Geological History of Landmarks in Utah

Timpanogos Cave
Millions of years ago, the Wasatch Mountains were created when magma under the surface pushed up. Because of all this upward pressure, there were small pockets and breaks that started to form as well. Many caves were formed this way, and Timpanogos Cave is one of them. The cave is home to amazing helictites that are created by water that evaporates and leaves minerals behind. You can also see cave bacon, cave columns, flowstone, cave popcorn, cave drapery, stalactites, and stalagmites. Many of the formations you see inside the cave have taken hundreds of thousands of years to form. The cave was made a National Monument in 1922 so it can be protected, and many more people can see the amazing natural wonders inside the cave.

Cassidy Arch
This arch is located in Capitol Reef National Park in Southeast Utah. It became a National Park in 1971. The arch is made up of sandstone and sits on top of the Grand Wash, which is a dry bed inside the sandstone canyon with cliffs going up on either side about 800 feet. When there is a lot of rain in Utah, the dry bed could get washed out and keep traffic from driving down it, as I experienced a few years ago myself. I had to hike in through the wash bed instead of driving to get to the start of the trail that would take me up to Cassidy Arch. The entire trip was around 8 miles this way. Cassidy Arch was formed when wind, rain, and ice created patterns and holes in the rock and carved out the arch over time. Water would get trapped inside cracks and fissures and expand when it freezes. This would cause certain parts of the rock to break off. Each storm, this would happen, and over time, more and more would be carved out by nature itself.

Bridal Veil Falls
Cascade Mountain is the mountain next to Timpanogos Mountain. Bridal Veil Falls is a large waterfall that runs down Cascade Mountain at the beginning of Provo Canyon. The mountain contains limestone that was formed about 350 million years ago. There is a lot of sand also in the mountains, meaning that there used to be a lot of water next to them. Provo Canyon itself was formed from all the water that used to be in the area from Lake Bonneville. Lake Bonneville almost covered the entire state of Utah and had lots of glaciers that would carve out all the smaller canyons over time. On top of the mountain are natural springs that run down. Bridal Veil Falls is the result of a year-round, powerful spring. The falls have a lot of water that flows continually and even gets stronger if there has been a wet winter that left a lot of snow on top of the mountain. The water, over time, has carved nice little paths to keep the water flowing, and that has turned into the giant waterfall that many tourists go to see.

Bonneville Salt Flats
The flats were created when the water that once covered almost all of Utah evaporated. Bonneville Lake was probably the size of Lake Michigan today. Salt deposits were left behind as more of the lake evaporated. Wind kept the area relatively flat as there was nothing to stop it. Most winters, a small layer of water will be on top of the flats, and then it will evaporate again as the weather warms up. The winds that are in that area push the sediment around and keep it just as flat as it was before. The surface of the flats is made up of potassium, sodium chloride, magnesium, and lithium, which is basically salt. The flats have become a popular destination for tourists, as it is uncommon to see such a large flat white area in the middle of nowhere

[Written for GEOG 3200 class UVU Summer 2023]
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The Himbas Are Shooting

    I had a list of documentaries to choose from, but the professor recommended that I watch The Himbas Are Shooting. I really enjoyed this documentary, even though it was not in English, and so I had to read subtitles the entire time. After a little bit, it didn’t even feel like it was in a language I could not understand, as I was so enthralled by it. I really had to pay attention and could not look away, or I would have no idea what was going on. Seeing how the Himbas live, and having it be portrayed by them, was very eye-opening to their culture and way of life.

    The first key term I thought of when watching this documentary was language. I remember reading that there are over 1000 different languages spoken in Africa. The reading also stated that the two most important cultural experiences in Africa are language and religion. 

    The second key term I thought of was pastoralists. A pastoralist is a sheep or cattle farmer, and the Himbas in this documentary had cattle and were very proud of them. They mentioned that they must move their herd because of the dry conditions, and so maybe they are a type of transient pastoralists. Their homes are easy to move and create, and so they could move their village depending on the weather and season. My favorite part of the documentary was when they showed their eco-friendly dwellings with central heating, and it made me want to live in one myself.

    The third key term I thought of was HIV/Aids. The reading explains that HIV/Aids runs very rampant in Africa because of cultural practices such as polygamy and promiscuity. You can see a little of that in the documentary, as men have multiple wives and/or girlfriends.

    Hollywood and the entertainment industry portray cultures in Africa in a very different light than the Himbas did in their own documentary. It was very honest, fun, entertaining, and educational to see the world from their perspective. I was able to see what life would be like for them and how the world is changing, but they are trying to hold on to the same traditions they have had for generations. The government wants to take away the land that they have lived on for many years, when this is all they know.

[Written for GEOG 130G class UVU Spring 2022]
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Walking into Dystopia: Comparing Stephen King’s The Long Walk to Its Movie Adaptation

This post contains reflections on the plot and ending of The Long Walk by Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman), as well as thoughts on the movie adaptation. If you haven’t read the book or seen the movie, you may want to return later.

In July of this year, I read The Long Walk by Stephen King, technically, it is by his alter ego Richard Bachman, and it left me haunted. I had seen that a movie adaptation was going to be released, and I wanted to read the book first. This was my first time reading anything under King’s Bachman persona, and I am glad I did.

The book is a relentless journey into the heart of dystopia, where psychological tension builds with every step. The story slowly unravels its characters, especially Ray Garraty. The emotional weight of the walk, the shifting dynamics between the characters, and the creeping dread of the inevitable end for most of them made it impossible to put down.

The ending of the book left a deep impression on me. I had to ponder it for a while, but I finally realized that I interpreted the final figure that Garraty sees as death itself. This reinforced to me that no one makes it out of the Long Walk alive. Even the so-called winner is just the last one to die. That bleak inevitability gave the story a chilling resonance that stuck with me even after it ended.

I saw the movie adaptation with my daughter, who had not read the book, and I loved most of it. I was okay with the smaller changes the movie incorporated as they made sense for the medium and pacing, but the ending left me feeling jaded.

In the movie, Garraty’s motives for the walk change from curiosity and a desire for wealth to revenge on the Major, whom he blames for his father’s death. Garraty’s girlfriend from the book is completely left out, and his mother becomes his emotional anchor instead. Scramm, a character who develops pneumonia and has a pregnant wife, is completely cut from the movie, and his traits are instead split between Olsen and Stebbins, two other participants. The number of walkers in the book, 100, is cut to 50 in the movie. This makes a lot of sense for production reasons.

Peter McVries also has a different backstory, which changes his entire narrative. In the book, he is sarcastic, philosophical, and emotionally raw. He serves as a moral compass for Garraty while he contemplates death and knows the futility of the walk. He is not trying to win the race but openly questions it. Eventually, he decides to sit down, as a symbolic act of defiance, which leads to his death. In the movie, McVries is more emotionally stable and supportive. The bond Garraty and he develop is central to the movie’s emotional arc. McVries becomes a co-lead in the movie and ends up winning the walk after Garraty sacrifices himself. McVries becomes the heart of the story, and his survival is framed as a victory not just over the walk but over the system itself.

The completely different ending of the movie is what left me baffled, as that was the most powerful part in the book for me. In the book, Garraty wins the walk, but he is mentally broken. He sees a dark figure and continues to walk even after his win. King leaves you to interpret the ending yourself, as you can draw many different conclusions from its meaning. As I mentioned earlier, the ending of the book left a deep impression on me as I interpreted the figure Garraty sees as death itself. The inevitability of no one surviving the walk gives off dystopian vibes, as the walk is just there to keep people in line and away from revolting against the suppressive regime they live in. Spectators of the walk are forced to watch and cheer. Knowing that they also cannot escape death, but instead need to remain obedient. There is a line in the movie from Garraty that stands out in this instance:

“The only guarantee you have as a human being is that you are going to die. And, if you're lucky, you get to choose how you spend those last moments.”

