JohnsonJones

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  1. Like
    JohnsonJones got a reaction from SilentOne in Jesus’ IQ?   
    Hmmm, well, when I was younger I was tested with an IQ normally around 155 (IQ can vary in tests given dependent on day, time, personal feelings that day, etc).  Normally it was right about that range and with most tests I took in earlier years I was normally in the 99% so I suppose that would match.
    One of my daughters is much smarter than me, usually having an IQ around the 160 range.  On the otherhand, I had a son who always felt somewhat left behind her, even though he constantly wanted to prove himself in smarts.  He had an IQ of around 110.  What I noticed though was that he turned out to be a MUCH HARDER WORKER than she was.  He was much more dedicated to what he did, and in that way turned out much more successful.  I also had a daughter who had a much lower IQ, but was extremely charismatic.  She dazzled everyone and had boys falling out of the woodwork to try to ask her out when she was younger. 
    In that light, I'm not sure IQ is much more of a way of measuring how fast we catch onto things and how good we are at taking tests.  Perhaps there are other forms of ability (IQ of other sorts such as work ethic, people skills, etc) that are just as important but that we don't regularly test for or design tests for.  In that way, each of us may be geniuses in different areas.  While I may have the "IQ" smarts on paper, I may be the equal of a low IQ individual in the area of computers or mechanics.  Fixing cars is definitely not my forte, but there are those who it comes as easy as eating a piece of pie. 
    it is possible that the Lord was talented in ALL of those areas, not just how we measure "IQ" but in personal skills he was a genius, relating to others he was a genius, and many other areas that are just as important, if not more important, in his ministry. 
    How do you rate those?  Normally we don't and so I'm not sure how important it really is to give out a number.  I may have stated a number above regarding how I have tested in the past, but in real life it has no real bearing to how successful I am or how much of a good person I am (and how good you are is really what TRULY matters at the end of the day/life).  In the important areas of life that number is meaningless.  It doesn't actually represent anything meaningful, or that has true impact.
    In that way, I'm not sure if we could measure all the ways the Lord was a genius, but I'm not sure it matters either.  What really matters would be that he KNOWS each and everyone one of us, knows what and how we think and WHY we think that way, loves us, and through him and his atonement we can be cleansed of our sins, raised from death and resurrected in perfect form through faith in him and doing the things he has asked us to do to show that faith. 
  2. Like
    JohnsonJones got a reaction from NeuroTypical in Movie/show thread! What are you watching?   
    Sounds Interesting, and though PG, it seems like it may not have too much of anything (language, violence, etc) on my list of things not to watch.  Interesting subject matter as well.
  3. Like
    JohnsonJones reacted to Just_A_Guy in Another Utah influencer arrested, or, pride cycles   
    The Washington County Attorney’s Office released a lot of its evidence in the case last week, and gave interviews to 20/20, which did an episode on it.  First ten minutes are on YouTube:
    Incidentally, Ruby’s “torture journal” mentions that Hildebrandt had met with Brad Wilcox (counselor in YM General Presidency) and Elder Jaggi (of the 70).  Which has the Reddit and exmo crowd gleefully offering all kinds of speculation and conspiracy theories.  
    Glad I’m not doing PR for the Church this month.  
  4. Like
    JohnsonJones reacted to Emmanuel Goldstein in Likely daguerreotype (photo) of Joseph Smith discovered.   
    "allowed" a town militia? Any town can have a militia, it is called the second ammendment.
  5. Like
    JohnsonJones got a reaction from Backroads in Social Security Going Bankrupt?   
    The easiest solution is the one they will not choose.
    The easiest solution is to raise taxes on Social Security, and a simple method is to make it so there is no limit on how much you make that can be taxed.  If you make 2 million in a year, it is taxed for Social Security.  At the same time, do NOT increase the limits on how much one can withdraw.
    This action right here would probably extend SS for awhile longer.
    Secondary would be to simply raise the retirement age.  Raise it to 70 or higher.  That also would extend it.
    Now, I note that I am waaay past the SS age already, so many would probably be saying...okay Boomer.  You got your cake and now you want to keep everyone else from getting theirs...or something like that.
