Fiannan

But where does Elvis, Bigfoot and those pesky grey aliens that abduct people in the night and give them obnoxious probes fit into this? Well, since Elvis was technically Jewish then maybe the Zionists connection can be made. As for the aliens I'll bet Michael Moore could find a way to tie them in. However, Bigfoot...hey, there's lots of Mormons in the CIA and the Russian version of Bigfoot is named "Alma"...ohhh, spookie!

I have read most of the Quoran and I have found many references to Gospel principles or concepts that are no longer common to Romanized Christianity (if it was written in the 7th. Century perhaps there were traditions in the Middle East that had survived the impact of western Christianity). I suppose a critic of Mormonism could say that Joseph Smith could have lifted things from the Muslims -- just as critics have suggested lots of scenarios for how he "came up" with so much interesting and complex doctrines with as little of education as he had. I for one don't think that he had a research team going over scince, history and comparative religions.

I believe in a general sense that anyone who accepts that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, the Book of Mormon is true and follows the general teachings of the 4 standard works can call themselve's LDS. Of course, that also includes splinter groups that might make mainstream LDS people uncomfortable, but oh well.

INteresting thoughts. Without dealing with quotes from prophets, etc. I will make reference to a talk I heard from a Christian lecturer a few years back. This man and his wife had decided that they would like 4 children as I recall. Upon the birth of their 4th. child things were fine and dandy until they discovered that she had become pregnant a short time after the birth of the 4th. child. At first they freaked out until they sat back and pondered their raction to what the scriptures say. They considered how God had blessed them and (to make a long story short) I believe they had 10 kids eventually. They pondered the meaning of life and God's role. They concluded their initial desires were based on worldly considerations (like materialism, ease, etc.) and that was against those values found in the scriptures. The speaker then said it was totally hypocritical for Christians (I'll throw in Mormons into that category although maybe he would object) to chastize a young teenager who has sex and becomes pregnant and considers abortion when many Christians with more than ample means to raise more children would go hysterical if they discovered an unplanned pregnancy. He felt that until Christians in the USA cleaned their hearts and welcomed children into their families as gifts from God we will continue to have abortion especially since young people who might have abortions don't really have that many examples of people who might get exicted about the birth of a child even though the birth might interrupt goals of financial advancement, freedom to play or even having to have present children share a room. If LDS people have an attitude that mirrors the attitudes condemned by Church leaders (making reference to the world) a few generations ago I would really caution LDS people not to condemn polygamists who at least seem hyper-pro-natal. Hey, if they continue growing through birth rates maybe they might excede the mainline LDS Church in numbers in the future. Of course, I doubt that would happen since before that time I believe that polygamy will be re-established in the mainline Church so those who are adhering to the first commandment can do so and increase their numbers as opposed to those who prefer the world's pleasures.

http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/daily/s...th_control.html

Yes, we need to forgive...but we also need to punish those who drink and drive very harshly. How many drunk drivers kill people on the roads of Saudi Arabia? Something to consider. As for the murderer on at Trolley Square he got the punishment he deserved.

Not sure what a parable telling us to be prepared for the coming of Christ is related to what we're talking about. One would have to be blind to not see that the parable is conveying a message about being prepared, but is also using a polygamist example to make the point. First, these women were not just friends or relatives of the bride or groom (the term virgin would then not be used -- young women identified as virgins generally meant they were available and desirable for marriage. Second, if they were virgins (and just friends) would any father of that period have left them alone with a man without some sort of chaperone? Third, just read the parable -- 5 women didn't measure up for the marriage. Now I am not saying the five women were all Jesus's wives as I don't see evidence of that anywhere. However, try having a person from a culture that has not been brainwashed to believe that polygamy is immoral and if they read the parable I think they will get what it's all about. And Jesus using such a parable (without any reference to condemning the relationship) implies acceptance of the practice of polygamy.

Just read the Parable of the Ten Virgins. "Nuff said.

No reason to be mad about Joseph Smith having more than one wife any more than one should condemn thr prophets of the Old Testament. Same God, same human race, you know.

