scottyg

twitter and facebook are not the only ones that can do blocking of content. We'll see how they like having the tables being turned. https://www.deseret.com/u-s-world/2021/1/11/22225796/north-idaho-internet-provider-blocks-facebook-twitter-censorship Yes, it will get worse. Ultimately, we all will need the guiding influence of the Holy Ghost to sift through the myriad of messages that will bombard us in the coming years. In the time before the Lord's second coming it will, by nearly all accounts, appear as if the adversary is winning. He won't, but times are going to get tough for followers of Christ. Conservatism will largely be viewed as going hand in hand with Christianity, and be perceived as the root of all the problems we face. In multiple ways, those who profess to follow the Lord will be scourged and mocked by those that do not.

You are correct, they have no solution. It is foolishness to think that any political party will align with the Lord's teachings in the short time before he comes again, or even in the near future. The hate and violence that is being spewed from both sides will eventually become normal, and will start to spill over into religion rather than just politics. The persecution of Christians, and members of the church, will take place in this country. The time is coming when everyone will have to chose between the Lord's side, and their political ideology.

But, what about the truth...how can they get away without reporting the actual news? Well, when you have politicians like this guy below in power, you can see why, and it places your nation on a path to destruction. Unrighteous dominion happens every time, everywhere. History is unbeaten when it comes to nations and corruption...they have fallen every single time. This is why it is imperative for us to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. As President Nelson has said "If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation."

Because they all hope to one day be this guy. They have simply chosen a side that they believe will win in the end and could care less about what they destroy along the way. They are like the little sidekick/henchmen that tags along with the bully, (e.g. Mr. Smee with Captain Hook, Iago with Jafar, or LeFou with Gaston). They have nothing else to really offer society, so they try and get looped in with who they perceive to be the big man on campus. It is not about news, but all about money, security, and looking good to their circle. It is a race to the top of the pyramid...because there is very little room there, and when "fit hits the shan", they don't want to be below it...because it might get their fancy designer clothes dirty.

The video is sad, but true. Although there are some flawed ideas, I agree with most of the points made in the video. This stuff may not be seen as much in the church due to our culture, but outside of our "bubble" it really is, and many of the things the world values are seeping more and more into the belief systems of LDS youth. I work in healthcare, and 90% of my co-workers are female. Many women that I work with put off marriage in pursuit of other interests, such as education (something men have been counseled for over a hundred years now not to do). Then, once these women have their degree and are making good money, they want to advance further in their careers. Serious relationships are put on hold. When it comes time to truly date seriously, many (not all) of them do not want to be in a relationship with a man perceived as "lower" than them, even if that man truly loves her. He could have a steady job, but since he is blue collar with no formal degree, he doesn't measure up. She gets upset because she is putting more into the relationship from a money point of view. She places the standard out of reach, and misses out on a real relationship. Once these women start to reach their late 30's early 40's, and learn that their opportunities to be a mother are dwindling they refuse to accept responsibility for their behavior, and shift the blame onto men, labeling them as being lazy and narcissistic, intimidated for not wanting an "educated woman", or for not being ambitious enough. In reality, these women will over time get less and less interest not only because of their poor attitudes, but because the dating pool of good men simply want a younger woman who can have more children, stay at home to raise them, and who isn't worried about only herself. Men (and women) just like to be appreciated, and many of the well-to-do women I work with never appreciated their boyfriends or now ex-husbands. Women are not the only offenders. Many men are now growing up believing that marriage is not actually worth it to them in the long run, as many feminists have poisoned their minds. I work with a few guys who say they will never get married for a myriad of reasons: it is too expensive, they can't trust women, they are set in their ways, they like their freedom, etc... In reality, they are getting all of the things they "want" from fast food, video games, and internet porn. Some of them still live in their parent's basements because the easiness of the world allows them to; and to the women's point, they have no real ambition...because they don't need it to survive anymore. Some men are afraid of the world, and are content just surviving. Basically, both sides are just being too selfish.

