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LDS Miscellany through a Berkeley Lens
Episodes
Sunday Sep 06, 2020
Sunday Sep 06, 2020
Welcome to season 3! We introduce our themes for the year, and after that take a deep dive on baptism.
This year we’ll be focusing on change in the church, and how our expectations of true doctrine clash with the realities of a people-led church.
Notes:
“I’m coming to the conclusion that 1933 was the hinge upon which modern Mormonism pivoted: It was the year BH Roberts died and J Reuben Clark joined the First Presidency, thus marking the sunset of one potential Mormon trajectory and the dawn of another.” -Benjamin Park
https://twitter.com/BenjaminEPark/status/1299770339971526656
Wikipedia for B. H. Roberts and J. Reuben Clark:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._H._Roberts
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Reuben_Clark
David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism, by Gregory A Prince
https://www.amazon.com/David-McKay-Rise-Modern-Mormonism/dp/0874808227
Comic on B.H. Roberts, from The Garden of Enid: Adventures of a Weird Mormon Girl, Part One, by Scott Givens (click ‘look inside’ and search for doubts)
4th article of faith
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/pgp/a-of-f/1.4#4
Gospel topics: Baptism
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/baptism
D&C 76
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/76
Eric’s lecture on the first vision:
Gospel topic on the vision, or D&C 76. See especially the vido linked therein:
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/the-vision-dc-76
D&C 19:15-19
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/19.15-19#15
Sin Does Not Exist: And Believing That It Does Is Ruining Us, by S. Richard Bellrock
https://www.sunstonemagazine.com/sin-does-not-exist/
A Monopoly on Exaltation, by user Ziff
https://zelophehadsdaughters.com/2020/08/24/a-monopoly-on-exaltation/
The Mediator, by Boyd K. Packer. ← Powerful atonement talk
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1977/04/the-mediator
Twitter thread on the Mediator, see several links here:
Thursday Jul 30, 2020
Thursday Jul 30, 2020
The second season of Face in Hat concluded with the previous episode regarding Christopher Columbus and Black Lives Matter. We'll be starting our third season this fall with more episodes, continuing as part of the Dialogue podcasting network.
In the meantime, enjoy Eric’s lecture, "Triangulating God: Eighty-seven Angles on the First Vision." In it, Eric approaches the question of "how to explain an experience no one shares? Joseph Smith struggled throughout his life to explain the First Vision and now Latter-day Saint artists take up this impossible mantle.” Part of an ongoing series on the First Vision through the Oakland California Stake.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFSicnZ3B3k
Tuesday Jun 02, 2020
Tuesday Jun 02, 2020
“Bioshock Infinite can make you feel uncomfortable.” - Kevin VanOrd. So will 2020. We talk about civic religion in the video game Bioshock Infinite and how it relates to the apotheosis of Christopher Columbus and racism in the church. We end with a discussion of the current nationwide protests and affirm that #BlackLivesMatter.
We thank @BenjaminEPark for two twitter threads that inspired this episode and we cite him extensively. See https://twitter.com/benjaminepark/status/1164696231634976768 and https://twitter.com/BenjaminEPark/status/1267489043840827392.
Bioshock infinite trailer: https://youtu.be/EsJ55BzIvkE
Bioshock infinite review by Kevin VanOrd review from GameSpot: https://youtu.be/jSA9AsdBh00
The Apotheosis of Washington vs. Bioshock Infinite’s Garden of New Eden
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Apotheosis_of_Washington
https://bioshock.fandom.com/wiki/Garden_of_New_Eden (see the Entryway to Eden)
Benjamin Park’s thread
https://twitter.com/benjaminepark/status/1164696231634976768
Land of Promise in The Book of Mormon, by Tyler Livingston (note, on the show I said Orson Hyde added the footnote to 1 Ne 13:12, but it was Orson Pratt)
https://www.fairmormon.org/blog/2010/09/16/land-of-promise-in-the-book-of-mormon
Christopher Coloumbus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus
Visit of eminent spirits to Wilford Woodruff (include Ezra Taft Benson quote)
https://josephsmithfoundation.org/wiki/eminent-spirits-appear-to-wilford-woodruff
References for Book of Mormon commentary by George Reynolds
https://gospeldoctrine.com/book-mormon/1-nephi/1-nephi-13
George Reynolds: Loyal Friend of the Book of Mormon, by Bruce A. Van Orden
Columbian Exchange
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbian_exchange
Americapox: The Missing Plague, by CGP Grey
https://www.cgpgrey.com/blog/americapox
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, by Jared Diamond Ph.D.
Protests thread by Benjamin Park
https://twitter.com/BenjaminEPark/status/1267489043840827392
David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism, by Gregory A Prince and Wm. Robert Wright
Mayflower: Voyage, Community, War Paperback, by Nathaniel Philbrick
The Book of Mormon for the Least of These, Volume 1, by Fatimah Salleh and Margaret Olsen Hemming
The Lost 116 Pages: Reconstructing the Book of Mormon's Missing Stories, by Don Bradley
Racism in the Church:
https://twitter.com/TaranTrinnaman/status/1267837998751776771
Melodie’s request:
Sunday Apr 26, 2020
Sunday Apr 26, 2020
We love the Fall. Adam, Eve, fruit, the whole thing. Today we talk about the LDS perspective on the Fall, including what LDS scriptures bring to understanding this monumental event. Nifty poetry too!
