Dr T

Hello all, Thank you for your thoughts EricM. The analogy of salt is an interesting one. My question is not to put you on the spot or make you doubt but asked so that I can understand how you differentiate between your beliefs in "the true god" over someone else's "true god." If a person from another religious group says the same things, "I know I worship/follow the true god because I feel it/know it" how is that confirmation different from yours? Thank you, Dr. T

Hey Snow, Hypothetically, what if you did enjoy it (like Allmosthumble laid down as the line not to cross) would you have to go to your bishop? Does anyone do that with every single sinful thought (that we enjoy)? What would going to the bishop do about this specific issue? Just wondering Dr. T

Hi Roman, What did they call it? Thanks

Sorry guys but I'm the BEST at being humble. :) I always have been.

"Let there be

Hi Ray, I understand that you were not saying that they "had the truth." My point was that they had a core belief that their belief is valid and absolute truth. They have a conviction/belief that they are unshakable because God has revealed it to them. I see the correlation between them and yourself as you both feel as if you possess the truth and the way that your/their claims are to this truth being revealed by God. How do you know, as Jason just pointed out, that it is not some internal manipulation of emotion and self fulfilled corroboration of a desire for it to be true? Dr. T

Hey Jason, Thanks for your thoughts.

Wading through thick

I'm sure this has been covered but I still have questions. Ray, you were basically saying that you "receive God’s assurance of the truth." My question is, of those people (father and grandfather) who believed they had the truth and felt the same "assurance" from God (which you are using as verification for your beliefs) how do you "know" in a way that is separate from "feeling like it is true?" Thank you all

Thanks Ray. I'll have to take this inquiry into another thread. Sorry for interfering with this thread.

Hello Ray, Please know that I am not dismissing your last comment/claim. Your point is actually very profound and is raising very important questions for me. I quoted it all because the whole concept is important. First off, you are saying that God inspires people to become convinced of things that are "true and good" and this conviction is dependable. You also follow that by saying it is based upon precept upon precept. Sir, please explain to me from your personal experience "how you know this is true." Ray, how do you know it is from God and not Satan? How do you know that it is not just a worldview that you have been steeped in for years? Again, Sir, I am not trying to knock you or dismiss what you feel is true. You are claiming truth and I am interested in how you verify that assertion. Thank you Dr. T

single child by

Thank you SF. :)

"SIL" is a new word for me...

as evidenced by

Hi Ray, Okay. That is why I was asking him all the questions I was asking. That is a good way to learn. :) I thought you meant something that was quoted after you said that in the discussion between him, Pushka and SS. My brain is really scattered today. Dr. T

Hello Ray, Sir, I'm sorry but I have not been reading the discussion between Traveler and Pushka beyond a quick scan (sometimes). If there was something specific that related to our discussion in that dialogue, I did not read it. Maybe I should have. My fault.

Hello Traveler, You say that I have not added to the discussion on various points. Again, I'm trying to understand your stance based on what you have said thus far. You did not address my confusion though in this search for understanding (which you can find in the quote in your last post) about what you said about sin and the atonement of Christ. God placing people in a position to follow Him or disobey Him wile giving the opportunity to be reconciled to Him through Jesus is very just and compassionate. Your conclusion that He forced them to make a choice to obeying or not as being impossible and therefore unjust/unrealistic/unfair (or whatever other word you want to use there) misses the fact that it is God's plan. Who are we (mere humans) to say God did it wrong? Just as you said, it is beneficial to experience both good and evil and have free agency to chose to obey or not. This is the way that we learn the need for acceptance of Jesus' death for us on the cross. Then we can show by our fruits and devotion by becoming more Christ-like that we have been saved. Would you say that God putting us on this Earth, while He knows that is sin in the world and we will be tempted and ultimately fail, is unjust? (I'm guessing you would say) "No". Then why would it be in the Adam and Eve account? I also agree that physical gratification is very appealing. Spiritual gratification however, is also gratifying. How else would you explain putting off physical desires and conforming to what God wants if there spiritual dealings are not also reinforcing? Ultimately was it God's fault that Adam and Eve disobeyed? I would answer no. They were given a direction from God and they chose to put themselves above God. Adam put Eve above God too. When we sin, we always put ourselves/our wants ahead of God. Is that God's fault? Thanks for your ideas

It helps MBASS. Thank you.

Hi Traveler, I don't think it's one or the other. Scripture, throughout, tells us to obey AND worship. I think the combination of the two pleases Him.

Do we have to sign up for a Paypal account? Does it cost a percentage or a straight fee? What if no one buys anything, do you still have to pay? How do you work the price of shipping? Anything else I should know/ask before I try it? Thank you

attitude and oozing

I'm considering trying to sell some stuff. Is the process pretty easy/ self-explanatory? Thanks

Outrageous! Prayers for the family. Dr. T

:)