OK, OK, it’s been over a month since I got off the last science and religion post. My apologies. Life has been extremely busy and for some reason I blog at three blogs. Hopefully all the business is in the past and I can actually keep my word this time and get these out semi-regularly. The aim is to perhaps let people know about posts they missed. I’ll not try to catch up on everything, but to cover the main posts.

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Tapestry Against Polygamy, which describes itself as a “non-profit organization located in Salt Lake City, Utah that advocates against the human right violations inherent in polygamy and provides assistance to individuals leaving polygamous cults,” is not happy about the HBO show “Big Love” (Guy Murray’s post here provides background on the show). It is even less happy about the disclaimer that HBO is planning to run during every episode, calling it “misleading.” Tapestry’s director, Vicky Prunty says, “The LDS church may not practice polygamy now, but they still believe in it, and their apathy towards polygamy suggests they look forward to a time when polygamy will no longer be against the law.” (more…)

Buttars’ evolution bill is dead according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

There’s a great quote from Buttars. “There are a number of influential legislators who believe you evolved from an ape. I didn’t.”

I’ve commented here before about the genocide in Darfur, Sudan and President Hinckley’s remarks concerning it. “Never again” continue to be just empty words (many thanks to Nicholas Kristof for not letting this go). Things Darfurian stand at an important juncture: whether to hand peace-keeping over to the UN, and whether the US Congress will approve a $514m supplemental for Darfur (not enough, but better than nothing). So, consider letting your king, president, magistrate or ruler know that these crimes against humanity offend us all. Oxfam make it easy peasy.

Today’s Deseret News carries an interesting feature article on a recently published, but little publicized, book entitled Women in Utah History: Paradigm or Paradox? (USU Press, 2005).  The group project to publish the book, which contains chapters on women in churches, education, politics, work, the arts, polygamy, farming, women’s clubs and women’s life cycles, actually began in 1983, but things didn’t go as planned.  (Group projects rarely do.)  The editors took turns getting bored and giving up on the book.  It didn’t help matters that three authors and the photo editor died during the last two decades.  But the book has finally arrived. (more…)

Well our semi-weekly became weekly this week with the sick and injured at home. However, your correspondent has persevered and now presents, for your perusal, stuff that interested him enough to write about it, even though you have likely already read it.

The Ridiculous

This week has provided us with a healthy serving of over-heated political debate. Look, for example, at Matt Evans’s attempts to define France as a nation without tradition (along with disturbing mayonnaise references).

Or, if you prefer, you can ponder what the dynamics of sacrament meeting couture are?

Or, failing that, you can complain about how all the hippies in church leave or stay, depending on how you feel about the hippie, I suppose.

Also, it appears that ccwbass of Woody’s Woundup has come clean and explained why 90% of the bloggernacle posts anything at all. Ian Cook writes about the another 60% and Ryan, at BoJ, wrote about the final 50%. Personally speaking, I do it for my adoring fans, but whatever works for you.

Adam Greenwood, perhaps feeling that he wouldn’t be reaching an adequate audience in at only one site, cross posted his thoughts on sin, apostasy, and knowledge to both T&S and M*. I am not sure that it is worth noting that he comes across as surprised that God speaks to the sinful and as certain that all leave the church do to personal sinfulness.

Finally, that BCC sees no problem with the juxtaposition of this post with this post speaks for itself.

The Sublime

Eric and his dad are saying interesting things about communication with God and doing God’s will.

Bradley asks a good question regarding Ronan’s post on spiritual laziness.

J somehow writes a post about intimacy that doesn’t seem salacious.

Lastly, Rebecca continues to explain why it is exactly that I wish she was teaching in my ward.

That’s all for now. Please come back next week when we return to semi-weekly publication.