Afterthoughts on the Afterlife

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/16/why-i-love-mormonism/

Interesting essay, one that I thought was fair. I don't think the democratization of religion ineherent in Mormonism is discussed enough. America was founded on the audacious idea that all men were created equal. Given that foundation, it's logical to me that a religion that preaches the potential for all to become like God, that gives the Priesthood to all worthy members, etc. would result.

The two issues that I would add my commentary to Mr. Critchley's essay:
One quote from the essay: “If God becomes man, then man can become God. And the word “man” has to be understood literally here. Women cannot be priests or prophets or aspire to an exclusively masculine divinity, which seems petty, a pity and rather silly to me. But there we are. And I don’t even want to get into questions of race and the historical exclusion of blacks from the Mormon priesthood until 1978.”

That’s good you want to get into those questions, because unfortunately, Mr. Critchley, you didn’t get the women part right, either. Man and women have to join together in marriage in order to become like God, hence the focus on family, defense of marriage, and all those pretty temples that we build. It’s a big deal. In fact, it’s THE big deal. I can’t stress enough the codependency involved, and the Lord can't, either. I need my wife just as much as she needs me and we need the Lord.

Which brings me to the other thing I also noted from his essay was the lack of Christ. I even did a search, and not once does he say the word “Christ”. Christian, yes, but not Christ. Yes, Mormons believe that we can become like God, but only through the atonement of Christ. Man can’t do it alone. For some reason I see this often when the doctrine of eternal progression is discussed, whether that forum is outside or inside the church.

One final aside:

I’ve researched a number of faiths, some more than others and it is my humble opinion that Mormonism has the best afterlife. I know, I’m biased, but here me out. I think if you were to pick an afterlife to believe in, Mormonism is definitely the way to go. Most of Christianity seems to focus on not going to hell more than the actual prize of going to heaven, and I would venture that if you asked your average Protestant he/she would tell you that heaven consists of things like playing golf and hanging out. While that sounds nice, wouldn’t it get boring? The translation that I read of the Koran talked about an afterlife with delicious food, big mansions, and virgin companions. Thanks, but I’d rather hang out with my wife. Buddhism – endless cycle of reincarnation, until you can remove all desire, therefore reaching Nirvana… If I remember correctly, Hinduism was pretty similar. Atheism – well, then there’s nothing. Mormonism, to me, seems to have the best afterlife – continuing to learn and grow, working together with your family, becoming a God. That's the one I choose, and the one that I live in my life in a manner to qualify to obtain.

Double Jeopardy!

FIRST OF THE MONTH

Interesting category.

First of the Month - $700

2011 New Student Orientation began at Providence College

Logan – What is September?

Sure glad I got that right.

First of the Month - $800

The Catholic Observance of All Hallows

Jan – What is November?

Makes sense, because Halloween is All Hallows Eve. I knew that one.

First of the Month - $1200

Canada Day

Logan – What is June? Jan – What is July?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Dumb mistake. Of course I know Canada Day is July. This year I was conducting sacrament meeting on July 1^st and I made a big deal about it being Canada Day, partly out of repressed guilt for missing this question.

First of the Month - $1600

Mardi Gras 2022 (get your beads now)

Gillian – What is March?

I can’t remember if I knew this one or not. Not a big Mardi Gras guy, although I knew it was sometime before Easter.

First of the Month - $2000

Official birthday of Point Given & Mine That Bird

Nobody got it – What is January?

I live in Kentucky. I knew that Mine That Bird was a thoroughbred horse. In retrospect, I had heard somewhere that they are considered to be born on January 1^st for classification purposes (The Kentucky Derby is for three-year-olds, for example.) Couldn’t think of it at the time. To my credit, I’m happy I knew that we were talking about horses here. I’m glad Alex didn’t mention that after nobody guessed. I’ve asked a lot of my coworkers and friends here in Kentucky and I honestly haven’t found anybody (that didn’t watch the show) that knew the answer, which makes me feel a little bit better. Of course, the ultimate way to feel better would have been to get it right.

