prisonchaplain

Generational humor: 1. Boomer's: Variations of "I hate my wife ..." 2. Millenials: Variations of "I hate my life ..." 3. Gen Z: Variations of "Butter knife ..." Explanations: 1. Boomers often struggled in their marriages and find jokes about them funny. 2. Millenials tend to wear their hearts on their sleeves and grieve about every malady facing the world. 3. Gen Z are rebelling against millenial angst (often from their teachers) by irreverently joking about everything and anything.

Since the sites are not named, and I don't frequent many social media sites (Christianpost.com, Realclearreligion.org, and Religiousnewsservice.com are may current go-tos), I won't defend bad behavior on the internet. However, when I arrived at my current place of ministry (a women's state prison), I was surprised to find that our main Sunday morning service was provided by volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most of the attenders are not likely members of the church. Nevertheless, they gain benefit. The volunteers have found a way to minister with integrity while maintaining healthy attendance from a largely non-LDS group. They were pleased to discover that I had no intentions of changing the schedule (my services are on Monday and Thursday).

When we can't dazzle them with our brilliance, we're left to baffle them with our baloney. 😉

I would argue that everything that has to happen has happened--which is why we must be ready. Luke 12:40: Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

I'm choosing not to get into the weeds of a discussion about whether this is a pre/mid/post-tribulation rapture--especially on an LDS site. Instead, I'm broadly suggesting that Jesus will return at any time. It could happen 2033-43, but it could also happen tonight, tomorrow, this week, this month, this year. Imminent meaning soon and without warning. The broad warnings of Matthew 24 are already happening. Our role is to be ready--now. My own pastor offered great advice: Be ready for Jesus to return today, but plan to live a long healthy life. Ready but well prepared.

9 aAfter this manner therefore bpray ye: Our cFather which art in heaven, dHallowed be thy ename.

Forrest Gump on God's name: Hey Forest, what's God's name? It's Andy! Andy? How'd you come up with that? It's in the song: Andy walked with me / Andy Talked with me / Andy tells me I am His own... Hey Forest, what's God's name? It's Howard! Howard? How'd you come up with that? It's in the prayer: Our Father who art in heaven, Howard be thy name.

Is this the LDS version of that great Old Testament story about Shadrach, Meshach, and "Into-Bed-You-Go"?

I don't think there is an IRL to give you. I just posted my response.

I would not be surprised if the coming persecution/opposition is broadly targeted at all faith traditions that oppose LGBT political and social goals.

I'm sure LDS horns are a myth, but @zil2 bears watching. ⌚

I really feel like I missed out. Yes, I've read a few of the critical books (mostly from the 1960s-90s) and seen the notorious anti-LDS short film. The debates about history, polygamy, and Joseph Smith himself (along with his family)) are somewhat familiar to me. However, I never got initiated into this thing about the horns. Ah well...maybe I was too busy arguing the Trinity with Oneness Pentecostals! 😁

The elder son may have been guilty of hypocrisy. He blamed the younger son for squandering the family's money, yet almost seemed jealous. He complains that he worked while the younger was off enjoying himself. Why couldn't he enjoy himself? Why didn't the father let him have some fun, like the younger did? We can only guess at all that was going through the elder son's mind, but I suspect that he caused the father as much heartache as the younger one did by his refusal to welcome the prodigal back--his refusal to celebrate his younger brother's restoration.

@Ironhold sounds like you should drive whatever is comfortable. Kia Sorento and Hyundai Tuscon are two SUV models that might work well, comfort wise. We bought a late model Tuscon from Hertz and are very happy with it. Price seemed reasonable too (below KBB).

But Mighty in Valor, right? 😉

I'm just short enough, at 6' 4", that I can usually ride a sedan. SUV's and trucks tend to have higher roofs, which I appreciate. In seriousness, my Rav4 has my headroom than my Impala did.

