As I’m sure you already know, last Sunday the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent an official letter to congregations throughout California asking the members of the church to “do all you can to support the proposed constitutional amendment by donating of your means and time to assure that marriage in California is legally defined as being between a man and a woman.” The full letter is available on the official church website.

In an interesting contrast, the presumptive Democratic Party nominee for President of the United States, Barack Obama, has issued a letter of his own addressed to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club which was read at the group’s annual Pride Breakfast. In the letter, not only does he express strong opposition to the California amendment, but he goes even further and advocates “repealing the Defense of Marriage Act and the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy.”

I hope those of you who might be a little offended by the title of this video, will watch it anyway. Not only does it represent an amazing accomplishment, but I love the way it brings so many cultures and so many of God’s children together in a silly, but surprisingly touching display of cross-cultural connectedness.

I believe that dance is part of our human soul and represents a fundamental part of what it means to be human and a child of God.

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

Hat tip: North Temple

The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life has released the results of a new Survey on Religious Belief and Politics in America (pdf).

More than three-quarters of American adults (78%) believe there are absolute standards of right and wrong, with a majority (52%) saying they rely primarily on practical experience and common sense for guidance regarding right and wrong. Far fewer say they rely mainly on their religious beliefs (29%), and fewer still say they rely on philosophy and reason (9%) or scientific information (5%). Only among Jehovah’s Witnesses (73%), Mormons (58%) and members of evangelical churches (52%) do majorities say they rely primarily on their religion for guidance about right and wrong.

Some of the interesting findings:

• 39% of Mormons surveyed agreed to the statement that “Many religions can lead to eternal life” (Compare: Protestant 66%, Catholic 79%, JW 16%, Muslim 56%, Jewish 82%)
• 100% of Mormons Surveyed believe in God in some form (Compare: Protestant 98%, Catholic 97%, JW 98%, Muslim 92%, Jewish 83%, Atheist 21% ??)

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:

Join the community effort to beta test the next version of the Online Edition of the LDS Scriptures .

Details at the official LDS Tech forum

Since the California Supreme Court struck down the state’s ban on same sex marriage yesterday, I have seen a number of people make an argument that has been accumulating disciples during the last few years. A growing number argue that marriage should be left to religion, and that the government should “get out of the marriage business.”

While this view may sound reasonable and is a seductive sounding solution, I believe it is overly simplified, contrary to history and good government, and ultimately a pernicious proposal.

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'...

A few month’s ago, I arrived late to church and as I scurried across the parking lot with three small children to try to make it in time to take the sacrament, I noticed something so awesome that I just had to stop. Despite our tardiness, the freezing cold, and the fact that we were probably going to miss the central purpose of attending church every Sunday (again!), I fumbled around in my pocket for my phone to snap a picture, trying to ignore the children’s whining remonstrations and arm tugging.

I think that this photo is nicely symbolic. Or it at least implies a story. What it symbolizes, however, or what the story is, is up to you. Submit your photo caption suggestions in the comments or by email.

The winner will be announced next Week.

I have discussed and debated the Intelligent Design vs Evolution issues numerous times both online and in person, but I have not felt a need to broach the subject very much on this blog until now.

It is a complex debate and I have no illusions about easily resolving it for anyone else. Those of you who have discussed this issue with me before know that I lean strongly toward the Intelligent Design side of the controversy, though I have some reservations about a number of the political goals of the movement.

I do intend to go see the new documentary film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, which opened last Friday, if I can make some time this week.

My thoughts here, however, were prompted by reading this blog post by BYU Professor Steven L. Peck . Brother Peck certainly has impressive credentials, and so I hesitate to respond to what he has written for the honest recognition that the topic may simply be beyond my skill and understanding. However, despite my worries, I will share my thoughts.

I have waited to comment on the situation down in Texas where the Texas government has removed over 400 children from their parents with allegations of abuse until there was more information available.

The situation distresses me for a number of reasons.