It is a poignant quote that captures the existential weight of the story as told in the book and the movie.

I listened to the audiobook of The Long Walk, narrated by Kirby Heyborn. His performance brought the characters to life in a way that made the emotional intensity more intense. His voice carried the exhaustion, fear, and fleeting hope that the walkers exhibited, leaving me contemplating King’s meaning of the story for a long time afterwards.

The Long Walk is more than a dystopian thriller; it’s a meditation on morality, obedience, and the cost of survival. Whether through the slow unraveling of Garraty’s psyche in the book or the emotional arc of McVries in the film, the story leaves a lasting impression. While I preferred the book’s haunting ambiguity, I appreciated the film’s emotional clarity. Both versions offer something powerful, and together they deepen the impact of King’s chilling vision.

Book Published: July 1979
Read: July 30, 2025

Movie Premiere: September 12, 2025
Seen: September 16, 2025

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History Meets Ethics: Reframing Peacebuilding Through Time

This week in my Religion, Violence, and Peacebuilding class, we explored the complex and often contentious relationship between pacifism and just war theory. What made this week especially compelling was the interdisciplinary approach - philosophy, theology, and history all came into the conversation, challenging us to think not just about what happened in the past, but how we ethically interpret it.

We began with Restoring Peace: Towards a Conversation between Just War and Reconcilitation Traditions by Matthew J. Gaudet and William R. O'Neill. The authors argue that these two traditions, often seen as opposites, can actually inform and enrich each other. Reconciliation, they suggest, is not just what happens after war, but it can be a framework that shapes how we think about conflict itself. This idea laid the groundwork for the rest of the week: what if pacifists and just war theorists aren't enemies, but uneasy allies in the pursuit of peace?

Later in the week, we welcomed a guest lecturer, a history professor at UVU who specializes in peacebuilding. His presence shifted the tone of the class from theoretical to historical. He challenged us to consider how historians often focus on events and outcomes, but neglect the ethical questions that underlie them. Why did people choose violence? What alternatives were available? What moral frameworks shaped their decisions?

To prepare for this class period, we read several historical documents: Benjamin Franklin's Plain Truth (1747), John Smith's Doctrine of Christianity (1748), and Jessica Choppin Roney's Ready to Act in Defiance of Government. These texts centered around the 1747 Militia Crisis in colonial America, a moment when civic duty, religious conviction, and political unrest collided. We also read Pacifist Claptrap, a Washington Post article published shortly after 9/11, which criticized pacifism as naive and dangerous. The juxtaposition of these texts, spanning centuries, highlighted how debates about violence and peace are never just academic. They are deeply personal, political, and moral.

For our weekly assignment, we read Reconciling Pacifist and Just War Theorists by James Sterba. Sterba argues that pacifism and just war theory can be reconciled when interpreted in their most morally defensible forms. He critiques rigid versions of pacifism, nonviolent and nonlethal, and proposes anti-war pacifism, which opposes participation in the massive use of lethal force, especially when nonviolent alternatives are underutilized.

Sterba's most compelling contribution is his defense of the moral distinction between intended and foreseen harm. Using Counterfactual and Nonexplanation Tests, he argues that collateral damage (foreseen harm) is morally less severe than intentional harm. This distinction, he claims, is crucial for evaluating wartime actions. While he acknowledges exceptions to the prohibition on intentional harm, he maintains that a strong presumption against it is morally preferable.

Ultimately, Sterba concludes that anti-war pacifists and just war theorists can agree on many cases of justified defense, especially when proportionality and restraint are emphasized. The reconciliation lies in refining both views to prioritize minimizing harm and respecting human dignity, even in extreme circumstances.

Reflecting on this week, I am struck by how much richer our understanding of peace becomes when we allow disciplines to speak to one another. Philosophy gives us the tools to evaluate moral claims. History gives us the context to understand how those claims were lived out. Theology offers a vision of human dignity that can guide both. 

Our guest lecturer reminded us that peacebuilding isn't just about preventing war; it is about asking better questions. What does justice look like before violence erupts? How do we honor the humanity of our enemies? And how can we learn from the past without repeating its ethical blind spots?

This week didn't offer easy answers. But it did offer a framework for thinking more deeply, and more compassionately, about the choices we make in the face of conflict.

Sources:

Franklin, B. (1747, November 17). Plain truth: Or, serious considerations on the present state of the city of Philadelphia, and province of Pennsylvania. Printed by Benjamin Franklin. 

Gaudet, M. J., & O’Neill, W. R. (2011). Restoring peace: Toward a conversation between the just war and reconciliation traditions. Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics, 31(1), 37–55.

Kelly, Michael. (2001, September). Pacifist claptrap. The Washington Post.

Roney, J. C. (2010). “Ready to act in defiance of Government”: Colonial Philadelphia voluntary culture and the Defense Association of 1747–1748. Early American Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 8(2), 358–385.

Smith, J. (1748). The doctrine of Christianity as held by the people called Quakers, vindicated: In answer to Gilbert Tennent’s sermon on the lawfulness of war. Printed by Benjamin Franklin and David Hall. 

Sterba, J. P. (1992). Reconciling pacifists and just war theorists. Social Theory and Practice, 18(1), 21–38.

[Written for PHIL 366G class UVU Fall 2025]
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Housing, Humanity, and Hope: Reflecting on Evicted by Matthew Desmond

This post discusses key themes and quotes from Evicted by Matthew Desmond. While it doesn’t reveal every detail, it may touch on moments you’d prefer to discover on your own.

In August of this year, I read Evicted by Matthew Desmond. I had this book sitting on my nightstand for almost a year before I finally decided to see what all the hype was about. My sister-in-law had loaned me her copy and suggested I read it. She knew my love of Sociology and Politics would have me enjoying this book. She was absolutely right, as it left a lasting impression on me.

This book isn’t just filled with statistics and policy critiques; it’s a deeply human narrative that follows eight families in Milwaukee as they navigate the brutal realities of poverty and housing insecurity. Desmond writes with compassion and emotion as he doesn’t just present data, but tells the stories associated with it. 

One quote that especially stayed with me was:

“Whatever our way out of this mess, one thing is certain. This degree of inequality, this withdrawal of opportunity, this cold denial of basic needs, this endorsement of pointless suffering—by no American value is this situation justified. No moral code or ethical principle, no piece of scripture or holy teaching, can be summoned to defend what we have allowed our country to become.”

This passage encapsulates the moral urgency of the book. Desmond demonstrates that eviction is not just a symptom of poverty, but rather the cause. The families he profiles are caught in the never-ending cycle where losing a home leads to losing jobs, education, health, and dignity. The current system punishes the vulnerable and rewards exploitation.

Reading Evicted made me reflect on the fact that housing is not just a commodity; it is a human right. Desmond challenges readers to see beyond stereotypes and statistics. He wants us all to recognize the structural forces that shape people’s lives. This is definitely a topic worth discussing, and a book more people should read.

