I believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ takes from us any excuse to feel like we are superior to our neighbors, family, friends, or enemies in any way. When we honestly engage with Jesus Christ, we will soon realize that we have no reason to boast of ourselves, no matter how tirelessly we try to live according to God’s will. And when that happens, we will realize we have no reason to hold malice towards others, or to withhold help from those who need it. About 2,100 years ago, an messenger from God visited a man named Benjamin, who was king over a group of Israelites who had traveled to...

I want to say that I believe in Jesus Christ. He is my Savior, my Redeemer, and my King. It is Him, and only Him, who saves me from sin and death. It is Him, and only Him, to whom I look as the perfect Exemplar. He is the only begotten Son of God, and I am helpless and hopeless without Him. He doesn’t just carry a message of hope—He is my Hope (and my only Hope). He doesn’t just teach truth—He is the Truth made flesh, a tangible, touchable, breathing embodiment of Truth Himself. He doesn’t just love—He is Love, and the One who gives us the love we share with others. I believe...

Recently, a “scandal” at BYU has topped several prominent news sources. Most of you have probably heard about it. If not, here’s a link where you can read about it. Here’s what I think: First, the guy was a jerk. He was most definitely insensitive and a bit condescending. He also misunderstands human sexuality—women should not be blamed for the unchastity of men. A man is responsible for his own unchaste thoughts, and blaming women for those thoughts is an abdication of responsibility. Feeling “unsafe” in an environment where women dress differently than you are...

Today being Sunday, I’ve decided to bump this old post forward, to remind myself of my thoughts regarding the Sabbath. When Moses approached God on the mountain, “God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said … ‘Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.’” The place which Moses was entering had been sanctified, and made into a holy place. As such, Moses was to perform customs that signified that he acknowledged the sacredness of that location (removing his shoes). That mountain side was...

I just read an article published in USA Today that clearly expresses why I’m studying psychology. The link is here. Simply put: I’m studying psychology because psychologists are getting it wrong. They’re getting it wrong because (1) they are asking the wrong questions, (2) they are starting from the wrong premises and assumptions, (3) they are using the wrong methods to find the answers, and (4) they are using the methods they do use poorly. I know it’s presumptuous to think that somehow I know better than the rest of the academic world about psychology. I don’t. But I...

This week, President Obama appointed a committee member without congressional approval in violation of the law. In response to criticism, he said in a speech, “I refuse to take ‘No’ for an answer. I’ve said before that I will continue to look for every opportunity to work with Congress to move this country forward. But when Congress refuses to act in a way that hurts our economy and puts people at risk, I have an obligation as president to do what I can without them.” In other words, if congress agrees with Obama, he’ll play along. If congress disagrees with Obama, he’ll do what...

Thomas Jefferson, the classical liberal thinker who wrote the Declaration of Independence and the third president of the United States of America, had a problem with the Bible. He liked many of the things that Jesus taught in the New Testament, but he just couldn’t believe in miracles. He couldn’t believe that a man, by a humble command, could calm a stormy sea or change water into wine. He couldn’t believe that a man could come back to life after he died. And he couldn’t stand the fact that the Bible’s excellent moral teachings were interspersed among tales of such preposterous...

I was in Barnes and Noble earlier today, and was looking at books. Book after book, I would say to myself, “Wow, I’ve been wanting to read this book for a very long time! Maybe someday I’ll have time to sit down and really read again!” Then I remembered: I do have time. I have had time. The problem is that I’ve been prioritizing others things. Such as TV. And Facebook. And technology blogs. You know, the internet. And as I realized that, I realized that I could have already read nearly every one of the books I was looking at, had I just spent my down time reading instead...

I was in Seagull Book earlier today, and I was noticing shelves upon shelves of commentaries on the scriptures. I’m convinced most of the content of each commentary is largely the same as any other, just expressed and organized differently. I asked a question that was meant to be rhetorical: “Why do we need so many commentaries on the same passages of scripture?” My sister Ciera made an insightful observation. She replied, “I think it’s because most of them are written by BYU religion professors, and if they don’t publish something, they don’t succeed in their...

Faith is a prerequisite to doing God’s work. We learn this from the scriptures, and we learn it from modern prophets. We read that it was “the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the change upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost” (Ether 12:14). It was “the faith of Ammon and his brethren which wrought so great a miracle among the Lamanites”(Ether 12:15). However, I think we sometimes misunderstand what this actually means. I think I might know one potential reason why. The word “exercise” is used with the word...

Usually, I’m a perpetually hungry guy with an insatiable appetite. Even If I eat a large meal, you’ll find me two hours later looking through the cupboards for a snack. I guess I know how it feels to be a hobbit: I’m not just worried about breakfast, I’m worried about second breakfast, elevenses, lunch, afternoon tea, supper, and dinner. Fortunately, my metabolism is high, and so I’m not particularly worried about gaining too much weight. Someday, though, my metabolism will drop and if things haven’t changed by then, I’ll be in some trouble. An Experiment A...

Here’s a transcript of a conversation that took place last night (following several minutes of small talk): Jeff: So, have you read any good books recently? Tim: “Yeah! I’m reading a fascinating one by Daniel Dennett on evolution.” Jeff: “I’ve read several books by him. Brilliant man. However, as smart as he is, we’re not really friends.” Tim: “Oh? Why is that?” Jeff: “Have you ever read his book, Breaking the Spell?” Tim: “I read that one last week! Great book.” Jeff: “It was certainly an interesting read. My...

This morning I was thinking about relics of power, and the different ways in which they are used in science fiction and fantasy. There are basically three varieties of relics of power: (1) The relic of power is morally neutral, and can be used by good men or bad men, for good or for evil. A dangerous weapon (such as a WMD) would be an example in this category. Often the central conflict in the story is that the protagonist wants to keep the relic/weapon from falling in the hands of the enemy, and keeping it in the hands of those who will use it wisely. (2) The relic of power can only be used for evil....

Tonight, during the question and answer session after the opening lecture, someone asked Dr. Schmidt, “In your estimation, what is the current state of the world, in terms of freedom?” Dr. Schmidt’s answer was interesting. He said, “Contrary to the opinions of most libertarian doomsayers, the world right now is freer than it’s ever been. Consider: There is no Nazi Germany in the world. There is no Soviet Union. We’re no longer living under the threat of imminent destruction by nuclear holocaust. The worst foreign enemy we have to grapple with is some men in caves who...

I was talking with another graduate student tonight about some of the research he’s been doing in political science. Another participant in the conference approached and joined the conversation. He asked what we were talking about. The student I was talking to responded, “Oh, we’ve just been talking at each other about our research.” The way he phrased that caught my attention. Oftentimes, we talk at people when we should instead talk with them. This happens in academia a lot. Scholars often write at their readers, rather than converse with their readers. We do this when we...