Ironically, what ABC and the Obama reelection team did to Romney and the church is similar to what is being done to Christianity in general. Many LGBT leaders realize that most major faiths oppose their social and political efforts. Media and Democrats believe they are on the winning side, and so portray all of us as anti-human rights, anti-science, and just mean. So, we're all lumped together.

None of this surprises me. It's not so much that the Trinity teaching has lost favor, but more that Christian education has. When I was at seminary (Bible graduate school) our Christian Education program folded and our Christian Counseling program doubled. For the last many years (at least a couple decades) pastors' wives have transitioned from being Sunday School directors to being the church counselor/therapist. So, it's likely true that many lay Christians do not know/understand the Trinity (the doctrine of God). It's also likely that some pastors find it difficult to explain the teaching to those who have had far less Bible training than typical Christians in the past. On the bright side, I continue to look at Romney's candidacy as a sign of improved relations. No, he did not win and yes, many Christians refused to vote for him because of his faith. On the other hand, many Christians did vote for him. David French, and evangelical author/thinker, even wrote a short book on why we should do so. I felt very comfortable doing so. Despite all that, I would argue that the doctrine of God is important. The difference between our views is subtle but significant.

Mine will be ... a sedan. 😉

"Essential"--meaning of the same essence. Jesus, according to Evangelicals, is of the same essence as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. For most historic Christians this essential unity is what allows us to say our Trinitarian God is one. LDS theology, as I understand it, says that Jesus is so united with the Father and the Spirit, in purpose, that it is appropriate to say God is one. Essential unity (unity of essence) is not required. This to my understanding, is the key difference. Sadly, some "major on the minors" or want to discuss side issues that are more sensational.

As one who has sat in those audiences, I'll bring up the nuance that may prove your point. We (Evangelicals) knew that LDS worship Christ, but we were meant to understand that this Jesus was so different than the one we worshipped that it was, from an Evangelical perspective, not Christian. The sticking point was whether Jesus was essentially one with God or whether He was/is perfectly one with God in purpose. For our teachers, Jesus' essential place in the Godhead was a non-negotiable.

We could spend a lot of time on this site talking about the similarities between Christians--especially Evangelicals--and even more especially Pentecostals and LDS. There are many. We mostly share political views, chastity views, and worship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We share a love for the Bible. Then again, there are many differences. It could be seen as a show of respect to admit such. I value your beliefs enough not to sweep them under a rug or to pretend they don't matter. As but one example, @Traveleroften responds to my posts by saying he respects me as a person but has serious disagreements with my content. To me, that is high regard. He values me enough to affirm character but also enough to engage with my ideas rather than diminish them. Okay--some Christians are dense. Their manner of communication is clumsy, unnecessarily confrontation, and too often angry. Others may seem nice but come across as disingenuous. I sometimes wish we could just agree to disagree and focus on matters we admire. However, sometimes having respectful disagreements is more sincere.

There's a cheezy acronym that's meant to define atonement: At-One-Ment with Christ. If there is any validity to it at all then faith in Christ would be more important than the condition of the heart. Many people repent of their sins only to commit worse ones in the name of that repentance. "Why you do the terrible deed?" "Because I felt bad about _________________, and thought this would make up for it."

People do a lot of foolish things--sometimes even evil ones--in the name of their God. Some of these have been Christians. Churches and individuals should want to align with truth. If a church or an individual believes that Jesus is God the Son, then would they not want to identify with the Christian faith? Jews believe Jesus was a false prophet, so they would not call themselves Christians. Muslims believe that Jesus was a true prophet, but that God had no sons--that Jesus is not the Son of God. So, they do not call themselves Christians. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus is a great prophet, a great teacher, and that he is God's son--but not equal to Jehovah--perhaps a god. So, they deride "Christendom," and want nothing to do with it. LDS, while not trinitarian, do believe that Jesus is the Son of God. How closely the church wishes to align with the greater Christian movement remains an open question.

According to at least a couple of bias-meters, WSJ ranks as moderate in news coverage and leans conservative on its opinion page.