Grunt

Not that my preference means ANYTHING, but I prefer it shrink rather than be diluted. I think changes by the First Presidency and Quorum recently will lead to a stronger core. I think the changes we've seen (at least in my ward) regarding missionary work will add the strong to that core.

My household doesn't have a deficit.

And I would say that I am the BEST judge when it is my property in question.

Not true. The government has no duty to protect life or property from anything. https://mises.org/power-market/police-have-no-duty-protect-you-federal-court-affirms-yet-again

Not really. Liberty is individual. If there are 5 of us in a room and 3 of us vote to beat you up and take your clothes, that doesn't make it just.

Even so, parents giving their children money is willful. Me giving the Church money is willful. Me donating to charity is willful. Even if I don't agree with how it's spent, the choice is mine to give. The government taking money from me by force and giving it to my neighbor isn't willful.

I just absolutely disagree with your wealth redistribution model, so we'll have to agree to disagree. Just because other nations enslave one part of its population in forced service to another part of its population doesn't make it just. It's still theft.

Equality in outcome is not fairness. Taking from one and giving to another is not fairness.

I don't see anything in that statement I disagree with.

I'm not understanding what you're saying, perhaps. I'm against any government agency taking money from one person and using it to support another, except in the execution of necessary government functions (which is another discussion entirely)

So? That's true regardless where the money comes from.

We do have similar programs. I oppose those, also.

Not the same thing. Even if I agreed with you that taxation isn't theft, you are comparing apples to oranges. In one scenario, money is taken and used for communal services that everyone has (mostly) equal access to. In the other you're directly redistributing wealth.

I don't care if it's a terrible idea or not. Who in their right mind thinks it's acceptable to take money from one person under threat of violence and give it to another?

That's compounded by the fact that even most members can't seem to get on the same page.

This is what made (makes) my conversion so difficult for me. I don't have a witness from God on most things. I do have a confirmation from God that I am supposed to be part of this church, even if I don't entirely know why. It makes so many of the questions I have difficult.

You can have a limited use over age 21.

Depends on what you're using them for, I suppose. There is a smelly blend that I sometimes put in the diffuser at night. It calms me and helps me fall asleep if I'm sick or not tired. I don't think it's a magical property, though. I think I just like the smell. That's enough for me. My wife got something at church that she puts on my temples if I have a headache that helps. I think it's because it evaporates and feels cool as well as smelling good. I also got something I put on my back that's like icy hot. I like it.

Thanks. That makes more sense.

Could you provide an example of modern Christians persecuting people as a general rule?

Intersting. Do you take that to mean a sealing is canceled if someone marries someone else, or if they become inactive and no longer follow any covenants? Is that true only of sealings, or other covenants as well? If we violate the covenants made at baptism, is the baptism void?

It does, though.

That makes me feel better.

As I said previously, I've donated to them in past campaigns. It seems this campaign is just to allow them to continue to fundraise. That said, I'm anxious for Witnesses to come out next fall. You all can see me on the big screen!

I've obviously never been through a ward shuffle, but I've seen how the dynamic really changes with the addition or removal of people. We have a tiny ward and when even one large family moves in or out it really changes the ward as a whole. We were devastated when the family that brought me into the church moved back west. That's an interesting story in and of itself, and shows the hand of God in our conversion.