Navel-gazing and other bloggernacle festivities are great fun.  But we need to do something to help those suffering in the wake of the south asian tsunamis.  This is the worst natural disaster in recorded history; what will the Mormons do to help?  The Church, through its Provident Living webpage, has some resources on how to help — primarily, through donations to the Church’s Humanitarian Aid Fund.  See here.  That’s a great place to start.

We can do more and act through quicker means than the Church’s humanitarian efforts.  The Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI) has some helpful hints on how to help — basically, keep your canned goods in your food storage locker — send money, now.  While many hubs are available to take donations, I would recommend the Red Cross, Unicef USA, or even WorldVision.  American mormons are the richest, most blessed people in the world.  Heaven forgive us if we don’t do something to help the millions affected by this disaster.

Perhaps part of my skepticism about belief stems from my fascination with urban legends. I find the human need to believe that which will confirm our perspective on the world to speak volumes. We all do it - no one is immune. If you follow urban legends, even with just the occasional visit to www.snopes.com, you’re well aware that people believe things that simply aren’t true.

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No posts for five days . . . holidays and blogging don’t seem to mix. But after three days of trying to drum up conversation with aunts, uncles, BILs, SILs, and the like, surely some of you are ready to sneak off for some online sanity. Let’s compare notes: (1) Did you have a white Christmas? (2) Were LDS services at your holiday destination even duller than the usual three-hour tour of Mormon storytelling?
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The Christmas season is upon us. It’s that time of year when you should be thinking about the birth of Baby Jesus, but instead, you’re obsessing about a fat old man who dresses up in a frilly red outfit that would put a drag queen to shame, and who invites your children to sit on his lap and asks them to “tell me what you really want!” Creepy. And you sickos don’t see anything wrong with this? That’s it… I’m calling Social Services!

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We couldn’t close out the year with at least one more poll — so enjoy!  To vote or see results, click below.

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BCC being the last respite of the hopeless members of the Bloggernacle, it seemed fitting to provide some sort of slacker’s guide to Christmas gifts.  There’s not a lot of hope for you if, on Dec. 22nd, you still don’t have gifts for your loved ones for Christmas.  Never fear — there are things you can do, that are better-looking than cash and better ideas than Macy’s Gift Cards.  Below I list a few ideas, as well as some web resources; feel free to add your own. 

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In the last few years I have learned of some people who have needlessly cost themselves a lot of money for lack of information; I am writing this post hoping to help someone from making the same mistake. I have no affiliation with the loan consolidation services mentioned below, I just want to offer what I have learned while consolidating my own loans. This is not professional advice and there are no guarantees that all of the information is accurate. You may want to consult with a financial aid counselor to assess your unique circumstances. In other words, all the usual lawyerly caveats apply.

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The best scandals we can come up with is that somebody can’t take the sacrament anymore?  Sorry folks, that won’t cut it if we’re going to crack the upper ranks of Technorati.  Here’s what we need: a steamy sex scandal involving sex-for-hire and high-ranking Bush administration officials.  At least, that’s what the New York Times would have us believe in a recent article.  Except that I guess we would need to find some kind of Mormon angle.

Bombings, scandals, polygamy, sex, conspiracies — that’s the kind of Church we need if our missionary work is to have any success in today’s world.  Now, come on folks — give us the goods to make this blog hit the big time!  Anybody have a salamander tell them to become a private dancer?

Some of you may know Ann - she’s a long-time commenter, and a thoughtful one at that.  She’s been kind enough to submit a guest post related to our ongoing discussions of why people stay in the Church when they don’t believe the entirety of the Church’s teachings.  I’d invite you to listen to her story, and comment with the same thoughtfulness and compassion that Ann has obviously put into her remarks.

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When I proposed the idea of guest blogging on this topic to
the Cabal, I had thought I would write a detached, impersonal essay about why
non-believers (as a group) might want to continue to attend and participate as members
of the CoJCoLdS. This topic has been
addressed other places, and in a manner similar to my original choice. My friend Peggy Rogers wrote an essay, The Paradox of the Faithful Unbeliever, several years ago. The
subject was also the topic of a Sunstone Symposium session in August 2003
(printed in the magazine under the title Why We Stay in October, 2003). Since
there has been so much said along those lines in other places - and even here,
in the “Firestorm” thread - I’m going to address the subject more
directly: Why do I keep
attending and participating as a member of the CoJCoLdS when I no longer
believe many of the church’s unique doctrinal claims? At the risk of invoking a hearty “Who cares?” from anybody reading, here goes…

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A brief exchange with John H. on our popularity-contest-winner of a thread has brought up some questions I have, which might be best examined in a separate post. I said:

"So, John H., if Palmer’s book didn’t merit any sort of action by the Church, and bearing in mind all of the info you presented us about Church changes, etc., what, to you, is there that is Mormonism and not up for Palmer types to discredit? I’m not necessarily saying there has to be something, I’m just curious to know if you think there is (or if anyone else thinks there is)."

And John H. replied:

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The religion journalism site Get Religion has a post entitled Dueling Messiahs, discussing “the temptation to remake Jesus in our own image by emphasizing only the portion of his message that confirms our pet ideas.” Popular views of Jesus portrayed in the post and another article referenced in the post include Jesus as “Free-Market Messiah,” as “Cool Older Brother Jesus, who loves absolutely everyone just as they are,” and as “Live Long and Prosper Jesus, who wants to shower people with health and wealth.” Can we do better?

