Abraham

I know Salta is very hot. (My son served his mission there). Un abrazo, Abrahan [sic]

Hi Ghettooutlaw, I also like to read Aplogetics and get a kick out of how the truth outshines the darkeness. Have you read the article from Dr. Peterson on the time the Baptists had their convention in SLC? It is called "And the Blind Leadeth the Blind" or something close to it. It addresses much of the misinformation that comes from that side. I am sure I speak for everyone here, as I state how proud we are that you are defending our country. We are all patriots and express gratitude for your service to us and our country. I am a convert, joining in 1970 (See New Era Article, "With the Spirit You Can Do Anything") Oct 1979 by Vera Judge. I studied many, many, faiths before being brought by a best friend to a sacrament meeting. I know the fullness is here. If we only had II Nephi Chapter 9 & 4 it would be sufficient to declare that the fullness had been restored. All the best in your endeavors, Abraham

I is always amazing to me how someone will put Joseph Smith under an atomic-type microscope and judge him by misinterpretations - isn't that exactly what the Saduceess and Pharisees did to the Savior? I appreciate that the same claims made against Joseph are evident throughout the scriptures, as JS is good company with the Savior. I also liked the rhetorical question, "Where will you go now?", as no other church has authority (they claim it is not necessary), or have a prophet. To paraphrase a quote from Elder Holland, Joseph could never have been a good man, a memorable frontier prophet, an above average man. Either he was the prophet he said he was or he was a deceitful deceiver. Let's call it as it is. He claimed to have seen God. Either it is true or not. No amount of scientific analysis can prove it. The Holy Spirit alone can cofirm that verity. Now, you have the right and free agency to worship God according to the dictates or your own conscience, so I will not try to 'convince' you here. However, what you believe has no bearing on the truth. Best of luck to you as you wander, ponder, and seek for the light. Abraham.

How can anyoone, let alone a LDS judge another. You have the right to worship as you see fit. (See Article of Faith # 11) Don't let some prideful moron try and judge you (judge not lest ye be judged). Here in Denver we have an Inter-Faith Choir made up of Catholics, LDS, and others. Also, Catholic Chairites came to us (the LDS Church) and told us they had 15 semis refers full of salmon. We donated our cannery, and the I believe the cans, and LDS and Catholic volunteered side by side to can all the salmon and it ALL went to the Catholic food banks. Now wouldn't Father be proud? Now it is a regular event, whether the Catholics have food, or we work together just canning dry or wet food stuffs we work together like true Chritians should. If we can't work together in love, support, and appreciations then I guess we can burn apart. I wonder how many LDS will be shocked and in awe that Sister Theresa makes it to the Celestial Kingdom, and maybe they won't. Think about it. I have the utmost respect for what the Catholic Church has accomplished. We all have some skeletons in our closet, so let's not throw stones. Regards, Abraham

I realize the concept if both couples are striving to give 100% each will be giving rather than worrying about receiving. However, as humans we have needs, and arguably if we give 100% we are never in the receive mode and in my opinion there is an ebb and flow when one needs and the other can give. So I am thoroughly convinced that a successful relationship it needs to be 80%/80%. Then there are moments when one's needs are being met and 80% is a pretty large task. If you are giving 80% you are more concerned about giving than receiving (that is why a 50/50 rarely work). My sister (non-member) has gone through two marriages and had a 50/50 always arguing tit for tat, "you went out this weekend, so I get to go out next weekend. In my opinion she was being selfish and not practical. It is okay to take in a relationship. Again, giving 100% in impractical and cannot be maintained. You'll burn out. It may be semantics but i like my idea better (but that's me). Even the Savior had to be fed once in a while. Just don't get "I' disease. Too many, especially men want a 10/90 relationship. In that case I'd have a food taster work for me. hee hee. If one does not serve the other, there will be no love in the relationship. Just a thought, Abraham

