All Activity
This stream auto-updates
- Past hour
-
Heavenly Father Doesn’t Have a Magic Wand
Vort replied to Third Hour's topic in Third Hour Article Discussion
This is another of these articles where, after reading it, I say to myself, "Self, that was a pretty good article, and I mostly agreed with it, but I wouldn't have put it that way." One of my Muslim friend's articles of faith was that Allah could do anything. Literally anything. He was I Dream of Jeannie God. You name it, he can do it. In contrast, our scriptures leave no doubt that there are things God cannot do. Not merely chooses not to do, but cannot do, like save people in their sins. My Muslim friend would undoubtedly have said that God can save whomever he wants, including infidels, but that for the most part, he chooses not to. Allah could save the sinful people into a wonderful paradise if he chose to do so. But orthodox Latter-day Saints simply do not believe such things. God is indeed limited, not by a deficiency of power or of knowledge, but by our agency and by the simple meaning of words. Thus, God CANNOT "save" a sinful, unrepentant man, because the term "salvation" implies sinlessness—it's sin we are being saved from. Far from being a deficiency in God's power, it's just a word game: God "can't" create a rock so big that he "can't" lift it, because if he did, it would mean there's a rock too big for an All-Powerful God to lift. So either God is deficient in lifting power of sufficiently huge rocks, or else God is deficient in his ability to create such sufficiently huge rocks. Baloney. This is no longer a discussion of God's abilities, but of how we choose to define and parse words. There are plenty of meaningless "things" that God can't "do". One of those "things" might be "do something for someone that he can do for himself but refuses to do." One non-existent thing that God for sure cannot do is give us a blessing from heaven without our having fulfilled the divine law attached to that blessing. Bottom line: God isn't I Dream of Jeannie. We would do well to come to grips with that simple fact. (Not God) -
- Today
-
Heavenly Father Doesn’t Have a Magic Wand
The Folk Prophet replied to Third Hour's topic in Third Hour Article Discussion
The implication seems to be that Good sits back...? -
Hmm. The opinion of President Kimball vs the opinion of random internet posters. Which opinion seems wiser to harken unto? Hmm. A real head scratcher.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
I was surprised to see that. I know u guys kept Tatum, Horford left? I remember when during trade talk I kept hearing the Celtics had the best offer for AD. Who else is left for Boston?
-
The Trials That Don’t Go Away
The Folk Prophet replied to Third Hour's topic in Third Hour Article Discussion
I'm quiet supportive of anyone that wants to condemn Breakfast at Tiffany's or the Beatles or The Good Place. But no one condemned Elisha. Suggesting someone might consider a different course isn't condemnation. Suggesting that a course someone chose might be harmful isn't condemnation. When someone goes home from church because they're feeling over anxiety -- that's one thing. But when they choose to listen to a Beatles song over and over again then the suggestion that maybe that wasn't the best choice isn't condemning. It's a suggestion that there might be a better choice. And as @Just_A_Guy said, it's by way of consideration as to how we (meaning how I, for myself) ought to choose. I consider it in terms of what media, etc., I should be consuming -- especially on a Sunday. I'm not sure I agree with @Just_A_Guy on the evils of the Beatles and Breakfast at Tiffany's per se. But it's certainly an idea worth consideration, and definitely doesn't suggest condemnation of anyone any more that suggesting that eating donuts might not be the best choice for someone struggling with poor health. It's basically saying that if we are spiritually unhealthy then we probably ought to not eat spiritual junk food. -
The Trials That Don’t Go Away
amykeim replied to Third Hour's topic in Third Hour Article Discussion
Haha, I see you throwing shade at me! I used that word twice: first, applying it toward how Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the Beatles, and the Good Place have essentially been labeled as morally repugnant (which fits into the definition of condemnation, since they’re being strongly disapproved); second, when I felt that Elisha was being judged harshly (again, strong disapproval or condemnation) for leaving church one Sunday because she was so anxious. I think it fit in both places I used it, Daniel Tiger, but I’m sorry if I’m being too sensitive. -
Homie has nothing on Domo, whose billboards have included such respectful messages as, "Kolob runs on Domo" and the like.
