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“Follow the Prophet!”

“Follow the Prophet!”

Last updated on: August 17, 2021 at 5:23 pm by Dan Peterson

“Follow the Prophet!” 2021-08-17T17:23:47-06:00 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.

Sky Mountain Golf Course in Hurricane, near St. George, Utah. This is a beautiful area.

Starting tomorrow, Friday (13 August):

Announcing Special Screenings of “Witnesses” During BYU Education Week

And here’s another new item from the website of the Interpreter Foundation:

““What Would You Do with a Thousand Years To Do Whatever You Wanted?”: Contemplating the “Complete Bibliography of Hugh Nibley” (CBHN)”

***

A note regarding the comments section here at Sic et Non:

Sometimes, comments don’t appear immediately but are marked with something like “pending approval.” I don’t do this. Disqus does it. In some cases, this happens because a word occurs in the comment that Disqus fears or doesn’t like (e.g., Hitler, Nazi, or Islam). In other cases, it happens for no discernible reason. Nothing, anyway, that I can discern. It has happened to me, in fact, more times than I can count. It may also occur — though I don’t know for certain that it does — because some reader has flagged or complained about a comment. Typically, I need to come along and manually “approve” the comments that are “pending approval.” Sometimes, because I’m traveling or otherwise away from the computer, this doesn’t happen for several hours or even, rarely, for a day or two. You should read nothing into what seems to be a chance event or a glitch.

***

Another advisory note:

If you want to communicate with me, my email address ([email protected] or, now, [email protected]) is far more reliable than Facebook Messenger, or whatever it’s called. I have never gotten into the habit of looking at Facebook messages on a regular basis, and I’m sure that I have missed some important communications that way. Sorry. I try, but I forget. And there’s only so much time in a day. I miss some emails, too. I receive scores of them every day. But I do fairly well with emails, and not at all well with Facebook messages.

***

“Video: BYU-Idaho president urges students to consider receiving COVID-19 vaccine: Approximately 50% of BYU-Idaho students are already vaccinated, President Eyring says”

“Why refusing the COVID-19 vaccine isn’t just immoral – it’s ‘un-American’”

“If Florida was another country, there might be a travel ban, expert says: Florida’s COVID-19 case numbers have climbed to new heights”

“Opinion: I’m tired of ‘taking one for the team’ because some people refuse the vaccine: Like Gov. Cox, I’m grateful for those willing to dig even deeper into their well of patience. I’m just not sure I’m one of them anymore”

“Why so many white evangelicals are shifting from vaccine hesitance to acceptance: In March, white evangelicals were among the groups ranking the lowest on vaccine acceptance; now more than half say they accept the COVID-19 vaccine. What changed?”

“The CDC reveals how many fully vaccinated people died from COVID-19: New numbers from the CDC suggest fully vaccinated people remain protected against hospitalization and death”

“The CDC reveals which rare COVID-19 variants are spreading in the U.S.: How many COVID-19 variants are in the U.S. right now?”

I was absolutely delighted, having already put together the list of coronavirus- and vaccination-related links above, to see this official statement of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which was issued just today:

“The First Presidency Urges Latter-day Saints to Wear Face Masks When Needed and Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19: “We can win this war if everyone will follow the wise and thoughtful recommendations of medical experts and government leaders””

And, although this is their most explicit statement (and their most global), the leaders of the Church have been quite consistent on this matter from just about the beginning. Let those with ears to hear understand:

“Timeline: Church leader actions and statements on wearing masks during pandemic”

Just get the @#$%&%$#@ vaccine already!

Adam was a prophet, first one that we know.

In a place called Eden, he helped things to grow.

Adam served the Lord by following his ways.

We are his descendants in the latter days.
[Chorus]

Follow the prophet, follow the prophet,

Follow the prophet; don’t go astray.

Follow the prophet, follow the prophet,

Follow the prophet; he knows the way.
Enoch was a prophet; he taught what was good.

People in his city did just what they should.

When they were so righteous that there was no sin,

Heav’nly Father took them up to live with him.
Noah was a prophet called to preach the word,

Tried to cry repentance, but nobody heard.

They were busy sinning—Noah preached in vain.

They wished they had listened when they saw the rain.
Abraham the prophet prayed to have a son,

So the Lord sent Isaac as the chosen one.

Isaac begat Jacob, known as Israel;

Jacob’s sons were twelve tribes, so the Bible tells.
Moses was a prophet sent to Israel.

He would lead them to the promised land to dwell.

They were slow to follow, or so it appears.

They were in the wilderness for forty years.
Samuel was a prophet chosen as a boy.

Hannah promised God her son would serve with joy.

In the tabernacle, Samuel heard his name;

He was called by God and answered, “Here I am!”
Jonah was a prophet, tried to run away,

But he later learned to listen and obey.

When we really try, the Lord won’t let us fail:

That’s what Jonah learned deep down inside the whale.
Daniel was a prophet. He refused to sin;

So the king threw Daniel in the lion’s den.

Angels calmed the lions, and the king soon saw

Daniel’s pow’r was great, for he obeyed God’s law.
Now we have a world where people are confused.

If you don’t believe it, go and watch the news.

We can get direction all along our way,

If we heed the prophets—follow what they say.

Throughout my adult life until just recently, it has overwhelmingly been left-leaning “progressives” who have found political reasons to reject the leaders of the Church. Now, to my astonishment, some people ostensibly on the political right have been doing so.

The late Elder Neal A. Maxwell was fond of quoting William Law (1686-1761): “If you have not chosen the Kingdom of God first,” said Rev. Law, “it will in the end make no difference what you have chosen instead.”

***

“Coughing? Itchy eyes? Lingering wildfire smoke could be the cause: Utah continues to battle smoke-caused haze”

“Bad news for the West in a new international climate change report: Utah, the West face more fires, less snow, and an uncertain water future”

“Of all places, the American West should take climate change seriously: The current megadrought has persisted much of the past 20 years. Utah should invest more in water management and innovation”

Being a free-market conservative doesn’t entail rejecting science. Neither does being a believing Latter-day Saint.

***

And, finally, there’s this, from the Christopher Hitchens Memorial “How Religion Poisons Everything” File©:

“LDS Church builds playground for children at Butte Rescue Mission”

Posted from St. George, Utah

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