Really Bad Art - In More Ways Than One

Well, I really lost my moderation on this one. The passion just overcame me this time. I got caught up in some ongoing Bloggernacle postings on the latest controversy at the BYU.  The Bookstore recently removed this print of a painting by  Utahn Jon McNaughton from display and sales. The artist was offended and removed all his works with some scathing criticisms of the "liberals" taking over at the Y (of all places!) with their evil political correctness. For a taste of that, you really should read McNaughton's protest and especially the comments. This controversy was also reported in the local press, the Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News.

Rope-a-Dope Hope? or Nope?

Some analysts are saying that the President's release of the original, long-form birth certificate isn't really part of his plan to marginalize the Republicans and their candidates who play into the birther delusions. But even Karl Rove concedes the President was playing a little rope-a-dope. This is likely to help the President politically with the moderate independents who think the birther movement is the craziest thing since Nixon claimed he wasn't a crook. (I will admit that I actually fell for that one at the time. I've been suspicious of sanctimonious conservatives ever since.)

Andrew Sullivan - Almost Fair and Rational

Well, you have to give me some credit for getting quoted. And Andrew's style is to quote his readers' e-mails anonymously, which is just fine. And I will reveal here that the second block quote in this recent piece of his is none other than little old Passionate Moderate Mormon - me. But I think Andrew still doesn't get it.

Proof-texting the Constitution - Starring: Mike Lee

From the Atlantic on-line Garrett Epps compares Constitutional Originalism to interpreting the Da Vinci Code. The most obvious expression of language supposedly hides "secret meaning" only to be interpreted by the possessors of the secret knowledge of the ancients, or maybe Tom Hanks. This is on the same line as what I've been saying with regard to the extreme right proof-texting the Founding Fathers here and here.

He Is Risen!

I can't help it. I have to say it. On this Easter morning, I woke early beside my beloved wife. I've set out Easter baskets while my almost grown kids still sleep. I went through a Sunday School lesson I was asked to teach last night for a sister who needed to be with her elderly mother in serious illness. The lesson is "I Am the Light of the World." I share my fervent belief that He is.

Forgot Gary Johnson!

I left out Gary Johnson in my review of the Republican field and he has now announced his candidacy for the presidential nomination. And the funny thing about that is, he is the only one of the candidates I have actually met. I sat down and had dinner with him at a Boy Scout Eagle Court of Honor some years ago when he was Governor of New Mexico.

Breaking into the Bloggernacle

I have recently been engaged in a very interesting exchange on the LDS-themed Blog, Times & Seasons. You can find the string here. I am fascinated to have stumbled into this whole world of LDS bloggers! It affectionately goes by the name of "Bloggernacle" which you have to admit is kind of clever. I haven't yet linked to the Mormon blogger lists yet. I'm still feeling my way here and like to think I'm independent but there is a whole world out there with a wide variety of LDS (or former LDS) or outsider views on LDS issues. A typical list is here.

My niche of faithful, left-of-center, LDS political blogging still seems to be fairly small. I have linked to a few like-minded blogs and those that go even farther left of center while still maintaining a faithful LDS outlook. And I do recommend Times & Seasons (T&S) as one of the good standards. There's not a lot of politics there but the LDS themes are varied and interesting.