mrmarklin

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Posts posted by mrmarklin

  1. I have been in this situation, but without the combativeness.

    The best thing to do in my opinion, is to challenge both the investigator and the "ringer" to pray about the things that they have been taught, and the Lord will tell them the right or the wrong.

    There is no point in arguing. The scriptures are clear: "thou shalt not talk in tenets."

  2. I reflected on this question a while ago, as I was petitioned to arrange some rather inconvenient and labor intensive, last minute service for someone. We tread a fine line sometimes. On one hand, we have a commitment to serve others, but on the other hand, people sometimes expect us to do things that seem more like we're simply working for free.....can you articulate when service stops being service and becomes free labor?

    It can be a tough question. I quit doing "moves" when the person we were moving didn't even have their stuff packed in boxes or anything. They made no effort in preparation.

    Come to think about it, I have never asked anyone in the church to help me move, unless they were a personal friend. Last time I moved, I paid a mover.

    I have helped friends in the church move since the incident above, but have given up on everyone else.

    Frankly for me its service if I can see some effort on the part of the recipient, they can't really do anything more themselves and can't afford to pay hired help due to poverty.:(

  3. WyomingEMT: mrmarklin: I constantly counsel people NOT to store water. It's extremely dangerous. A much better solution is to get a *quality* water filter, like the AquaRain which filters to 99.9999% (pictures are on my website). You can then safely drink about 30,000 gallons of lake, pond, river, pool or puddle water on ONE set of filter "candles".

    Hope this helps!

    Bruce

    I hope everyone lives near to a clean water source. If we have a real emergency, your tap will not work.

    I live in a city where the water comes from almost 200 miles away. Yes there are lakes, creeks somewhat close (a few miles), but I would certainly not call them at all convenient. I could drill a well, ground water is very close, but I would need a pump. Maybe the city I live in has such things for emergencies. But realistically, if society is broken to the extent that no one can reach where I live (a very large metropolitan area) it's curtains for the USA, not just me and mine

  4. I know this is probably a completely trivial, if not small minded, question, but I was wondering whether it is prerequisite to dress up for church. I come from a denominational/cultural background in which ordinary (albeit decent) clothing is practically considered a norm. I don't own a suit, have never worn a tie, and as irrelevant as this may seem in the larger scheme of things, I'm curious to find out whether a suit-and-tie Sunday clothing is a must.

    Frankly, I'm trying to get away from it. I live and work near Silicon Valley where no one is wearing such attire. I wore suit and tie to work until 2000, when our firm (CPAs) decided not to fight it anymore! Not even our banker wore a tie, and certainly none of our clients.

    I wear expensive brand casual clothing, and on and off I wear it to work. If I'm not seeing clients, I wear jeans. Gave all my suits away, and had to buy one for my daughter's wedding in October! It will be my last suit. I haven't worn a jacket to chuch in years, and when I'm travelling and visit a ward I never wear a tie, because I don't travel that way anymore. Very close to getting rid of the last vestige of accursed Beau Brummel...the tie!!!!:D

  5. I've been reading all of the responses to the question. It doesn't seem to me that anyone really knows the answer. Apparently the leaders of your church are paid but no one knows how much.

    Why isn't this information published anywhere? If the mormon church is tax-exempt there should be some way to determine the answer to the question. I always thought that the government required some kind of accounting for tax-exempt institutions to avoid abuses. It shouldn't be that hard to find the answer. This is puzzling to me. :confused:

    It's not published anywhere because US churches are exempt from that kind of financial reporting to the IRS. Other tax exempt entities are required to report salaries, etc, BUT all info reported to the IRS is absolutely confidential.

    Like most churches, I'm sure the Mormon church is a combination of church, other tax exempt entities, and as Hinckley stated, taxable entities.

  6. While food storage is laudable, we need to be sensible about it. For most of us in cities who live in apartments or have homes without basements, having one or two years food supply is just not practical. Simpley no room to store it! In my local area, subject to earthquakes, 72 hour supply is recommended by the church and the authorities. Many of us have more, but I don't know anyone with a two year or even a one year supply.

    Think about it. If there is a truly national emergency where there is a breakdown of law and order or the national or regional authorities cannot help, you would want to share your excess food with family and friends. The real limiting factor is water supply. Most of us cannot store this, yet one can only live a few days without it. So having a two year supply of food without water is meaningless. Most of us live in large urban areas where water is literally brought in over tens of miles, and sometimes hundreds. So unless you can quickly sink a well on your property and get access to a pump you're done.