    I admit I've been blessed in this regard, but if I live as long as I plan (I plan to go over 100!! no idea if I'll ever make it though), I'll be facing those shortages right along with others who haven't started their SS yet.
    I think the most likely thing that will happen is that the politicians will continue to kick the can down the road until we are about a week from it going away.  Then they will all scramble (like they do with the Budget recently) only to discover this problem isn't as easy to fix...and that will be it.
    I only hope I have enough money in my retirement accounts that I can get by if that ever happens (though with my luck, all stocks will fail, the banks will go bankrupt, and all the rest of my money will be gone as well, at which point I can only hope the Lord has appeared and we are living in millennial bliss by that point)(.
  6. Thanks
    JohnsonJones got a reaction from ZealoulyStriving in No in-betweeners?   
    I'm not so sure I agree with the idea of either you are progressing or regressing.
    There is a very damaging idea in corporatism today (not to be confused with capitalism, which is the ideal, corporatism and monopolist are probably the counter of capitalism in the opposite direction of socialism if one thinks about it) that you must always be increasing your profits.  Each Quarter needs to be better than the last and you must always be expanding.  
    However, sometimes the best course is to simply stay where you are at. 
    An Empire is normally the precursor to a nation's fall.  Sometimes that fall is greater than what they would have been had they merely been content with existing. 
    This also goes along with what the Chemist writes above, and IS problematic.  As per his own statement, things progress until they reach their zenith (like an Empire) and then regress after that. 
    This would indicate that once we reach the zenith in eternity, we automatically start regressing.  That's a TERRIBLE idea and one that is ignored after he talks about it and forgets to apply THAT principal to his ideas in what follows as well.
    I think there could be eternal progression, there can also be regression, but I also think there are those that can just be existing.  They are neither progressing or regressing, but have an end to their progress and regress in the glory that they receive. 
  7. Like
    JohnsonJones reacted to ZealoulyStriving in No in-betweeners?   
    As I've begun, for the first time, to read the Journal of Discourses, I have come across tidbits that are helping me to erase any assumptions I may have had about eternity and progression. My ultimate answer? I just don't know but God is really, really merciful- I trust Him.
  8. Like
    JohnsonJones got a reaction from NeuroTypical in Social Security Going Bankrupt?   
    The easiest solution is the one they will not choose.
    The easiest solution is to raise taxes on Social Security, and a simple method is to make it so there is no limit on how much you make that can be taxed.  If you make 2 million in a year, it is taxed for Social Security.  At the same time, do NOT increase the limits on how much one can withdraw.
    This action right here would probably extend SS for awhile longer.
    Secondary would be to simply raise the retirement age.  Raise it to 70 or higher.  That also would extend it.
    Now, I note that I am waaay past the SS age already, so many would probably be saying...okay Boomer.  You got your cake and now you want to keep everyone else from getting theirs...or something like that.
    I admit I've been blessed in this regard, but if I live as long as I plan (I plan to go over 100!! no idea if I'll ever make it though), I'll be facing those shortages right along with others who haven't started their SS yet.
    I think the most likely thing that will happen is that the politicians will continue to kick the can down the road until we are about a week from it going away.  Then they will all scramble (like they do with the Budget recently) only to discover this problem isn't as easy to fix...and that will be it.
    I only hope I have enough money in my retirement accounts that I can get by if that ever happens (though with my luck, all stocks will fail, the banks will go bankrupt, and all the rest of my money will be gone as well, at which point I can only hope the Lord has appeared and we are living in millennial bliss by that point)(.
  9. Like
    JohnsonJones reacted to Emmanuel Goldstein in SpaceX did it.   
    They successfully launched the Super Heavy vehicle to orbital speeds this morning. This is the largest object ever launched by humanity. History was made on SpaceX's 22 birthday, and it is pie day. Well done Elon.
    https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-third-test-flight-launch
  10. Like
    JohnsonJones reacted to LDSGator in Social Security Going Bankrupt?   
    Yup. It’s guaranteed to fail, just a matter of when. 
  11. Like
    JohnsonJones reacted to Still_Small_Voice in Social Security Going Bankrupt?   
    In my estimate, I have paid around $51,000 into Social Security over my life of working and I will probably never collect it.
