Hala401

I just keep in mind that to me the "wording" is not very important. They were pretty clueless about his purpose, except for a very few people, his time probably felt wasted. I just hope that he would be better received today, but I have my doubts. His sacrifice is one of those unfathomable things that I hope to "get" before I die.

I am really hoping that this bill will not get out of hand. I do not have the "government" gene, so I do not understand these things well. US lawmakers vote on indefinite detention - Features - Al Jazeera English My fear is that since I was Muslim, and changed my name to a Muslim name, that I could be seen as supporting terrorism. I never supported terrorisim, but I did contribute money to the principle of a ESL school in Mosul, Iraq for the purpose of helping student learn enough English to attend college in the West. It was all legal and done through my bank. I have been told that many LDS see themselves as the steading hand in the government in the future. I would say it is high time you get to work Elders. Hala

OH, what is acceptable equivalent to ROTFLM?O ? Yes, I am of Northern European descent, um 15,000 years ago. I wonder what that means? Personally, I think that travel across the oceans to North and South America was fairly common at least 2000 years before Columbus. I have sailed a bit and while I was married, we had dreams of doing a bit of blue water sailing. The ocean currents and winds being what they are, I think an experienced sailor could throw a bottle in the ocean over around Spain somewhere and it would be fairly likely to show up on the East Coast of the US, in a few months. Also the voyage of Nephi is fairly straight forward in light of the idea that the winds and currents from the Arabian Penensula tend to go toward the Americas. So I have less of a problem with the book of Mormon than some.

It is humorous when talking to natives of Peru and Chile in the present day. Their version of history is quite a lot different from what we in the West are taught. Does that surprise anyone? LOL One story I have heard is that the various Inca factions were at war when the Spaniards got there and at times the Spaniards were defended by the Incas. Gosh, don't you guys have Missionaries in Peru? You'd think they would bring back to straight information. No wait, I know an Elder at our Ward who is from Peru. I will talk to him. :)

We do where we can.... namely thats in the US and UK. outside of that muslim nations generally have a tendency to have laws that punish such. Also don't get terrorism confused with islam, It really sickens me how certain groups really pervert muslim teachings to have whats goiong on today done. I was Muslim very recently, and the last part of your statement echoes my own words to others. It has been a very uphill battle. I do not know if I can entirely give up what I learned in Islam. It made me a better person, and calm enough to listen to the words of Sister Missionaries. Thank you Hala

OK, let's take the Chinese first. I live in Portland, Oregon and used to frequent Portland State University a bit. I once heard some students talking about the Chinese explorers, but took only a casual interest in it. I will have to run by there soon, once school is in session again to see what their Archaeology folk have to say about it. Here is one link that mentions the book that you say has been discredited. Explorer from China who 'beat Columbus to America' - Telegraph This may take some time, but I am sure to learn from the project. :)

Gasp, now you are going to force me to do research to support my statement? Well, OK then.

I mean that I don't have any thing bad to say about him, (see I'm trying to be nice), but he and some of the others just seem a little extreme for me. In my digging into early LDS history, it seems like the late 1700's and early 1800's were a pretty chaotic time for religion in America; a lot of metaphysics, and strange stuff. It was not at all what I expected to find. I had previously thought that the American church in that period was like a total intellectual pillar. There is a cute little document that I think you would find interesting if you can find a copy of it, from the 1997 Evangelical Theological Society, Far West Annual Meeting, in which the author complains that his peers have gotten neglectful in scholarship. Well, we can all use a tune up now and then, especially me. I must have to admit that I still fight a good bit of hostility against Evangelicals, but I do hope that in time God will heal me of it.

In the 50's when I was in grade school. We thought the first one to cross the ocean to America was Columbus. Now we know that the Chinese were along the west coast, and the Arabs were near Virginia and New Orleans, and that the Vikings landed briefly around Nova Scotia.

Something I have not understood is why the LDS don't seem to seek to teach Jesus Christ and the LDS story to Muslims? I know that the LDS must know about Muslims, because there are three Mosques in Salt Lake City, and you have professors at BYU who specialise in Middle Eastern Studies. I don't know if they know what every day Muslims believe or what their source of information is. As I go through the various interviews to become baptised, some of the interviewers have expressed concern that I could be in danger from other Muslims for um deconverting from Islam. I'm not that worried about someone trying to hurt me. The failure rate for converts to Islam is around 66% and that in the first year, I think. So, if de-convertees were in danger, we'd be hearing about it on the news wouldn't we? I remained Muslim for just over 5 years, and I must admit that it took me a period of time to finally decide. I thought I stopped being Muslim when I quit wearing my Hijab, but it took me until last week to finally tell Muslim friends that it was over. Maybe I haven't stopped being Muslim at all, because I have to admit that my willingness to believe in the prophet Muhammad PBUH and his revelation called the Qur'an, is what made my step to become LDS much easier. To me, Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon were not much of a leap at all. To be sure, I only know about Islam in the USA. What Muslims do to others and each other in other countries is beyond the pale for me. I don't understand things very well right now.

