askandanswer

What do you call a man with a car on his head - Jack What do you call a man in a pile of leaves - Rustle What do you call a man with no arms and legs in the middle of the ocean - Bob What do you call a man with a shovel in his head - Doug

I think that would be the LIVED experience of anyone who tries to do the same

I keep on wondering what would have happened if Adam and Eve had made fruit salad instead of opting for one fruit at a time.

Is this ^^ what you meant to say?

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? Seventy years old and still learning - its good to see.

They're called Toyotas

It's good to start with belief, then move towards faith, then move past faith towards knowledge, supported by proof

Hey look, the percentages are dropping, from 99 to 97%, with both posts having been made 7 hours ago. If this continue at this rate, by early Sunday morning at the latest, everyone will be caring about what happens in LDS temples.

You may be right. Or not. I think its a bit hard to tell whether this particular example is because of preference or divine law. I think you can make a good case for either possibility. I think it's more likely to do with something like when God was a human, perhaps life was created by one male and one female together, so that's the way He's continued to do it, but having said that, it still leaves open the question of whether its' by preference or law. When considering whether its by preference or law, it might be relevant to consider that some creatures on earth are hermaphrodites. I'm not sure exactly what that adds to the discussion but it might add something in that it shows there are exceptions to the one male one female rule.

This better belongs in the thread about bad jokes, but since we're talking about Stephen King I'll put it here. This is currently on the blackboard outside my local butcher's shop. Stephen King has a son named Jo I'm not joking Be he is.

This is currently true. But it need not remain true. The fact that we don't know the mind of God is the main reason why we should inquire and question about it. And starting with His motivations seems to be like a good place to start. I disagree that Moses 1:39 is an all-embracing explanation although I agree that it explains most things. However, taking reason two, just as an example, that some of God's actions can be explained by the need to comply with universal, or natural laws, I can't see any other reason why God would require His dearly beloved only begotten Son to endure the enormous agonies of the atonement unless it was to satisfy some sort of demand for justice imposed by a law that God is bound by. I suspect that an atonement is not something you would require your loved one to go through if it could be prevented or if there is some other way. As to my down to Earth examples, I think you're referring to my examples about the fourth reason, that 2, rather than any other number is the preferred number of counsellors in a Presidency, and white, rather than any other colour is the preferred symbol of purity, or 12, rather than any number being the preferred number of apostles. Yes, these are down to earth examples, but they are only examples to illustrate the point that God may have personal preferences, and that these preferences influence some of His choices and actions. There may be many more, more significant examples of where His personal preferences have influenced His decisions, and if one is seeking to better understand the mind of God, and His motivations and decision making, then one would need to take into account His personal preferences. Why do we have a sun and an atmosphere that appears yellow instead of red when it would have been just as easy as to create a red sun rather than a yellow one? Perhaps God likes yellow more than red. Why does it take a male and a female to create new life rather than a male and a female and something else? I can't see any necessary reason why it has to be two and only two, and not two plus something else, and it seems that if, from the beginning, that male and female and something else is how it was done, then I'm sure that things could be arranged so that such an arrangement would have no impact at all on God's intentions and ability to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life. But the fact He, is chose the current arrangement whereby the creation of new life requires a male and a female. I think if we ask why we have this arrangement, I think that the best explanation is because that's God's personal preference, that's how He likes/wants it to be.

Well, as I said, "I suspect that this is the reason that explains the majority of His actions." However, I don't think it explains all His actions, hence reasons 2 - 4.

It seems to me that this event would fit comfortably under reason 1 - He loves us and is doing all He can to enable our learning and progression.

I guess this is not quite the same as everyone in attendance having 1/3 of a beard? Same amount of beard but different distribution.

I understand the motivation that would lead a parent to check on their 2 year old daughter, but I'm a little unsure of the necessity to do so. Isn't it the case that under 8's are protected from evil spirits and such influences?

I have'nt seen or heard any effective counter to the arguement that what Descartes described as thinking, could just have easily come from some other influence inside his head other than himself. Why did Descartes assume that his thoughts came from him? Surely, we who believe in divine inspiration are fully conversant with the idea that all that is in our heads does not come from ourselves.

Well it certainly hasn't stopped me

I think that this is an example of God being involved 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 19 ¶ Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. I think that this is an example of God watching and observing, and to me, being uninvolved 8 And they brought their wives and children together, and whosoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word of God they caused that they should be cast into the fire; and they also brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also, that they might be burned and destroyed by fire. 9 And it came to pass that they took Alma and Amulek, and carried them forth to the place of martyrdom, that they might witness the destruction of those who were consumed by fire. 10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames. 11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.

Some time in the future I hope to give some more thought to the possible reasons that influence God's decision making about when He will get involved and when He won't. At the moment, its not clear to me, but possibly with some thought and help from others, the range of possibilities might be narrowed.

I was thinking of situations where God might like to intervene because harm is about to befall His children, who He greatly loves, but out of respect for their agency He refrains from doing so and allows them to suffer harm.

But now that I think about it a bit more, I'm inclined to the idea that God's respect for our agency might be more of a reason why He doesn't do things, rather than why He does. Out of respect for our agency, God might restrict Himself from doing things which He otherwise might want to do.

3 ¶ Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. 4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? 6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? 8 ¶ Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. 9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; 10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: 11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. 13 ¶ If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: 14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. (Old Testament | Isaiah 58:3 - 14) (Said in good humour)

At last - 4 years of lectures finally managed to sink in and have an effect! Nobody can tell me that @MormonGator rushes to decisions.

Thanks @Anddenex this is a useful statement that I had not given proper consideration to.

I agree with you that at present, this is our situation, but I see no reason why it should continue to be our situation.