Sunday in Outer Blogness: Religion, Politics, and Life Edition!
First, an announcement about the tech problems in Outer Blogness: As you may know, I’ve been maintaining a list of all exmo/post-mo blogs I can find (whether they have any mo-related content or not), and keeping them in a convenient, regularly updated list. A few months ago, the part of the service that allows me to update the list went down, but I’ve stuck with this service because they keep making vague promises that they’ll get the service fixed one of these days. I’m kind of half-heartedly looking for a different blogroll service I can use (one that’s portable like this one, so others can just post the link and get the updated list), so if you have any ideas, please tell me. Otherwise, maybe this service will come back on line — at which point I’ll do a big overhaul and add all of the new blogs I’ve discovered since October. In the meantime, I’ve been saving the new ones in the sidebar here.
And now, without further ado, here are some highlights from this week:
Scot has learned a (pictoral) lesson about how his own life history intersects history through common public places. In that dangerous mix of church and state, we have some folks in New Hampshire actually arguing to eliminate the inaugural prayer! Good luck, guys! Keep in mind that America is an Incorrigibly Christian nation (as we can see from the discussion that’s been going around the Bloggernacle about the roots of Religious Right’s rejection of Mormonism). In pure politics, INTJ Mom takes on Sarah Palin — amusing, even if it’s an easy target.
In the lifestyle department, John Moeller is thinking about going vegetarian, others are making some concrete eating changes.
In the moving on department, Runtu explains that the truth hurts especially if you’ve been an apologist for the other side. Aerin contemplates how our past informs our present. On the other hand, some just have fun with it, as with this SML classic If Joseph Smith Had The Internet (which definitely merits re-posting). And, continuing the tongue-in-cheek theme, we have a cheeky marital quiz (perhaps inspired by this treasure trove of marital advice…?)
I didn’t talk about mormonism in my post – but in terms of the past and mormonism (whether or not the LDS faith could radically change)…well, I have 10 – 15 things off the top of my head that they could change. Perhaps in the next twenty years, two or three of those things might change. Even if they do – I’m not sure I would go back to mormonism. Many people believe differently – that the LDS church can (and will) change and that the issues that I (and others) have will someday be resolved.
I don’t think it’s likely that the changes (like repudiating some of BY’s racist doctrines) or women in leadership positions (over men) will happen any time soon. And I personally am not waiting around until it happens (if it ever happens). But I allow others the right to wait according to their own conscience.
Thanks for the link. And “thinking about going vegetarian” is probably only accurate in a very “meta” sense right now. 🙂
Aerin — Yeah, I know your post wasn’t about Mormonism, but I try to group somewhat related topics in this little feature.
John — well, it’s an interesting thing to think about…
I know chanson…I guess I was just trying to start a conversation….what could the mormon church change? And would you return to mormonism if things changed? Or, if you are active, would you leave?
Hmm, hard to say. Even if they changed a lot of the obvious problems, they’d still have to convince me there’s some value in participating…
Which leads someone (like my dad for instance) to say – well, if you won’t come back, why should they/we change? Because it’s the right thing to do isn’t a strong enough argument in that case…