Takawi

Uh oh. I used to think she (pardon me, "he") had a haircut kinda like Justin Bieber, and after I saw someone else said that, Bieber changed his look to blond dreadlocks. I don't know if the look was changed due to the comment, but it wouldn't surprise me! @LeSellers I'm heading out on vacation. I wasn't going to take my laptop, but I have downloaded a lot of texts, and I'll take it anyway, but there will be no wifi there. I'll write down questions as I get them and save them for when I get back. I am astounded that the Mormons went amongst the Indians in the 1830s, that's like the time of the most agitation, at least amongst nations I've studied. Also, the idea of allying with the Indians against the people persecuting them was quite bold indeed. I'll comment more when I get back. It's quite interesting! TTYL

@letmeoff : because you aren't as fast a rower as I expected, I must leave the boat anyway, we're going on vacation! See you when we're back. TTYL

"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." ~ Socrates

You know, I have a huge gripe, not with you, with Adam and Eve. I just think they royally messed up. I wouldn't have. I would be running around naked and free and enjoying all the fruits of the garden, except one. I'm also not fond of snakes, but they taste pretty good. Anyway, you actually are at the wrong theme park. You need the theme park for Kabbalists (and you have to be male and over 40 and over 5"5" to get in). Next to the whirling evil eye is a huge tree, they call it the "Tree of Life," and there are stairs and ropes to hold onto, it's like climbing into a tree house. Go there to the top and there you will learn the difference between "bios" and "zoa." Are you familiar with the terms? Yeah, they're Greek to most people because they ARE Greek. The really weird thing about this is (from what I've read) Jewish Kabbalists have studied this so much, they've gone blind. Seriously. And if you can't find the tree (the Metaphysical Theme Park map is actually BETTER than that one) DO NOT TELL SOMEONE YOU ARE LOST. If you get lost, you end up in the Esoteric Judaism lost and found. No one wants to end up there, trust me. I think the research for you shouldn't take long. It's too long for a post on here though. But can you get a move on?

Oh no, I was afraid of it. You are rowing us right into the kitschy Metaphysical Theme Park, the one with the big map that doesn't say, "You are Here" but "Why are You Here?" I've been through that theme park and all you do is go around in circles over and over again and get nowhere and end up with an earworm singing "It's a Small World After All." You go on ahead; it's a huge waste of time. I'll wait in the boat, but don't take all day.

No, you're not offered 2 doors. Hollywood! It's red pill or blue pill and it's Price is Right Door 1 or Door 2. So life's just a dichotomy, eh? How you decide to live your life determines your fate, not in one choice but MANY choices, a lifetime's worth. The important thing I see is that It's not WHAT you know but WHO you know. It seems that there are levels of heaven and hell. To be fair, it's evidently better to be the least in heaven than to be in any position in hell. Who knows where you'll be at the end, but wherever it is, I believe you'll say, yep, this is where I'm supposed to be. This is a representation of my life. I think you'll say after a review of your life, this is completely fair and you'll even agree!. I deserve to be where I spend my eternity. Why is it this way? I suppose it's because God is a just God. For some reason, it's important for him to even the score. So that "buddy" that betrayed you, cheated you and left you high and dry? That person's gotta pay. There is a lifetime of hurt and pain that other's "sins" against you have caused. I suppose that's why Jesus made a big deal out of forgiving people. Your "empathy and love to see your fellow humans not suffer" leads you into a life of generous forgiveness. It appears to me that choosing such a pathway, filled with forgiveness works highly to your advantage. You choose your own path, but look around, there is more than path 1 and path 2 From what I read, if you choose a path that's well worn, I'd switch to another one. You are the slowest rower I've ever been stuck in a boat with. I'd help you, but I've been bailing the water.

Well, I am not a Christian. Do I believe Jesus knows his stuff, yes. Am I in a pigeon hole you call Christian, no. No, I'm still in the boat with you, my friend. Perhaps my faith is as small as a quark. Mustard seed sounds so out of range for me at this time. Now row faster, I don't have all day.

