Crypto

It could simply be that the university wants to be accepted as scholarly among it's peers. It is hard to do that when you publish papers which others likely disagree about your premise. (the premise being the book of mormon is anciently historical) Which is a good, and bad thing.

I was unaware that that is how Interpreter was started. Cool.

Simple solution, scholars who are interested in doing ancient book of mormon studies band together and once again form a separate entity.

With this topic, I believe it should be tempered with knowledge that just because prophets and leaders may be fallible, doesn't mean they aren't prophets either. I like this blog post on the topic: http://www.sixteensmallstones.org/watchmen-on-the-tower-on-the-limits-of-prophetic-fallibility/

Contrary to what many believe, religion can be a rational choice. I'd start with reading Pascals wager. and maybe perusing around this blog which is heavy on the philosophy side of things. http://theomorphicman.blogspot.com/ Also realize, arguing philosophical points probably won't help, it would likely just cause more strife.

Finally got around to responding here. Sounds like the root cause of procrastination...is procrastination? (Sounds like the definition of procrastination itself...eg...putting something off for something else that seems more desirable at the time)

I haven't seen libertarians actually hold office before. They might or might not be better, often depends on the topic. IMO

I haven't had time to read the entire topic yet, but I would like to mention that there are some definition failures, and expected norms that cause some of these statistics to misrepresent the actual reality. In response the CDC created (2010) an entirely new definition for rape called "forced to penetrate" (mostly men) which mirrors the crime statistics of rape of women. Which isn't even the end of the debate because of political forces on any existing side skewing the results because of their bias.

I'm personally more worried about having a desire to be celestial. From my standpoint on earth i've noticed traits, flaws, desires, in myself and others that I suspect wouldn't be welcome in the celestial kingdom (even if the goal is the celestial), that often times people don't seem willing to let go for something greater. If you have the will to sacrifice the lessor for the greater of the celestial, I think you'll be alright.

This doesn't seem to be a problem in my ward. Guess my ward should count our blessings.

As well as the BYU Jerusalem center: https://ce.byu.edu/jc/

I don't know for everyone, but I do have a story about my Grandparents. My Grandparents were inactive for the entire time my dad was growing up. He still got the basic lessons on God (pray, go to great grandma's Methodist church occasionally etc), but had no clue that they were LDS. Ended up getting baptized in college. My Grandma was born into the church, but from a less than stellar family (inactive, a few with drinking problems, from what I can gather). Grandpa converted. Early on in their marriage they sometimes struggled for money depending on how well the farm did. While going to church they were told that they had to wear a white Shirt, a tie, black slacks etc, rather than what at the time was their Sunday best, which was very likely a plaid button up shirt, jeans, and a pair of nice cowboy boots, and a simpe dress for my Grandma. How ever, or what ever was said was taken badly, As far as I can gather that plus a few (likely petty) slights towards my Grandma caused them to decide not to attend their ward for at least 20+ years.

Just for reference to standards, BSA does not permit open sexuality. This includes both heterosexual and homosexual (and any other type of sexual) behavior. While participating at a scout camp the staff are expected to abide this as are the scouts. Which is arguably the same moral standard in terms of abstinence for unmarried peoples as our Church has. Do people always obey? No. But that happens regardless of Scout Camp or Church. The same thing goes in regards to speaking/teaching about sexuality which is left to parents and strictly forbidden by any Scouter from speaking with scouts about. Another words, if a said homosexual, heterosexual, etc advocates for or even speaks about any view of sexuality to scouts, they can be evicted from leadership and scouting altogether. This is where the complaint of not knowing which leaders are homosexual or not comes from. Complaining about not knowing about which leaders are homosexual completely misses the point. School, Peers, Internet, News, Scout Camp. I personally think one of these places is a safer place to interact with this topic than the rest. (Hint: it's not school, peers, internet, or news)

Article is from Tuesday, February 11, 2014

What a person is doing is more important that the situation they are in. That quote seems to have this backwards.

Cool. I think it will be more of a... I wonder how long until the lawsuits start showing up.

This is the part of the article that states the leaders voted. Which is different than the above. The reason I said you have to be careful about sources is not because of the information, but because after reading through numerous articles, I noticed the one you cited was near the same as some others but changed a few key words which reports on nearly the same thing, while giving the viewer a different impression of what is going on. Thus 'break' becomes 'vacation' (based on discussion here) , or stating "church bureaucracy" rather than 'church'. Which is a different take than some of the other articles.

Our church was there and did vote http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865633343/LDS-Church-relationship-with-Boy-Scouts-in-doubt-may-create-new-international-program.html?pg=all They likely requested a delay in the vote in order for them to bring the decision before the lord on how they should react. So you are being a bit hasty in wanting to be critical. Also 'break' isn't the same as 'vacation', Be careful of your sources, I highly doubt a break from a council means that they won't be visiting wards, give talks, blessings, dedications etc..

I was reading through traveler's post and remembered/realized even though my family participated in fasting, I didn't really understand the power of fasting with a purpose until after high school. In a way sacrament can be the same. Once someone really understands the sacrament, the meaning of the symbols, and why we do it, can make a big difference. It takes really understanding or feeling Christs atonement to appreciate.

It might be worth noting that back in 2012 the intelligence community (US in conjunction with Israel) estimated that if Iran's progress was unabated it would take them 2 years to successfully develop a nuke. Then stuff like stuxnet happened. http://nowsourcing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/stuxnet-infograpic.png Might seem a little bit conspiratorial, but it's generally hard to definitively pin point the specific developer of malware.

In LDS theology there is both the New Jerusalem (Zion), and old Jerusalem. Which will be built, rebuilt. Matthew 20:16, and the parable refers to the grafting in of other people to the tree (of life?). A cross reference to the Book of Mormon (Jacob5:63) Which is similar to other parables of the bible. Gods covenants are still in effect for the heritage of Israel, predicated on following in righteousness. The covenant encompasses both the Jews who are first which through their falling away, the gospel then goes to the gentile who are last to be made first, and when the day comes those who the gospel went to first it shall be brought again. Something along those lines. The literal lineage of Israel still has a part in the covenant. (Regardless of how early or later everyone was called)

Our Article of Faith #10 has a nice concise description of that belief. https://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/a-of-f/1?lang=eng

Hmm, the LDS view of things. From my understanding, which may be limited: We are under the oath and covenant of the priesthood, both Jew and Gentile have been invited, which extends the same blessings of Abraham unto all who choose to partake of it. Our church is a literally taking part in the literal gathering of Israel. Jew and Gentile have been invited, thus a bit of the Replacement Theology and a little bit not. Politically depends on the person. Most members are fairly conservative, which you can infer what their political stance would be.

I'd really rather not consider the motives.

Have you bought an indoor air filter yet? Gonna be cleaning the filters a lot though.