-
The Trials That Don’t Go Away
The Folk Prophet replied to Third Hour's topic in Third Hour Article Discussion
All discussion is condemnation. Apparently. - Yesterday
-
Childhood Toys that Stick in the Memory
MormonGator replied to Jamie123's topic in General Discussion
I used to love GI Joes. I'd play with them for hours, developing long plots and storylines. -
This is the same for me. I specifically wanted this exact game.
-
Joseph Smith Translation of Luke chapter 23
bytebear replied to Still_Small_Voice's topic in LDS Gospel Discussion
When I was on my mission, I was told the interpretation all depends on the comma. " And the Lord said unto him, This day thou shalt be with me in paradise. " becomes " And the Lord said unto him this day, thou shalt be with me in paradise." Shifting the comma shifts the meaning from the day you will be in paradise, to the day in which the Lord spoke. This solves the problem for those who do not believe in an immediate spirit world, but a waiting period before salvation. -
ldsDude7 joined the community
-
Alex Boye' has the right advice
Mores replied to Emmanuel Goldstein's topic in LDS Gospel Discussion
Interesting testimony. Far different than other people opening up about "other things." He was very repentant. He sought help from Above. He was doing everything he could to change himself. He put safeguards in to prevent himself from going down a road he didn't want to go down again. When the Prophets have told us to "seek out the Lord" for strength against all our weaknesses, this is what they mean. Boye said he "filled his mind with good things" constantly. That is how he did it. He sought the Lord out. I found the comments at the bottom very telling. No condemnation. Everyone applauded him for opening up about this and providing a story for others to follow. -
The Trials That Don’t Go Away
Just_A_Guy replied to Third Hour's topic in Third Hour Article Discussion
It’s not a matter of condemning her, or making her out to be a terrible person. It’s a matter of learning from her experiences, which I presume is why she (quite bravely) put them out there for public consumption. Its a matter of pointing out that from an objective standpoint, there’s stuff that hurts and stuff that heals. The Beatles, on the whole, does not heal—it hurts. Breakfast at Tiffany’s does not heal—it hurts. The Good Place does not heal—it hurts. The Atonement is powerful. But it should be noted that it wouldn’t have to be so powerful, if we all didn’t run around cavalierly engaging in stuff that so potently undermines the changes that the Atonement was designed to effect. -
The Trials That Don’t Go Away
amykeim replied to Third Hour's topic in Third Hour Article Discussion
She said she was so anxious, she had to get out of church, then sat at home organizing gummy bears and listening to the same Beatles song on loop for two hours — something was obviously very, very wrong. Please do not condemn her for not being in church when something was obviously going very wrong in her brain. -
I must have missed the condemnation. I've seen discussion, speculation, and tangents, but not condemnation.
-
Amen to what he shares: https://www.eastidahonews.com/2019/06/alex-boye-reveals-how-he-overcame-a-major-pornography-problem/?fbclid=IwAR3T-1g85wAOCRhZCCPyqCBVTnKMeXri7KO3KgvSJJO86h5YFHQneC7ICmc
- 1 reply
-
- 2
-
-
The Trials That Don’t Go Away
Just_A_Guy replied to Third Hour's topic in Third Hour Article Discussion
I don’t believe I said it would completely fix the problem, Amy. Nor did I say that it was the exclusive cause of the problem. Nor did I state that anxiety is not a bona fide psychological problem potentially warranting therapeutic intervention. I did, however, fully intend to suggest that modern Babylon exacerbates the situation in ways we are frankly unwilling to acknowledge; and that it is incongruous to expect full healing while remaining steeped in Babylonish attitudes and practices. And I stand by that. Whatever cultural vices Sister Ransom may have forsaken during her mission—she apparently went right back to seeking at least some of them out, once she got home. Indeed, she wrote an article describing her choice to seek solace in a Beatles song rather than Church; and lionizing two frankly degenerate shows as a source of resolution to her problems, rather acknowledging them as at best an exacerbating factor in her spiritual challenges. (“You know, I was watching this porn flick the other day, and the pizza delivery guy character said something I found incredibly thought-provoking in the context of this week’s priesthood lesson about strengthening our marriages . . .”) There are challenges that stay with us because that’s the nature of the challenge. But there are also challenges that stay with us merely because we aren’t willing to pay the price it would take to be well and truly rid of them. Until we’ve laid everything on the altar to try to make those challenges disappear—including resolving to permanently lay aside trash cultural icons like those mentioned in the article—we probably won’t be well-served by suggesting that those challenges were divinely ordained to be insurmountable. -
Conversely, "Elenyi" means "Sunshine". (That's for you, Mr. Technical Writer). -- Completely unrelated. But I originally got the two mixed up. And "Enya" means "kernel of a nut or seed."
