Prodigal_Son

Wow, I haven't been on since I got home from my trip, but this thread imploded spectacularly! I am disappointed that accusations were made against thekabalist. Very uncool. After all, even if he WERE trying to make fools of us (which I don't buy into at all) - who/what was being harmed? Whereas, on the other hand, assuming thekabalist is EXACTLY who he purports to be (which I believe), such accusatory bloviations do terrible damage to our goals of friendship and unconditional love - all while alienating those who are not members of our faith... leaving a terrible impression with them. While we ALL make mistakes, and we ALL have stuck our "foot in our mouth" at some point in time, I hope that all who follow this thread will take the higher ground and choose not to condemn an entire religion based on one embarrassing outburst.

By recognizing that it's a tool of Satan. Reacquaint yourself with the Doctrine of your relationship with God and you'll likely find a change of heart.

I assume so. Folks in the field are to see clean cut missionary boys. Doesn't matter your background. They're messengers from God out there before they're Native Americans.

Hmmmm... y'all need something better to stew over.

Posting from Jerusalem: EXTRA VIRGIN: The olives are placed in a burlap-type bag and placed under the millstone. They are crushed (as raw olives are very hard). The oil that oozes from them is the Extra Virgin Oil. This comes out with a red tint (think Atonement symbolism), and is the sweetest and purest. VIRGIN: After the Extra Virgin oil, the olives are placed into wicker baskets stacked 4 or 5 high and then manually/physically pressed. The oil from this first pressing is the Virgin oil. Hope that helps add some background and improve your appreciation for God's constant use of symbols and types.

Floss.

Wisemen is plural, but a specific # doesn't exist. (That being said, would Larry, Curly, and Moe be in bad taste?) The sign was NOT some big flashy thing. When the Magi eventually show up (sometime after the birth, but within 2 years [as determined by Governer Boggs, er, I mean: Herod's Extermination Order]) and meet with Herod, neither he nor his counselors - ONLY LIVING A COUPLE MILES AWAY FROM THE BIRTH SITE - have ANY idea what the wise men are talking about. He who has ears to hear, let him hear... He who has eyes to see, let him see. This is how the Lord usually works. For example, do you remember when President Hinckley announced that the prophecy of Joel was fulfilled? Everyone and their dog began trying to pinpoint exactly when it was that the fulfillment occurred. Ousted by friends and family b/c Mary's pregnancy would render the host's house (and all therein) unclean, He was born in a cave and slept in a food trough; neon signs flashing "THIS WAY TO EXALTATION" wasn't really His style. It's an important lesson we LDS need to learn if we really hope to watch and be prepared for His return.

Listen to you people! Do you even know what you're saying? QUIT DRINKING THE KOOL AID! GEEZ!!!

Are you gonna ban me now? I'll have to start my OWN forum. It'll be just like this one, but I'll title it a more apt: www.strainingatgnats.com

I just call 'em like I see 'em, lady.

I just dont see the problm with typeing as fast as i can so i can get to the next post and improve my posting score after all i want to be nomber won on teh list so that i can be the best ever on this forum so if anyone wants to yell at me and hate my bad english thats fune what do i care they're probably jus sitting at home alone with nothing better to do anyhowi just dont see the problm with typeing as fast as i can so i can get to the next post and improve my posting score after all i want to be nomber won on teh list so that i can be the best ever on this forum so if anyone wants to yell at me and hate my bad english thats fune what do i care they're probably jus sitting at home alone with nothing better to do anyhowi just dont see the problm with typeing as fast as i can so i can get to the next post and improve my posting score after all i want to be nomber won on teh list so that i can be the best ever on this forum so if anyone wants to yell at me and hate my bad english thats fune what do i care they're probably jus sitting at home alone with nothing better to do anyhowi just dont see the problm with typeing as fast as i can so i can get to the next post and improve my posting score after all i want to be nomber won on teh list so that i can be the best ever on this forum so if anyone wants to yell at me and hate my bad english thats fune what do i care they're probably jus sitting at home alone with nothing better to do anyhowi just dont see the problm with typeing as fast as i can so i can get to the next post and improve my posting score after all i want to be nomber won on teh list so that i can be the best ever on this forum so if anyone wants to yell at me and hate my bad english thats fune what do i care they're probably jus sitting at home alone with nothing better to do anyhowi just dont see the problm with typeing as fast as i can so i can get to the next post and improve my posting score after all i want to be nomber won on teh list so that i can be the best ever on this forum so if anyone wants to yell at me and hate my bad english thats fune what do i care they're probably jus sitting at home alone with nothing better to do anyhowi just dont see the problm with typeing as fast as i can so i can get to the next post and improve my posting score after all i want to be nomber won on teh list so that i can be the best ever on this forum so if anyone wants to yell at me and hate my bad english thats fune what do i care they're probably jus sitting at home alone with nothing better to do anyhow