    Give the Federal Government control of part of your retirement funds.  What could possibly go wrong?  Social Security is the biggest Ponzi scheme ever created in my opinion.
  12. Like
    JohnsonJones reacted to SilentOne in Easter Music & Thoughts 2024   
    One who reads through the books of Matthew and John finds in them not only the account of the life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the story of the establishment of his kingdom on earth, but the evidences that he fulfilled the prophecies concerning the promised Messiah. These two apostles seemed to have been concerned with the fact that the Lord fulfilled the prophecies, as well as doing wonderful and awe-inspiring works before people.
    ...
    We can take comfort that the great events of the future have been prophesied in considerable detail, and that when they are fulfilled, the events of that fulfillment will occur as naturally and as surely as have those of the distant past.
    - S. Dilworth Young
    But if ye keep the commandments of God, and do with these things which are sacred according to that which the Lord doth command you, (for you must appeal unto the Lord for all things whatsoever ye must do with them) behold, no power of earth or hell can take them from you, for God is powerful to the fulfilling of all his words. For he will fulfil all his promises which he shall make unto you, for he has fulfilled his promises which he has made unto our fathers.
    - Alma 37:16-17
  13. Like
    JohnsonJones reacted to SilentOne in Easter Music & Thoughts 2024   
  14. Like
    JohnsonJones reacted to Jersey Boy in Mosiah 15:4   
    The expression “they are one God” in verse 4 is referring specifically to Christ in his simultaneous roles as the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh, the Creator (Father) of all things in heaven and earth when an unembodied Spirit, and the Father of salvation through the atonement to all who believe on his name. Hopefully, the following annotated verses will help make things clear…
    3 The Father (Christ is here being referred to as the Father of our of salvation) because he was conceived by the power of God (I.e. Christ was endowed with the divine power needed in order to successfully offer an infinite and eternal atoning sacrifice while in the flesh); and the Son, because of the flesh (the same person whom we call the Father of heaven and earth and the Father of our salvation is also be called the Son of God because he is the literal earthly Son of Elohim); thus becoming the Father and Son (the Father because he is the Father of heaven and earth, as well as the Father of our salvation through the atonement, and he is also the Son because Elohim is the literal Father of his earthly body).
    4 And they (i.e. the Father of heaven and earth, the Father of our salvation, and the Son of God in the flesh) are one God (in this particular instance the prophet is speaking of only one personage, namely Jesus Christ), yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth. (Mosiah 15)
    These seemingly inscrutable words of Abinadi become clear when it’s understood that in these verses the prophet is  speaking of Christ in his dual fatherly role as the Father of heaven and earth, and even more especially as the atoning Father of salvation.
     
     
  15. Like
    JohnsonJones got a reaction from Traveler in Mosiah 15:4   
    To echo what @Traveler stated above, up until recently (and possibly still today in some locations) the Ruler of a Nation and certain individuals under them would be counted as the same individual in some instances.
    In some Middle Eastern Cultures slavery was common.  There were slaves that were your right hand of power and control (probably somewhat like what Joseph was in Egypt).  These slaves were seen as basically part of you.  They were extensions of your voice and will.  Whatever they said was what YOU were saying.  To defy them was to defy YOU.  When they came, they would be seen as YOU in the flesh and treated as such.  For all intents and purposes, unless you were together, they would be seen as you in many instances (obviously NOT YOU, but also because of their position to act in your place, basically as you). 
    In this dynamic we see some classes of slaves as a HIGHER class in society than freemen.  This is because the slaves reported directly to the ruler and as such, were held in higher esteem than those who were not part of this slave class. 
    This was most often seen with slaves (as they were owned totally by their master and as such, when loyal, were seen as an extension of that master.  A slave could be killed at whim if they disobeyed or did what their master did not desire...whereas a free servant was not so easily done away with), however, on occasion it could also be seen as done with a servant as well.
    On occasion this is also done with Dynastic rulership where the Son is considered an extension of the ruler. 
