LeSellers

Members
  • Posts

    2354
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    10

Reputation Activity

  1. Like
    LeSellers reacted to skalenfehl in How much military experience did Captain Moroni and his officers have?   
    There are numerous examples of conflicts and wars, and the intrigue and combinations associated with the wars. For an exercise, differentiate the wars between the Nephites and Lamanites along with the motives of the Lamanites and the wars between the Nephites and Nephite dissenters and their motives. You will begin to see a pattern, which parallels our own today. Compare the Nephite nation with the Gentile nation (USA). Who sought power? Who had power? Who combined in secret to overthrow liberty and chief judges? Who often sat in the seats of judges and chief judges? Some names to consider:
     
    1. Kishkumen
    2. Gadianton
    3. Seezoram
    4. Seantum
    5. Amalickiah
    6. Giddianhi
     
    Study the various types of intrigue and conspiracies to obtain control of the people. You will then begin to understand why so many of the battles, wars, epistles, etc were preserved for us. You begin to get into the minds of those who seek power, those who seek wealth and how those who seek power offer wealth to those who seek wealth in order to obtain control. The pattern is seen with the Jaredites as well as throughout the history of the Nephites and it is glaringly obvious in US history and especially current events.
  2. Like
  3. Like
    LeSellers reacted to Still_Small_Voice in Constitution Hanging by a Thread Fulfilled?   
    Thomas Jefferson believed the sixth amendment to be the most important in the Bill of Rights.  One right in the sixth amendment seldom talked about is below:
     
    The primary function of the independant juror is not, as many think, to dispense punishment to fellow citizens accused of breaking various laws, but rather to protect fellow citizens from tyrannical abuses of power by government.
    The Constitution guarantees you the right to trial by jury.  This means that government must bring its case before a jury of the people if government wants to deprive any person of life, liberty or property.  Jurors can say no to government tyranny by refusing to convict.
  4. Like
    LeSellers reacted to MrShorty in Quick observation on the Israelites and snakes   
    One of my favorite stories from the OT is where the Lord sends serpents to to bite the Israelites, then Moses makes the brass serpent, and whoever looks on Moses's serpent is healed (Numbers 21:6-9). In vs. 7, the Israelites ask that the serpents be taken away. I guess it struck me that, rather than removing the serpents as requested, the Lord provided an alternate "salvation." The serpents remain, but the Israelites need not be killed, by looking to God for deliverance.
    I guess in someways, life is like that. Rather than removing/eliminating sources of sin or difficulty in our lives, God provides a way to overcome the trials and temptations that we face. As described so well by Alma (Alma 33), the serpent created by Moses is symbolic of Jesus.
  5. Like
    LeSellers reacted to prisonchaplain in A cliched Thankgiving tale   
    The most cliched posts come alive when they happen to us! Thanksgiving Day, on the interstate, headed to my mother's with an SUV full of family, and one of our tires blows out. I calmly pull over, as we are about 100 ft from an exit, so there's a nice shoulder. Tow truck arrives to take the SUV, friends arrive to take us home, and we still make it to Mommy's. Angels protected us from accident and death, and even got us "home for the holidays." God. is. good!
  6. Like
    LeSellers reacted to kapikui in Constitution Hanging by a Thread Fulfilled?   
    Actually maybe not.  One of the major reasons to quarter soldiers was not to have a place to put them.  Before the revolution soldiers were quartered mostly in areas and with individuals thought to be potentially disloyal.  Soldiers were quartered to create a chilling effect on potential "troublemakers". 
     
    Of course today we have the (also fourth amendment violating) total surveillance and repeated attempts to ban encryption. The goal is the same to chill any attempts to fix things. 
  7. Like
    LeSellers reacted to prisonchaplain in Special Snowflakes...   
    This PC-run-amok has really flared up on many college campuses.  However, the term "snowflake" has been updated to "cry-bullies."  These kids have physically confronted opponents, and have made several attempts to see even minor criticism punished by firing.  Then again, they're leftists.  It's what they do.
  8. Like
    LeSellers reacted to cdowis in Constitution Hanging by a Thread Fulfilled?   
    Note that Orson Hyde said " If the Constitution be saved at all...."  It is my opinion that this prophecy was fulfilled when Romney ran for President of the United States, and Harry Reid, a priesthood holder, made accusations against him.  By his own admission these accusations were untruthful, and he reveled in the fact that Romney lost the election.
     
