Take that, Glenn Beck

From a commentary on lds.org:

"The need for civility is perhaps most relevant in the realm of partisan politics. As the Church operates in countries around the world, it embraces the richness of pluralism. Thus, the political diversity of Latter-day Saints spans the ideological spectrum. Individual members are free to choose their own political philosophy and affiliation. Moreover, the Church itself is not aligned with any particular political ideology or movement. It defies category. Its moral values may be expressed in a number of parties and ideologies.

Furthermore, the Church views with concern the politics of fear and rhetorical extremism that render civil discussion impossible. As the Church begins to rise in prominence and its members achieve a higher public profile, a diversity of voices and opinions naturally follows. Some may even mistake these voices as being authoritative or representative of the Church. However, individual members think and speak for themselves. Only the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles speak for the whole Church."

Venting

Say it with me: "Chickens lay, people lie." We're not talking about dishonesty, we're talking about grammar.

"I'm going to lay down for a few minutes." Lay what? An egg of your own?

Please please please, you can lay out your clothes, lay out a plan, whatever. But when it is you, the word is *lie*.

Let me know when you're ready for the difference between affect and effect. There, they're and their should have been covered by your third grade teacher, but I'm happy to offer a refresher any time. Just say the word.

Alternative Radio

The show airs Wednesday nights on my local public radio channel. Here are some direct quotes from last week's speaker, Vandana Shiva:

"I find cars to be oppressive!"

"White bread is racist bread!"

"They shouldn't call it polished rice, they should call it killer rice. Because that's what it is."

Her views on the world were moderate for AR standards. I love this show. If they don't have it in your neighborhood, find out why. Because left-wing fringe rhetoric is a fun, energizing way to wrap up your day.

Access

Nicholas Kristof has a great op-ed in the New York Times today. He points out that if people have access to medical care, they don't get sick and die as easily. Imagine that. I thought I would share excerpts.

"Partly because of lack of access, American health statistics are notorious: Our children are two-and-a-half times as likely to die before the age of 5 as children in Sweden. American women are 11 times as likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth as Irish women. The average person in Honduras or Vietnam is expected to live longer than the average African-American in New Orleans."

That's nice, you say, but what if tax dollars go to funding abortions? Isn't that reason enough to kill the whole bill? Again, a question of access:

"The United States has one-third more abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age than Canada, and more than twice as many as Germany.... While countries with liberal social policies typically make abortion accessible and cheap, they make other elements of health care accessible and cheap as well — such as contraception and child care."

I haven't actually had the chance to talk with anyone who opposes healthcare reform. Are you one of them? What do you think?

The great vice

I was reading here about the question of why mothers are so judgmental of each other. I wondered this about myself--why am so indignant at the sight of people doing things wrong, like using formula, or disposable diapers, or using time outs before the age of four and a half, or having kids too close together, or having kids too far apart.... If everyone were like me, wouldn't the world be better?

Of course it would. But why don't we just live and let live? I think Ezra Taft Benson answered the question well in his seminal talk on pride.

"The proud make every [wo]man their adversary by pitting their intellects, opinions, works, wealth, talents, or any other worldly measuring device against others. In the words of C. S. Lewis: “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. … It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone.” (Mere Christianity, New York: Macmillan, 1952, pp. 109–10.)"

What do you think?

Are you listening?

I am.

waitwait.npr.org

Surrounded By Zombies

That's how I felt the other day at Target. Probably half of the people I saw were either talking on the phone or texting while wandering aimlessly through the aisles. Seeing this sort of heightened level of unconsciousness all around me was unnerving and weird.

Then the Ensign came, and an Elder Whiting had something to say about this too. He is particularly concerned with the difficulty in hearing God speak to you while you're talking on the phone during every waking moment.

I agree with him. Shouldn't there be at least a little time during the day when our world is quiet enough to hear the still, small voice of God?