[Fighting gay marriage mocks God]

Your circular logic sounds like someone who is really trying to argue the opposite, at least to me.

My Patriarchal blessing says (paraphasing slightly) to be active in the community....and be an instrument in supporting good and opposing things that are not in harmony with the Gospel.

So, your ramblings to me are nothing but false doctrine because I have direct revelation saying the contrary to your position.

[I can't feel Heavenly Fathers love]

I believe I know exactly what you're talking about. For whatever it's worth, here is my take on the matter.

I believe that feeling God's love for us is a spiritual gift. Not all spiritual gifts are given to all of us; feeling God's love for me in a personal sense is not one of my spiritual gifts. That doesn't mean that God doesn't love me individually; on the contrary, I'm sure he does. I just don't feel it.

But I see his love for me in my life. I see his hand moving in my life, and from that, I know he loves me. I see it in my relationship with my wife and my children, with my situation regarding employment and housing, my interactions with my wonderful ward members, and a hundred other ways. It's not the same as feeling God's love in a personal way, but in some ways it's probably much better. I do feel my wife's love for me; isn't that much the same as God's love for me? Isn't that at least as important and immediate for my life?

So my advice is: Don't worry about not "feeling" God's love for you. You know he loves you, so just recognize his hand in your life and go on enjoying the blessings he has given you, secure in the knowledge (if not the feeling) of God's love.

Vort, you said "I feel my WIFE'S love for me" and your pic is female...It does not add up.

I am often saddened by many church members that say they cannot feel heavenly father's love. In my humble opinion it is not a "gift of the spirit", but is part of "The Light of Chirst" that speaks to all men, women and children.

On many occasions during gospel discussions inside and outside the church I have said, "The TURTH will SET you FREE...BUT, ONLY IF you allow it [truth] to!"

Moroni 10:3-5...and you may know the truth of ALL things. It does not say of some things, but of this and not that, it says ALL THINGS. If you think that you cannot know such things, then that is exactly what you will get...you will not know that thing because you do not have the faith that you are capable to know such things.

But again from the parable of the sower, not that the seed was not good but they did immediately cast it out. If you desire to know but are not willing to accept the witness or are living your life in a way, both physically and/or emotionally, that is not ready to recieve such a witness, then the seed sprouts up then withers because it is spiritually rocky soil.

The parable of the sower, applies as much to members of the church as those who are not.

In my own experience, the closer I get to the spirit, the more I am in awe of the love of our heavenly father. Looking back at where I had been in the past and the weakness and "spiritual immaturity" then possesed, how did heavenly father ever reveal such precious truths to me at that time! Heavenly father knew that if He revealed this truth to me, then I would do my best to live up to what was revealed...and as I lived up to what was already revealed, Heavenly Father, yet revealed more precious truths! Is this not Heavenly Father showing and sharing his love?

When younger, I would sometimes complained that HF was revealing too much, too quickly...it felt like I was barely keeping up. Heavenly father would give me a breather for a short while. Then, after a while, I would miss that "spiritual burning" and be ready for the challenge.

So, long story short, if you want to feel heavenly father's love you must want and desire to feel it, believe you can "feel the love", be willing to "accept the love", make changes to your life emotional and physically to "live up to the love"...and when you finally feel the love and living up to the love...be ready to accept "the greater love and knowlege" that heavenly father will pour out on you; AND REPEAT THE PROCESS...want and desire to feel it, believe you can "feel the love", be willing to "accept the love", make changes to your life emotional and physically to "live up to the love"...and when you finally feel the love and living up to the love...be ready to accept "the greater love and knowlege"...repeat.

[I can't feel Heavenly Fathers love]

Me,

have you tried Al-anon? It is a support group for adult children of alcoholics to deal with emotional issues that you may not have dealt with.

You can go to your bishop and get help through LDS social services with counselling.

Some bishops wrongly believe that just listening to you and encouraging you is enough...and too often it is not. (Bishops are human too.) You may have to insist (persistantly) on counselling services.

To get to the root of the problem is that you learned to "block/ignore" many things going on around you while growing up...and built up an emotional wall; may be even to the point of emotional numbness. That emotional wall kept you from being hurt, but it also keeps you from experiencing many positive things.

It is through emotional experince that Heavenly Father speaks to me and you.

The hard thing will be deconstructing your emotional wall/barrier. You might, and many often do, feel repressed anger, pain, outrage, crying, etc as you tear down your emotional wall, but its the only way to fully experience Heavenly Fathers Full Love...and it will make other relationship that are functional even more meaningful.

When you are not using so much emotional effort hiding from or repressing past memories, you have more capacity for serving God and loving your family and fellow humans.

[Baby Blessing Advice]

Baby blessings are not an ordiance of the Gospel. It is a tradition, so its up to the parents and the presiding priesthood holder. Unfortunately some presiding "authorities" demand Melchelzik priesthood preform this "blessing", but technically can be done by a Aaronic Priest (adult).

[Looking but not finding]

Have you considered that, maybe, the reason you aren't making a connection with them is because you don't respect them? I've read your post and there's enough negativity in it that it might have something to do with you not finding that eternal companion.

Don't get me wrong - I like the idea of an eternal companion, too, and it would be difficult dating with four kids.

But don't let emotional baggage hold you back. Respect everyone - Even those who might not be acting as much like an adult as you would have them.

Funky Town, I am not a negative person and I respect all people...including gay. I was venting my frustrations.

What really scares me about your post is the quote "I am a socialist". Are you serious or are you joking?

Socialism has the source of more human rights abuses, which are well documented, and have openly prosecuted religion and God.

Socialism and Religion are in dynamic opposition to each other. How do you reconcile that?

[Looking but not finding]

Hi.

I'll be frank, I am looking for a true eternal companion. The last one was ex'ed from the church (just leave it at that). In the mean time, I am looking for some friends to chat with.

I am sealed to my 4 children who live with me full time. So, I don't have a lot of time to go to singles functions...and honestly, the same people week after week, month after month...people who are still emotionally in high school. Can we just all grow up!

I deal with teenagers every day, I don't want to deal with them at activities of SINGLE ADULTS.

Yet, this has given me a great perspective...that many problems in our wards can be solved by being adults and conducting ourselves like adults and not like teenagers in adult bodies. They make comedies about things like that, but in real life it's not funny and so many people get hurt.

I like Shakespeare, theatre, music, singing, dancing, concerts, gardening, camping (with tents in a camp ground), hiking, biking...that's just the start.

So, if you're an adult or trying hard to be one, lets chat.