mrmarklin

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  1. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to The Folk Prophet in Church Settles with SEC   
    My thoughts:
    1. Bureaucratic nonsense.
    2. Taxation is theft.
  2. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to laronius in Church Settles with SEC   
    Coming from a tax background, often when laws are made there are lots of gray area that aren't specifically addressed by the law and only get settled once the government decides to take legal action against someone who interpreted that gray area differently than they do. This is where much of the details of law get hashed out and precedence is established. But until then individuals and institutions have to do their best at interpreting the law. 
  3. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to scottyg in Helping others with doubts   
    Nope, not a bit. Scripture is filled with examples of weak persons who were beneficiaries of miracles, ministered to by angels, and who even saw the Savior Himself...and later fell away for petty reasons.
    Too many church members (and Christians in general) only attend church for the social aspect, or because it's a tradition. A firm witness from the Holy Ghost is needed to gain a testimony, and is also needed to further nurture it. There are lots of things I don't understand, and frankly I could care less about them. The Holy Ghost has let me know what is true...so none of the outside noise really matters.
  4. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to Vort in The gender of angels   
    Angels sent from heaven are given Priesthood assignments. I assume that, at least in the cases we have record of, such an assignment requires a Priesthood holder.
  5. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to mikbone in Is Sacrifice and Suffering an Eternal Endeavor?   
    Joseph Smith taught that “a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has the power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation.”
  6. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to prisonchaplain in Is Sacrifice and Suffering an Eternal Endeavor?   
    IMHO Heavenly Father's foreknowledge of our choices to sin does not make HIm culpable.
  7. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to laronius in Stacey Harkey comes out   
    Women often have very close relationships with other women that men generally don't experience with other men. There isn't anything romantic about it but it's more than just hanging out with the guys and it helps meet a need on an emotional basis. So if two guys want to have a similar relationship because they are just hardwired differently than most men I don't see how we could say one is wrong and the other isn't.
    The problem though is when we want to take on the appearance of something more and yet pretend its not. Men and women don't "date" each other unless they are at the very least exploring the possibility of taking the relationship further than just friendship and as soon as it's decided that the relationship will not progress further than friendship the dating stops. So in my mind there is no such thing as "just dating" between same-sex individuals.  
  8. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to Vort in Elder Holland talk April 2022   
    True, but I firmly believe that not being a Saint is much harder.
  9. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to Jane_Doe in Genesis   
    When non-members ask me "how can you believe in the Book of Mormon when we lack literal evidence of it being true from scientists?"
    My response is to laugh and say "If I was a person whom required scripture to be super-literal-true-with-21st-century-scientific-take-on-things, then I would throw all Abrahamic faiths out the airlock based on Genesis alone.  There is so much of it that is blatantly shown to be false by modern science -- *if* your judgement of Truth is based on 21st century scientific interpretation.  For example: the world was not created in exactly 8,640 minutes (6 days).  Frankly, the people of ancient Israel were not counting minutes with this story-- counting minutes isn't the point!   Rather, the creation story is about God creating the Earth conveyed symbolically & His power.    I 100% believe the Creation story it is true, but in that symbolic interpretation that ancient people wrote/told it in, not 21st century minute-counting." 
    And I could go on with other examples.  I don't believe people literally lived to 900+ years old.  Literally an entire global flood.  Etc.
    Other parts of scripture I very strongly believe are literally true- such as Christ literally raising from the dead.
      Others I don't know the blend literal versus symbolism, such as the Garden of Eden.  Frankly, I don't really find that exact blend to matter on Eden or most other parts of scripture.  
     
