mirkwood

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  1. Like
    mirkwood reacted to NeuroTypical in Tucker Interviews Putin   
    I'm slogging through it now.  
    I believe this interview is better thought of as "It's not exactly important, but still possibly useful, for us to understand what our enemy wants us to think about them."   I'm sure he also talks to China, India, the Arab world, the Persians, as well as every country in Europe.  When they ask them "how come you justified your invasion of Ukraine by saying you were reacting against a potential attack from the US", he gives a different answer to each one of them.  Each answer specifically tailored to their understanding of history, and their thoughts about Russia and the West and the US.
    I can't fault him.  Every nation state in the world, from the beginning of human history through today, when talking to their neighbors, spin their conversations to individual audiences, to maximize their agendas.  We all do it.  It's how the earth is run.  It's been this way since we got booted from the Garden of Eden, and it'll stay that way until the 2nd coming when Christ returns in glory and takes over, killing everyone who won't bend the knee.
  2. Like
    mirkwood got a reaction from Still_Small_Voice in Countdown to presidential election begins   
    Legal immigration.  If we need to reform some laws on how that works, I'm okay with that.  What is going on now is unacceptable.
     
    There are terrorists that have used our current "not really a border policy" to enter our country.  If you think they do not have ulterior motives you are an idiot.
  3. Like
    mirkwood reacted to NeuroTypical in Countdown to presidential election begins   
    Yeah, I don't care about Red Dawn notions of armed incursion.  (The original was ok, the remake was boring.)   But there are endless valid and real reasons nations sneak people into other nations where they operate covertly.  And there are also endless valid and real reasons nations worry about the various impacts of illegal immigration.  If you like our culture,  standards of living, economy, and institutions and want to preserve them, there's plenty of cause to worry about the impact all of it has on that stuff. 
    History is fascinating.  They tell me the reason our southern border is so porous, has to do with the terms they agreed to during the last US Mexican war in 1847.   The US won pretty soundly, but was still in the process of inventing itself, and there were several American opinions at odds with each other.  How a lot of the frontier lands were going to get populated , who got to be a "US Settler", how would citizenship work, etc.  In the end, we signed treaties that officially made it illegal to be illegal, but everyone knew the border would see a lot of migration.  There's been a flow back and forth ever since, especially seasonal as the US became a major food producer.
    Trump wants to do what he's done in the past, build another massive monument to his ego with a solid gold TRUMP on it to make sure he goes down in the history books as building the wall.  But his ego aside, there are plenty of good nonTrump, non-ego-driven reasons to have a robust southern border with tall walls and wide gates with good immigration laws.  The wall is one component to that. 
  4. Like
    mirkwood reacted to Just_A_Guy in Ethical guidance for a not completely hypothetical situation   
    I flatly deny that the Church as a whole has any such policy or practice regarding missionaries testifying.  Elizabeth Smart came home from her mission to testify against her kidnappers—multiple times, IIRC.
    I could *hypothetically* see why local leaders in a particular area (particularly one where government corruption may be an issue) might prefer to stay out of legal proceedings.  But, if they’re leaning on third parties/lay members to stay silent or hide evidence . . . the Church could get in a lot of trouble for that.
    I would tell my leaders that I intend to inform legal authorities/ defense counsel/ whatever of the situation on such-and-such a date unless they instruct me in writing by virtue of their priesthood and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that I must remain silent.  And if they do write such a letter, my next step is to forward a copy of it to the Area Presidency.
     
  5. Like
    mirkwood reacted to zil2 in The "Only true and living church" vs "The most correct of any church".   
    Shift it back, brother.  Here's what the Lord himself said:
    The Lord himself "wrote" this section of the D&C, so let's not suggest that Jesus Christ did not know what he was talking about.
    Don't know any sane person who suggested otherwise.  Even God didn't do that:
    Clearly the Lord expects us to seek out learning from wherever we can find it (as well as from him).
    Yes, it is wholly true that:
    No other church on the earth has the Priesthood of Jesus Christ, nor his ordinances and covenants.
    I submit that this person didn't follow the instructions (or see my text below the link):
    Some of us don't want the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, some of us aren't ready for it yet or like to do things the hard way (and maybe need to experience evil longer before we can recognize the good), and some of us love Satan more than God.  (And whatever other combination of variables I'm not thinking of.)
    Jesus Christ does not send people (other than Satan and his minions) away, ever.
    (Explicit verses above, but the scripture are full of little else than Christ inviting people to come unto him.  He will let them come as far and via whatever convoluted or tortured path they choose, but they are always invited to come fully unto him, and that path is not complete until one has entered into the House of the Lord, received ordinances, made covenants, and then kept those covenants to the end.)
  6. Like
    mirkwood got a reaction from JohnsonJones in Ethical guidance for a not completely hypothetical situation   
    This is speaking as if the missionary were the victim.
     
