tesuji

I guess I thought we've been talking about LDS. I don't care so much what evangelicals believe, as far as deciding things about my life. Is anyone here saying LDS should avoid Pokemon? I thought PrisonChaplain at least was saying that? If so, then I don't understand the reasoning, as I've explained above.

? You're saying R movies are OK?

Movie fans, specifically Star Wars fans, check out this awesome fan-made trailer for SW Episode VIII http://www.cnet.com/news/fan-made-star-wars-episode-viii-trailer-will-get-you-as-excited-as-the-real-thing/

A few scriptures:

OK, let's just talk about LDS then. LDS believe that angels and demons are just spiritual beings like you and me. Angels may be pre-mortal spirits or post-mortal spirits or post-mortal resurrected beings. Demons are just pre-mortal spirits who never got bodies, those who rejected God's plan during the War in Heaven. So they and their leader Satan aren't going to get bodies. (In theory, I guess demons could also be people who got bodies, lived on earth and became evil persons, and are now post-mortal spirits. Has anyone ever heard of this case?) https://www.lds.org/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-3-jesus-christ-our-chosen-leader-and-savior Demons, as traditional Christians and Hollywood imagine them, don't exist. No cloven hoofs, red beings with horns, etc. Just like angels don't have huge white birds wings. They are all just people. So, yes, Satan and his "demons" are bad. But we have no reason to fear them. We have accurate gospel knowledge (instead of superstition), we have the priesthood, we have our covenants, all of which protect us from evil. We should not study them, but we can study about them, to repeat the distinction that Neal Maxwell made ("some things should be studied; other things only studied about"). Part of what we should learn here is how to confront and overcome evil, as I've suggested fantasy may help us to think about. I'm not suggesting we should go out looking for evil, but I am saying we don't need to fear it. So - What do demons have to do with Pokemon? Why would any LDS be afraid of Pokemon? They are imaginary creations some Japanese animators drew. They aren't even depicted as evil inside the Pokemon universe, much less in the real world.

I almost suspect that church PR has a healthy (mostly hidden) sense of humor, as I imagine God must have. "The more you enjoy absurdity, the more entertaining this world becomes." - me

Yeah, I always ask myself, what kind of people do I want to be with? Celestial people are nicest to be around, I have to assume

Do you ever wish we could somehow discover a new planet next door, and that all the decent people could just move there, and all the idiots could stay behind on this world? My only worry is that I wouldn't qualify for the new world

I guess we're not worried about derailing this nice thread, so... I think that anyone who produces mass media must be very careful. Whatever influence, good or evil, you put into the world is multiplied by millions of readers or viewers who are affected by your creations. If it's true that we are rewarded with joy or suffering for the consequences of our actions in this life, I can only think that the post-mortal consequences for you will be magnified as well according to how many people you have influenced. My best hope for George Martin at this point is that he is somehow spiritually retarded, and doesn't fully understand good versus evil, and so he won't be judged as fully responsible. Like some kind of medical, physical, neurological deficiency.

I've always thought that modern terrorists seem a lot like our modern Lamanites, to prick us into repenting like the Lamanites did for the Nephites.

I watched the TV episode 1 of Game of Thrones, heavily content-filtered through Angel. Yucky story. And the very last thing you see is two adulterers throwing a young boy off a tower. Based on plot summaries I've seen, Vidangel saved me from seeing, among other things, a forced-marriage wedding night rape, an orgy, and incestuous sex. There is also a lot of nudity, graphic sex, and graphic violence, from what I've read. I only got a little bit into the novels. I'd heard from others that were no "good" characters, and I didn't like the overall feel of the book. The author is not trying to edify me or provide me with wholesome entertainment. I don't trust him. I'm pretty sure if I wanted to, that I could get into the plot, the world-building, etc. But I don't want to develop a taste for things like this. About the TV version:

If we're talking sci fi, then Startide Rising by David Brin is my favorite. For fantasy, it seems nothing will ever top The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Yeah, Game of Thrones - I tried it. Awful world with awful characters. The lists of Hugo and Nebula award winners is a great resource for sci fi and fantasy. I find most "real" literature, especially modern stuff, unedifying or depressing or too mundane. Or maybe that's not entirely fair - my brain is too tired after kids and career. I hope to give real literature another shot when I'm older. I admit there's a lot of great lit out there. Shakespeare of course. The BYU Honors Reading List is a great resource: https://honors.byu.edu/sites/default/files/student_files/RevisedGreatWorksRequirementPacket6.04.2013.pdf One of the most edifying and entertaining lit novels I've read was The Betrothed (I Promessi Sposi) by Manzoni. It's a classic in Italy that Americans have never heard of (unless you've seen the movie A Room with a View). My favorite reading these days is the scriptures. The Book of Mormon is wonderful - and definitely NOT fiction!

I loved Skyfall, in spite of all the things you mentioned, and in spite of Daniel Craig. I thought it had more emotional depth than other Bond movies. The villain was also deeper, and more icky-villainous -- these movies only work as well as their villains. I also love the theme song and the whole musical score. And the part where Judi Dench reads Tennyson while the aging Bond is running to save the day was heroic. The poem fits Britain now better than when Tennyson wrote it. One of the most moving scenes I've seen in a movie: We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. The long final showdown was also well-done, I thought.

I assume people here know about Brian Regan, but if not, he's clean. His goofy humor took me a bit to get used to, but I love him now. Also, in case you haven't thought of it: A great way to get clean comedy is Pandora. Set your account to screen out explicit content on the Pandora website. There are comedy channels, or you can just enter a comedian's name. One of my favorite discoveries using this Pandora method is Paul F. Tomkins, although he does throw in a swear now and then.