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The cacophony of criticism (some of it mine) aimed towards financially profligate saints has become loud enough that it is easy to forget that Mormons have a well-deserved reputation for thrift.  Recent interest in exotic cheeses within the blogosphere notwithstanding, most of the Mormons I know buy foodstuffs that have no pedigree, drive decidedly unglamorous cars and consider $40 meals on the high side.  No doubt larger than average families are one reason many of us choose Toasty O’s and Puffed Rice over their better known counterparts, but I know a lot of people who could eat foie gras daily but choose instead Lynne Wilson. 

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It’s that time of the week again… I get to pick a post I’ve written in the hopes that some of you will read it. The pick this week was an idea I had that didn’t stimulate the type of discussion I was hoping for the first time around. So either it’s a dud or I didn’t have the golden crowd I do now. Here goes the second try:

As Logan and I dove deep into our conversation on appropriate music, I began formulating my own theory and have decided to name it the Mormon "We" Problem. I like to think of it is a paradox, but it may not quite be that. I’d appreciate anyone’s feedback as I try and articulate something that is more of a thought and less of a researched, proven fact.

It all started when I asked a simple question of "What music should we boycott?" To which Logan responded, "You seem to operate on the assumption that some music should be boycotted."

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Grant Palmer’s been disfellowshipped - thus saith the AP Newswire and other sources.  The Salt Lake Tribune has an excellent article on it, quoting our own John Hatch.  I’m not sure what this will do to the excommunication thread.  Perhaps we should have a "Value of Being Disfellowshipped" thread instead?

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One of the drawbacks of living in the BEST CITY ON EARTH is that you have to put up with a great deal of foot traffic.  As someone who works in Times Square, it can be frustrating to wade through the hordes of tourists gawking at the billboards.  Well, it’s recently gotten even worse, thanks to the pamphleteer armies of Falun Gong (a/k/a Falun Dafa, or Wheel of Law).

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For my #4, I thought I’d redo a fairly recent post of mine.  I think it relates to John H.’s recent post about doubt and faith.  It’s my own take on some of the seeming inconsistencies in the Church, or at least in my testimony:

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My last day as a Sunstone employee is Friday, December 10th. After calling myself a student for the past 10 years, I’ve decided it’s time to do more than just take the occasional night class. I don’t want to leave Sunstone, easily the best job a person could hope to have, but I feel like it’s the right thing to do for my family. It’s been a great, and altogether too-fast three years.

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This post has a special place in my heart as it is one of the first times Kristine graced me with her ability to find holes in my arguments in such a loving, older sister sort of way. Thus, it ranks as number four on my short list of favorite blog posts from Sons of Mosiah. After quite the discussion, I think we came to a good understanding. But I’m sure there are plenty of you out there just waiting for a chance to voice your opinion on this topic. I’ve included my discussion with Kristine at the end of the post. This is where you’ll find Kristine’s classic line: "Bob, I *am* sweet and nice, and about 90% traditional : ) You’re one of the lucky few who gets to know the other 10%."

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Some of you may have read comments by Ed Enochs on the other board.  I asked Mr. Enochs if he would like to say something about ways that mormons and evangelicals can work together.  Below is his response.  I believe that his answer is interesting and revelatory concerning the potential for entente between the LDS and evangelical communities.  While I obviously disagree with some of his conclusions, his view is interesting nonetheless.

  "Dear LDS Friends,

I have been asked by Steve Evans to share with you my thoughts as to how Evangelical Christians and members of the LDS Church can work together towards understanding each other.  I will do so gladly, since the Bible, God’s exclusively inerrant, inspired and infallible Word exhorts us to; "Sanctify the Lord God in our hearts and always be ready to give an answer to everyone that asks us for a reason for the hope that is in us" (1 Peter 3:15).

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Sorry for two quick posts, but I’ve just learned my friend Grant Palmer has been summoned to a Church court a week from Sunday.

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I can’t make up my mind on this one. The University of Utah has released a draft of its new "accommodation policy" that professes to work with students when course requirements conflict with core beliefs.

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My #5 golden oldie post was written as a response to some early fireworks in the LDS Blogosphere (this was before it had been christened "The Bloggernacle"), when Times and Seasons was said to be excessively intellectual.  I smile as I recall LDS blogging’s little existential crisis.

It also doubles as a good articulation of the philosophy Bob and I bring to blogging.  There were a few comments, but not really that many.  If you’re interested in reading them visit the original post.

Also, (it should go without saying, but) I’ll point out that I wrote the post’s final sentence before I had come over to the dark side, so don’t hold the details of it against me.

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Because I just wrote a really long comment to this post at Feminist Mormon Housewives, and because I have been negligent in my duties as a BCC blogger and haven’t posted in months, I’m posting my comment here for your reading pleasure or displeasure.

Here is an excerpt from Lisa’s post:

What kind of mortal test is it for 2,500 children A DAY who get kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery. So that they can be raped 45 times a day, held in cells, then die of AIDS. Die in misery and fear after living through years of torture. WHAT THE HELL KIND OF MORTAL TEST IS THIS?

It’s easy to see something like that and question God. And to wonder what possible good can come from such evil.

We are told that the problems we face in this life are for our own good and serve as trials. We like to shroud ourselves in the comfort of that belief. I think it’s true but only in a very general way. To believe otherwise is to make God the author of all evil.

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