It wouldn’t be appropriate to go into details here on my blog, but a number of years ago I was involved in a brief legal struggle over some abused children. Having reported abuse to child protection services, I quickly discovered that unless there is physical evidence of abuse (bruises, dislocated or broken bones, etc.), the chances of getting abused children removed from their parents into the safety of state care are practically nil.

It is extremely frustrating and heartbreaking to talk to an abused child who has trusted you and to have to tell them that there is nothing you can do because they haven’t been hurt badly enough yet to deserve protection from the government’s Child Protection Services.

At the same time, through this process I did learn that there are very strong legal protections for parental rights in the United States, and that is something that I strongly support.

“The face of sin today often wears the Halloween mask of tolerance. Do not be deceived. Behind that facade is heartache, unhappiness, and pain. You know what is right and what is wrong, and no disguise, however appealing, can change that truth. The character of transgression remains the same. If your so called friends urge you to do anything you know to be wrong, you be the one to make a stand for right, even if you stand alone. Have the moral courage to be a light for others to follow. There’s no friendship more valuable than your own clear conscience, your own moral cleanliness…”

President Thomas S. Monson
Priesthood Session, April 2008 Conference
In his first address as President of the LDS Church

This weekend we are holding the annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Every year I try to post links to MP3 audio and other Internet resources as they become available. This conference will include the sustaining of Thomas S. Monson as the President of the High Priesthood and Prophet.

MP3 Audio
These are links to the earliest available audio I can find. They will be replaced by links to the MP3s at the church website as they are posted.

Saturday Morning Session
Entire Session
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Elder Russell M. Nelson
Elder Ronald A. Rasband
Sister Cheryl C. Lant
Elder Kenneth Johnson
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
President Henry B. Eyring

Saturday Afternoon Session

Sunday Morning Session

Sunday Afternoon Session

Streaming Video
Live Video, streamed over the Internet, as well as archived recordings of completed sessions is available on demand through BYU and KSL. We have been watching conference through BYU.tv for several years now and love it. The video player only works on Windows or Mac OS X (Sorry Linux Users!). This year KSL appears to be using the same player as BYU.tv, so they may be actually the same source. Also, the church is officially providing a Video Podcast for the first time this year (see the podcast section below).

Sorry that my blog has been so silent lately…I have been up to my ears in more important responsibilities.

But since today are the Utah State Neighborhood Caucuses, I wanted to encourage all of you to attend your Precinct meeting tonight.

I have been involved with my local precincts for a number of years now.

Did you know that unless you participate in the Caucuses tonight it is very likely that some of your elected representatives will be put into office without you having a say in it? For some elections the winner is decided only by those delegates you elect in your caucuses, so that there is never a primary or general election vote.

A friend of mine spent the time to quickly write a Beginner’s Guide to the Utah Neighborhood Caucuses, which I am posting here for those of you who want to understand what the caucus is for and why it is important that you attend.

Over the last few years in both public and private discussions about apostasy from the church, I have encountered an increasingly frequent complaint. It goes something like this:

“Practicing Mormons incorrectly attribute all apostasy to sin. There are many, many sinners in the church who do not leave. People leave the church for a variety of reasons, but it is not because they are sinners.”

In their own minds, they leave the church because they have discovered apparent incongruities that lead them to believe the Church is not true.

Of course everyone within and without the church sins. But when members say that people “leave the church because of sin” it is an idiomatic shorthand. What they mean is that people leave the church because they are unrepentant for their sin. We are all sinners, but we are not all penitent. Justification of sin eventually leads the unrepentant to leave the church.

The notion that those who reject the Gospel do so because of sin is not a just a cultural invention, it comes from the scriptures.

Transcripts, mp3 audio, and video of the World Wide Leadership Training Meeting originally held on February 9th, 2008 by the LDS Church on the topic of “Building Up a Righteous Posterity” are now available online at the official church website:

Building Up a Righteous Posterity

All adult members of the church were encouraged to attend. If you weren’t able to do so, find some time to watch it online, or download the mp3 audio to listen to at your leisure on your iPod or other portable mp3 player.