Priestcraft in America

One of the Book of Mormon’s many cautionary tales for our day is contained in Alma chapter 1. This chapter tells the story of the demagogue Nehor. Nehor went about preaching that every priest and teacher should become popular and be supported financially by the people. Nehor quickly became very popular because he taught that … Read more

The dangers of group-think

People do not usually grow more open and flexible as they age. We tend to become settled in our habits of behavior and in our opinions. We cluster comfortably into groups of like-minded folks and shake our heads at those who live, think, and behave differently than we do. Because we find safety in the … Read more

The authoritarian follower personality

In a democracy, a wannabe tyrant is just a comical figure on a soapbox unless a huge wave of supporters lifts him to high office. Bob Altmeyer Much has been written about autocrats and despots. At whatever scale, home, school, work, or an entire country, these people rule as dictators using fear and the threat … Read more