I’ve been thinking lately about barter and how it affects my annual increase. I don’t pay tithing on barter. I know quite a few other people who barter more than I and who probably don’t tithe it either.

For example, my wife exchanges babysitting with another woman every week. If they actually paid each other it would amount to about $50 per week. Now if my wife started making an extra $50 per week, I’d feel inclined to pay tithing on it. But since the babysitting is barter, I don’t think about tithing it (until now). (more…)

My wife just got an iPod and at her request I downloaded a couple of days worth of Mormon content and the New Testament. I found myself going back to a couple of the sites and wanted a better system to keep track of the links. I have also had some people ask about where I get content for my posts. The consequence: The Mormon Studies Sidebar…and I would love your feedback. (more…)

I’ve been really apprehensive about the recent trend to see a divide in the church between the “conservatives” and the “liberals.” What I find most difficult is that I see the baggage of these terms coming into the discussion along with the terms themselves, which we might expect. (more…)

Warning: Poaching Ahead. Justin over at The Mormon Wasp has insightfully recounted the July 1885 incident when Utah Mormons raised their flags at half mast on the 4th and the national media’s subsequent crucifixion campaign (here and here). This was a time that was considered to be a fulfillment of Joseph’s prophecy that the constitution would hang by thread and the Church hierarchy was defiant. (more…)

The Atlantic Monthly is sponsoring the American tour of French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy. He is acting the modern day Tocquerville and writing essays as he travels the land and speaks with the Natives. In the July/August edition of the magazine Monsieur Lévy recounts his brief experience in Salt Lake City. (more…)

…is a good description of the last week and more now than in a long time do I feel the ambivalence expressed in the original poem. I have spent the last week or so off-line. A good opportunity to navel gaze. I wanted to take an opportunity to thank everyone who reads and/or participates here at Splendid Sun. I feel like we have a good thing going – a collegial tenor and fine dynamic. This is what we together have wrought. (more…)