A Harmony of the Creation Accounts, from the Pearl of Great Price Student Manual
The Pearl of Greatest Price: Mormonism's Most Controversial Scripture, by Terryl Givens
https://amzn.com/dp/B07WNK63SY
Aaron’s concordance between Genesis 3 and Moses 4
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PsZXaUJ_hAbsGzhS0vC5s-UP4A94pf0V8oGci4ZSXQM/edit?usp=sharing
Adam and Eve (LDS movement, wiki)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_and_Eve_(Latter_Day_Saint_movement)
Gospel topic: Fall of Adam and Eve
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/fall-of-adam-and-eve
The Fulness of the Gospel: The Fall of Adam and Eve, Ensign June 2006
Gospel Classics: Adam’s Role in Bringing Us Mortality, by President Joseph Fielding Smith
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2006/01/adams-role-in-bringing-us-mortality
Perelandra, once again cited!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perelandra
The Redemption of Eve, by Jolene Edmunds Rockwood
http://www.mormonmonastery.org/PDF/TheRedemptionofEve.pdf
Moses 5:11
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/pgp/moses/5.11#11
“UTopia” by Laura Nielson Baxter, collected in “Fire in the Pasture: 21st Century Mormon Poets”
What Was Left of the Stars, by Claire Åkebrand
Eric’s comments on Claire Åkebrand’s poem, “‘First Actors”, from the above collection
https://motleyvision.org/2017/09/05/claire-akebrands-what-was-left-of-the-stars/#more-12058
Witchy Eye, by D. J. Butler
Thursday Apr 09, 2020
Thursday Apr 09, 2020
We take a break from our LDS miscellany to discuss the current pandemic using the recent conference as a backdrop. Please note the upcoming world-wide fast on Good Friday.
“We will conquer the coronavirus, apostle Holland says”
https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2020/04/05/latest-sundays-lds/
April 2020 World Report
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSqT1bPmYb8
Mosiah 4:16-19
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/4.16-19#16
Crowd-fight COVID-19: an initiative from the scientific community to put all available resources at the service of the fight against COVID-19:
https://crowdfightcovid19.org/
President Nelson Invites World to Participate in Fast on Good Friday
Friday Feb 28, 2020
Friday Feb 28, 2020
Spoilers ahead! We welcome David, a fellow Berkeley Wardian, as guest to the show today to talk about the final episode of the Good Place and its parallels with LDS views on redemption and exaltation
The Good Place
https://www.nbc.com/the-good-place
Sacred time vs. profine time
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_return_(Eliade)
The Seven Deadly Heresies, by Bruce R. McConkie
https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/bruce-r-mcconkie/seven-deadly-heresies/
Fair mormon question
Eternal Misfit, by Roger Terry
https://www.dialoguejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V43_N03_188.pdf
Gospel Principles, Exaltation (includes President Joseph Fielding Smith quote)
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-47-exaltation
Apotheosis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apotheosis
Michael Schur: “As long as you’re trying, you’re on the right path.”
https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-good-places-moral-message-changed-as-much-as-the-ch-1837096810
Stormlight archive
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stormlight_Archive
No exit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Exit
Nothing in Heaven Functions as It Ought, by X.J. Kennedy
Monday Feb 10, 2020
Monday Feb 10, 2020
He was lookin’ for a podcast to steal. He was in a bind, ‘cause he was way behind, but we wouldn’t accept him as a sponsor for this episode, so neener neener.
Here’s some references!
Gospel topics article
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/satan
Wiki!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satan
Recency bias
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases
LDS General Conference Corpus
https://www.lds-general-conference.org/
Huckabee Is Not Alone in Ignorance on Mormonism, by Laurie Goodstein
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/14/us/politics/14mormon.html
Twitter thread from Eric
https://twitter.com/thmazing/status/1217670280069279744
Michael Ballam 4 lyfe!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Ballam
BD: devil
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bd/devil
The Screwtape Letters
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Screwtape_Letters
There must needs be opposition in all things
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/2.p11#p11
Perelandra
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perelandra
The Tragedy of King Leere, Goatherd of the la Sals, by Steven L. Peck
https://www.amazon.com/Tragedy-King-Leere-Goatherd-Sals/dp/1948218011
1 Corinthians 10:13
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/1-cor/10.p13?lang=eng#p13
Saturday Jan 25, 2020
Saturday Jan 25, 2020
Doubt and skepticism is a recurring theme on Face in Hat. Today we look at President Uchtdorf’s 2013 talk, “Come, Join with Us”, which includes the now famous phrase “doubt your doubts.” What does this mean and how do different people in the church interpret it?