THE JEOPARDY! TIME MACHINE

This should be an interesting category. That’s two for two.

The Jeopardy! Machine - $400

Sure Mr. Gore, Palm Beach, early 2000-guess you want to rework the ballot named for this insect.

Jan – a butterfly

I knew this one.

The Jeopardy! Machine - $800

Dress like a swell for the 1934 opening of this songwriter’s “Anything Goes”, featuring “I Get a Kick Out Of You”

Gillian – Cole Porter

I had absolutely no idea. Still don’t, actually.

The Jeopardy! Machine - $1200

Feel like doing some pillaging? Turn the dial to 1240 & join this “colorful” Tatar group

Jan – the Golden horde

I knew that one.

The Jeopardy! Machine - $1600

Get ready to shout, “Mr. President, look out!” when the setting for this city Sept. 6, 1901

Logan – What is Buffalo?

Funny, I would have hesitated to name the President (William McKinley) or the guy who shot him (some sort of anarchist, I think) but I definitely knew it was Buffalo.

The Jeopardy! Machine - $2000

You’ll learn from Corneille & La Rochefoucauld if you visit Madame de rambouillet’s 17^th century one of these gatherings

Jan – A Salon

Definitely knew that one. Easy.

GEOLOGY

My two connections to Geology – my BIL is a geologist, which is cool. I have the Geology merit badge, on account of Chris English really encouraging me to take it with him because he loved rocks so much. He left on a surprise trip to Ireland or somewhere and didn’t tell anyone he was going, which meant I was stuck in a stupid merit badge class that I didn’t want to go to in the first place all by myself. So that’s what I think about when I think about Geology. Now I also think of Jeopardy.

Geology - $400

Corundum makes up much of this rock used to make an abrasive “board”

Jan – What is emery?

I wasn’t 100% sure on that one.

Geology - $800

The sword of Damocles is a large one of these formations in Carlsbad Caverns

Gillian – A stalactite

Of course you question if it’s a stalactite or a stalagmite, but I would have guessed the same as Gillian

Geology - $1200

Shatter cones, with radiating fracture lines, are only found at the sites of space object impacts & of these tests

Logan – What are nuclear tests?

I’m really glad they gave it to me and didn’t take it away because I didn’t say “nuclear explosion” or something like that. Again, I had no idea that nuclear tests make shatter cones with radiating fracture lines…just something you pick up from understanding how Jeopardy! questions work.

Geology - $1600

This fancy French word refers to a deep fissure in a glacier.

Jan – What is a crevasse?

This one was on the top of my tongue but I couldn’t quite figure it out.

Geology - $2000

A giant ocean called Panthalassa once surrounded this supercontinent, whose name means ‘all earth”

Jan – What is Pangea?

I was very frustrated when I was beaten out with the buzzer on this one. Not getting questions like this really doomed me.

THE NATIONAL TRACK & FIELD HALL OF FAME

Of course I was super excited to see this category. I ran four years of track in high school. I considered myself a scholar of the sport.

The National Track & Field Hall of Fame - $400

Dave Wottle was known for his cap; after winning 1972’s Olympic 800, he forgot to take it off during this & had to apologize

Gillian – What are the opening ceremonies? Logan  - What is the national anthem?

Bam.

The National Track & Field Hall of Fame - $800

Mike Conley had a personal best of over 27’ in the long jump & over 58’ in this event

Logan – What is the Triple Jump?

Perhaps the highlight of the entire Jeopardy! experience for me. When I saw the Daily Double come up…and it was in a Track category…and it was the $800 question…and I looked over at the scores and saw how far I was behind…there was absolutely no doubt in my mind what I needed to do. I was excited to take the “risk”, because I really had no other option. I smiled. “Alex, let’s make it a true daily double.” At the time my mind is screaming, “IT IS SO COOL THAT I WAS ABLE TO SAY THAT!!!!!!!!!!! Then the question comes up, and I know it from the time I read Mike Conley. He held the world record in the World Book Encyclopedias that we had in our house that I would read the entry on Track & Field. Of course the clue makes it very easy as well to figure out, which I did as Alex was reading it just to make sure I was right.

