October 16, 2015 J. Max Wilson

J. Max Wilson’s Reactionary Guide to Writing Constructive Comments on the Interwebs

Ethiopian-John-the-Evangelist-Walters

I have often written blog posts that have proved particularly unpopular among some readers. A few years ago I wrote a post that resulted in some significant backlash. After spending too much time engaged in the resulting onslaught of negative comments and attacks, I wrote a manifesto entitled Bite the Wax Tadpole: A Manifesto for Internet Conversation and Debate in which I laid out the parameters for my engagement with commenters. I have no regrets about taking control of my own websites and social pages to cultivate an Internet-space in which I can promote and discuss the things I believe are true and important while still maintaining decent real-life priorities and perspective.

However, in the intervening years I have had plenty of complaints about my, admittedly, heavy-handed comment moderation. I understand how frustrating it can be to write a comment that simply disappears into the black-hole of moderation, never to be seen again. I have not communicated well my expectations for comments or why certain comments are published and others are not.

For some time I have been meaning to write a guide, of sorts, for commenters that will help them successfully navigate the rules of engagement for my web-spaces and participate in constructive discussion. Continue reading →

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Category: Guides
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October 12, 2015 J. Max Wilson

On the Folly of Demanding Demographic Diversity among the LDS Apostles

As you probably already know, three new apostles were called during the recent October 2015 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Apostles serve as special witnesses of Jesus Christ and hold priesthood authority and keys to direct the work of God on the earth. Jesus directs his church through these living apostles and prophets. And as members of the church we believe these men are called by God through inspiration to the living prophet and president of the church.

Some members of the church, and not a few dissidents and former members, have expressed disappointment and feelings of hurt because the three new apostles do not come from diverse enough backgrounds to meet their contemporary concepts of Diversity. All three new apostles are white men, born in Utah. These disappointed members and critics wanted new apostles with backgrounds more representative of the diversity in church membership, which now has more members outside of the United States than in.

There has been plenty of commentary about this criticism, and I don’t want to rehash what has already been said. But I do want to step back and take a more abstract look at some of the problems with wanting the Lord to call apostles based on demographic diversity.

Diversity is a good thing. Each individual brings a unique package of experience, background, talents, and ideas that can contribute to building the Kingdom of God.

However, when considering diversity, it is important to recognize that we, as human beings, tend to draw arbitrary lines and to group people based on simplistic similarities. However we draw those lines, we unavoidably generalize, oversimplify, and reduce people from complex individuals into artificially uniform groups. Continue reading →

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Category: lds
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September 27, 2015 J. Max Wilson

To Thine Own Self Be True – Authenticity vs Your Best Self

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Many years ago, when I was a newly-called volunteer missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Thomas S. Monson, who at the time was the 2nd counselor in the First Presidency of the church, came to speak to us in the Missionary Training Center in Provo Utah.

In his sermon, he told us that he was going to share with us the key to being a good missionary. According to the notes in my missionary journal, he said that the key was to “be yourself– but be your best self.” He emphasized that each of us was an individual, a child of God, and that God had endowed us individually with certain characteristics and attributes. “Be your best self every day.”

The advice to “be yourself– but be your best self” has stuck with me ever since and I have thought of it often.

In subsequent years, our society has developed a kind of obsession with what it labels “Authenticity.” The idea had already gained considerable mind-space in previous decades, but it seems that lately this idea of being “true to your authentic self” has become a kind of all-encompassing prime directive in our society. Continue reading →

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September 18, 2015 J. Max Wilson

Reasons to Oppose the Legalization of Recreational Drugs

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In recent years it has become increasingly trendy to favor the legalization of recreational drugs. Proponents of drug legalization make some good arguments, citing both practical as well as increasingly popular libertarian philosophical reasons.

I am certainly sympathetic to many of those reasons. In particular I am supportive of efforts to restructure the laws to permit research into medical applications of marijuana and other drugs and to allow patients who can benefit from medical applications that are discovered to be treated under medical supervision.

I am also open to arguments advocating reforming laws related to the punishment for drug-possession related crimes.

That said, I am still firmly opposed to the legalization of recreational drugs.

In today’s zeitgeist I know that that is a very unpopular view, even among people who tend to agree with me on many other issues, but I believe it is correct. Continue reading →

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Category: politics
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September 4, 2015 J. Max Wilson

The Consequence of Court Edict – Some Thoughts on Kim Davis and Civil Disobedience

Martyrdom of St Stephen, c36 (1866). Artist: Gustave Doré

I haven’t followed the Kim Davis controversy closely, so I haven’t really formed a strong opinion of her specific case.

However I do feel strongly that just as we make room for conscientious objectors related to war, we absolutely need to allow space for those who have moral and religious objections against same-sex marriage (or other issues to which people have ethical or religious objections) to not participate or be involved with it, while still being able to otherwise participate fully in society and government.

The right to free exercise of religion is explicitly recognized by the text of the Constitution (though it independently exists whether it is recognized or not). And let’s be clear that the constitution says exercise of religion, not simply belief.

The so-called right to revisionist marriage is imposed by a dubious reading of constitutional penumbras and precedents by a slim majority of a divided court.

Religious exemptions and protections are a must.

Consider the following response to Kim Davis’s refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples based on real comments I have seen in social media:

Dear Kim Davis, if it’s your job to issue a marriage license do it. It doesn’t matter what you believe. If you refuse to do your job you should step down.

Now let’s make a slight alteration:

Dear [President Obama]: If it’s your job to [enforce immigration law] do it. It doesn’t matter what you believe. If you refuse to do your job you should step down.

Note, this comparison is meant to expose an inconsistency, not to take a position on these specific issues or their remedy.

The issue of civil disobedience is a complicated one and I often feel conflicted about it. Continue reading →

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Category: politics
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