End of the line for FLDS in Canada we are going to appeal to the Constitution

Ok lets be honest.  An appeal to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms is probably the stupidest thing a government wanting to stop something could do:

The British Columbia government will not launch an appeal after criminal charges against two polygamist religious leaders were recently thrown out of court, the province’s attorney general announced Thursday.

Instead, Mike de Jong said he will ask the B.C. Supreme Court to clarify the controversial polygamy laws, and rule on whether they violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The announcement comes a month after a B.C. court threw out the charges against Winston Blackmore and James Oler.  Read the rest of the article here.

That sounds good in theory, but the record of the Charter on ruling on these things is well pretty poor.  Courts have ruled in favour of the following:

1. Same Sex Marriage – see in Canada it is a civil right, sorry Elder Oaks

2. Group sex um parlours – yeah less said here the better

3. Abortion laws and other moral laws get thrown out often

So asking the BC Supreme court to rule on the whole of Polygamy and charter rights sounds like a land mine waiting to be stepped on.  I get the impression they just do not get it.  Of course I could be wrong and maybe the court will rule against them but I suspect the FLDS will be head over heels at present.  Unable to bring a charter challenge themselves they have goaded the BC government to do it for them.

British Columbia the new home of Polygamy, just in time for the Winter Olympics, maybe that Egyptian bobsled team can bring their wives now.

Nauvoo temple commitment

Just reading the latest John Whitmer Association journal.  In it is an excellent article on the Cutlerites.

For the second time in the last few months I came across the idea that the church wanted to get the Nauvoo temple finished before they left because if it did not it would be under condemnation.

the specific verses are in Doctrine and Covenants section 124:

Media mix up or why try and do some googling

I have noticed something when the media cover the Church.

They will, whether through ignorance or purposely, make basic mistakes about things with the church.  I could not imagine a quality newspaper not knowing or at least looking up say a quote from the Talmud or Koran.

This happened again in the last day.   Paul Hinman, a Mormon from southern Alberta was voted in recently in a by-election.  With the win Hinman returns to the Alberta provincial Legislature for a second time.

So as part of this process he was sworn in yesterday.  He brought with him his Bible as we do not normally swear on them anymore.

Well in the article they said he had a quote:

Thinking about making a big decision

In the navy
Yes, you can sail the seven seas
In the navy
Yes, you can put your mind at ease
In the navy
Come on now, people, make a stand
In the navy, in the navy
Can’t you see we need a hand
In the navy
Come on, protect the motherland
In the navy
Come on and join your fellow man
In the navy
Come on people, and make a stand
In the navy, in the navy, in the navy (in the navy)

About a month ago my oldest son brought home a blue piece of paper.  On it was an invitation to join the Royal Canadian Air Cadets.  For the first time I can remember he was really excited.

I spent probably a week bringing up all the cons, so that he understand it was not a one day in one day out decision.  Still he wanted to do it and I could not in good conscience say no.  So off he went.  Two weeks in and he seems to be enjoying himself and looks like he will commit to the year which he would stay in as his mother wanted him to promise.

So his decision brought back a flood of memories for me.

Music and how it plays to emotions

I have been thinking a lot about music lately.

Whenever I hear the song God Be With You Till We Meet Again, I will forever associate it with the end of my time in the mission field.  To some extent whenever I hear it I start to sniffle a bit thinking about that period.

This association can also be positive.  I absolutely get chills and feel the spirit of the song when either Spirit of God or Praise to the Man are sung.  No matter how many times I hear it I feel boosted.  In its own way Master the Tempest is Raging has that same effect.

Mind you I have songs that I associate with other emotions.  Mostly these are not hymns, for reasons that become obvious fairly soon.

One of these songs that made an impression was Welcome to the Jungle by Guns and Roses which fit my mood a lot at the time in my life.  In a period when I distrusted quite a lot I found comfort in the heavier songs like this one.

Yorkies, they are not for girls mate!

Ok over on Ardis lovely Postum ad posting I have manipulated it into a very chocolaty direction so I wanted to give people an idea, who have never been to Britain what all the fuss is about.

See the following few ads.

or this one