Snow Day

In the Uinta range we thought we would try for some powder skiing, cross country style. After 2 weeks in the haze of a Salt Lake inversion where the air is unbreathable, the temperature never above freezing we thought we would get up into the mountains. What a beautiful day. There were just enough tracks to keep us from having to break the snow trail ourself, yet it was soft and beautiful powder. The sky was a beautiful dark blue that you only find in a cold clear mountain day. The temp was around 30 with sunshine so that once you started skiing, you didn't even need a coat. Did I say it was beautiful. Let me share a few pictures with you. According to the forest service map we made an 8 mile loop. None of us think it was quite that far, but...what do we know. And here is Uma. Don't feel sorry for Uma. It wasn't this bad for 8 miles and she had a blast. That tail never quit wagging.

Here is a video of her stuggling through the snow, we had just cut this trail and so there was still a place between the ski tracks and she had to struggle through it.

Perception vs Reality

There are just some things everybody knows. Everybody knows that Colorado is America's best ski state. (Unless you live or ski in Utah and know better.) Everyone knows that Democrats believe certain things and Republicans usually believe something else. Everyone knows what young people are most concerned about these days. Everyone knows that people who live in California are the most ecologically correct citizens, just look at their laws.

Mr./Mrs. Perception--meet reality. According to Autobytel.com 40% of the people who are driving hybrids, the most ecologically friendly automobiles we have at this point in time, are Republicans while only 36% are Democrats. While this is not a significant difference, please be reminded that there are approximately 77 million registered democrats and only 55 million republicans nationwide. So if the democratic party is the environmental party, why do so many more republicans drive hybrids?

Young people are perceived as being most concerned with the environment. Of course they are the ones who have grown up with global warming preached as gospel to them since they were babies. The threat of nuclear winter that the boomer generation grew up with proved to be insufficient to justify bigger government. But reality shows that 57% of hybrid owners are over the age of 45. Yep, boomers own the most hybrids. Wait a minute! Aren't we the ones who are determined to destroy the earth and leave nothing for the generations to come?

Well, the reason for that, so we are told, is the expense of the hybrids. You have to be relatively wealthy to be able to afford one. "POP goes that perception. 35% of hybrid owners make less than $40,000 per year.

The final perception, that California, Oregon, and Washington residents are the ones who care for the environment lacks evidence as well. Only 16% of hybrids are owned by West Coasters. 31% are owned by Northeasterners, while 21% hail from the midwest. That, by the way, leaves 32% for the Mountainwest and the South.

I don't know what all that means, but I do know this. Perception is not reality, even if we think it is.

Earth's Sacred Places

I have been in many of the world's sacred places. I have stood on the temple mount in Jerusalem, a holy place for two world religions. When my friend Dave and I received permission to enter the temple compound we were constantly watched by Israeli police. We were allowed to wander at will around the grounds but we entered neither of the Mosques that occupy the space once occupied by Herod's temple, the temple visited by Jesus.



Yesterday in Rexburg, Idaho I visited one of the holy places of another world religion, Mormonism. In the brochure they gave me is the statement, "The Temple is the Most Sacred Place on Earth for Members of Our Church." We were told that it is a holy place because it says so right on the facade, "Holiness to the Lord."

I have never toured a temple before but it was much like I thought it would be. We were encouraged to find a place of peace and inspriation there. Instead I found a place of boring sterility.

And much like our tour of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem we were watched carefully by the temple police. We were picked out as possible trouble makers early in our tour. Why? Well first of all, we (my friend Dan Walker) and I were two men while almost all the other tourers were families. Second we were not in the proper attire. They should have sent an announcement with the tickets clarifying the uniform of the day was dark suit, white shirt, dark tie. Very few men were not so dressed.

Anyway, we picked up a tail at the first room we visited and were followed all the way through our tour. Dan and I both picked this tail out even though we didn't talk about it until we were once again outside. As we passed other "agents" with ear pieces and radios we could hear them speak into their microphones, "clear." I suppose we could have just been imagining things, but the other tour groups didn't have radio equipped agents following them.

There was never an opportunity given to ask questions so many of the questions I had then, I still have. I probably wouldn't have asked them anyway since they would have further identified me as an infidel, oops, I mean gentile.

While the tour guides continually reminded us that this temple was dedicated to the savior, and the fulfilment of the gospel, and throughout they have framed preschool pictures of Jesus during his earthly ministry, the only appeal to believe was given in the sealing room where we were encouraged to think of eternity with our families.

Twice we were told that heaven wouldn't be heaven without our wives and children. In the sealing room we were told that this could happen under the authority of the priesthood given to Peter when Jesus told him that his were the keys to the kingdom and restored to Joseph Smith and the church in these latter days.

I was left with a sterile feeling. Beautiful buildings, (and beautiful is in the eye of the beholder) soft words, solemn testimony, strict security, complete control, shoe covering slippers, hundreds of smiling pointing usherettes, just left me with an aching heart to share with this people the simplicity of the true gospel.

Jesus built no buildings, he never had a building program. The disciples built no buildings. Paul, in all his missionary travels never encouraged his followers to build a temple. I am not sure when Christians decided they needed buildings of their own to gather in, but it sure wasn't in the NT period. Perhaps they knew, when beautiful building are built, men have the tendency to worship the building. That tendency is not limited to Mormons either by the way.

Well, this blog is becoming a sermon. I apologize. I will conclude with this condensation.

Condensation removed by Rodger

Ooops, Another book.

My brother reminded me last night of a book I left off of my list. Bill Bryson is an author that draws me to his books. Some of them are pretty lousy, but he has some great ones too. His latest one, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid is a must read for anyone who grew up in the fifties and sixties. He captures life in the fifties and early sixties through the lens of a pre-teen boy. Though he grew up in one of Iowa's larger cities and I grew up in a small New Mexico town, the experiences are very similiar.

Three other Bryson books I have really enjoyed. A Walk In The Woods, about the Appalachian Trail. In A Sunburned Country, about Australia. I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After 20 Years Away.

Happy New Year

I posted a list of books I read in 2007 if you are interested. Actually I posted them even if you aren’t interested, you just don’t have to look at them. They are in the sidebar to the right.

In reviewing my reading there are several things I find interesting. First I read less theology and church oriented books this year than in previous years. I guess that is to be expected though right now I have 5 such books on order for reading early in 2008.

Second, I read fewer books this year than last year. Of course, for two months I didn’t read anything. The two months we were on the trail I read very little. By the time all the work was done and it was time to relax, sleep is what I wanted. Besides that, I didn’t want to carry a book. On my Ipod I did listen to a book on Texas history, but I discovered that if you are going to listen to something while hiking, music is better than reading. For the other ten months I read at about the same rate as last year.

My dad led me to a new western author, well, new to me anyway. Elmer Kelton and I read six of his books. They resemble Louis L’Amour, except they are longer and a little more literary. A little I say.

If you would like a list of the books with a short synopsis/review of each one, let me know and I will email you a copy.

Hope you have a great New Year.