Published: March 1, 2016
Read: August 25, 2025

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Cultural Identity Essay

    I grew up in the Netherlands and lived there until I was 17 years old. At the time of this essay, I am 45 years old, and my old country looks a lot different now than it did when I lived there. I have not been back since I left in 1993. Growing up, there were a few immigrants in my school from North Africa or the Middle East. As time went on, more immigrants arrived in the Netherlands. When I was younger, I remember being in a classroom with almost everyone looking and sounding like I did, but as I changed, so did my surroundings. My parents were very inclusive, and we had neighbors of different backgrounds and nationalities in our home all the time. It was not strange for me to see people from different countries and backgrounds talking and interacting with my parents. My dad had a really good job, and we were well off. As I grew up, his status in his company grew, and we made more money and could afford nicer things. My parents did not flaunt their wealth, and so I never knew how much we had until I was a lot older. I had friends who grew up with nothing, and friends whose parents were very rich; we all got along. Emphasis was never on money or status in my family, and so I never placed it on them either.

    My parents converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and so we were in the minority when it came to religion. Growing up, we probably had about 5000 people in the entire country who were members of our church. I was the only “Mormon” at my elementary school, middle school, and high school. It was hard as people didn’t know what kind of religion we practiced, and so I was ostracized a lot growing up. As of 2022, I am still a member of this church and have found my own path in practicing this religion. Growing up in the 80’s I never thought too much about gender identity and sexual orientation. Europe is a liberal continent when it comes to identity, and so it was normal to see all types of people around me. I was raised to respect everyone, even if they were different from me, and so that has never been a problem. My oldest daughter came out to me as bisexual when she was 16 years old, and I was able to understand her and love her because of the way I was raised. Her father was born and raised in Orem, Utah, and so he had a completely different view on how he should react, and so he did.

    I moved to America when I was 17 and have lived here ever since. I have unfortunately not been able to go back to Europe since then, but I hope to one day soon. I got married here when I was 23 and was in an abusive marriage for 20 years. I divorced in 2019, and I am finally able to be myself again. I was manipulated into thinking and acting differently than when I had been raised, and unfortunately raised my kids with less tolerance than I had grown up with. My oldest daughter is very tolerant as she belongs to the LGBTQ+ community, and I am glad I did not mess her up completely. Unfortunately, my other daughter takes after her father and is not as tolerant of differences. My life for 20 years did not match what I had been raised to believe, and I am working hard to change back to the person I was before that. As a child, I was able to travel a lot all over Europe since my parents made good money. I have seen so many different places and enjoyed so many different cultures that I want to go back and experience it all over again. While I was married, I was not able to travel at all and had lost myself for a long time. Since my divorce, I have put many miles on my car and have seen places I have been waiting to see. I took a cruise and have plans for many more trips as soon as Covid allows it.

    I have lots of family in the Netherlands and Australia, and I am dying to visit them again. I work full-time now and go to school full-time, so I don’t have a lot of time for friends. My ex-husband never allowed for friends, and so I have slowly been making new relationships, mainly with co-workers. I work in the education field, and so most of my friends are also extremely busy and don’t make a lot of money to travel either. I have an older sister whom I am travelling with as she is divorced as well, and we make a lot of good new memories together. I grew up in the Netherlands and served a mission for my church in Finland. The experiences I had there have definitely made me into the person I am today. My tolerance for all things is different, and my acceptance of all comes from living in those places. I embrace diversity and think it is a very important part of life. Since I still have family in the Netherlands and Australia, I believe that it is keeping me connected in a sense with a different culture. I see what my family and friends post on their Facebook accounts in those countries and can experience some facets of their lives this way.

Currently, I am a history and political science major and love to read and learn new things. I am constantly looking forward to seeing what is happening all over the world. Reading is one of my passions, and I love reading biographies to see how others grow up. I have read many books about people who have escaped communist China or the Taliban in the Middle East. The more I read, the more I can empathize with others around me and know that I am not the only one who may have a hard day or year. I have many places I want to travel to on my bucket list. When I graduate with my degree, I want to visit Machu Picchu. It is scary for me as I have never traveled out of the country by myself, and I don’t speak Spanish. I am trying to learn Spanish so that it won’t be so scary, and hopefully, I will have some more experience with traveling alone when the time comes. Mount Fuji is another place I want to see in my lifetime, and I would also love to walk the streets of Paris and Venice again. I could name a million other places and things I want to experience, and hopefully, I can cross some of my lists soon.

[Written for GEOG 130G class UVU Spring 2022]
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TED Talk with the Prime Minister of Bhutan

    I watched the TED Talk with the Prime Minister of Bhutan because its subject matter pertained to how the country is carbon neutral. I really enjoyed the talk and how he described how a country as small as theirs could have all its ducks in a row when it comes to global warming. 

    One of the key terms from the reading that came to mind when I watched the TED talk was modernization. Bhutan is a very small country with only about 700,000 citizens, and the Prime Minister called it underdeveloped. The people living in Bhutan are very humble and seem to work hard to make their lives happy. The government has done a lot to modernize the small country and to keep it carbon neutral. The Prime Minister stated that free electricity is provided to rural farmers so that they can modernize their farms and don’t need to burn wood to cook their meals. The government also makes sure that all lights are switched to LEDs and cars are electric. The government is also completely paperless in its dealings and is planting more trees. All these things let me know that the country of Bhutan is modernizing and keeping up with the rest of the world.

    The second key term from the reading that came to mind is International Development Assistance. This assistance would be provided to underdeveloped countries that would need a loan to bring them relief of sorts. When I think about Bhutan and how the country is run so efficiently, I don’t think they would need any assistance that is out there. The way the government has set things up, the country can sustain itself forever. The Prime Minister, in his talk, exclaimed that Bhutan is not carbon neutral but carbon negative. Because of the protected forests in their country and all that they are doing to lower their footprint, they create more energy than they need and can help others out with it. As an underdeveloped country, they can help other countries out with their energy needs.

    The third key term is mental maps. The reading explains that mental maps are maps created by those people who live in the country and know the ins and outs of it all. The Prime Minister, in his talk, showed a map of Bhutan with a 72% forest cover. Because of the knowledge of the land, the people there were able to connect the forests together to create ways that all the animals in Bhutan are free to roam in those protected areas. With the knowledge of their own country and the need to protect the land and animals, they were able to create new maps to show which areas are protected. It would be amazing if we could somehow link all our national parks together in a way to protect them all better as well.

    I love TED Talks as they are usually so powerful, and that is why I picked this one to watch. I was amazed to see that a small country like Bhutan can be such an inspirational leader to the rest of the world what it means to be mindful of the environment. Their ideas and implementations are a good blueprint that other countries could follow to also get closer to becoming carbon neutral. I love the idea that the Prime Minister ends with calling Earth for Life, where we all need to come together to protect our planet forever, so we can keep our resources.

Link to TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Lc_dlVrg5M  

[Written for GEOG 130G class UVU Spring 2022]
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Faith, Violence, and the Ethics of War: Reflections from Fall Break Readings

Even during Fall Break week, the readings for PHIL 366R offered a powerful lens into the intersection of religion and violence. From personal memoirs to theological treatises, each piece challenged me to think more deeply about how faith traditions grapple with conflict, justice, and moral responsibility.

We read To Hearken or Not by Brian Birch (my professor for the class). This essay examines the tension between obedience and moral authority within religious traditions. Birch's work made me think about how religious followers navigate commands that may conflict with personal or societal ethics. It's especially relevant in contexts where violence is justified by appeals to divine authority.

I have read Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer in its entirety multiple times. We were asked to read the prologue for this week as Krakauer introduces the story of religiously motivated violence within fundamentalist Mormonism. The prologue sets a chilling tone, showing how sincere belief can be twisted into justification for horrific acts. It raises questions about the boundaries of religious freedom and the role of institutions in curbing extremism.