No matter what anybody says about how funny I looked while at the buzzer, about how I only got second and it was a runaway, about not quite finishing the Final Jeopardy in time…I answered a True Daily Double in the Double Jeopardy! round…and that. Is. Awesome.

The National Track & Field Hall of Fame - $1200

At Oregon, he won seven NCAA track titles and made the cover of Sports Illustrated as a freshman, before his tragic death at 24

Jan – Who is Steve Prefonataine?

So mad that Jan beat me to this one. After all, Steve was one of my heroes in high school. I wanted to run like he did – go out hard, be strong enough to hang on. I’ve seen the movies. I’ve read tons of articles about him. Someday when I’m in Oregon I’ll go to the rock where he died.

The National Track & Field Hall of Fame - $1600

Al Oerter won this event in 4 straight Olympics but due to youth, then injury, then age, was an underdog every time.

Nobody got it – What is the discus throw?

I knew it was a throwing event, but didn’t know if it was shot put, discus, or javelin. After the last question of the first round, I wasn’t going to guess. I was in kind of a shock right now that I was so far behind, too.

The National Track & Field Hall of Fame - $2000

She won the first Olympic women’s marathon in 1984 and run under 2:50 in the New York Marathon in 2009

Nobody got it – Who was Joan Benoit Samuelsson?

I didn’t get this one, and I’ve ran marathons. I should have known this one. I was probably more embarrassed about not knowing this one than any other clue…and I really had no idea. A couple weeks after the show I floated an e-mail to my runner dad, asking if he knew what it was. I phrased the e-mail as a random trivia question, not “hey, I missed this on Jeopardy”. He responded that he didn’t know what it was, either, which made me feel a little better. Anyway, he told his running friends about me being on the show, and one of them asked my Dad if he knew the answer to this one…and he said yes! Yeah, you knew it after I had told you the answer!!! Cheater.

MINER CLASSICS

I think I had very interesting categories. A category about mining?

Miner Classics - $400

He didn’t strike it rich in the 1897 Klondike gold rish, but he did use the experience in works like “Son of the Wolf”

Logan - Who is (Jack) London?

I’m pretty stoked I was able to answer a category with just the last name here. That means you’re cool.

Miner Classics - $800

The son of a coal miner, this author touched on the mining life in his autobiographical 1913 novel “Sons and Lovers”

Gillian - Who was (D.H.) Lawrence?

Yeah, I had no idea. I don’t think any of the boards were especially good for Gillian, who would have perhaps done better if there were more literature questions like these.

Miner Classics - $1200

“Marching Men” by Sherwood Anderson recounts the tribulations of coal miners in this eastern state

Gillian – What is Pennsylvania?

Again, Gillian comes through on a literature question. I didn’t know the answer, probably would have guessed West Virginia or Kentucky before Pennsylvania. Good thing I didn’t guess.

Miner Classics - $1600

This “colorful” Richard Llewellyn novel set in a Welsh mining community was made into a 1941 Oscar-winning film

Gillian – What is How Green Was My Valley?

I knew this one. This was going to be the question that would have paid off all the memorizing of Oscar winning actors, actresses, and films that I did before the show. Turns out this is also one of Alex Trebek’s favorite movies. Bummed that I didn’t get the chance to answer it, especially because if I had, it might not have been a runaway. Instead, Gillian, who was behind me, answered it, losing us any chance of catching Jan. Way to go. Gillian. Not that I blame you, I don’t know if I would have held back either. Although, in retrospect, if she had, I would have gotten it right, and then I would have been able to get the next question, which was a Daily Double, which I would have gotten it right, and it would have been a game….

