Haircuts and Books

We all have our quirks. Some people's quirks are endearing, amusing. One of my quirks is more tragic: I appear to be incapable of getting a good haircut. (This after another awful experience yesterday. Sigh..) In my whole life I can only remember having perhaps three good haircuts...

However, to somewhat balance out this stupefyingly perplexing non-talent of mine, I am, amazingly, still somehow hopeful each time that perhaps the next cut will be different - will not make me look like Annie Lennox or Billy Ray Cyrus in his mullet days! It makes me smile to think, really, how brave I am to continue to nurture (faint though it is, admittedly), any hope at all of success in the face of such a bewilderingly horrible haircut history :) In case you are wondering, this particular cut is a interesting blend of Annie and Billy :(
Sigh...

On a more interesting note, I have enjoyed a few good books recently, and wanted to mention them -

The first was written by the author of 'The Peacegiver', James Ferrell. In 'The Holy Secret', he applies his gift for scriptural insight and understanding to the topics of Sunday worship, scripture study and temple service. I really enjoyed and was inspired by this book to improve in these areas.

In 'Mormon Scientist', Henry J. writes about the life and faith of Henry Eyring, the world acclaimed scientist father of Henry B. Eyring. I felt that the main message of the book was that we do not have anything to fear from scientific exploration or discovery in any area or discipline, because the gospel embraces all truth, and can never be at odds with what is true. Also, that the Lord has all things in his hand - we have nothing to fear. This is of course is best espressed in some of Henry Eyring's own words:

" ..to me the saddest thing I see is people who feel that science threatens them religiously. It could not possibly threaten us religiously, because the same God who "made" our religion, that same God is making the universe. Science might threaten our understanding of religion... "
(Well might we add that religion might just so easily threaten our understanding of science :)

Or, to 'the controversial question, "Are we going to create life?" he responded with this reasoning:

"You know, it would be a pity if you could prove that it could not be done. It would be downright embarassing, because I am already here. It must have been done... It is just a matter of knowing how. Some people think that they would apostatize is somebody came out with a report that life was created - that somehow it would violate some principle in the gospel. I wish that any of you who feel that way would show me which one it is... "

I asked Neil not long ago if he believes in UFO's. He responded that he has no reason not to. I thought then that that kind of thinking parallells the reasoning of Henry Eyring, and reflects my own belief that commitment to the gospel and commitment to the truth are not only compatible but are, of course, one and the same.

The slender book 'Mormons and Masons', by G. W. Scharffs, is also a worthwhile read. I found a couple of quotes by, 'Harold Bloom, considered by many to be America's foremost literary critic and best known man of letters,' to be of particular interest. He wrote of Joseph Smith -

"There is no other figure remotely like him in our entire national history, and it is unlikely that anyone like him can ever come again. He transcends Emerson and Whitman."

"The Wentworth Letter (including the 13 Articles of Faith) prints in six pages and is marked by the dignity of a simple eloquence, and by self-possession of a religious innovator who is so secure in the truth of his doctrine that he can state its pith with almost miraculous economy... Smith was an authentic religious genius, unique in our national history"

Although Harold Bloom did not give credit to God as the source, he did state that he has : "the most passionate appreciation for (Joseph Smith)... " And: "I'm not sure if I had been born some denomination Christian, rather than Jew, I would not have wound up a Mormon"

(I'm travelling away for the next nine days, with my sweetheart and my mother. :)