We also read an article titled Radical Mormon Jihad by Eric Peterson which was published in the Salt Lake City Weekly on July 30, 2014. It features an interview with Dan Lafferty, one of the brothers convicted in the 1984 murders of Brenda Lafferty and her infant daughter Erica. In the article, Dan Lafferty shares his apocalyptic beliefs, including a prophecy about escaping prison and calling down fire from heaven, likening his future actions to those of the biblical prophet Elijah. This piece offers a chilling look into religious extremism and how fringe theological interpretations can fuel violent ideologies. It's a powerful complement to Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven, which explores the Lafferty case from a broader investigative and narrative perspective.

Eric Peterson and Jon Krakauer approach the same disturbing subject - religiously motivated violence - through different lenses. Peterson's article is a journalistic profile, grounded in direct interview and observation. He presents Dan Lafferty in his own words, allowing readers to confront the raw extremism of Lafferty's beliefs without much editorial framing. Peterson is able to access Lafferty's mindet at the time of the murders, his current beliefs now, and his life in prison. Peterson's piece feels like a warning - an unfiltered glimpse into the persistence of radical ideology decades after the crime. It's stark, factual, and disturbing in its restraints. Krakauer's book is written as a narrative nonfiction book. He blends investigative journalism with literary storytelling. He contexualizes the Lafferty murders within broader questions about Mormon history, revelation, and religious violence. Krakauer discusses deep historical and theological topics, and shows an emotional and psychological insight into the perpetrators. His literary style draws the reader into the story. Krakauer's work is also more interpretive, inviting readers to consider how religious belief can evolve into fanaticism. His storytelling makes the horror feel personal and systemic. Reading both pieces side by side is like seeing two sides of the same coin. Peterson shows us the present-day reality of a man still consumed by his beliefs, while Krakauer traces the roots of those beliefs and their consequences. Together, they raise urgent questions: How do we recognize and respond to religious extremism? What responsibility do religious communities bear in preventing violence? Can faith be both a source of peace and a catalyst for destruction?

Next, we read a chapter by James Turner Johnson titled The Idea of Just War in Christian Thought. This chapter outlines the historical development of Just War theory in Christian theology. Johnson's overview helped me understand how Christian thinkers have tried to reconcile the teachings of Jesus with the realities of political conflict. It's a sobering reminder that even peace-oriented religions have developed frameworks for war.

Thomas Aquinas provides criteria for when war can be considered morally just, and so we read his words. Aquinas's clarity and structure are striking. His criteria still influence modern debates about military intervention. Yet I wonder how his ideas hold up in today's world of asymmetric warfare and non-state actors.

These readings collectively highlight the tension between faith and violence. Whether through personal testimony or theological argument, they ask us to consider how religious traditions can both justify and resist violence. As I continue this course, I'm left asking: Can religion truly be a force for peace in a world so often torn by its name?

Sources: 

Aquinas, T. (2011). Whether it is always sinful to wage war? In M. Juergensmeyer & M. Kitts (Eds.), Princeton readings in religion and violence (pp. 41–44). Princeton University Press.

Birch, B. D. (2016, October). To Hearken or Not: Divine Commands & Ethical Dissonance. Paper presented at the Conference on Peacemaking: Ethical Perspectives in and Around Mormonism, Utah Valley University.

Johnson, J. T. (2009). The idea of just war in Christian thought. In R. D. Bainton (Ed.), The Cambridge companion to religion and war (pp. 207–227). Cambridge University Press.

Krakauer, J. (2004). Under the banner of heaven: A story of violent faith. Anchor Books.

Peterson, E. S. (2014, July 30). Radical Mormon jihad. Salt Lake City Weekly. https://www.cityweekly.net/utah/radical-mormon-jihad/Content?oid=2477964

[Written for PHIL 366G class UVU Fall 2025]
aB . All Right Reserved . 2025

“Secrets Behind the Walls: Exploring Never Lie and The Housemaid”

This post contains plot details and key twists from Never Lie and The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. If you haven’t read these books yet and want to experience the suspense firsthand, consider bookmarking this post and coming back after you’ve finished reading!

I first heard of Freida McFadden when I picked up Never Lie in September 2023. This psychological thriller had me hooked from its first page. I love reading suspense novels, and the twists, tension, and eerie setting of Never Lie were everything I had hoped for. Later, I picked up a copy of The Housemaid, but it remained on my shelf at home until this month. I am so glad I finally got around to reading it, as both books are masterclasses in domestic suspense, unreliable narrators, filled with secrets, and jaw-dropping twists.

Never Lie is about newlyweds Tricia and Ethan. They are trapped in a snowstorm inside the mansion of a missing psychiatrist. Tricia finds therapy recordings in the home, and she begins to suspect something awful happened inside his house. The suspense in the novel builds with every tape she listens to, slowly blurring the line between deception and truth.

“I believe that any human being is capable of terrible things if you push them hard enough.”

This quote from the book encapsulates the central theme: the hidden capacity for darkness inside us all. While Tricia searches for clues to solve a mystery, she is also confronting her own secrets. Another one of my favorite quotes from this book shows how McFadden keeps the readers on edge, constantly questioning who they can trust.

“My mother always says the only way two people can keep a secret is if one of them is dead.”

In The Housemaid, Millie is desperate for work after her release from prison. She accepts a live-in job with the Winchester family, and her dream job quickly turns into a psychological nightmare. Nina Winchester is manipulative, volatile, and clearly hiding something sinister.

“I hired her to kill him. She just doesn’t know it.”

McFadden flips the narrative and shocks readers with lines like this. The tension is relentless, and Millie’s resilience becomes the heart of the story. The story of Nina and Millie is raw, terrifying, and has you wondering what is hiding behind the perfect picture of domestic perfection.

Both novels explore secrecy, power dynamics, and female resilience. While Tricia and Millie are completely different women, they each face psychological manipulation and danger. Tricia is introspective and haunted by her past. Facing this, she tries to uncover the truth that lies hidden in the home. Millie is scrappy, defiant, and also trying to escape her past. She confronts her terror with cleverness, wit, and determination. The female resilience in both thrusts them into dangerous situations, but McFadden turns her heroines into resourceful, compelling, and relatable characters. In the end, both are survivors, even if their journeys are so different.

McFadden has a gift for creating thrillers that are both emotionally intense and psychologically layered. Never Lie and The Housemaid showcase her ability to turn ordinary settings into pressure cookers of suspense. Every character has something to hide, and every moment could be a turning point. Never Lie has been my go-to book when someone asks for a recommendation, but I might need to add The Housemaid to that list as well. When I heard that a movie was being adapted from that book, I knew now would be the perfect time to finally read it, and I am so glad that I did.

Never Lie Published: September 19, 2022
Read: September 11, 2023

The Housemaid Published: April 26, 2022
Read: October 18, 2025

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What Does It Mean to Be Educated

In this essay, I will argue that you can receive an education in multiple places and through multiple means. I will describe what being educated means to me as a foreigner who grew up in Europe and had a different schooling from the “American way”.

