December 2008
MormonTimes--Glenn Beck and Dobson's group respond to Web site ban (12-30-8)
A spokesman for Focus on the Family and Glenn Beck have both issued responses after the Mormon Media Observer reported the news about the Focus on the Family pulling an article about Glenn Beck's "Christmas Sweater" book from its CitizenLink Web site.
FLDS attack report by Texas child welfare authorities (12-29)
Members of the Fundamentalist LDS Church are attacking a report by Texas child welfare authorities, saying it is "as false and fraudulent as the original hoax telephone call that triggered the raid" on the YFZ Ranch.
MormonTimes--Study: Mormons 'overrepresented' in Congress (12-29)
When the 111th Congress convenes Jan. 6, Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus will be underrepresented. No shocker there perhaps. But a new analysis of incoming members' religious affiliations by the Pew Forum indicates no small measure of change: Congress is much more diverse than it was half a century ago.
MormonTimes--American Fork man is food storage fanatic (12-29)
The long, narrow room in Kenneth Moravec's basement looks like a food bank.
MormonTimes--'Mormonism's Last Colonizer' (12-28)
William H. Smart's life was full of contradictions.
SouthCoastToday.com--Young Mormon missionaries motivated, misunderstood (12-27)
You see them walking around your neighborhood, always in pairs--clean-cut looking men with open smiles and "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" emblazoned across their name tags.
MormonTimes--Focus on Family pulls Glenn Beck article (12-27)
James Dobson's Focus on the Family ministry has pulled from its CitizenLink Web site an article about talk show host Glenn Beck's book "The Christmas Sweater" after some complained that Beck's LDS faith is a "cult" and "false religion" and shouldn't be promoted by a Christian ministry.
MormonTimes--Should good Mormons give money to beggars? (12-26)
It's one of the classic Sunday school debates, and it can make for some pretty tense moments during church outings. To a new convert, it may seem like a very strange point of dispute, but veteran Saints have been through the question many times.
Rolling Stone--The Killers Inside (12-25)
Brandon Flowers is having trouble explaining himself.
MormonTimes--A uniquely Mormon Christmas tradition (12-24)
"I am the light and the life of the world." (3 Nephi 9: 18)
MormonTimes--The Top 5 'Mormons and the media' stories of 2008 (12-24)
True to the title, the Mormon Media Observer has selected the Top Five LDS-connected media stories of 2008.
AP--Texas report: Kids in sect suffered neglect, abuse (12-23)
A dozen girls were sexually abused at a polygamist group's ranch targeted in a high-profile raid last spring, and parents neglected more than 250 other children living there by doing nothing to protect them from becoming future victims, Texas child welfare officials said in a report released Tuesday.
TylerPaper.com--Male Church Members Form Human Barrier to Shield Women From Gunman (12-23)
The Sunday Christmas program had just finished, children were playing and adults were enjoying refreshments when a gunshot penetrated sounds of the joyful occasion.
Activists hand-deliver letters to LDS Church (12-23)
Gay-rights activists hand-delivered more than 27,000 letters to the LDS Church's downtown Salt Lake headquarters Monday in the latest effort to earn the church's support in the fight for equal rights.
Summa Theologica - Interfaith Dialogue--Harvard undergraduate explains her Mormon faith (12-22)
On September 23, 2008, five Harvard undergraduates were interviewed by journalist for the Washington Post, Sally Quinn, about their religious convictions. Students represented Islam, Mormonism, Judaism, Presbyterianism and Buddhism. Before an audience of approximately 50 students, faculty and chaplains of diverse religions at Beren Hall at Harvard Hillel, these five students were asked to reveal their "spiritual biographies."
'Praise to the Man' honors Joseph Smith (12-22)
In 1844, there were approximately 26,000 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Yet, when W.W. Phelps penned a song of tribute to his beloved, fallen prophet, he promised that "millions shall know Brother Joseph again."
MormonTimes--Readers react to LDS Church 'PR challenges' (12-20)
Boy, have I got mail!
Trial delayed for hoax suspect in FLDS raid (12-19)
A trial for a woman connected to the hoax call that sparked the raid on the Fundamentalist LDS Church's YFZ Ranch has been delayed.
MormonTimes--Energy drinks and the Word of Wisdom (12-19)
A stake president approaches the pulpit and looks out over the congregation. There has been much debate recently among members of the stake over the Word of Wisdom. The question: Can good Latter-day Saints drink caffeinated beverages?
MormonTimes--Gay rights group calls for LDS church support (12-19)
A national civil rights group for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community has launched a national letter writing and e-mail campaign calling on the Mormon church to publicly support equality legislation in Utah.
LDS missionary slightly injured in Salt Lake shooting (12-17)
Two LDS missionaries were shot in Salt Lake City over the weekend, according to police. One of them suffered a minor injury on his upper-right arm when he was grazed by a bullet.
