Did you hear about this story?

Maybe it's not a story worthy of debate and discussion, but I had an emotional response and this seemed like a good place to put it.

What if Mormons are right and Catholics and Protestants wrong?

that's the title of a fascinating article in the Belfast Telegraph discussing biblical and traditional defenses for baptism of the dead.

An interesting read.

Indian Givers?

I'm sure you've seen this story, because it's one of CNN's top headlines right now.   But, I wanted to know your thoughts on this:  should Native American tribes have a say in these adoption cases?

 

Please know that this is not an isolated case.  I know another family who lost their adopted son after a year for the same reason.  I also have a sister, whose husband is a member of a Native American tribe-- they have had potential adoptions fall through twice (toddler age children in foster care) because the tribe fought on behalf of the incarcerated father to let them keep the children in foster care rather than put them up for adoption.  Even though the potential adoptive father is 1/4 Native American.

Is this a well-meaning, but actually harmful law, or do think there is sound reasoning behind it?

A Chapter Closed

I don't know the ages and stages of all y'all, but there are three news events that absolutely shaped my childhood: The McMartin Preschool Scandal; The Night Stalker; and the kidnapping of Adam Walsh.

And, after more than two decades, the latter has reached a close. Thank Heavens for small mercies. This family has waited and waited for closure, all the while making things better for kids every step of the way. Milk cartons with missing kids? The Walsh family. America's Most Wanted? Walsh family. Centralized missing persons databases? Walsh family again. There would be no Amber Alerts, no Polly Klass legislation, no Megan's Law without the pioneering done by this amazing family that has undergone the worst thing that I can imagine. I am a huge fan of them.

I am just a year younger than Adam Walsh, and vividly remember when he was kidnapped and killed. At five years old I heard the story and started living my childhood with a little more fear. Which was compounded a few years later by the other two happenings on my list.

What news events shaped you?

I tried to post this in the comments of the last post and it didn't work. So here you go. This was timely and no matter what may or may not happen, it's always nice to be able to do something for someone else. Particularly this time of year.

sobering thoughts for a grasshopper like me

Because of recent and very specific counsel from my stake and ward leaders I have been pondering (and fine, I'll say it, having fears about) the future. "If ye are prepared we shall not fear." I know. But the truth is I'm not prepared. We're trying. We've been trying. But we're not prepared.

As I've watched our economy tank and been shocked and saddened by how we seemed to take everyone else's financial markets down with us, I can't help but worry about the future. As I witness the number of layoffs skyrocket (in my work I see evidence of bankruptcy and drastic budget cutbacks by companies across the nation on a daily basis) I feel on edge--because I realize it doesn't take very long for people to become desperate and I know what desperate people are sometimes become capable of.

Six months ago if I would have read this or this (shared via Google Reader by the very intelligent and thoughtful Geo of On Bright Street), I wouldn't even have considered the possibilities. But given recent events and recent statements by my very own church leaders, now I can't help but consider the possibilities.

And they are sobering.

I'm interested in your thoughts.

What would Keynes have done?

I try to avoid the financial pages--far too depressing. But I am trying to wrap my head around this financial disaster in order to prepare myself for the worst. I found this article from the NYT quite interesting.

The situation reverses, Keynesian theory says, only when some event or policy increases aggregate demand. The problem right now is that it is hard to see where that demand might come from.--N. Gregory Mankiw

“In the long run we are all dead,” --Keynes