bytor2112

When I go to dinner with Bill Gates he should definitely pick up the bill or at least pay more for his than me??????? Big Coorporations are owned buy there share holders.... people like you and me. Who determines who is rich and why should they pay even more. They already pay the lions share of taxes. Today, the rich pay more, the poor pay less. Bush tax rate cuts notwithstanding, those with high incomes pay at much higher marginal tax rates than those with lower incomes. They also pay much more of the total tax bill, a reality that has escaped Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Only 953,000 taxpayers – about 1 percent of the total who paid taxes – paid at the top 35 percent tax rate in 2005. They paid $315.4 billion in taxes on their $1,094 billion in income. The most common tax rate is 15 percent, which is paid by 54.4 million taxpayers. This means the typical taxpayer pays at less than half the tax rate of the top earners. The second most common tax rate is 10 percent. About 25.5 million taxpayers pay at that rate. This group pays taxes at one-third the rate paid by the highest-income taxpayers. So of the two-thirds of all households that pay anything in income taxes, about three-quarters pay at 15 percent or less. Among the remaining 25 percent of taxpayers: • 22 million households pay income taxes at marginal rates of 25 percent. • 3.7 million pay at 28 percent. • 1.5 million pay at 33 percent. In 2000, the top 25 percent of all taxpaying filers paid a whopping 83.6 percent of all income taxes. By 2005, they paid 85.6 percent of all taxes. So in spite of tax rate cuts for the well-off, the share of taxes paid by the well-off has risen. What does this all mean? Simple. When political talk turns to tax "fairness," none of the candidates mentions where a high income begins. So I thought you might want to know. You were in the top 25 percent of taxpayers in 2005 if your taxable income exceeded $61,055. Millions of Americans have no idea what fat cats they are.

Abqfriend..... Families are forever!! You have probably heard this if you have been around many LDS folks. But it is true. The family is central to God's plan of happiness for each of us. How happy would you be if you were not together with your family in Eternity. Not very, I am guessing. THe sacred ordinances that I mentioned above make this possible. These ordinances are performed in Holy Temples and seal in both Heaven and on Earth families together. The plan of happiness, as we call it, is for all of God's children to return home to the God who created them.... with there families...... husband, children, grandchildren, etc. Learning about the church on this site is great and reading the Book of Mormon is even better. But, the best way I can think of to really find out if this stuff is really true is to meet with some of our fulltime missionaries and attend a local LDS church. I promise you, that if you will meet with the missionaries and attend church that you will come to know for yourself that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is indeed the Lord's church, that Joseph Smith did see God the Father and Jesus Christ and that he did translate a sacred record called the Book of Mormon by the power of God. And you will know why Heavenly Father brought forth this record...... 2 Nephi verse 7-9 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth? Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also. And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.

abqfriend.....ultimately the decision is ours. Salvation is free if we choose it. Jesus Christ is our mediator with the Father. He makes eternal life available because he took upon himself our sins. If we would choose eternal life we must follow the Savior...... 2 Nephi verse 27: Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. It really is very simple...... if we choose to follow the Savior, we must first have faith in Jesus Christ, repent, be baptized by someone having authority to do so and then recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands.... again by authorized servants of Christ. Finally, receive the sacred ordinances made available in Holy Temples and then endure till the end.(follow his commandments) It is that way for everyone who has ever lived or will ever live. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Think about the confusion that exists among Christians today...... is God the author? The truth has been restored and is available to all. In the end, if we are to inherit Eternal Life....life with our Heavenly Father...it is the only way.

John 3:16 We believe that Salvation must come to all mankind exactly the same way. From Adam to our time present. Every person who has ever lived or will ever live will have the opportunity to hear and accept the Gospel, whether in this fallen sphere in which we now live or in the Spirit world after they pass from mortality. Each will have to accept Jesus Christ, repent and be baptized. This is why we perform sacred ordinances like baptism in Holy Temples around the world. The Savior himself was baptized to "fulfill all righteousness". Confusion and contradiction still prevails in Christendom over how mankind is to be saved because of Christ's Atonement. One of the many reasons for the restored Gospel. To be a Christian.... to be a follower of Christ.... to be saved..... to recieve salvation because of the grace of Jesus Christ, because he drank of the Fathers bitter cup and bore our sins, our griefs, sorrows and afflictions.... we must strive to live his example."if you love me, keep my commandments." If we love him, if we are his.... we strive to keep his commandments. Is this salvation by works? Or is this being a true and faithful servant of the Savior of mankind? We all must come to salvation in exactly the same way. Same ordinances. One faith, one baptism. God is perfect and as such it could be in no other way.

