blackknight5k

Different from everyone else in here, I was the son who professed disbelief in the church. Actually, I should say Grandson because my dad wasn't an active member. What to do - 1 - love them 2 - don't cut them out of your life 3 - love them more What NOT to do - 1 - talk about the church every time you see them, my grandfather would have a 30 - 45 minute lecture for me every time I went over there. This only pushes them away and frustrates them. 2 - make them go to church, if they still live with you. My dad made me go to seminary every class for 2 years, but we didn't go to church on sundays. I have no idea why he thought he should force me to go to this class at 6:00 every morning when they wouldn't even get up to go to church at 9:00 once a week. Anyway, that's my $0.02 - hope it helps.

haha, I have been using "monkey" and "fudge" and other words like that...it does help, but now I"m starting to get to the point that I don't have to use any of those either. Thanks for all your opinions everyone.

Thanks guys, it's not something I WANT to do, it's just my mouth forms the words and then it happens... Usually when I'm ranting about something at work, we have a TON of people who don't pull their weight and make more work on the rest of us, whenever I'm ranting it usually happens. However, good news! Went all through last night without one swear word!

Every job I've ever worked there has been an abundance of foul language from my co-workers and, well, myself . I have had a dirty mouth since I was about 11 years old, if you can think of it I've probably said it. This is probably one of my largest hurdles to get over in order to keep the spirit with me at all times, however when everyone around me is dropping the f bomb and using every other manner of words mine kind of slip. Lately things have been much easier, i only slipped once last night and tonight (as far as I remember) I haven't slipped at all, however I was wondering if you converts or members who fell away for a time know any tips or tricks to clean up a dirty mouth.

How's things going, Trowe?

Prayer Meditation/Alone time Mindless Videogames are great, anything from solitaire to the newest game Going to the range helps a lot, I find that trying to put hunks of metal through a little paper circle ant various distances helps me gain focus and clarity and learn to ignore the other, more depressing, things in life.

If you honestly are trying to see if our religion jives with reality, the answer is yes. I was very very agnostic on the point of athiesm for the majority of my life. Our religion is like a massive puzzle of a magnificent picture of eternal happiness. Just like any other puzzle, if you pick up a piece sometimes you can't make out what it is. As has been discussed, we do not know why this practice was in place, we've been told not to speculate on why though there are MANY theories. Keep in mind that policy isn't always doctrine, and it's possible that there are reasons that we can't comprehend to explain why for that period of time our brethren of African decent couldn't hold the priesthood. Also, as has been discussed already, you have come across very hostile about everything you ask. This is obviously going to put us off and make us suspect you are just trying to stir the pot.

I smell a troll...

Like I said, I wasn't disagreeing with anything you said other than the guns causing crime thing. That's just a pet peeve of mine. And I also agree that everyone Sins, and I really don't believe a young man should be denied the chance to serve a Mission just for being an illegal immigrant, or for going to Canucksville to get cheap Meds. You are right, everyone sins and that is why we have the repentance process. I think you may have misunderstood my arguments above, and I hope we have now clarified and are on the same page.

