On Tuesday, I actually drove to my 2^nd job early, and had enough time to grab a bite to eat before teaching my class. As I sat down to eat, I overheard a woman in the cafeteria ask a blind man what help he needed. He needed to go to the bathroom, and she replied, “well, I’ll have to get a man to help you.”

So, I decided to help him. We walked through the cafeteria around several tables and chairs. His dog did a good job of helping him not run into things, but he couldn’t figure out why his dog kept running into him. I told him that it was a real obstacle course, and then he realized his dog was acting appropriately. After he was finished using the restroom, he told me that he wanted to catch the bus, so I helped direct him outside to the bus stop. (And of course, I ended up being late for class that I had expected to be early for.)

So, this experience helped remind me of a real appreciation for eyesight. About 10 years ago, I had LASIK done to my eyes so that I don’t need glasses or contacts. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is. I’ve needed glasses since about the 3^rd grade, and it was sure wonderful to wake up and be able to read the alarm clock. I can’t imagine being completely blind and needing a Seeing Eye dog.

So, in addition to my eyesight, I’m thankful for my family. It’s a little smaller now; I lost a sister 10 years ago to a brain tumor, and a brother 2 years ago to a car accident. My parents are starting to get up in age, and I expect they won’t be around in the next 10-20 years. I do have 2 children of my own (and 1 on the way), and while I am grateful for them, there is still a hole in my heart for my brother and sister who have passed on.

So, I thought I would open it up. What are you thankful for?

Now it was so interesting to me that I mentioned it to my brother in law.  He immediately called the Wall Street Journal biased, and said it was just tearing down Washington’s legacy, and he did not believe it was credible.  He even compared it to anti-mormon attacks, and called it revisionist history.  I found this stance interesting, because I have been accused of thinking poorly of Brigham Young.

So, I did a little more research.  Did you know that George Washington was the largest whiskey producer in America? Now to be fair, America was much smaller back then, it was before the revolution in 1776, the Word of Wisdom was unknown, and there was no Constitution, Bill of Rights, or any real democracy, so things were much different then, than they are today.  So, I’m willing to cut some slack.

I found it interesting that George Washington owned slaves.  In his will, he directed that his slaves be freed and educated.  Now while I would have preferred Washington did this before he died, I am glad that he had the foresight to free and educate his slaves. There’s an interesting link about Washington and slavery here. He correctly predicted that the slavery issue would tear the nation apart, which happened about 70 years later.

What do you make of this information?  Does it lessen your appreciation for Mr Washington, or make him a more real person?  Is this anti-Washington information that should be suppressed?  Do you think less of him?  For me, I still revere Washington, but I think he probably shouldn’t have offered alcohol for votes, and he should have released his slaves sooner.  (For the record, I revere Brigham Young, but wish he had handled the priesthood ban differently.)

So, which of these theories sounds most plausible to you?  I’ve studied quite a few, and am aware of both strengths and weaknesses of many of the theories.  I’d love to hear what you think.

Now, I’ll warn you that they are trying to sell you something, but they also have sent me about 7 emails for free.  They stress that they are not marriage counselors (which they loathe), but rather help you maintain a healthy marriage.  They give you some “marriage exercises” which help get your marriage in shape.

Anyway, me and my wife took the long assessment, and it was quite interesting.  I’m a little embarrassed how bad I did–my wife did better.  So, I’ve tried a few exercises, and it seems to have helped.  So, whether you’re marriage is healthy, not, or somewhere in between (like me), I recommend doing some of the free stuff–I think it is worth it. Even if your marriage is great, I think there is some really good advice here.

Comments?  Anybody have any good real practical advice?  (Those work better for me than generic things like “Treat her nice, Love her”, etc.)

I would really like to go, but I will be working that day, and can’t go.  Is there anyone who wants to take notes for me and update me?  I’d be willing to pay half your $25 conference fee for good notes, or if you can get a fair recording, I’d be willing to pay the whole thing.  Here’s the details.

Date: Sat., Oct. 25

Time: 8:30 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Where: Red Lion Hotel, 161 W. 600 South, Salt Lake City.