We believe that Salvation must come to all mankind exactly the same way. From Adam to our time present. Every person who has ever lived or will ever live will have the opportunity to hear and accept the Gospel, whether in this fallen sphere in which we now live or in the Spirit world after they pass from mortality. Each will have to accept Jesus Christ, repent and be baptized. This is why we perform sacred ordinances like baptism in Holy Temples around the world. The Savior himself was baptized to "fulfill all righteousness". Confusion and contradiction still prevails in Christendom over how mankind is to be saved because of Christ's Atonement. One of the many reasons for the restored Gospel. The verse from Alma...... refers to not waiting until the end of your life to repent. Repentance is a process. To repent we must have a mighty change of heart. We must turn away from our sins and strive to live a Christ like life...... like we truely are his followers. If we still have lustful desires or addictions or whatever and we have not cleaned up our life.... if we have not had the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives.... the same spirit, the same thoughts and desires that we had in mortality will go with us in the spirit world. To be a Christian.... to be a follower of Christ.... to be saved..... to recieve salvation because of the grace of Jesus Christ, because he drank of the Fathers bitter cup and bore our sins, our griefs, sorrows and afflictions.... we must strive to live his example."if you love me, keep my commandments." If we love him, if we are his.... we strive to keep his commandments. Is this salvation by works? Or is this being a true and faithful servant of the Savior of mankind? We all must come to salvation in exactly the same way. Same ordinances. One faith, one baptism. God is perfect and as such it could be in no other way.

Umm, I am not following, perhaps you could clarify or elaborate.

The Jews were looking for a promised Messiah.....the Prophets foretold his coming, his birth, his death, his resurrection. The sacrifice of lambs, marking the door with blood, the serpent on the stick that the Israelites needed only to look at to live,manna, etc,etc,etc. All these things were symbolic of the coming of the Savior.

How are people who lived before the Savior "saved" according to non-LDS denominations?

Etruscan plates from 600 B.C. I wonder how many more of these are yet to be found!

President Benson, I think was very active in seeking the Lord for additional scriptures.

I recently read that Joseph and other early leaders visited a room within Cumorah that contain lots of ancient records? Do you think that the Lord will bring forth yet more records and if so will President Monson use Joseph's Seer stone or do you think the Lord will provide another means for translation? Side question....... Has Hill Cumorah ever been excavated? Has the stone box that contained the plates been found? Does the church own Cumorah?

One more thing.... the Church doesn't want to disfellowship or excommunicate and neither do Bishops and Sp's. They want to help save the soul of the transgressor. In the end much of the decision depends upon the the evidences of sincere repentance of the transgressor. Repentance is not just feeling sad, it is not just refraining from recommiting a past sin, it is not just confession. While it is all of these things and more, true repentance is becoming a person that would never have committed these sins to begin with.

It really depends on your level of comitmit to the Church at the time of the transgressions and your evidence of sincere repentance. I was baptized as a teenager but was never active and fell away from church all together after a few weeks. I didn't hold the Priesthood, etc. I have been active for over three years now ( I am 43 now) and hold a Temple reccomend. The years of absence were, shamefully loaded with many instances of serious transgressions......many. I did not recieve any form of discipline. No Disciplinary court or anything. My good friend is an SP and said that because I wasn't really a member of the church and most of these transgressions occured many years ago that confession was all that was necessary for my repentance. Level of understanding of Gospel priciples, commitmit level.....endowed or not, Priesthood holder or not and humble, repentant attitude of transgressor as well as elapsed time since the transgression all play a role in these situations. Bishops and Stake Presidents are guided by the Holy Ghost and the Church Handbook of Instructions and try to determine what will help the transgressor have a "mighty change of heart". Often times, this change has already occured and there isn't any need for formal discipline. In the end repentance is about change, a real change, a might change.... a turning away from sinful ways and turning toward the Savior.

Sounds like your friend not only doesn't have any respect for her husband, herself, her children, the sanctity of life and God, but she doesn't have any respect for you either. Sadly, I think that we sometimes have to divorce ourselves from our past.... friends included. This is not just my opinion, but the opinion of General Authorities as well. Not an easy decision to be sure, but be true to your standards and tell her no and tell her why and then move on. Pray for her.

