade
Originally written August 8th, 2005
I am not a big fan of hot weather. In fact, I spend a good deal of summertime wishing it were springtime or fall-time. However, there is one thing that happens only in summer that makes the heat worth it to me: I love to see children sitting out on street corners, under umbrellas conscripted to parasol service and makeshift signs, selling lemonade, soda, cookies, or whatever.
I am pleased to announce a new LDS Blog Portal focusing on mainstream and orthodox LDS blogs and bloggers:
The Prophets of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have repeatedly emphasized the importance of Motherhood to both the stability and happiness of our earthly society as well as its central importance in the eternal plan for our salvation.
This month, Elder Henry B. Eyring reminds us again of the importance of motherhood in his message from the First Presidency of the Church :
In our own time we have been warned with counsel on where to find safety from sin and from sorrow. One of the keys to recognizing those warnings is that they are repeated. For instance, more than once in general conferences, you have heard our prophet say that he would quote a preceding prophet and would therefore be a second witness and sometimes even a third. Each of us old enough to listen heard President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) give counsel on the importance of a mother in the home and then heard President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) quote him, and we have heard President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) quote them both.
Following this counsel from the prophets represents a great sacrifice for many women and men. My own mother made that sacrifice, despite her disinclination toward those things often associated with motherhood, and endured the scorn of her own feminist generation for choosing to stay at home and be a mother. She has since testified that it was the right decision and she has been blessed for her humility.
There is a heartbreaking article by Rebecca Walker , who is the daughter of famed feminist icon and author of “The Color Purple” Alice Walker, where she discusses the damage caused by her mothers fanatical feminism. She says:
On of my favorite works by C. S. Lewis is his last published academic book, The Discarded Image: An introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature. The book was published in 1964, the year following his death on November 1963.
Part of the book features some interesting thoughts on Science:
The business of the natural philosopher is to construct theories which will 'save appearances'...
In June, the Barna Group published a new study examining the numbers, lifestyles and self-perceptions of American atheists and agnostics in contrast to those who actively participate in the Christian faith. The “No-Faith” segment was defined as anyone who openly identified themselves as an atheist, an agnostic, or who specifically said they have “no faith.” “Active Faith” was defined as simply having gone to church, read the Bible and prayed during the week preceding the survey. The study says:
- 9% of Americans self identify in the “No Faith” group (1/11 adults, or 20 million).
- Only about five million adults, however, unequivocally use the label “atheist” and staunchly reject the existence of God.
- “No-Faith” individuals are younger, likely male, unmarried, college graduates, and earn more.
- The proportion of atheists and agnostics increases from 6% of Elders (ages 61+) and 9% of Boomers (ages 42-60), to 14% of Busters (23-41) and 19% of adult Mosaics (18-22).
The official church new website has posted transcripts of interviews with Elder Oaks and President Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for the recent PBS Documentary “The Mormons.”
Excerpt from Elder Oaks:
I have written about this before, but wanted to cover some of the same topics in the context of the issue in Utah of distributing “In God We Trust” posters to be displayed in the public school classrooms.
When those with more liberal views than I say that the nation as the founders established it was not a Christian Nation, they are superficially correct. However, the nation was arguably founded explicitly as a Theistic Nation, a fact which they often ignore or deny. And Christianity had an undeniable influence on the formation of the United States and its government even if it was not explicitly Christian. While there was to be no established religious sect or creed, the government and nation were expected to officially recognize the authority of a vague, generic Supreme Creator as the source and judge of their laws and actions and to recognize the necessity of His approbation of their collective actions.
