john4truth

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  1. Like
    john4truth got a reaction from NightSG in No Guns in Sacrament Meeting—We Mean It This Time!!!   
    Now that the Church policy has made national news I feel other actions should follow. I'm a member of several non-profit organizations and this week I was at a meeting where a letter was read ...warning people who live in East Texas of a current risk. A major law enforcement group sent out letters, warning of people who have been identified as dangerous going to non profits ...trying to be accepted and claiming to be a member. Investigation reveal the "visitor" will be well armed.
    This non profit asked members to lock all doors but one during meetings. Assign someone to watch those entering and if a concern is identified call 911.
    I would like it if the Church would have common sense guidelines to reduce risk. It is good that, since peace officers can carry, signs can not be posted. I am concerned that this nation wide news story may identify the Church as a target on Sunday.
    In Texas if a sign is not present it's not illegal. I never carry, but some have already said they would rather take a chance on discipline than risk there family's safety. Glenn Beck stated he believes people will be afraid to attend a Christian church within 5 years. It is is important that everyone understand nationwide we are rapidly becoming a different country and being nieve is not the best policy. You don't have to Google far to see we do have haters out there. One other Church in my tiny town has 4 unidentified armed persons at every meeting.
    😆 Of course if implementation of this is like the policy that class rooms for youth and primary have windows in the doors, I will not be alive to see it implemented. PFR in our area only do what is necessary to have services due to budget restraints.
  2. Like
    john4truth got a reaction from jdf135 in More struggles with Direction from stake President   
    It is important that each of us are careful in getting our own revaluations We should put our trust in Heavenly Father because man will disappoint. I will not start a fight but all men are subject to flaws. Apostles have been excommunicated for arguing contradictory revelations. I have been promoted by the Spirit, during an interview, not to issue a calling after the Stake Council made a decision. The Stake President said this was correct and how Heavenly Father does things. What ever we are doing we have our own revelations.
  3. Like
    john4truth got a reaction from carlimac in More struggles with Direction from stake President   
    It is important that each of us are careful in getting our own revaluations We should put our trust in Heavenly Father because man will disappoint. I will not start a fight but all men are subject to flaws. Apostles have been excommunicated for arguing contradictory revelations. I have been promoted by the Spirit, during an interview, not to issue a calling after the Stake Council made a decision. The Stake President said this was correct and how Heavenly Father does things. What ever we are doing we have our own revelations.
  4. Like
    john4truth got a reaction from Anddenex in What do you think about pre Adamites?   
    I feel all may be shocked at how little we knew. When it matters we will know.  Wisdom is knowing how little we know. 
     
  5. Thanks
    john4truth reacted to bytebear in article in Mormon Light   
    What I would like to see change?  An emphasis on fellowshipping neighbors. I feel like we don't emphasize visitors to our services or activities enough.  I would love to see 20% of the congregation be visitors/non-members.  We get so cliquish.  Also, it always bothered me that we have a "visitors Welcome" sign but no sign telling you what time the services are.  How are visitors supposed to know when to come, other than when a bunch of cars are in the parking lot?
     
  6. Thanks
    john4truth reacted to SilentOne in article in Mormon Light   
    I can say it, too.
    You are correct.
    Does that fill your need for repetition?
  7. Thanks
    john4truth reacted to carlimac in article in Mormon Light   
    Isn't it fun to learn things about how other wards function? Ours is 70-75. We sing all verses of every song. We are a small community and a very social ward so passing time is closer to 20 min than 10. And we have a small building/ growing ward so navigating the hallways between hours is a slow process. We have no librarian- it's  a serve yourself library so that means waiting behind me to copy things as I bumble around with the machine. We are trying to conform to two adults in every classroom so that has many people with many callings running around just trying to keep it together.  Anatess you should come run our ward. Things would function better I'm sure. 😉 But I'm quite sure you would butt heads with our Stake President (who is in our ward). I don't want to think about what would happen if you clashed with him.   🙈😁
  8. Thanks
    john4truth reacted to e-eye in article in Mormon Light   
    It's all 3rd hand.  I followed the rumors close last go around - there was 2 hour church chatter but I gave it a 10% chance because nobody had a good source and it seemed like more people just wanted it.  This go around I am now up to 80% it's going to happen.  Multiple people saying they know someone in the know that says it's coming.  Then you get comments like President Eyring gave on Saturday about members needing personal revelation to understand the Lord changes how the church does things.  I am 100% on board there will be changes announced- more so than last time.  A would be surprised if 2 hour church didn't happen.  
    I'm not watching conference for the changes though as that really takes away from the messages.  The changes announced will be a great opportunity to learn the Lords will together.  
  9. Thanks
    john4truth reacted to Just_A_Guy in article in Mormon Light   
    I agree with your post, @The Folk Prophet; but it’s probably also worth noting that we didn’t start out as homogenous. We started out as a polyglot of regional antebellum Americans and various Western European peoples and cultures and languages, all of whom made a conscious decision to merge into a common culture.  There always needs to be a balance between institutionally accommodating what can’t realistically be changed, while also letting people know that “this is just who I am” only gets you so much mileage in a gospel of repentance.
  10. Thanks
    john4truth reacted to The Folk Prophet in article in Mormon Light   
    Right.
    I should clarify why I'm saying that: The church has grown beyond a homogeneous group of individuals like the Israelites or the early pioneers. Way beyond that. So thinking of the church as if we're all one big group that's all growing or failing together simply doesn't work. The Saints in Utah may, overall, be more faithful and ready for a higher way (or the opposite), but the Saints in the Philippines or Indonesia or India may really be struggling with long standing policies that have worked well in Utah but do not in the different world setting(s) there. More realistically...the Saints in one ward may, majority-wise, be on a higher plane, and the next ward over they may really be struggling.
    So even if there is some of giving the people a king because they clamored for one in any given change -- that doesn't mean it's fair to view that as the overall scope of the matter. With the organization growing so large and diverse, things are simply more complicated than that. So yes, we trust the Lord either way...but I think we should be careful, in our own assessments, to even attempt fully defining the why of it all. The ones saying church is going to be shorter because we're so busy are probably wrong. The ones saying that if church is shorter its because the people were too weak to handle what they should have been able to handle are probably wrong. There may be some truth in both ideas...but there's probably more to whatever change occurs than we can really understand.
    Edit: I should clarify that my initial "Right" wasn't a response to "I'm just some idiot...", but to the idea of trusting the Lord, etc.
  11. Haha
    john4truth reacted to Fether in article in Mormon Light   
    Protesting it the whole way! I may be the next Sam Young if that happens. Anyone want to preemptively join me before any announcements are made?
  12. Thanks
    john4truth reacted to e-eye in article in Mormon Light   
    Well - you are usually right.  However, there are large groups pretty much everywhere that believes it this time.  This is not because one apostle said something it's because many of them have, along with other general authorities.  I think change is the new norm.  
    The people I heard stuff from last year that were right seem to have the same info this time.  Last time I was told the change would be priesthood and the final session.  This time around it's sounding like every session will have something.    Where will you be when 2 hour church is announced?  😆
     
