In 2005, Terryl L. Givens gave a speech titled “Lightning from Heaven: Joseph Smith and the Forging of Community.” In a comment at BCC:, Ben H. provided a link to a pdf for this speech and so I was able to read it for the first time. The essay in its entirety is excellent. Read the whole thing for yourself. I was particularly impressed by a section that is titled “Four Truths About Human Nature”:

“Here are the four truths about human nature that Joseph taught that would reinvent man. We are, he declared, eternally existent, inherently innocent, boundlessly free and infinitely perfectible.”

That is a very clear and powerful summary of points about human nature. I feel that each specific point is a profound truth worth pondering over. Just one of these truths, if expanded upon, would provide many reasons for a human being to feel a remarkable level of optimism and hope. Combined together, as a statement about human nature, they provide a uniquely formidable and wholesome religious doctrine.

[This post started as a snark but has been altered to deal with the topic more seriously.]

John Dehlin wants to be a full-time blogger for a living and to do this he estimates that he needs to make $2000-$4000 per month. He has posted a proposal for how this can be done.

He is also now posting the total of pledges he has received. It currently stands at $187 per month.

I wonder what will happen if Dehlin doesn’t get the kind of numbers he was hoping for … would he bring back his blog anyway and see if he could still get the money that readers have already committed? Would those who have made pledges still want to pay?

My prediction is that John Dehlin will bring his blog back, regardless of what happens.

This past Saturday and Sunday, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hosted its 176th Semiannual General Conference. During the next week at some point, the text of the talks given by our prophet and other leaders should become available here. I was very grateful we were able to listen to these talks (via satellite transmission) in our new chapel. I was especially touched by the words of President Gordon B. Hinckley (you can also see the Wikipedia entry for him here). He is so advanced in years and has dedicated so much of his life to church service. It is difficult to imagine a better or more experienced leader for our times.

It is interesting that the day following General Conference (today, Monday) would be Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur (which means “Day of Atonement”) is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar and is a solemn day, a day of fasting, a day of repentance. Perhaps in our own way we can respect and commemorate Yom Kippur by contemplating the words of our priesthood leaders and seeking to be better people.

[For pictures of the new building, go here]

We went to our church meetings at the new ward building yesterday. Here are some notes I want to write down about the experience.

1) We walked to church. The new chapel is a little more than ten blocks away from where we live. It took us about twenty minutes to walk there. In the past we had to take a) two buses, b) a bus and a subway or c) a taxi to get to church. There were a few times I walked to or from church (crossing through Central Park) but that meant a nice hour-long walk.

2) Wow, the ward membership is bigger than I thought. The chapel and overflow areas were filled all the way. Every folding chair that was available in that area was used. I’m getting to know long-time members who I never even knew existed as well as some inactives who have shown up. One even announced himself that way when he was asked to introduce himself in priesthood meeting. He said “I’ve been inactive.” Almost in unison everyone said: “Welcome!”

3) There were a lot less visitors. Despite the “visitors welcome” sign over the door, this was a good thing. On a typical weekend there are 100-300 LDS people visiting New York City. Almost all of them elect to attend morning ward meetings at the building where the temple stands. This used to dilute our ward meetings to a tremendous extent and it made it difficult for the actual members of the ward to mingle properly or to recognize new members. New members usually had to attend meetings for three or four weeks before the general membership began to pick them out of the crowd.

4) There were still visitors … which was suprising since it is our first Sunday in the new building. Word has gotten out. However, it was the normal trickle of visitors you would expect in a typical ward.

5) Is there a such thing as “that new chapel smell”? Yes. I’m not sure if it’s the smell of paint, varnish, freshly-dried concrete, new seating … but there is a distinct newness smell to the new chapel.

5) Question: How is the new basketball court? Answer: It isn’t ready yet. In fact, the fourth and fifth floors of the building are still not finished and are off limits. Also, the wooden flooring for the basketball court won’t be done for another year. The fourth floor is a space that is being reserved for making additional classrooms. The fifth floor will in fact also be the site of a second chapel as well as a basketball court. Right now I can’t imagine how that will work. That doesn’t mean I’m skeptical. I’m just curious to see the fifth floor layout for myself.

6) The air conditioning isn’t working in all areas of the building, but that should change shortly. The bishop tells us that the air conditioning system is much more sophisticated than what existed in the old building. The temperature in each room can be controlled (with some limitations).

7) We share the building with a singles ward. They are referred to as the Manhattan 3rd Ward.

I may think of other things that I would want to remember about the first Sunday in the new ward. For now this will do.