PLUS the greatest NFL QB scramble of all time by…a Mormon.

Click here.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/bml/the-7-most-baller-mormon-basketball-moments-of-all-time.

One of my pet peeves is the extensive use of sarcasm, either on-line or in personal interactions.

As a scarred veteran of the Mormon blogs, I long ago lost count of how many times I would spend hours on a post and receive a snarky sarcastic response in reply from various commenters.

And it seems that the people I have the biggest difficulty getting along with in person are also people who tend to be the kings and queens of sarcasm.

Now let’s be clear the sarcasm has been a staple of social interactions throughout time. Shakespeare used sarcasm and many early American commenters were expert in the art. H.L. Mencken made a living out of it for decades.

My problem is that many people seem incapable of reasoned discussion. If they disagree, they immediately resort to a burst of sarcasm, which is intended to show their opposition without actually showing any respect to the person with whom they disagree. If somebody has written or said something that creates an actual argument, you should take the time, if you disagree, to explain why in clear, respectful terms.

My personal opinion is that this new sarcasm is the result of the comedians and pundits of our time, who seem to dominate opinion-making. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert use sarcasm about 95 percent of the time, and while I admit they are often funny I don’t really like their effect on the culture. On the opposite side of the political spectrum, I would like to point out that Glenn Beck’s radio show is filled with sarcastic, snide comments (and the sarcasm is not nearly as funny as Stewart and Colbert).

So imagine my joy at picking up the August 2013 issue of the Ensign and finding the article “No Corrupt Communication.”

I would like to quote liberally from this article. I hope Glenn Beck reads it.

Continue reading →

I am very thankful to BHodges from the Maxwell Institute for these notes.

Several Church members are reporting that they have seen a new temple endowment film at several temples in the U.S. The film is reportedly 15 minutes longer and includes more details of the creation periods. Members are calling the film very touching and well-done.

M* welcomes respectful comments from people who may have seen this film.

There are unconfirmed reports that one of the older films may be phased out. For lack of an exact description, there are two films that were recently shown, one with a blonde Eve and he other with a brunette Eve. We are told that the film with a blonde Eve may be phased out.

Any comments from temple workers and others with additional information?

(As an aside, I went to the Denver temple last week and did NOT see the new film, so this information is second-hand. I welcome corrections).

NOTE: The endowment is a sacred ceremony, so please tread carefully when discussing this issue. It is well known, however, that films are shown during the endowment at most temples. Discussing the fact of a new temple film is of interest to members and does not betray sacred events at temples.

I am sorry to report that your humble correspondent was unable to attend the FAIR conference. However, we would like to link this report from BHodges of the Maxwell Institute.

http://www.maxwellinstituteblog.org/a-few-notes-from-the-2013-fair-conference/

Please feel free to share any thoughts on the FAIR Conference here.