Nope, but there are 2 problems with your failed rebuttal. First, you are not quoting in proper context, and your aim is not to build faith, but to tear it down and sow contention. Second, the "journal of discourses" is neither of those. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/journal-of-discourses?lang=eng See below for your other statement...but this has been told to you many times, and fallen on deaf and hypocritical ears. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/approaching-mormon-doctrine You do realize that no one here takes you seriously right? So why are you here? You have never given anyone an honest answer to that. You are "studying our faith", "asking honest questions"...those are blatant lies that are obvious to all. Your pitiful axe to grind is almost as sad as your pathetically failed attempts to make us question our faith. You only harm and embarrass yourself by being here in the manner that you are. Personally, I doubt you are even a faithful Catholic. One who is would not spend their days badgering those of other faiths. The Catholics that I know are comfortable in their religion, and do not need to constantly validate themselves due to having weak faith and an unstable foundation. As I said before, grow up and get a life. Hopefully you can get over whatever obvious and deep seated issues you have.

Dude, what is your problem? Do you seriously have nothing better to do with your time? Get a life and grow up already.

Perhaps these parents just don't understand what education really is. Or, they just want school to be done because they are just fed up with actually taking care of their own kids for once. Who ever thought a parent was more responsible for their child's education than the teacher? 7 year old's don't belong in 3rd grade unless they are a true genius...those types of kids are reading Charlotte's Web at age 4 and doing long division in 1st grade...very rare. Some parents who are now teaching their children for the very first time may think that because their little one knows 2+3=5 they are at the top of the class. These parents have no way to truly grade and judge their child's development because they have no one to compare them to. Kids also miss out on developing many soft and social skills when they don't interact with kids their own age. Advancing children grades should be a rare event. Many parents view their children with rose colored glasses that are, let's just say, very rosy. Some parents also try to live through their children to make up for past failings and/or insecurities. You see this behavior in youth sports all the time...dad wants little Timmy to make it to the major leagues because dad loves baseball, and so he enrolls him in traveling competitive baseball teams and spends thousands of dollars getting him professional equipment and coaching lessons. What dad doesn't want to see is that Timmy truly sucks at baseball, and will never play beyond high school. Better to even out the eggs than to put them all in one basket with a gaping hole in it. Now, are some education classes worthless...absolutely. I work in the medical field, and it is a common joke amongst doctors and nurses that none of us ever use the advanced algebra we were "required" to take in order to graduate college. It is true that y=mx+b, but no doctor in the world today actually needs that information to treat patients. I do think it would be better for schools to focus on information that is truly applicable to everyday life, and save the specialized stuff for college. College should be more specialized then it currently is as well...yet so may worthless "general education" courses will always be required because it is such a cash cow for those universities. Can education be gained outside of school and university walls...yes. However, having a diploma matters, more so for the hard work and sense of accomplishment than the knowledge in my opinion. Kids should not graduate high school without actually learning something. Many millennial parents are setting up the future generation for failure due to a sense of entitlement, lack of work initiative, and an inability to cope with defeat. So many kids and young adults are afraid of the world and just want to stick their head in the sand because they don't know how to apply knowledge and/or think critically.

Yup. Both my Father and Mother grew up in households with 8 and 9 people in the house. Each home had only 3 bedrooms. Everyone slept with their siblings. Each home had only 1 bathroom. In my last ward our Bishop had 5 kids...and they lived in a 3 bedroom home with only a minivan for transport. He took the bus or walked 2.5 miles to work every day. I am 34 years old with a stay at home wife and 4 kids at home, and my family is surviving on my modest income alone. Our 4 kids share rooms, our home is small, our vehicles are used, and our vacations consist of going camping. We do not spend our money frivolously. We make a budget and stick to it. There is no "standard of living" outside of what we choose the standard to be. We do not have to move our measuring stick to fit the world's ideals. Numbers and charts can be doctored to fit any narrative. The fact remains that people need to stop expecting to live beyond their means; that certain goods are required in today's society...because they aren't. Cuts should be made before a wife has to leave the home to work...she should only do so if truly necessary, as rearing her children always takes priority. Counsel from a man who became a prophet of God is below...yet there will always be those who continue to kick against the pricks..."what he said certainty doesn't apply to me...I am the exception". I would certainly work overtime if need be before I had my wife go to work and leave the children with someone else. "It is a human tendency to want the things which will give us prominence and prestige. We live in a time when borrowing is easy. We can purchase almost anything we could ever want just by using a credit card or obtaining a loan. …The day of reckoning will come if we have continually lived beyond our means. My brothers and sisters, avoid the philosophy that yesterday’s luxuries have become today’s necessities. They aren’t necessities unless we make them so. …I urge you to live within your means. One cannot spend more than one earns and remain solvent. I promise you that you will then be happier than you would be if you were constantly worrying about how to make the next payment on nonessential debt." Thomas S. Monson, Apr 2006 General Conference