“Come, Join with Us”, by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Oct 2013 General Conference session
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2013/10/come-join-with-us
Heisenberg uncertainty principle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncertainty_principle
The Next Mormons: How Millennials Are Changing the LDS Church, by Jana Reese
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0190885203
The Crucible of Doubt: Reflections On the Quest for Faith, by Tera and Fiona Gibbons
Jane & Emma
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8581198/
My Testimony is My Life, by The Star-Eater
https://www.arch-hive.net/post/my-testimony-is-my-life
2nd Isaiah and the Book of Mormon
A very little bit on doubt, by Eric Jepson
https://thmazing.blogspot.com/2007/09/very-little-bit-on-doubt-svithe.html
When Doubts and Questions Arise, by Adam Kotter
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2015/03/when-doubts-and-questions-arise
(cited scriptures)
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/morm/9.27
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/6.36
Saturday Dec 14, 2019
Saturday Dec 14, 2019
Mormons have interesting proscriptions. Some are more open to interpretation than others, and how they are interpreted has changed over our history. We look at the Word of Wisdom, rated R movies, and the Sabbath day as three examples.
D&C 89: The Word of Wisdom
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/89
Word of Wisdom gospel topic
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/word-of-wisdom
Thomas G. Alexander, "The Word of Wisdom: From Principle to Requirement", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 14:3 (1981) pp. 78–88.
http://www.dialoguejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V14N03_80.pdf
Handbook 2 on Word of Wisdom (21.3.11)
“Vaping, Coffee, Tea, and Marijuana,” New Era article, Aug 2019
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2019/08/vaping-coffee-tea-and-marijuana
Eric’s Twitter conversation about green tea
https://twitter.com/thmazing/status/1161372166127902720
Wow there is a lot of research about the comma in vs. 13 of the Word of Wisdom. This article especially is great: A. Jane Birch (2014). “Questioning the Comma in Verse 13 of the Word of Wisdom.” Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 10: 133-149
https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/questioning-the-comma-in-verse-13-of-the-word-of-wisdom/
Hello Internet episode including discussion of The Game Changers, a documentary “about plant-based eating, protein, and strength”
http://www.hellointernet.fm/podcast/130
https://www.netflix.com/title/81157840
Kurzgesagt: Why Meat is the Best Worst Thing in the World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxvQPzrg2Wg
Word of Wisdom Wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Word_of_Wisdom
To the “Youth of the Noble Birthright” - President Ezra Taft Benson, Spring 1986 General Conference, Priesthood session
For the Strength of Youth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_the_Strength_of_Youth
https://www.docdroid.net/eVNYkuG/1990-for-the-strength-of-youth-lds-standards-of-conduct.pdf#page=12
Gospel topic on the sabbath day
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/sabbath-day
Decisions for Which I've Been Grateful by Clayton M. Christensen (specifically the fourth decision about basketball on Sunday)
http://www2.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/Devotionals/2004_06_08_Christensen.htm
Kim Ho Jik: Korean Pioneer, by Denny Roy (starting with “Brother Kim also made a memorably bold statement of dedication to his faith..”)
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1988/07/kim-ho-jik-korean-pioneer
Church Updates Temple Recommend Interview Questions
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/october-2019-general-conference-temple-recommend
Sunday Nov 24, 2019
Sunday Nov 24, 2019
Albert Einstein, C. S. Lewis, Carl Sagan, Paul. Talking about evolution, Adam and Eve, death, and the March of Progress takes us on quite the journey!
Wiki on Mormon views on evolution
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_views_on_evolution
Meanwhile, in Ohio… https://local12.com/news/local/ohio-house-passes-bill-allowing-student-answers-to-be-scientifically-wrong-due-to-religion
Paul’s teaching about faith
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/heb/11.1-40
See also, Alma and the seed
https://churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/32
Intro to evolution
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution
Peppered moth evolution
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peppered_moth_evolution
Antibodies
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibody
Speciation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speciation
Carl Sagan
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/954415-the-secrets-of-evolution-are-death-and-time-the-deaths-of
Carl Sagan - COSMOS - Evolution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZpsVSVRsZk
Scriptures on death, Adam and Eve, and the fall
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/pgp/moses/6.48
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/2.22
Joseph Campbell and The Power of Myth with Bill Moyers, Episode 3, The First Storytellers
Perelandra, by C. S. Lewis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perelandra
QI, Season 15, episode 10, on the March of Progress (timestamp 26:13)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B078KJ8DKJ
Beyond the Block podcast, What God Hath Cleansed
https://beyondtheblockpodcast.com/episodes/what-god-hath-cleansed-s1!78d3b
Einstein’s quote, “God does not play dice with the universe”
https://www.businessinsider.com/god-does-not-play-dice-quote-meaning-2015-11
Scopes Monkey Trial
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scopes_Trial
Drunk history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tyD8qtB4xE
Summer for the Gods by Edward J. Larson https://amzn.to/37yEmuS
1911 Brigham Young University modernism controversy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1911_Brigham_Young_University_modernism_controversy
Ark Baby by Liz Jensen
Evolving Faith by Steven L. Peck
Origin of species