My Column in the "Mormon Times"

[_harmony]

My new column is out.

But "Mormon Times" has restructured in some way, and I'm sitting in a lecture hall with only an iPhone.

What does "restructured" mean?

[_moksha]

.

Google "Deseret News Peterson Faith Trust."

I have always considered trust to be a multi-leveled concept. At the top would be the cosmic level - something akin to night following day. Toward the bottom would be more iffy things like whether my daughter will burn the frying pan if she tries to cook something.

Where does trust in God fall on this scale? My guess is that while many religious people would claim to have a cosmic level of trust, if money were riding on some occurrence they would pick night following day.

.

[_Daniel Peterson]

This week's:

http://www.deseretnews.com/mobile/artic ... ntity.html

[_Joey]

This week's:

http://www.deseretnews.com/mobile/artic ... ntity.html

Another great article for those being "persecuted"! Only in Provo!

[_Daniel Peterson]

I'm from California, I live in Orem, and the paper is published in Salt Lake.

How is this "only in Provo"?

And the article wasn't about "persecution."

Have you ever thought about trying to make at least minimal sense?

[_madeleine]

How is the Mormon trek west comparative to Israel, and not to say, the many times humans have set out in groups to move from A to B? It is a very human behavior, not exceptional in the larger picture of human history. Though, in the history of the settlement of the western US, it is noteworthy.

Israel was made exceptional by God, as a Chosen People, with miracles in their wanderings and Exodus, that is indicative of God's Saving Grace, which is perfected in Jesus Christ.

So we are a made a Chosen People, royal, members of Christ's High Priesthood, through Jesus Christ, not by our wanderings and/or persecutions. Which for Mormons, are lacking in miracles. No pillar of fire, water flowing from rocks, manna from heaven. Why? Because all of these things pre-figure Jesus Christ, who sanctified the waters of baptism, is our pillar of fire, and is the Bread of Life.

In the mythology of Mormon pioneers....what point is there that is greater than this?

[_Daniel Peterson]

How is the Mormon trek west comparative to Israel, and not to say, the many times humans have set out in groups to move from A to B? It is a very human behavior, not exceptional in the larger picture of human history. Though, in the history of the settlement of the western US, it is noteworthy.

I think you're reading into my article something that I didn't say.

I said that the trek westward was a principal factor in creating a sense of peoplehood or ethnicity for the Latter-day Saints, and I also said that, in their peoplehood or quasi-ethnicity, Mormons are somewhat like Jews. But I didn't claim a direct causal relationship between the two. I didn't argue for, or even say, that the Mormon migration to the West was comparable to the Israelite exodus from Egypt.

However, certain comparisons were made from the very time itself, by the participants: They were the "wandering camp of Israel," led by "the American Moses" (Brigham Young), crossing dry shod over the Mississippi River on ice as the Israelites crossed the Red Sea on dry ground, fed by flocks of quail as were the Israelites, passing Mount Pisgah as the Israelites did, coming to a land where a river (which they named the "Jordan") linked a freshwater lake and a freshwater lake, building temples and tabernacles, presided over by patriarchs and prophets, in a place they called "Zion," and etc., and etc., and etc.

Israel was made exceptional by God, as a Chosen People, with miracles in their wanderings and Exodus, that is indicative of God's Saving Grace, which is perfected in Jesus Christ.

True.

So we are a made a Chosen People, royal, members of Christ's High Priesthood, through Jesus Christ, not by our wanderings and/or persecutions.

True. I never said otherwise.

Which for Mormons, are lacking in miracles.

That's debatable.

No pillar of fire, water flowing from rocks, manna from heaven. Why? Because all of these things pre-figure Jesus Christ, who sanctified the waters of baptism, is our pillar of fire, and is the Bread of Life.

Debatable theology, too.

In the mythology of Mormon pioneers....what point is there that is greater than this?

No point -- in anything -- is greater than Christ.

That's no defect in Mormonism or in Mormon history.

[_harmony]

That's no defect in Mormonism or in Mormon history.

Whoa. Sure there is. I'm in Mormonism. ;-)

[_Daniel Peterson]

That's no defect in Mormonism or in Mormon history.

Whoa. Sure there is. I'm in Mormonism. ;-)

I grant your point, of course.

Far be it from me to disagree with you on such a matter.

But I didn't say "There's no defect in Mormonism or in Mormon history." I said "That's no defect in Mormonism or in Mormon history." The That referred to the fact that no point, of or in any story, is greater than Christ.

[_madeleine]

No point --

Well, that is what I was thinking.

in anything -- is greater than Christ.

That's no defect in Mormonism or in Mormon history.

Not sure how history can have a defect. But Mormonism....that's debatable.