     
    Aside: speaking as somebody whom spent many years studying evolution and all-- science tells us how things occur.  Faith tells us why.  My job studying evolution and the natural workings of the world was me getting paid to be amazed at His craftsmanship.  Understanding just the tiniest fraction of it and marveling.  
  10. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to laronius in Gays, blacks and the church   
    No blessing will be denied to the faithful. It might take until the next life but once free of their fallen bodies they will have the opportunity for this and all blessings. 
    There might be similarities to the extent that both groups were denied something they couldn't have but one was founded in doctrine and the other the simply the will of God at that time with no doctrinal explanation.
  11. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to The Folk Prophet in Gays, blacks and the church   
    Someone who is gay can already participate fully in all the blessings of the church if they choose to through their obedience. Which means there's no comparison to be made at all.
  12. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to Anddenex in God and theories of physics   
    I'm inline with @laronius in the sense that whatever theory comes closest to, or is inline with, things as they really are is the approach that is more likely to be inline with God's powers and dominion.
    @MrShorty has pointed out, which I used to be inline with the concept of "being subject to" but I'm not sure about that anymore. For example, am I subject to the Law of Chastity (acted upon) when I know it true and I would never act outside of it (agent unto oneself).
    I'm of the nature now that they are complimentary. God understand the laws of the universe at the finest detail. Not only that, but for some reason, as with the priesthood God can command the elements to act. The question then, as with water to wine, when God commanded I would specify there was nothing magic about it, but that God commanded and the elements then worked their way through according to the natural laws that would compose wine.
    This inline with the notion that every miracle performed has been accomplished through laws we do not yet understand.
  13. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to Grunt in Kyle Rittenhouse   
    Funny watching people blame this kid for the deaths of violent rioters that assaulted him.
  14. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to Traveler in Neutrinos   
    One of the theories of the universe coming from the Big Bang is that our universe is a 4 dimensional sphere.  Let me to explain a little.  We have a lot of experience with 3 dimensional spheres - especially in sports with various balls.  If we think of two dimensions that are curved that all lines (including straight) in two dimensional space will eventually intersect with all other lines including with itself.  In science such a two dimensional space is called non-Euclidean.  The theory is that our 3 dimensional space is curved (proven through Einstein's theories) and forms a 4 dimensional sphere.  What this means is that all points in our universe are both center points and boundary points.  This also means that if you travel in the same direction long enough you will end up back at the same point from which you started.
    Since light travels as fast as is possible - it is possible that very powerful telescopes could see into our past.  And if certain principles hold (such as some way to see in a way that exceeds the speed of light) we could also see into the future. 
    At this point I would like to introduce the concept of the Kardashev scale of civilization.  Anyone interested ought to Google it and read from several links - which is why I have not provided a single link.  Other theoretical scientist have added two additional types but others have suggested that such is in essence an extension of the final or third scale.  I would suggest that this is not so fare and a good and explanation of the 3 degrees of Glory in the resurrection that I have encountered.  BTW our current civilization on earth is considered a type 0 but approaching a type 1 - perhaps 60% or so and quickly advancing.
    Why do I bring up the Kardashev scale of civilization?  because what we are currently discovering concerning neutrinos brings us closer to a type 1 civilization that will unlock many current mysteries.  I have often wondered what would happen if we could go back in time and bring one or a few of our restoration founders (Joseph Smith's time) to our day and time and take them on a trip with our motor cars and a jet airplane to anywhere in the world in just hours - if they would say of such a civilization as ours - that it would be worth it to die just to be here!
    Honestly I do not know of a religion in this world that is better aligned and prepared to take on and be involved in the current advances of science than the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 
     
    The Traveler
  15. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to Traveler in Food Storage Assessment   
    I have long been of the mind that we should not store food that we do not currently use.  Last year the wife and I (now empty nesters) went through our food storage and through out non dry food pack that was close to 40 years old.  We did not dare open it or try to use it.  I can understand keeping some freeze dried back packing kind of stuff in a 72 hour kit but freezer stuff is not likely to last a year after being stored in the freezer for 7 years and cycling frozen meet in food storage seem most foolish to me.
    I do believe in home storage and providing what you can by your own means - but I definingly do not believe in waisting stuff - especially food.
     
    The Traveler
  16. Like
    mrmarklin got a reaction from mirkwood in mirk and the Stake President on the speaking tour   
    Been a long time since I’ve heard a food storage talk. I didn’t know it was still a thing. Here in CA we don’t have basements, so any serious storage is problematic at best. 
  17. Like
    mrmarklin got a reaction from NeuroTypical in mirk and the Stake President on the speaking tour   
    Been a long time since I’ve heard a food storage talk. I didn’t know it was still a thing. Here in CA we don’t have basements, so any serious storage is problematic at best. 
  18. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to LDSGator in Trick or Treating on the Sabbath   
    I think trick or treating is “good, clean fun” that you can do with your family and friends. I don’t see an issue with it-I think it falls under Christian freedom. 
  19. Sad
    mrmarklin got a reaction from raven2 in How will you follow the Prophet’s Counsel?   
    I repeat:  I don’t obey mandates from wannabe dictators. I won’t argue the merits, but it’s in the US constitution. 
    Obviously, if one doesn’t live in the US there can be different rules. 
  20. Sad
    mrmarklin got a reaction from raven2 in How will you follow the Prophet’s Counsel?   
    As a US citizen I do not obey mandates from wannabe dictators. YMMV.  Frankly, I’m ashamed that the average American appears to be a sheeple  
    I view the recent advice from the GAs as PR. 
  21. Like
    mrmarklin got a reaction from Anddenex in Judgement and attributing motives   
    I’m the owner/manager of an office of around twenty people. If someone is behaving inappropriately, they will be let go. Can’t work here anymore. Their motives and or reasons for the problems are not my problem. If they refuse to correct it, they must be gone. 
    I won’t jeopardize the other employees or the business with problems, even if I’m sympathetic. 
  22. Like
    mrmarklin got a reaction from Grunt in Judgement and attributing motives   
    I’m the owner/manager of an office of around twenty people. If someone is behaving inappropriately, they will be let go. Can’t work here anymore. Their motives and or reasons for the problems are not my problem. If they refuse to correct it, they must be gone. 
    I won’t jeopardize the other employees or the business with problems, even if I’m sympathetic. 
  23. Like
    mrmarklin got a reaction from NeuroTypical in Judgement and attributing motives   
    I’m the owner/manager of an office of around twenty people. If someone is behaving inappropriately, they will be let go. Can’t work here anymore. Their motives and or reasons for the problems are not my problem. If they refuse to correct it, they must be gone. 
    I won’t jeopardize the other employees or the business with problems, even if I’m sympathetic. 
  24. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to mikbone in Judgement and attributing motives   
    You must have a kindler gentler work environment than I do.
    This is not appropriate for my workplace.  
  25. Like
    mrmarklin reacted to Fether in Doctrine Fallout   
    Your brother is either creating a straw man out of desperation, or deeply misunderstood the gospel and that is why he left.