After viewing the short excerpt from the interview with Fareed Zakaria, I had a lot of different emotions. I was born and raised in the Netherlands, and so I grew up with the education system he described. I decided what I wanted to be when I was only 14. My schooling was geared towards fashion and design, as I had a great interest in that back then. I am a hands-on learner, and the typical education offered was hard for me as it involved mostly book smarts. I had the opportunity to go to a more technical school where I would graduate at 16 with a general degree, but also with marketable skills that could get me into the workforce right away without requiring more education. I chose fashion and design as my path, as it was something I was very passionate about. My degree from this type of high school gave me the opportunity to either further my education in the fashion and design field by attending more schooling, or to become employed and enjoy a career I had trained for. I believe the quote from Michael Roth is very fitting to this scenario, as he says:” higher education must generate useful knowledge that can benefit society, or can increase the student’s financial and social status, or can advance business and economic interests.” (Roth, Beyond The University) I benefited greatly from this type of learning, as it was geared towards hands-on learners to still make them valuable members of society without copious amounts of education.

Unfortunately for me, my life took a drastic turn when I was not able to use the education I had received, as my family moved to France for a year and then to the United States. When I went to college in America (UVSC back then), I realized that I did not have the skills to succeed easily, as my education before had been more hands-on, and everything was now in a different language as well. I struggled and started to dislike college, and decided it was not for me. I decided to work and use the limited education I had received in Europe to make my way through life. For the next 20 years, I mainly had jobs in retail as I was familiar with that and was a fast learner. I had a very fulfilling career for those 20 years, but I did not see myself doing this until retirement age or possibly beyond. I started to think about education again and the possible need for more. I had educated myself for the last 20 years in the retail industry and learned things I could not learn inside a classroom, but since I wanted to switch careers, I knew I needed more education to make that happen.

I am definitely one of the people who asked the “why” questions when it came to having to take general education classes once I signed up for UVU again. In the video from Dr. Matthew Sanders:” Becoming a learner: general education,” he explains the why so eloquently. At the 6:55 time stamp, he gets to the point of the video when he explains that general education creates a mind that helps you communicate ideas, solve problems, and enables you to have a foundation to thrive. He explains that we need education to thrive and flourish as human beings. I have discovered this to be accurate, as I myself have gone back to school to receive an education at 46 years old. In my mind, I already have an education when it comes to a lot of things, as I have worked hard my entire life to learn new skills that could help me in my career, but now that I am switching careers, I realize that I need more education to be able to do that. I actually need schooling and guidance in specific subjects so that I can become a teacher and receive a degree to do so.

To be educated is more than just a degree or college smarts. To be educated means that you never stop learning. I was learning and growing in the retail field for more than 20 years, and now that I want to switch careers, I need to continue to learn and grow, and also add some book smarts to that. “Education is a continuing process, essentially the same as freedom. At the heart of education is the commitment to moral purpose and loyalty to truth; to sense this is part of what it means to be educated in our modern world.” (William P. Tolley, What it means to be educated)

I need to continue to learn as I evolve so that I can keep up with this ever-changing world. I know I can and have received education over the years from all different sources, and that I can continue to do so. I consider myself to have a really good education when it comes to anything related to retail. For the last 9 years I have been working as a custodian at the elementary school level and have taught myself most of the things I had to know to do so. I consider myself to be a very educated person when it comes to the ins and outs of that field as well. I am now going back to school to receive more education, but in a different way. I am getting the education needed for me to pass tests that will allow me to be a teacher. I have completed 4 semesters of college so far, and I can see myself becoming more educated with each class I take. I am learning numerous things in the classes I will need for my major and in the classes that I will most likely never use in the future. All of them have educated me to some degree, and I have learned how to be a better human, student, and educator because of them.

Work Cited:

Roth, M. S. (2014, May 23). Beyond the university: Why liberal education matters. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/beyond-the-university-why-liberal-education-matters-by-michael-s-roth/2014/05/23/a911b3fe-cef2-11e3-937f-d3026234b51c_story.html

Sanders, M. (1962). Becoming a learner: General education. Journal of General Education, 13(3), 183–195. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221473.1962.10621564

[Written for SLSS 1100 class UVU Summer 2022]
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"Some Like It Hot" - From Silver Screen to Broadway Stage

This post contains plot details and character comparisons from both the 1959 film Some Like It Hot and its 2022 Broadway musical adaptation. If you haven't seen either and want to experience them fresh, consider saving this post for later.

Some Like It Hot is a Broadway musical that ran from December 11, 2022, to December 30, 2023. It's the musical adaptation of the iconic 1959 film starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon. The original movie received six Academy Award nominations - including Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay - and won for Best Costume Design. In 1969, it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

The film was widely acclaimed and is still considered one of the greatest comedies of all time. It won three Golden Globe Awards: Best Motion Picture, Best Actor (Jack Lemmon), and Best Actress (Marilyn Monroe). Its success inspired many adaptations before it finally made its way to Broadway - delayed by COVID until its 2022 debut. The Broadway production was nominated for 13 Tony Awards and won four, including Best Choreography, Best Orchestrations, Best Costume Design, and Best Leading Actor in a Musical (J. Harrison Ghee).

The movie's soundtrack features songs performed by Marilyn Monroe in her role as Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk, with music composed by Adolph Deutsch. It has a classic 1920s jazz feel. Interestingly, the film was shot in black and white because Curtis and Lemmon's drag makeup looked "unacceptably grotesque" in color tests.

After its Broadway run, Some Like It Hot launched a national tour in September 2024, continuing through 2025 and into 2026. I was lucky enough to see the touring production this month when it stopped in my state - and it was phenomenal. The cast this year includes Matt Loehr as Joe/Josephine, Travis Kordell as Jerry/Daphne, Tarra Conner Jones as Sweet Sue, and the incredibly talented Leandra Ellis-Gaston as Sugar. From the leads to the ensemble, the entire cast blew me away with their vocals, comedic timing, and high-energy dance numbers.

There are a few key differences between the movie and the Broadway adaptation. The film's setting is in the 1920s, while the Broadway show updates it to 1933. While the film's comedic tone remains in the Broadway adaptation, it also adds some emotional depth and modern themes. When Marilyn Monroe plays Sugar, she does so as a naive but sensual individual. On Broadway, Sugar is reimagined as a Black woman with dreams of becoming a movie star. One of the most striking differences is the way Jerry/Daphne is portrayed. Jack Lemmon plays a wonderful Daphne in the film, and his disguise is for laughs and financial gain. On the Broadway stage, Daphne's identity becomes a heartfelt exploration of gender and self-expression, offering representation for non-binary and gender-diverse experiences. The music has also been reinvented for the Broadway performance. The film features light, jazzy background music to Monroe's signature songs. The Broadway show introduces a brand-new score with big band energy, tap dance numbers, and songs that drive the character development and plot.

Seeing Some Like It Hot was unforgettable. The updated themes, dazzling choreography, and powerhouse performances made it feel fresh while honoring the charm of the original. Whether you're a fan of classic cinema or modern musical theater, this adaptation is worth experiencing.

aB . All Rights Reserved . 2025

Globalization Photo Essay

Africa South Of The Sahara

Ecotourism (nature-based tourism industry) is very large in Africa because of all the wildlife parks that are available there. Here in Utah, we also have ecotourism with all of the beautiful outdoor parks you can visit. Utah is home to 5 National Parks as well as many State Parks. I am an avid hiker and have visited all 5 of Utah’s National Parks and many of the State Parks.

Cassidy Arch is located in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

Insolation is exposure to the sun’s rays. The part of Africa closest to the equator gets the most insolation. Southern Utah is very dry and hot, especially during the summer. The insolation is very high there at that time as well, making it feel like you could be in the African desert, the Sahara.

Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Southwest Asia + North Africa

We are told about the origins of urban living in this chapter and the development of cities. The first cities are believed to have been found in Mesopotamia after the first agricultural revolution.

