Time for an other edition of what’s new in the blogs on science and religion of interest to Mormons. Things were slow at most blogs over the holidays. (My own blog stats dropped to 1/3 of usual – and most blogs didn’t have many posts) Yet the last few days things have picked up indeed. There’s a lot to get to, so let’s get started.

First up was the shot started at Times and Seasons, echoed at The Spinozist Mormon, reflected at LDS Science Review and finally copied derivatively at Mormon Metaphysics. That is, a discussion of design arguments, intelligent design and Alma’s rejoinder to Korihor that all things testify of God. So do they? Should one infer from the order of the universe that there is a God? If not, then how does one view Alma?

Hopefully I can link to an other post over at my blog without appearing too. . .crass. (I’d hate to think what the snarklenackle would say then) But the online magazine The Edge posed the question “what is your dangerous idea” to over a hundred scientists and thinkers and published their responses. I put up some initial responses tonight. I’ll probably add some more through the rest of the week. Hopefully a few other blogs might do the same. (Hint, hint) I’d suggest checking out the blog Mixing Memory’s comments as well, as they were quite interesting. (It’s a non-Mormon blog, but definitely my favorite)

Along the more controversial lines, Times and Seasons decided to have Joseph Stanford as a guest poster this last week. Stanford adopts views on birth control that probably seem more than a little out of step for most readers. Indeed they sound almost Catholic to me. He won’t even prescribe birth control in his practice, advocating periods of abstinence to avoid pregnancy. See the comment section erupt in uproar. Stanford followed up with a discussion of ideal family planning methods which likewise drew more than a few comments.

Over at the other blog I blog at (yes, I somehow got convinced to blog at three blogs) M* actually had a post engendering probably among the most comments ever. Geoff raised the ever tumultuous topic of evolution. Not necessarily a lot new. (Hasn’t this topic been done nearly to death now?) But some might enjoy some of the discussion in the comments.

I brought up one last science related post at M*, partially reacting to the several posts on mental illness over at BCC in December. It was on the issue of abuse, brain development and the atonement.

There was a new blog in this week that started its life with a bang, commenting on several scientific issue. The blog is Being a Believing Latter-day Saint. Let’s hope it stays in the community longer than most new blogs do (which tend to peter out after a week or two) Matt got off to a strong start with a new theory about how to reconcile evolution and the fall introducing death into the world. He also had a discussion of genetics, twins and religiosity. That is, how much religion is inherited?

Not really science, as such, but Geoff over at New Thang has up a discussion of Orson Pratt and the “science” in Orson Scott Card’s novels.

Infinite Worlds was a topic on several blogs as well. Our Thouhgts had up one post on the subject. Last time I’d mentioned an M* post on the topic as well. Well comments there continued through the holidays.

Well that will do it for now. Updates should be a bit more regular in the future now that I’m more caught up at work. If I missed a relevant story, let me know in the comments.