    For argument sake, let's say it also applies as being a witness.  That would be the missionary's choice, not the church leader.
  7. Like
    mirkwood reacted to zil2 in Ethical guidance for a not completely hypothetical situation   
    I feel sorry for everyone involved.
    But I also feel strongly that those who witness a crime (truly witness it) should come forward and state what they saw and heard.  I feel even more strongly that if the state is abusing its authority (and it has been suggested here that it is), it is everyone's business and everyone who has direct knowledge should speak up.  And finally, I feel strongly that one should not abandon a brother to abuse for a supposed policy (or any other reason short of God himself telling you to keep your mouth shut).
    (And yes, brother shouldn't have been committing criminal acts in the first place, but please consult King Benjamin for what to do with that thought. )
  8. Like
    mirkwood reacted to NeuroTypical in Ethical guidance for a not completely hypothetical situation   
    https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/general-handbook/38-church-policies-and-guidelines?lang=eng#title251
     
    So, that has to do with leaders.   I see nothing in the handbook about how missionaries can't be witnesses or testify in legal proceedings.  
  9. Like
    mirkwood reacted to zil2 in Ethical guidance for a not completely hypothetical situation   
    I know.  Like I said, it's the closest I could find.
    My conclusion as well.
  10. Like
    mirkwood got a reaction from zil2 in Ethical guidance for a not completely hypothetical situation   
    This is speaking as if the missionary were the victim.
     
    For argument sake, let's say it also applies as being a witness.  That would be the missionary's choice, not the church leader.
  11. Like
    mirkwood got a reaction from askandanswer in Ethical guidance for a not completely hypothetical situation   
    This is speaking as if the missionary were the victim.
     
    For argument sake, let's say it also applies as being a witness.  That would be the missionary's choice, not the church leader.
  12. Like
    mirkwood got a reaction from askandanswer in Ethical guidance for a not completely hypothetical situation   
    Pretty sure you won't find anything in the Church Handbook of Instructions to support his position of not involving the missionaries in a criminal investigation due to some rule or policy of the church.
  13. Like
    mirkwood got a reaction from zil2 in Ethical guidance for a not completely hypothetical situation   
    A witness is a witness no matter who they are.
  14. Like
    mirkwood got a reaction from zil2 in Ethical guidance for a not completely hypothetical situation   
    To be quite blunt it sounds like some local leaders are overstepping their roles/authority and imposing rules that do not exist.
  15. Like
    mirkwood got a reaction from askandanswer in Ethical guidance for a not completely hypothetical situation   
    A witness is a witness no matter who they are.
  16. Like
    mirkwood reacted to mikbone in Ethical guidance for a not completely hypothetical situation   
    I like to sleep at night.  And I believe in following the commandments including being honest in dealing with our fellow man.
    It’s not your duty to get him a more lenient or harsh legal finding. 
    But if you did not directly witness the event then frankly it ain’t your business.
  17. Like
    mirkwood reacted to NeuroTypical in Ethical guidance for a not completely hypothetical situation   
    Yeesh.  I guess these are the two main principles at play: 
    I'm also a big fan of these guidelines: 
    The 3rd guideline is basically "mind your own business".  If you're not personally witness to this story, then all of your claim to the 4th guideline is hearsay and gossip.  Whenever I find myself in a situation like that, I'm happy to talk in principles to anyone who wants to listen to me, but I wouldn't be interfering with a criminal matter.  
    Example: My friend is telling me this story, and my friend was there.  I might talk about the options my friend has, which include being brave and fighting a system with risk of blowback, or keeping silent and not doing the right thing.  But at the end of the day, it would be my friend's action to take, not mine.
  18. Like
    mirkwood reacted to zil2 in Ethical guidance for a not completely hypothetical situation   
    I will concede, however, that witnesses don't always know what they saw, don't always remember correctly, and can easily be manipulated by a good attorney.  I will further concede that the Lord may have his purposes which I don't know.  But on the face of it, I'm having a hard time with the idea of keeping silent if you have testimony that isn't redundant or could be critical.
    Perhaps @mirkwood and @Just_A_Guy can talk some sense into me...
  19. Like
    mirkwood got a reaction from Vort in And Now Time For Our Regularly Scheduled Conspiracy Theory   
    Suspend?  No.
     
    Cheat?  Yes.  I would argue they already are with the attempts to keep Trump off the ballot.
  20. Like
    mirkwood got a reaction from Still_Small_Voice in And Now Time For Our Regularly Scheduled Conspiracy Theory   
    Suspend?  No.
     
    Cheat?  Yes.  I would argue they already are with the attempts to keep Trump off the ballot.
  21. Haha
    mirkwood reacted to laronius in Priesthood timing   
    Most married men would disagree with you.
  22. Like
    mirkwood reacted to Ironhold in Priesthood timing   
    A few things I've noted that critics of the church tend to overlook - 
    1. The Extermination Order wasn't officially repealed until 1976
    2. The last European power didn't relinquish its last colonial claim in Africa until early 1978
    Could it be that, simply put, these two things needed to happen first before humanity was ready for it all to happen?
  23. Like
    mirkwood reacted to Vort in Priesthood timing   
    Not so, at least not necessarily. Wilcox might have been genuinely sorry that he vocalized the thoughts he did, either because of how he spoke them or because he thought that he ought to have kept his views to himself (or both). Apologizing for speaking the truth is not necessarily a sign of weakness; it may just be a recognition that sometimes it's better to keep your trap shut rather than cast your pearls (as you believe them to be) before swine and then be all surprised or upset when the hogs trample the pearls and attack you.
  24. Like
    mirkwood got a reaction from JohnsonJones in Priesthood timing   
    disavow: deny any responsibility or support for
  25. Like
    mirkwood got a reaction from askandanswer in Priesthood timing   
    disavow: deny any responsibility or support for