It’s sad to see Summer vacation coming to a close, isn’t it? (For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, that is — I don’t know how the vacation schedule works down under…)
In a highly controversial move, the president (of the US) has decided to open the school year by speaking to students about their education, and, naturally, Outer Blogness is up in arms about it. Holly reports on the intellectual carnage in Farmington Utah, and Runtu reports on Utah’s solution (replacing the president’s message with a more inclusive president’s message). U.S. Wanker requests a school marm with balls. And Michelle attended the school where the president will speak (and promises to report on it)!
In theology, it has totally been Book of Abraham week! I think it started with this satire post and/or by this article in the Church News. Both the Latter-day Skeptics and Anubys analyze the church’s retreat from the BoA. Chris Smith analyzes the claim that Joseph Smith said Moses and Aaron signed the BoA papyrus. And Mormon Coffee has done a four part series on the BoA (including a discussion of the penis pics in the facsimiles, which one of my personal favorite Mormonism fun-facts, as seen here).
In other LDS ephemera, does anyone remember two-and-a-half minute talks? At the opposite end of the spectrum, the Swearing Elders contemplate what it would be like if Sacrament Meeting were more like an academic conference. The USU secular humanists et al critique the Pope’s environmentalism, and Andrew is still taking on the everyone’s favorite LDS intellectuals, this time Bob McCue!
Now let’s see how people are spending the last gasp of the summer! Wren photo chronicles the Minnesota State Fair (the same fair where my niece won a ribbon!). Lilly De Nalish has a plan. Lis is unpacking and culling. Susan Mercedes is (unfortunately) getting repeatedly hit on at Wall-Mart. And Saganist’s Primary class produced a hilarious “kids say the darndest things” moment! 😀
Thanks for the update, Chanson! And the link. 🙂 JS’s whole concept that Pharaoh (and the Masons) ripped-off the true priesthood and ordinances of god — this is just a brilliant misdirection. 😛
Thanks for the links to the BoA posts. It’s seems Dr. Gee has created quite a firestorm on Internet commentary.
Well according to an Australian friend at least there they have the same school schedule as the Northern hemisphere. This works out pretty well since winter weather is generally far more pleasant than the middle of summer so it’s nice to be able to enjoy it.
Small correction – I actually TEACH at the school he’ll be speaking at, so I’ll be there on Tuesday with camera in hand!
Michelle — thanks for the correction — that’s really cool!!!
p.s. to all: one more Book of Abraham post.
Thanks for the linkage to USU SHAFT! We appreciate it. This may be of interest to your readers, but I recently posted my own article about the Book of Abraham at usu-shaft.com.
Jon — haha, I’m one step ahead of you! I already linked to your BoA post in comment #5. 😉
BTW, I’ve added you to Outer Blogness, and we’d really appreciate it if you’d return the favor by adding Main Street Plaza and/or Outer Blogness to your blogroll.
Glad to meet you!