Don't insult my face you crazy Canadian! Yer nuttin but merica's hat anyways. I would LOVE to clarify my position, as you seem to be making a ton of assumptions about what my, blackknight5k's, position is on lots of issues. Immigration I believe that anyone who wants to move to the US to work for a better living has the natural God given right to do so. I honeymooned in Playa Del Carmen in May of 2010 and we had to drive through a lot of the non-tourist areas because the Mexican Government was doing a lot of road work that held up traffic in the 'tourist approved' areas. There is a MASSIVE gap between the haves and the have nots in Mexico, and if a have not wants to move to the US to become more of a have then they should be able to. However, I'm not saying lets tear down the walls and let everyone come in. We should ease the immigration process for people who want in to work, but reserve the right to deny entry to criminals and the like. I could go on all day about this topic but I'm going to end my words there to get to other topics... The Drug War A massive waste of money, prohibition changes nothing. If a demand for an item is great enough then those people will be able to get it. I don't know anyone who couldn't, with one phone call, get whatever drug they want. We waste so much money trying to police what people do to their own bodies that we could be using on more pressing issues...or just lower taxes. I've heard all the arguments for support for the prohibition of drugs and I have to say that they are all just grasping at straws. What about the people who neglect their children when they are doing drugs? Then punish them for neglect. What about the people who rob people to get money to do the drugs? Well, put them in jail for robbery. What about the people who murder while they are on the drugs? Well, put them in jail for murder. What about all the other people who mind their own business and smoke some pot or do some cocaine on the side? Why should they be sent to a horrible, deadly place for their choice to do something that hurts no one else? Guns I like guns, I am seriously considering becoming a gunsmith and opening my own store. Guns are neutral objects and are not "crime" in and of themselves. Just because your government chose to prohibit owning an item doesn't mean that they cause more seriously crimes. We're back to my argument above...if they use guns to steal, murder, neglect, etc. etc. then put them in jail for those crimes. People coming up to Canada from the US to buy subsidized drugs Your taxpayer dollars go to make those drugs cheaper for citizens of your country. My personal beliefs on government subsidiaries are not important right now. When someone crosses the boarder to lie their way into buying government subsidized drugs they are not only, well, lying but they are also stealing from the taxpayers. It is wrong and shouldn't happen. As you can see, I agree with you on some points, might disagree with you on others, but overall I think the only thing I want you to take away from my post is that just because I'm an American doesn't mean I conform to any sort of stereotype of your typical American. Honestly, I disagree with most of them...except for guns. I really like guns.

You know what it is, get on your knees and pour out your heart to the Lord. He won't let you go away if you don't want to. I've been in similar shoes as yours, I was away from the church for a long time and I don't wish it on anyone. The church isn't the people in the building, it's the beliefs and your relationship with God.

The right to not wear pants should be in the Bill of Rights somewhere, can we replace the 3rd amendment to "Congress shall pass no law to infringe on the right to not wear pants"? Back to the question at hand - the LDS belief has been discussed already, however I'd like to bring the perspective of why we don't believe you're going to hell. You are a child of God, and he doesn't want eternal pain and suffering for you so he's going to give you a wonderful afterlife just because you are his child and he loves you.

As I'm sure the majority of you are on facebook, I'm sure you've seen people with the following image as their picture: So it looks like this week is some semi-organized Atheism week, I'll just post a flier from their website to explain their view. I re-hosted the images in case you're worried about giving their site extra views or anything. So anyway, it seems to be mostly harmless, however I have since discovered a multitude of Atheists on my friend's list that I didn't know about. Your thoughts?

I use to listen to the MP3s supplied by the church at work, but I found I wasn't paying attention to the words. I personally prefer setting aside 20 - 30 minutes a day for scripture study. Toy soldiers eh? Sounds like warhammer or something similar?

My wife received A Marvelous Work and A Wonder by LeGrand Richards at her Baptism, we are currently going through it a chapter at a time a few times a week after scripture study. I also picked up "Fathers as Patriarchs" by Grant Von Harrison which I have learned so much and it has helped my testimony grow in leaps and bounds.

It was part of your argument, you brought the topic in here - and your new argument of "well people in the US use the same argument for another neutral object" is ridiculous. Your argument and the Cocaine argument are both wrong.

I'm not going to disagree or agree with anything else you said, however this statement bugs me. The criminals are already in Canada, they just look elsewhere to buy neutral tools to do their crimes with. A gun isn't evil or good, it's neutral.

After watching my first gunsmithing class online I am convinced there is a secret religion devoted to John Browning with the 1911 as it's Bible. I don't know about you, but if I wasn't LDS I'd sure be a member..

I don't think "lukewarm" members are a stumbling block, but maybe "lukewarm" members who think they are "hot" and like the speak very publicly about opinions that don't run parallel to those official viewpoints of the church?