Miner Classics - $2000

1917’s “King Coal” by this author was to the mining industry what an earlier work had been to the meat-packing industry

Gillian – Who was Sinclair Lewis? (Daily Double)

 I already mentioned that I knew this one. Upton Sinclair. This means I knew all 3 Daily Doubles…only got to answer one. The other two people got theirs wrong.

“MAJOR” CONCERNS”

Major in quotation marks. Glad I got to have one of these categories.

Major Concerns - $400

Wasn’t asked. I will never know.

Major Concerns - $800

In the U.S. Army this commissioned officer wears 2 stars

Logan – What is a major general?

Generals have stars. I wouldn’t have known that two stars was a major general if it weren’t for the category.

Major Concerns - $1200

In the Bible it’s the collective term for Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, & Daniel

Jan – What are the major prophets?

I’m disappointed that the one Bible question we got – and that’s probably one of my strongest points, the Bible questions – I got beat out by the buzzer

Major Concerns - $1600

It’s the line that passes through the 2 foci of an ellipse

Jan – A major axis

I blanked on this one. The pressure was getting to me. Miss Buda would have been upset that I couldn’t remember it.

Major Concerns - $2000

This George Bernard Shaw play tells the tale of a woman who joins the Salvation Army

Gillian – Major Barbara

No idea. Again, Gillian on tap with the literature.

The strategy on this was Jan went for the higher priced questions first. He did that during the first game, too. That sure was frustrating, and it kinda prevented me from getting into a rhythm, which was probably his goal, since he was ahead, and had the experience of playing the game before.

I don’t want to think about this game anymore.

Single Jeopardy!

This is more for personal history, but why not? I’ll put it online. In honor of my finally being paid for my Jeopardy! Experience, (90 days after the air date) Here’s every answer on my episode of Jeopardy, if I knew it, and my best attempt to remember what was going on in my head.

It's in order by how it was on the screen, not by how the game went. I actually haven't watched the game since the original showing, although my parents were kind enough to get me a digital copy.

I started this blog in February...yeah it's been six months since I started. That's what having a second kid will do to you.

WEE FOLK
I thought it was pretty funny that I was on a Jeopardy show with the category "wee folk". Surprisingly, nobody has mentioned that to me yet.

Wee Folk $200

In a Grimm tale the Miller’s daughter gave this little man a necklace & a ring for spinning straw into gold for her.

Rumpelstiltskin – Logan

Yes, my wife and I watch Once Upon A Time.

Wee Folk $400

The name of this type of wee supernatural being is from the Latin for “spirit”

A sprite – Logan

 I was almost worried this one was too easy, but I'm glad I didn't second-guess myself.

Wee Folk $600

Treasure seekers can sometimes track down one of these Irish fairies by the sound of his shoemaker’s hammer

A leprechaun – Gillian Yes, I knew this one.

Wee Folk $800

The nixies of German mythology are said to live in this environment, like the naiads of Greek mythology.

River – Gillian I wasn’t 100% sure on this one, but I would have said water, which is what Alex said was the correct answer.

Wee Folk $1000

This ugly guy “with eyes as big as saucers” wanted to eat the 3 billy goats that crossed over his bridge.

“The troll” – Jan. Definitely knew this one. For a $1000, it was very easy

Furniture - $200

This type of low bed has casters so that it can be rolled under another bed for storage.

Logan: “What is a day bed?” Gillian: “What is a cabin bed? Alex: Logan, did you know that? Logan: I did, after I..” Alex:”Afterwards, yes. After your incorrect response. Go again. Three clues left.”

I know it was just $200, but I’m really upset I missed this one. Duh it’s a trundle bed. We have a day bed in Clara’s room and that’s what came out. My favorite response to this question came from my brother: “Logan! Church history! Joseph and Emma Smith would sleep on a trundle bed and let their kids sleep on the real bed!”

I thought I was very expressive on the show. You knew if I was upset with myself. Alex kept mentioning it. Alex comes off kinda rude in the text above, but I didn’t think he was.