-
The Trials That Don’t Go Away
amykeim replied to Third Hour's topic in Third Hour Article Discussion
Have you read “Like a Broken Vessel”? Not everyone has clinical anxiety and depression, but some — like Elisha — actually have chemical imbalances that cannot just be fixed by sheer willpower. And anxiety IS classified as a disorder, especially depending on what type of anxiety you have — there are panic disorders, generalized anxiety disorders, etc. Also, Elisha is a beautiful, wonderful person, and it makes me sad that instead of sympathizing with the struggles she faces and applauding her for turning to God in her moments of darkness, people want to focus on how her struggles with anxiety may stem from her own poor choices regarding what music she listens to or television she watches. Of course what we watch, listen to, and allow into our homes and lives affects us — but I think the things the author mentions aren’t worthy of the condemnation people on this post have issued and I think it’s a huge stretch to say that they are the root of her anxiety. -
vaccines at the intersection of religious liberty and public health
Vort replied to MrShorty's topic in General Discussion
So the widows and orphans of the idiot who doesn't buckle up or rides a motorcycle without a helmet should not be allowed a full draw on government benefits? Because if we're going to allow such personal decisions, we must also allow the consequences of such personal decisions. -
I want to remember and use this word, but will probably forget it tomorrow and will be a word on the tip of my tongue at some point. Ennui is French for "boredom", and it has that basic connotation in English. Ennui is a restlessness, a deep dissatisfaction with one's condition, about which one can seemingly do but little. It's actually intimately related to boredom. If we suffer from spiritual ennui, the likeliest cause is that we're spiritually flabby and out of shape. We're probably spending our time "nourishing" our spirits with the so-called entertainment of Babylon and adopting Babylon's foolish, short-sighted ideas as our own to champion. The solution to spiritual ennui is always the same: Come out of Babylon and gather to Zion. Since Elder Uchtdorf introduced us to Weltschmerz a General Conference or two ago, here's an article to help you decide whether you're suffering from angst, ennui, or Weltschmerz. Good luck, soldier!
