SanctitasDeo

Since when does God being spirit preclude him also having a body? We are spirit too.

I am sure Adam was a pretty good guy, but I have never referred to, or understood Adam to be referred to, when I said or heard the names Heavenly Father, Lord, God, Elohim, Jehovah, or any other nomen distinguishing the Most High.

I had some experiences where I was semi-ignored/ostracized by leaders and other YM. I have never had any close LDS friends until recently. And there is still only one. But I am somewhat odd because I managed to make myself not care. I had friends, just not at church. The other guys in my ward were so different that we would never have hung together at all were it not for the church. Also I am fortunate in the fact that I never associated the social aspect of the church with the spiritual aspect. Except for once or twice, I never didn't want to go to church because of that. I did find that over time, the guys all got more mature, for the most part. I did know a guy whose family almost moved wards because of this, though. They talked to the Stake President about it at one point. So I guess that is an option if it really is that bad. They are fortunate that they are close in age. At least have have each other, even if no one else wants to hang out with them.

Yeah, if they aren't contradictory to your beliefs, and are not blasphemous or irreverent, there is no reason not to sing along. We share many hymns with many denominations. My problem with 'Christian' music, such as it is on the radio and such, is that it tends to be either insipid or too irreverent for me, or both. I wouldn't sing along to such music myself. For instance, there are churches where I live that have set religious words to rock music. That can be great if done tastefully, but the other end of the spectrum trespasses on taking the Lord's name in vain.

I would be rather surprised if merely saying something could get you damned. LDS believe that you would have to know the Holy Spirit and know that God is there, and then turn around and preach the opposite. The imagery of looking at the noonday sun and at the same time denying that it exists is very apt, I think. Swearing at the Holy Ghost, as rude as it is, shouldn't merit outer darkness. I still wouldn't recommend it, though. :)

This is very close to a Zoroastrian practice, by the way. They believed that fire and the earth were sacred to God, so neither burial nor cremation were options. They built tower upon which the dead were put, where Nature 'took it's course.' It isn't exactly pleasant to think about I suppose (funeral rituals rarely are), but the reasoning behind the various practices is fascinating, I think. Kind of like Aztec religion. The actual practices were grotesque, but their reasons hint (to me, anyway) at something that might have been quite good and noble once upon a long time ago...