    The Destroyer of the Constitution, with Reid's support and assistance, was then elected as President.
  9. Like
    LeSellers reacted to cdowis in I believe in God but Im not interested in him...   
    Have you thought about why they are crying?  For many this is not just an emotional outburst.
     
    ====Let me give you an example.  I was recently driving to the temple.  I was on a side street and suddenly the axel broke and the car immediately stopped.  The wheel of the car was jammed up against the bumper, and was frozen in place.  The car could not move at all.
    But everything was fine, except in about 15 minutes I would have been on the interstate driving 60 MPH.  If this had happened just a little later, I would not be here talking with you.  The car certainly would have flipped over in a serious accident.
     
    =====My teenage daughter had been invited by a couple of guys that she knew from school to drive down to the lake that evening.  She like to run around, but this time she turned them down.  Later she found out that they had invited another girl, then murdered her and burned the body.
     
    ======My oldest daughter and her husband and family went to a wedding a few miles away from their home.  This wedding had been postponed several times and finally the day came.  One hour after the family left, a tornado struck her neighborhood, it missed all the houses in that neighborhood except hers.  It was totally destroyed down to the foundation.  If they had been in that house, there is no question that they would have been seriously hurt or killed.
     
    ======My son was working on a construction site in Alabama.  The electrician on the job got a phone call from his wife to leave because there were reports of a tornado.  The rest of the crew wanted to keep working, but they couldn't do anything with their only electrician gone, so they also left.  A short time later a tornado hit the very same area where they were working, and there were several casualties.  He told me that he could see alot of dead bodies when he visited it later.
     
    There is no doubt in my mind that the Lord has protected me and my family.  When I pray to Him, am I just "being emotional" if I cry in gratitude for what He has done.
  10. Like
    LeSellers got a reaction from a mustard seed in Special Snowflakes...   
    You might also point out that the slaves who went east (to Moslem countries) died of sexual abuse: the boys died when their captors castrated them without anesthesia or bandages, the girls after being raped repeatedly, during child birth (the children following the same paths), or beatings.
    There are almost no Blacks in Arabia, although millions were abducted. There are millions of Blacks in the West. The difference is that Blacks in the West reproduced, lived, while those in the East died.
    No one is advocating slavery, but there is a difference between slavery as practiced in the Americas and that still being practiced in Arabia and other Moslem countries.
    What also gets forgotten is that there were at least as many White slaves as Blacks in what would become USmerica: the term indentured servant doesn't carry the same weight as slave, but they were, for all intents and purposes, the same. In some ways indentured servitude was worse because the master had no vested interest in keeping the indentured servant alive toward the end of the indenture. A slave was going to be worth something to him in ten years, an indentured servant would not only walk away, but he was required to outfit him and give him some money at the end of the term. So, the indentured servant at the end of his tenure was expendable.
    And, finally, the first slave owner in what would become USmerica was a Black man who refused to honor the end of the term of an indentured servant he owned. The court ruled that the John Casor had to remain with Anthony Johnson. Both had been captured by Moslems in Africa and sold to slavers who brought them (at different times) to the colonies.
    Government, in this case, failed to enforce the terms of a contract. Just another indicator.
    Lehi
  11. Like
    LeSellers reacted to dberrie2001 in Clearing up misconceptions: Galatians1 6-9 VS TBOM   
    Yes, agreed--if the Biblical testimony is true--which I believe it is.
     
    But it's always strange to me some believe in being saved independent of works--and then use works as a standard--after the fact of salvation--as a measure of whether one is saved or not.
     
