Mormon Bloggers

This is a pansy Look to your right.  This is a pansy.   It gets it’s name from the French word pensée, meaning “thought.”  It has been used by some as a symbol for free-thought and the throwing-off of what some call the “tyranny or religion” and tradition.  The axiom of this line of thought is, “It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence,”1   and its titles are many.Faith has been slighted by the pansy.  Faith is sadly misunderstood.  Therefore, faith has been left out in the cold.  Atheists say, “I don’t believe that God exists.”  Agnostic say, “I don’t know whether or not God exists.”  Ignostics say, “I don’t know what you mean when you say, ‘God exists.’”  Or, if invited in, has not been treated as the honored guest it should be.  Every day I meet people... Read the rest of this entry »

In 1967 (the year I was baptized), Richard D. Poll delivered a sermon in the Palo Alto ward in which he coined the terms Iron Rod Saint and Liahona Saint. The sermon was reprinted in Dialogue and the Saints’ Herald, and was also later published in the essay anthology A Thoughtful Faith (1986, Philip Barlow, ed.). What follows is second of a few entries on the iron rod, the liahona, and impressions about Brother Poll’s essay. In Brother Poll’s sermon, he coins the terms Iron Rod Saints and Liahona Saints. His words: The Iron Rod was the Word of God. To the person with his hand on the rod, each step of the journey to the tree of life was plainly defined; he had only to hold on as he moved forward. In Lehi’s dream the way was not easy, but it was clear. The Liahona, in contrast, was a compass. It pointed to the destination but did not fully mark the path; indeed, the clarity of its directions varied with the circumstances of the user. For Lehi’s family the... Read the rest of this entry »