Suzie

I will sign it. I will sign it because I don't believe sexual orientation should be an issue. It is actually very sad that it is. The BSA have the right to decide who they want in their organization, at the same time, people have the freedom to disagree and peacefully request a change in policy. And to be fairly honest, I am very tired of the stereotypes about homosexuality and about homosexuals that I read often. From the idea that homosexuals are a bunch of mentally unstable folks whose favorite hobby is literally jump on women or men because they cannot control their sexual urges to think that most cases of rape against boys are committed by homosexuals. If people should take the time to just read the newspapers and see all the horrible cases of abuse, torture and rape against children, they would realize that in its majority, they have being committed by those who identify themselves as heterosexual. There are lots of sickos out there folks and they come in all shapes and forms....

What I think it works wonderfully for children at this stage is when you talk positively to others about them since they love praise. When a friend of yours calls, when you are talking to your mom or when you are chatting with your husband you can say things like "You should have seen Emma today! She cleaned up her room and helped me do this or that....She is such a great help! I don't know what I would do without her!". Children tend to imitate the positive behavior because they enjoy hearing that from their parents. Of course it will work only if you do it for an extended period of time instead of doing it once or twice and expect a miracle. lol

Male and cross dresser.

Well, expiration dates exist for a reason. Your item expired almost two years ago and it's food! I would definetely throw it out, not worth the risk.

Well, maybe you are coming from the premise that every calling is extended or given by revelation. I don't believe it. I think some callings come through revelation and others through desperation. Having said that, people are people even if they are Stake Presidents, Bishops or even Seventies. They are just men and whomever wants to see them in any other way than just men are setting themselves for a big disappointment. Whether they are called by God or not, they still men with the same strengths and weaknesses than everybody else. Once your foundation is on CHRIST, and once you follow HIS example I believe you will be just fine. I know it bothers you and it's natural (I would be pissed too). I believe that you and your husband can still give service to those who need it. You don't need a calling to help the poor and comfort the afflicted and they are everywhere. Best of luck!

Don't get too excited. My reply was to: Of course we are given personal discretion to do what we want to do at any point. Are our leaders with a stick in hand forcing us to do what they tell us or else? I surely don't feel forced. The process seem quite simple to me: Listening to counsel, ponder it in your heart, pray about it and receive confirmation from the Holy Ghost. We don't follow blindly (at least I hope a lot of us don't) hence my zombie comment.

Get any sleep? If I was in your shoes and I have a set of twins who are 1 year old I would be more concerned about whether I can keep breathing.

Well, yes of course. We are not brainwashed zombies walking around saying with robotic voice "Your wish is my command" "Your wish is my command".

I see this entirely as a psychological issue. I don't wish to give too much information about myself or what I do but I'm VERY familiar with autism. The truth is that there is no proof about a link between mercury and autism. I see it as a psychological issue because people (specially parents of children with autism or loved ones) need answers for the challenges that they go through every single day, the "why me?" the "why my kid was robbed of so many life opportunities?". People need something that can give them hope, something they can understand, something where they can feel progress is being made. Not knowing is for them the greatest fear and the worst nightmare.

I think there are many definitions out there about what constitutes Anti-Mormon literature. Some people seem to believe that is any material that talks negatively or against the Church, for others any controversial topic that is presented in a critical manner (or not so critical) is Anti-Mormon literature. Once, talking with someone about Plural Marriage and commenting about Joseph Smith being sealed to some women who were already married, the comment I got: Have you been reading Anti-Mormon literature?. I am not advocating Anti-Mormon literature of course, having said that it concerns me how quickly some members dismiss historical data and label it as "anti" just because they either cannot believe what they are hearing/reading because they don't know much about Church history or early teachings or they never bothered to research.

Oh nooo....the infamous "its not pertinent to my salvation" Mormon quote! Just kidding...just kidding...

Robin Morgan was sharing her personal opinion on what constitutes rape so? Since when the opinion of some feminists reflects the opinion of the rest? Making an stereotyped and generalized statement such as "feminists believe all men are rapists" is irresponsible, untrue and stupid. Now about the thread, it seems like this girl (now woman) had a lot of problems growing up, drinking and threatening to shoot everyone at school, etc. Who knows if she was in the right mindset when she made the allegations. I don't know and I am not going to judge her. Having said that, I really feel sorry for the father. How sad.

I would also (if I may) recommend Margaret's and Darius work "Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons" available online in the Documentary Channel: DocumentaryChannel

You may be interested in this thread: http://www.lds.net/forums/lds-gospel-discussion/36633-issues-brigham-young-16.html We discussed the ban, there are several quotes including one of President Kimball as an Apostle hinting a "possible" mistake in the placement of the ban as well somewhere in that thread.

I don't see anything wrong with the word allowance. It's just that in people's mind is about children. The meaning of the word and how you are using it, it's correct IMHO.

Figure of speech. Just like the term you quoted "scales of darkness" is used in some of those verses without taking a literal connotation or even the term "dark veil" (interesting enough, all these terms refer to the covering of something...including the word "skin"). In fact, without trying to stretch the meaning, all these words/phrases within the proper context could be considered synonyms. Take the example of Abish or even the Nephites and Lamanites spying each other. If the curse was really and literally "dark skin", these stories make no sense. Abish lived among the Lamanites without anyone knowing she was a convert of many years, how is that possible? Could it be that there was no physical change to her skin tone? The Nephites and Lamanites were able to spy each other without being detected, if their skin color was so different from each other how they did it? Because some of these spies (Nephites) lived among the Lamanites, they didn't merely pass through. These are just few examples.

In order to understand that verse (along with many others in the BOM) I think we need to search a little Church history. In the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon the words "white and delightsome" were used yes but Joseph Smith carefully examined and corrected those words four years prior to his assassination (1840 edition of the BOM). The problem is that after his death, other interpreters did not use this 1840 edition with the corrections Smith included as base for subsequent editions but instead used one prepared by the Twelve in England that used as a base the earlier copy. So all statements made by leaders prior to 1981 with regards to those scriptures were based on that limited interpretation of what exactly "white and delightsome" meant. We are just humans and leaders are definitely not infallible.

You never know.

What "past" are you exactly referring to?

Was he called as a Bishop without counselors or during the time he was serving because of different circumstances he didn't have any counselors?

And he doesn't need counselors. Well yes, maybe he "needs" them but he can be a Bishop without counselors.

I don't know how appropriate is that but I'm pretty sure the technique works and get people (who otherwise would kill a pedestrian) out of the streets.

You sound so happy and I just wanted to say I'm VERY happy for you. :)

Even if you don't feel confident about what you believe, why should we get angry? I think a person may choose to feel angry when someone becomes rude by attacking their persona (a common manipulation technique) or simply cannot accept the fact that someone thinks different (and they cannot let go). And at the end, still your choice how to react.