    If works had nothing to do with being saved--how can it be a measure to determine whether one is saved or not?
  12. Like
    LeSellers got a reaction from Blackmarch in Scriptural studies in the original languages   
    We've seen Gen 1:1~2 in these discussions. It's kind of important: on this verse depends much doctrine in both the orthodox, creedal Christian world and in the world of the Restoration.
    For now, I am only providing the study materials I think are useful for a good discussion.
    To make it easier to follow the below, here's what I've done.
    “YLT” is Young's Literal Translation. As the name implies, Robert Young rendered a word-for-word translation of the Bible text (Textus Receptus, the Westcott-Hortt text, and the Majority Text) in 1862. There were three editions, one posthumous, in 1862, 1887, and 1898. The last used the TR.
    Young wrote the Preface to his second edition, where we find:
     

    If a translation gives a present tense when the original gives a past, or a past when it has a present; a perfect for a future, or a future for a perfect; an a for a the, or a the for an a; an imperative for a subjunctive, or a subjunctive for an imperative; a verb for a noun, or a noun for a verb, it is clear that verbal inspiration is as much overlooked as if it had no existence. THE WORD OF GOD IS MADE VOID BY THE TRADITIONS OF MEN. [Emphases in original.]
    As anyone who's read my earlier notes on this passage will recognize, I share Young's view of changing the Bible based on the traditions of men. I've supplied the Tanach Old Testament for the Hebrew. Please do not assume I know any significant Hebrew: I do not. But there may be some here who do. I've added this for their benefit.
    James Strong wrote his Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible in 1890. In this work, he numbers every word in the Hebrew biblical text (omitting the declinations, etc., of words) and did the same for the Greek, each beginning with 1: H1, G1, in alphabetical or alephbetical order. Most other scholars who've tried to define the words of the Bible have used his structure as a starting point (why re-invent the wheel?).
    I've included Strong's definitions (but have left the numbers out). Similar work by Brown Driver and Briggs (in Hebrew) and Thayer (in Greek) is largely parallel with Strong's. You can check their work (which I find more useful most of the time) by downloading Rick Meyers' excellent work “e-Sword” from e-sword.org.
    Because English and Hebrew are so different in syntax and grammar, the order of the words shown in the AV (aka, KJV) differs from that in the Hebrew text. I have posted the English sequences (see e-Sword's KJV+) and given Strong's definitions for each word the AV translators used. Be careful because not every Hebrew word has an English counterpart, and many Hebrew words take multiple word phrases to render intelligently. Also, the AV Translators, like Wycliffe and others before them, inserted words they felt the text required for flow or comprehension. For example, Hebrew seems to use the verb “to be” more sparingly than we Anglophones do, so we often see the words “is” and “are” in italics to indicate that the word is not in the Hebrew text. However, we can find places where whole phrases and clauses are inserted out of thin air, emphasizing Young's concern that the translation of the Bible has been influenced by the traditions of men.
    Gen 1:1~2 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
    YLT: Gen 1:1~2 In the beginning of God's preparing the heavens and the earth — the earth hath existed waste and void, and darkness is on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God fluttering on the face of the waters,
    בראשׁית ברא אלהים את השׁמים ואת הארץ׃
    1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
    YLT: In the beginning of God's preparing the heavens and the earth —
    רֵאשִׁית
    rê'shı̂yth
    ray-sheeth'
    the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically a firstfruit): - beginning, chief (-est), first (-fruits, part, time), principal thing.
    אֱלֹהִים
    'ĕlôhı̂ym
    el-o-heem'
    gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative: - angels, X exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty
    בָּרָא
    bârâ'
    baw-raw'
    A primitive root; (absolutely) to create; (qualified) to cut down (a wood), select, feed (as formative processes): - choose, create (creator), cut down, dispatch, do, make (fat).
    אֵת
    'êth
    ayth
    Apparently contracted from אוֹת 'ôthin the demonstrative sense of entity; properly self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely): - (As such unrepresented in English.)
    שָׁמֶה שָׁמַיִם
    shâmayim shâmeh
    shaw-mah'-yim, shaw-meh'
    The second form being dual of an unused singular; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve): - air, X astrologer, heaven (-s).
    אֶרֶץ
    'erets
    eh'-rets
    From an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land): - X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X nations, way, + wilderness, world.
    והארץ היתה תהו ובהו וחשׁך על־פני תהום ורוח אלהים מרחפת על־פני המים׃
    2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
    YLT: the earth hath existed waste and void, and darkness is on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God fluttering on the face of the waters,
    אֶרֶץ
    'erets
    eh'-rets
    From an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land): - X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X nations, way, + wilderness, world.
    הָיָה
    hâyâh
    haw-yaw'
    A primitive root; to exist, that is, be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary): - beacon, X altogether, be (-come, accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), continue, do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, X use.
    תֹּהוּ
    tôhû
    to'-hoo
    From an unused root meaning to lie waste; a desolation (of surface), that is, desert; figuratively a worthless thing; adverbially in vain: - confusion, empty place, without form, nothing, (thing of) nought, vain, vanity, waste, wilderness.
