HEthePrimate

Another question. Setting aside the question of mercy entirely, would it truly be just to punish a person forever for a finite sin (or group of sins) she committed during her mortal life? Think of it: finite sin, infinite punishment. Doesn't sound just to me, and I find it hard to believe that God would do that. HEP

A few months ago my phone company kept calling me and trying to convince me to add TV to my phone and DSL service. I said "no," but they seemed incredulous. But I'd have to buy the converter box if I didn't get their TV service, they said. I told them better a one-time $10 purchase (I used a government coupon) than have to pay however much they were charging EVERY MONTH for their service. Plus, how many channels do I need? I really don't watch that much TV, so why pay for what I'm not using?I don't blame them for doing their job (trying to sell me their product), but honestly, once I've made it clear I'm not interested, can't they let it go? HEP

G-rated movies are too adult? How so (does she think)? I'm really curious! Are you talking about my aunt, by any chance? She lives in the Canadian "Book of Mormon Belt," and tends to have attitudes like that. I love her to pieces, but her airs can be rather irritating. HEP

IS that the whole intent of the Atonement? Ok, suppose sometime in the future an individual who did not have Christ's atonement applied to them comes to the point where they have paid the full price for their own sins--what then? Can they start progressing after that, since the price for their sins has been paid? Can they then enter God's presence, since the penalty has been paid? Is it REALLY?HEP

Nothing against TV, though I don't sit around and watch it all day (my vision of hell involves being forced to watch daytime television programs!). After a hard day at work, it's nice to be able to relax in front of the tube for a while for a bit of *gasp!* mindless entertainment. I also watch the news and educational programming when I get the chance. Other times I go Luddite and waste my time by reading books. HEP

Heaven forbid God be too merciful! HEP

Hi Pam, If you had a child who rebelled against you, stole some money, left home, and didn't talk to you for five years, would you forgive her if she came back after that five years, humbly asked for your forgiveness, repaid the money, and treated you well for an extended period of time? Suppose ten years later you two have another falling out, and your child stops talking to you again. Then you die. In the next life, you go about your heavenly duties, and eventually your child dies, too. She comes to you in tears, hoping to reconcile. She's very nice to you, and so on. Is there any chance you might forgive her? Eventually? God loves you even more than your earthly mother does (Isaiah 49:15-16). HEP

It's true that time is not repentance, and that many people don't repent. However, I must say that true repentance is not about the degree of remorse and suffering--it's about change. Granted that it is proper to feel remorse for hurting another person, but with repentance, a person should not beat themselves up about it forever. And that remorse should help the person change his/her ways and start behaving better, make amends, etc. But if we are expected to pay the price for our own sins, then what was the Atonement all about? Did Jesus suffer and die for nothing? You seem too hard on people, harder than God is. You say that most people who divorce and get remarried are living in adulterous marriages. That seems a bit harsh to me.You also say that only worthiness makes a marriage valid. Well, in that case, none of us are legitimately married, because nobody is worthy, other than God (Romans 3:10). I'm not trying to justify sin or unfaithfulness. I'm just saying that if a couple sinned before they got married, then they got married, and were decent people after that and faithful to each other, chances are they won't get excommunicated--and probably they shouldn't be. IMO, those years of being good to each other count for something, too, my friend. HEP

Erm, no.Indonesia has the largest Muslim population, with over 207 million Muslims. The U.S. has only approximately 4.5 million Muslims. Our Muslim population is about 38th in the world, hardly one of the "largest." HEP

Again, agreed. What I have a problem with is the extreme position that nudity in art is always bad. If this were a forum where people were arguing that pornography is good, or that nudity is always good, I'd be arguing that porn is bad and nudity is not necessarily good. But this is an LDS forum and I don't see anybody saying those things (thankfully!), so...HEP

Let's see what abomination President Barack HUSSEIN Obama committed today. OMG!! He tried to connect with Muslims in an attempt to work with them to defeat terrorism! What was he thinking! Geez, Louise, what'll he come up with next. Darn politicians! HEP

Well, I'll concede that point! So, if it's old, it's ok, but if it's new it's not ok... HEP