    Not entirely the same, but a similar vein could be seen with Young King Henry who was crowned King under his father King Henry II.  He was King, but his father had the reins of power.  Now, he didn't have as close or as good a relationship as those I spoke of above, but when he was acting in line with his father's wishes, the easiest way for people to talk about them and who they were differently was relating in a way such as one was the king and the other was the young king.  (Interestingly enough, as Young King Henry died before his father, he is not counted among the Kingly line of Kings of England).
  16. Like
    JohnsonJones got a reaction from askandanswer in Mosiah 15:4   
    To echo what @Traveler stated above, up until recently (and possibly still today in some locations) the Ruler of a Nation and certain individuals under them would be counted as the same individual in some instances.
    In some Middle Eastern Cultures slavery was common.  There were slaves that were your right hand of power and control (probably somewhat like what Joseph was in Egypt).  These slaves were seen as basically part of you.  They were extensions of your voice and will.  Whatever they said was what YOU were saying.  To defy them was to defy YOU.  When they came, they would be seen as YOU in the flesh and treated as such.  For all intents and purposes, unless you were together, they would be seen as you in many instances (obviously NOT YOU, but also because of their position to act in your place, basically as you). 
    In this dynamic we see some classes of slaves as a HIGHER class in society than freemen.  This is because the slaves reported directly to the ruler and as such, were held in higher esteem than those who were not part of this slave class. 
    This was most often seen with slaves (as they were owned totally by their master and as such, when loyal, were seen as an extension of that master.  A slave could be killed at whim if they disobeyed or did what their master did not desire...whereas a free servant was not so easily done away with), however, on occasion it could also be seen as done with a servant as well.
    On occasion this is also done with Dynastic rulership where the Son is considered an extension of the ruler. 
    Not entirely the same, but a similar vein could be seen with Young King Henry who was crowned King under his father King Henry II.  He was King, but his father had the reins of power.  Now, he didn't have as close or as good a relationship as those I spoke of above, but when he was acting in line with his father's wishes, the easiest way for people to talk about them and who they were differently was relating in a way such as one was the king and the other was the young king.  (Interestingly enough, as Young King Henry died before his father, he is not counted among the Kingly line of Kings of England).
  17. Like
    JohnsonJones reacted to Traveler in Mosiah 15:4   
    We need to realize that the context of this scripture is deeply rooted in the Hebrew culture and language even though the text is written in Reformed Egyptian.   From the context of near Eastern culture, we learn that the preferred styles of government were patterned after their ancient understanding that the government of Heaven was properly called a “Kingdom”.  That the kingdom of Heaven was ruled by a supreme Suzerain.  From near Eastern kingdoms often had levels of citizenship.   Only the “First Born” (Meaning the most noble or highest rank of citizens fell under the direct relationship with the Suzerain.  As a side note here, these high citizens had a unique name by which they addressed the Suzerain that no one else was allowed to use.  There are many references in scripture about the first-born citizens.  One reference is referenced with the final miracle of Moses when obtaining the deliverance of the Israelites.
    Other classes of Citizens were under the jurisdiction of what was called the Servant Vassel.   According to the law of the kingdom the Servant Vassel was said to have inherited all that the Suzerain had in dealing with their Jurisdiction within the Kingdom.  As such they claimed to be one Suzerain or one with the Suzerain.  Often, they would speak to their jurisdiction in the first person as the Suzerain.  Under this law of a Kingdom, it was said that there was one Suzerain.  The Hebrew word to designate “one” is ehad.  This is the same Hebrew word that designates that a man and a woman become one flesh when married according to G-d’s law.  The Hebrew word that designates a unique single individual is yahed.  Whenever Hebrew scripture referenced the “oneness” of G-d the word ehad is always used.  There is no reference – ever – that Hebrew scripture uses the term yahed in referencing one G-d.
    When the fall of man (Adam and Eve) took place all of the covenant spirit children of the Father (Suzerain of Heaven) became fallen or exiled citizens of Heaven and therefore were under the jurisdiction of a Servant Vassel that was the Messiah or Christ that was anciently known as Jehovah and the man Jesus of Nazareth.
    When the Apostles chosen by Jesus to oversee the kingdom of G-d (church) on earth there were lost to the Church there was a shift in the stylized government of the church.  This shift patterned the church structure after the government of Rome.  To justify this gross alteration a counsel met and created the doctrine of the “Trinity” that was forced on “Christians” under penalty of death and it has remained ever since.  