My name? Because it's a universal title that can encompass my entire life - no matter how close to God or far away I've been. My avatar is a picture Moksha posted once of our Teleprompter in Chief, as perceived by waaaaaaay too many ignorant people. I found it to be great satirical fodder.

TheKabalist: where do you live? I'm in the Galilee region right now, and will be in Jerusalem in a few days.

I'll visit both. In fact, I take the group onto the Mount of Olives 3x's during the tour.

Thanks. I'm actually a Tour Guide, so I get this blessing every December! I have more pictures than I know what to do with. As for seeing the sites, yes, it's wonderful. It permanently alters the way you read the OT and NT. Having that imagery in your mind is a sweet enhancement. In fact, I need to go. It's just after 5am here, and I'm going for a run on the Medit. Sea shoreline this morning, going swimming in it, then headed for Caesarea, Mt Carmel, and the Galilee.

Understood. Just making a clarification I felt was important. I'm in Israel right now, actually. If something comes to mind while I visit the sites, I'll be sure to post them here.

As was alluded to, the Atonement need not (and perhaps should not) be fractionalized by dates and locations. The fact of the matter is that the Atonement began (insofar as we're limiting ourselves to Christ's mortal ministry) with Mary's immaculate conception, was readied throughout a sinless life, and culminated in the events from the Garden to the Resurrection. Had Christ not been a literal Son of God, as prophesied, it could not have happened. Had not Christ been perfect, as prophesied, it could not have happened. Had not Christ suffered in the Garden, as prophesied, it could not have happened. Had not Christ been crucified, as prophesied, it could not have happened. Had not Christ been resurrected, as prophesied, it could not have happened. The demands of justice required all these components in order to render the Savior's sacrifice efficacious. And, therefore, the Atonement was not one isolated experience - whether one leans towards the Garden or the Cross.

While prayer, fasting, and what not all are crucial - here's my methodology. I treat my talks, my lessons, etc just like an essay. First, I determine what point I'm trying to convey. Once that's established, I go through any and all material/ideas/etc possible. I choose the things that best support the point I'm trying to make, and discard the rest. Hope that helps.

I respect that others liked it, but I thought it was tripe. I thought Dutcher simply used the church as a cheap platform for his murder mystery. It left a bad taste in my mouth.

To my point, there frequently seems to be (within the LDS church, at least) a mistaken belief that it's our job to go CONVERT people. But that's missing the mark. Our job is to dispense truth whenever and wherever possible - both through word as well as deed. When THAT is done effectively, the prepared heart will pursue conversion of their own volition (with, of course, the positive reinforcement of the Latter-Day Saint community).

I am frequently humbled in awesome gratitude for the blessings in my life. Statistical probability of being LDS is less than 1 in 500, but I was born into it! I get to live in the last days! I have my health! I have my talents/abilities. I have a comfortable life in which the Lord prospers me. I have a wonderful wife, beautiful children. I'll return to The Holy Land for the 4th time in my short 31 years life on Friday. I live in a great area, surrounded by great people. I come from goodly parents who blessed me with 6 wonderful siblings. I could go on and on. Then sings my soul, my Savior, God, to thee: How great thou art! How great thou art!

And such is the power of TRUTH. Satan wouldn't bother if we were a hoax.

Amen to that!

It's interesting to consider how much of the animosity between sects stems from two completely un-Christlike principles: * that of judging unrighteous judgment (i.e. wrongly assuming that God condemns "outsiders" the way the intolerant perpetrator does), and * that of trying to COMPEL conversions, rather than sharing truth and knowledge - and then allowing each man his own freedom to do what he wishes with that knowledge.

That's great.