Andrew Sullivan makes an interesting point: Most Americans have a healthy respect for religious teaching but in their lives give greater preference to common sense and practical experience. That includes almost all religious groups as well – Catholics, in particular, show conservative tendencies. The exceptions? Evangelicals and Mormons and Jehovah’s…
Author: Hellmut
Celebrating African Americans in Europe
Although Europeans suffer just as much, if not more, from racism as Americans, accomplished African Americans have traditionally received more respect on the old continent than in their home country.
Prince Eugene, the Noble Knight
The gentleman on the white Arab is Prince Eugene of Savoy, probably the most famous commander of the House of Habsburg. The latter may have been perpetually broke but, like many Catholics, they did know how to put on a good show. Raised in France, Louis XIV denied the Prince…
A Convert’s Conscience
Although he appears to be a star professor at BYU, I have only become aware of Robert Millet’s efforts during the last two years. As a convert, I have to admit that his approach to investigators distresses me somewhat. I know that Millet means well when he suggests to side…
Your Sunday School Lesson: The First Vision
According to the philosopher Mircea Eliade, of whose work I learned at BYU, every community, tribe, or nation requires an origin myth. The account of a community’s or practice’s origin has far reaching consequences because it implies how they relate to the cosmos, which is necessary for human beings to…
Harvey Milk
Just in time for Thanksgiving, Hollywood is rolling out Harvey Milk, a tribute to the first openly elected gay man to a major office in the United States. The reviews of Harvey Milk are excellent. Sean Penn is supposed to be magnificent and the movie captures humanity of the gay…
Proposition 8 and Learning about the Mormons
If you are into Mormon stories, you might enjoy Jodi Mardesich’s essay in Salon. Growing up in a part member family, Jodi had to overcome the resistance of her father to get baptized. She relates how Mormonism made her feel special as a child, how her boy friend died on…
Taking the Long Term View on Marriage Equality
Intellectually, one can only sustain the orthodox position against marriage equality if one assumes that gays are not fully human or somehow defective. Unfortunately, biology contradicts that notion. The Church is correct in asserting the freedom for the organization and its members. However, our liberty ends where it begins to…
Peace, Order and Religious Freedom
In the wake of the reformation Europe was torn by religious wars for almost two centuries. France had the Huguenot wars, Britain the civil war between king and parliament, and in Germany, there was the 30 year war, which killed one third of the population. My home town was the…
We Were Asking for It
If you sew the wind, you shall reap the storm. If you live by the sword, you shall die by the sword. It’s just sad.