    בֹּהוּ
    bôhû
    bo'-hoo
    From an unused root (meaning to be empty); a vacuity, that is, (superficially) an undistinguishable ruin: - emptiness, void.
    חֹשֶׁךְ
    chôshek
    kho-shek'
    the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness: - dark (-ness), night, obscurity.
    עַל
    ‛al
    al
    Properly the same as H5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural, often with prefix, or as conjugation with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications: - above, according to (-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through (-out), to, touching, X with.
    פָּנִים
    pânı̂ym
    paw-neem'
    Plural (but always used as a singular) of an unused noun (פָּנֶה pâneh, paw-neh'; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.): - + accept, a (be-) fore (-time), against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of), + beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront (-part), form (-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him (-self), + honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look [-eth] (-s), X me, + meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on, open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please, presence, prospect, was purposed, by reason, of, + regard, right forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street, X thee, X them (-selves), through (+ -out), till, time (-s) past, (un-) to (-ward), + upon, upside (+ down), with (-in, + stand), X ye, X you.
    תְּהֹם תְּהוֹם
    ]tehôm tehôm
    teh-home', teh-home'
    (Usually feminine); an abyss (as a surging mass of water), especially the deep (the main sea or the subterranean water supply): - deep (place), depth.
    רוּחַ
    rûach
    roo'-akh
    wind; by resemblance breath, that is, a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions): - air, anger, blast, breath, X cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit ([-ual]), tempest, X vain, ([whirl-]) wind (-y).
    אֱלֹהִים
    'ĕlôhı̂ym
    el-o-heem'
    gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative: - angels, X exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.
    רָחַף
    râchaph
    raw-khaf'
    A primitive root; to brood; by implication to be relaxed: - flutter, move, shake.
    פָּנִים
    pânı̂ym
    paw-neem'
    Plural (but always used as a singular) of an unused noun (פָּנֶה pâneh, paw-neh'; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.): - + accept, a (be-) fore (-time), against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of), + beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront (-part), form (-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him (-self), + honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look [-eth] (-s), X me, + meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on, open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please, presence, prospect, was purposed, by reason, of, + regard, right forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street, X thee, X them (-selves), through (+ -out), till, time (-s) past, (un-) to (-ward), + upon, upside (+ down), with (-in, + stand), X ye, X you.
    מַיִם
    mayim
    mah'-yim
    Dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively juice; by euphemism urine, semen: - + piss, wasting, water (-ing, [-course, -flood, -spring]).
    I thought about adding the LXX (Septuagint) translation in koiné, but, as I have also said earlier, there is much about the LXX that is arguably substandard. However, without any further comment, here it is:
    1 Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν. 2 ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν ἀόρατος καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος, καὶ σκότος ἐπάνω τῆς ἀβύσσου, καὶ πνεῦμα θεοῦ ἐπεφέρετο ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος.
    Feel free to comment on it, but I am uncomfortable using this text.
    Looking forward to your contributions.
    Lehi
  13. Like
    LeSellers got a reaction from Blackmarch in Scriptural studies in the original languages   
    This is largely a test bed to see if Greek and Hebrew texts show up correctly.
    However, I hope to post some (to me) very interesting passages in the originals and then analyze them in light of modern revelation.
    While this seems to be something where LDSs will be more able to contribute, if others feel we have missed something, they should go ahead and help out.
    This is Gen 1:1~2, LXX, in koiné:
    Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν. ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν ἀόρατος καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος, καὶ σκότος ἐπάνω τῆς ἀβύσσου, καὶ πνεῦμα θεοῦ ἐπεφέρετο ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος.
    And in Hebrew:
    בראשׁית ברא אלהים את השׁמים ואת הארץ׃
    והארץ היתה תהו ובהו וחשׁך על־פני תהום ורוח אלהים מרחפת על־פני המים׃
    Here's the Greek with Strong's numbers and labels for the parts of speech:
    ενG1722 PREP αρχηG746 N-DSF εποιησενG4160 V-AAI-3S οG3588 T-NSM θεοςG2316 N-NSM τονG3588 T-ASM ουρανονG3772 N-ASM καιG2532 CONJ την3588 T-ASF γηνG1065 N-ASF
    ηG3588 T-NSF δεG1161 PRT γηG1065 N-NSF ηνG1510 V-IAI-3S αορατοςG517 A-NSM καιG2532 CONJ ακατασκευαστοςA-NSM καιG2532 CONJ σκοτοςG4655 N-NSN επανωG1883 PREP τηςG3588 T-GSF αβυσσουG12 N-GSF καιG2532 CONJ πνευμαG4151 N-NSN θεουG2316 N-GSM επεφερετοG2018 V-IMI-3S επανωG1883 PREP τουG3588 T-GSN υδατοςG5204 N-GSN
    This is Hebrew with Strong's numbers:
    בראשׁיתH7225 בראH1254 אלהיםH430 אתH853 השׁמיםH8064 ואתH853 הארץ׃H776
    והארץH776 היתהH1961 תהוH8414 ובהוH922 וחשׁךH2822 עלH5921 פניH6440 תהוםH8415 ורוחH7307 אלהיםH430 מרחפתH7363 עלH5921 פניH6440 המים׃
    If this works, we'll see what happens with a fer reel study.
    Lehi
  14. Like
    LeSellers reacted to cdowis in Am I allowed to ask challenging questions here?   
    RULE #1  You won't find the truth here in a discussion with us.  
     
