The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands

So, Dr. Laura has a new book. Just reading the title raises an eyebrow. Reading the summary is like travelling in a time machine back 50 years.

In her newest book, Schlessinger…unabashedly [asserts] that man is a "very simple creature," who needs only "direct communication, respect, appreciation, food, and good loving'" to respond with devotion, compassion and love, this controversial marriage and family therapist claims that every woman can achieve a deeply satisfying marriage if she adheres to certain fundamentals men require. Preparing dinner, caring for the children without complaint, greeting her husband with a kiss and engaging in sexual intimacy instead of "tearing down a husband's necessary sense of strength and importance" can result in the harmonious marriage women crave.

Is she serious?

An Angel and Alma the Younger

We were all taught in Seminary and Sunday School about the teenaged antics of the sons of Mosiah and Alma, Jr. We learned about their efforts to sway people from the Church. We also learned about the visit they received from an angel that called them to repentance with a thunderous voice that shook the earth.

I wonder though why the angel specifically addressed his words to Alma. Why was Alma the one who went into the trance/coma? Do we have any indication that Alma was more “evil” than his four partners were? It certainly is not because Alma, Jr, had any more of an important work to do than the sons of Mosiah.

Separation of Church and State

I was reading in Mosiah 26 last week, and I came across something I had read many times before, but which I found interesting nonetheless. Alma and his people along with Limhi and his people have all be joined together with Mosiah and his people in Zarahemla. In the previous chapter, Mosiah had given Alma the authority to organise the church throughout the land of Zarahemla.

There were a number of people in Zarahemla who would to join the Church and who made it difficult for members of the Church to remain committed to the religious convictions. Naturally, Alma, as a spiritual leader, was disturbed by this growing phenomenon. Not knowing how to handle it, he approached King Mosiah.

King Mosiah’s response was fundamentally that he had given Alma authority of the Church and this was a spiritual matter. King Mosiah dealt with political and secular matters. He thus told Alma to find a way to deal with it. Certainly, these people were doing something that was hard on the believers, but they broke no laws, so why should Mosiah do anything?

There seems to be parallel to our day. Sometimes, we are quick to want to prosecute people if they do something that is against the teachings of church, even if that which they do is legal. Why is it that some members of the Church are so apt to want Church ad State not to be separate?

Hockey and Immodest Dress

My children sat with me at the start of the game tonight between the Calgary Flames and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Before the game began, they had a bunch of pre-game footage. Part of the footage included two young women in skimpy red clothing jumping up and down singing some sort of chant.

My five-year-old daughter turns to me and asks, “They’re not dressed very modest, are they”?

“No, they’re not”.

“We dress modestly, don’t we”?

Yes, we do.

Cleaning With Garments

When I went through the temple to receive my endowment a number of years ago, I met in a small room with my mum, my two ushers and received some guidance and instruction before the ordinance. The person who gave me instruction and council told me that I should not let my garments lay around on the floor.

I saw a person I know use the bottom of his garment top to clean his glasses, as someone would do with his/her t-shirt.

Is one right and the other wrong? Is there somewhere in the middle we should be?

Purpose of Marriage

In yesterday’s issue of AskMen.com Newsletter, the weekly question was, “In your opinion, what is the main purpose of marriage?”

The first responder was quoted as saying the following:

There is absolutely no purpose of marriage other than to raise a family...Other than children, I don't think marriage is that important.

Do people really believe this? Do they truly feel that there is no other purpose to being married than to raising children? What about the trust and commitment a marriage develops in the partners?

What does everyone else think? What is the purpose of marriage?

Stanley Park is Not Largest Urban Park in North America

I have talked to many people who say and read many websites that claim Stanley Park is the largest urban park in North America. This is false, and I will prove it.

Below is a list of urban parks in North America larger than 1000 acres (the size of Stanley Park) that others have sent to me.

• South Mountain Preserve (Phoenix AZ) - 16,283


• Rouge Valley Park (Markham ON) - 11,600


• Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge (New York City NY) 9,000


• Fairmount Park (Philadelphia PA) - 8,900


• Forest Park (Portland OR) - 5,090


• Mission Bay Park (San Diego CA) 4,235


• Griffith Park (Los Angeles CA) 4,107


• Fish Creek Provincial Park (Calgary AB) - 3,318


• Wascana Park (Regina SK) - 2,325


• Chapultepec Park (Mexico City) - 2,100


• Rock Creek Park (Washington, DC) 1,754


• City Park (New Orleans LA) - 1,500


• Presidio (San Francisco CA) 1,480


• Canyon Lakes Project (Lubbock TX) - 1,450


• Wilderness Park in (Lincoln NE) - 1,450 acres


• Forest Park (St. Louis MO) - 1,370


• Bays Mountain Park (Kingsport TN) - 1,300


• Lincoln Park (Chicago IL) 1,208


• Great Kills (New York City NY) - 1,200


• Balboa Park (San Diego CA) 1,158


• Cortlandt Park (New York City NY) 1,146


• Golden Gate Park (San Francisco CA) 1,013


• Stanley Park (Vancouver BC) - 1,000

As you can see, not only is Stanley Park not th largest park in North America, it isn't even the largest urban park in Canada. In fact, it isn't even the largest urban park in western Canada.

BCers can , however, rest assured knowing that Stanley Park may be the largest urban park in British Columbia.

Amazing how people love to spread falsehoods without verifying their accuracy.