Furniture - $400

This French-named style of furniture that was “new” around 1900 was characterized by the graceful whiplash curve.

(Art) Noveau – Jan Definitely knew this one, and I would have loved to play up the French accent when I said it. Oh well.

Furniture - $600

Useful little end tables & coffee tables are also called these “tables”, so they may talk like foreigners.

Accent tables – Gillian

I didn’t know this one. It just didn’t come.

Furniture - $800

Hey Mr. Irving! A chair of the mid-19^th c. with a concave seat & high back shares its name with this town.

Sleepy Hollow – Jan

Never heard of this type of chair, but I would have gotten it right from the clue.

Furniture - $1000

French for “shelf”, it’s an open-sheleved piece of furniture for displaying knickknacks.

“What is a curio cabinet?” – Logan, wrong. Nobody got it, which was étagère.

Obviously in retrospect I shouldn’t have guessed it – it was a longshot but I was behind at this point and really wanted to come back. Instead, I put myself even deeper in a hole. Oh well. I haven’t met a single person yet who knew this question.

Brit Speak - $200

A brolly is one of these – don’t leave home without it on a rainy day.

An umbrella – Jan

Yes, only from the clue, though. I’m not a brolly fan.

Brit Speak - $400

It’s not just a special occasion like Easter or Boxing Day, it’s also a vacation in general.

A Holiday – Logan

Woo Hoo!

Brit Speak - $600

Elasto plast isn’t a cartoon villain, it’s one of these that sometimes stings when you yank it off.

A Band-aid – Jan

I don’t remember if I knew this one. I knew it while reviewing everything…I’m sure if I watch the show you’ll be able to see if I knew it or not by me clicking the buzzer.

Brit Speak - $800

The ironmonger is the gent who runs this type of local store.

Hardware Store – Nobody

I had no idea. Does anyone have a local hardware store anymore?

Brit Speak - $1000

A lido is a public one of these; on a cruise ship you’ll find one on the lido deck.

DAILY DOUBLE Jan – What is a beach?

No, Jan, it was a swimming pool, and I would have gotten that one, having just taken a cruise with my lovely wife for our babymoon a year and a half earlier. At least he bet it all and went back down to zero.

Dance!

Really, a dancing category? Wow. Well, maybe all that time watching Dancing With The Stars will pay off…

Dance! - $200

Time to form this dancing line! Put your hands on the shoulders of the person in front of you, & 1,2,3, kick! 1,2,3, kick!

Logan – A conga line

Boo-ya.

Dance! - $400

Seen here in the Kahurangi troupe performing the haka, a traditional dance of the Maori of this nation

Jan – New Zealand

The BYU football team used to perform the haka before every football game. (Maybe they still do, I haven’t been to a home game in a few years.) I was really disappointed that Jan beat me on this one.

Dance! - $600

We’d love to show a clip of this “forbidden dance” from a 1990 film, but we want to keep our G rating.

Gillian – The tango? Jan – The lambada

I sat this one out, as I had no idea.

Dance! - $800

“The Lawrence Welk Show” wasn’t afraid to roll out a wunnerful “beer barrel” version of this dance

Logan – The Polka

I remember when I was 13 years old at a Stake Dance Conference dancing the polka and thinking it was probably the most fun dance ever.

Dance! - $1000

This promenade dance, done by couples to win a certain baked item, is also something easy, as in “winning that game was a…”

Logan – Cakewalk

I did well in this category, 3 out of 5. I remember thinking “man, if I win, I just got a $1000 dollars for answering what is a cakewalk. How cool is that.”

ABOUT THE STATES

I was really excited about this category. A geography category. Excellent.

About the States - $200

It’s the only state that borders Maine.

Logan – New Hampshire

Honestly, I answered this one so quickly I was really nervous as I was saying it that it was actually Vermont. Had I time to think about it, I would have gone back to our family vacation to New England and our drive across New Hampshire from Vermont in order to visit the first exit in Maine, as well as our infamous drive over the best named body of water ever, The Great Bay. Since it was Jeopardy! though, and I had no time, I just went with my instincts New Hampshire. Sure glad it was right.

