AFDaw

I started posting and had to idle while feeding my son so my reply was before you can back and replied to Spencer. My brother also married a So Baptist woman who also swore she was not going to get baptised. He did the same thing, kept going to church and eventually she came around. To her, our church's views on woman and family were what convinced her to convert. So there is some hope even with her saying she will not be baptised. However, if you're feelings are as strong as they are, and her's are as strong as they are...I don't know what to tell you about that

That can be a difficult situation. I'm sure you've heard it before, you need to pray about it. This is just marriage advice in general, member or not. Make sure both of you are headed in the same direction in life. If what you want in a marriage and life is the same as her, then that's great. If it's not, then it could be a hard road for the two of you married. I was engaged to a non-member (who I was pretty sure would join) and I didn't do too much to convert him. I never pressured him, I never made it an ultimatium, all I did was attend church and do what I thought was right and he came to church with me. In fact, he was the ones who asked for the missionaries to come over, not me. The only thing that ever threw me for a loop was one day he said "What would you say if I told you I wanted to go to a different church and you and the kids could go to your church?" I said "I wouldn't like it." he asked why and I said "Because you're making that decision without knowing everything I know about my church." and that was it. To me, the entire family going to the same church was a big deal. However, I had prayed about it and I did honestly feel marrying him was the right thing to do and it was. He joined the church less than a mo after we got married and we went to the temple a year later. Something to keep in mind while praying is D&C 8. Especially v. 2 and 10. Best of luck!!

Cal - I'm confused. Do you believe in our God or do you not? Because if you don't, then you don't get to have an opinion on what's he's like. Because to you, he doesn't exist. You keep going back and forth, one second he's not there, the next he's there and he's mean. When you come to a final conclusion, let me know and we'll continue from there.

Uhm...how about this. YOU tell me how many times it has to be answered before you are going to stop asking the SAME QUESTION over and over? 10 times? 20? Just tell me, and I'll answer it all those times so you can stop asking the question.And seriously...it has been answered, numerous times. So maybe you need to start practicing what you preach.

Oh, God is a "little bit BETTER" than the rest of us. Doesn't mean he can't be capable of the same emotions. As to what you want in our reaction, if I told you you more than likely won't get that response, would you leave? :) Wow, so that must make you a Missionary for Atheism.

You mean the stupid question you answered for me? No...I didn't answer it. Btw...did you really need to ask if I answered it?

Now you're misquoting yourself. You said "the power to get God to do stuff for you" you did not say "good" in there anywhere. Nit picking? Yes I am. Regardless, it doesn't matter, because I did say that it was the ability to act in God's name, which should be implied (if you weren't nit picking either) that that would benefit people.

I hope I don't make things more confusing. Look at it like a Father and a son. The son grows up, and he also becomes a father to a child of his own. So now you have Grandfather, Father and Son. The son will always call his father "dad" just like the father will always call the grandfather "dad" Doesn't mean anyone has been replaced. (yes...that was confusing) We say that we are all children of God, and we mean that in a literal translation. You are a son of God. But no, you will not replace Christ. Christ was the first born. The throne you may inherit it, is not Christ's throne, but rather your own. Peace is right, this is a hard subject among members. It's the whole idea of crawling before you walk. This concept is actually running full speed ahead, and if you don't have the basics of the gospel, then it will be confusing.

Ok...first off, Fine, you don't believe in our God, whatever.Second off, I would like for you to re-read this entire thread and count how many times someone has said that God does NOT control evil nor does he make evil. About the OT. Yes, God was a vengeful God who smote people. So what? Are you capable of loving someone and hating someone else? Are you capable of being kind to someone one minute and being mean to them the next? Wouldn't it also seem plausible that God can be capable of both love and vengence? I don't think too many here would deny that. It's not like you're pointing out something I don't already know, and accept. And lastly, if you don't believe in our God, what are you trying to accomplish with these questions? Do you honestly think someone is going to say "Oh wow...I never thought about it like that Cal, you're right. Our God is AWFUL! THE CHURCH MUSTN'T BE TRUE!!!" Yes I'm being a little sarcastic, but I'm seriously wondering what you hope to accomplish.

Before I continue, It's obvious to me you don't read well. Please point out to me where you got the idea that I said that "The Priesthood is NOT...a power that benefits people" I never stated that. I didn't even finish the rest of your post since I assumed the rest was based on the false idea that I said that the Priesthood doesn't benefit people.As - Then why worry about "our" God?

AFDAW, I'm curious. It's admirable that your dad encouraged you to find out for yourself if his church was true. Was he suggesting that you start from ground zero and impartially search out and compare many different religions/belief systems? Would your dad have been happy if you had chosen a different church or belief system than his? Or was the criteria only for finding out the if the church he raised you in was true/not true? Actually, I did attend many different church services while I was in high school. I could not have started from "ground zero" as you say because I was raised in the church. But my father had no problems with me attending other churches. Would he have been happy? I think honestly, that my father would have been happy as long as I was happy. I haven't made all the right choices my whole life, but even the choices I've made that he didn't agree with (because of his beliefs in the church) he supported me 110%. I have a brother who's not very active in the church, and he continues to support him. My father's theory is that he's raised us the way he thinks was best for us, and when we're out on our own, he's not going to worry about our choices anymore because he's not the one that has to live with the consequences. He wanted us to find out if the church was true so that we would have a testimony of our own. I took that challenge (and it wasn't easy) and I came to a decision ON MY OWN that it was. Had I believed it wasn't true, I'm sure he wouldn't have thrown a party for me, but he would have accepted it.