Isn't that Michael Medved? Medved, Prager, Schlesinger (Dr. Laura), and Savage are all Jews. Glenn Beck is a Mormon, Michael Reagan may be a Catholic (don't know when his father converted to Protestant) and who knows what Rush is. Oh, and yes, there are various elements within Islam. However, here's how many in the "fundamentalist" corner want to deal with moderates: http://www.memritv.org/Transcript.asp?P1=1283

Uh, speaking of Nazies and Muslims here's some REALLY interesting pictures that were probably not in your high school social studeis textbooks. http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/2543 By the way PC, have you ever asked your Islamic cleric what his vision of America is? If not, please ask him what his ideal America is and what kinds of laws would exist if the majority of Americans were Muslim. Also, why demonize Michael Savage? I have only heard him a few times but he seems to have a braod background -- being originally a liberal Jew and eventually evolving into a conservative. He is blunt but could you give me some examples of what he says that might put him into the extremist camp?

Please note: Almost two decades ago the USSR prided itself on containing a great deal of diverse communities (I think 150 languages were spoken within its borders). Now to the typical observer it's hard to tell a Russian from an Estonian or a Volga German from a ByloRussian. However, anyone who has spent time in Russia knows that the people there can tell the difference. And of course this does get complicated with people from the Caucass regions as they kinda look Russian but kinda don't, which leads to a lot of problems for people who are a little olive in complexion. When the government fell apart there in the early '90s what happened to any talk of unity? It fell apart. People divided up and boundaries tended to reflect the majority ethnic group there. Some wars occured where populations blended -- such as Armenia and Ajerbiajan. Today there is a very good chance that Russia and Georgia may go to war and one of the big issues is that part of Georgia is mostly Russian and doesn't want to be part of Georgia. Even in Ukraine there was a major divide in the latest elections where ethnic Russians tended to vote for the Russian-backed party while Ukrainians tended to vote for the corrupt Bush/EU "Orange" government. The only thing that has of recent united these two groups (actually, they are both Russian Slavs, there's just some cultural differences that have evolved) is the growing hatred of the "western" backed government. So what does this prove? Well...

Well, then 5 became spinsters.

It would certainly help Americans to learn and obey the commandments. Let's see: 1) Though shall have no other Gods before me -- I guess that would mean not putting the state (or its teachings) above God and if people did that the liberties our Founding Fathers cherished would be safe. 2) No graven images -- I think it is safe to say that that would include ALL idol worship including money, social status, consumerism and materialism. Think of the toll these anti-Christian worshipping of worldly idols costs society. 3) Do not take the Lord's name in vain -- It would be nice not to see movies do this all the time and then see young people (especially females) trying to look cool and parroting drunken sailors. 4) Keep the sabbath day -- Can't say I am the best at this but it probably would do good for family unity. 5) Honor your parents -- This is the only commandment with a specific promise and that is that if you follow it your days will be long upon the land. Maybe the reason Euros and Americans of Euro descent are dying out is that they don't honor their parents or their heritage in general so sacrificing to keep it going (having children) seems too inconvenient. 6) Thou shall not kill -- interpreted as murder or taking innocent blood. Few people actually murder anyone, well, maybe with the exception of abortion. 7) Though shalt not commit adultery -- And by the spirit of the law also not fornication. If people only had sex with the person they were married to the rate of disease and other problems would greatly decrease. Just because something might be fun for the moment wickedness never brought happiness. 8) Do not steal -- Wouldn't it be nice to be able to not lock our doors on our houses or cars anymore? 9) Do not bear false witness -- Perhaps the ultimate betrayal of another human being. Think that would also include gossip. 10) Do not covet -- I know that the media's profits are based on it but the only thing coveting does is lead to crime or depression.

