skalenfehl

@prisonchaplain, To address the OP, I have learned two things in my life about science and about religion. I have learned that evolution is not an observable, repeatable event. In other words, there may be evidence that may support evolution over x number of millennia, but it has not and cannot be observed by any one person. Or at least, I have not been able to, in my lifetime, observe the theory of evolution in any way. I can read books written by men who have explained these things, but I am not able to experience these things. In other words, I have not ever observed one species evolve into another species. There may be cases of adaptation, but not evolution. Therefore, in my lifetime, this is still nothing more than theory. Religion is kind of the same. I can read books written by men who have explained things like how they conversed with the Lord and that He exists. Furthermore, I have learned that this, at least in my own life, is an observable and repeatable event. I have been able to reproduce the circumstances described by men in those books in my own life. Because of this, I know that God lives because He has spoken to me. I have heard his voice. I cannot prove it to anyone else, but I have proven it to myself, or rather God has proven it to me. Either way, faith is required to attempt to solve either case. Scientists have faith in the theory of evolution just as the religious have faith in the existence of God. It's up to the individual to labor diligently to be able to draw any real conclusion. Or in other words, to convert faith into knowledge.

Ever wonder how Jesus, although able to eat fish with His disciples, being a resurrected being of solid flesh and bone, could still enter a room though the door was locked, passing through walls? Ever wonder how Moroni could appear to Joseph Smith inside his room without needing to use the door? Ever wonder how the heavens, though spacious in every dimension and also the earth will be rolled or wrapped together as a scroll though it is a sphere? I believe it is because God and angels dwell outside of time and outside of this three dimensional existence. Incidentally, I believe the earth is a sphere. But to our three dimensionally limited minds, a three dimensional universe can be acted upon by fourth dimension beings just as three dimensional beings can act upon a two dimensional world. Not that it's important. I was just a little bored and get carried away with random thoughts. These two videos explain what I mean. Gotta love Carl Sagan. Enjoy.

My wife and I watched Hidden Figures yesterday. I enjoyed it much more than I expected. With all the mathematics involved in orbit flight using analytical geometry and other mathematics to calculate reentry, it made me think about flat earthers. I recommend this movie to anyone.

Marion G. Romney concluded his talk by saying: This full light of Christ, or rather the fullness of His presence is not limited to just men, but to all of God's children. Joseph Smith tirelessly tried teaching this to the saints and in the Lectures on Faith, he wrote in Lecture Second: And this is what Nephi exhorted us to do continually: This is the way it has always been and will always be. Nephi didn't just want to believe his father, he wanted the same blessings. And he sought after them. The brother of Jared was favored of the Lord for good reason: Enos is another example. He prayed and cried unto the Lord through the day and into the night until he secured a blessing from the Lord. This is how the Lord desires us to conduct ourselves. He doesn't just want us to have a testimony that Jesus lives or that the church is true. He wants us to have a testimony that we will have eternal life. And Joseph Smith had expounded what the apostle Peter taught the members of the early church: Peter taught that whoso was purged from his old sins (baptism of water and of fire) ought not forget to be virtuous, godly, etc. Those having given all diligence in doing all these things will "never fall."

I've had discussions with flat earthers. The thing about theories is they are just that. But if mankind is ever to progress, it is essential to see things from all points of view, especially those never before considered. It is essential in determining truth. Or one can simply inquire of the Lord as did Abraham, Moses and others. But since that isn't something most people do, we tend to rely on observable information to come up with conclusions. But truth is knowledge of things as they are and have always been. In any case, I've asked more questions than they can provide answers. For example, if the earth is flat, are all other planets flat, too? And if so, how do they account for Saturn's rings? If the moon is flat, it's interesting that we have images of the far side of the moon, too. How do flat earthers account for seasons? It's not too difficult to see things from another person's point of view. If you get enough points of view from enough people, once in a while you learn the truth rather than all kinds of individual theories.

There was a time when I wouldn't have considered sharing things on the internet. It was actually on this forum where a talk by Elder Ballard was posted on the home page (the old format) encouraging everyone to share the gospel on the internet back in '08. It was Elder Ballard's talk that inspired me to start a new blog and share my testimony and experiences on the internet.