What? I have NO clue!!!! Hey, imagine yourself pregnant. Would your feet hurt? What about your back? Would you have morning sickness or would crackers do the trick? Do you think you'll have a hard time getting up and going to pee 1000 times at night?I can not even being to imagine the questions your asking me.

AS - So basically you want a God who FORCES everyone to make the right choice and FORCES everyone to be nice and kind and righteous and always do good things? I think you rejected that plan once, not sure why you would want it now.

No doubt!I have no clue. I can't even begin to understand it.

AFDaw, Pretty much boys are somewhat homosexual in nature until they start to like girls. It’s part of childhood. Some boys never develop naturally and continue to develop full homosexual desires. Some boys develop so they can go either way. Sexuality is a complex network of emotion, desire, and hunger which can go awry the same as any other mental or physical deformity. God gave each and every person special trials in life. It should not surprise you to learn that human nature is not perfect and boys can develop sexual attraction towards each other just as strong as heterosexuals can. Can you think of any reason why they couldn’t? The fact that they do what they do is proof. Paul O Nice. It is STILL my belief that God does not make one homosexual.

I dunno...does he? Do you HONESTLY think anyone on this board knows that to a certaintity? I mean, everyone on the board can't even agree on whether or not he creates gay people, much less animals.

You don't think so? I do :)

Very nice post Snow. You have more patience than I do. I enjoyed reading it.

It's my belief that God does not make one homosexual. As for the animal kingdom, I don't think they necessarily work under the same laws as Humans. Flame away.

Cal - Are you trying to get your post count up? I think it's more about quality rather than quantity. I digress... Yes...that's exactly what I said. I said that God cares more about the wicked than the righteous. /sarcasim off The simple most basic fact is that the righteous and the unrighteous are ALL God's children. He loves us all the same. I have no doubt that his love for me, who believes in him, is just as strong as his love for you, who doesn't believe in him. I'm willing to bet that I could say "God love the righteous more than the wicked" and you would come back and say "So he's shows favoritism? Why doesn't God love all his children the same? Quite some God you have there!" Right? Obviously it's a no-win situation with you. But I do agree that yes...it is "Quite some God" we have. How do you know God wasn't with the occupants of those planes? Besides...you missed my point. Some will chose to blame God, others will chose to draw closer to God to find out what they can do to help. The Priesthood is not "the power to get God to do stuff for you" It's the power and authority to act in God's name. God also holds the Priesthood, so when he "heals" someone, he's doing it with the power of the Priesthood.

It seems it's been said over and over and some people just don't want to accept it. God did not do this. Could God have stopped it? Yes...I personally think he could have. But that would have been against his will. I said it once, I'll say it again, the innocent will suffer so that the wicked will be punished. The wicked are his children also, and they have their free agency also. God does not grant free agency just to the righteous. Cal - You said... I'm curious why you think this? I don't remember anyone saying we believe God ONLY helps Mormons with the priesthood. (Keep in mind woman and young children don't have the priesthood therefore this is suggesting that we believe our God doesn't help the woman and young children in the church either) After September 11, 2001 happened, I was watching Larry King Live and he had a few high officials of different churchs on and one of them, not sure which, said that so many people asked the same question then. Why did God allow this to happen? Where was God that morning? He said that God wasn't on those planes, but rather in the men and woman who went and donated their blood, who volunteered their time and energy, who searched for survivors, who gave their money to help families of those who lost loved ones. That's where God was that day.

Because a just, loving, merciful God would NEVER take away our free agency. The innocent may suffer so that the wicked will be punished. Bad things happen to good people. I do think it's a horrible story, but there are 1000's like it every day all across the world. Why don't you mention those?

Again, I have that same part highlighted :) This might be stretching it a bit, but bear with me. I'm not sure if you would define "Endure to the End" as a commandment or not, but for arguements sake, say it is. That would mean that we will not be given trials that we can not bear. I know it's been mentioned on these boards before, but bad things happen to EVERYONE. Good, bad, righetous, evil...doesn't matter. Good and bad things happen to all. And yes, I know that trials can test someone's faith, but I don't believe anything can happen that can't be overcome.

I have that exact part of that verse highlighted with a notation that reads "The Lord shows mercy to the faithful" :)

Again, this was somewhat started in the other thread, but figured it also needed a "home" of it's own. What I personally liked about this chapter was verse 16 "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers." My intrepretation is that Nephi didn't believe his father's words merely because he was his father. Instead, he sought for comfirmation from God on whether or not what his father was saying was true.