Aftermath

So the Mormons were a half hour late last night. We talked some more about 2 Nephi, starting around verse 22. and how Mormons require transgression and God who commanded Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply, and also to not touch the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Nephi says that they had to lose their innocence to know joy and to have children. So God is commanding them to not lose their innocence and also commanding them to do something that requires their loss of innocence. I don't like this. I believe they were capable of procreation in their pre-Fall state. The Mormons also justify these conflicting commandments by saying He was giving them an opportunity to use their agency, and if they hadn't transgressed the plan of salvation, which was prepared before the foundations of the world, wouldn't be able to start rolling. I say that is victim fishing and that sin would have been finished with a "No!" by Eve's free agency with no need for the plan of salvation.

So that is where we were at then end of a half hour. As promised, I asked them what their goal was from meeting with me. They want what they always want, for me to read and pray over the veracity of the Book of Mormon. I told them I have already done that and I really don't want to, but I have it if I do have that hankering. They then asked me what my goal was in meeting with them. This surprised me, but I replied that I find it important to give people a chance to have their say, and paraphrased this quote from Keats:

The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing -- to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts. -John Keats, poet (1795-1821)

That seemed to satisfy them and after closing prayer they were off.

They're Baaack.

The Latter-Day Saints that is. Sisters Cunningham and Small (and a chaperone) will be back to meet longer with me Tuesday at 8pm. They already know what I think of the tenuous nature of transgression and my issues with 2 Nephi chapter 2 which talks about how it was necessary for Adam and Eve to fall. So I shall see how it goes. I'll try not to lead them on.

A Sabbath Memory

Yesterday Karen and I went to the Piedmont Church. As many churches are wont, they had the children get baskets to gather money from the congregation to support a mission project as they went up front to listen to the children's story. A young boy came up to us a bit after the others, and we had nothing for him. He responded by extending his hand and wishing us a happy sabbath.

This reminded me of my own boyhood in the church in Illinois. At the end of the church service, I would make my way to the end of our pew at the center aisle and shake the hands of people leaving the sanctuary. Good times.

Hail and Hart-y

Congratulations Champions of the West, the University of Michigan. They beat Notre Dame today 47-21. They were ranked 11 with ND ranked 2 by the same polling organization. This is also one of the few road openers Michigan has won in recent memory, something like six years. Last year, Michigan's starting running back, Mike Hart, was injured for last year's contest. This year, however, he managed over 200 yards rushing, for the fifth time in his career.

Nebraska is playing the University of Southern California right now. Nebraska's ranked 19th and USC 4th. The Cornhuskers probably won't win, but the exposure is good for them, especially in California, which is the home state of twenty of their scholarship players right now.

Going back to the economics of college football, this is how the rich get richer. The Big XII athletic conference will get money from the network for their member institution playing on national television. The Huskers get a share of this money. They can then use this money to pay weaker schools to play them. This gives them wins which gets them into a post-season bowl game, the money of which also goes to the conference, with even more exposure. They also use this money, with the money from rich alumni who like winners, to improve their facilities which in turn impresses talented recruits who attend and help to win more games perpetuating the cycle.

It is tougher for the smaller schools to compete in such an environment, but they get to use the monies paid them to also improve their facilities to help recruiting. There is a trickle down effect, but as George Gibson's father likes to say, "That is exactly what it is, a trickle."

Cadmium Yellow . . .

The colour of disappointment, according to Stephen Colbert. (After a two week hiatus, TDS and the Report are back and good as ever.)

It has been a while since I web logged, and I thought I would indulge my faithful readers with something new.

I have a "quote-a-day" calendar that doesn't have the day of the week, just the date, which is great because I can use it year after year (which I have for the past two and a half.) My quote today was:

Remember,your tongue is in a wet place: It's likely to slip.

With football season starting, NFL and college coaches and players have regular press conferences, in addition to radio, in-game, and newspaper interviews. This is a lot of talking, and with the tongue being in such a wet place, there are many opportunities for slippage.

I have a plan if ever given (or earning) a measure of celebrity that includes people caring what I have to say. I would like to have a mission statement at the beginning that says: I'm going to say stupid things that might offend people, but I'm not really sorry. If you take offense at what I have to say, you really need to put my words in perspective and realize that my words and thoughts aren't that harmful.

I feel this way because I've never understood the damage done by racist or politically incorrect statements. How does the late ordained Minister of Defense, Reggie White, affect the Asian community by commending them for their ability to put a computer into a watch, or the Hispanic community for their great family structure? How does stereotyping through words hurt people? I can understand that a comment like Fuzzy Zoeller's about Tiger Woods choosing fried chicken for the opening Masters Tournament dinner (the previous year's winner chooses the menu) reveals a prejudice that may affect decisions and actions. But judge, if you must, based on actions, not thoughts. Personally, I am honest with myself and recognize my racial prejudices, but I don't run around committing "hate" crimes (This is a whole nother web log. Let's just say I agree with South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker.). I think that I treat my coworkers based on their performance and not their racial or cultural identities. I'm curious what you think. Thank you for reading to the end.

"Money, they say is the root of all evil today."

Here is an informative article about some of the money that gets thrown around in the name of education. Of interest is that Turner Gill, former Husker player and coach, is now the head coach at Buffalo.