Cost: $25.00 if you pre-register at www.bmaf.org or by calling 801- 447-2629. With buffet lunch pre-registration is $35 or $35 at the door without lunch. Evening meal is $35.

The oldest diaspora communities are in Assyria, later conquered by Babylonia (now modern-day Iraq) and Persia (now modern day Iran). They have been there for 2000-2500 years.

The story of Purim, described in the Book of Esther occurs in the 5th century BC in Persia. The burial sites of Esther and Mordechai are still venerated in Iran, as well as the prophet Ezekiel.

I also remember that Abraham wandered from Turkey, to Kuwait, to Egypt, to Israel, to Saudi Arabia.  It seems the bible covers quite a geographic diversity.  Nineveh, the city Jonah wanted to destroy, is across the river from Mosul, Iraq.  Mt Ararat is thought to be in Turkey.  It makes me want to go on an Arab/Persian Bible tour.  Anyone want to come?  Are there other biblical stories you can think of that aren’t located in Egypt or Israel?

So, do you think it references Christ, is it a pagan coincidence, or a fraud?

A friend of mine gave me a copy of Sunstone, the magazine.  I’ve never read it before, and have really wanted to get it for quite some time.  I am very grateful to my friend for giving it to me.  I read the articles he suggested, as well as many others that he didn’t, and came across a really interesting one by Jeff Burton.

Burton writes a column using the style of the CS Lewis book, where the head devil writes to an apprentice devil on how to properly tempt people.  The full article is found here, but I just wanted to quote a brief section of it, and get your reactions.  The article comes from the Nov 2006 issue.

OKAY, let’s get down to today’s tempter training lesson. The most effective approaches to corrupting the practice of charitable giving are based on my favorite temptation principles: fear, greed, and pride. There are many variations, but if you handle them correctly, these three principles will work very well with your man.

For example, try to instill in your man a fear that if he does not pay tithing, he will incur the displeasure and wrath of a God who keeps score. Let him believe, for example, that he will get sick and won’t be able to work, or that his money will be stolen, and so forth.  Place into his mind the old Mormon saying, “I couldn’t afford not to pay tithing.” This fear based approach to giving is beneficial to our side because your man will not be sharing out of a sense of love and generosity; no, he will be paying in order to avoid trouble.

The second tactic is based on greed. Point out to your man the folklore common among many Mormon men that paying tithing will result in an outpouring of material blessings that will compensate for any sacrifice made to pay tithing. Be sure you emphasize the word “material” as it is central to the greed approach.  Yes, yes, I know that our Enemy often rewards those who are generous and unselfish, but often it’s in the worlds to come and in non-material ways. Your man must not be allowed to dwell on those facts.

Pride can be useful here, too. Your man is a bit too young, but my man’s experience with prideful giving will be educational. Over the past few months, I have quietly reminded my man that liberal but discreetly public donations to the Church might be rewarded with future plum callings such as mission president, director of a visitor’s center, or other “white collar” or administrative callings that don’t involve getting directly involved in genuine service such as callings at Deseret Industries or the Humanitarian Center—those we must avoid like the plague. I have had my man envision the potential shoulder-rubbing with the very elect that may ensue… or the eventual call to a real position of authority, such as a Seventy! Of course it is pride that
tells my man that this will come as a result of his “generosity” and “Christlike demeanor.”

We must be careful, of course. Unless fear, greed, or pride continue as the prime motivators for giving, your man may actually get caught up in that dangerous spirit of giving that relates to unselfishness, and this may put him on a path to assist in the work of our Enemy. It’s a danger we will have to workaround. I will be here to help you if your man
doesn’t respond well to the fear, greed, and pride ploys.

When you are using money to tempt your man, it will help, of course, if your man adopts the prevalent assumptions of “to be successful, I need to make good money” and “I am expected to provide well for my wife and kids.” We have been very successful in encouraging many Mormons (and Americans in general) to “need” things. We’ve made them think it is their duty, even their prerogative, to “get stuff.” It makes it easier if your man, for example, thinks he is doing it “for the family.”  Yes, “a Humvee for the whole family!”

Has Wormwood tempted you?  I’m afraid I am guilty of several bad attitudes mentioned above….