mikbone

I see many apologists trying to explain how how words like steel in the scriptures are not correct. Because everyone thinks that the ancients were much less educated then us. Noah and Nephi both got extended instruction from the Lord as well. I take Nephi at his word about steel.

Ether 3:1 and did molten out of a rock sixteen small stones; and they were white and clear, even as transparent glass

I have been impressed that Adam was taught how to forge steel while in the Garden of Eden. I’m pretty sure that the Brother of Jared was a smith as well. If you can make glass you can make steel. Ether 2:14 And it came to pass at the end of four years that the Lord came again unto the brother of Jared, and stood in a cloud and talked with him. And for the space of three hours did the Lord talk with the brother of Jared, and chastened him because he remembered not to call upon the name of the Lord. Jesus Christ has many names. Maybe one of those is Crom. Most people read Ether 2:14 and surmise that the Brother of Jared got an epic tongue lashing. A tremendous amount of information can be transferred in a three hour span by an intelligent and prepared teacher. No doubt there was some chastisement but that was likely a small percentage of the discussion.

This is what happens when you weaponize the law for politics. Biden won’t pardon his son now, but before he leaves office he will. And there are more lawsuits to follow… I bet he already made Kamala promise to pardon him if he dies in office.

We just finished a big remodel, half of the house as well as an elevated steel and concrete deck with complex engendered retaining walls etc. I can sympathize with your repentance analogy. I sure felt like repenting my decisions a few times during the process.

From ChatGPT “Augustine of Hippo, a prominent early Christian theologian, did not advocate for the idea of preexistence in his teachings. Preexistence, the belief that souls exist in a prior state before being born into the physical world, was considered by Augustine but ultimately rejected. In his exploration of the nature of the soul and its origins, Augustine examined various theories, including preexistence. However, he concluded that the soul is created at the moment of conception, aligning with the doctrine of creationism. This belief contrasts with the preexistence theory, which was associated with Platonic and Origenist thought. Augustine's rejection of preexistence was part of his broader theological framework that emphasized original sin and the necessity of divine grace for salvation. He argued that if souls preexisted, it would undermine the doctrine of original sin, which holds that sin is inherited through human generation from Adam and Eve. Overall, Augustine's teachings contributed significantly to shaping orthodox Christian doctrine, affirming the creation of the soul at conception and rejecting the idea of preexistence.” Who were the earliest proponents of a pre-existence? “The concept of preexistence, the belief that souls exist prior to their earthly lives, has roots in several ancient philosophies and religious traditions. Some of the earliest proponents of preexistence include: 1. **Plato**: In ancient Greek philosophy, Plato espoused the idea of the preexistence of souls. In works such as the "Phaedrus" and the "Timaeus," Plato argued that the soul existed before birth and possessed knowledge from this preexistent state, which it forgot upon entering the body. The process of learning, according to Plato, was actually a process of recollection of this preexisting knowledge. 2. **Pythagoreans**: Followers of Pythagoras, an earlier Greek philosopher, also believed in the immortality and preexistence of the soul. They taught that the soul underwent a cycle of reincarnations, where it would live multiple lives in different bodies. 3. **Philo of Alexandria**: A Hellenistic Jewish philosopher, Philo integrated Platonic thought with Jewish theology. He held that souls preexisted in a divine realm before descending into the physical world, where they became embodied. 4. **Origen of Alexandria**: One of the early Christian theologians, Origen, was a notable proponent of preexistence within the context of Christian doctrine. He posited that all souls were created by God in a preexistent state and fell into their earthly bodies as a result of their free will. This idea, however, was later deemed heretical by the mainstream Christian church. These early proponents laid the groundwork for discussions on the nature of the soul and its origins, influencing various religious and philosophical traditions.“

From Chat GPT The phrase "take it with a grain of salt" has historical origins dating back to ancient Rome. The Roman author Pliny the Elder wrote in his "Natural History" about an antidote for poison that included taking a grain of salt with it. The idea was that the salt would help mitigate the effects of the poison. Over time, this concept evolved metaphorically to mean that one should not entirely trust or accept something potentially harmful or dubious without a measure of skepticism or caution, symbolized by the grain of salt. Also from Wikipedia “In the old-fashioned English units of weight, a grain weighs approximately 65 mg, which is about how much table salt a person might pick up between the fingers as a pinch.”

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/nvidia-verge-overtaking-apple-no-181607211.html# NVIDIA just passed Apple today

What if I’m the oldest brother? Am I just producing daughters for my younger brothers? And what are my options? Nah, hard pass.