Yes, I believe that dating outside your race can be quite problematic. While I am of the same general race as my wife (I am Irish, Scandinavian, Cherokee) I am American and she is Swedish. Have problems come up due to cultural differences? Absolutely. These are not impossible to overcome but I can imagine that throwing in racial differences would make matters much more complicated. While she is an idealist and says that as long as one is a member of the Church then differences in race should not matter I have taught our children that dating outside of one's racial background should be avoided -- not because the people are of less value, but because of many of the factors TXRed brings up. I do know a LDS couple in which the man is from Britain and of Jamaican background (a relative of Colin Powell so more a mulatto) and his wife is Swedish. They married and tried living in England but because of the abuse thier kids were subjected to they had to move to her country of Sweden -- things aren't ideal but people tend to be nicer to their kids. I knew another couple in which the father was white and the mother was of a darker Hispanic heritage. They lived in Washinton state but moved to Utah in part because their children were teased and beat up by Hispanic kids because their father was white. I also had a professor who grew up on a Lakota reservation. His father was white and his mother pure Indian but while all his brothers and sisters were dark he was born with blond hair and very pale skin -- he kinda resembled Chuck Norris who is also half Indian. I guess he got used as a bunching bag quite a bit growing up from what he said. In the Hispanic community one's skin color, facial characteristics and in the past hair density could indicate what your ancestory was and in turn your social status (most Hispanics call themselves white on census reports but much of that has to do with socio-economic status rather than true race. Many whith just a little bit of Spanish blood still identify with white as whites and Mestizos are on a higher caste level than Indians or blacks in Latin culture). In the black community one can also see differences in how people are looked upon based on how light or dark they are. How often do you see a pure black female model even in black publications? Mulatto seems to be preferred over pure black. However, in the past there were divisions as lighter blacks were generally associated with being given preferrence in the slave days because they were often of mixed blood between white owners and black females. The children of these unions were still slaves but generally the fathers, uncles, etc. gave them overseer jobs, blacksmith positions, house servant jobs etc. which aroused contempt with the black fieldworkers. And finally, in the past the Cherokee would allow a person to marry a white person and keep their tribal status (along with their children) but if a Cherokee married a black they lost their tribal affiliation. As much as we might not like it race, ethnicity and color does have an impact on how we view ourselves and those around us. And there is not one country on earth where that is not the case.

Interesting video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3moI15yRB5E

And then... "Muslim rappers worry Western intelligence" Article: http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?Stor...11-042250-6499r

That's not what I have seen in places like California or in Louisiana. I once stayed with a family in a really nice neighborhood in New Orleans. On one side of the street you had white people of upper income levels and on the other side you had black people of upper income levels. The only difference beyond that, or as explained by the family, was that the streets on the white side were in horrible condition because the mayor at that time hated white people. In California you have many neighborhoods that are of the same character as those in New Orleans. There's no law, just people like to be where people are like them. Many people who are LDS move to Utah because they like to be around Mormon people -- are other people any different?

A Muslim view of the Parable of the Ten Virgins: http://www.quransearch.com/ntpoly.htm

http://www.amconmag.com/2007/2007_01_15/cover.html One hopes this would not be true but The Balkins (ethnic, religious differences), Lebanon (religious differences), the Caucases of Russia (ethnic, religious differences), Iraq (ethnic, religious differences), eastern China and Tibet (ethnic, religious differences), Rwanda (ethnic differences), Zimbabwe (ethnic differences), Turkey (ethnic differences), etc. would make the professor's point. Even in Church I was visiting a family living in San Francisco and the Hispanic members sat together while the white members sat apart from them. From what I gather even if Hispanic high schoolers are members in Utah they sit at their tables in the cafeteria while other groups (Ute or Navaho Indian, white, Pacific Isla´nder sit at their own tables). Seems like tribalism is in our genes.

The weather works in cycles. The Vikings who landed on Greenland around the 11th. Century found a nice place to establish colonies and farms. That was during a peak in a warm cycle. The temperature cooled and the Vikings perished over time because they were too stubborn to all leave and also too stubborn to adapt to the native Eskimo style of living. Sweden at that time had lush vinyards -- no longer -- and due to the water levels being higher many channels from the Baltic existed. As the cooling took place these channels disappeared and villages wound up with no sea access. It'll happen again ... warming will take place and some places like Miami and New Orleans will be in sad shape. That's not because some fat politician like Al Gore guzzles gas although it may have a bit to do with increasing pollution levels overall.

Wonder how much gas would be saved if Al Gore sold his big SUV, bought a small car, and lost about 40 pounds (that extra weight must take additional fuel to propell him from one speaking engagement to another).

You can look up the best dog recipies on the internet. I once saw a bunch under the title of Phillipino dog dishes. Tried dog in soup and stir fry -- it's okay overall.

Wanna help reduce CO2? Plant a tree.

I agree. It is your assessment of Rosie, or at least her public persona. It is you saying she is "loud" and "offensive". And whether or not other people agree with you is not the point. Now go ahead and tell us what you think it means to be "offensive", Tommy. Are you praising Rosie for being loud and offensive? I don't think so. What has she ever done to offend someone, Tommy? ... and in what way did she actually offend them? Well, I found her treatment of Tom Selleck quite rude and offensive --hey, he came on with the intention of talking about some of his current projects and she turned it into her little forum to attack him for supporting gun ownership rights. And she certainly offended Asians with her "ching chong" comments recently: