Author of the novel JACK.
Christianity is a religion, but Jesus was not religious, at least not by most standards. For instance, Jesus relied on observation and reason, not visions and revelations, to form his ideas and philosophies. This characteristic was so striking with him that people reportedly were astonished at his teachings, saying that he spoke as one having … Read moreJesus Was Not Christian (part 1)
By chance I sat with a woman at lunch. We were both attending an educational conference. I remembered her because she was attending the conference from a distant African location, Zimbabwe. This was the main reason that I took notice of her. Many years later, when I was much more into world events, I noticed … Read moreI Have Nothing To Hide
My friends have described me as liberal although I think of myself as conservative. I have argued about this extensively and have concluded that the prevailing political models and theories simply do not provide for misfits such as I. Now if this were science instead of politics, I’d say that the anomalies to the theory … Read moreThe Right vs. The Left
My whole life I’ve heard religious folk claim special knowledge of divine TRUTH. They often speak of it expansively and in exaggerated verbal tones in order to add greater weight to their use of the term. For instance, some recognized authority may attempt to quell a spiritual rebellion by admonishing the subversive sinners not to … Read moreTRUTH vs. truth
What is LOVE? It is impossible to fully define conceptually. It defies finite description and supersedes all things. It is the first cause from which all human life and thought spring. Therefore, to place bounds on it would be like a statue placing limitations on its sculptor. Nevertheless, we can work toward an operational definition … Read moreThe Sublime Suffering
I was driving a group of students to a fundraising event in Las Vegas and listening to the radio. It was early in the morning and I was surfing stations trying to find something enjoyable. Unable to locate any good music, I settled on a talk program about economics and the Federal Reserve. The guest … Read moreIntelligence Is Sexy
I was listening to “Angel Down” by Lady Gaga. It’s one of my favorite songs, filled with sincere inquiry, true devotion, religious irony, and political satire–just my type of poetry and the music is awesome. I was feeling particularly satirical myself one day after listening to several talks in church about sacred bloodlines and cursed … Read moreRacism Defiles
Why does it appear that evil is overrunning us? With mass shootings, terror attacks, war, distress, theft, deception, oppression, and the trumpet of hate blaring constantly in our ears, sometimes it’s hard to believe that we’re winning at this thing called being human. Maybe humanity is a waste of space, a waste of life. We … Read moreThe Triumph of Good
In the realm of intellectual achievements, mathematics is the GOAT. It’s also the most hated, which is really too bad. Consequently, I suspect that this will be my least read blog post. People who refuse to learn about mathematics are cutting themselves off from a beauty that can only be felt by the mind. Imagine … Read moreThe Marvel of Mathematics
I accidentally came across this recent post by LDS President Nelson today. Immediately I began experiencing a toxic reaction. President Nelson informs his audience that, “In a coming day, you will present yourself before the Savior.” He continues to give a play-by-play commentary of how this meeting will go down. Those who experience it will: … Read moreThe Holy Savior (rant)