the Ogre

Right on the dot. I love this idea and wish for more of this kinda thought from people. Ignorance is not a Christian virtue. Sure, it happens, but insisting on it is problematic. Disagreeing with a scientific finding for religious reasons is a little more passable, particularly when scientists disagree with each other over the minutia of scientific discovery, but raising children to be ignorant is a disservice to the children and to society in general and, in my opinion, one of the reasons why our children are deserting religion.

Mine's the Great Mumford: "A la peanut butter sandwiches!"

I type really fast.

Okay, I'm 50ish and go to UVU. It' a great school. Finance and Business are fine degrees areas. I'm studying English. Most UVU English majors who don't go on to grad school end up with pretty great jobs and loads of times as staff writers, content providers, editors, SEO consultants, HR reps, and of course English Teachers (not to mention publishing traditional or indie authors). I don't know any English major who flips burgers or delivers pizza, but I am sure there might be one or two. The same is true with almost any degree, though some lead to better jobs than others. Get your degree in finance, but don't let that limit you. What is it you want to do? Be a YouTube creator? Social media star? Open a restaurant? Be a travel writer? Join online groups that support that and maybe even learn a language over at duolingo.com so you might be able to get an international business/government job and then find people with shared interests. Wanna be a writer? You live in Utah, check out the League of Utah Writers. If you are not a writer, you can find loads of other groups that can form the backbone of new social groups that will help you accomplish your dreams as you also pursue your degree, job, and eternal destiny as a Latter-day Saint.

This is the exact arguement I use when the doctor tells me to cut down on the amount of salt in my diet: I'm like a giant french fry just coated in salt. Yummmm . . . here comes the fry sauce.

I've always wondered if the kyber crystal in Laban's sword glowed blue, green, yellow, white, red, or mauve.

You know, I'm LDS and have even been in a few leadership positions and know that I and the folks I served with were not perfect, but I think the OP has an interesting point and that is "definitions". I do not think "The Church" defines its own structure as "perfect" where "perfect" means to be absolutely without fault. This ideas of "being 100% without fault" is one of those things the antis jump on us about every time a misspelled word or misused grammatical phrase is found in the BoM or General Conference talk. For me, the way the term "perfect" is used by the church means "the very best we have right now" otherwise the basic organization of the church would never have changed since April 6, 1830. One of the best things about "The Church's" basic structure is its openness to change and flexibility. This linked article in the Trib is a tiny example of LDS structural flexibility that ignores the hidebound implications of a word like "perfect". For me, the structure of "The Church" is as "perfect" as it possibly can be, but should a better option come along or if the Lord tells us to change, then we will change to that "more perfect" (what a beautiful oxymoron) form.

I've been sick since the 23rd and got the crud here on the Wasatch Front. Did you take the crud with you and spread it to those in that freedom hating land you visited (was it Denver?)?

The dude abides, but is not dead yet.

I can dig it. I love good pens. When I lived in Seoul, I used fountain pens everyday, but that was soooooo long ago. I've devolved back to Parkers or the occasional pen I find on the floor: I once wrote a poem about a pen I found in UVU's LA building that lasted nearly a year without ever burbling, burping, flowing unevenly, gleeking, or sputtering out until there was no ink left at all: then I binned it's empty husk and bought the stainless Parker I use now (it's on it's millionth refill since, however).

This is an awesome sentiment and I agree. I am intimately familiar with many of the reasons that group of people left the church, but to me it seems as if they surrendered somehow. Just gave up.Staying with the church is very difficult. Going every week is hard. Obeying the commandments is hard. Not hiding your membership in an increasingly unfriendly world is very difficult. Thank you Miss Halfway for a great sentiment. and Truth.

This comic is based on the following two articles: Mormon group quits LDS Church en masse | The Salt Lake Tribune and Mormons Plan Resignation From LDS Church Over Gay Marriage, Polygamy

I agree with this notion with the current leadership of the church. Labeling is much more naughty in our PC world than acting on one's sexuality.My daughter came out of the closet the day my oldest son went into the MTC. She was so angry he would go on a mission when the church, in her opinion, discriminates against the LGBT community. This was a huge challenge for my son while he was in the MTC and while on his mission because she wrote angry letters to him far more often than I wrote letters at all. I don't know if the modern church actively discriminates against the LGBT community anymore, but by not fully accepting LGBT members regardless of sexual activity is just as bad (for them). My daughter and I do not discuss this. She knows what I think: I love her, but will never accept her behavior as appropriate for members of the church. I think she is a great person, but when she came out and has been active in various relationships, I feel she basically turned her back on the church. I feel the same way about my brothers and my uncles who are sexually active outside marriage. I talk to my daughter anyway. I love her and that can not be denied, I just will never accept her lifestyle as LDS appropriate, but it is just fine for someone who is not trying to live according to church standards. If one is not trying to be LDS, I really don't care what they do.

I suppose so, but does it matter? No. Of course not.What Mormon and his son decided to include in the text and the interpretation of such is up to the reader and what the reader's understanding of the gospel is. So, why then did Mormon include what he did? Does Mormon say? In my mind, he was inspired meaning he received prophetic inspiration to include what he did and then to seal away for latter inspection what was unimportant for Joseph's inspection. This is my opinion. As a Latter-day Saint, I feel revelation is important for both the voices in scripture, the editors (ancient and contemporary) and the reader to understand and prioritize the text. If revelation and inspiration are excluded for any reason, then the reader must rely on the lenses they have (either social, philosophical, learned and/or institutional) to understand and interpret the Book of Mormon much like they must with any text.