    Perhaps the best witness in scripture of the proper concept of oneness is in the Gospel of John chapter 17 when Jesus prays in Gethsemane as part of his Atonement that those that believe on him (as the Servant Vassel to the Suzerain) would become one with the Father in the same manner that He is one with the Father.  Obviously meaning that those that believe in Christ will no longer be exiled but full citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven as Servant Vassals of the Father.  I would note that in John chapter 10 that when Jesus said he was one with the Father – the Jews clearly understood that Jesus was referring to himself as G-d and that is why they intended to put Jesus to death.  Many Christians claim that they are one with G-d in one breath but then in the next breath claim there is only one (yahed) G-d and that the Trinity doctrine is valid.  Obviously, they do not know what they are saying.
     
    The Traveler
  18. Like
    JohnsonJones reacted to mirkwood in Mosiah 15:4   
    Think of "they" in context of an organization.
     
    Example:  Officer Mirkwood works in Utah.  He is part of the police.  They work together to solve crimes.
     
  19. Like
    JohnsonJones reacted to Carborendum in Adult Child has become heavily and visibly ex-Mormon   
    @keeperofthegate,
    I hope you didn't take my earlier post as a criticism of your parenting.  Sometimes you can do everything right, and still someone exercises their agency in a manner that would be completely counter to what you taught them.
    My in-laws have had two interesting sons go off the deep end.
    ****************************
    One BIL was fairly rebellious.  No matter how faith-centered their home was (and believe me when I say that this family is about as faith centered as you can get) this son simply did not believe any of it.  He went along with his parents as long as he lived in the house.  But as soon as he turned 18 he couldn't leave fast enough.
    Then there was one day where he and his ex-LDS girlfriend decided that if they were to get married they needed to have a common faith.  They had both been raised LDS.  And they somehow agreed that having religion in a family was important.  But neither had accepted any LDS beliefs.  So, they went church hopping and decided to figure out how members of various faiths tested whether they were the right one.  They asked at each church. And they got some answers (which I've never asked about).  But they realized that none of it worked.  They just didn't buy the logic that any of the Churches used.  None of them had evidence that was all that convincing.  None of them even seemed to follow the Bible that they claimed to cherish.  
    Mind you these are not my thoughts.  This was how he described it as he lived through it.
    Eventually, they decided, "What about our parents' church?"  Yes, they had long ago believed that it was not their church anymore.  It was just their parents' church.  They were already well versed in LDS scriptures and had read the Book of Mormon, giving it a fair shot.  But they just didn't believe it.  So, now was the time that they'd pray about it.  They met at a park and decided that they would both go to opposite ends of the park to make sure they would not influence each other in this decision.
    They both felt a strong witness and began to return to each other at the middle of the park.  By the time they met in the middle (literally) they both knew they knew and that the other one knew as well.  They went home to tell their families that they had a mighty change of heart and knew it was all true.
    ***********************************
    The other son had always gone along with things and even bore his testimony.  But it didn't seem that he actually wanted to change himself for the Lord's sake.  I have no idea if he ever had a testimony.  But he said he did at times.
    Eventually, he lost his faith.  None of us really knew why since he wasn't one to share much.  But when he fell, he fell hard.  None of us knows exactly what happened or why.  But my guess is that there were several trials that his family went through over the course of several years.  And it was just too much for both the husband and wife.
    They are so negative that if they even hear a very generic quote (not at all LDS specific) from a General Authority, they immediately get belligerent.
    As long as we don't talk religion (AT ALL) they're perfectly pleasant. 
    ******************************
    Just as Lehi had Laman and Lemuel, there are plenty of parents who did everything right, but they still lost some of their children.
  20. Like
    JohnsonJones reacted to NeuroTypical in How to Know When a Family Should be Abandoned   
    That's basically the major point of the entire story.  I'd steer clear of accusations of abuse and getting CPS and the foster system involved if possible.  Horrible, horrible, tragic stories come out of foster care. 