  7. Since you quoted me and now saying your, I'm hoping that this is more a generalized statement than directed totally at me. Because never did I try to justify anything about myself in this thread.

    Pam, this statement was not directed at you, but at the forum in general. I have no idea what you weigh.:)

    My whole point is that I've talked to many people over the years that have said "I have this or that imbalance" to try to justify there over weight condition. Never heard one that was credible.

    I know women on birth control, that are not fat.

    I have a daughter in law with thyroid--not fat.

    I could go on. Like I said before, I'm sure that there are some people that can't control their weight, but I have yet to meet them. It's really rare..........:cool:

  8. I'm not sure it's a meaningful distinction. We tell our children, "You can choose your actions, but you can't choose the consequences of your actions." We could equally well tell them, "When you choose your actions, you are choosing the consequences of those actions."

    You're absolutely correct.;)

    " There is a law irrevocably decreed in heaven........................":eek:

  9. You chose to be sick? Or you got sick as a consequence of your choices?

    Yes, I did. I didn't realize it at first, but in reality it was true. I'll always be diabetic, but through weight loss and eating correctly, it's very much under control. I don't currently take any medication, because my blood sugar is normal.:)

  10. I don't think anyone is saying you don't gain weight by not eating. I think what some are trying to point out, that even if eating properly, proper calories, even the proper exercise, there may be medical conditions that unfortunately help to exacerbate weight gain.

    Again, this is so rare as to almost not be worth discussing.

    I have diabetes. It's adult onset, I was considerably overweight and my mother had diabetes too, so that's another strike.

    My point is that I got control of my blood sugar by dieting, and losing weight. My weight was causing my diabetes. I chose to be sick. I suppose there is the rare case where diabetes causes weight gain (but I doubt it), the correlation in diabetics is that being fat causes diabetes.

    There are certain illnesses where excessive water can accumilate in the body etc etc, but that's not true obesity.

    I have personally never known anyone who was fat because they had some disease. Like I say, it's really rare. Don't try to justify your own fatness by saying you can't help it. I cry Bull:rolleyes:.

  11. Have you ever considered that it's genetic and/or medical for some people? Eating is not the only cause of fatness.

    No it's not the only cause, but other causes are so seldom as to not be worth considering. They're maybe one in a million. Even less......................:o

  12. You've watched them eat all of that? All of it in one day? Like, you made a list of all the stuff these people ate in one day? Because I would hate to think you were just idly speculating cause you got your feelings hurt by a bunch of fat people :P

    As a former fat person I can say, one does not have to watch them eat to know that they do so to excess.

    Doesn't really matter whether it's pizzas, hamburgers, burritos or Pate de fois gras. Fat people eat too much.

  13. Your husband is clearly an alcoholic, and if he truly wants to recover, should join a 12 step program. Many are run by the LDS church.

    BTW, one never leaves these programs. You become a lifer in the recovery of your addiction.

    You don't say how long you have been married, and whether or not you have children. But if there are children involved you need to act to protect them from the effects of alcoholism in the family. I married a woman from an alcoholic family, and while she is a fine person and has never taken a drink, the effects of alcoholism in her life are negative and real in her personality and behaviors. I knew she came from such a home before I married her, but being young and dumb thought little of it. However it has been an issue in our marraige, and if I had to do it over, I would avoid marrying a person from such a background.

    I suspect your husband has other negative behaviors that you have not elaborated.

  14. Okay my brother keeps trying to drink caffeinated drinks like pepsi and energy drinks, but his excuse is "Dad drinks it so why can't I?" I'm frustrated because my family does go to church and believe in it but my brother thinks it's okay to drink this. Help me explain to him how it's bad any advice?

    It IS OK to drink Pepsi. I know several people who are totally addicted. They're temple going Mormons too.........:eek:

  15. Two days later, the problem is esclating to temper tantrums and braking things. This isn't the first time I've dealt with his temper but I'm feeling it may be the last. I can't live like this and it's hard on my youngest son as well.

    Any suggestions on how I can fix this or should I just pack my bags and call it good?

    thanks

    You shouldn't have gone behind his back, that was wrong.

    But the temper tantrums are certainly not normal, and are unacceptable in an adult.

    Your problems cut deep, and the only way that this can be resolved is through marraige counseling. If unsolvable, then you'll know to get a divorce.

