Tag Archives: religion

New Religious Offerings in Hotel Rooms

I first heard about this latest travel tidbit from the ladies on ABC’s chatfest “The View” a few weeks ago. But as usual their squawking made it nearly impossible to decipher what the real issue behind hotels offering more than just the Gideon Bible for guests to choose from was all about so I decided to do some research on my own. For those of you just getting up to speed on this “Hot Topic,” the Provenance Hotel chain (they run boutique properties in Oregon, Washington, and Tennessee) recently started offering a “spiritual menu” to its guests that goes beyond … Continue reading →

Politics, Religion and Business?

We know better—or at least we have been told that in order to have pleasant, congenial conversations with people we should avoid those two hot topics of politics and religion. Why? Well, we individuals have a tendency to be…individuals—with opinions, philosophies, and ideas that we are passionate about. Unfortunately, many people have a hard time understanding that there are as many different ideas and opinions about politics, religion and how to live life as there are people. Often, people feel like in order for them to be “right” everyone else has to be wrong. It can get heated, tense, and … Continue reading →

GPS and Baby Jesus

Here are some of the stranger stories regarding technology. Let me know what you think of this news. Baby Jesus now has a low-jack. In Bal Harbor, Florida, congregates have equipped a Baby Jesus statue with a GPS locating device in an effort to recover it, if it becomes stolen. This is in response to a previous statue that went missing. Dina Cellini, who oversees the display, told the Associated Press, “…we may need to rely on technology to save our savior.” The Mary and the Joseph Statue will also be equipped with GPS devices. If the statues do “walk … Continue reading →

A Personal Relationship with Heavenly Father

Often I get so caught up in the details of living life from day to day that I forget how important my own personal relationship with Heavenly Father is. It’s all very well and good to keep the commandments, but our spiritual growth needs to take another step, one of seeking every day to strengthen that relationship and nurture it. I think we find it easy to lump the Godhead all into one, but I would like to suggest that as we believe that the Godhead is comprised of three separate beings, that we increase our testimony of and relationships … Continue reading →

Gospel Questions: What is the Purpose of Life?

The question is often raised, “What is the purpose of life? Why are we here?” As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we don’t believe that we are here randomly, through some sort of scientific anomaly. We believe that we were created by a loving Heavenly Father who sent us to earth to try and test us to see if we will prove worthy to attain the glory He has. In the Book of Abraham, in the Pearl of Great Price (which came from papyrus found in the 1800s) we read of the pre-existence, where we … Continue reading →

Being Perfect

In Third Nephi, chapter twelve, we read: 47. Old things are done away, and all things have become new. 48. Therefore I would that ye should be perfect, even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect. Wow. That’s quite the charge. How on earth are we supposed to be perfect? We know we can’t – we’re human. We’re mortal. It’s impossible for us to be perfect, and yet here we are, being commanded to be perfect. It’s almost more than we can handle. I’d like to call your attention to the first verse mentioned. Old things … Continue reading →

Putting Off the Natural Man

Last week, I posted a blog about Samson and Joshua to illustrate how their stories were perfect examples of acting on faith. Families.com blogger Mary Ann Romans left the following comment: What a great post! I’d love to see more on this topic, such as how to overcome the personality traits that might influence a lack of obedience or how to recognize the opportunities to be obedient. What a great suggestion. I’ve been thinking about this ever since, and I’m ready to tackle the first element of this question, which was how to overcome the personality traits that might keep … Continue reading →

Organized Religion

Sometimes we hear a person say, “I don’t agree with organized religion. I think God is best worshipped in a free, unrestrained way.” I’ve been talking this over with various people, and my mom put it best when she said, “God is organized. Of course His church would be the most organized church on the planet.” This is so true. Look at the very laws of physics and science. All perfectly organized, A leading to B which leads to C. Look at the planets in the heavens, how they spin around each in their orbit, never bumping into each other. … Continue reading →

Weaving God’s Love Across Cultures: Transracial Adoption and Faith (Book Review)

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When the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America committed to exploring strategies for ministry to different ethnic groups, a group of adoptive parents and adoptees saw an opportunity to educate faith communities about adoption and provide resources to help families connect their adoption experiences with spiritual issues. Interested Christians of several denominations and ethnicities gathered in Seattle in the fall of 2002 to share ideas. The result was the book Weaving God’s Love Across Cultures: Transracial Adoption and Faith, edited by Rev. Mary Lindberg, containing contributions by adoptive parents, teen and adult adoptees, clergy, social workers and even a Korean birthmother. … Continue reading →

On Homeschooling and Religion, Part 2

In my last post I talked about how homeschooling benefits Conservative Christians. I mentioned how homeschooling helps teach my children our faith freely. I also mentioned that while I enjoy this freedom, I also feel I have the responsibility to teach my children scientific theories as well as other religious philosophies. I imagine that I am not the only Christian homeschooler who feels this way. I have always discussed and taught my children things that did not necessarily mesh with my faith. Take Greek Mythology for example; which I started teaching as early as second grade. My son simply asked … Continue reading →