You can learn a lot of interesting things from reading the Bloggernacle. For example, I learned that this very weekend is the weekend of the LDS semi-annual “General Conference”. So far the Bloggernacle’s coverage of this event has been pretty positive, which can mean one of three things: (1) the ‘nacclers are fishing to get mentioned (in a positive way) from the pulpit, (2) the G.A.’s have finally learned only to say stuff the ‘nacclers like, or (3) the good stuff is coming up. The Swearing Elders made some predictions about who would be announced as the new LDS Apostle: some of their guesses were clearly wrong (Steve Young), but their last one (“An older, White guy from the Quorum of the 70 with a Utah background and friends who are already GAs”) might be right…
Now let’s see what Outer Blogness is up to this fine conference weekend:
Wren had an absolutely gorgeous Saturday: brunch, then bird-watching at Lake Harriet. Andrew S is at a fencing tournament, but Mormonism follows him everywhere! John R contemplates how much expectations can impact happiness. Allison is watching snail porn (don’t ask, just go look), and Andee is making amazing cupcakes! Sterkwerks is feeling shallow for not wanting to join her LDS family for a mid-conference sandwich nosh, while Holly Noelle is enjoying a relaxing weekend sans conference. Emily Pearson is busy doing a happy dance about the great news: Gay marriage legal in Iowa! Craig-in-the-middle went to lunch with with some post-mo friends and — when it was done — noticed that (despite all their struggles with Mormonism) this time the subject didn’t come up even once! Chris C. Smith is back from Sunstone West, and tells the rest of us what we missed. And my little family went stargazing with local astronomers as part of the International Year of Astronomy!
I’ve found they usually save the whoopin’ for Sunday sessions – usually the afternoon.
lol. Actually, I thought about posting that the most interesting point of commentary I’ve seen so far was your concise description of modern bankruptcy:
I totally agree with the conference points about frugality and staying out of debt, but this kind of realism (and empathy) is what it takes to tackle the existing problems we’re facing.
Speaking of Mormonism everywhere, I saw Sin Nombre Friday night and the kids in front of me in the line where BYU interns.
I did not chat them up but I liked the encounter.
It is no accident that Mormonism peaked during the fifties and sixties. For one thing, FDR won World War II and the LDS Church could expand abroad.
More importantly, the new deal created the American middle class and allowed Mormons to have homes in the suburbs, have all those kids and send them to college.
The brethren and Utah Mormons have done their darndest, my apologies for not swearing properly, to politically undermine that way of life.
If you are really into the traditional family, the most important step that the brethren could take is not to dump of gays but to demand universal health insurance.
It would be a lot easier to live off one income or to work part time so that parents can take care of their children.
Other items include a living wage, workers’ right to organize, various consumer protection measures, and the restoration of the 40 hour work week.
Family values actually require ‘liberalism.’
Hellmut — that is so true. They could choose to support policies that actually help families for real.