HEthePrimate

I chose all options. But why use music by only LDS composers? There is plenty of perfectly good sacred music out there by non-LDS composers. One thing that puzzles me is the ban on certain instruments. For example, the guitar. After listening to a piece such as the following, I don't see how people can say that the guitar is inherently "irreverent":

Well, you've got to take into account the variables. First, every sacrament meeting is different, so it would be natural to react to each one differently. Also, some weeks I may be tired, distracted by other concerns, feeling sick, feeling great, in a super-spiritual mood, or whatever, any of which would affect my level of engagement or interest in the meeting. So... in my case, none of the answers to the poll would apply consistently every week. Personally, I think we should treat sacrament meeting primarily as a worship service, not a meeting for instruction. We have two more hours for instruction, after all. It should always, always be focused squarely on the Savior, not just for special occasions. And the sacrament should be the meeting's main event, not just something to get out of the way before moving on to the talks.

Really? Take a look at the dictionary definitions of 'legalism': Definition #3 can be discarded, as we're not talking about Chinese philosophy. But legalism according to the other definitions can be found in abundance in LDS culture. Again, as I said before, not everybody in the LDS Church thinks in legalistic terms, but to deny that it exists at all in our midst would be a mistake.

No need to be defensive. I actually have no problem at all with lawyers. Just saying (jokingly) that people's occupations are likely to affect their thinking. Pres. Uchtdorf likes to talk about piloting in his GC talks. Elder Nelson likes to talk about heart surgery and the human body in his talks. Same for lawyers.Scripturally, the Atonement is often (though not always) talked about in terms of a courtroom scenario. The Devil (Diabolos) is quite literally the Prosecuting Attorney, opposed by the Parakletos defending us. Legalism is quite common in the Church, but that doesn't mean the Church is untrue, nor does it mean that it's the only way of thinking found among Church members. Heck, the same person may switch between modes of thinking at different times, or about different subjects.

True enough, but not only of legal practice. A liberal arts education should provide that. But wait... people don't believe in liberal arts education any more, they prefer strictly vocational training these days.

Given the number of lawyers in the Church, there's bound to be a certain amount of legalism! Yeah, I think it's pretty obvious there is legalism in the Church, but it also depends on the person. Some bishops are super-legalistic, while others think, and govern their wards, differently. And this doesn't just apply to leaders, but to "regular" members, too. Explanations of the Atonement are often put in legalistic terms. This may have its uses, but I think it places unfortunate limits on our understanding of our religion's core doctrine. So, I think it behooves us to think outside the legalistic box.

People complain all the time about having to be "politically correct" and tiptoe around other people's feelings. And yet, when their own beliefs are contradicted, they often get, well, oversensitive. We Christians do make extraordinary claims. These are only a few: Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus was born of a virgin. Salvation is to be had through Jesus (and only through Him). Jesus miraculously healed people, and even raised them from the dead. Jesus miraculously provided food for thousands of people. Jesus was resurrected from the dead, and so will everybody else (according to the LDS). Now, I know full well that I cannot produce evidence that will "prove" the truth of any of the above. But I do believe evidence can be had, in the form of direct, personal, spiritual experience, and that is "extraordinary evidence," indeed! That atheist ad was not hateful. It didn't say "we hate Christians," "homeopathists are evil," or "Bigfoot believers are going to hell," or anything of that ilk. All it says is "show us the evidence to back up your extraordinary claims." We don't have to agree with the sentiment, but I see no reason to get all upset about it. Seriously, we live in the Free World where people are allowed to express differing opinions, even "offensive" ones. This billboard is just so... mild, compared to other messages I hear on a daily basis, that I really don't see what the fuss is about. HEP

Heck, I'll just trot on over to my sink for some good, down-home tap water! Every once in a while I'll buy Perrier or something like it, because it's fizzy and has a taste, but if it's plain old water I want, I see no point in paying all kinds of extra money for it by the bottle.

My Daily Affirmations: It's ok to like girls. It's ok to like girls. It's ok to like girls....