Congrats!

My neighbor is an animation major at BYU. I know of other people in film, but they are either interested in doing web movies or simply doing flash. The biggest issue is that they are not organized (ie. no LDS film association like some of the literature groups - I could be wrong, however). It is difficult to think that the primary examples of LDS film are Dutcher (sp) and HaleStrom. Dutcher is a flake and HaleStrom was weak at best. Maybe you guys ought to start something.

Traveler: There is one that is very hard and had some potential, but is continually opposed to those who earn quick political gild from it: improving the economy in Mexico. There are some, but not many illegal-alien Canadians. Why? Life is pretty good in Canada (okay, I'd never live there . . . it's filled with Canadians). I do not think NAFTA has ever been given the opportunity to work and nor have we expanded on it making sure that work conditions there are safe. Eventually, the more we invest in NAFTA, making sure the benefits of living there are on par with Canada or Brazil. Why haven't we been promoting the creation of a large, stable, and strong middle-class (other than the fact we are sabotaging our own middle-class). When people have lawns to cut and good schools, they do not sneak off anywhere (in general). The hard/long solutions tend to be the best: why'd we quit on this one?

Stud.

Cherry picking scripture is easy and lazy. If you want to know what we believe and that not only do we understand Isaiah, we love him and understand him, actually read what we say we believe and not some bit of trash you picked up on a site that hates mormons. The next thing is look carefully at what it means to be a Latter-day Saint. Being a Latter-day Saint does not mean what you've implied here: it means to Listen to a Prophet's voice--a modern prophet's voice (and obeying said prophet's voice). We do. Every LDS prophet has said salvation comes only through the word and atonement of J-sus Chr-st our M-ssiah. Every knee will bow and every tongue confess: G-d is our F-ather and Creator of all and H-s S-n is the S-vior of mankind through the H-s sacrifice and death. Isaiah was addressing the issues of his time in every section you've mentioned (I think these all come from his discourses before the gates of Jerusalem discussing the paganism rampant in Judah at that time--I do not think he had us in mind). President Monson addresses the issues of our time which seem to be anger, pornography, duty, and fulfilling potential (he mentions tons more, this is a brief list). (Calgon take me away)

I am a 42yr old divorced dude. I raised my three children by myself and until last year, I did not try to date - I was busy with my kids (school, chores, mission prep etc.). Of the five guys I am friends with (one one is married, but they did not get married until both were nearly thirty), I am the only one with kids or even a modicum of real experience speaking to women. The dates I have finally started to get are informal and generally only lunch dates and carry no commitment. I have read many of the reasons why LDS women are not interested in LDS men my age. I do not think they give me a fair chance. I have worked hard to eliminate the problems that I can control (negativity, dark cynicism and sarcasm). I can not say why I've only experienced rejection and it is nearly impossible to stay motivated. My mom thinks my problem is because I'm still in college, but that is not my fault. I have the luck that many single moms my age have: my education had to re-prioritized while I raised my kids. She thinks that when I finally have my Ph.D. then more people will be interested. I have my doubts. What am I doing now that might be a bad move: I still have a goatee, I am still overweight (but I've lost quite a bit of weight in the last year), I am backing out of FaceBook, I do not allow family members to open dating-site profiles for me, I am trying to be nice always to the point of the LDS niciness I find so despicable in others, I smile, I study constantly, work on my web-site, and occasionally play WoW (once a week, maybe). What I think I'm doing right: temple-attendance, church activity, work hard with the Elders in my quorum, I work, I pay my tithing, I still provide for my kids, I study the scriptures, and try to be sociable in social settings. It is very frustrating. With my kids mostly gone, it is getting quite lonely with only books and fish to talk to. I am to the point where I'm going to completely give up. My friends think I should. While they have never been married or have children, they are active in church (for the most part) and are good men. The group of us feel maybe we are retarded, autistic, or just too nerdy (the true nerd of us is making six figures a year and owns a modest house and is very active in his 30+ ward and he does not get dates). We don't get it, so when we get together we mostly watch sports, movies, tv or go out to eat. Why are there so many single sisters out there? I've no idea. It has absolutely nothing to do with me. I'm trying to to de-singlfy myself by myself.

A couple of weeks ago, the YM borrowed the old buzzing football game from the bishop and had a play off night. It was loads of fun, but the guys were dumbfounded that people actually liked it before.

L_M's got a good: be more specific. Ready meaning foodstorage . . . I know tons. Ready meaning foodstorage and toiletpaper . . . I don't know many at all!!!

I guess it doesn't matter. Your friend read some anti-stuff and then quit reading . . . a bit of intellectual dishonesty (erm and laziness). Don't worry about it, my guess is that this person is not much of a friend. I could care less about the origins of the Masons or their excuses to get together, talk 'truth', and drink beer. Nor does it matter where they get their info. What does matter is what you are going to do: get over it, stay friends, and do not argue with this person. Long term, what you do is more important rather than the crud found in some lame anti-site.

Not in the NT. The synoptic historians were pretty good about including all the smears and if these "smears" were included the Catholics would be making hay out of it (more justification for bachelor, celibate priests and all that).

a) Isn't this true of every Christian Religion? Don't Shiite Muslims make this exact claim? Buddhists?b) Isn't claiming membership to an association of Peace and Justice Churches in violation of point 5? (joining a special association violates general community solidarity: "Sorry mormons, we can't hang with you because not only are you not Chr-stians, you don't try to be part of the Peace and Justice movement. You simply aren't compassionate enough for us.")