Wow, I was just perusing this site and there's a lot here! I'm going to enjoy these recourses a lot! I'm Native American, well, 1/2, and the other 1/2 is white. Not in the manner of Elizabeth Warren. LOL I especially want to understand the role of Native Americans and I see this source is loaded with info. Thanks again!

Thank you all! I needed titles and this will help. I really appreciate it. It took me awhile to get back here because I couldn't find how to get back, but eventually I found I could trace wherever I posted. At any rate, I appreciate this and will start to find these sources. I have read some primary resources, newspapers, and you know, the LDS church was highly controversial (to put it mildly). This is actually a plus to me because if we had the media we had in the 1800s or today, Jesus would also be highly controversial to his time. I think if he had a dollar for every time someone called him a blasphemer, there'd be a stack of them to the moon. Now I have to get busy and find these titles!! Thanks again!

Thank you. I'm learning a lot, way more than when I was simply lurking.

Thanks! I was just looking at Fox news just now, and the Libertarian candidate in Orlando was actually stripping in front of the press. They had to digitize the footage. James Weeks, I guess is his name. What timing! Ha! Anyway I appreciate your answer!

I don't want to ruffle any feathers or anything. This is purely a question. Do you think that Johnson can win? If not, is your vote a protest vote? Is this your way to quietly support Hillary? Please don't read anything into this questions other than what I put here. I'm not political. I just wandered in here and wondered about it Thanks in advance

Well, I would get right on that, but I'm not at that level of belief yet. I'm still trying to sort this all out. I want to have that belief though. When I get to that place, I'll probably not shout about it, because it is so that the Father might be glorified, not Takawi. John 14:11-13 says that we will do even GREATER things than Jesus. Talk about doubling down! But he says that you FIRST must believe that Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Jesus or to just believe because of the works themselves. I'm just not there, and maybe I'm a doubting Thomas and I'll miss out because I want to see and understand how it's done, and the idea of Jesus in the Father and vice versa-- I don't even understand the semantics of the passage. I'm not there. It is clearly my weakness. Even when a person wants to believe at that level, sometimes wanting isn't enough. Perhaps it's the wrong time. I don't know. And as far as not using science and that Jesus didn't use science. The idea is ludicrous. Of course he used science, just a science you don't know yet. And that puts you in the same boat as me, letmeoff;; you aren't at that level of belief (yet). You better get rowing because I'm not counting on either of us walking on the water today. …11Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me—or at least believe because of the works themselves. 12Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.…

Certainly this is why I'm studying the BofM and eventually perhaps I will be a right fit for that community. I don't know.

I wrote an introduction, but it doesn't appear yet. Briefly (and more specifically when the post is approved) here is my background. I belong to no church. I love to study history, so when I read the Bible (which I love), I have delved deeper because our culture is different today. Our customs are different. Yes, I did study Jewish meanings, culture and history when trying to understand the Bible. I've done this on my own because I love the Bible and wanted to understand what God wanted of me. However, I come from this with no formal religious background or indoctrination, only the burning desire to know what he's trying to tell me. And I came upon this forum when I decided I wanted a place I can ask questions because I wanted to read the BofM. No, Jesus said to be physically ready. I didn't say it. I'm only telling you how I read it. I mean exactly what I say, on the basis of what I've studied in relation to the readiness of Jewish Brides during the time of Jesus. I interpret the passage as literal. Therefore, since I do, I would be crazy not to do as Jesus says. I invite all to do the same research. Look at what a Jewish Bride did to prepare for her bridegroom in Jesus' day. It will astound you. Here is something that might shed some light on things: If you are a soldier in the army and the general tells you to charge and take a ridge, you charge and take the ridge. You don't sit back and question, hey, is this ridge for our camp tonight? Is it really your opinion that it's right to take a ridge right now, we're kinda low on provisions and the road is out. You don't sit back and question anything. The general knows why you take the ridge, and you don't know. You just do as you're told. That's kinda how I am with obedience. I dpn't have to know WHY. I suppose it'll all be evident in time anyway.