The following is a quote from a talk given by Elder David R. Stone of the Seventy in the April 2006 General Conference. That conference was held while I was serving as a missionary, and it is still, years later, my favorite one. "Because my wife and I have had the opportunity to live in 10 different countries, we have seen the effect of the ethos on behavior. Customs which are perfectly acceptable in one culture are viewed as unacceptable in another; language which is polite in some places is viewed as abhorrent in others. People in every culture move within a cocoon of self-satisfied self-deception, fully convinced that the way they see things is the way things really are. Our culture tends to determine what foods we like, how we dress, what constitutes polite behavior, what sports we should follow, what our taste in music should be, the importance of education, and our attitudes toward honesty. It also influences men as to the importance of recreation or religion, influences women about the priority of career or childbearing, and has a powerful effect on how we approach procreation and moral issues. All too often, we are like puppets on a string, as our culture determines what is “cool.” There is, of course, a zeitgeist to which we should pay attention, and that is the ethos of the Lord, the culture of the people of God. As Peter states it, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). It is the ethos of those who keep the Lord’s commandments, walk in His ways, and “live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God” (D&C 84:44). If that makes us peculiar, so be it." Living by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God is what we should be doing as latter-day saints...not listening to and trusting falsities spouted from children. If we believe D&C 1:38, then this includes counsel from the Lord's Prophets. I would trust Spencer W. Kimball, or any other Prophet, before I took to heart the opinion of a woke teenager who feels they are wise because of a social media platform. I get that she is just a kid, but her position on this issue, and blatant disregard for Prophetic counsel, is like storing dynamite in your home's foundation. She, and those who share her view, are on dangerous ground.

We no longer subscribe to LDS living magazine because of this same type of thing. Many far left ideals have become very commonplace in that publication, and I would rather me and my children just read the church news or official church magazines for uplifting stories without having to wade through garbage. The same is true for so many latter-day saint bloggers and facebookers...too many people are putting their faith in people rather than the Lord and His servants. I prefer scripture than the philosophies of men mingled with scripture.

I am grateful for the good teachers I have had throughout my life. Whether it be school, sports, church, etc…I have always had great examples around me to help me learn and grow. My leaders not only cared about me personally, but had a great amount of experience that always seemed to apply to my circumstances at the time. They were able to share their knowledge with me in a manner that I would understand in my various levels of development from my youth until now. I would not be where I am today without their influence and example.

For what it's worth, here is my measly 2 cents. I am of the opinion that the translation of any scripture or sacred text does not have to be what we would call 100% accurate in order to also be considered "correct". If we take the Book of Mormon for example, Joseph Smith made the remark that "...the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth..." I believe it is not just the actual words that caused the prophet to make that remark, but it was more so the correctness of the doctrine contained in the text that makes the Book of Mormon the most correct of any book on earth. I could be mistaken, but I don't believe the Lord really cares about a changed verb or adjective here and there, as long as His defined doctrines are clearly understood. This is the main problem with the Bible...truth has been removed and transfigured due to the follies of man. Sometimes intentional...and sometimes unintentional. Different people may use different words to describe certain things, and adding in different languages only adds to the complexity. It is only natural to expect a small bit of difference between the BOM and KJV, or even the Bible written in Hebrew or Greek. Suffice it to say that Joseph translated from the small plates what Nephi wrote, and Nephi wrote what Isaiah wrote. The translation is correct.

I read Moroni 7 last night with my wife, and in verse 17 we read "...whatsoever thing persuadeth men to...believe not in Christ, and...serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil" I'm not saying this woman is of the devil per se, but a message that gives no room for the Lord or even spirituality in general most definitely is. Elder Uchtdorf has said "...we can live with an understanding of our divine inheritance as children of God and with an awareness of our potential as eternal beings." I too like the "head in the sand" phrase. The day will come when we need to give an accounting of our life, and burying our heads (or our talents) in the ground will not prevent the Lord from seeing us and one day asking us what we did with our time here.

