Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Latter-day Saint
Ghost Stories, Richard Dawkins, Christmas, and Other Related Matters

Ghost Stories, Richard Dawkins, Christmas, and Other Related Matters

Last updated on: December 23, 2020 at 12:15 pm by Dan Peterson

Ghost Stories, Richard Dawkins, Christmas, and Other Related Matters 2020-12-23T12:15:38-07:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A Nativity by the great Sandro Botticelli
(Wikimedia Commons public domain image)

I call to your attention two new items that have been posted on the website of the Interpreter Foundation:

Audio Roundtable: Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 1 “Hearken, O Ye People” (D&C 1)

This is an Interpreter Radio Roundtable for Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 1, “Hearken, O Ye People,” on D&C 1. The panelists for it were Steve Densley, Matthew Bowen, and Mark Johnson. This roundtable was extracted, freed from commercial and other interruptions, from the 22 November 2020 broadcast of the Interpreter Radio Show. The complete show may be heard at https://interpreterfoundation.org/interpreter-radio-show-november-22-2020/. The Interpreter Radio Show can be heard Sunday evenings from 7 to 9 PM (MDT), on K-TALK, AM 1640, or you can listen live on the Internet at ktalkmedia.com.

Also, from Jonn Claybaugh: “Doctrine and Covenants Study and Teaching Helps — Lesson 1”

***

“Saints Unscripted” has produced another good little video that deserves wide circulation:

“Were the Book of Mormon witnesses lying, tricked, or telling the truth?”

***

For several years, one of my sons wrote occasional articles for the Deseret News, along with Peterson père. Here’s an interesting and seasonally appropriate article from Peterson fils that appeared in 2010:

“Telling ghost stories is a lost tradition on Christmas Eve”

***

I share with you, as a variant of the story of Christmas, the New International Version rendering of John 1:1-14. I choose this passage, and a possibly unfamiliar translation of it, in an effort to see the story of the birth of Christ from a slightly different angle than is provided by the familiar Lukan narrative:

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

I think it’s important that we not make Christmas merely about the birth of a little baby. Little babies are born every day. Lots of them. But this wasn’t merely a tiny infant. This was (and is) the Lord of the Universe, the King of Kings, who voluntarily lay his glory by.

***

In an ecumenical spirit, I would also like to wish a very merry though very secular Christmas to my zealously atheistic readers. As a gift, I offer a pair of inspiring quotations from two important writers in the modern atheist canon:

That Man is the product of causes which had no prevision of the end they were achieving; that his origin, his growth, his hopes and fears, his loves and his beliefs, are but the outcome of accidental collocations of atoms; that no fire, no heroism, no intensity of thought and feeling, can preserve an individual life beyond the grave; that all the labours of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction in the vast death of the solar system, and that the whole temple of Man’s achievement must inevitably be buried beneath the debris of a universe in ruins — all these things, if not quite beyond dispute, are yet so nearly certain, that no philosophy which rejects them can hope to stand. Only within the scaffolding of these truths, only on the firm foundation of unyielding despair, can the soul’s habitation henceforth be safely built. (Bertrand Russell, “The Free Man’s Worship” [1903])

**The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference. (**Richard Dawkins)

***

In good time for Christmas — which, of course, is itself an example of the baleful effects of religious belief upon human societies and culture — here are some choice new specimens from the Christopher Hitchens Memorial “How Religion Poisons Everything” File:

“Latter-day Saints Around the World: Country Newsroom Websites, December 17, 2020”

“More than 200 New York Pantries Receive Food Donations from Latter-day Saints in 2020: Citation by Governor Cuomo recognizes Church, its bicentennial history and contributions in the state”

“Church Members and Missionaries Aid in Cyclone Cleanup: Evacuees shelter in Church meetinghouses”

“Church and the Salvation Army Team Up to Feed the Hungry: A $1 million donation will help more than 150 communities throughout the United States”

“Church donates $1 million to support Salvation Army efforts as food needs build: The funds will support food distribution in more than 150 locations throughout the United States during the holidays”

“A Lifeline of Hope and Connection — The Church’s Prison Ministry Impacts Lives of Incarcerated: Victor Robinson, who spent 21 years incarcerated, now thanks God for his second chance with a family and a belief in Jesus Christ’s Atonement”

***

Finally, if this story doesn’t touch your heart — be sure to watch the short video that accompanies the article — you may want to consult a cardiologist. If, instead, it leaves you bitter and angry, you may well be my Malevolent Stalker:

“Watch: Country singer surprises Utah teen with a brand-new car: Russell Dickerson teamed up with Chevrolet to gift the 17-year-old a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse, outfitted for her specific needs.”

Uncategorized

Bertrand Russell

Book of Mormon

Book of Mormon Witnesses

Christopher Hitchens Memorial "How Religion Poisons Everything" File

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Previous Post

December 21, 2020

"A Prophet Like Moses," and "The Journey of the Magi"

Next Post

December 23, 2020 Two Hundred and Fifteen Years Ago, Today

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I found the Book of the Law in the temple during repairs and wept when it was read to me. Who am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Joash Hezekiah Josiah Asa