Backroads

Upon reading... I know pretty much most of this. I'm just not seeing where Scouting, not other youth programs, developed in so many words as a program for boys with absent fathers. That's what surprised me. But I can see the connection now.

I think all has been said about the details of the show. On the question itself... We can't always change people. We can't expect everyone to live by our standards or the way we would like them to live. Expecting everyone to respect us by always putting our feelings first is, well, boardering on abusive. Is it always conceding to let someone live as they are?

Really? That doesn't mesh with my understanding of Scouting's origins. May I see your research?

Thanks for jumping right to the point, PC! My answer will be vague. I do believe in Satan/the Devil as a real and sentient entity. Lucifer the Lightbearer fallen from Grace. I do not believe in "the devil" as some might call the misfortunes of the world. I also believe in demons as servants of Satan and also being very real and sentient. But I also do not blame every bad thing on Satan. I believe that the nature of our world is fallen and as such we have natural consequences and bad luck and lousy random events. I guess I would need more specifications on what the Devil does and does not do.

Brilliant versus and I thank both of you. Might be handy if the debate ever rises again...

I received my endowments three days before my wedding. I bought a temple dress and a wedding dress. In my mind they were separate. I was sealed in the temple dress. Then I changed into my wedding dress to leave the temple. Seems to be pretty common thing to do in Utah. I am quite pleased with my decision.

May I ask how your wife feels when you attack her beliefs like this? Since you don't believe in marriage, why did you marry her?

May I ask you to clarify your predictions on how you think the Church will change? Yes, I think it's not completely crazy to predict social view changes--you have given examples of that. Yet I've seen people who want to claim to be Mormons, yet want the Church to completely change all of its core doctrine. Not wanting to put words in your mouth but... is that what you are saying? The Church will one day not just change its social actions and maybe a few beliefs here and there that never were core doctrine, but the very beliefs that define the Church?

It seems to be a common argument of atheists that if Deity doesn't fit such-n-such requirements, Deity doesn't exist. I'm not terribly up on my logic, but isn't there a fallacy in there somewhere?

I am happy enough dismissing swearing as culture, but I have a lot of difficulty with sexual references. I have trouble believing that people who joke about sexual perversions are opposed to those things.

Oh, the dog situation is NOT my story here, btw. That would be Blocky's.

Is it possible to support my husband as my husband and still be angry about what he did and said?

Thanks so much for this. :) You're absolutely right. I suppose I do feel that my husband was more in the wrong, but I have expressed as much to him (alone, just the two of us) and I feel we discussed that part out. Last night before going to bed I figured he's my husband, for better or for worse. I prayed about the whole thing last night and woke up with several thoughts--including I'm crazy about my husband. Your post sort of reaffirmed my thoughts, so thanks.

Just my point. I don't think I'm taking sides... and that is kind of a crappy feeling. As far as I know, my mother isn't even aware of this. But herein lies the problem: Sister and my mother have a very close relationship. I'm sure Sister will be saying something to her. My mother likes my husband very much, but they did have a small tiff a few months ago (nothing serious that was resolved within two hours) and I still wound up hearing about being a helpmeet. It's hardly as if I choose to involve my mother. You hit on a good point with that, though. One of my personal issues on which I am constantly working is the fact that I'm a people-pleaser. I want everyone happy and getting along. I know I shouldn't care what anyone thinks about this issue, but I have yet to develop a strategy for such a situation as this.

So feeling very much stuck in the middle of something right now. Last night Husband and Sister got in a big fight after emotions boiling for a few days. There was some yelling, lots of tears, me being the mediator. There was an hours-long talk afterwards where both parties claimed to be at an understanding, but I don't think Sister is taking it as well as she claims--and frankly, I understand why. I had a heart-to-heart with each of them and have a pretty good understanding of where both of them is coming from. I know when I first came to this forum I was full of worries about my upcoming marriage, but I don't feel I'm rehashing any of those red flags. The problem is that my husband grew up very differently--not necessarily better or worse--than my family. My family and his have very different perspectives on respect, relationships, behavior, etc. My husband and sister also have very similar hot-tempered personalities. Both are convinced they are absolutely right on the matter. For what's it's worth, I'm a little more on my sister's side and a little more furious at my husband. But I do feel it's my duty to be there for him and I hate to be the wife who says "You're a horrible person because you upset my sister". I also don't want to be the daughter/sister who gets married and abandons her family of birth. I know this is going to get messy at some point. I predict my mother will be contact me at some point to criticize my husband and chastise me for no being my husband's helpmeet and not listen to me when I say I'm already talking to him and saying "that's no excuse" when I attempt to explain my husband's side of the story. What bites is that my husband and my family get along quite well 99% of the time. I'm sorry this fell into a rant, but I'm still a newlywed and not sure how to handle such things.

I don't think you're making a mockery of marriage at all. I wish you luck in however this unfolds.

A couple people here seriously deserve a laugh button. So often people outside the church are confused on exactly who we worship. While I think a little careful examination with do wonders, it does make me consider how we appear. Yes, I think it is wrong to put leaders on pedestals as if they were better than us, worthy of, well, worship. No, I don't think it's wrong to admire their qualities. I don't have trouble naming secular buildings after them, either.

Sometimes I try to see the Godhead has that--the Godhead. I suppose we could also ask how much we are supposed to love our companion the Holy Ghost. I don't think we are supposed to love anyone more than the other. The Godhead works together in a perfect fashion.

This weekend I found myself the mediator between two very different perspectives on the instruction to use clean language. Side A: We have been commanded by our prophets and other church leaders to use clean language. When we use clean language, it is polite and respectful. It is in keeping with our values. As for sexual dialogue, it's a form of hypocrisy to speak of such things you really have no intention of acting upon. Clean language is a simple way of demonstrating our goodness. Side B: Swearing is completely a matter of culture. One word means nothing to one person yet is extremely offensive to someone else in another part of the world. Sexual dialogue, kept in reasonable check, happens at some point among groups of guys and is a release of sexual tension. Bad language is not an accurate test of a person's goodness. Personally, I find both sides have their points. But really, what do our church leaders refer to when they speak of clean language?

I agree it's one or more of those three things, but there is kind of an aura about it. To me "letting yourself go" implies an extreme lack of care in your physical body. I don't like the way these men use it, but I say it can be a very real issue.

I suppose the cheapest method is to be tossed into a garbage bag and thrown into the river, but I think that illegal.

Extremely sad. My heart goes out to the family.

Extremely wise neighbor. I get the impression the library director was somewhat uncomfortable about the conversation. It wasn't a cop-out reply, exactly; but I think you may have made her think more than she wanted.

I personally love the idea of cremation. It's cheaper, takes up less room, etc. So that quote said the Church discourages it... but why?

No, not at all. I am thinking of Dracula, though he and Bunnicula are 4th cousins twice removed. Bunnicula is a small and fuzzy bunny who likes to train vegetables. He's harmless, though Dracula has been proven deadly.