I truly appreciate your type of rebuttal, as eacn of us as Covey states, do not see things as they really are but see them as we are. However, one case in point, is that the various so-called Christian sects as you say are pretty much to same. Well, they are not the same, and most if fundamentally wrong in any of their liturgy makes them at odds with the truth, and thus each other, and thus God. Though I can completely accept the fact that each may belive they have 'the' truth, it is impossible that all of them have all of the truth, since God is not the author of such confusion, his truth doth not vary from the right nor to the left. It is kind of like being sort of pregnant, either you are or you are not. So in short, there are only three options. Either one is right, the other is right, or they (we) are all wrong. All of us cannot be right, and be opposed as to litugy, dogma, doctrine, etc. When John said, this is life eternal to know God, just becasue one believes God is a toad, and another a block of wood, another Mother Nature, and another a spirit, and on and on ad infinitum, it is like Hugh Nibley said that what we believe, what degree we have, or our Seminary status has any bearing whatsoever on whether a thing is true or not. What we believe and what we have faith in has nothing to do with what is true. It just is. So if you and I differ we can enjoy a fun repartee, but both of us cannot be completely right. One of us may lead to Christ or the other might (or neither) but it is clear that we cannot get there unless one or the other finally accepts the error of his doctrine and accepts Christ as he really is. I know that there are supposedly 250 scriptures in the Bible that allude to the Trinity - however if you read each one, it is a looooong stretch to try and see that link because even Harper's Bible Dictionary says, "the concept of the Trinity did not exist until the 3rd Century AD." I used to have acces to the Interpreters Bible series but don't any more and wonder what they might have to say about it. Well, regardless of my belief, I have no effect on the true concept of God and his Son and the Holy Spirit. Regardless, we will all come to Christ. Due to the Atonement, the first and second death have been overcome. We will live forever, and will be with God, and either accept or reject him in the final analysis. Thus the second death will have been overcome by the Atonement, but for the rejectors it will be temporary, and spiritual death will then be permanent. Perhaps the real test is to see if we will love and respect those who do not agree, comply, or acquiescewith us. Again, it seems so clear because we have molded our custom-made dark-colored glasses and someday they will be clear. Then we can rejoice in the fullness of truth. Thank you for the time for your wonderful insights. Abraham

I know we could, llike so many philosophers and thrologians throughout history, go round and round on this one. The major flaws in the trinity are that Christ was resurrected and still has his body, as evidenced by numerous witnesses of a physical, eating, and speaking Christ. Unless there is a familial relationship with the Father there could be no reconciliation wtih this. Could the Father have a son who has abilities that he does not have? No, not truly. A physical body can feel, sense, and even procreate (let's not go there) and a god w/o a body cannot. As John explains so clearly Christ did nothing that he did not already see his Father do. The example of rays of light from the sun (son) being the Son of God cannot work since light cannot be seen. I know you will want to resist this principle but put yourself between a light source and any object. Can you see the light between you and it, no. Light illuminates, highlights, but cannot be seen. Christ was seen as a physical God, not just a representation of the Father;s essence. It has been argued forcefully but not successfully that Christ was simply the physical manisfestation of the Father so the natural man could relate to God, and all would have been well if he had not performed the promise of eternal immortatliy by being the first fruits of them that slept (read resurrection). Where does that leave the essence of the Father, in the Tinitarian sense? God has made this so simple. It is a Father and Son relationship, that pure and simple. The family is going to be the eternal unit. That is why we are his sons and daughters not in some metapysical sense but in a literal thoughbeit spiritual sense. That is the pattern repreated over and over in the scriptures. It is easy to understand, comprehend, in the sense we see the order of things, and things as they really (Jacob 4:13), not to say any of us can comprehend Him fully yet. Since the Trinity concept is not taught anywhere in the Bible and was not adobpted until the 4th Century AD, should tells us that something has gone astray. If the Father fills the Universe how can we come to 'know' a loving God - according to the Trinitarian view God is unknowable. How can he be a loving Father, if he is equally 'Mother Nature' as not. Who do the angels worship if not God???? I assure you they do not play their harps, floating around seeking a bodiless, boundless, unseable, unknowable, God. How could he have a throne if he does not sit on it. How coule Stephen witness that he literally saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God, if he has no hand to begin with. Though it may be figurative about God's right hand man, it is not what he saw, or said. In my humble opinion the Trinitarian view of God is a convenient dogma that allows any and all doctrine to be embraced since the foundation is built on sand. Nothing can more confusing, nor heretical. You can't tell me that 32,400 Christian sects or churches (less one) can have their own take on the Ahanasian creed, with diametrially opposed doctrine and still be considered God's church. If the Trinity were true could God be the author of so much confusion. A house cannot stand against itself and that is exactly what Nicea gave us, a feud that will not be settled until Christ comes again and straightens out their mess. Regards, Abraham

Men, if your wife complains that you leave the seat up, it is an easy fix. Leave it down, ALL THE TIME, and I am sure she will stop compalining at all, if you catch my drift or should I say splaater -gross-. HEE HEE> Abraham

With eight children and another teenager living with us (years ago) I have done many loads of laundry. I ALWAYS check to see if the washer is set to right temp, and levels. It takes a second. If you rely on the person who changed the settings to 'reset' them you are looking for disaster. It is defineitley the person who is doing the current load of laundry to check the settings and not depend on another. Though a polite gesture to reset the knobs it is a better habit of checking. It is like saying the person who uses the gas in the car fill it up. If you wait for that you'll run out of gas more times than not. And that's the way it is. hee hee;) Abraham

Even if it is Popular Mechanics it is probabaly bundled like an article and is really an infomercial which serves one purpose - to remove 50% of your hard earned grreen backs from your wallet. Abraham

