This past weekend I was, for the umpteenth time, reading the writings of a certain LDS apostate held in high regard by many who make criticism of the Church their avocation. I don’t want to name this apostate; indeed, his name is not important. Instead, I want to review my thoughts on one particular aspect of his writings. It is these thoughts that others may find of value. (Or not; I hold no illusions that my writings are of any intrinsic value, other than when they provide a springboard for introspection within others.)
General
Gordon B. Hinckley, 1910–2008
I’m certain this is not the first place people turn for news, but in case you missed it, President Hinckley passed away Sunday, January 27.
Here are some links to early news reports:
http://www.abc4.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=42aeb7e1-2f99-492c-926d-c6d2d26cdc1a
http://www.kutv.com/content/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=aedea6c9-7797-40e8-a1e5-1e7a54050390
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_8095453
EDIT:
Here’s the official announcement from the Church:
Discussing Mormonism with Anne
Jan Brown, a freelance writer, apologist, and ministry consultant, wrote an interesting article at Christianity Today. The article is not that bad, from an Evangelical Christian’s perspective. There are, however, a few things that just jumped out at me as I was reading through the piece.
Intelligence and Belief
Periodically I run into statements which imply or directly state that those who believe in the tenets of Mormonism are less intelligent than those who believe in other Christian faiths, or those who have somehow rid themselves of any beliefs whatsoever and thereby transcended the stupidity of Mormons.
A Refreshing Sorta-Mormon Celebrity
An interesting article from GetReligion.org came across the wires today. I know there are lots of people who play the “which celebrity is Mormon” game. This is a celebrity I never knew about; seems Katherine Heigl spent a good part of her youth in the Church.
Getting Into Heaven
What does it take to get into heaven? Interesting question.
Every six months I join thousands of others going to General Conference. Every April and October that means that I get to visit with the street preachers, who (in the name of Christianity) are more than happy to consign people to hell. After seeing them every six months however, they’ve gotten a bit used to me and I’ve gotten a bit used to them. We aren’t sending Christmas cards to each other, but it’s not unusual to wish each other well. (Other than the going to hell thing, of course.)
Salvation by Works or Salvation by Grace – Who Really Believes What?
Critics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claim that LDS members are not Christian because they do not believe in salvation through the grace of Christ. They claim that LDS believe in a “works based” salvation.
[Read more…] about Salvation by Works or Salvation by Grace – Who Really Believes What?
Deseret News Launches New Weekly Section on Mormons
The Deseret News announced today that it launched a new section called Mormon Times. In the words of the newspaper’s editor, the section “will contain articles that will inform and edify Latter-day Saints and others who are interested in LDS religion and culture.”
[Read more…] about Deseret News Launches New Weekly Section on Mormons
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As part of our stated mission to defend the Church, its doctrines, leaders and practices, we at FAIR recognize the power of the “bloggernacle” and it’s utility in discussing difficult and controversial topics. For that reason, FAIR has chosen to use this medium as a way of discussing topics relevant to Mormon Apologetics.
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