    You can do much to make this kid welcome in your home.  You might be able to become the go-to parent figure.  A place where he does all his homework, gets rides, folks who pick him up for church, etc.  You can help keep him sane until he graduates and springs out of that place.  Honestly, if you can stand buddying up to the parents, your odds of having a positive impact in this kid's life might increase.  But he's not your kid, you shouldn't try to get the parents to change, you shouldn't find ways to gently urge them to parent differently.  This is a "let your light so shine" thing, not a "time to haul people into a disciplinary council" thing. 
     
    My circle of friends in HS and college included two girls.  Fun times in the one girl's parents' house for a full decade - really nice parents.  A couple of those years, one of the girls was living in the other girls' parents house.  It wasn't anything anyone thought about.  I didn't even think to ask why until years later.  But yeah, that stuff only happens when both sets of parents are down with it, and that's not something you can force.
  21. Like
    JohnsonJones reacted to NeuroTypical in Is this forum dying?   
    I've noticed a slow and steady decline across my favorite 3 LDS-themed message boards (and half-dozen Facebook groups) starting before COVID.   One of them is now pretty much totally dead.  Thirdhour has certainly slowed a bit, but is still kicking.  The trick is to look for all new messages here: 
    https://thirdhour.org/forums/discover/
     
  22. Like
    JohnsonJones reacted to zil2 in Is this forum dying?   
    Seems to me it's been dying for a long time. If everyone here could con all their introvert friends into joining, and we were to welcome them rather than scaring them off at the first sign of differing opinion, we might could grow it back.
    It would help if the mobile template supported all the features (e. g. there's no way to see site notifications in the browser on a mobile - no access to that bell at the top right, and no user menu - I know the software supports it as one of my fountain pen forums uses this same software).
  23. Like
    JohnsonJones reacted to Emmanuel Goldstein in Are the Gold Plates in a cave somewhere?   
    Maybe.
    https://bookofmormonevidence.org/a-hole-in-cumorah/
  24. Like
    JohnsonJones reacted to Ironhold in Likely daguerreotype (photo) of Joseph Smith discovered.   
    It's based on an image of Joseph Smith standing as head of the Nauvoo Legion, an image that critics of the church love to present without the context of "Oh yeah, the city was allowed its own town militia, with the mayor as commander". 
  25. Like
    JohnsonJones got a reaction from mikbone in Jesus being mean   
    On the OP, I've read recently that the Lord has been offending a LOT of people in the United States. 
    Evangelicals call the Lord "liberal" and weak
    it is interesting how the world stays the same even as it changes and advances.  The same problems during the Lord's ministry exist today and I think that if he were here today the result would be the same, those who profess to worship the Lord and are in the Churches would be some of the first to call for his crucifixion or his death. 
    The Lord was an extremely liberal radical during his time.  He called for things that most of the religious individuals at the time were against.  He called for forgiving others who offended you, letting your rulers rule over you and keeping your religion separate from that of Caesars.  If you accept his apostles also spoke for him, he instituted a type of socialism (called Religious Socialism by many scholars today) where all property was shared amongst those in the church community for the benefit of others.  He called for people to feed the poor and care for the sick so that none would be hungry and all would have basic necessities in a society of his. 
    His church called for RIGHTEOUS leaders who were married.  He called for faith and common sense. 
    These ideas offended those who were in power.  His ideas would tear down the more conservative ideals of the time (where church LEADERS dictated what you could do including how many steps to walk on the Sabbath, etc) which were alarmingly closely aligned to many of the ideas of today.
    I think people would be surprised at HOW liberal his ideas really are.  Even today, his ideas are extremely liberal in relation to what we think in general.  In that light, the same type of people (those who were the leaders of the church at the time, those people who followed what those teachers taught) would probably call for his destruction today.
    (And to be clear, when I refer to leaders of the church I am NOT referring to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I am talking about Church leaders in general.  These would be those Pastors, Preachers, and others who teach such ideas as hatred of others today, prosperity gospels, those who teach not to help the poor and to try to stop any aid going to them, those who teach that people get what they deserve and that the poor and disabled deserve whatever has happened to them, those who argue to destroy those who don't agree with you, that teach that anger and distrust are what we should do to others because we feel they did it to us, those who teach revenge, and on and on and on in regards to what I see many who claim to be Christian are actually being taught and actually doing these days).