mikbone

Science and religion is a complex topic. But in reality it boils down to only 2 real options. There is no God and the universe only works on the laws of physics that just happened by total random chance to be what they are... I find this option unsatisfactory. There is a God and He created our physical universe with a specific plan in mind. Because God wants us to live by faith we will never be able to understand completely how He manipulates the matter and energy to create our universe. You can't really have a combination of the above 2 options. They abhor one another. Man I love to learn about the universe, I have a great big telescope that I have used to check out our celestial neighbors. But I recognize that although we have learned lots about physics we are still only children trying to figure things out. We have no idea what Dark Matter or Dark Energy is or if they even exist (which we currently conclude that they composes over 3/4 of the mass of the universe). We have no idea what happens beyond the event horizon of a black hole. We are still very confused about the origin of matter. Is string theory real or is it complete garbage? Do we live in 4 dimensions or 13? If we look at the assumptions that our scientists had only 100 years ago, it is easy to see that we were totally lost. It was much worse 1000 years ago... Let us assume that the Lord just forgot us and there was no second coming. And that we were able to continue learning at our current pace without either killing ourselves or having some kind of event occur that destroys the planet Earth. How long do you suppose it would take us to learn all the secrets of the universe? A century, millennia, or millions of years? Do you think that we could come to the technological presence wherein we could build a tower of babel that would allow us to come into Gods presence? I don't think so. Learning about physics is awesome. No doubt we will have scientific breakthrough that allow us to live more comfortably, and expand our horizons; but we will never be able to utilize science to break the faith barrier. The second coming will arrive sooner or later. At that time we will realize that what we though was science is just a shadow of the reality that is the priesthood.

yes thank you moses 1:35-39

From Moses 1:38 it appears that the purpose of creation is to train men to be like God.

Abraham 1:21-24

Read a Book The two following books are uplifting and great reads. The name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss The Way of Kings - Brandon Sanderson (this book is available on kindle this month only for just $2.99)

How is it a flaw in his choice of words? It would be perfectly rational for an agnostic physicist to make the statement that he did... I have no idea if Sagan has converted or not... Agnostics tend to be stubborn.

Like Carl Sagan I believe in Occam's razor. But I have a different intrepretation of it. It seems to me that belief in a Creator with design and intent to bing to pass the immortality of man, would require far fewer assumptions than that of evolution as currently taught by our department of education. If I were God which I am not. I would take a galaxy and populate multiple planets at the same time to test my spirit children with mortality concurrently. This would explain why Enoch and his city are currently ministering translated angels to different planets.

It is entirely possible that there are other mortal planets with humans within and outside of our galaxy. The vastness of space is incomprehensible. Our Milky-Way Galaxy is 100,000 or so light years in diameter. Our nearest neighbor star is Proxima Centari over 4 light years away. And our nearest neighbor galaxy Andromeda is 2.5 million light years away. Earthlings have only started sending radio waves into space within the last century. Thus, it will take our signals 100,000 years to cross through our spiral galaxy. (I hope the 2nd coming will have transpired before that time). It is entirely possible that God populated multiple solar systems equally scattered throuhout our galaxy at the same time. If He were to maintain the time between the discovery of radio transmission and the second coming within a 500 year time period, then He could easily have populated just over 30,000 Earths with no possibility of us ever receiving each others radio waves.

I was hoping you would comment on the original content of this thread. I didn't think you would have agreed with Lorenzo Snows couplet, but there you have it...

Carl Sagan considered himself an agnostic.

Congrats and welcome sister. 2 Nephi 2: 22-25 may be the scripture you are referring to.

From Carl Sagan's Contact Young Ellie: Dad, do you think there's people on other planets? Ted Arroway: I don't know, Sparks. But I guess I'd say if it is just us... seems like an awful waste of space.

D&C 130:22 The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.

Absolutely I personally related a story wherein during my surgical residency I spent anywhere from 110-125 hours a week at work. During these 5 years of residency, I can recall many times when I thought that I was being mistreated and overworked. I remember one day during my 3rd year when my 5 year old asked me if we could have a sleep over. When most kids ask about a sleep-over they want a friend to spend the night. My child just wanted me to be able spend the night at our home. Anyway, many times since in my personal practice, I have been in situations wherein my many hours of work paid off both for me and my patients. And there were even some difficult cases that made me wish that I had spent a few more hours at work... One of the Elders commented about how gold is mined and purified. Much ore has to be mined and then all the impurities have to be removed or burnt off. And interestingly, the closer that you get to a pure element, the harder it becomes to remove the slag or dross. He made the connection that our souls are much the same. Perfection is a heck of a goal but it is not an easy process. We of course discussed the events in Gethsemane and Golgotha, and connected Christ's suffering to his perfection as mentioned in Hebrews 2:10. We also commented on Joseph Smith''s trials and D&C 122. And Hebrews 12:6 I later discussed the lesson with my wife and realized that one of the reasons that she loves our children so much is because she was invested in their well being after having suffered throughout the pregnancy and labor process. I love our kids too but she had a deeper love for them immediately. Jesus Christ must love us dearly.

Yes

Do not tell him that you are attracted to him. Missonaries are young men that have dedicated this 2 years of their life to God. Missionaries are human and are tempted just like everyone else. If something romantic were to occur, it would disgrace the missionary and could lead to events that would cause him to be sent home early. This would have devestating effects, and follow him throughout the rest of his life. And if nothing were to happen after your declaration of physical attraction, it would still make your relationship very awkward. The missionaries are always sent out in pairs and are never to be out of each others sight. One reason for this rule is to prevent any romantic events. When missionaries teach the gospel to investigators ready to learn the gospel, sometimes the spirit can be felt very strongly. And sometimes the spirit can feel like love. One of God's greatest attributes is love. But this love is a brotherly love not a romantic love. It can be confusing. You will have to work out your relationship with your partner. One good option would be to discuss these issues with your Bishop. He can give you some good council and can much better understand your situation than a bunch of faceless people thousands of miles away on a keyboard.

Alma 32:21 And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true

We were having fun during this thread discussing paradoxes and commenting on time-space issues. I doubt that we will be able to understand how God interacts with time until we enter the Celestial Kingdom and experience how He lives.

Dunno, I have done a few prolonged fasts though. Each time I did and the longer the fasts were, the easier it was to focus upon the spirit...

From today's priesthood lesson - Chapter 7: Faithfulness in Times of Trial: “From the Shadows into the Glorious Sunshine” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow Some of our brethren have queried whether hereafter, they could feel themselves worthy of full fellowship with Prophets and Saints of old, who endured trials and persecutions; and with Saints … who suffered in Kirtland, in Missouri and Illinois. The brethren referred to have expressed regrets that they had not been associated in those scenes of suffering. If any of these are present, I will say, for the consolation of such, you have to wait but a short time and you will have similar opportunities, to your heart’s content. You and I cannot be made perfect except through suffering: Jesus could not [see Hebrews 2:10]. In His prayer and agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, He foreshadowed the purifying process necessary in the lives of those whose ambition prompts them to secure the glory of a celestial kingdom. None should try to escape by resorting to any compromising measures. (Deseret News: Semi-Weekly, Feb. 9, 1886, p.1) Take it individually or take it collectively, we have suffered and we shall have to suffer again, and why? Because the Lord requires it at our hands for our sanctification. (Deseret News, Oct. 28, 1857, p.270)

Dude I'm gonna cry. With all the hullabaloo in last conference of the women giving prayers, I pondered that it might be nice to have the wifes of the general authorities with them up on the stand. It would give the impression of equality in the church. Recognize the importance of spouses. And let the general authority couples enjoy each others company. Are there any rules that prevent spouses and children from accompanying Bishops on the stand. Wouldn't bother me a bit. I would actually prefer it.

Check out this guy. Recent event here in my home town. Made national news. Failed Burglary - YouTube

Many may have supposed that the doctrine of translation was a doctrine whereby men were taken immediately into the presence of God, and into an eternal fulness, but this is a mistaken idea. Their place of habitation is that of the terrestrial order, and a place prepared for such characters He held in reserve to be ministering angels unto many planets, and who as yet have not entered into so great a fulness as those who are resurrected from the dead. (Joseph Smith, Jr. "History of Joseph Smith," Deseret News, Vol. V, No. 11; quoted in John Taylor, Mediation and Atonement, p.72-75) Moses 1:35 But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them. There are many more scriptures and quotes that are similar to the above. But these should suffice. And from a scientific standpoint Drake equation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

D&c 93: 11-19

What does a man do?