We all have demons to battle....... I myself struggle with some form of anxiety and am a bit compulsive and overthink everything. I can create something out of nothing in my mind pretty quickly and then I will dwell on it till it becomes a reality, at least in my head. But, if it is in your head... it is reality? This site has helped me a lot. You know you must be a really awesome and special person to have been able to receive the gospel and more importantly, to strive to live it. Remember you have a special purpose here in mortality. A great work to perform for Heavenly Father. We can't all be Joseph Smith or General Authorities, but make no mistake that you are here for a very special reason. Maybe its to raise up a righteous posterity or to help bring someone to the Gospel, who knows. But, you are special.... from a Royal bloodline and joint heirs with the Savior to receive all that our Father in Heaven has to bestow on us. Hang in there and remember that we are just visitors here and one day.... sooner than we think, we will be going home.:):):)

Do you feel this way about your "church" life- never enough or all aspects of life?

The Bruce R McConkie Story- by Joseph Fielding McConkie. This a really awesome book! Very warmly written and very touching. My wife doesn't like to read biographies, but read this one and just loved it-made her cry.

The Books are awesome, we listen to them on CD when ever we travel. My kids love them as well. Chris Heimerdinger narrates as well. They were a Christmas gift sent to us from the Missionary that baptized one of my kids.

Hmm, interesting question. In the church members are judged based on there understanding of gospel principles and level of commitment to the Gospel.. Things like, are they a Priesthood holder, how active in church, Endowed or not. Judged by Priesthood leaders, I mean. They determine the level of discipline or no discipline depending on these issues as well as guidance by the Spirit. If we as members of the church who have a greater knowledge that people living in the world do can be forgiven and receive mercy , then I am led to believe that Mercy will be made available through the atonement for the the truly repentant.

My friend thinks it means that Angels came down and had sex with the earth women and the women gave birth to a race of giants.

c'mon...Oh Mandy.... your kidding right????

I think some people are genetically predisposed to certain behaviors. Lots of scientific evidence that different parts of the brain control different things like reason and judgement and emotions. I am guessing that "morality" or reason and judgement are pretty hardwired into our species. No doubt , ideas like order and disorder and the need for laws to insure equality and a general standard for moral behavior originates from some genetic trait. That would seem to suggest some eternal law or blueprint for higher living..... perhaps a divine blueprint.

Yes, a friend. I went through repentance quite some time ago and he knew that I had so he asked me about my experience. I posted my experince with repentance a while back. I think he, and I understand this, felt like it would be a much more complicated and drawn our process. It wasn't so it left him with some questions.

I have a friend who recently went to see there Bishop regarding some ancient transgressions... just to clear it up I guess. He told the Bishop the name of the sins but no details. His Bishop sent him to the Stake President. He said the Stake President asked him a few questions and didn't ask any details. but in the process uncovered another sin. In the end the Stake President thanked him for coming in and explained that he felt as though he (my friend) was already repentant. Much to his relief. He asked me a couple of things: 1. Was his confession ok... no details just the name of the sin. (he didn't tell me, I didn't ask) 2. Did what the SP said take presedence over his Bishop? 3. Since he told the SP things he didn't tell his Bishop, does he now need to tell his Bishop? He is a Melchizedic Priesthood holder now, wasn't when he transgressed. I told him that I thought his Bishop sent him to the SP because techniquely he is his eclesiastical leader and the buck stops whith him, so to speak. He worries that he didn't confess correctly or maybe he could have expressed his sin differently or that he should have been more detailed. I told him that the SP is set apart to make these type of decisions and to relax and be happy. Any comments for my friend would be appreciated. I hope to get him on the forum soon.

I agree. Much of who we will be is a direct result of our upbringing. If we are taught to be loving, caring, honest and fair by our parents(or whomever reared us)...... chances are much greater that we will turn out that way. Still that is not always the case. Plenty of bad apples come from good trees. Religion can certainly reinforce and teach morality and help shape one into the type of person that one would like to be. I guess the difference is how we define moral and what actions constitute morality. Some believe that fervently religious people are judgemental and attempt to force their brand of morality on others. While religious people feel exactly the same way, except they feel that immorality is being forced on them. My personal belief is that we all have a conscience. We are all given the light of Christ. We know instinctively when we choose to do wrong or right. Sometimes we try to justify our actions with logic... everyone is doing it, just once is no big deal or if it feels good do it. But this line of thought will usually lead to regret. Sadly, we don't live in a very moral world in my view. There are lots of decent people trying to live a higher standard, but lots more with no standards at all. I think we have become anesthetized to just how truely immoral the world is because we have grown up seeing it. Mankind does not love each other and look after each other. We aren't very concerned by tragic events in different parts of the world, like Darfur....other than conversationally. We are consumed by "global warming" and how we are destroying the planet but not so concerned over how brutally people are treated in different parts of the world. I often wonder why things are such a mess in a time when things should be so enlightened.