Jury recommends 38 1/2 years in missionary death (12-16)
A jury in Chesapeake has recommended a Virginia man spend 38 1/2 years in prison for killing a Mormon missionary and wounding another.
MormonTimes--The mysteries of Book of Mormon DNA (12-15)
In this 14 minute video presentation, Scott R. Woodward, executive director of Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, explains how a person's frame of reference affects how they assess DNA evidence for the Book of Mormon.
MormonTimes--Teachings guided Mormon church to back Prop 8 (12-15)
Sources involved in the fight over a measure banning same-sex marriage in California offered several explanations as to why the Mormon church was so committed to passing the state constitutional amendment, known as Proposition 8.
MormonTimes--Book version 'full' of Mormon myths (12-15)
First there was the DVD on "Mormon Myth-ellaneous," and now there's a new 244-page book available on the same subject.
MormonTimes--BYU professor 'clearing the air' (12-15)
Brigham Young Univeristy professor C. Arden Popehas come to be regarded as a world expert in the links between air pollution and ill health.
MormonTimes--New LDS temple announced in Trujillo, second in Peru (12-13)
The First Presidency has announced plans to build a temple in Trujillo, Peru. This will bring the total number of LDS temples worldwide to 146 already in operation or in the planning and construction phases.
Virginia man guilty of killing missionary (12-13)
A jury has convicted a Virginia man in the slaying of an LDS missionary and the wounding of another.
MormonTimes--LDS PR challenges: Reader feedback sought (12-13)
What do you make of the LDS Church's public relations challenges?
MormonTimes--Holocaust survivor finds church (12-12)
She was 17 years old when the Nazis came for her.
MormonTimes--Show Christlike understanding over Prop. 8 (12-12)
On Nov. 5, the day after Barrack Obama was elected president and a conspicuous proposition passed in the Golden State, my cell phone buzzed and an unfamiliar number appeared on the screen. I put the phone to my ear.
Anti-polygamy activist to be deposed in FLDS case (12-11)
A judge has ordered an anti-polygamy activist to give a deposition about conversations she had with the woman suspected of making hoax phone calls that sparked the raid on the Fundamentalist LDS Church's YFZ Ranch.
MormonTimes--Avoiding the syndrome of shaken faith (12-11)
Not too many years ago, we were warned about shaken baby syndrome. Doctors were given a list of symptoms that always meant a baby had been shaken.
MormonTimes--Thomas Kane: A mediator for Mormons in D.C. (12-11)
At a time when the LDS Church had little or no voice in Washington, D.C., it had a true friend in Thomas L. Kane, an emeritus Brigham Young University professor said Wednesday.
MormonTimes--Christ saves from sin, death, Elder Porter says (12-10)
All people are captives who may be delivered from their bonds by Jesus Christ, Elder Bruce D. Porter of the Quorum of Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Tuesday during a Brigham Young University devotional.
MormonTimes--LDS Church News: Printing of Joseph's journals (12-10)
After years of anticipation, the first published volume in the Joseph Smith Papers project is on store shelves.
MormonTimes--The story behind the N.Y. Times ad defending Mormons (12-10)
When the Mormon Media Observer first saw the full-page advertisement defending the LDS Church against attacks in the New York Times http://nomobveto.org/ ad and news release http://www.becketfund.org/index.php/article/869.html, I wanted to know more about the people who were standing up for the rights of religious people and groups to enter the public square without violence or intimidation. So I did some checking.
MormonTimes--LDS Church is a refuge in Mexico (12-10)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not a "sanctuary church" -- that is, it's not a place where lawbreakers can hide out, call Kings-X and escape the authorities. But the church is a "refuge church," a place where the overburdened and bewildered can find shelter from the storm.
New Joseph Smith book sells out quickly (12-9)
The inaugural volume of Joseph Smith Papers has been out only two weeks and is virtually sold out now as the demand has far exceeded expectations.
Los Angeles Times--El Coyote manager, targeted by gay marriage backers, might quit (12-8)
Here's an important footnote to the string of boycotts and protests by gay-marriage supporters after Proposition 8 was approved by voters last month.
DCexaminer.com--Officials rebuff Mormons’ discrimination claim over planned church (12-8)
The Mormon church’s claim of religious discrimination from residents of 16th Street Heights who are bucking plans for a three-story meeting house and 105-foot spire has been rebuffed by planning officials.
Daily Globe--New LDS facility open (12-8)
On Saturday morning, local members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints conducted their first baptism in their new facility, and on Saturday afternoon, they opened the doors to the community at large during an open house.
MormonTimes--The case of the 'missing' Joseph Smith index (12-8)
It was a dark and stormy night when I first hefted the newly printed "The Joseph Smith Papers: Journals Volume 1: 1832-1839." It was a weighty book, 3 pounds, 2.1 ounces to be exact. But I couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing -- it felt about 1.2 ounces too light.
