The following is an excerpt from an article by Peggy Fletcher Stack which originally was published in the SLTrib on Feb 13th, 2009:
(Daniel) “Fairbanks (associate dean at UVU in Orem) believes with most biologists that evolution is the unifying theory in the field. . . .
As you drive into Monticello, Utah, which I do frequently, there is one solitary stop light. In fact, it is the only stop light in San Juan County. A few years ago, if you’d have turned toward the east, you’d have been on US 666 headed for Colorado and then New Mexico (the Four Corners areas). You’d first be crossing pinto bean country and then into the Navajo Nation.
I love to play Scrabble, but I’m not very good. My friends and work colleagues routinely outplay me. But I play on.
In Scrabble, there are only a few “q” words that don’t require the vowel “u”. One of those is “qat”. Until recently, I had only a faint idea about its meaning or significance.
That all changed when I read a short article in a recent NG. As it turns out, qat is a drug (stimulant) that is routinely used in Yemen and Africa’s Horn, but is illegal in the US and Canada. In other parts of the western world (including the UK), however, it is very much legal.
In response to your speech of October 13, 2009, at BYU-Idaho, I will not be joining you in the ”march” against Prop 8 proponents. I realize that “there is a battle underway,” but I am on the other side, along with the likes of Harry Reid, Marie Osmond, and Steve Young’s wife. For me this is a civil rights issue and not a religious one. And I agree with Harry Reid, there must be more important ways for my church to spend its time and money.
About the only official (or near official) Mormon publication I enjoy reading these days is BYU/Magazine. The recent edition (Fall 2009) is an excellent case in point. I really enjoyed the Commentary “Loving Our Neighbor” by Barbara Culatta, a BYU professor of communication disorders. Ms Culatta is a convert to the Church from Catholicism, and has a brother who is a priest. Her essay was a condensed version of a devotional address given in February. After reading the one-page sermonette in BYU/Magazine, I decided to find the whole text.
I feel strongly that members of the human race are co-creators of the Earth with God. That we will be held accountable for the impact we have on this planet. The creation was not a static event, but very much a dynamic event. The earth is evolving even as I write.
At one of the 2009 SLC Sunstone workshops, a Weber State Professor — Michael J. Stevens — taught a short course in management. He described 4 types of managers ranging from disrespectful to respectful, and dominant to submissive:
Q1: Imposer — makes authoritarian decisions
Q2: Ignorer — avoids or postpones decisions
Q3: Ingratiator — wants everyone to be “one happy family”
Q4: Integrator — promotes self-direction in others
With the ideal being Q4.
In a recent BYU/Magazine (Summer 2009) there is a thought-provoking article titled: “Why Giving Matters”. The author — Arthur C. Brooks, a non-Mormon — makes the case that it is financially rewarding to give in a charitable way. While I found reading the article to be rewarding, I’m not confortable with its tenor or basic conclusions.
Elder Dallin Oaks, in the April 2009 Semi-annual LDS conference, spoke about “Unselfish Service”. I had great hopes for this conference talk. Elder Oaks is a highly respected jurist, educator, writer, and GA. But his talk fell well short of my expectations.
I’m constantly trying to raise money for NGOs, charities, work, etc. Since most of the standard ideas are currently being overused (telethons, fun runs, bake sales, garage sales, infomercials, public service ads, proposal writing, etc.), I think it is time to try some new ideas.