Don't let the name scare you!

I hope this new title for my blog isn't a turn-off, especially for my non-Mormon friends. Of course, a lot of my Mormon friends and family left me at "moderate."

Anyway, let me explain. First, it's unique (at least according to my Google search). There are a few other "passionate moderate" blogs out there and I wanted to be different. As an aside, I thought of "passionate moderate" on my own. I've been using the term for many years. And I think my college roommate (you know who you are) will vouch for me. So I didn't steal it from anybody.

Second, it's pretty clear to me, and probably to any reader out there (assuming any at all), that my blog focuses on both Politics and Mormonism and sometimes mixes the two. I should repeat my caveats that my political views are certainly influenced by my government employment but they are entirely my own and should never be considered official positions of the US Department of Interior. And that's also why I only blog at night and without the use of any government equipment or confidential information. The other caveat is that my religious views are also entirely my own and should not be interpreted as the official position of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), except when I link to the church's own website and only for what's at the website not what I say about it.(Can ya tell I'm a lawyer?)



Moving on, my meaning for "passionate moderate" should be evident from my postings here. Check particularly my page on Culture War Armistice (over to the right → somewhere). But there's a lot more you can glean from all the meandering postings because it's hard to explain.

Let me make this attempt. Moderation is a good thing but it tends towards apathy or lethargy. To be truly moderate, especially against the mighty forces of Conservatism and Liberalism to the right and left and all around, it takes a lot of work requiring passion to maintain it. So, by avoiding apathy and lethargy I won't be "lukewarm" and get spit out of the Lord's mouth. And speaking of the Lord, my devotion is strong if incomplete, "help thou my unbelief!" I will keep working for that full measure of it which will not be until I endure to my final breath. And I am committed to the Lord and what I believe to be his church with respect for all of different belief systems or even none at all. I think faith is a lot like love in marriage - commitment is more important than the emotion. If the commitment is there the emotional will follow. Faith for me is an exercise of choice, agency, or free will. (Read my page on "Mormon Existentialism" over there → somewhere).

So there it is in a nutshell. Love it or hate it or find yourself in the middle, hopefully passionately, but lukewarm is OK by me too. Charity always!