DevanJensen

Today I researched growth in the Pacific region of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed Mormons because they believe the Book of Mormon is comparable to the Bible). Manfred Ernst In  Winds of Change: Rapidly Growing Religious Groups in the Pacific Islands,  Lutheran researcher Manfred Ernst raises a voice of alarm concerning the rapid growth of Mormons and other "fundamentalist" new religious groups. He complains about the tithing and the time commitment required of its members. In response, John Barker of the University of British Columbia, cautions against some of Ernst's conclusion that these new groups are "largely unhealthy" with "oppressive and paternalistic" theology, American-style individualism, racism, and political passivity. He warns against Ernst's top-down assumptions instead of consulting with the indigenous people, who usually "adapt Christianity to their own cultural premises and political ends with...

The Andy Griffith Show  aired an episode called  "Opie's Newspaper" in which Opie's friend received a small printing press. The boys started a one-page newspaper, but business was slow. They gathered ideas from the gossip column, titled "Mayberry after Midnight," and then they began printing the gossip around town. After they delivered the papers, Barney noticed the headline "Barney Fife Says Sue Grigsby Blonde from a Bottle." Andy, Barney, and Aunt Bea are chagrined to read insider news about the people of town that would definitely hurt the feelings of those being gossipped about. After a desperate scramble, they successfully retrieve all the papers before scandal hits. All papers but one, that is. The preacher has already read Andy's comment about his sermons being as "dry as dust." Consequently, Andy receives the ironic assignment of teaching Sunday School to see if he can do any better.  This is a gentle episode that demonstrat...

The daily newspaper screamed the headlines: “Plane Crash Kills 43. No Survivors of Mountain Tragedy,” and thousands of voices joined in a chorus: “Why did the Lord let this terrible thing happen?” Two automobiles crashed when one went through a red light, and six people were killed. Why would God not prevent this? Why should the young mother die of cancer and leave her eight children motherless? Why did not the Lord heal her? A little child was drowned; another was run over. Why? A man died one day suddenly of a coronary occlusion as he climbed a stairway. His body was found slumped on the floor. His wife cried out in agony, “Why? Why would the Lord do this to me? Could he not have considered my three little children who still need a father?” So begins a powerful essay by Spencer W. Kimball. He thoughtfully concludes that these questions are unanswerable without a precise understanding of God's motives. Yet too often we grow angry with God for allowing problems to happen....