the Ogre

Yeah, I think the church bought that URL and Mormon.com because the "previous" owners were posting porn to the sites. A kind of url-kidnapping as it were.

I think you need to look a little further into the covenant relationships men have with G-d. If we live according to the covenants we have made with H-m, then H- will abide by the same covenants. However, the biblical covenants have nothing to do with this thread. You would be more interested in those, for example the Abrahamic covenants that we are still required to abide by. What about the Davidic covenants? We are required to live by those as well.The biggest problem is that neither of those have anything to do with this thread. You are absolutely right, we are held to the word of G-d. We are required to follow the scriptures as H- interprets them. Not the other way around. It is surprising to hear you make such a clear argument for Modern Revelation. [irony]I am glad you are finally beginning to come around.[/irony]

My first instinct was Los Angeles, but I don't respect much LA (especially the basket-ball teams {Ooooo . . . Dr.T, c'mon you're a very smart dude: how can you like the Lakers?}, but the surf isn't any good any more either), however on second thought, I picked 'A'.

Thank you and I agree, the responses have been quite interesting. I haven't voted (I think all of them are bad enough -- besides, I wrote the survey). The one category that the church did not test and that I was tempted to include was vanity ("There is nothing wrong with spending hours in front of the mirror and in the closet trying on outfits as long as you look your best."), but I decided against it was too gender specific in its interpretation, so I didn't bother and most likely, the CES surveyors felt the same way.

I don't know, I think race is loaded with meaning, but I do not think it gets in the way of exaltation. My Scottish/Jewish heritage is very important to who I am. I make sure my kids love their Korean heritage. I think we are blessed by race and cultural-identity and I am glad it is such an important part of who we are.What is wrong and artificial is some type of deified race-preference. The L-rd said the Children of Israel were his chosen people, but they were scattered so far and wide that it is likely most people have a bit of their blood coursing though their veins. 2600 years is a long time and IMHO, DNA spreads quickly.

HEP: I think tied into this is that a great many members cherry-pick the doctrines they are the most comfortable with. Many church tenants can be difficult (think about how polygamy still affect some members) and as such, many ignore them or purposely deny them. Personally, over the years I have had the hardest time thinking the RS is an inspired organization, but there are so many women who find happiness there and feel that their testimonies of the gospel have been strengthen there. Right and at that time it was not the race that mattered, but the priesthood. To reach the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom a man must hold the Melchizedek Priesthood, yet those who did not receive the priesthood in this life could receive it through vicarious-work in the temple.I think the controversies of race were merely reflections of the time those leaders lived.

B (v. 55), but then what about the notion of Mary being a perpetual virgin? Errrr . . . Did Joseph have other wives or were these guys J-sus' brethren in the local synagogue?

Juliet: Welcome to LDS.net. I'm glad you are here. Keep on posting. Aaron the Ogre

These three (from left to right -- Andy, Martie, and Robby):http://www.lds.net/user/gallery/view/name_the%20Ogre/id_2510/title_going-to-youth-activities/

Actually, I can think of a question in the temple recommend interview that applies: "Are you honest in your dealings with your fellowmen?"

Yup. Gal 3.28: "28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all bone in Christ Jesus."Thank you, PC.

Oh, yeah . . . women are just filled with yokes .

Here is an interesting twist to basically the same situation:

Yeah, I sympathize. I don't understand racism or how people can use the gospel to prop-up something that is obviously wrong.

In a recent spat with another LDS.net member the following quote from President Taylor became an issue: However, it turns out, the quote is evidence some members have used against the other poster while he pursues a relationship with an Asian young woman (they are engaged). I understand well his problem as I have had the same problem: my ex-wife is South Korean. For years members with good intentions (including three different bishops) brought this up and some members have even said neither one of us could receive celestial glory even if we were married in the temple. My ward's current relief society president said this exact thing in Relief Society in October 2007. My daughter, who is mixed-race (of course) was very upset when she heard this and stormed out of the meeting in tears and has never been back to church (I did go to the Bishop over it). This is quite a hot topic and has been discussed in other locations (here is one). I would like to get your opinion. To be clear, I am not condemning any past general-authorities for what they said. My beef is with modern Latter-day Saints today who still think it is an issue, that interracial marriages should be actively discouraged, and that interracial marriages will block one from celestial glory. I do want to take this opportunity to apologize to Italics for being so aggressive in that previous thread. He seems like a nice guy and I do not think he intended to smear a former President of the Church. Please: answer the poll and if you know of any other "evidences" against interracial marriage, I would love to hear them. Sincerely, Aaron the Ogre

The church does not take issue with the word, but I think the use of the word is bigoted. I understand what PC is saying (but why does he hate Charlie Chaplin?) and respect that. I do not respect the courts or the press who refuse to move-on and shrug off the mere appearance of bigotry. I respect the church's opinion, but those who insist on the word, who are not LDS, I feel are bigots. It's just my opinion.

Look it is your life. You have to choose for yourself. If you are dissatisfied with something, then make a change.I'm a fat guy. I'm dissatisfied with that. I ride a bike (trek 7.3 with great modifications) everywhere and avoid sugar and corn-syrup like the plague. I try my very best to not over-eat. I'm still fat. Nothing I do seems to change that fact, but I'm still trying to loose weight. But what if I were satisfied with being fat? What if I liked it, or if it were an essential part of my self-identity? In that case, it is no-one's business what I do. Sure, there are arguments that being fat is immoral because it is a drag on society and public health-care. But those same arguments are far more valid for smokers and drinkers. The tats you have. You choose. Be satisfied and happy with them now. When you're seventy, they will be a huge blur, so get the most out of them now. But most of all, it does not matter at all what any of us think or feel. It doesn't matter what your parents think or feel, except that you are the one making an issue of their concerns. I think you love your parents, and that is great. If I were them, I wouldn't care. I would want to have a relationship with you.

Modern Revelation. When JS and BY were alive, WoW was not considered a commandment as it is now. It was considered very good advice.The commandment to live this way does not apply to those who have gone before, it applies to those who live now. It applies to those who chose to accept it in their lives not to those who have not.

My concern is that they will be able to "redefine" a few types of abortion through regulation changes so the actually numbers stay up, but the "redefined" abortion numbers go down. A type of statistical semantics game.

I've taken three classes from Brian Birch, but I don't think that counts.

Marty: I think BH/CS overlaps the entire formula, just like some parts overlap others. Charity is just not a step. THis is why I recommend a Gantt Chart.

Dang it . . . I wanted that one.

My dad retired from the Army in the 80s. Colonel; twenty-four years in. He then started another career. Twenty years there. Then he retired again. He got bored and went back to work as a linguist. He loves it. He's going to retire from there too he says in sixteen years making it another twenty year hitch. Only three jobs after he graduated from BYU. I'm jealous (plus his retirement is huge).

Ah, politics over real intent. Sounds vicious.

Be honest, dude. Will they understand? I don't know. I can't understand atheism, but that is just me. I think they would have more problems with that than tattoos or drinking beer (dude, beer is nasty, drink something that doesn't taste the same going in as coming out). The immorality will be hard, but I think they can handle it. I have family members who have done similar and all my parents really want is to be a part of their lives. My brothers come home for Chr-stmas and we are a family (one of my brothers does make a ruckus sometimes, but he is one of those uber-mormons that make the rest of the church look bad). Stay in contact and let them come to terms with your life, but most of all: be honest. If they are honest with you, they will still love you.