August 21, 2006

Who is the author of Life On Gold Plates?

My name is Blair Dee Hodges. I earned a BA in Mass Communications with a minor in Religious Studies at the University of Utah in 2010. Now I'm at Georgetown University earning a MALS in religious studies. I'm addicted to reading and I enjoy writing book reviews for the Association for Mormon Letters. I've presented papers at Sunstone and for the Society for Mormon Philosophy and Theology. My articles and reviews have appeared in Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, the FARMS Review, Sunstone, josephsmithpapers.org, and the Journal of Mormon History. I'm also currently the host of the FAIR Podcast.

I have a brilliant wife named Kristen and an obedient dog named Chicken Delicious. I direct the ward choir. I love the Utah Jazz way too much. I thoroughly enjoy music (The Weakerthans, Guster, The Shins, Bishop Allen, eels, David Bazan, Radiohead, etc.).

Life On Gold Plates is my own eclectic blend of historical, social, philosophical and doctrinal discussion. Diverse opinions are welcome in the comments sections.

To contact me click here, or click the "contact the author" link on the left side of the site. Thanks for dropping in.

26 comments:

KHodges said...

molodyets takoi! tebya lublu

Anonymous said...

LOL about time you talked about you

BHodges said...

I hadn't really thought of it.

BHodges said...

Updated 8/14/2008

Anonymous said...

I thought you were just an intellectual twinkie!

I'd say you're at least an eclair.

Anonymous said...

Wait. Let me clarify. I didn't think you were an intellectual twinkie. I [i]heard[/i] that you were one.

Of course, I did consider the source.

BHodges said...

Anonymous, who are you? Sadly, I was once exposed as an intellectual Twinkie by none other than Brent Metcalfe himself.

Anonymous said...

Ok I liked everything I read on this page except for when you said you would be an unfit father. That's a bunch of bologne you would/will be awesome! Ok anyways second thing- I fully expect you to someday compile all of these writings into a leather-bound and really good smelling book saleable at Deseret Bookstore. My friend, you are going to be a very rich man if you keep this up. Can I get a what what. -jb

BHodges said...

Yes you can.

Ronnie Bray said...

Re: Your excellent research on "Telestial Pseuicide"

I heard of this remark allegedly made by Joseph many years back, but I have never heard it as a statement of doctrine, not ever considered it of that order.

It is suggestive of a remark one man might make to another in the course of discussion on the quality of each kingdom. For example:

====================

A.Saint:

"Tell me, Brother Joseph, When you saw the vision of the Telestial Kingdom and its glory, what was it like?"

Brother Joseph:

"It was wonderful, but I am not permitted to describe it. However, what I can say about it is that it is so beautiful that mere words cannot describe it, and if people were to learn of its glories, some might even consider suicide in order to get there as fast as possible."
================

Of course, that conversation is fictional, created to tell what I believe are the likely circumstances and weight of the alleged remark.

Joseph made his position clear on several occasions when he taught that :

"A prophet is only a prophet when he is acting as a prophet."

Therefore, it is unwise to believe that every word from Joseph's lips was the Word of God.

Joseph, as was Saint Paul, was possessed of personal opinions and was not reticent to voice them.

Had we been present on any such occasion, there is little doubt that considering the setting and conversation we would take his opinions for what they were, and this one almost a throw-away statement.

Whet is absolutely unequivocal is the no Latter-day Saint advocates felo de se as a means to Telestial salvation.

Taking into account normative and non-speculative doctrines, suicide is considered an offence against God, not an alternative subjective fast track by which to enter Glory.

Of course, the thinking Saint will be aware that if the Telestial Kingdom is that wonderful, then how much greater will be the glory of the Terrestrial Kingdom, but then how so off the chart is the Glory laid up by God for them that please him, obey him, and keep the Celestial Law.

Keep the Faith!

BHodges said...

Thanks for stopping in, Ronnie!

BHodges said...

Updated 1/6/2009

Rigel Hawthorne said...

PS...this is my first day of commenting on your blog; hope you don't mind.

BHodges said...

I don't mind, I wish more people would comment, yo.

Unknown said...

And now I see you're the author of this entire blog. Oops for calling you out. Sorry. Great stuff btw!

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