The bolded/italicized emphasis is mine. A beautiful talk written and spoken by Marion G. Romney in 1977 during general conference: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1977/04/the-light-of-christ?lang=eng&_r=1 On October 19, 2016, after obeying the Lord and testifying to a coworker the things the Lord put into my mouth, on my way to my car in the parking lot after work, as I pondered everything that had just happened, the Lord interrupted my thoughts and spoke to me saying, "today, I covenant with thee thou shalt have eternal life." When I heard this, my heart suddenly felt so much joy and peace that it felt like it would leap out of my chest and soar through the sky. That's the only way I know how to describe how I felt.

Good point, estradling75. I mean, anyone can go online and read a transcript of the temple ceremony. One can go to Youtube and find leaked videos of live ceremonies. But these unfortunate things do not stop the church from building temples or members from continuing to serve in sessions or people from joining the church. And it shouldn't stop us from sharing something that should be shared (while keeping sacred things sacred and secret things secret). There will come a day very soon when no man will say, "know ye the Lord?" For all will know Him and His ways. There are times when He shuts or stops our mouths and there are times when He opens them and causes utterance. Rest assured, I don't have anything too sacred or secret to share. Just the love of God and plenty of passages from scriptures and talks from prophets and general authorities that everyone knows and loves to give context to my own experiences. Or the other way around, anyway.

Anatess, I jut happened to catch this before logging off. There is a difference between sacred and secret. Not all sacred things ought to be kept secret. Jesus taught us to let our light shine and not hide it under a bushel. I don't plan on sharing personal details of things the Lord has shown me, but there are plenty of things that I can share, which I know the Lord wants everyone to know. The entire reason for the temple endowment is to teach a person to come to the veil and part it. The ceremony is not the end in and of itself. It is a big signpost and a clue and an invitation. I mean, if you think about it, the entire first book of Nephi is an "endowment." The symbolism, the path the experiences are all the same. One must experience his or her journey in the wilderness, hearkening to the Lord until one is found once again in his promised land--the Lord's presence, etc.

I'm not going to defend (or attack, spread rumors, false information, gossip about etc) Denver Snuffer. I have no interest in doing so. My experiences are my own and have always been my own. As for the church treating c&e as a personal matter, I don't know. In my ward, it is discussed regularly, along with the topic of the Second Comforter, Lectures on Faith, etc. My neighbor who is now a gospel doctrine teacher has seen the Savior in a vision and has shared it before a few times in church. A former business partner and I bumped into each other a couple months ago and it was a miracle. We lost contact for many years. It turned out that he had been in accidents, in a coma and at one point was clinically dead for 54 minutes. And when you're dead that long without brain activity, you're not coming back. The doctors kept his heart pumping while they began to harvest his organs and guess what? He came back. He endured 8 years of blindness and learning to walk again, regain some of his memory, etc. And he has shared his experiences with me, including who he saw, talked with and what he learned on the other side. He needed to come back and do some things still. For some reason, in some circles, these things are taboo topics. Not long ago on another forum, I found friends who had similar experiences to my own. We set up a private subforum where we could share them and try to make sense of the things happening in our lives outside of public view because people tend to take license and assume the worst of you. Some people began to mention Denver Snuffer and his books and some discussions began to revolve around them. It wasn't long before we were accused of being "elitist," "apostate," and many other words including "snufferites." Eventually it caused our private subforum to close down and almost all of us were unwelcome in the forum and ridiculed for sharing our own experiences with them. It turned out that some were fabricating experiences while some of us were not. It soured everyone's experiences and the opportunity to learn truth had been stamped out. So I don't spend much time on public forums anymore, except an occasional post every once in a while when I see a topic that genuinely interests me and only then, I try to limit my conversation or reply to the OP of that discussion. The Lord speaks to me. I will add that I have not yet seen His face. He gets to decide when the time will be that I can see Him and embrace him. The topics of receiving one's calling and election and the "Other Comforter" are not taboo subjects. They are specifically taught in the Bible in 2 Peter and John 14, for example. There are examples throughout the Bible, the Book of Mormon and elsewhere. One does not have to be a Mormon to learn about them or experience them. After all, Joseph Smith experienced them. And that is how we have further light and knowledge concerning them today. I can easily guess why these topics are not covered much in church today, but if they were, chances are because people are beginning to understand better because they are experiencing it. We are in the winding up scene of the last days and the Lord promised that in these times, many would begin experiencing these things. We read about it in the book of Joel and Moroni explained this to Joseph three times. That doesn't make one "elitist" to Mormons any more than being a Mormon makes one elitist to Christianity in general. If I have some time in between chores and duties, I'll share some of my experiences and the things I have learned along with many of the scriptural passages, discourses, talks, etc from church materials for anyone who has that desire to experience the same things. I had nobody to guide me except the Lord and it took decades for me to understand. And maybe nobody here is interested. But maybe somebody is. I don't know. Anyway, gotta run. I will say this. I know that the Lord is eager and willing and excited to know each of us. And by that, I mean, part the veil. Have a face to face discussion. Hug you. Love you. Teach you. What more beautiful thing can one experience while in the flesh?