Some good quotes here: D&C 132:22–25. What is “the Continuation of the Lives” and the “Deaths”? Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught: “Those who gain eternal life (exaltation) also gain eternal lives, meaning that in the resurrection they have eternal ‘increase,’ ‘a continuation of the seeds,’ a ‘continuation of the lives.’ Their spirit progeny will ‘continue as innumerable as the stars; or, if ye were to count the sand upon the seashore ye could not number them.’ (D. & C. 131:1–4;132:19–25, 30, 55.)” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 238; see also Notes and Commentary on D&C 131:4.) President Joseph Fielding Smith further explained that “the term ‘deaths’ mentioned here has reference to the cutting off of all those who reject this eternal covenant of marriage and therefore they are denied the power of exaltation and the continuation of posterity. To be denied posterity and the family organization, leads to the ‘deaths,’ or end of increase in the life to come.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 2:360; see also McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 283.) https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-student-manual/sections-132-138/section-132-marriage-an-eternal-covenant?lang=eng

Lots of leaders' quotes cited here: http://scriptures.byu.edu/#::c12e8419 Look on the right side of the page for the citations. Unfortunately it's a super long verse so not all these will discuss the particular part of the verse you are wondering about.

Ok, I steer clear of all the things in your last paragraph The demons thing I don't understand though. Angels and demons are just people, right? What demons have to do With Pokemon?

I get your point, but for me they are completely different. So your analogy doesn't speak to me very well. It seems superstitious. It sounds like when Christians talk about angels having actual wings, or God creating the universe in 6 literal 24 hour days. It's OK, just ignore me and move on ...

I guess. Maybe if I had omitted the "irrational?" It's hard to express my feelings without using some of these kinds of words. Pokemon as demons seems ludicrous to me - see, that's probably offensive too. To me it seems very superstitious. Or are they just afraid of human imagination? I have to assume these people don't know what fantasy is about, and just avoid it as a matter of principle? Perhaps people can explain it to me. Perhaps it is like the case for me with horror. I feel horror is an unhealthy genre and will not watch or read it. But fantasy is not like that for me. Sure there is unwholesome fantasy, but the whole genre is not like that.

No, I'm not trying to insult people. I honestly can't imagine it. I don't understand how they can think there's a problem with Pokemon. It doesn't seem rational to me. That doesn't mean I right and they are wrong. I've tried to explain my views on fantasy later in the thread (after the post you quoted). Pardon me if I've been a jerk, that wasn't my intention.

Continuing... I actually think fantasy is closer to dealing with gospel topics than most genres. In fantasy, you can have God and the supernatural participate in the story. You can't do that in sci fi, mystery, etc. - they are effectively atheistic. God, by convention, is not allowed to be a character in sci fi. You can't have the end of a traditional Agatha Christie type mystery novel being "God did the crime," or even Satan. Same for historic fiction, westerns, etc. a maybe a few other fiction genres. Fantasy, of what I've seen, is often about good versus evil. It presents our real-world battle of good versus evil in more simplified or symbolic terms. Same with superhero fiction. Good guys battling evil. So it's more possible to discuss and analyze how to fight evil in fantasy. Also, interestingly, in fantasy and science fiction the author must create whole new worlds. A meaningful exercise? They are fantasy worlds, but the LDS scriptures say our world too was created spiritually (was a "fantasy") before it was created physically.

I don't see Pokemon as connected in any way with the spirit realm. it's pure imagination from the heads of Japanese animators. Harry Potter, OK, that is talking about magic. However I read it as pure fantasy also. HP doesn't bear any resemblance to what little I know about actual Satanism and witchcraft. I'm a person who enjoys fantasy, and even more so science fiction. I love Lord of the Rings, Dungeons and Dragons, Magic: The Gathering card game (although I don't play Black, creeps me out). Etc. So that's where I'm coming from. If someone feels bad about getting into fantasy, then that's their right. I myself don't think there's some kind of slippery slope, from Pokemon into Satanism. I think for the most part, most fantasy is on a second, different slope, of harmless imagination.

Pokemon Go is completely innocuous. I can't imagine any rational Christian having a problem with it, unless for some reason they are 100% averse to all kinds of fantasy. I did notice that of the two LDS churches that I visited while playing Pokemon Go, both were Pokestops or Poke Gyms. I could imagine it becoming a nuisance, especially if people came chasing them into the building, or even the chapel. However, from my experience with the game, it's not necessary to enter buildings to catch them. It's a brand new world, folks

I was looking at all the signs "Make America Great Again" at the convention last night and pondering that slogan. I like that idea, but it's also a very general statement. Think of all the differing meanings that "make my country great" had for the following leaders in history: Enoch, Moses, Buddha, Confucius, Plato, Alexander of Macedon, Julius Caesar, Jesus Christ, Constantine, Henry VIII, Napoleon, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Joseph Smith, Lincoln, FDR, Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Kennedy, Reagan, Obama, and ISIS/ISIL. I think an even better goal would be to "Make America Humble Again." I remember an old-timer looking at our nation and saying, "What this country needs is a Great Depression." I'm not wishing for that, but I think we were stronger when we were humble after the Depression and WWII. The Book of Mormon teaches that true national security and greatness comes from righteousness and submission to the God of this land, who is Christ: I invite you to listen to this classic talk by a modern prophet, and ponder how well we are doing: "Beware of Pride," Ezra Taft Benson https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1989/04/beware-of-pride?lang=eng

Here's the official word from the church about same-sex attraction: https://www.lds.org/topics/same-gender-attraction?lang=eng Here it is, in a nutshell: