LIBRARIUM. The Shield of Achilles: War, Peace, and the Course of History by Phillip Bobbit, Part 1
Ultimately, the answer lies in all of us, and in none of us, unless we change our own hearts and minds, then seek to change the hearts and the minds of the people on the ground and speak up or take action at injustices we see in our spheres of influence.
CHANGING THE WORLD
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” — Anthropologist Margaret Mead, 1901-1978 The recent death of Pope Francis took me down memory lane to my junior high years when I joined the Catholic Church for a time. The man who…
THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD
In early December I came across an episode of the old black and white Twilight Zone television series called “The Changing of the Guard” (the last episode of Season 3). I have spent a lot of time thinking about it and watching it more than once. This story is set in 1950. An elderly professor…
A Little Child Shall Lead Them
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” Isaiah 11:6 I saw a video on Facebook the other day. It recorded an event at the finish line of…
The Testimony of Mushrooms
One day last fall, during mushroom season, I decided to research the Amanita muscaria mushroom, the red ones with white raised spots, which grow so abundantly in our area. What makes such a pretty little thing so poisonous? This led me down an interesting path I call a “Thought Trek”. They are never boring journeys.
Letters to Editors Archive: The Loss of American Neutrality and More.
A shorter version was originally written in April of 2003 (Quincy Valley Post-Register) Please see Epilogue below for some more recent thoughts in August 2024. J. Reuben Clark, former US Undersecretary of State and former US Ambassador to Mexico once said, “America, multi-raced and multi-national is, by tradition, by geography, by citizenry, by natural sympathy, and…
Independence Day 2024: What Legacy are We leaving for our Ourselves and Our Posterity?
On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln gave one of the most famous speeches in American history following the Battle of Gettysburg during the War Between the States. Whether you are fan of Abraham Lincoln’s political decisions or not, in that moment in time and in that place, he spoke words which are timeless in…
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARCHIVES: Responsible Taxation
A response to an article criticizing the efforts of a citizen’s group which opposed a local school bond on the basis of irresponsible spending. History, free speech, and respect for all points of view are advocated by the writer of the response.
Faith of Our Fathers
One of my favorite hymns is “Faith of Our Fathers.” The text was written by Frederick W. Faber in 1849. Faber was raised in England as a member of the Anglican Church. He eventually became a Vicar, then, shockingly to all around him, he left the Anglicans and joined the Catholic faith. About six years…
Let’s Talk about Spiders
Several years ago, there was a comedy show called “Kids say the Darndest Things”, and one of my grandsons is no exception when it comes to saying the unexpected. One Sunday, I took him to Primary, the children’s program at my church. One of the things children are asked to do is to give a two-minute talk…
SIMPLE GIFTS
Recently I took a moment to read “The Living Christ” a proclamation to the world from the Twelve Apostles and First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I didn’t get far. The passage below stopped me in my tracks and left me with the thoughts in the following article.
When There’s no Peace on Earth, There is Peace in Christ
Have a great day, everyone, no matter what your circumstances. Create the best day you can and find the Peace of Christ in your soul.
TESTIMONY AND THE BALLOT BOX
Bearing witness is an essential component of being a citizen, whether a citizen of a religious society or a citizen of a country or a nation. Every aspect of life relies upon either the testimony of others or the testimony of our own observations and experiences. It’s that time of year again, Election Season, time…
Ranked Choice Voting and the Constitutionist
A great experiment is taking place in Alaska this election season. Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is being promoted as giving a greater voice to all political perspectives. All votes will count, they tell us, but the actual outcome will be no different than the traditional non-ranked voting. Principle will succumb to expediency, and the same…
An Open Letter to My U.S. Senator Re Abortion, Rights, and Our Own Bodies
Amen. Truth spoken boldly and without fear. I especially like the discussion about men and women being equal co-partners in the DNA of the unborn child and, therefore, the father should have an equal duty (as protector of his progeny) and equal culpability in determining the life or death of the child. The author’s take…
ALONG THE MUSING TRAIL: Family History, Watch Party, and Covenants.
I often go down the Musing Trail, starting one place and ending up somewhere unexpected. This trail began with some family history research, passed through a Watch Party, and ended up with thoughts on Covenants. Hope you enjoy today’s meander!
RING OUT WILD BELLS: A Message For Our Day
Recently, while researching the idea of Father Time and New Year celebrations in general, I came across the full lyrics of this poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Pondering his words, I found a deeper understanding, which seems eerily applicable to our world today.
Librarium: Thoughts on The Great Apostasy by James E. Talmage
First published in 1901, this book is a well-researched and aptly presented review of the history of what is known as “The Great Apostasy”, a time period in which it is said that the purity and simplicity of the Doctrine of Christ as established by Jesus himself during his sojourn and ministry in mortality became…
OLD CRONES
Sometimes insights into the human condition come in mysterious ways. Well, maybe not so mysterious. Experience is a great teacher, as I recently found out. A few days ago, my arthritis flared up, in my left knee this time. It felt like a pieces of bone had broken off and were roaming about the back…
PANDEMIC
Thoughts and Ponderings on the Current World Pandemic 4 April 2020 https://youtu.be/f7QuujYpVjE During General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the president of the Church, Russell M. Nelson, asked the world to fast and pray on Good Friday, 10 April 2020, to ask God to alleviate the Covid-19 Pandemic. 5…
Is This Not How LIBERTY is Lost?
Crises come and Crises go, it is a law of Nature, as History shows. Will we do this every time we face a crisis from now on? With the passage of the $2 Trillion Corona Virus Relief Stimulus legislation, Congress is basically using the tax money paid in by the American People for many generations…
Do What is Right, Let the Consequence Follow
The battle for liberty and freedom is a constant struggle against the forces of tyranny and coercion. The Grand Yin/Yang of the universe. It permeates everything in our lives. We push forward towards understanding and promoting liberty, and tyranny pushes back. All we can do in our limited lifetime is seek to understand the truth…
EyeWitness 2020: Re-Establishing the Constitutional Republic
A Republic, in which the interests of the people and the interests of the State are balanced, is a difficult form of government to keep. Just ask the ancient Romans.
The Sea of Glass
Truth in science and truth in religious teachings are, in fact, truth. They do not negate each other, they complement each other, they support each other. If they do not meld into one fact now, they may very well do so in the future. It is up to us to use our minds and spiritual…
The Nature of Time
What is the nature of Time, I wondered as I sat stunned by the beauty of a full autumn moon with its brilliant light filling the sky.
Liberty Principia 