God does the same. Ether 3:12 And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie. D&C 19:7 Again, it is written eternal damnation; wherefore it is more express than other scriptures, that it might work upon the hearts of the children of men, altogether for my name’s glory. Luke 9:44 Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men. 45 But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

My wife is the ward music director and she knew that I love this song so she is putting in the lineup for father’s day. She wanted to make sure our organist was familiar with the music so she sent her the sheet music Anyway, after the Sacrament meeting yesterday she started playing the music as the postlude. And about half of the members started humming / singing the music.

I like that the riddle is not answered. It lets everyone choose their own answer. Steel is a truly a wonder. It can be hard, durable, hold an edge, while still being flexible and it has amazing tensile strength. In ancient time, it took a master blacksmith to create and work steel. Carbon must be incorporated into iron and the steel must be worked into a tool (in the case of Conan) a sword. The process requires heating at such a high temperature that charcoal must be sourced just to make the forge hot enough. Then the blacksmith must work the metal with a hammer over and over to fold, form, and pound the carbon into the iron. Finally, a sword must be quenched in liquid to harden the edge producing a magnificent tool. The riddle of steel can be applied to a man as well. Through trials of pressure, heat, and working from the master blacksmith the spirit and body of a man can be forged in the same way. Ether 12:27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. God (Crom in the case of Conan) allowed Conan to be fired, worked, and hardened into a powerful tool. Conan’s nemesis Thulsa Doom thinks that he has figured out the riddle but he is wrong. Conan beats Doom in the conclusion of the movie. Thulsa Doom is like Satan, he had become an overlord via death, conquest, lies, etc. Yet Conan with his own strength (endowed by Crom’s guidance) and the help of a few friends is able to beat Doom. Who was stronger? Conan the Barbarian turns out to be a Christ figure. And thats why the movie works. It’s not the violence or the nudity (totally unnecessary). The writer of the script knew what he was doing or was inspired. Conan is crucified. He sees angels. He prays to Crom. And the Satan imagery of Thulsa Doom is obvious to everyone. Joseph Smith figured out the Riddle of Steel. It was a hard lesson. D&C 122:6 If thou art accused with all manner of false accusations; if thine enemies fall upon thee; if they tear thee from the society of thy father and mother and brethren and sisters; and if with a drawn sword thine enemies tear thee from the bosom of thy wife, and of thine offspring, and thine elder son, although but six years of age, shall cling to thy garments, and shall say, My father, my father, why can’t you stay with us? O, my father, what are the men going to do with you? and if then he shall be thrust from thee by the sword, and thou be dragged to prison, and thine enemies prowl around thee like wolves for the blood of the lamb; 7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. Maybe Heavenly Father has a little bit of Crom in him.

I love old movies. Conan the Barbarian 1982 is a classic. Great origin story, good battles, mythology, triumph of good over evil, revenge, awesome soundtrack etc. Anyway, in the movie there is an underlying profound question that is posed but not answered - the riddle of steel. "Crom is strong! If I die, I have to go before him, and he will ask me, 'What is the riddle of steel?' If I don't know it, he will cast me out of Valhalla and laugh at me." ~Conan the Barbarian He is taught this riddle at a young age by his father who is a blacksmith. Unfortunately, after his village is raided, his father is killed and he never is told the answer and has to learn the answer on his own. The following is his fathers presentations of the riddle. Fire and wind come from the sky, from the gods of the sky. But Crom is your god. Crom, and he lives in the earth. Once, giants lived in the Earth, Conan. And in the darkness of chaos, they fooled Crom, and they took from him the enigma of steel. Crom was angered. And the Earth shook. Fire and wind struck down these giants, and they threw their bodies into the waters, but in their rage, the gods forgot the secret of steel and left it on the battlefield. We who found it are just men. Not gods. Not giants. Just men. The secret of steel has always carried with it a mystery. You must learn its riddle, Conan. You must learn its discipline. But his father does give him a hint. “No one, no one in this world, can you trust,” he says. “Not men, not women, not beasts.” Pointing to his sword, he concludes, “This you can trust.” So what is the answer? Its philosophical. I think I know the answer. You should probably go watch the movie. Any views?

Oh, I’ve done some serious study on the topic. I agree the answer is there. Probably not downloading like from the Matrix. So He must have been prepared in a practical manner. Was it via trial and error? Some think that Jehovah never made a mistake. I think that the best learning experiences come from our trials, errors (of our own and watching others mistakes), and finding solutions.