Purchase my first home

Nonrenewable resources like oil were discovered in this area in 1938, and many wars have been fought to have the power over these resources. OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) was established in 1965 to help regulate it all. 50% of the world’s crude oil comes from this region, with Saudi Arabia being the lead exporter.

My new car (which needs oil)

South Asia

Outsourcing began to grow in the 1990s when big companies outsourced labor to this region, where workers would do the same thing for a cheaper wage. The job I held as a graphic designer was outsourced to India, and I lost my job here in the United States because of this. 

I had just had surgery on my foot and was at home when this happened.

The Provo River starts up high in the mountains and runs all the way down to Utah Lake. The river is fast in certain parts and slows in others. Over time, the river has eaten away the soil in some parts and has even had roads collapse and fall into the river. When the speed of the river increases, it erodes the landscape around it.

Kayaking on Utah Lake

Southeast Asia

The first world religions that spread in Southeast Asia are Hinduism and Buddhism. Many sacred temples and sites are found all over this region.

Ice bath after meditation and breathwork

Tourism is short-term travel away from home with the intent to relax. Southeast Asia is home to some of the best tourist destinations, with its beautiful island destinations. Over 65 million international visitors travel to Southeast Asia each year.

Cruise in 2020 (right before COVID)

East Asia

Migration in East Asia is a very interesting topic to study. China has a system called the Hokou system that tracks where every citizen lives. The government keeps track of everyone with this system and knows if they are in an urban area or an agricultural area. If you live in your Hokou, you get government support; if you move away from the assigned area, you are on your own.

Becoming an American Citizen (2018)

More than half the world lives in Asia. Because of this, East Asia had a one-child policy for a long time. This created a massive gender imbalance as boys were preferred over girls, as they could work and take care of their parents as they aged. Because of the policy in 1979, 400 million fewer children were born while this policy was in place.

I have 2 kids (both girls)

Europe

Born and raised in the Netherlands, I saw the polders described in the book firsthand. Many windmills dotted the landscape that I saw daily as I rode my bike to school and back. Some of the windmills help pump the water that would otherwise overtake the country, as it is under sea level.

Me in big clogs when I was little, playing tourist.

Growing up in Europe, we traveled to a different country each summer for a few months' vacation. My favorite was Italy, and I was able to visit Venice. The book talks about Venice and how it is slowly sinking. The tides bring in high water, which they call acqua alta. The entire city is built on water, and you can make your way around the city by either walking or taking a boat.

Feeding the pigeons in Saint Mark's Square

South America, Mesoamerica, and the Caribbean

I went on a cruise and was able to visit some ruins left behind by civilizations in Mesoamerica. These particular ruins were what was left from villages that had been created by the Mayan people who inhabited this region long ago.

Tulum, Mexico

The ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone) brings lots of rain to the Amazon, which is in this region. The Amazon gets year-round rainfall, which creates this tropical rainforest. The rainfall creates lots of beautiful vegetation that supplies many things we all use around the world.

Cave tubbing + floating down the river in Belize

[Written for GEOG 130G class UVU Spring 2022]
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Can the United States Learn From The United Kingdom and Japan (or They From Us)?

    The great thing about politics is that there are so many ways of doing it right and doing it wrong. There is no one answer to how one should govern a state, how involved citizens should be, or what rules you should have for these citizens. Because of the different ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds all over the world, we cannot have just one way to run a state. Comparing other countries this semester has been wonderful as I have learned that there are many ways to run a successful state, and many ways not to. In the United States, we can learn from other countries and their systems currently in place, just like others could learn a thing or two from us. I presented an oral presentation in class about the United Kingdom and its political regime. I will point out some of the differences between us, the United Kingdom, and Japan, and how, possibly by combining the two systems, we can get closer to a more perfect model.

    “Legitimacy is a value whereby an institution is accepted by the public as right and proper, thus giving it authority and power.” (O’Neil, p.44) The United Kingdom has a very liberal democracy that has evolved over time. The people see the government as legitimate and thus follow its rules and regulations. Changes have been, and continue to be made to the way the United Kingdom rules its citizens. Japan also has a liberal democracy, but unlike the US, Japan has both socialist and communist parties as well as other parties, making it more diverse in that sense. The differences between the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Japan are apparent and interesting to study. The institutions have rules and regulations that others can learn from or benefit from. The UK follows traditional legitimacy, which is “the legitimacy that accepts aspects of politics because they have been institutionalized over a long period of time.” (O’Neil, p.44) Traditional legitimacy is highly institutionalized, meaning change becomes very difficult to imagine, as this is the only way people know it has been for a long time. The US has rational-legal legitimacy, which is “based not on history or rituals or on the force of ideas and those who present them but rather on a system of laws and procedures that are presumed to be neutral or rational. (O’Neil, p.45) Rational-legal legitimacy is also highly institutionalized, and once leaders leave office, the public no longer sees them as someone able to make or uphold laws. The citizens of both the UK and the US agree that legitimacy is important, and because of that, the government can run smoothly after each election. Citizenship and patriotism play a large role in a legitimate government, as the citizens have more pride and belief in their country. As time has gone by, we can see legitimacy possibly fading in the US as more people are not happy with the way the government is run today. Maybe some small changes are in order.

    The UK and Japan both have a parliamentary system in place, which is very different from the Presidential system in the US when it comes to the executive branch. The executive branch of the government carries out the laws and policies of the state. Both these systems are very similar in how they work in a democracy, but there are some differences worth mentioning. The President of the US is both the head of state AND the head of the government, while the Prime Minister in the UK and Japan is only the head of government and not both. Having two separate authorities in the UK and Japan spreads the power a little more evenly if most people think the head of state (the Queen/Emperor) is only a figurehead and not important when it comes to big decisions. The Emperor in Japan is now only seen as the symbol of the state and the unity of the people, instead of the “embodiment of all sovereign authority” he once was. I was surprised to learn that a lot of countries use the parliamentary system that the UK and Japan have in place, instead of the Presidential system we have here in the US. Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, and New Zealand are just some examples of countries that have a parliamentary system. In Europe alone, 32 out of the 50 sovereign states have a parliamentary system. 19 of the 22 sovereign states in the Americas have the Presidential system that the US has. According to Britannica, the office of the President is the most powerful elected official in the world. A title like that could go to someone's head as they see themselves as more than just a politician working for their people. We can see that history does not like to change very much, as most countries in Europe once had a monarch as their main ruler, and so, keeping with traditional legitimacy, they have not strayed far from what the people are used to by switching to a parliamentary system. The idea of spreading the power over two separate jobs seems to be a better way to ensure checks and balances.

    The Prime Minister is more involved with the legislature in a parliamentary system. They are chosen by their peers (in their cabinet) as the ones to best represent them while formulating and executing domestic policies alongside the rest of the legislature. Being involved with the legislature as it is being talked about and created gives the Prime Minister a better grip on what is going on in the state, and thus, to me, seems like a better place for the leader of a country to spend their time being part of. This part of the executive branch seems to be better for the state and its citizens in the UK and Japan. There are two major drawbacks to the parliamentary system when it comes to the office of the Prime Minister. There are no term limits on a Prime Minister like there are on a President. The Prime Minister is also elected by the cabinet and not directly by the people. Combining the best of both worlds would involve a term limit for a Prime Minister and an election held by the people so that they personally can be involved in electing the Prime Minister who will run their state for the next few years.

