jman

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About jman

  • Birthday 03/02/1973

Profile Information

  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Southern California
  • Interests
    My family, bikes, photography, guitars

jman's Achievements

  1. The problem with most of these answers is that it's all the personal interpretation of the scriptures and the words of the leaders of the church who by all rights are not going to say anything contrary to the established 'party line'. The truth of the matter is, no one knows what happens in the after life, there is no proof of any of this. None, nada, zilch. It falls on your faith and you either have that or you don't. Then you have to decide if you want to find the faith. Then you must establish how you want to live to ensure the outcome you have the faith to believe will happen. It's pretty simple really. I don't have that faith, tried to get it, couldn't, and I've moved on. The scriptures feel dead to me, inert, and filled with contrary ideas, ways of doing things and a ton of double speak. They've been perverted for the use of man to keep those who are of a lesser status down. Now that may sound negative but to me it's not, I accept that idea and I move on. I try to live my life the best way I can, I support my wife who is raising our children in the church and I am willing to let the chips fall where they may. I love, I live, and I help where I can.
  2. An interesting discussion and I wish I had something more spiritual to contribute but alas I'm not all that spiritual of an individual. I did however want to share something I found as an Android app that you may enjoy. The app is a LDS Scripture citation index and I looked up Revelation chapter 12. From there it is linked to numerous talks given over the past (50 to a 100 years I'd guess) that reference chapter 12. I did not have time to read all of these talks (some are quite lengthy) but it was interesting to puruse them. I look forward to reading responses from more learned Saints. P.S. Not to hijack this discussion but does anyone know of a website beyond the official LDS site that would do the same as this app? It'd be great to print some of these talks out and keep them in a journal (cheaper to than buying all of the 'Discourses of So & So' for each prohphet or other leader of the church). Thanks.
  3. Yep that's the guy. Thanks.
  4. hmmm I have not listened to or read his talk yet but it seems to have really brought out both sides of the issue here on this forum. Someone asked why he couldn't make things crystal clear and I think with all of the past doctrine (blacks and the priesthood & polygamy to name two) that is thrown in our faces the current leadership of the church is a little more careful in 'laying down the law'. With the way the internet sort of 'saves' comments for all of time and eternity our church leadership must be careful in how they state our views. The problem with the homosexual 'issue' is that its viewed from two view points. Viepoint # 1 is an internal one and one that stems from our beliefs and faith in God and His wisdome. Viewpoint # 2 is one that is 'out there' and stems from a populace that is not LDS or even religious at all. I think we need to be careful in how we express our feelings on the subject 'out there'. We can speak of our beliefs and our feelings but we shouldn't tell someone they're wrong for following a certain way of life that they feel is right. They have as much right to be gay as we have to be Mormon. It means that there will forever be a dabate but that's the beauty of this country. ;-)
  5. Eddie Izzard and Robin Williams...there's another guy with a DVD called the Epitome of Hyperbole and he's pretty funny to...wish I could think of his name right this minute but I'm drawing a blank.
  6. First off let me say hello. I'm new to the site and am impressed with the activity here. I remember many years back when Beliefnet.com was the active place to talk about our beliefs/problems/concerns. It is not as active and far to open to the 'anti-mormon'. It's nice to see a pretty fair balance of opinions here. I think I'm going to enjoy it here. Now on to my dilema. I am an inactive member of the church. I am inactive not because its something i nessecarily choose but because I work weekends. I am a Park Ranger by trade and weekends are quite simply the busiest time of the week. My weekends are mid-week and my 'sundays' are typically Wednesday or Thursday. I open my park and am at work from 5:30am until 2pm. So this pretty much rules out going to church. Our church is not the most open to those who can't make it on Sundays. I know I'm not the only member who faces this dilema and I'm wondering how others go about being active when they work Sundays. I listen to a lot of podcasts, I have the Mormon Channel app on my android phone and listen to that a couple of times a week at lunch and what not. I read the Ensign and the scriptures fairly regularly as well. I recently listened to a talk given to BYU by...you know now I forget who gave the talk but essentially the speaker was expressing his opinion that the spirit of the church is not in the church buidlings but rather in the family, and more precisely in our own hearts. I took that to heart and don't feel distant from Jesus or God but I do feel distant from the church I've chosen to belong to. Thanks in advance for any advice, anecdotes, and what not that you all might be able to provide.