The Political Surf

Review of three indy books include Mormon presence, and scholarship

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Doug Gibson

I like novels and books from small presses, the independents, those that rely on Kindle, Nook, Smashwords, word-of-mouth … for sales. I read two novels and one scholarly book, from respectively, Strange Violin Editions, Leicester Bay Books, and Xlibris. They … Read More

Posted in The Political Surf | Tagged Byuck, German Leaves: Opposing Nazi Cannons with Words, Independent books, Leicester Bay Books, Ralph P. Vander Heide, Stephen Carter, Strange Violins Editions, The Hand of Glory, Theric Jepson, Xlibris | 3 Comments

Mormon one-size-for-all Sacramental goblet was a casualty of the progressive era

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Doug Gibson

(To see Cal Grondahl’s cartoon that goes with this post, click here.) I was talking to an elderly woman in my LDS ward and I asked her if her father had mentioned partaking of the Sacrament in a large ward … Read More

Posted in The Political Surf | Tagged 1890-1930, Common sacramental goblet, Journal of Mormon History, Justin R. Bray, President Heber J. Grant, President Joseph F. Smith, Progressive era, Sacrament Cup, Sacramental trays and tiny cups, Seldon Clawsen, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The Lord's Supper During the Progressive Era | 11 Comments

FAA reversal on “sequester cuts” likely ends the scare tactics

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Doug Gibson

I’ve seen comments and cartoons casting the reversal of the FAA air traffic controller cuts — which were supposedly due to sequestration, or the process of trimming a couple percent or so from federal spending –as a folly of congressional … Read More

Posted in The Political Surf | Tagged Air Traffic Controllers, Budget cuts, Entitlements, FAA, Sequestration | 2 Comments

Flurry of new fiction helps authors get Mormonism out of their system

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Doug Gibson

(To see Cal Grondahl’s cartoon that goes with this post, click here). There’s an extremely profane scene in “Multiple Maniacs,” one of filmmaker John Waters’ earliest films, that takes place in a Catholic church and involves the actors Divine, Mink … Read More

Posted in The Political Surf | Tagged Brian Evenson, Godforsaken Idaho, John Waters, Lapsed Mormons, Mormon fiction, Mormonism, Shawn Vestal | 21 Comments

The Scouts’ pitiful compromise

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Doug Gibson

Leaders of the Boy Scouts of America, trying to find a compromise over the organization’s ban on gays, have managed to offend just about everyone, regardless of their positions on including gays.

Posted in The Political Surf | Tagged Boy Scouts of America, Gay ban on Scouting | 31 Comments

Letter to a Doubter important essay from Mormon scholar Givens

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Doug Gibson

(To see Cal Grondahl’s cartoon that goes with this post, click here.) LDS author and scholar Terryl Givens’ “Letter to a Doubter” has been widely circulated since he presented the essay/lecture in a speech to a Mormon fireside last fall. … Read More

Posted in The Political Surf | Tagged B.H. Roberts, Beliefs, Certainty, Doubt, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Faith, Letter to a Doubter, Mormonism, Terryl Givens, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | 144 Comments

Gun control failed because it is not a voting issue to most Americans

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Doug Gibson

There’s a lot of outrage today after the U.S. Senate failed to move a mild gun control measure toward further debate. A bipartisan measure from Sens. Pat Toomey and Joe Manchin to extend background checks to gun shows and weapons … Read More

Posted in The Political Surf | Tagged Gun control, Gun rights, Newtown, NRA, President Barack Obama, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Sen. Joe Manchin, Sen. Pat Toomey, Voting public | 27 Comments

Did an angel with a drawn sword force Joseph Smith to start polygamy?

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Doug Gibson

(To see Cal Grondahl’s cartoon that goes with this post, click here.) In his biography of Joseph Smith, “Rough Stone Rolling,” author Richard Lyman Bushman relates a popular Mormon legend/history regarding the Mormon prophet and his embrace of polygamy. He … Read More

Posted in The Political Surf | Tagged Angel with a drawn sword, Brian C. Hales, George D. Smith, Joseph Smith, Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner, Mormon folklore, Mormon history, Polygamy, Richard Lyman Bushman, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | 28 Comments

Strange cheerleading on collectivism and children on MSNBC promo

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Doug Gibson

I’m not often surprised by what I see on political-argument TV, but this odd, sinister promo from MSNBC talker Melissa Harris-Perry surprised me. It’s a call for parents to cede more of their authority over the children to the state. … Read More

Posted in The Political Surf | Tagged "1984", Children, Collectivism, George Orwell, Melissa Harris-Perry, MSNBC, Parents, Statism, The family, The Life of Julia | 19 Comments

Bednar’s talk on chastity most significant of April LDS conference

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Doug Gibson

(To see Cal Grondahl’s cartoon, click here.) The media coverage focused on the first LDS woman to give a prayer in LDS General Conference and the sight of a very old Apostle Boyd K. Packer rasping — from a chair … Read More