Possibly...however, after a bit of digging I found that the author is from Idaho. She may not be (or ever has been) a member of the church, but she definitely knows about us. Not that I'm saying this article is picking us out in particular, but I think it is safe to say she is at least somewhat familiar with LDS teachings...there is no way you can live in Idaho without being exposed to the faith in some fashion.

To me it is a bunch of hogwash, poppycock, balderdash, malarkey...take your pick. I could say the exact same things in this article apply to philosophy, which is nothing more than man's way of avoiding the real trials and questions in life. The only "proof" or reason to believe in the author's view is her word only. She has no foundation...no ground to stand on, and her argument is, truly, very weak. At it's most basic and simple level, believing in God makes much more sense than mankind's way of trying to explain everything. Unfortunately, spirituality will continue to be mocked and attacked in greater amounts in the future. That isn't to say that God has a hand in all things...because I don't believe He does. I do believe in real coincidences, and sometimes things just happen to us for better or worse. That's part of life on this earth...and we all accepted those potential risks before we came here. Being a fanatic and thinking that every single thing that happens everywhere is all the will of God is actually contrary to His plan, and can ultimately lead people away from Him. Now, the author can say faith is just a shield if they wish, and perhaps there are some who use it that way; who say that faith "helps them" while deep down they are truly struggling with their belief in God. For myself, I know what I have felt in my life, and I am not confusing true spiritual promptings for mere emotionalism. The Holy Ghost has spoken to me, and I know it was not my own thoughts. I have also had many experiences in my life that prove to me that there is a God - far too many little details all fell into place (some years in advance) for said experiences to just be a coincidence. I love Alma 30:40-41. The more I think about this the more I believe it to be true. Too many things on earth denote that there is a God...it cannot all be explained by chance or the opinion of one who has an axe to grind against religion.

11/20 - I am grateful for a good wife who continually serves our family. She has always been patient with me, and been willing to look past my faults. When our twins were born we had 4 children under the age of 4, and I was shortly thereafter given more responsibilities at work and also called as a counselor in the Bishopric. She has never complained about the stress she is under, and the difficulty of handling 4 young children by herself much of the time. Her sacrifices mean the world to me. 11/21 – I am grateful for the organization of the church and the progression of the Lord’s gospel. The church has so many resources in place that are able to help us and our loved ones stay on the covenant path and to progress. So many programs such as the perpetual immigration and education funds, humanitarian aid, Bishop’s storehouses, and disaster relief have lifted millions of people out of poverty and terrible circumstances. The fact that the scriptures, general conference messages, temple ordinances, and other church materials are available in hundreds of languages is a miracle – the Book of Mormon has approximately 112 languages, and the Bible over 700, with other portions having over 1,500 languages and dialects. So many things are evidences of the Lord’s love for us. 11/22 - I am grateful for the additional service opportunities that the Lord’s church offers us. I currently serve in the Bishopric, and have been anxious as of late to be released and receive a new calling. (our Stake President has let us know that their search for a new Bishop has begun as our Bishop will have been serving for 5 years in January) As I was conducting our Sacrament meeting on Sunday, I realized that this coming Sunday may be my last time doing so, and I felt a sense of gratitude for the opportunity I have had to serve those around me, and for the trust the Lord has in each of us to do His work. I have always appreciated my callings more when I was told I would be released from them, and I don’t realize the growth I experienced until I look back and see where I was before. 11/23 – I am thankful for the good people in this world who continually strive to help others. Politicians and civic leaders continually spout that they are the ones who truly care about people and know what is best…yet they never actually do anything beneficial for anyone but themselves. So many commonplace people are the ones lifting those with feeble knees and whose heads hang down. Much of this work is done in secret on an individual basis, and is truly the backbone of our society. So many church leaders (especially those leading youth) are kept up at night from worry as they totally devote themselves to serving others. Their efforts over the years have blessed me and my family greatly. 11/24 – I am thankful for a Father in Heaven who has the ability to truly love us. His ability to foresee what individuals and nations need in advance, and to put events in motion years before is amazing to me. His power and capacity dwarfs anything that mankind can comprehend, and yet His goal and focus is our welfare. It was not easy for Him to lose a part of his children before the foundation of the world. It was not easy for Him to know that Christ would be His only begotten Son; perfect without spot…and yet have to suffer more than any of His other children. It has not been easy for Him to witness the hate that His children have showed to both Him and each other for thousands of years…and yet His love is still extended to us.