Bp. Wester has a point. Advent does give people something to celebrate, and could help people reflect a bit more on the "reason for the season." And he points out that the Christmas season doesn't end at midnight Dec. 25, but continues on into January. There's a certain balance there--a contemplative Advent season, followed by a celebrative Christmas season.Because my mother is from the Netherlands, we have traditionally celebrated St. Nicholas' Day. The Dutch tend to give gifts on St. Nicholas' Day, which I like because it makes Christmas itself less commercial/materialistic in nature, and allows people to focus on Christ's birth at that time. I guess there are different ways of doing things, and Bp. Wester's is a valid one. BTW, Capt. Curmudgeon, I'm not averse to celebrating Yule, too! :)

Where I went on my mission (France), people generally attend church only twice a year--Christmas and Easter. They may also attend for a christening or a catechism, but otherwise... not. Though I'm not suggesting that Mormons should follow the lead of the Catholics in most things, it does seem reasonable to hold a worship service on the two most important Christian holidays of the year. Since Easter always falls on a Sunday, we usually do have an Easter service. But it has always puzzled me that we don't hold services on Christmas Day (or Eve, take your pick) when it doesn't happen to fall on a Sunday. The "Christmas is family time" argument falls a little flat, if you ask me, given the fact that we are expected to attend at least three hours of meetings (more, if you have certain callings) every single Sunday, and often during the week, regardless of our family commitments. FWIW, even though most French people don't attend church regularly, there is one way they keep the Sabbath Day holy--they tend not to go shopping on Sunday. Most stores are closed, and the French typically spend the day... (drumroll) with the family. Again, not saying we should emulate French Catholics, but it does help put things in a different perspective.

Hheinze, I am going to be a little stern here. Yes, you do need your Heavenly Father. Feel free to talk to your bishop, your RS president, or any other spiritual leader you think can help you.HOWEVER, seeking the Lord's help does not mean you have to give up on help from professionals. It is my belief that God revealed a great deal of medical knowledge, or at least provided the means for people to discover it, so that people could learn to heal each other. In my opinion, refusing medical help is similar to refusing God's gifts. I have known a lot of people with mental illnesses in my time, and you are not the first one to take this attitude. That's part of the problem with mental illness. It's not obviously physical, like an open wound or a broken arm, and the person gets the idea it's all spiritual, which is just not true. Of course you feel separated from God--that's because you're depressed! It's a symptom of the illness. I suggest you take a two-pronged approach to this problem. Get professional help AND talk to spiritual leaders (and friends). The only way this is going to work, in my opinion, is if you tackle both the spiritual and the physical problems--ignoring one in favor of the other just won't cut it. It bears repeating that these feelings are common to lots of people with mental illness. You are not alone. If you'd like something to read, written by a General Authority, I recommend Valley of Sorrow: A Layman's Guide to Understanding Mental Illness, by Alexander B. Morrison. Peace, HEP

My thoughts are that God does not guarantee peace even to the righteous of his people. The Latter-day Saints certainly didn't have peace for quite a while. That we do now is more an accident of history than a sign of our supposed righteousness. In many cases throughout history, God's servants have been persecuted, tortured, and killed precisely because they were God's servants.Another question: Why would God not use the U.N. as an instrument in establishing modern Israel? HEP

There's a war on against Christmas! And the perpetrator is not who you might think. A friend of mine recently got a new bishop. He announced they will not be having a ward Christmas party. Moreover, he has said he is determined that there will be no ward Christmas Eve caroling service because he "doesn't have the time for it." They have held the caroling service every year literally for decades, and many families in the ward have worked it into their family traditions--it's important to them! They don't know why, but it feels to them like this bishop has a thing against Christmas and is ignoring their wishes. After all, even if the bishop doesn't have the time, why can't others organize the event? Some people have recommended that the ward members organize their own party and caroling service independent of the Ward. Would that be a sign of rebellion against the bishop, or simply taking the initiative? Peace, love, and bananas, HEP

Hheinze, If you've had suicidal ideation since the age of 13, it's quite possible you have a mental illness. That's not something to be ashamed of, but you do need to get professional help. Therapy can help, and it's possible medication will be needed (I don't know--you'd need to ask a psychiatrist). There is hope, things can get better. So hang in there and be gentle with yourself, ok? Peace, HEP

My ward is not having a full dinner this year. But we will be having dessert pies. It's a pot-luck affair, and I'm still trying to decide what type of pie to contribute. I hope you're not doing all the cooking yourself, MorningStar!

