My Philosophical Writings
Writing on the?existence of humankind, ethnic relations, education, and religion. I write on things that impact us every day in how we treat others and respond to diversity.
A Covenant of Peace
”and after they had entered into a covenant with him of peace they were suffered to depart into the wilderness.” Alma 44:20 It always amazes me as I read through the Book of Mormon to see how stout the people were with their covenants between each other. When a...
Facing Our Trials
Sometimes it is hard for me to talk about trials for a few reasons. My trials are never as hard as someone else's, I am very blessed, and I am somehow fearful that if I talk about trials then the Lord will see fit that it is time to face some. This is not to say that...
A Return to Forest Bathing
“Wilderness is not a luxury but necessity of the human spirit.” –Edward Abbey Two of the past three days have been significant strides for me; I have been outside on thirty-minute walks. A few months ago, we moved to a new home that is a stone's throw from the lake...
Overcoming the Virus of Dualism
One of the gravest affects of our time, and of history, is the effort to reduce another person, or class of people, to something other than human. It is this effort to dehumanize that has been the purpose behind so much of the troubles of society. It destroys...
As We Age
Age is an interesting thing. We hit these milestones based on a crafted calendar that is based on the lunar and solar processes. As the sun makes its full progression from our birth we count that as another year older. With age we are told that more wisdom comes. I am...
Focus on Humanity
This morning my sister sent our family a discourse from Elder David A. Bednar at BYU-Idaho in 2009. In the talk, he references the power of our human bodies and how much Satan desires to attack these bodies. He is never going to receive a body and with a body is a key...
Knowing
Knowing ~~ Growing up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I heard a lot of people stand and profess to know. As a youth, I professed the same thing. At the time it was probably more of a belief and an act of faith to profess such knowledge. There are...
My Thoughts on Black Freedom
Yesterday was a day to be celebrated by Black Americans. It was the day that the last slaves experienced emancipation over 150 years ago. Freedom may have come through the Thirteenth Amendment, and the symbol of liberty for Blacks was given through this action on this...
Partaking of the Tree of Life: Based on Lehi’s Dream in 1 Nephi 8
When Nephi recounted the dream that his father had of the tree of life, he shares a description of four distinct groups and how they responded to their surroundings. How we react to the events of our mortal lives has as much to do with how we developed in the...