Recently we attended the Ward of my best friend who happened to be in President Eyring's ward. My 7 year old did not want to sit in Primary so he sat on my lap in HP Group. (Then) Elder Eyring sat next to us. Of course we repected him as just another brother striving to magnifying his calling and did not make a fuss. However, after church, I told Alex (my son) who he was sitting next an Apostle. He ran to the van shouting, "I sat next to a 'fossil' I sat next to a fossil." True story and pretty funny I think. Abraham

When you need a sign to buoy your faith you will not receive one. When your faith is sufficient that you need no signs, you then qualify and thus receive them freely. (or better said may receive them if you so seek them - but since there is not need, they can come and go as they or we desire.) To me, that is perfect faith when you have the belief and experience what I call "just-as-if-i-cation" just as if it had already been granted. There is no doubt but it is becoming perfection also. You know there is a spectrum of faith. One cannot leap to faith without experience. See Nephi's great example. He did not have faith in his father's words but first had a desire to know (have faith). Even if one believe is is not yet faith (See Denver Snuffs book "The Second Comforter"). For without action there can be no faith. That is why in the Gospel so many say they believe the church is true, and so they do, but they will not give a prayer, a talk, or accept a calling. Their belief is not yet faith since without action it is idle. I could go on and on, but suffice it to say, that even as the Savior progressed line upoon line so must we if we are going to perfect our faith in the Savior Jesus Christ. Remember faith is belief but belief is not faith. Desire - Hope - Belief - Action - Faith - leads to degrees of Knowledge Abraham

Remember that we do not know how many dispensations there have been, (See your Bible Dictionary). I enjoyed the comments about the fullness though. It will truly be full when all the keys are restored to Adam from the ancient dispensations. Be careful not to say this is the sixth, this is the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times, and there is a finality in that. Abraham

My wife has said many times that love is not looking forlornly into each other googly eyes, but looking in the same direction. Here is my quote: "Obey thy wife, and thou shalt be happy!" Abraham

Hello all, It is wonderful to feel the spirit that resides here. I live among the Rocky Mountains, Colorado, USA. I have visited 32 countires and love the Gospel which I found, after searching other faiths for years. My beautiful wife and I have 8 children (all of them girls EXCEPT 7). I am trying to fulfill the Abrahamic promise of posterity as the sands of the seas. HEE HEE I love the Gospel, stay close to the basics, love truth, and have a very strong testimony (with the emphasis on test.) On Fri night we went on a winter campout. The wind was about 100 mph and almost blew over my van. The tents with flex poles collapsed on top of us and shredded. It is an anolgoy of the faiths of the world which are flexible alright but they end up collapsing under the differing winds of doctrine. With rigid poles (like a Turtle tent) and supports like the true Gospel, there is no wavering in doctrine and they withstand the winds and the buffetings of Satan. Remember: One great principle: FAITH One great LAW: OBEDIENCE One great endowment: LOVE Hope I get to speak/write to each of you sometime. Saludos y abrazos, Abraham of the Chaldeas

Please remember this is the Book of Revelation not Revelations as mistyped so many times in the above posts (sorry to be so picky) I guess it is a case of typoglacymia hee hee. Not only is it grammatically correct, this book of the NT is the Revelation of Jesus Christ not John! (See Rev. 1:1). This revelation was shared with John, not John's revelation. Many think this is straining at a gnat but if we called the book of Acts the book of Act, or the Book John as the Book of Johns it would not make any sense. Also, the term John the Divine is a misnomer since Divine should not be an adjective and is not in the Septuagint (Greek). It should be a noun and much better translated as John the Diviner. You can see thsi is much more accurate. Just some fun facts to consider. One more thing. The symbolism used is for our benefit of course, they do not lend themselves to artitisic depictions of beasts with many heads etc. Artists renditions, in my opinion just serve to confuse the issue. Many experts have stated the same. Regards, Abraham

In the schools it is amazing what our kids learn, I have 8 and had a teenager live with us for 6 years also. Since I have never sworn ever ever in my life I tell them if they hear me use a word it is okay. I love the word califarious or whatiever it was. Try not to have them use the word homosapien as it is technically correct but kind of too close to gross. Terrific strategy however! If you swear then you should stop. It is a hundred candle power mouth trying to compensate for a single candle power brain. I was at the park and this 7 year old Arab boy was swearing up a storm. I very politely told him that the crap that came out of his mouth I would not hold in my hand. He was shocked and amazed, he had never thought of it that way before. I have worked consturction a few times, and it is amazaing how the men and sometimes the women are worse, can denegrate their mothers, your Deity and on and on. They don't even know what they are saying. BTW - don't ever use the term 'bloody' while watching the changing of the guards in London. I found out that is a swear word in the King's english. I did not seem to be self righteous as we all have our weakness (just aske my wife hee hee). However, should we not emulate the Savour and set the example? Regards, Abraham

Let's say in any given group it is theorized that some of the blood of Abraham is present, as it cannot be proven since we don't have sufficient samplling or data. Sorry - kind of got carried away.