-
The Trials That Don’t Go Away
The Folk Prophet replied to Third Hour's topic in Third Hour Article Discussion
Speaking of Isolating children from Babylon having grown more and more difficult. (I know this has been discussed in the forum before, so this is merely a reminder): https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/allthemoms/2019/05/13/arthurs-mr-ratburn-has-gay-wedding-pbs-kids-show/1193952001/ -
The Trials That Don’t Go Away
The Folk Prophet replied to Third Hour's topic in Third Hour Article Discussion
Whether any disorder is naturally occurring from disease or a result of choices made doesn't really change the fact that the disorder exist. It's like the whole nurture vs. nature debate regarding homosexuality -- a debate which has no point. The implication, of course, of those who argue that it's natural is that it cannot, therefore, be wrong. But that's clearly not consistent with Christ's gospel in the idea of the natural man being an enemy to God. It doesn't matter if it's natural or learned. Of course anxiety can be naturally caused from hormonal imbalances and can be learned from habits or experiences. I think it might be useful to know the root cause in the treatment -- but maybe not. It depends if the habits and experiences that teach anxiety result in the same hormonal imbalances or not. I suspect there may be some crossover, but I don't know. But it seems to me that whether such things are learned or not doesn't mean they won't necessarily be with us for the rest of our lives. What's my point? Attacking the idea that we shouldn't look at potential overall causes for growing anxiety in our society isn't helpful. The point isn't to accuse an individual of bad choices that lead to their anxious state. It's to view society and it's consumption habits and general moral attitudes which align with Babylon and consider how those might be affecting the way individuals are raised and think, and how that might be affecting anxiety levels and the like. When I was a kid I was raised on television -- and even though a lot of it was akin Mr. Roger's neighborhood, I'd dare say it wasn't healthy. Now kids are raised on social media and youtube as well. The world has grown smaller. Communication is easier. Isolating children from Babylon has grown more and more difficult. And anxiety and depression continue to worsen. Suicide rates rise. We're noting the connection. That doesn't mean that every instance of anxiety was caused by too much TV. -
vaccines at the intersection of religious liberty and public health
Mores replied to MrShorty's topic in General Discussion
The line of questioning was an attempt to gather more background data and address alternative explanations for the resultant data to determine how certain we should be with that assertion. I can't argue that point. But that appears to take us into circular logic territory. If we assume it is effective, then this is a profound argument to get vaccines. If they are not effective, then it is a meaningless argument. Complications are certainly a valid argument that we have not delved into in this thread. It is worth looking into. But keep in mind that one side effect of contracting the disease naturally is that there appears to be a reduced likelihood of contracting Hodgkins Lymphoma later in life. Unknown if there is an actual causal relationship. But a correlation has been documented. The logic behind the possible causal relationship is that the antibodies from natural disease are different than antibodies from vaccines. And some "brother" diseases (different, but in a similar category genetically) are fought off by natural antibodies, but not vaccine-induced antibodies. I would agree if we were certain of the causal relationship. There doesn't appear to be sufficient data to determine if the general idea you're espousing is accurate. Here's the ironic part of our exchange. I was of the opinion that MMR was one of the biggies that we should all get. But with the data you've shown me, I now have reason to doubt its efficacy. Basically, the conceptual and causal arguments prior to this thread had me already. I thought it was a no brainer. But when you put the graph of the cases of Measles from 1900 to 1963, it actually gave me pause. I've seen too many graphs of things that follow this pattern to ignore it. Too many times, this pattern has indicated that the purported "good idea" really didn't do anything. I'm not certain that is the case here. But I'm not really seeing any answers statistically to answer that question either way. And your responses have the tenor of assumption and belief rather than scientific evaluation. That is what gives me pause. This graph is indeed helpful. It shows that there was a very stark change in the slope of the line of best fit from 1963 to 1968. Without this, the slope prior to 1963 could easily be interpreted as going from 1960 to around 2000 (which was the beginning of the second time period in your spreadsheet) to the same level as previously discussed. The fact that this slope changes so abruptly is pretty damning evidence against the anti-vaxxer crowd. Then the only other common argument I know of is (as Mikbone was saying) if there was something else culturally or technologically that would explain such a shift. At that point, I'd say that the onus is on the anti-vaxxer crowd to prove it -- such as, show that in less developed countries, there was no such shift while having access to vaccines or something along those lines. So, what's up with the blips in the 70s and the one blip around 1990? Anyone know? -
The Trials That Don’t Go Away
mikbone replied to Third Hour's topic in Third Hour Article Discussion
Pretty sure Jesus Christ was suffering from anxiety in Gethsemane. So it even occurs in Gods. As we overcome challenges and become educated, strengthened both physically and spiritually our fortitude to resist anxiety increases. But there is always more out there. We have to recognize that we have to co-exist with anxiety and have faith that we can overcome situations with personal strength and providence. Heavenly Father sent Michael to strengthen Jesus Christ while in Gethsemane. God is aware of our anxiety.