Ether 3:14 “Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people.” D&C 93:21 “And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn" Abraham 3:24 And there stood one among them that was like unto God Abraham 3:19 I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all. From the above scriptures, and from common sense I derrived the idea that Jesus is different from us (vastly), not because of chance or simply because He loved God more. Jesus was prepared. You can read this as if he prepared himself or that someone else prepared him for his calling, or likely both. From D&C 93:21, I sense that not only is Jesus Christ the Eldest. He likely pre-dates the rest of us (vastly). Most likely when the rest of us were figuring out how to be spirit children, Jehovah already had experinces that had made him intelligent and wise. When we compared ourselves to Jehovah, we realized that Jehovah was more like God then he was like us... Or from B. H. Boberts point of view - We were all akin to kindergarderners with fingerpaint and messy faces and shirts while Jesus was a Michaelangelo. Jesus understood the details of the Plan of Salvation before we were even introduced to the concept. And somehow Jesus Christ's infinite atonement had the power proactively to save, cleanse, and make whole. See Alma the younger in Mosiah 27:24-31 Yeah here is the answer. He had gained knowledge and intelligence way before we were even introduced to the Plan of Salvation. He was one with the Father. He had power to create. He cast out Satan and the third host from heaven. He had already been pre-conditioned against sin. And he knew that he was the Lamb. The question is when and how did all this preperation happen?! Was it like Neo learning Kung-Fu in the Matrix? Or was it something more practical?

Two questions. 1) How different was Jesus Christ from every other pre-mortal spirit? In Abraham 3:18–19, we read that where there are two spirits, one will be more intelligent than the other and that “the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all.” In commenting on these verses, Elder B. H. Roberts concluded that God was not only “more intelligent than all of the other intelligences,” but that he was “more intelligent than all the other intelligences combined. His intelligence is greater than that of the mass” 2) What do you think made him special? Did he get extra training, or some kind of endowment?

They out there saying that Trump’s fundraising website went offline due to a crash from all the donations. It feels like the Democrats have weaponized the law to take down Trump. Probably will backfire on them. Trump talked up throwing Hillary in jail but he didn’t pursue it… I feel like we are in for a wild ride until the election and possibly beyond.

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/05/tech-giants-form-ai-group-to-counter-nvidia-with-new-interconnect-standard/?utm_source=tldrnewsletter On Thursday, several major tech companies, including Google, Intel, Microsoft, Meta, AMD, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, Cisco, and Broadcom, announced the formation of the Ultra Accelerator Link (UALink) Promoter Group to develop a new interconnect standard for AI accelerator chips in data centers. The group aims to create an alternative to Nvidia's proprietary NVLinkinterconnect technology, which links together multiple servers that power today's AI applications like ChatGPT. Blah, Blah, Blah The group intends to form the UALink Consortium later in 2024 to manage the ongoing development of the UALink spec. Member companies will have access to UALink 1.0 upon joining, with a higher-bandwidth version, UALink 1.1, planned for release in Q4 2024. The first UALink products are expected to be available within the next two years, which may afford Nvidia plenty of lead time to expand proprietary lock-in as the AI data center market grows.

So much spin. Wonder what will happen to the stock market, and presidential polls… Is it normal to have sentencing delayed a month and a half? I’m giggling about the differences between the commentary on Fox News and MSNBC. Guess where I heard these words.. Majestic, Travesty, Miracle, Justice, Injustice, Convict, Distinguished, Power, Omnipotent, Historic…

I love many of Porter’s qualities. We would have gotten by swimmingly.

But there is one man I would mention namely [Orrin] Porter Rockwell, who is now a fellow-wanderer with myself— an exile from his home because of the murderous deeds and infernal fiendish disposition of the indefatigable and unrelenting hand of the Missourians. He is an innocent and a noble boy; may God Almighty deliver him from the hands of his pursuers. He was an innocent and a noble child, and my soul loves him; Let this be recorded for ever and ever. Let the blessings of Salvation and honor be his portion. Commentary from The Prophet Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith became a great orator as he matured. I love how he shared his love of P-rock while avoiding his sharp edges. We could all learn from Joseph Smith. We named #8 child after the gunslinger. When we blessed him in Sacrament meeting you could hear the the audible gasps.

“The U.S. Navy’s Afloat Safety Climate Assessment Survey project collected the data for the study between October 2020 and June 2023, inviting sailors to voluntarily participate in the study via an email link. Sailors from 122 ships participated.” Neither a study nor science…

What will science think of next?!

Interestingly enough, although the human brain is roughly 2% of the entire body mass, it requires 20% of the caloric energy intake (normal diet).

Why is NVIDIA stock going nuts? NVIDIA will likely be the highest valued company in the USA within the year. Nvidia stock surged 15.1% last week to a record 1,064.19, blasting past 1,000. The chip giant increased its market cap by $338 billion to $2.661 trillion as of May 24. That's just behind Apple ($2.913 trillion) and not far from Microsoft ($3.196 trillion). We will need fusion reactors just to power these new AI ‘gigafactories’. Or another alternative energy source…