     
  13. Thanks
    john4truth reacted to Grunt in article in Mormon Light   
    I echo this.  It seems like most of the "guesses" or "hopes" seem to be geared toward lessening the time we are worshiping or doing Christ's work.  They want less time in church, remove studies, relaxation of church organization, etc.  I want those things strengthened.  I'd love to see stronger study sessions, supported by structured at home lessons.  I'd hate to see my Gospel Principles class go away.  I'd love to see more community activities supported by the church.  My ward does well, but we can always do better.  

    Beyond that, I'd love to see changes that strengthen our church and move us forward, not weaken it or water it down to assist the members who have a heavy focus on worldly activities.
  14. Haha
    john4truth reacted to The Folk Prophet in article in Mormon Light   
    I read the article to my wife and she quipped in response, "Maybe they're going to re-instate polygamy."
    🤣
    Snowstorm indeed.
  15. Thanks
    john4truth reacted to The Folk Prophet in article in Mormon Light   
    I feel like expressing (or, frankly, even thinking about) what I want is the wrong path to be down. I want what God wants. I suppose to be totally honest I should say I choose to want what God wants. When God reveals it, I'll choose to want it. Sure, there's a chance I won't understand or see the value of something directly and might need some spiritual guidance/revelation/experience to get it. But I'll support it and get behind it.
    Putting my interests into the mix prior to the Lord revealing His will just seems like a recipe for problems.
  16. Thanks
    john4truth reacted to Vort in article in Mormon Light   
    I would like to see changes that would move us toward Christ and a Zion society. But I don't know what those changes might be. Copout? Maybe, but those are my honest feelings.
  17. Thanks
    john4truth reacted to Just_A_Guy in How important is what we did in high school? Kavanaugh accusation   
    I fully agree about *constitutionalist* versus *conservative*—at this point in time there’s a lot of overlap between the two; but you’re correct that *constitutionalist* is preferable when it comes to the federal bench.
    As far as “destruction” and “process”—I agree the Dems are playing dirty pool; but not every incident of dirty pool leads to a constitutional crisis.   The GOP just needs to find a way to make it backfire so spectacularly that the Dems never try it again.  
  18. Thanks
    john4truth reacted to Lindy in How important is what we did in high school? Kavanaugh accusation   
    I don't know about anyone else- but I did stupid things in high school, heck I've done some stupid things in adulthood. But repentance is a wonderful thing, it's nice to have a clean slate with God.
    That being said Brett Kavanaugh has gone through 6 extensive FBI checks over his career; and although I don't have much faith in the upper tiers of the FBI, I do have confidence with the agents who do the actual work. And I'm sure they went back as far as his elementary years. 
    This woman might believe everything she says happened..... my ex believed all the garbage he told people he did too. Only thing is he didn't do half of what he said he did, but he's such a gifted liar- he actually believes his lies.
    She waited until Judge Kavanaugh was on the rise in his career before her "recollection" in 2012 in a therapists office, and according to USA Today ...." without mentioning the name of a perpetrator" in that sudden recall. THEN she waits until 2018 to bring it to political attention- only this time she has a name, only she doesn't want HER NAME used. She wants to speak, then she didn't want to speak, then she wanted to speak only after another FBI investigation. Red flag, red flag, red flag.   RED FLAG.
    I'm not that educated in government or politics but I have an idea that the FBI doesn't classify a 36 year old hazy/ incomplete accusation as breaking a federal law or raising a national security issue. I would think that any investigation should be done by her lawyer and her resources.
     I firmly believe it's all a last ditch political effort to delay the SCOTUS vote. Nothing more.
    I feel for the woman for putting herself in the middle of everything with a hazy, inaccurate memory. Sorry Not sorry.
     