    Read the Book of Mormon with an open mind and pray to God whether it is true.  If it is true, then Joseph Smith was a prophet, if not, then he was no better than any other theologian or scholar in the Christian churches.  
     
    The truth will indeed set you free, but that is your burden, not ours.  That's between you and the Lord.
     
    Apologetics is a hobby, like chess combined with football.
  15. Like
    LeSellers reacted to dberrie2001 in Clearing up misconceptions: Galatians1 6-9 VS TBOM   
    I'm not sure why anyone would believe we should berate people, for whatever stance they take--even if they choose disbelief.
     
    My point centers on the faith alone theology, as a salvation through a faith without works.
     
    IOW--the faith alone claim salvation comes to mankind independent of works. You then make this statement:
     
    prisonchaplain, on 23 Nov 2015 - 7:07 PM, said:So, for the living, breathing Christian, any claims to faith that lack fruit (or works) is dead.
     
    My question--is someone saved through a dead faith? Or, are works necessary for salvation(eternal life) to occur? If so--what works?
  16. Like
    LeSellers reacted to Vort in Favorite non-KJV Translation   
    You can bring any edition of the Bible you want. The Church doesn't check its participants' Bible versions at the door (or anywhere else).
  17. Like
    LeSellers reacted to lonetree in Favorite non-KJV Translation   
    YES
  18. Like
    LeSellers reacted to cdowis in Preventing a shooting in an LDS meeting   
    Yeah, and it would help if we could only get shooters to text while they are shooting.  
  19. Like
    LeSellers reacted to GrayMars in Favorite non-KJV Translation   
    The NET Bible is great if you study on your computer (or other device?). I personally use e-Sword, and have this bible in my collection. I have the free version which comes with some, not all, of the translation notes. I don't know that I would want to rely on them anyways. There's always room for bias, and although I'm extremely biased I like to view things through my own lens.
  20. Like
    LeSellers reacted to Vort in Liberals in the Church   
    That's because Leftists know it's the government's job to take care of people.
  21. Like
    LeSellers reacted to Warren2173 in Purify dirt water to drink...   
    If you're wanting to remove the salt out of salt water, Im afraid your only choices are:
    Distillation, Or the Process of Reverse Osmosis.
    There are portable Desalinators but these are not your average Camping/Preparedness filters. These are portable R.O. pumps and I believe they run about $1000.
    There are three basic categories of pathogen that can be found in untreated water:
    The first is protozoa. Protozoa include the well-known Giardia, and the not-so-well-known Cryptosporidium, or Crypto for short. These two have been detected in 90% of U.S. surface water and very common in Canada. Protozoa are the largest organisms of the three categories, ranging in size from 1-16 microns. They are more resistant to disinfection by iodine or chlorine than either bacteria or virus, but can be effectively filtered.
    Giardia is relatively large and easy to catch, but Crypto is smaller, "more likely to pass through units which depend upon filtration for parasite removal. To know whether or not a filter will protect you against Crypto, find out if it's been tested with Crypto and proven to remove 99.9% of this organism.
    The second category is bacteria. Bacteria include such commonly-known organisms as Campylobacter, E. coli, Vibrio cholera, and Salmonella. Bacteria are intermediate-sized organisms, ranging from 0.2 to about 10 microns. They respond well to disinfection, and can be effectively filtered by any filter that is proven to remove 99.9999% of bacteria.