I agree and the LDS feel that way also. Myself, I plan to keep working, trying to do the will of God, in prayer and supplication, loving those around me, and being charitable. I hope to be so busy that I am the last one to get the word. In a twist of an old saying we should be so earthly minded that we get heavenly good. :)

Some say that the father of Jesus was God, and I like that one. Others say that Jesus was God. It is pretty inane to argue about this one, I think. It is given to us that we do not understand all things because we look through a glass darkly. Hmmmmm I'm good with that. I mean I can fix pancakes, and sometimes the vacume cleaner but if the Universe breaks, I certainly want God on that one. :) Hala

Prison Chaplain: I have heard stories that the spread of disease among the indians was done with purpose, by the greedy and did not involve Christians. One Sister even related a story to me that the massacre of the Indians was even supported by the government.

Traveler: Well, I certainly can not dispute the genocide that occurred with Native American populations. And to say that it was hideous is not sufficient. Still, blonde hair and blue eyes implies that they were originally Northern European since that genetic modification occured there around 12,000 years ago, I am told. Still, among European immigrants to America, I find that despite first amendment privileges, the LDS were persecuted in an extremely unacceptable manner. Of course, I think that a major part of the problem that Joseph Smith had was owing to the onset of an economic depression that was even worse than the one in the 1930's. It made his bank fail. That and polygamy, made things hard for them. Still, with my Muslim background, polygamy is less of an issue, and with the broader education of Muslims, I expect that to disappear eventually.

Yes, and just having read about LDS history in the founding years, the LDS suffered persecution that I think is unprecedented in American history. Every time I read more, I feel astonished.

Prison Chaplain: In the years 1974 to 2004, I was a one of those, and I got pretty tired of the hate speech, the Rock Music, the misinterpretation of the gift of tongues, and so many other things. I hope that your experience with Christianity has been better, and that you find fulfillment in serving in the Prisons. God knows that we need something good to happen there. So, I am sorry. I suppose I am still reacting to my previous experience with Christianity. Your admonishment serves to remind me that I am not there yet and need to pray more, and learn to love again. Much peace Hala

Shelly: I have to say that you say it is the Catholic view on things as if we should all subscribe to it. One of the things that drove me away from Christianity is that non-LDS folk seem to take pride in attacking others to include each other. Catholics talk about other denominations as if they are the lost sheep. And many protestant denominations talk about everyone else as not really christian, and they really say awful things about the Catholic Church. So, 6 years ago, I decided that I'd had enough of them and their plastic bobble head Jesus. I was Muslim when I started all this with the LDS, and Hagee once said on his TV show that all Muslims were going to Hell. So, is he God that he would know. In my talks with the LDS, not once have the Missionaries attacked another denomination, no not even the Catholics. That is one thing that I could not ignore and finally had to face the idea that American Christianity is bizarre. So, if you are Catholic, why are you here on an LDS page? Are you searching for some thing? I doubt that any LDS person will tell you that they feel lost and need to search a Baptist page. If you have not attended an LDS church and talked to LDS missionaries, you don't really have much to go on, do you? Hala

Well, personally I think that so much about God is not understood, most of what we think about God is pure speculation, not worth killing each other over. 1 We abelieve in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. So, the one that makes the most sense to me is the above one. I see the three as separate but in complete agreement with each other. It is interesting as the Muslim view on such things has it that there is one God, with no helpers. So, either the angels and prophets go around doing his will, or the One God has many aspects that they simply don't try to define. All this gives much food for thought, and prayer.

Oh, yes now I remember seeing this film in its entirety. So, that places much of what I know properly into context. Thank you

I saw a film at the Ward, that described early settlers tearing down a partially completed Temple in Salt Lake City, and burring it to make it look like a plowed feild. The situation is completely unimaginable to me.

It is interesting that less than 100 years before one of the tenants of the founding documents of the USA was religious freedom. Of course, I do not see religous freedom justifying polygamy where there are more than three wives of age close to the husband's. Of course, I was Muslim so was of that mind set when I started talking to the Sister Missionaries. My life has changed so much in 10 months that I sometimes do not recognise it.

So, while doing some more research, I happened upon a web site that is called Mormontrails.org and it mentions that in 1858, settlers avoided US Soldiers on the way to Salt Lake. Anyone care to explain why they would fear US Soldiers?

Wow, the LDS are progressive in an extremely admirable way. In most evangelical circles, to tell someone that you are Transgendered is social suicide. The assume that the person is in fact having lewd relationships with everyone including the local fire hydrant. I once knew a person who had long been very active in their church, going to the mission field, and doing all sorts of charitable activities, but when he decided that he was really a woman, they did everything but burn him or her at the stake. This is most amazing. Hala

I meet with the Missionaries in a little while. I wonder what they think?

The biggest surprise for me as I continue to meet with the Missionaries, and become socialised with other Mormons is the "extension of belief" about our nature, that is talked about in the protestant, non Mormon, KJV, but never discussed in those circles. To be clear, I am writing about Non-LDS Christians. So, I can easily see from Luke 12:4 that we are friends of Jesus. I am less certain about the brother/sister of Jesus status, so if someone can help me over that intellectual hump, I would be most grateful. I have found Matt 12:48 and that seems to give permission, but I still squirm a little with this, not out of lack of faith but out of adoration for God and Jesus Christ.