I suppose I'm a stranger and foreigner to this board once again and from what I have observed, I have felt it is time I reintroduced myself. My name is Marc. That is the username I've wanted and have asked for each time the forum was revamped but I'm stuck with this silly alias that no longer has any meaning to me. I was once a head moderator/admin along with Pam way back in the day. I really enjoyed my time here while I was very active. I was asked to participate in answering questions with the Ask Gramps program, but I began facing many challenges and trials in life that I had to decline and even step down as a moderator. This forum has undergone many changes since then and I pretty much just faded away to take care of many personal matters. There have been rumors that I am no longer a member of the church or that I left or excommunicated or am a Snufferite, promote Snufferism and what not. I know this because I have lurked a long time, have been accused directly and also because my friend Pam, who I have known now for almost a decade had the decency to ask me directly rather than believe whoever has been bearing false witness against me. I've had lunch with Pam, with Prisonchplain and many others over the years and many or most are now gone. But here I am and it probably puzzles many why I post crazy stuff. One day, almost thirty years ago, while serving a mission in Munich, Germany, the Lord taught me about the principle of calling and election. There was no Snufferism, Snufferite, whatever back then. It was just me and the Lord and Germany. I did not understand this principle other than the Lord made it known to me that I could have this blessing and that it was not limited to the General Authorities as I had supposed. The Lord made it known to me that He is no respector of persons and whoever diligently sought Him would obtain such blessings. That changed my life forever. Fast forward to today. I have faced many challenges and trials (as I know everyone does), but the trials I have endured were the result of things the Lord taught me, challenged me with, and required of me. He has required sacrifices of me, which made me fear that I was being deceived. I have spent months and years wrestling with the Lord and learning to trust Him and most importantly, learning to recognize His voice. One the most amazing and coolest things in life to experience, or at least, I think is really cool, is when the Lord calls you by name and talks to you. The things I have shared on this forum in the recent past are things, which I know are true. Once in a while, my own opinions and weaknesses show through as they did this week when I addressed an OP and fumbled answers when challenged by someone else. I have received a promise of the Lord in which I know that I will have eternal life. But this doesn't automatically make me perfect. Far from it. I'm still the same guy, flawed and fallible. But I have paid the price to know the Lord. I have made sacrifices, which He has required of me, often with fear and trembling. My witness to you all is that what I have experienced, you all can experience, if you want to. It is the same as when I was in Germany, testifying to people that they can know the truth about the church, the Book of Mormon and all that stuff. I am telling you that when Jesus Christ said, "ask and it shall be given, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened," He was not offering good advice or random suggestions. He made a solemn promise to anyone who will listen and take Him seriously. This does not make me a Snufferite. It does not make me a teacher of Snufferism. It is not apostate doctrine. It is eternal truth. When I was a young teenager learning about this for the first time, I had no clue how to figure out what it meant. Almost thirty years later, I can see it throughout the scriptures, in discourses and teachings, which Joseph Smith often repeated and in general conference talks and other church materials over the decades. I am a faithful member of the church and have been faithful to God and to Jesus Christ. I don't share any of this to make anyone like me or to gain anyone's approval. But I am part of this community unless you all don't want me here. Then I will leave. If I am welcome, I will continue to share my witness of things I know to be true. If anyone still wants to judge me, and if it matters, I answered honestly all my temple recommend questions and am worthy to enter the temple and serve therein. Furthermore, when I answered the questions to my stake presidency, he commented that there was a Spirit about me and he proceeded to declare to me that the Lord will have me know that I will be blessed with the gift of Revelation. I have experienced this gift throughout my life up until then and also since then. I have always returned to share a new blog post in the Share subforum. What I believe, what I know and what I have learned and experienced are all there and have always been there since I started writing. I may post now and again and I may put my foot in my mouth and if I do, please forgive me. I am quick to apologize because I genuinely love everyone. But I have feelings, too. I would still like my username changed to Marc if it is ever possible to do so. Thanks for your time.