I'd recommend that you go back and read the post by Prodigal_Son I was responding to. He said "Nude art... porn... what's the difference?" Apparently you agree with him that there is no difference, but I think there is. Nude art is not necessarily designed to cause sexual arousal. Likewise, nudity is not a necessary ingredient of eroticism. Are those cute pictures of little babies by Anne Geddes to be considered pornographic because they're nekkid? Is the Venus de Milo statue pornographic? (I saw the Venus de Milo when I was a missionary! ) Chocolate is not a "necessary contribution to our society," either, but I sure as heck hope they don't quit making it! HEP

Agreed. I like the way you put it--"economic anarchy." IMO, true freedom requires at least some structure/rules, as opposed to being anarchical. The "law of the jungle" model just doesn't appeal, and as you say is probably unsustainable anyway. Heh, I'll have to check that one out of the library. Thanks for the recommendation! HEP

One of my friends has a daughter who, when she was a teenager, felt uncomfortable with some of the questions the bishop was asking her. After that, my friend and his wife insisted that one of them always be present when one of their minor children was having a worthiness interview. This approach seems sensible to me, but the bishop resisted, presumably because it was outside his realm of previous experience. But the parents reminded him that they have that legal right, and that he had the choice of either having one of them present, or of not interviewing any of their children until they were 18! (Imagine how much trouble the Catholic Church could have avoided had they had a similar policy!)HEP

If they're married, they're married. The Church doesn't "revoke" marriages. If their Church leaders decided to excommunicate them, then I suppose they might not be regarded as "sealed" (though I'm not certain about that), but they would still be legally married, and the Church would recognize that. Depending on the local Church leaders' attitudes, my guess would be that if the couple had not sinned for a long time, chances are they would not be excommunicated. They might be disfellowshipped, or maybe not even that--I don't know. But it would seem rather pointless (to me) to make a huge issue of it so long after the fact.HEP

Are you saying that God is a porn publisher and distributor? Adam and Eve were naked, as was I when I was born, at least until the nurses hurriedly and shamefully covered up my disgusting, sinful, little infant body... HEP

Whoah, back off, Sister! I think you read a lot more into my post than I intended to say. Your dad is a good and generous man who is helping people. He is not motivated by personal gain to run the business the way he does, but does it to help others--that's what I was talking about. I think we're actually on the same page, my friend. What I was speaking to was the rather cynical attitude that some people have about human nature, that personal gain/greed is the only thing that motivates people. It ignores the fact that people such as your dad exist, who do things out of altruism and community spirit. Peace. HEP

Interesting. Americans pride themselves on their supposed history of "pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps, no-government-handouts, rugged individualism," but if they'd actually study the history, they'd find that the government gave away a great deal of land, mining rights, etc. (after stealing the land from the Indians, of course!). In other words yes, our forefathers/mothers worked hard, but they also relied on government handouts, which is hardly the mythological "free market" system conservatives are always gabbing about today.HEP

Is it true that material gain is the only thing that can possibly motivate people to work and do a good job? If so, we're in a sad state of affairs. HEP

That was funny, Moksha! No, putting "appropriate length clothing" on Classical Greek statues would most certainly not be acceptable--it would be defacing them, IMHO. The human body is beautiful (well, maybe not mine!) and therefore an attractive subject for artists. Even less attractive people are interesting, and artists like to depict them, too (look at Da Vinci's studies, for example).Sometimes I wonder if the way so many people treat nudity (with shock, shame, etc.) doesn't actually enhance it's tendency to titillate. Sort of the "forbidden fruit syndrome," you know? HEP

The Perfect Man N'est-ce pas?

Sweet! It's about time!

Big congratulations to you!! That's great! :) My old temple pants are no longer wearable, and I'm waiting for a new pair of white pants to arrive from the Distribution Center. After that, back to the temple with me! (I'd look awfully out of place in my khakis, n'est-ce pas?! ) Congratulations again--I'm happy for you and your family. HEP

That IS scary. That Kim Jong Il thinks that the U.S. is going to attack N. Korea tells me he's a paranoid old tyrant. Or maybe what they're saying is true, that he's trying to boost his standing among his own people and be able to set up his own successor.If it weren't for the homosexuals, this would never have happened. It's all their fault, and their moral depravity! HEP