RanMan

Is it really me? This should answer your question. :) :) :) :)

Wait now. That's my deal. Zech better not be stealing my signature move. :)

How very shocking.

Possibly, but as I understand it, one definition for eternal, or forever, is without end. I think there could have been a beginning. Then again, it could be as you say, that our minds have a hard time with there not being a beginning even though that might be the case here. Either way, it may be fun to speculate on the topic, but I don't think it is important for us to understand the nature of the universe. (Not that anyone is suggesting that we have to understand the many concepts that are currently beyond our ability to comprehend. It's just fun to discuss.) :)

I'm confused. I thought this area was for the discussion of scripture. Some of these posts seem to be a collection of uncredited quotes and not scriptures. Being new here, am I missing something? :)

Gilbert? Isn't that one of the signs of the last days - people living in Gilbert? Just kidding. Welcome to the forum. :)

Does that verse actually address the existence or non-existence of evil? :)

Are you sure?

I came over here from a forum that is very hostile to the LDS. And while it isn't exactly the same thing, I can say that hearing about any situation where we and the other Christian churches can learn to get along better is a good thing. My thoughts on the matter has always been that they, and we, are following the Lord in the way that makes sense to us. There is no need to be critical of someone who is doing that. As someone famous once said - Can't we all just get along. (Or something like that.) :)

I would suggest that good and evil have existed for as long as free will has been around. The question then becomes, has there ever been a time when free will did not exist, or that we as intelligences have not existed? :)

Then my mission is accomplished. :)

That is an interesting concept. My thoughts are that it is probably noet likely. I think it would be uncomfortable for those of the Terrestrial and Telestial glories to be in the same place as those of the Celestial Kingdom. I know you have indicated a seperation, but that is sort of like fooling yourself. All the while they would still know that they were there, nearby. And I think that would be uncomfortable for them. Also, there may be some physical element that we are not taking into account. Is there something to the glory of that realm that would cause actual physical distress to someone not resurrected to that glory? Just something to think about. :)

The door slid open, revealing the trembling bodies of several Terrestrials, cramped in the small space bewteen the metal walls of the Celestial doughnut delivery truck. One by one they stepped out of the small hiding space and covered their eyes against the extreme light. Jonathan smiled. Why couldn't Terrestrials understand. Why did they keep crossing over the border with their imaginative yet unsuccessful attempts to upgrade their eternal rank. The last of the exiting Terrestrials caught Jonathan's attention. He was smaller than most and carried a small photo in his hand. It was a picture of Mary Witt. She resided in the Celestial Kingdom, the Lime Jello ward if he wasn't mistaken. This must be one of her kin, hoping to sneak past the Celestial Border Patrol in order to see her. Jonathan's heart caught in his throat as he thought about how such a seperation must feel. Still, duty was duty and the rules were the rules. All of the Terrestrials would be taken back home and given instruction to not attempt this again. They boarded the patrol cruiser and headed off. No one noticed the small amount of darkness curled into the furtherest corner of the donught truck. A very small amout of total darkness. (Ok, I improvised some of it, but it is sort of fixed as you requested. Afterall, there has to be donughts in heaven.) :)

Awesome. I like it already. :)

Maybe the glory of the Celestial Kingdom is such that the bodies of those resurrected to a lesser glory cannot abide it. Perhaps that alone will keep the borders properly kept. :)

Wow. Wouldn't that make a great story. "Angel patrol" :)

I don't have a conversion story so much from another Christian denomination, but I will offer it all the same, because I think it has the same value in seeing why a person would be attracted to the LDS faith. Neither of my parent's families are very religious. On my mother's side, they are Lutheran because they are German. They only step inside a church to attend weddings and funerals. They never discuss their beliefs so I don't even know what they might be. On my father's side, religion amounts to the fact that they believe that God exists. That's it. When us children started appearing, my father decided that he wanted to find a church for us to attend so that we could be raised "right." In this process we attended several Christian churches in an attempt to find the church the correct church. I was fairly young and not impressed enough with any of the churches until we joined the LDS Church. In my teenage years, I found that the LDS Church made sense to me. What I heard in church seemed logical and when I heard the beliefs of other faiths I had a much harder time making sense of them. And to this day that remains true. I have many critics accuse me of being brain-washed by my LDS upbringing, but my father taught me to examine the facts and be carefull in my decisions. That is what I have done in my membership of the LDS church. I looked at it, and what other Christian denominations have to offer, and made a choice. I certainly am happy with my membership in the Church and wish that others are / would be as happy with their decision of faith as I am. As far as feelings go, I would not describe my experience with the Church as one ruled by feelings. When I receive revelation through the spirit, it comes as a moment of clarity where I can clearly see the answer to my question / dilemna. When that happens it doesn't come across as something I believe is true, it hits me as something I know is true. Hope that is what you were looking for. :)

Welcome. I hope your return is smooth as possible and filled with rewarding moments. :)

Thank you for the welcome. :)

I have noticed that. I don't mind anyone keeping their beliefs, but if you're going to have a beef with ours, at least get it right. Thanks for the welcome. I am enjoying it here. :)

I liked "Army of God". I didn't care for "Brigham City". :)

I have two reactions to that. The first being that it supports the notion that there drawbacks to being beautiful. Although, I am not about to feel sorry for them for it. The second is that I find that in many cases this would be accurate. There are certainly many attractive people who have gotten by on their looks and are sorely lacking in other areas. :)

That is a beautiful story, no pun intended. :)

That is a good point. I don't mind that many holiday's are celebrated at this time. However, not all of it is a matter of addressing multiple holidays. There is some very direct discussion that it is about not bringing religion into the schools, or workplaces. That is what is sad - not the celebration of many different belief systems. :)

Yes. LDS have what is known as a Patriartrical <sp?> Blessing. I received mine at 16. This is believed by us to be revelation given to us, through a Patriarch, from God. Mine indicated that I had promised a young lady that I would marry her, and that she was waiting for me here on Earth to fulfill that promise. :)