Carborendum, I apologize for my sarcasm. If you're ever in Ogden, Utah, let's have lunch, my treat. Vort, thank you for your reply. I appreciate your approach.

Maybe I am a hypocrite.

Would you please be more specific?

I still don't. Have a nice day! :-)

Or as good as? Whatever all that means. Now you're trolling me with an accusation. How Christlike of you.

I have no problem with you assuming the worst of what you perceive to be my opinion.

Carborendum, did you read the OP? Please reread my quote of the OP to get context.

Since you quoted me, I will reply. I believe the OP was just having fun and so was I. There are as many different ways to answer it as there are people answering. But that does present an interesting question. If Jesus had waited two thousand years to fulfill the law, it would not replace a not-yet existent New Testament. And being the law giver, would then give His law. Anyway, this topic isn't fun anymore. Have a nice day.

Carborendum, furthermore, it seems to me that you have projected the OP's setting onto Salt Lake City where Thomas S. Monson presides. The OP suggests Christ's ministry to be somewhere in the middle east, where Christ's mortal ministry actually took place. My answer is a general one regardless of which religion/church prevails. You see, regardless of what religion would dominate the region where Christ would minister, He would be rejected as a radical. But since this is a Mormon forum, it is natural to project a biased Mormon view.

Carborendum, I am making no accusation against our leaders or anyone. I am at a point in my life where nothing matters but the truth, however harsh it may be. It is true that the presiding high priests in Christ's day were authorized to preside and officiate. It is true that Jesus Christ was also consecrating new apostles to take the gospel into the Gentile world. Jesus gave the Pharisees a parable about this. I am merely addressing the OP with my perspective and conjecture. Unlike your point, the OP does not stipulate a world without a living prophet. He only asked what Jesus' earthly ministry might look like today. I wouldn't mind addressing your point in another topic, though, but it wouldn't go far. The world today without living oracles would likely be much like first century Europe.

Naturally, I could be wrong, but I disagree. When Jesus appeared to Joseph Smith, He was a resurrected, glorified being who spoke with power and authority. His voice thundered and his appearance was glorious as in the first vision, Kirtland appearance, etc. What I am talking about is if Jesus was born into mortal ministry today, the general circumstances would be identical. I see no reason for Him to change anything unless it was His purpose to change something. But He only had one purpose. Anyway, He would most certainly be cast out. The only difference between being cast out of any church today (excommunication) is that a person is not crucified or stoned to death. One is not burned at the stake as was Johannes Huss, William Tyndale and others during the Reformation period. A careful study of human nature, history, an ample amount of case studies from the scriptures and also history shows us this would be the likely outcome. A mortal Jesus would, as the OP conjectures, hang out with gang members, drug addicts, homeless people etc. But perhaps His purpose couldn't be accomplished nowadays, because we in modern society, of course, are "civilized" and "advanced" and not barbaric so we don't torture and horribly execute people. (We just empower others like the government and soldiers to do that for us).

During Christ's mortal ministry, there was already an established priesthood and authority, whose line of authority traced back to Moses. Jesus used the same pattern as before. Twelve disciples (apostles) patterned after the twelve sons of Jacob. Seventy (Luke 10:1) elders were also chosen, hearkening back to Moses (Numbers 11:16). At that time, Caiaphas was the presiding high priest. They claimed authority as they sat in Moses seat, yet they taught traditions, although, correct doctrine was plainly recorded in scripture. Before then, the Deuteronomists were what you might call today, a correlation committee. History has a way of repeating itself. There was the written law and then there was the oral (traditional) law. Oral law tended to supersede written law, which Jesus Christ endeavored to correct. But because Jesus was just a hippie (Nazarite) outsider from a little podunk town of Nazareth with no recognizable credentials or "authority" recognized by the presiding high priests, his authority was constantly challenged, and he was not only denounced, but was cast out. He did NOT recognize their baptism (JST, Matthew 9:18-21). If Jesus were born today to minister as he did back then, I believe He would do the exact same thing and experience the very same treatment. His authority would be challenged as he challenged church traditions (commandments of men), while teaching pure doctrine, He would be cast out for "apostasy," "heresy," etc. Very few would recognize Him for who He really is.

The word of wisdom does not exclude principles of a good diet either.