Those verses really don't say that it is not possible for Satan to cast out Satan, just saying that Jesus wasn't casting out by the power of Satan - Satan is a deceiver, and it is completely possible that Satan's followers have some sort of "sign" or "understanding" that when someone does X thing then we'll leave to deceive them. It would really hurt credibility of the true church, and isn't that what Satan wants to do most of all? Christ spoke a little on this subject to his disciples nestled in the "wars and rumors of wars" verses: JS Matthew 1:22 For in those days there shall also arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to covenant. My personal opinion is that the majority of the public healings are just showmanship, maybe not entirely on the part of the "healer" but also of the person being healed. It could be that the person being healed has been faking or exacerbating the symptoms they are having for multiple reasons such as attention or disability claims or whatnot. Now they are in an environment where they are now "saved" and accept Christ, which means that they know they are living a lie and what better way to get out of that lie than to be healed by the power of Christ? I don't think any "side" of this argument in this thread is going to convince the other "side" any different, however all we can do is Pray about it.

That's Awesome! Which College are you currently attending, if you don't mind me asking?

Agreed Also, I know a few people who are on Adderall, including my 10 year old sister, and it has helped them tremendously.

I'm sorry if my last message sounded slightly harsh, however I'd like to bring up another point in this. I understand his mother is distraught, her child is doing wrong and it pains her. However, let us think of our Father. Every day literally millions of people do things that He doesn't want them to do. They fornicate, murder, steal, lie, worship false idols, deny him, or hate him. They curse His church, trying to make it harder and harder for His missionaries and members to do their job of spreading the word. However, what does He do? He continues to love us with all his heart. He did not choose Satan's plan of forcing us all to do good, he choose the plan of agency. He knew that many would die in unbelief, because of temptation. What can she do and what can you do? Pray for him, love him, and help him if he wants or needs it. Don't enable his habit, let him know that you disapprove but do not try to ruin his life to force him to conform to something he does not want to conform to.

I think it's ridiculous to put someone in jail for doing something that only harms themselves. I have seen plenty of studies that show that MJ is less harmful than both tobacco and alcohol so why should it be illegal and tobacco and alcohol be legal? OP, do you realize all the horrible things that your childhood friend would be subject to if the worst case happened if you reported him? I will leave it up to your imagination, but do you wish all of those things upon someone who did something that only hurt themselves? Prohibition is ridiculous and doesn't work for anything - people have agency to harm themselves and will continue to do so no matter the legality of what they want. We should focus more on rehabilitation instead of incarceration for these matters. I will admit that I smoked some pot in my youth, and if you say that I should be placed in prison with rapists, murderers, thieves, and pedophiles then I say you need to have your head checked.

I have been struggling to gain a testimony for the last 2 years, however in the last 3 months my testimony increased 10 fold. I can't promise you anything, but the way I did it was by feasting upon the scriptures. Read every day at least 20 minutes in the Book of Mormon. In addition to that, I'd suggest going to the temple bookstore (if you have one in your area, otherwise go online) and pick up a book that interests you. A Marvelous Work and A Wonder is a great book that my wife and I are currently reading together after our 20 minutes of Book of Mormon reading and it is great. Go to church every Sunday, to every hour. Meet people and make friends in the Ward. This part was hard for us at first, but the longer you go the more people will get to know you and the more friends you will have. If you have a hobby chances are there are at least one person in the Ward if not more that share the hobby. When you do this, and you progress in your faith things will happen that will help solidify your testimony. I have taken part and seen wonderful things in the last 3 months that I couldn't dream of having seen. I saw my wife's burdens of an illness lifted by the power of the priesthood. In the last 2 years I have seen her go from a solid atheist to getting baptized and now loves the gospel. I have seen a change in myself and the way I live because of the greatness of the gospel. One last thing that helped me is I started monitoring the media I took in. I quit listening to the rock music I use to love and quit watching TV shows that drive away the spirit. Doing all these things and these experiences have helped me tremendously and I hope they can help you too. EDIT - As for the ADD, I do not have ADD or ADHD but I have the worst memory in the world. I can remember facts and things I've read, but things I have to do...ha, throw that out the window. Need to take out the trash before work? Yeah, forgotten in 5 minutes. What helps is writing everything down...I have no idea if this could/would help for you...but it's worth a shot? maybe get a little notepad or something to keep in your pocket? I have no idea, and I could be completely wrong - but it's worth a shot maybe?