    The position of Prime Minister and President is what fascinated me the most when it came to researching and learning about the political systems in the UK, Japan, and the US. There are so many more differences and similarities that they would take up many more pages. As I mentioned in the beginning, we couldn’t possibly make a perfect government that could be implemented in every country because of ethnic, religious, and cultural differences, but we could make some changes to how we do things here in the US. Dividing the President's duties into two and running the US with a semi-parliamentary system could put the President (or then called head of government) closer to the action in formulating and executing policies instead of directing affairs from an office far removed from the everyday politicians. Giving the citizens the power to choose this elected official will make all the difference, as they will keep their legitimacy intact, as well as instill more patriotism in their citizens with this civic duty.

References:

Jansen, M. B., Watanabe, A., & The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2025, October 6). Japan – Government and society. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/Government-and-society

O’Neil, P. H. (2022). Essentials of comparative politics (7th ed.). W. W. Norton & Company.

O’Neil, P. H., Fields, K., & Share, D. (2022). Cases in comparative politics (7th ed.). W. W. Norton & Company.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Presidency of the United States of America. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/presidency-of-the-United-States-of-America

[Paper written for POLS 2200 class UVU Spring 2022]
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Kumbh Mehla

    I watched the documentary about the pilgrimage that millions of people take every 12 years to bathe in the Ganges River in India. I had a hard time choosing which documentary to watch, but I really enjoyed seeing how people worship within the Hindu faith.

    The film showed how the water level recedes, and an entire village with electricity and plumbing is erected for the ritual bathing where water used to be. You can see this new temporary village from space, as it is enormous and will house millions who travel there for this ritual. During the filming, a monsoon arrived and flooded some of the areas that had become dry on the banks of the river. The monsoon season in South Asia is between May and September and can bring enormous amounts of rain in a short period of time.

    The Ganges River is very important in India. It is a sacred place for Hindus all over the world. Hindus believe that the water flowing in the river is flowing from heaven to purify them. Every 12 years, a massive pilgrimage to the Ganges River is attempted by millions of people so that they can bathe in the holiness of the river.

    The act of washing themselves in the holy river is called Ablution. People will travel from all over the world to take part in this holy undertaking. The documentary follows worshipers from America as they travel to India for the holy festival for the first time.

    Hinduism started at the Indus River around 4000 BCE. Of the 1 billion Hindus in the world, 90% of them live in India. Hinduism is the 3rd largest religion after Christianity and Islam.

    You can tell that the pilgrimage to the Ganges River is a very big deal to Hindus, but also to other religions around the world. A pilgrimage is a spiritual journey for anyone, and so a lot of people of different faiths also travel to the Ganges River to take part in the holy festivities. I enjoyed learning more about this religion and some of its practices.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUC-dTWuS_A  

[Written for GEOG 130G class UVU Spring 2022]
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Four Questions, Four Essays: A Test of Thought in Religion and Violence

I had my first test in my Religion, Violence, and Peacebuilding class, and it wasn’t about memorizing facts — it was about thinking deeply. We were given four short essay questions, each asking us to engage with complex ideas from the readings and discussions so far. Each response was around 200 to 300 words, and together they formed a kind of intellectual checkpoint: What have I learned? What do I still wrestle with?

The first question: According to Philip Jenkins, how has the conquest of Canaan narrative shaped Christian and Jewish approaches to divinely sanctioned violence? (Answer in 200-250 words) Philip Jenkins’ work helped me see how scripture has been used to justify violence—and how those justifications evolve across history and context. Below is my short reply of 221 words:

Philip Jenkins argues that the biblical conquest of Canaan – especially in the Book of Joshua – has profoundly shaped Jewish and Christian views of divinely sanctioned violence. The narrative, in which God commands the Israelites to destroy entire populations, has historically been used to justify violence under the banner of divine will. From the crusades to colonial expansion, this story has served as a theological framework for portraying conquest and extermination as righteous acts. Yet Jenkins highlights the discomfort this narrative provokes, prompting many interpretations to spiritualize or allegorize the violence. It’s continued presence in liturgy and scripture forces religious communities to grapple with the moral implications of sacred texts. This story illustrates how scripture can inspire faith while also legitimizing violence. Figures like R.A. Torrey, founder of American Fundamentalism, interpreted the slaughter of the Canaanites as a necessary act: “The Canaanites had become a moral cancer threatening the very life of the whole human race… Cutting out a cancer is a delicate operation, but often it is the kindest thing a surgeon can do… The kindest thing that God could do… was to cut out every root and fiber of these grossly wicked people.” Jenkins’s analysis challenges us to consider how religious communities interpret difficult texts and whether sacred violence can ever be reconciled with modern ethical commitments.

The second: Why was the execution of Michael Servetus a key event in the development of debates over religious toleration? (Answer in 200-250 words) I explored how his death exposed the limits of Reformation-era freedom and sparked debates that still echo today. Below is my short reply of 240 words:

The execution of Michael Servetus in 1553 was a pivotal moment in the history of religious toleration, exposing the limits of reform-era pluralism. Condemned for heresy by both Catholic and Protestant authorities, Servetus was ultimately burned at the stake in Geneva under John Calvin’s leadership. His death revealed that even within emerging Protestant movements, dissenting theological views were not tolerated. The brutality of his execution sparked widespread debate, especially among thinkers like Sebastian Castellio, who famously wrote, “To kill a man is not to defend a doctrine, but to kill a man.” Castellio’s writings laid early groundwork for the idea that religious disagreement should not be met with violence, arguing that coercion in matters of faith contradicted the teachings of Christ. In contrast, John Calvin defended Servetus’s execution, stating, “Is it reasonable that heretics should murder and poison souls with their false doctrines, and the sword ordained by God be prevented from touching their bodies, and the whole body of Christ be lacerated so that stench of one rotten member should be untouched?” Calvin’s view reflected a broader belief that heresy endangered not just theology but the moral fabric of society. Servetus’s fate became a symbol of the dangers of dogmatism and the urgent need for freedom of conscience. His death catalyzed broader discussions about the moral and political necessity of religious tolerance, challenging future generations to reconcile faith with human rights and ethical pluralism.

The third: What are the key areas of agreement and disagreement between free will theism and process theism on the question of the problem of evil? (Answer in 200-250 words) I found this one especially interesting—two theological frameworks, both trying to reconcile suffering with divine power, yet diverging on how much control God actually has. Below is my short reply of 200 words:

Free will theism and process theism both reject the notion that God unilaterally determines all events, emphasizing that genuine human freedom is essential to understanding the existence of evil. Both perspectives affirm that God does not will evil and that suffering often arises from the misuse of creaturely freedom. However, they diverge significantly in their understanding of divine power. Free will theists maintain that God is omnipotent but voluntarily limits divine control to preserve human freedom. In contrast, process theists argue that God is inherently limited in power and cannot unilaterally prevent evil or override natural processes.

