RipplecutBuddha

There oughta be a method to rate the ph of each thread....

This is exactly what I would think is the case regarding the LDS church, though I know situations have come up in the past where the individual had to be forced out.

I'm more interested in what the results of this study do in the way of the age-old argument regarding the number of changes to the Book of Mormon since its first publishing. My guess is not much for the more vitirolic group. However among the more level-headed I feel it will be quite an educational project. I look forward to seeing what comes of it, just as I am regarding Royal Skousen and his similar efforts with the Book of Mormon.

Agreed. The reason I like avast is because of the excellent services without all the invasive notices, warnings, requests for permission...etc.. It just does it's job and lets you know what's happening when something does try to get through. I recommend it to everyone.

I could say 'Listen to what I mean, not what I say' but then I got tired of saying that years ago. Your correction is precisely what I was getting after. I appreciate the clarification.

sure we'd take Tom Cruise.....he's already got the osmond smile down, as for Animal, we can just wrap pillows around his drumsticks:D

I had the free avast system for a while, and I liked it enough to buy the full coverage program from them. I have had maybe three attacks since the start and all of them were stopped in the sandbox. I also have Advanced Systemcare4 running, and it does a bang-up job as well.

The authority to act is given through the priesthood itself, Aaronic or Melchezidek. The duties assigned to each office within the priesthood, however, are cumulative. For example, even though I'm an elder, I still bear the duties and responsabilities of all the Aaronic Priesthood offices I held previously. I can still pass/bless the sacrament, and I still am obligated to assist in fast offering collection. The Melchezidek priesthood is exactly the same. An high priest can do all the things an Elder can do, so tracing one's priesthood lineage through the office is a bit unnecessary. The only real difference is the responsabilities for the office held. It's not a new authority, but a new assignment within that authority.

scientologists.....another field, white and ready for harvest.....

You could have asked how often the Knights of Columbus suit up in their full armor, where the horses are kept, etc....

what if the throttle is operated by hand....that'd still count, right?

I'm not really sure why you think this. The previous paragraph pretty much sums it up well in my own way of thinking.

Maybe Starship Troopers wasn't so far off after all....

Just another case of people using someone's religion for no relevant reason. As for the handcart idea, so long as they're motorized, I'm all for it

Even though this isn't the way these situations are supposed to end, the Lakers are still a great team. Their history is one nearly any other team would love to have. Phil Jackson remains one of the most, if not the most, dominant coaches in professional sports. I am in no way a Laker fan (I root for whomever is playing them, just like I do with the Cowboys, Yankees, and the Red Wings) but the fact is they know how to win, and they're good at winning. Huge thumbs up to the Mavs for doing what most people thought couldn't be done; sweep the lakers. They had the desire to win, and I hope they go all the way. (Though I do admit to wanting to see the Mavs swept just to put a little salt in Kobe's eye.... )

Members of the LDS church are free to believe what they choose to believe. In order to be a member in good standing, they must confess acceptance of several key doctrines and practices of the LDS Church. For example, they must accept the General Authorities as proper authority chosen by God, and inspired by God to lead the church. They must accept the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price as the Word of God. They must accept Joseph Smith as a prophet of God. They must agree to pay 10% of their annual increase to the church as tithing. And so on. Now, as this site demonstrates, there is a great variety of belief from one member to another even within the structure of LDS doctrines. As such, there is a measure of dissent present in each of us. If, however, a person's beliefs cause them to essentially preach against established LDS doctrines publicly, or to preach against the LDS leadership, their membership could be in jeapordy. If public statements against the church don't stop, excommunication is usually the result. This makes sense to me though...why be part of a church if you don't agree with what the church is teaching? If you disagree strongly enough to preach against it..why not just leave of your own effort? At the same time honest investigation of the church is always welcome no matter who it is. One of the hallmarks of the LDS church is that the leaders from Joseph Smith to today have always told us that it is our personal duty to find out through our own efforts what the truth is, and who is sharing it. With regards to an individual who is showing strong dissent with the LDS church, their bishop will usually meet with them to try and determine how to help the person find answers to their questions, or find out what caused the dissent in the first place. The focus always starts with helping the person regain their faith in, and acceptance of, the doctrines they question. This process can take some time. If that part doesn't work, the next step is meeting with the Stake President for the same reason; help the person work through their questions and regain their faith. If that also fails, ie. the person is adamantly opposed to any resolution, or cannot refrain from public statements, the Stake High Council will meet for disciplinary reasons, hopefully with the person present, to determine whether or not they should be excommunicated. If the decision to excommunicate the person is made, that is the extent of the LDS Church's involvement. The church claims no other form of punishment beyond removing someone from their records.

