Liber

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Posts posted by Liber

  1. The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life by Terryl and Fiona Givens is the last book I read.

    This book manages to explore the basic principals of LDS theology in a way that is both deeply rational and deeply spiritual. The basic goal of the work is to demonstrate that Mormonism is rational. I feel that the authors achieved what they set out to achieve, not only in style, but with a humility and charity which is so frequently lacking in discussions of a religious nature. I cannot recommend this book enough.

  2. I was listening to a NPR special on Glenn Beck. They called him crazy and they said that he does not really mean what he says. But as to where Glenn is factually wrong, not so much as a single instance was offered. For someone who ussually likes NPR I was disapointed that the only response to Beck that they could muster was an Ad hominem attack.

  3. I agree with rameumptom in principle, but I would put it in a slightly different light. God does not use evil in the sense of being a source thereof. Rather, God permits man his agency, knowing that man will use it at times in the service of Satan, whom God will not destroy till the end of the Millennium. The distinction is that evil exists in the world because of man's willingness to use his agency to follow Satan. All evil would disappear tomorrow if man would use his agency only to follow God. Note 1 Nephi 22:26 states that Satan will be bound because of the righteousness of the people. They refuse him a place in their hearts, and so he can no longer influence them for evil.

  4. Linguists tell as that hundreds of new words are added to the English language every year. I think it is now our turn to do our part in enriching the English lexicon. Please post your favorite alternative swear words hear, and please keep it clean!

    In honor of our nation's attempts at economic recovery, I hereby declare TARP to be a new swear word! I recommend using it in the following contexts:

    You son of a TARP!

    Ewww, I just stepped in a big pile of TARP!

    TARP OFF!

    TARP IT!

    I think you get the spirit of it!:)

  5. I would chalk down this cultural change to two major influences. First is the massive increase of child predators in the United States since 1960. One could easily imagine that if you were the local child molestor, and statistics tell us that in today's world there is always one, he or she would be hanging out at the local swimming hole. The other influence is the rise and general emergence of the homosexual culture in America. Note that both influence stem from the 60s counter-culture which promoted, whether intentionally or not, every form of sexual deviancy.

    I know this is not a very popular opinion, but hey maybe hemlock is tasty.

  6. "The king-men choose to not fight against the Lamanites. Moroni gets mad and submits his own petition (which is passed by popular vote) basically instituting a draft with the death penalty for dodging. The problem I have with this is that this draft ONLY applies to a single ethic (hee hee) minority. The same draft requirement does not apply to the People of Ammon who covenanted never to take up arms again. I imagine it something like if GW Bush instituted a draft for the war in Iraq that only drafted Democrats. How is this right? How is this fair? And how does this preserve the liberty of these (apparently peaceful) dissenters?"

    First of all, I can see how this could possibly be seen as a sticky matter, but there are a few details that you seem to be confused on:

    First, the king men are not an ethnic minority, but a political minority. Kind of like the American Nazi Party rather than African Americans, Hispanics or any other genuine ethnic group. In the USA, political affiliation does not effect whether you can be drafted.

    Secondly, The core ideas of the Nation/State that we have now did not exist in pre-colonial meso-america. Were the Ammonites refugies? Or where they consisidered a teritory or reservation? As the Book of Mormon is not a treatise on political philosophy, I am not sure. I do know that the Nephites took in the Ammonites specifically because the Ammonites would not fight for themselves. Their pacifisim was a precondition of their entry into Nephite lands.

    Finally, the Kingmen, who seemed to be so antiwar when it came to fighting Laminites, seemed not to have the same problem when it came to their own country and people. The instant the draft is put into place, the Kingmen have a large battle agenst Moroni. And, latter down the road, the Kingmen capture the city of Zarahemla and try to hand it over to the Laminites. If you didn't know, treason is punishible by death in the USA too! It is the only crime specifically mentioned in the US Constitution.

  7. I can understand how upsetting the issue of child abuse must of necessity be, especially when it involves organized religion. But it must be clearly understood that suing the Church in such instances is purly counter productive. For one, as you say Elphaba, the focus should be on healing the child. Yet this is something that money cannot accomplish. Christ heals, not money. Ask any rape victim, you could drown them in money and yet the pain still persists. So in protecting the donated assets of the Church from the seizure of zealous parents trying to make a buck off their child's suffering does not constitute a refusal to focus on the healing of the child.

    Furthermore, how can the Church be responsible for the abuse of a child if its policies are not to shield members from the consequences of violated criminal and civil laws. This is not similar to the Catholic church shielding priests from the law. In fact, the LDS Church facilitates the prosecution of members who break laws while serving in a religious capacity.

    Because the LDS clergy works on a volunteer basis, treating each volunteer as a full representative would place an insurmountable burden on Church activities. We cannot do full background checks, install cameras and listening devices in every room, nor hire security to sweep the halls of our churches every Sunday.

    Child abuse is wrong, and the perpetrator should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. But going after the Church has nothing to do with justice, and everything to do with money.

  8. Lawsuites are for civil matters. They are for people seeking justice. I am too bussy seeking the mercy of my Lord too threaten His servents, even for just recompense. In the parable of the unjust servent (Matt 18:12-35), Christ tells the story of a servent who ows his master a great debt, but the master forgives him. The servent then goes out and persecutes a fellow servent for a debt that is owed to the first. When the master hears of it, the formerly forgiven servent is punnished for his lack of forgivness.

    Forgive and forget, and God will make it right.:)

  9. Hello, I am called Liber and am very excited to join this site! I am a content carbon based life form who lives on the third planet from our delightful Hydrogen furnace. As I mentioned, I am carbon based, and I have heard that carbon is a rather unfavorable element at present, but I hope everyone can overlook this basic flaw. I have been trying very hard to become silicon based, but can't yet afford the hardware. I am also very sorry to say, that the #1 and #2 by products of my existence are CO2 and chocolate wrappers. I know, I know, but at least there is repentence.

    I am married to a very kind woman, who has seen fit to forgive me for the above. My hobbies include cellular respiration, mytosis, digestion and short expenditures of kinetic energy. I also blink a lot too. I have four children who have not yet reached the stage of being embarrassed to be seen with me in public.

    I would say that this post is very tongue in cheek, but aside from the silicon statement, all of the above is true.

    I am thankful for the opportunity for in depth discussion with all of you, as well as a little fun. God Bless.