rural

...ew?

Only for forum members? I have interesting friends. They aren't mormon, but they'd make for fascinating entries

It is generally accepted scientific theory that this planet and all that is was generated from the combined explosions of different astronomic bodies, especially stars and to a lesser degree, other planets.

I hate when people use the Wager (whether knowing of it or not) as a reason for believing. It's such a shallow reason for adhering to a lifestyle or set of beliefs.

It makes no difference how hard Edison worked to perfect the light bulb. The credit belongs to both God and Edison for the hand Edison played in that technological revolution.

Tesla is partly who I was referring to. That man was 800000000 times the scientist Edison was, and almost nobody knows his name, or his work. That's not true, but they do deserve credit for raising him. On the other hand, God placed Edison in the situation he was raised in, and created all things - including the stars that exploded and assembled the earth and the clay from whence we sprung.

Because God invented Thomas Edison. Besides, Thomas Edison sucks. He stole most of his ideas from his underlings, and from other famous scientists of the day... and then made it impossible for them to continue their work, so that he could make more money.

This is the point of the gospel test - once you've actually taken that commitment and taken that leap of faith, you can feel it... but it is so different from anything that you could be convinced of otherwise. It's just something you have to discover for yourself. Either way, I don't like tomk's argument about attributing circumstances to God. Of course we are commanded to glory God, but I don't see why it is wrong to attribute wonderful things to what science has informed us they actually are. For instance we could look at a lightbulb and thank God for giving us a magic source of light, or we could know that the light comes from the diffusion of electric energy... and thank God for it. It's also difficult for some people. I don't know what makes the difference, whether it's level of dedication or what, but many people try and don't get the proof they're looking for, but others do. I don't really know what makes up the difference, but I've felt the difference in my life, and it was frustrating before I got a more concrete answer.

I think shifting chemicals in our brain IS our immortal soul.

What do you mean "just"? That chemical process that we call love was made by God. What does it matter if it's chemical in nature?

I was under the impression that the Lord would not let a prophet commit any sin that serious, that the prophet would die before committing a sin like that. I recall a scripture about this, I think from Sunday School a few years back... anyone care to help me out? I'm just curious. Or Dale, do you believe that particular doctrine wouldn't count in your church's case?

Congratulations! You just furthered the evolution of our species by propagation.

I think it's preposterous that people presume to know the method by which God created man. Knowing from verses like the one found in Abraham that time is subjective for our Heavenly Father, why do we oppose what is sciences (and therefore our) best guess as to how God created us? It is good to question rigid dogma, even if it is seen as progressive (in the church anyway) like evolution. However, the intellectual culture LDS members seem to have built up opposing evolution in all honesty seems more like a culture to oppose intellect.

As someone who identifies religiously as LDS, but culturally identifies with atheists, this thread is awesome.

Definitely not having a companion. THIS IS NOT TRYING TO BE A SOB STORY, I AM JUST EXPLAINING MY SITUATION: I was always incredibly solitary as a kid. We lived in a ghetto so there weren't many friends my parents would let me hang out with outside of school, and with my troublesome sisters, church, and my parents were left with no time at all for me. I wasn't ever really sad about it but when we moved out of the ghetto and I started to meet more cute girls, I turned to them for anything I felt I lacked (admittedly not much, but someone to confide in, etc). So I've had a girlfriend consistently since I was 11 or 12 until about 3 months ago. It's pretty crazy, and I feel (strangely) like I'm being lazy since I'm not working on any relationships, but I guess it's neat being able to do anything I want without worrying about what my girlfriend thinks. Being single is also an important chance to grow as a person.