  19. Thanks
    john4truth reacted to estradling75 in How important is what we did in high school? Kavanaugh accusation   
    In a different thread I asked a similar question.  We are all familiar with the Story of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies...  In general they confessed to multiple murders...  No doubt about guilt.  Would we be OK with one of them (or even several of them) gaining leadership, judgeship or other highly powerful roles?  Or are they also non starters?
     
  20. Thanks
    john4truth reacted to Just_A_Guy in How important is what we did in high school? Kavanaugh accusation   
    I mostly agree, Vort; but I’d note that Kavanaugh’s current position on the DC Circuit is not in jeopardy.  Given that pretty much nothing will redeem his good name no matter how this shakes out, his keeping his current still-influential position in lieu of ascending to a SCOTUS seat doesn’t strike me as quite tantamount to him being personally destroyed.  
    Kavanaugh was something of a compromise candidate anyways, and I think if it were handled with finesse Trump could use this opportunity to get Senate squishes like Collins and Murkowski really mad at the Dems and firmly back into the GOP fold.  Then, he could use that newfound party unity to ram through a young conservative firebrand like Barrett.
  21. Thanks
    john4truth reacted to Vort in How important is what we did in high school? Kavanaugh accusation   
    I agree with JAG. If Kavanaugh really did do this thing, then he should not be within a mile of a judicial post of any sort, much less a Supreme Court appointment.
    That said, I have zero reason to believe his accuser. And do you know what would be ten times worse than appointing a former juvenile delinquent to the SC? Allowing any random, unsubstantiated accusation to destroy a man's reputation and a judicial appointment. The former would put a potentially bad man in a position of influence, something regrettable but probably survivable. Not like it has never happened before. The latter would destroy our society.
  22. Thanks
    john4truth reacted to zil in Why Is There an Upset about Polytheism?   
    I'm reluctant to add to the thread because I know parts of it have caused @MaryJehanne pain, and I don't want to add to that, though I'm not sure what caused it in the first place.  I know I tend to be very blunt, and that might be perceived as mean or rude when all the non-verbal bits are removed.  And I'm certain she is more sensitive to these things than I am.  Anyway, I'm sad that she has felt these things and wish we could undo that.  Nonetheless, I thought of what seems to me a better way of expressing why polytheism rankles (so to speak), so I'll give it a go.  It all boils down to what the believer believes (rather than what some outsider technically defines).
    A polytheist believes themselves to be a polytheist.  It's not just that others define them that way, they define themselves that way.  Someone from ancient Greece would fully declare they have many gods - all the gods (in their pantheon) are their gods.  They (the believer) can serve, pray to, sacrifice to, and/or worship any and all of the gods.
    Latter-day Saints do not believe themselves to be polytheists.  Why?  Because they do not believe there are multiple gods whom they can serve, pray to, sacrifice to, worship, etc.  Sure, there are other beings who have attained godhood, but these are not their God.  The Latter-day Saint cannot faithfully serve, pray to, sacrifice to, or worship those other beings, because those other beings are not their God.
    So, if you want to use "polytheism" in the narrow meaning of "belief that there are multiple beings who are gods", then yes, Latter-day Saints are polytheists (though you really have to add the restriction that only one of those beings may be worshiped by any given person).  But if you include anything related to "worship" or "worshipable" in relation to those gods, then Latter-day Saints are not polytheists.
    (NOTE: If 3 Mormons seriously say that Latter-day Saints are polytheists, I attribute it to (a) using a specialized meaning of that word, or (b) youthful ignorance, or (c) trying to appeal to or appease someone / be sensationalist.  (Honestly, I'm not impressed by these folks and wouldn't hold them up as anything remotely like an authority on our beliefs.  Some of their stuff is accurate, some helpful/useful, and some not so much.))
    FWIW.
  23. Confused
    john4truth reacted to MaryJehanne in Why Is There an Upset about Polytheism?   
    Thank you, SpiritDragon!
  24. Like
    john4truth reacted to Anddenex in What do you think about pre Adamites?   
    Correct, this is why I began my statement with the following phraze, "There are two theories..."
  25. Thanks
    john4truth reacted to OnePassenger in Is the Pope in trouble   
    I'm against those cruel punishments, and who would roll the rocks to the sea? And where could you find enough millstones? It's more than a felony, it's a first degree, because they're hiding behind what they call priesthood -  what they call priesthood. A sworn-in club of degenerated pederasts. Hang'em high.
    Some would call it "hate speech". And...? Let me call it Rock 'n' Roll.