garryw

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Posts posted by garryw

  1.  

     

    The big question is, which attributes of our gender are the "natural man", i.e. the ones we should try to eliminate, and which are divine? I hope someone here knows the answer, because I sure don't.

     

    I'll take a stab, although this question is like mousetrap and there are plenty of politically correct people waiting to pounce.

     

    1.  A woman's desire to rule over her husband in terror is the "natural man".  If you don't know what I'm talking about I can introduce you to my best friend and his wife.  It's scary.

     

    2. For men the most striking attribute is that of omission.  It's somewhat rare to find a man who teaches is family the gospel at home.  Too many leave that job to the church which is wrong.  Leadership is divinely appointed to the patriarch of the home. 

  2. "I and the Father are one."

     

     OK.  What about the Father and the (heavenly) Mother (or mothers)?  I'm sure they are more united than any mortal couple.  But, at the end of the day, it seems they have different jobs to do.  Seems fine to me.  A unisex universe sounds too boring.  Let us be different, now and forever.

  3. I think I have the answer.  Serious.  Here's what I did after celestial companion #1 cheated on me and decided to live off alimony anyway (all 50 states are no fault so women pretty much know they can do what they please and profit by it)

     

    step 1.  Only date women that are employed (harder for them to get alimony)

    step 2. Only date women that dont want kids (my 2nd wife already has one, so do I).

    step 3.  Get a solid prenup, get it signed and notorized by proespect celestial companion #2

    step 4. Get sealed in the temple

    step 5.  Build an escape plan.  If #2 repeats what #1 did to you (adulteress) and gets the prenup tossed out with the old "but your honor, I'm just a woman, I don't understand what I signed" and quits her job so she qualifies for alimony then you use the 2nd language you learned on your mission and "disappear" to that country rather than pay alimony to another cheating adulteress alimony collecting daughter of Heavenly Father.

     

    So far this has worked for me.  Haven't used step 5 (yet).  Trust me if you have not paid alimony to a spouse that cheated on you and even got pregnant in the act, you have no idea what you are dealing with.  No idea.  Men have every right to defend themselves from such women and do whatever they can to stay away.  And frankly the family courts are just as much to blame.  If I were a judge no adulteress would live off alimony from her ex husband.  It's just disgusting.

  4.  should I simply wait for the Lord to bless me with a wife?

     

    Definitely.  I was single in my mid thirties and one day the doorbell rang and there was a sister in a wedding dress standing on my porch.  She had a note that said "Please accept your help meet.  Sincerely, the Lord"

     

    That's how it works if you just keep waiting.

  5. I get that this would save the church some money, but other than that, why?  Also, while some missionaries may earn their own way entirely, don't most LDS families support their children's missionary experience--at least in part?

     

    It's not about saving money.  As far as I know the LDS church is debt free.  It's about being "old school".  Sure there are scriptural accounts of ministers receiving gifts.  Elias and the widow's cake comes to mind. But the Book of Mormon has set the standard high regarding unpaid service:

     

    12 I say unto you that as I have been suffered to spend my days in your service, even up to this time, and have not sought gold nor silver nor any manner of riches of you;

     14 And even I, myself, have labored with mine ownhands that I might serve you, and that ye should not beladen with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne—and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day.

    18 Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?

    Now regarding parents/family financially support missionaries, that's great.  I'm sure the GA's have family too.  And if they don't, no problem, just a shorter rotation.

  6. What are your thoughts on stipends for clergy?

     

    As in living expenses?  

     

    I think the GA's should pay their own living expenses or be released if they can't and go back to making money until they can. Heck they expect 19 year old kids to pay their own way, why not everyone else?  You could argue that some GA's have a 40+ year calling and could never do it.  That's fine, just rotate them for shorter duration.  It's not the church of a man or of a few men. Nothing wrong with changing up the leadership every few years. 

  7. You don't need an internet forum.  The answers to all your questions are in the D&C 131 and 132.

     

    Personally I wouldn't marry a non-member.  But your choices are yours, you are free to follow your own path.

     

    Also, I wouldn't bother serving a mission without reading though the D&C at least once beforehand.  Missionaries have some responsibility to know the gospel.   If I recall, temple marriage was part of the missionary discussions back in the 90's.  Got to know your stuff.

  8. I married someone I met on a LDS dating site.  We were both mid 30's at the time (now upper 30's).  Sealed in temple etc.

     

    It's been great, she has no parents.  I always tell her she should have advertised that online "No Mother in Law!".  Only thing worse than an ex wife is the ex MIL.

     

    I live next door to Utah.  I imagine living in Scotland would be a whole other story.

  9.  

     

    The Nauvoo City Council didn't shut down the Expositor because it was publicizing embarrassing truths that Smith didn't want publicized.  The council shut down the Expositor because it was generally "inciting riot".

     

    Let's be honest here.  The Expositor was not the only paper that can be accused of "inciting riot".  The Warsaw Signal was plenty good at that.  The problem with the Expositor was that the publisher had inside info on polygamy (including knowledge of the unpublished section 132).  That's what got it destroyed.  Frankly I think it was MILD compared to the Warsaw Signal which called for outright war against the Saints.

     

     

     

    We have no time for comment, every man will make his own. LET IT BE MADE WITH POWDER AND BALL!!! (Warsaw Signal)

     

    That sounds more riotous than this:

     

     

    AFFIDAVITS.

    I hereby certify that Hyrum Smith did, (in his office,) read to me a certain written document, which he said was a revelation from God, he said that he was with Joseph when it was received. He afterwards gave me the document to read, and I took it to my house, and read it, and showed it to my wife, and returned it next day. the revelation (so called) authorized certain men to have more wives than one at a time, in this world and in the world to come. (Expositor)

  10.  

     

    Over simplification, he was martyred because he was the leader of the mormon church by people who hated him and his religion

     

    I'm referring to the martyrdom "trigger".  What "triggered" his arrest?  Destruction of the press.  What triggered the press's existence in the first place?  Disaffection/Excommunication of William Law.  And what triggered that?  Polygamy.  William was 100% committed to the veracity Book of Mormon, even after his excommunication.  He loved the religion and attempted to "save" it by founding the TLDS church.  

     

    What I'm saying is JS would never had died in Carthage if not for polygamy.  Who knows how he would have died?  I'm just saying it wouldn't have been there, and it wouldn't have been then.  If not for polygamy, William Law would have remained his 2nd counselor instead of printing the expositor.  

  11. If you think of glory and creation as synonyms, then those who can create eternal lives have more glory because they can create what others can't.

     

    It's not like you get a pass into a secret room on Kolob.  It's what your capacity is to create that defines your degree of glory.  Eternity is a long time and if you're not creating then what exactly else is there to do????

  12.  

     

    I still cannot grasp the idea that somebody born in the Church doesn't know anything about JS polygamy

     

    I think outside the US there is even less knowledge about it.  I was in South America as a missionary and of the 1000+ people I discussed the church with, only one knew of any connection between the church and any form of polygamy.  He had committed to baptism until he read the definition of Mormon in the portuguese dictionary which apparently mentions polygamy.  The D&C hasnt been translated to other languages as quickly as the BoM and even then, apparently nobody bothers to read section 132 which specifically commands Emma Smith by name to accept Joseph's wives or "be destroyed".  That's a pretty big hint.

  13.  

     

    we do not have conclusive evidence that proves that Smith's marriages were sexual.

     

    I suggest the Book of Mormon is the evidence.  

     

    30 For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.

     

    Does the Book of Mormon offer a non-sexual reason for the commandment of polygamy?  All I can find is this seed reason.

     

    And of course the sworn testimony of several of his wives would be conclusive under the Mosaic law.  That's conclusive enough to condemn, even unto death.

     

     In the mouth of two or three witnesses 

  14.  

     

    My big problem- choosing to have a civil wedding, all of our member friends and family would instantly assume we have been unworthy. Which is so not the case for us. I would be embarrassed even to have other people think that about us

     

     

    Not to be overtly negative (oh well) , but that statement is immature.  At some point in your life you will stop worrying about what other people think of you.  That day will come hopefully sooner rather than later.  

     

    This scripture is about prayer buy I think you can swap out prayer for marriage:

     

    And when thou marry, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to marry standing in the socially accepted place and get photos posted on Facebook, that they may be seen relief society members. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

     

    But thou, when thou marry, enter into My house, and when thou hast shut thy door, covenant with thy Father who is present at the altar; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

     

    There is also a good one about seek ye first the kingdom of heaven.