    The third category is viruses. Commonly known viruses include Rotavirus, Hepatitis A, Norwalk, and Polio. Viruses are truly tiny; they range in size between 0.02 and 0.085 microns, which makes them extremely difficult to filter. Viruses respond well to disinfection, and can be effectively inactivated using a purifier proven to remove or inactivate 99.99% of virus.
    One of the few filters good enough to Qualifiy as a " Purifier " without using any further chemical treatment to disable viruses is The folowing one.
    Independent Certification to EPA Microbiological Guide Standard
    First Need XL Water Purifier from REI.com
  22. Like
    LeSellers reacted to Vort in "Mass Resignation"   
    Are you sure of that number, Iggy? Assuming you have a large stake of 3000 members, that represents 20% of membership resigning. I understand that the worldwide resignation rate for this issue has been more on the order of 0.01% (1500 out of 15,000,000, an average of roughly 1 resignation for every 2 stakes). Your stake alone would therefore account for fully 40% of the worldwide resignations on this issue. I rather suspect that is not the case. My numbers might be wrong, of course, but I have difficulty believing that 600 members of a single stake resigned their membership.
  23. Like
    LeSellers reacted to Just_A_Guy in Denying Temple Recommend   
    I'm afraid you have missed my point.
     
    The point is that you can't approach a temple recommend as if it's an entitlement that the bishop is bound to dole out to anyone who can argue that they've jumped through all the right hoops.  If it were, there'd be no need to have bishops do the initial interviews, or for stake presidents to do the second interviews.  My goodness, if we're just looking for someone to give "the right answers" to a third party--in this age, you could farm the whole business out to a computer.
     
    Your bishop (think he) has received revelation saying that your wife isn't ready for a temple recommend.  If you think he's made the wrong call, you can take it up with the Stake President.  But don't think you're going to force anyone's hand by quoting the right section of the (illicitly obtained) Church Handbook of Instructions.  Because "worthiness" really boils down to having a broken heart and a contrite spirit--in other words, humility.  And, like "power" or "respectability" or "virtue"--if you find yourself having to explain why you have humility; you probably don't really have it at all.
  24. Like
    LeSellers reacted to The Folk Prophet in I feel like we're in a cult   
    Of course some people are going to feel overwhelmed. But, "practically" speaking, "the church" isn't asking anywhere near what it has or could. Look at the early history. New members all. But uproot your lives, move to Ohio or Missouri or Illinois, from Europe, give everything you have to the church -- literally -- and live the United Order, take on several wives, oh...now move again...and whoops...now again, go across the plains to Utah, lose three children that you can't even bury and have to leave to the wolves, and now you're here...well...move again...go settle Harriman, or Saint George, or Tooele...and let's try that United Order thing again. Tooele's established. Well now go settle somewhere else. Now leave all your wives and children (those that didn't die coming across the plains) to fend for themselves and head out for 5 years to preach the gospel.
     
    The faithful LDS forebearers actually did all of this. And yet we like to complain about how tough it is to have to go to church activities.
     
    Perspective.
  25. Like
    LeSellers reacted to estradling75 in Same sex marriage now legalized.......Have a few questions   
    I hinders us...  but I might cripple/destroy some people (other churches) we might have as allies... And we need all the friends in the fight that we can get.