This distinction has profound implications for how each tradition approaches divine responsibility, prayer, and hope for justice. Free will theists believe God could intervene but often chooses not to, while process theists assert that God simply cannot intervene in certain ways. The tension between divine power and the presence of evil is captured in Epicurus’s enduring question: “Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”

The final question: How does Cavanaugh understand the religious/secular distinction? How did it come about? (Answer in 250-300 words) His critique of the modern myth of secular neutrality challenged me to rethink how power and violence are framed in supposedly “non-religious” contexts. Below is my short reply of 300 words:

William Cavanaugh argues that the distinction between religious and secular is not a natural or timeless division, but a modern invention rooted in the rise of the nation-state. In his view, this binary was constructed during the early modern period to delegitimize certain forms of belief and consolidate state power. By labeling some forms of violence as religious and others as secular, emerging states could portray themselves as rational, neutral, and peacekeeping, while casting religious actors as irrational and prone to conflict. Cavanaugh challenges the idea that religion is uniquely violent, pointing out that secular ideologies – like nationalism or liberalism – have also fueled massive violence, such as in world wars. He argues that what counts as religion is often defined in contrast to what the state wants to claim as its own domain. This framing allows the state to monopolize legitimate violence while marginalizing alternative sources of moral authority. As Cavanaugh asks, “what becomes of the dividing line between the secular and religious—upon which the whole argument depends—if the secular is a form of religion?” The religious/secular divide, then, is not descriptive but political – it serves to justify certain power structures. Cavanaugh’s critique is central to debates in religion and violence because it questions the assumptions behind how we assign blame and authority. It also invites us to rethink how peacebuilding might look if we move beyond those constructed categories. “The common notion that religion is peculiarly prone to violence depends on the idea that these secular matters have less of a tendency to promote violence; it is commonly assumed that this is so because they have to do with purely mundane affairs. Religion on the other hand, is seen as peculiarly incendiary because it raises the stakes to another level, where reason is trumped by passion.”

Scoring 100% felt great, but more than that, it affirmed that I’m engaging with these ideas in a meaningful way. As an atheist, I’m not here to defend doctrine—I’m here to understand how belief shapes action, especially when it comes to violence and peace. This test reminded me that asking hard questions is just as important as answering them.

Sources: 

Cavanaugh, W. T. (2009). The myth of religious violence: Secular ideology and the roots of modern conflict. Oxford University Press.

Gregory, B. S. (2022). The radical reformation. In P. Marshall (Ed.), The Oxford history of the Reformation (pp. 144–190). Oxford University Press.

Hasker, W. (2000). The problem of evil in process theism and classical free will theism. Process Studies, 29(2), 194–208.

Jenkins, P. (2011). Laying down the sword: Why we can't ignore the Bible's violent verses. HarperOne.

[Written for PHIL 366R class UVU Fall 2025]
aB . All Rights Reserved . 2025

Napoleonic Imagery & Visual Culture

Part 1:
Jacques-Louis David, Napoleon Crossing the Alps, 1801, Oil on canvas

    I chose the first painting in this assignment, Napoleon Crossing the Alps by Jacques-Louis David, because it stood out to me the most. I really liked the overall look, colors, and theme. I know from history that Napoleon did not actually ride with the soldiers over the Alps, which makes this painting even more important in terms of propaganda. Paul Delaroche, a French painter, painted a slightly more accurate portrait of Napoleon crossing the Alps; it is much more subdued than the one painted by Jacques-Louis David. 

    Jacques-Louis David was a French neoclassical painter. He painted Napoleon crossing the Alps in 1801 with oil on canvas. The first thing that draws my attention is the large yellowish cloak that Napoleon is wrapped in. The color is very vivid, and the way the cloak is painted looks like a thick, warm piece of fabric that keeps Napoleon warm as he crosses the snow-covered Alps. My eye then moves down to the horse, as it is painted as a bright Arabian stallion. The white of the horse with a few brown patches really stands out as the colors are more vibrant than the background. The horse’s mane and tail are beautifully painted to look like real hair, and the texture is just amazing. Napoleon is featured in the center of the painting, which creates a nice balance. The background is still full of other things to see and discover, but you can tell the focus is on Napoleon. Nothing seems like it does not belong in the painting; it is very unified in all the small details. The soldiers in the background, the names in the bottom left corner, the small piece of the French flag that peeks in on the right, and the small patches of blue that you can see through the clouds. All these small details make my eye move across the entire canvas in a fluid motion. 

    Napoleon thought of himself as a very important person. At 35 years old, he placed the crown on his own head and proclaimed himself emperor in 1804, 3 years after this painting was created. The way Napoleon is depicted in this painting is a very good example of propaganda. He sees himself as a savior and brave leader, and so he wants everyone else to see him that way too. The position of the horse and the way he is seated on top of it show power, grace, and authority. He is pointing upward, like he is leading his army to victory. Napoleon used these paintings to show people how important he was. This is how he wanted to be remembered and thought of as a conqueror and powerful emperor. He made sure to display the image he wanted people to see and nothing else. He wanted other countries to fear him so they would never think about going to war against him.

Part 2:
Jan Vermeer, The Milkmaid, 1658 Frans Schwartz, Agony in the Garden 1898

    I was born and raised in the Netherlands, and so I am very familiar with Dutch artists like Jan Vermeer. I have visited the Rijksmuseum and have seen beautiful paintings of famous Dutch painters, including Jan Vermeer. I love the simplicity of the Milkmaid painting. The small, very plain room and the few items in the background, and then the milkmaid pouring milk into a bowl. Vermeer painted simple portraits that showed fidelity, honesty, and hard work. He painted this painting during the Baroque period. He wanted to portray Dutch life in its simplest form. He only painted 35 paintings in his lifetime, but he made sure they all were of things he believed in and stood for. The Milkmaid painting to me implies calmness. It is very visually pleasing with soft, warm tones and warm lighting. The painting is very nicely balanced, as the milkmaid is in the center of the painting and thus grabs my attention first. My eye then moves down as I see that she is pouring milk very gently into a bowl. Her face is very serene and calm, which portrays very calming emotions. The simplicity of the painting highlights the simple life of the Dutch people in the 17th century. It almost makes you wish you could live a simpler life just by looking at this painting.

    The painting I chose to add myself is by Frans Schwartz. He was a Danish painter who had painted murals, monumental ceilings and walls, and many portraits. His most famous painting is Agony in the Garden, which he painted in 1898. This painting evokes a lot of emotion in me every time I see it. Good propaganda can relay a message without words and just with visuals; this painting does that for me. It grabs my attention immediately as it is dark in nature with a bright center. The highlights in the angel’s hair and the glow above her head are very vibrant but calming at the same time. The agony on Christ’s face is portrayed beautifully and is very relatable. It is a look I have had a million times when I am not sure what to do or if I can even make it through my current predicament. Seeing that look on the one person who I know can withstand all gives me hope and strength. The symbolism is very powerful in the entire painting. The warm embrace from the angel, the powerful wings behind her that show you she could take off any minute and just carry Christ away from the pain that awaits him, the tender hand she places on His head, and the way he clasps his hands as if he is contemplating an unimaginable decision. I love the simple, subdued use of colors and the hints of light where the artist wants to draw your attention.

    These 2 paintings are very different but also have a lot of similarities to mine. They both evoke powerful, calming emotions. The expressions on the face of the milkmaid and the angel are both beautifully subdued and simple. Although the colors are more vibrant in the Milkmaid painting, they are both painted with soft strokes to play on your emotional level. Both artists did a magnificent job in conveying their message without words. Art is such a powerful tool and can be used for so many purposes. Creating beautiful paintings like these is just one of them.

Citations:

Artnet. (n.d.). Frans Schwartz. Artnet. http://www.artnet.com/artists/frans-schwartz/

BYU Museum of Art Store. (n.d.). Frans Schwartz. https://moastore.byu.edu/artists/frans-schwartz/

Pollitt, B. (n.d.). David, Napoleon Crossing the Alps. Khan Academy. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/monarchy-enlightenment/neo-classicism/a/da

vid-napoleon-crossing-the-alps

Rijksmuseum. (n.d.). The Milkmaid – Johannes Vermeer. Rijksmuseum.  https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/SK-A-2344

[Paper written for ART 1010 class UVU Spring 2021]
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