Okay, but my point is this; What do we promise when we recieve the garments? Is that promise only applicable when we go to the temple? further, if locale can determine when/where we wear the garments, why not allow general fashion do the same here in the states? I guarantee the southern part of the US would be in the same situation as any of the tropics were that the case. I'm sorry, but I just don't see how the wording used in the temple gives us any wiggle room on when we can get out of wearing garments. See, this is my sticking point. Yes there are times we probably shouldn't wear the garments. For instance Steve Young said he didn't wear them during football games because the violent nature of the games was contrary to the nature of the garments in his opinion. Another instance is when we are swimming, bathing, undergoing planned hospitalization, etc... However, the entire point of this life, the Gospel, and the whole program is to teach ourselves to submit to all things God sees fit to place upon us. It's not to hear what God has to say, then see what we can opt out of when we don't feel we can do what he asks of us. The followers of God and Christ in the OT and NT are referred to as peculiar people. That, to me, indicates that it is expected that we'll stand apart from the crowd. The standards of the Lord are not based upon geography, but eternal truths. This has nothing to do with where the Lord decided to restore his church. It has everything to do with what we are expected to do in order to recieve all the blessings promised to us. If someone hasn't been through the temple, then I have no problem with how they choose to clothe themselves. However, once they do go through and make the covenants with the Lord in the temple, I believe those promises need to take priority.

welcome to the site. For advice about a mission, a talk with your bishop would probably work best. For my part, I strongly recommend it if you feel that Heavenly Father wants you to go. I learned so much about myself and the Gospel of Jesus Christ on my mission, I'm still finding out stuff years later. I would also suggest visiting the church website (LDS.org) about the other programs you're interested in. If the information isn't there, contact info should be there to guide you to people who can help you find out what's what.

Or, you can download the Reveal Reader in the apps market, and download it for free, along with a whole lot of other LDS content...also free.

Our resurrected bodies will be perfect in every way. We will appear at the peak of health in the prime of our lives. We have been promised that not even a single hair from our heads will be missing (though I can't recall where the quote can be located right now). All old injuries/scars will be gone, broken bones will be as though no break ever happened. The beauty of it all is that our resurrected bodies will be given to us regardless of how we lived our lives. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (I Corinthians 15:22) Essentially it's like this. Adam was the one that brought death upon mankind. Because of his actions, we all suffer from his choice. Since that is unjust, Christ took upon himself the consequences of Adam's transgression. Because of this through Christ the resurrection with a perfect immortal body is a universal gift to all who have ever lived upon the earth, or who ever will up to the end.

Here's the other side of the issue. If cultural traditions trump the standards set by God, then should the tropical members be issued sleeveless, spaghetti-string, or even strapless garments? Who's standards take priority? Here's the thing for me. The garments are the standard for LDS motesty rules. if God sees fit to allow adjustments due to regional tradition, he'll do so. As it stands, since the garments are exactly the same no matter where one lives, then it can't be too hard to imagine that God thinks that's the way it should be. All this discussion, from my perspective, is similar to a hammer trying to tell the carpenter how to better build the home he is working on.

I once played a game of poker with a tarot deck. I got a full house and six people were paralyzed for a week. (just a joke....)

Um....most of the scriptures that deal with the second coming would support it. Of course the world has been steadily turning to wickedness for some time now, so that aspect is hardly a shocker. As far as the year, personal revelation is what it is. The best way to verify it is to take the matter to God and ask him. If he told anyone else, he'll let you know as well.

...through obedience to law.

Jesus the Christ is dated in a couple areas, but the overwhelming majority of it is just as accurate and valid today as it has ever been. One area that came up recently is the understanding of the exact date of Jesus' birth. While it may be an inaccuracy, it hardly renders the entire book as 'dated'. Nor is the actual date of Jesus' birth very significant in light of everything else about him that is discussed in the book. I'm reading through it again for the umpteenth time, and I can't think of any other areas that are dated that I have come across so far. Considering the amount of time and effort that was devoted to putting it together (much of the work was done in the SLC temple because that was the only place Talmage could be truly isolated from distractions), I really don't see anyone working up a replacement any time soon. Having said that, and with the understanding that it is by far my favorite non-scriptural book, I could see someone trying to make a similar work that is more approachable to the reader. A few people tell me it's too dry and clinical for their taste. As far as other books, the rest of the 'missionary library' comes to mind. I understand that changes have been made to it since the late '90's, but I don't have any details.