About the States - $400

Delaware has only 3 of these: New Castle, Kent, & Sussex

Jillian – Counties

Another classic Jeopardy answer – one that nobody really knows unless you live there, but you’re smart enough to figure out that the question is probably counties. I would have guessed that as well.

About the States - $600

The state ship of Connecticut is this early nuclear submarine.

Logan - The Nautilus

I don’t know of any other nuclear submarines, do you?

About the States - $800

Orson Welles’ birthplaces of Kenosha is in this state.

Logan – New Jersey Jan – Wisconsin

I’m really mad I missed this one. I know Kenosha is in WI. My dad was thinking about running a marathon there. I got tripped up with the Orson Welles’ reference, and remembered that his “War of the Worlds” radio show broadcast in New Jersey…which is why I said what I did. I chalk this stupid mistake up to nerves.

About the States - $1000

It’s named for an Indian people also known as the Kaw

Jan – Kansas

I didn’t know this one. In retrospect, should have known it. Kaw. Kansas.

I was really disappointed with how I did in this category. I ended up even on a geography category. Lame.

“IGGY” POP

“Iggy” Pop - $200

Laverne & Shirley’s Neighbor

Gillian – Ziggy? Nobody got it.

The answer was Squiggy. Before any of our time, I guess. Good thing it was only a $200 question.

“Iggy” Pop - $400

A 1998 hit for Will Smith

Jan – Getting Jiggy Wit It

If I had answered before Jan, I would have distinctly pronounced the Wit without the H. I was so looking forward to answering it that way. Frustrating.

“Iggy” Pop - $600

She played first mate to Captain Link Hogthrob

Jan – Twiggy Nobody Got It

I knew from the time I saw the category that one of the answers was going to be Miss Piggy. I also knew there would be a model question about Twiggy, which would come later. I also knew there would be a Ziggy Startdust answer. But I knew this one was Miss Piggy. I froze. Nerves, I guess. But I knew this one and it was obvious on my face and I should have gone for it and I didn’t and I’m still so so so mad about it. The pain from this one has not really gone away.

“Iggy” Pop - $800

Swinging 60’s London was the scene for this woman born Lesley Hornby

Jan – Twiggy

As mentioned before, I knew that Twiggy was going to be one of the answers in this category. To bad Jan beat me.

 “Iggy” Pop - $1000

In a David Bowie song, he played guitar with his band the spiders from Mars.

Gillian – Who is Iggy Stardust Judge – No! Jan – Ziggy Stardust

Time froze during this exchange. I knew the answer was coming from when the category was announced. I knew she said it wrong. I was surprised when the judge came back and corrected her….and then I didn’t answer quick enough. I wish I hadn’t have froze.

Scores at the end of the Jeopardy! Round:

Jan - $6,400

Logan - $1,800

Gillian - $400

Low scores. Jan leading the way, despite losing all of his money once on the Daily Double. I was really feeling the effects of the buzzer, and asked for help. However they didn’t give it to me because Gillian was doing even worse than me. I didn’t have the best round.

Deliberately removing my issues with the buzzer...if I hadn’t missed the ones I shouldn’t have tried, and made the ones I should have…here’s how the scores would have been different:

Jan – $5,600

Logan - $5,000 (and that doesn’t include zoning out during Ziggy Stardust.)

Gillian - $400

So instead of being down by $4,600, I would have been done by $600. A lot different, and I would have gone into Double Jeopardy will a lot more confidence.

My last measurement I'll put here - one score of Jeopardy is called the Coryat score, or the score you would get if you were playing all by yourself and having do Double Jeopardies. It should have been $14,400 through Single Jeopardy had I not made my really stupid mistakes. That's a pretty good board for me, then. I just wasn't ready for the buzzer and the nerves.

I’ll write up Double Jeopardy! some other time!!!