Category: Mormon Coffee Blog (2007-2019)
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Bound for Glory?
While reading the Book of Revelation I was struck by Jesus’ words regarding the final judgment of those whose names are not written in the Book of Life: …the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is…
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The Gift
All the hustle and bustle of the anticipated Holiday is quickly closing nigh, And many frazzled shoppers can at last let out a collective great big sigh,Their present-buying is done and all the cards are finally addressed, The children have been put to bed as it’s time for them to get some rest. Most of…
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Trying To Make It More Difficult To Get to the Facts
Larry Burkdall certainly understands the effectiveness of the World Wide Web. Burkdall, the president of the Latter-day Foundation for the Arts, Education and Humanity, recently made a plea on “The Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization of BYU” blog site asking for assistance in the organization’s new effort to “drive down Church enemies from prominent search engine positions”…
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Assurances and Promises
Here it is again. The LDS Church has once again been confronted with concerns from the Jewish community over the Church’s inclusion of Holocaust victims and survivors in the LDS International Genealogical Index. On Monday, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles demanded the LDS Church remove the…
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LDS Church Public Education Campaign
An article posted today on the American Spectator’s web site suggests that the LDS Church is worried about the publicity Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign may bring to the Church. “Mormonism in the Spotlight” says, The Salt Lake City-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is growing increasingly concerned about the public-perception hit the presidential…
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Christian or Not?
A Latter-day Saint student at BYU sent a letter to the BYU NewsNet Readers Forum this week. He wrote: I grew up considering myself both a Christian and a Latter-day Saint. I heard of people claiming we aren’t Christians, but I still felt comfortable in identifying with both titles. I never felt any wrong in…
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Total Truth? Or Is Everything Relative?
A warning cry that some theologians and apologists have made for more than a decade involves what has been called “Postmodernism.” Theologian Norman Geisler points to the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989 as the end of Modernism (which he says began with Nietzsche’s “Death of God” movement at the turn of the 20th…
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A God-Fearing People
I’ve been reading in the Book of Revelation. I’ve been quite affected by the imagery of God as recorded by the Apostle John. We find God seated on a throne covered in radiant color and glory, surrounded by myriads of myriads of angels and elders and other living creatures, falling before Him in worship. They…
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Fair Above All Virgins
In the recently released movie titled, The Nativity Story, viewers are given a glimpse at what life was probably like for Mary and Joseph after it was learned that the espoused Mary is pregnant. Though I’ve heard pastors and theologians discuss the social ramifications of such a predicament, I can’t recall any film that does…
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LDS To-Do List
A friend sent me a link to the web site of a Latter-day Saint couple. Comprised of the couples’ “Epistles and Handouts,” the web site says, It is our hope that these materials will be of value to you and your family in helping you be better missionaries and stronger more faithful Later-day [sic] Saints…
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If Any of You Lacks Wisdom, Don’t Ask
On November 7, 2006 LDS Apostle Dallin Oaks presented a devotional address to the students at BYU-Idaho. In his talk, entitled “Be Wise,” Mr. Oaks defined the principle of wisdom and demonstrated how wisdom may be applied in several different areas of life. Covering various subjects including prayer, dating, and self-characterization, Mr. Oaks spoke of…
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A Living Message to a Dead World
“Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.” Acts 19:8 Does anyone know the origin of such an idea? It can’t be the Bible since God’s Word clearly shows that we must use every means available whenever we share the Gospel. After all, didn’t Jesus…
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Of Grackles and Bluebirds
Christianity Today posted an article on November 10th by Dr. Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary. Titled Shoot-First Apologetics, Dr. Mouw here recounts a story he once read, written by the late Dr. Walter Martin, about the danger of too quickly labeling someone an “enemy of the gospel.” As the story goes, Dr. D.…
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Mormonism and Murder
In October a new book hit the shelves: The Open Curtain by Brian Evenson. Dubbed a thriller by Publishers Weekly, The Open Curtain is a story about Mormonism and murder. Evenson (Altmann’s Tongue) explores some controversial Mormon history in this thoughtful thriller rooted in an actual century-old murder case. When Rudd, a disaffected, fatherless Mormon…
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Addition or Attrition?
As I mentioned in a previous post, LDS President Gordon B. Hinckley is fond of inviting people of other faiths to come to the Mormon Church. He often suggests something like this: “We recognize the good in all churches. We recognize the value of religion generally. We say to everyone: live the teachings which you…
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The Most Criticized Book
Along with about 60 of my senior students from the Bible classes that I teach at a private Christian high school, I recently traveled to three different religious venues for educational visits. We visited a conservative Jewish synagogue, a Hare Krishna temple, and an Islamic mosque, spending two hours at each venue. We had visited…
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Inviting Non-Mormons: Bring the Good With You
LDS President Gordon B. Hinckley is gracious toward people of other faiths. In his October First Presidency Message, written primarily to new members of the LDS Church, President Hinckley wrote: …there are many good people in other churches. There is much of good in them. Your family and your prior religious traditions may have taught…
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Questions of Mormon Racism — Again
In September and early October republican Representative Russell Pearce from Mesa, Arizona bought himself some trouble A supporter of tougher immigration laws — suggesting the deportation of undocumented immigrants — Rep. Pearce, who is a Mormon, made public comments that caused an outcry calling for an end to racist language and bigotry. An article in…
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Christ and False Christs
Yesterday the Southeast Missourian News ran an online article titled “Growing up Mormon.” Author Melissa Sirrine is a student at Brigham Young University but visits relatives in southeast Missouri each summer. Her article seems to be written for the purpose of informing her non-Mormon audience about the tenets of Mormonism, and specifically that Mormons believe…