Joseph Smith Papers: Histories Vol. 2 now available

Excerpts of Joseph Smith Paper Project, Histories Volume 2, Clair Barrus, Worlds Without End

--

The Joseph Smith Papers: Histories Volume 2, Assigned Histories, 1831-1847 edited by Karen Lynn Davidson, Richard L. Jensen and David J. Whittaker (volume editors) [is now available].

The first volume includes materials in which Joseph Smith was directly involved. Volume 2 includes four histories assigned by Joseph Smith to others, over which he exercised no control. ...

Caffeine controversy at BYU

Excerpts of two stories regarding efforts to bring caffeined soda to BYU campus.

1. BYU students pushing for caffeinated sodas by Peggy Fletcher Stack, Religion News Service

2. Caffeine protest stopped on BYU's Brigham Square, Daily Universe by Crystal Myler.

Document suggest Jesus was married

 Excerpts of Harvard professor identifies scrap of papyrus suggesting some early Christians believed Jesus was married By Lisa Wangsness, Boston Globe. (Note some early Mormon leaders taught that Jesus was married)

--
A Harvard professor has identified what appears to be a scrap of fourth century Egyptian papyrus that contains the first known explicit reference to Jesus as married, a discovery that could fuel the millennia-old debate about priestly celibacy in the Catholic church.

The fragment, which has been preliminarily authenticated but still must undergo further testing, portrays Jesus as referring to a woman as his legitimate disciple -- most likely his wife, whom the text's author probably believed to be Mary Magdalene.

Altering photos

Photos of Jesus added
to the General Relief Society Meeting
announcement at LDS.org.
See here or here

Excerpts of Editing photos to add cap sleeves is a bad idea by  Cynthia L., By Common Consent lds.org or the Ensign
-- 
I went through a few drafts of this post trying to come up with an "angle," or some cute pun in the title, or some way to whip it into an uproarious satire. But it's all rubbish. Some things just have to be faced head-on, and stated plainly. So let me state this plainly:

Digitally adding cap sleeves to angels in 150-year-old devotional religious paintings is a bad idea (see here and here), 

Alternate Photo
See here

... and digitally altering photographs of a young girl in Primary class to add cap sleeves is a bad idea. (links: original and altered)

I may be shouting into the wind, I may be tilting at windmills, But if nothing else I am an optimist, so I cling to the hope that this message reaches somebody who can make it stop: Stop.  ...

--
Keywords; Photoshop, photoshopped, modified photos or image, African American Women

Life of Martha Hughes Cannon

 KUED Explores Life of Martha Hughes Cannon

Physician, Senator, Sister Wife

She was a physician, the first female senator in the United States, an advocate, suffragette and a sister wife. Martha Hughes Cannon was a remarkable, complicated woman. KUED tells her compelling story in a new one-hour documentary by Nancy Green

From an early age, Martha, called Mattie, was drawn to healing, a career that the times dictated was the domain of men. When she was 21 years old, however, she became one of three young women called by Church leadership to go to medical school.

"Encounters: Moments of Change" - Utah State History Conference

The 60th Annual Utah State History Conference

Encounters: Moments of Change 

September 20-23, 2012

Coke and Pepsi are OK

Excerpts of OK, Mormons, drink up — Coke and Pepsi are OK, by Peggy Fletcher Stack, The Salt Lake Tribune

--
The LDS Church posted a statement on its website saying that "the church does not prohibit the use of caffeine" and that the faith's health-code reference to "hot drinks" "does not go beyond [tea and coffee]."