Nice clarifying the lineage thing. However, in any given group large or small it has been proven that over 95% will have some blood of Abraham in them so in that sense the lineage can be declared. If not a true descendant of Abraham then one is adopted in with a term I have coined "justasification" - so it is "just as if" one was born under the covenant (sound familiar???). This declaration is important - and by the way - your post seemed to suggest that some Patriarchal blessings do not declare or reveal a tribe (which is kind of true- but if so one can and should go back for clarification for the omission) but I know what you were saying. Now here is a fun fact for you true blue LDS. There are 15 tribes that can be assigned - can you name them? It is not as on the fringe as you might think. And for arguments sake we will count Levi - even if they had special temple duties, and not confuse the non-traditional list of the 12 tribes which wants to slip a tribe in there. I don't mean to confuse you but it is nice to know. All except one are very obvious - and the last one is clear as the nose on your face. ¿like riddles? All the best, Abraham

Visitors from the other side whether angels, spirits, or translated beings always have a purpose, they do not always have a message. Also, did you know that most if not all righteous 'members' in Noah's day were translated before the flood, so there were more than 8 that survived. This is doctrine, thought you'd like to know. That is where some of the visitors come from. Abraham

This may be your Abrahamic test. Abraham

I am truly touched by the Holy Sprit to read of the compassion for this brother. Isn't this what the Gospel is all about. With tears running down my cheeks I feel the atonement evident here through the Lord's hands in these latter-days, namely each of you who care and are caring. May you each be abundantly blessed and for you brother, it is not where you have been but where you are the direction you are headed that matters. All my compassion, A

I attended Church in London years ago and had a wonderful wonderful experience. But that does not affect your present situation, for which I feel badly. I love the saying, "I don't repeat rumors or gossip so listen good the first time." HEE HEE or - " I don't like to spread gossip but did you hear that so and so." Who can resist a juicy piece of gossip. I think in President Benson's talk on Pride the Universal Sin, he addresses that. I just can't remember where I read a great ppem on the deliterious effects of gossip. Once when President Benson was in a business setting, among 3 or 4 businessmen, one looked high and low, and said, "Are there any ladies around? at which time President Benson replied, "No, but there is a gentleman present," at which point he left their company. We need to, and I am sure you do, walk away when conversations turn any direction but uplifting, truthful, and hearty. We promise not to criticize the Lord's annointed, that should apply to everyone of Heavenly Father's children. Regards, A

While on my mission to four countries we came across many and taught many who appeared to have an African ancestry but could not tell. It was in the mid 70's so we had to do the best we could in discerning who could have the PH and who could not. Regardless, many served faithfully and did not get hung up with the timing. Unfortunately, we had few guidelines, and this will sound base, but we looked at how dark they were and their physical features. It was sad, and I remember how happy I was in 1978. In 1972 I went to Europe for six weeks as a teenager and attended church in London. How wonderful it was to attend a Ward that was approx. 60% of African descent, active, loving, energetic as any Saint would be, even w/o the PH (yes, there were families, men and women in the congregation. Again, I thought of them when I heard that all worhty males being able to receive the Priesthood authority. If one looks at the FARMS site and pulls down the talks, some on audio, they will get a summary of the African Americans who were ordained (just a couple or few) to the PH in Joseph Smith's day. There are some sad realities about the social constraints that contributed to the ban, but it is a trial of many and their faith. All the best, Abraham

A good way, and by the way I did not see the U-tube video, to think of the garment is that many churches wear their garb (not a negative term by the way) on the outside as it reminds them and in this case others of their convenants or position. For Latter-Day Saints we wear ours on the inside, close to our heart to remind us of the covenants that we have made. They are called mysterious becasue they are kept from view of the world (most of the time) and are quiet, reverant, symbols of who we are, and who we may become. When on my mission an Israeli Colonel was staying in a room adjacent to ours. He came to breakfast and I noticed a tassle sticking out of his uniform. I asked him about it, and he was a little bit embarrassed but being the gentleman he was explained some things about the Jewish garment for military servicemen. Being the gentleman I am I did not pursue it or ask if it was worn by the general population, or Israeli women. At the same time it was a very interesting conversation. If the so-called 'world' would look into the history of the Bible, and Chritianity they would find that we are keeping with tradition, among other things, by wearing clothing that keeps our minds on our duty(s). Don't get sucked into a fight over the garment. It is not worth it, and only stirs up more curiousity. Abraham