  16. Thanks for quoting out of context, pastor bob.

    I'm not sure what your point is, but no one knows the location of Kolob, it has not been revealed AFAIK.

    BY was offering his opinions as to inhabitants of various locations illustrating the God created them all, and in general trying to show how the world lives in ignorance of many things that are of heaven, demanding proof. He is attempting to tell church members to rid themselves of similar ignorance.

    It has been postulated by various general authorities that the sun is Kolob, but that is certainly not church doctrine.

  17. The idea that Joseph Smith or any LDS church member is adding to the word of God is quite silly if you stop to think about it.

    The bible contains all necessary things for our salvation. The "additional" LDS scriptures such as the Book of Mormon etc only add clarification. If you look at the fundamental doctrines between Mormons and Catholics for example you'll find them the same in their essentials. Faith, repentance, etc. etc.

    Joseph Smith's non acceptance of other religions is bible based. There are many instances of changes made by so called Christian religions to the extent that God rejected them all, and wanted a restoration of all things. Some of the things are only alluded to in the bible. But by and large they are all there.

    The book of Mormon is a self proclaimed additional testimony of Christ...nothing more or less. It's not changing any fundamental doctrine. The D&C clarifies and codifies certain ordinances, priesthood duties etc.....but all are biblical based. Things for example like the Melchizedek Priesthood are clarified and explained in Mormon theology. But all this is alluded to in the bible. The protestant world is still trying to figure it out, and argues a lot about it, but since they have no modern revelation about what the bible is alluding to they can only speculate.

  18. tubaloth,

    This is an interesting story, and it was quoted at me by a "born again" evangelical several years ago in another forum. It's interesting, but rests on a couple of false premises that are widely accepted by many in the Christian world.

    One is that God created everything. We know that this is not so nor can it be so because intelligence has alway existed. Therefore, the student's answer to the original question posed was incorrect, and of course it was then easy to fall into a verbal trap.

    Then of course the student compounded his error by describing evil as the mere absence of God. Again, as Christians we know this is not so because satan is the active purveyor of evil. He rebelled against the plans of God, and it has been so from the beginning. If there is an absence of God, satan will want to fill that vacuum, but WE are the ones that create God's absence by disobeying His commandments, thereby experiencing spiritual death and inviting satan into our realm.

  19. The idea that Christ is "less" than the Father was imputed into Arianism because of the idea that Christ is a created creature of God. Which is true, but the rest of the world lacks a clear understanding of the benefits of keeping this, our secnd Estate.

    Church doctrine teaches that Christ is now a God unto himself, and not at all inferior to the Father in any way, having followed all the commandments. We also have this opportunity.

    Remember during Christ's lifetime, He said be ye therefore perfect even as my Father in heaven is perfect. After His death he said unto the Nephites: "I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father is perfect." In this scripture Christ puts Himself on the same plane as the Father. There is no inequality or Subordination. He is a Co-Equal member of the Godhead.

  20. Excellent. You're both ahead of the curve.

    But what about at every ward meal then, as said later in that post. That is not "sparingly" by any common sense definition. Any more than having ice cream (whether one scoop or two) at every ward is sparingly if the Prophet said "Eat ice cream sparingly."

    It's safe to say the average US Mormon that I know (and I know a lot) does not eat meat sparingly.

    Technically, I don't think they are obeying the WoW, but of course I suppose everyone has one's own definition of "sparingly" so who am I to judge?

  21. So why do we not take D&C 89 at face value?

    Cydonia:

    D&C 89 cannot be taken at face value in the 21st Century because it has been modified by the prophets in later years, namely 1930 when it became a commandment. There are so many general conference sermons (I think you can take them as revelations) about this topic that you can read that it is fatuous to continue your arguments.

    You also show your ignorance regarding beer as a "mild" drink. Beer as produced around the world has many levels of alcohol content, and even here in the US it is subject to varying controls regulating content from 3.2% on up. In Germany, a country to which I have traveled extensively, it is the national beverage. The alcohol content there is generally higher and the beverage can only have 4 contents to qualify as beer: barley, malt, hops and water. If you have ever been to Germany you will realize that the level of alcohol consumption is much higher than here in the US, and that alcoholism, and related problems are much more evident in public than they are here. I will say that in some ways the German public is more tolerant of certain behaviors than in the US. In toto however, I think it's safe to say that beer is not a "mild" drink.