Interesting question. One thing I would make clear is that we will NEVER be on an equal standing with God. I'm thinking of the scripture in Revelation where the 24 elders cast their crowns before the throne of God--that's how I picture things being in the eternities. We may have our own domains and children, but all will still be subject the God the Father (and, I would add, God the Mother! But there I go getting all heretical! ). I think the more important thing is to focus on becoming more like God. He is our model, and it would be good to imitate him. It seems to me that even if we never "become gods," being godlike is still a better way to live. And it's obviously impossible to become a god without becoming godlike. We have a Heavenly Father and Mother. They are gods. If they are indeed our parents, it stands to reason that we can grow up and become more like them. And even if they were not our literal parents, they are still such wonderful beings that imitating them and becoming more like them could only bear good fruit. HEP

That. You hit it right on the nose, Traveler!Holding "The Jewish People" responsible for the murder of Christ would be about as stupid as holding the 14-year-old German exchange student my friends hosted earlier this year responsible for the Holocaust. Some Jews accused Christ and brought him before Pilate, and some Romans carried out his execution. But most Romans and most Jews had nothing to do with the matter. In fact, most of Jesus' followers were Jewish. I don't really understand Americans' attitude about the Jews. On the one hand, there seems to be an undercurrent of anti-Semitism. On the other hand, you have those who seem to view Jews with a certain amount of awe, because they are "God's Chosen People." Whatever. They're people, IMO, just like the rest of us, and some of them are cool, and others not so much.

Don't we have any Trekkers here, who would support the notion of a planetary government a la United Earth? Trek takes it even further and establishes an interplanetary government in the form of the Federation! Personally, I'm all for a global government, as long as it's a representative republic that protects individual rights. Shalom. :) HEP

The letter was pulled because the editors of The Daily Universe (and, I suspect, the wider BYU community) don't believe in the free marketplace of ideas. Whether or not the letter's content was "offensive," or did not accurately represent other people's ideas is irrelevant--in the free marketplace of ideas, that's allowed. Other people are always free to counter a letter they disagree with with their own letters explaining what they believe and/or pointing out what they feel to be the mistakes in the original letter. But... because not offending potential donors to the university, or Church leaders, is more important to the Universe than a free exchange of ideas, they pulled the letter. HEP

If you ask me, the pastor of the Dove World Outreach Center, Terry Jones, is a nutjob. He'll be burning copies of the Koran on Sept. 11, and is encouraging others to do the same. First of all, he's making the false assumption that Islam is inherently evil, which is a load of hooey. Second, he's endangering Americans, and American troops, worldwide by stoking the fires of anti-Americanism among Muslims. General David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, is warning as much: Top US commander: Burning Quran endangers troops - Yahoo! News Just imagine if some idiot decided to burn copies of the Book of Mormon. Wouldn't exactly endear him to us, would it? Way to go, Terry Jones! Making a bad situation worse, by hindering our efforts to reach out to Muslims and enlist their support in fighting terrorism. HEP

LOL Indeed it is!

That's an interesting thought. One time an Institute teacher of mine was talking about some of Joseph Smith's magical practices (like dowsing, carrying amulets, etc.), and he suggested that maybe there's power that comes from God, but also other "forces", as you say. I think he said something like power from the earth, that's essentially morally neutral (i.e. not from Satan, and could be used for either good or ill). It was just speculation about why JS would engage in "magical" practices when he already had the priesthood, but I found it rather interesting.GaySaint, I'll echo Elphaba, that I'm surprised your bishops didn't have a problem with the Tarot. But then, I've known bishops with other rather unorthodox points of view, so maybe I shouldn't be too surprised! Peace, HEP

Heheh! I'd totally forgotten about starting this thread, and just noticed it had popped up again. Haven't even thought about tarot cards at all for quite a while. What a blast from the past! I'll take that one step further: I don't completely trust ANYONE, not even a man or woman of God, other than God himself. However, I do think it's a good idea to pay more attention to what godly people say than to what ungodly people say. But all people are human and make mistakes, so even when we get advice/guidance from a godly person, I think it's wise to seek confirmation from God anyway. HEP

Spiders kinda creep me out, but not too much. I don't automatically kill them anymore, because they eat the other bugs! So at least they're useful for something. It's millipedes I don't much care for. Cicadas, on the other hand, I think are rather cool, and I enjoy listening to them in the summer. :) As far as technology goes, I'm not a technophobe, but still don't have a cell phone. I can see how they could be useful, BUT I'm not terribly fond of the idea of people being able to call me all day long, wherever I happen to be. When I go out, I like to really be out! HEP