LDS urged to make room at the inn, emulate love (12-8)
The Bethlehem innkeeper never got a second chance to house the holy family, but those who seek to follow the babe born in his stable will not only make room for Christ, they will emulate his light, his love and his care for others.
LDS balance attention on aid they give (12-8)
Leaders of the LDS Church face a delicate balancing act when deciding if and when to talk about the humanitarian aid the church provides to disaster victims and others in need worldwide.
MormonTimes--Mormons open new chapel in Virginia (12-8)
A Mormon church in Albemarle County will hold its first Sunday service today in its new 25,000-square-foot facility -- after spending more than a decade trying to determine a building site.
MormonTimes--Ghana vice president visits temple complex (12-8)
The vice president of the Republic of Ghana, Alhaji Alie Mahama, visited the Accra Ghana Temple Complex this fall. He was welcomed by the first counselor in the area presidency, Elder Craig A. Cardon of the Seventy.
MormonTimes--New book reflects growth of greater Denton, Texas, area (12-7)
Denton native George U. Hubbard's book, "When the Saints Came Marching in: A History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Denton, Texas, 1958-2008," chronicles Mormon history in the greater Denton area.
New York Times ad blasts ire aimed at LDS (12-6)
Declaring "no mob veto," a full-page ad in the New York Times on Friday denounced the "violence and intimidation" directed at members of the LDS Church who supported California's ban on gay marriage.
Laid to rest: Apostle eulogized as a humble servant (12-6)
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin was eulogized Friday as a humble servant of God who never sought acclaim or position but only to serve and love his fellow men.
MormonTimes--Hiding our alms vs. letting our light shine (12-6)
Don't be surprised if you see the LDS Church start telling more about its humanitarian efforts around the world, but also don't be surprised if the church doesn't always publicize its giving.
MormonTimes--Defendant in missionary shooting presents alibi (12-6)
James Boughton Jr. took the witness stand Friday and denied shooting two Mormon missionaries in 2006, telling the jury he was at a friend's home "just playing games and chillin'."
MormonTimes--Papers volume crafted with long shelf life in mind (12-5)
Joseph Smith's first handwritten journal is a small book. Its blue cover has faded and the paper looks brittle.
MormonTimes--Book answers DNA critics of Book of Mormon (12-5)
Brigham Young University professor Daniel C. Peterson answers DNA critics of the Book on Mormon with a new collection of articles by leading scientists who are also Latter-day Saints.
MormonTimes--Prosecutors rest case in Virginia missionary shooting (12-5)
Prosecutors rested their case Thursday against James Boughton Jr., a 22-year-old man accused of shooting two Mormon missionaries in January 2006.
Jeffs' lawyers appeal his Utah convictions (12-4)
Lawyers for Warren Steed Jeffs, the leader of the Fundamentalist LDS Church, have appealed to the Utah Supreme Court to reverse Jeffs' 2007 convictions on two counts of being an accomplice to rape and rule that he should get a new trial.
Glenn Beck sees new project as 'most important' of his life (12-4)
When Glenn Beck was 13, he received a handmade sweater from his mother. He hated it at the time — threw it on the floor. Little did he know that it would eventually become one of the most poignant and powerful things to touch his life.
MormonTimes--Selecting image for Joseph Smith Papers volume was key (12-4)
Dan Weggeland never saw Joseph Smith.
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, oldest apostle, 91, dies at home (12-3)
The oldest living apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has passed away at age 91.
Smith's journals made available to public for 1st time (12-2)
They survived amid mobbings, beatings, burnings, a horse-drawn wagon journey across the Great Plains and even the ravages of mice roaming inside their wooden crate.
MormonTimes--The survival story of Joseph Smith's first journal (12-2)
A child's scribbles on an end sheet and in the interior of Joseph Smith’s first known journal may suggest that the prophet and founder of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints was an "indulgent father who allowed family access to his personal records."
MormonTimes--Following the Mormon Battalion (12-2)
Faint wagon routes and stories of a battle with bulls at the San Pedro River may be the only traces left of the Mormon Battalion's trek through Cochise County, but Kevin and Denny Henson are reliving that history as best as they can.
MormonTimes--'The Errand of Angels' DVD review (12-2)
Let me begin by stating that I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Yes, The Errand of Angels is yet another LDS missionary film, but eight years after the release of the groundbreaking God’s Army (2000) the genre has matured a great deal.
MormonTimes--BYU students 'Zen Mormons' after retreat (12-1)
Zach Elison and Brandon Habermeyer consider themselves Zen Mormons.
MormonTimes--2009 Church Almanac readers privy to details (12-1)
Membership of the church in October 2008 was 13,428,061, precisely 234,062 more than in December 2007.
MormonTimes--Hotel 'spiritual menu' includes Book of Mormon (12-1)
Leave your Bhagavad-Gita at home while traveling out of town? If you're staying at a Provenance Hotel, you can get a copy of the ancient Hindu text for your room from a "spiritual menu" that includes the Quran, the Bible and other religious texts.