Isaiah 2 (2 Nephi 12) – the beginning of our Isaiah comparisons

Our church family just poured over Isaiah 2 in our inductive study last night. Each week, we will be studying a new chapter together. I am going to need some clarification from LDS friends on whether this is standard LDS belief as I quote various authors on Isaiah 2. ISAIAH 2:2-3 (1) The mountain of […]

LDS Blogspotting by an Evangelical

Kerry Shirts, alias the Backyard Professor, has posted “Creation Ex Nihilo Ideas.”  As a firm believer in Jehovah who creates ex nihilo, I will get back with Kerry on this. Thinking of a Christian literalist who has been on the circuit to popularize creationism to the masses in past days, Jared over at LDS Science […]

Neighborhood Survey 6 on John’s Gospel

Here is the question I asked this week in Idaho Falls: What did Jesus mean when he said, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Here are forty answers from people who answered in response to my question on the meaning […]

James E. Faust on John 3:5

The Second Counselor to President Gordon B. Hinckley is quoted in Latter-Day Commentary on the New Testament: The Four Gospels (American Fork: Covenant Communications, 2002) by Ed J. Pinegar, K. Douglas Bassett, and Ted L. Earl. In the blowing winds of the intermountain West, James Faust makes the interpretation on John 3:5 distinct and sharp […]

John 3:5 – Born of Water and of the Spirit

Richard Lloyd Anderson teaches in the Guide To The Life of Christ (FARMS Reprint, 1999): The Protestant Problem At the resurrection Jesus sent his apostles with the command to preach and baptize (Matt. 28:19-20), giving the double requirement. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). Yet the Protestant reformers taught that […]

The Troll of My Life

The Troll of My Life By Kristie Wood, the Troll’s wife (Dedicated to All Those Happening Across the Bridge of Life) He’s hairy. He’s scary—your trollish brute, He’d rather be sweaty than smell of “Aloof”.

Blog Exchange 2 with Blake Ostler

Blake commented over at the New Cool Thang: Todd: I have read your post — all of it. Frankly, it is so far ranging with so little contact with responsible issues that I choose to not respond on your blog. I invite you to raise issues in smaller bites here so that we can deal with […]

Mark E. Petersen On Isaiah

I am trying to get some LDS perspective on Isaiah, so I started reading Mark E. Petersen’s book, Isaiah For Today (Deseret Book Company, 1981). Not too far into the book, Mark tries to pound me on the head with a sledgehammer: To understand Isaiah, people need to understand the Latter-day Saint point of view.  […]

“Kaneko in Court” – Today’s Local Headlines

This is the front page news of the Post Register, the newspaper in Idaho Falls, Idaho.  (Disclaimer – the paper tends to be biased against conservative Republican politics and Mormonism.  Just ask the neighbors.)   Here are excerpts: The Case:  Kenichi David Kaneko is facing five felony charges for allegedly contributing to the deaths of […]

Mount Zion

We just started our verse-by-verse book study in Idaho Falls, Idaho on Isaiah last night. Anticipatory feelings of great things charged my heart as I taught through the opening introductions. The truth of Isaiah is grand in its portrait of God. From within southeastern Idaho’s borders, I love seeing the rugged, majestic mountains. They are […]