The LDS “Prophet” Shares 5 “Absolute Truths”? My Commentary

President Russell M. Nelson of the LDS Church shared 5 "absolute truths" a few days ago, and I comment on where I think he was right, and where I believe he was unfortunately mistaken.

“Mystical Morality is Relative, not Absolute,” my dog said

Does morality change with each culture, community, time, place, and situation? Or does it remain fixed for all eternity? Do I have a "bad dog"?

Transmorality in Mysticism

Is there something beyond traditional moral notions of right and wrong? Is there a higher Law that transcends all other laws? Mysticism has something to say about that.

The Mysticism of Falling into a Black Hole

The unitive mystical experience can be compared to falling into a black hole. When compared this way, it doesn't sound like a nice experience. Likewise, for many mystics throughout history, their divine experiences weren't always a merry venture, sometimes encountering hellish realms along the way (see, for example, St. Teresa of Ávila, or St. John of the Cross's Dark Night of the Soul).

Philippians 3:7-11 BHT, Knowing Christ and this Resurrection

An addition to the BHT, a passage in which Paul talks about coming to know Christ directly within one's Self, which is the resurrection. (The painting above is "Saint Paul Writing His Epistles," attributed to Valentin de Boulogne, dated 1618-1620.) 7 Whatever things I gained in the world, any advantages and wealth, all of that [...]

A Thesis for the Church

Exactly 500 years ago today, October 31, Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses to a church door that started the Protestant Reformation (31 October 1517). What were those "theses"? Do they have any applicability today?