Book ratings

I started using GoodReads.  It’s great.  Here’s my rating system:

One star

• Disappointing
• Not recommended

Two stars

• Poorly written
• Lacking moral fibre

Three stars

• Good book
• Well written
• Mostly harmless

Four stars

• Excellent writing
• Uplifting
• Enjoyable

Five stars

• Reserved for those books which I can honestly recommend to anyone.
• A 5-star book will help you to be a better person.
• Reading this book will improve your life.
• Five star books include The Book of Mormon and Jesus the Christ, among others.

Cheers!

Revealed Science

From the New York Times:

The Antikythera Mechanism, sometimes called the first analog computer, was recovered more than a century ago in the wreckage of a ship that sank off the tiny island of Antikythera, north of Crete. Earlier research showed that the device was probably built between 140 and 100 B.C.

Only now, applying high-resolution imaging systems and three-dimensional X-ray tomography, have experts been able to decipher inscriptions and reconstruct functions of the bronze gears on the mechanism. The latest research has revealed details of dials on the instrument’s back side, including the names of all 12 months of an ancient calendar.

Source: Workings of Ancient ‘Computer’ Deciphered, from NYTimes.com, 31 Jul 2008

This reminds me of Nephi, who built a ship “not after the manner of men,” (1 Nephi 18:1-3).  It also reminds me of the Liahona, a mechanical device “of curious workmanship” (1 Nephi 16:10) provided by God for the benefit of man.

God revealed knowledge of the earth and other planets to Moses (Moses 1:3-5,8), Abraham (Abr 3:1-14), and the Nephites (Alma 30:44).  In our day, he has revealed the locomotive motor, television, the satellite, and the Internet.

Richard G. Scott, a professional nuclear scientist and leader of my church, recently gave a talk in which he compared the scientific method with personal revelation from God.  He said:

The best way of finding truth is simply to go to the origin of all truth and ask or respond to inspiration. (See Jacob 4:8.)

Source: Truth: The Foundation of Correct Decisions, Elder Richard G. Scott, from lds.org