Personally, I would be very surprised if a great division does not take place before the second coming. I don't think a war would be necessary...I don't think either side would actually fight to keep the other around at this point...but money and natural resources would be the deciding factors. Regardless, I cannot see our nation staying together as one before his arrival. States could divide as individuals, but I find it more likely that there will be 2 main groups (left and right) and states will choose which group to join - similar to 2 nations; though borders of like-minded states many not always touch, causing more problems.

True, but he is down approximately 90k votes with total reporting in over 85%. He would need to win at least 68% of the remaining votes to claim the state, and I don't see him making up that much ground when his current overall % is only 44%.

I thought Donald Trump had it in the bag last night, but it now appears that Joe Biden will win with exactly 270 electoral votes. 5 different battleground states may end up with less than 100,000 votes separating the two...some may even be between 25k - 50k. Very close race.

Then we must all educate them as best we can. Pres Oaks was referring to the slogan/statement "black lives matter". People need to know that the phrase and the BLM movement are two different things. BLM only cares about self-aggrandizement through destruction...they don't give a rat's patootie about actual black lives...or anyone's life for that matter. If they did, they would be protesting the countless black on black deaths we see in Chicago every day.

The best advice or counsel I can give is to wait upon the Lord. Although He didn't answer Pres. Oaks' inquiries at the time, the answer did eventually come in the form of the ban being lifted. As he also said in that talk "As part of my prayerful study, I learned that, in general, the Lord rarely gives reasons for the commandments and directions He gives to His servants." Although a reason may not be given, He never leads those who truly desire to come unto Him astray...whatever that path might be. I cannot see how intentionally leading someone away from His church would be beneficial...but I cannot speak for Him. Also, make sure that your concerns are properly placed - are they with the Gospel and the Lord's doctrine, or with church policy? There are a couple of church policies that I do not personally agree with. However, I realize that my current position and view is limited, and I may not be seeing the big picture. Over time some of them have resolved, and I now know why things are the way they are. Some are not yet resolved, but I don't worry about them and put faith in the Lord's timing. There have been several times in my life (most when I was a missionary) when people have told me that they honestly prayed about the gospel, and felt that it wasn't for them. At that point I no longer tried to push our message, but simply accepted what they told me, and wished them the best. You cannot argue with a true answer from the Lord. Did they really receive a true answer, were they misinterpreting what they felt or pushing their own desires, or was it just an excuse to get us to leave them alone...only they and the Lord truly know. If the Lord has given you answers in the past, accept them, and do not continually press Him for constant reassurance with regards to every detail. Whatever your concerns may be, I would encourage you to do all of the basic "primary" things before making any decisions: pray with real intent, feast upon the scriptures, fast regularly, and provide service to others. I am not insinuating that you do not already do these things, but as we continually place ourselves in a position that is compatible with the spirit, guidance and direction tend to become clearer. The following is from one of my favorite conference talks given during my early months as a new missionary. "Like you, I have felt what King Benjamin meant when he said that we could become like a little child before God. I have prayed, as you have, to know what to do when choices that I faced would have eternal consequences. Over many years I have seen a recurring pattern in the times when the answers to such a prayer have come most clearly. Once, for instance, I prayed through the night to know what I was to choose to do in the morning. I knew that no other choice could have had a greater effect on the lives of others and on my own. I knew what choice looked most comfortable to me. I knew what outcome I wanted. But I could not see the future. I could not see which choice would lead to which outcome. So the risk of being wrong seemed too great to me. I prayed, but for hours there seemed to be no answer. Just before dawn, a feeling came over me. More than at any time since I had been a child, I felt like one. My heart and my mind seemed to grow very quiet. There was a peace in that inner stillness. Somewhat to my surprise, I found myself praying, “Heavenly Father, it doesn’t matter what I want. I don’t care anymore what I want. I only want that Thy will be done. That is all that I want. Please tell me what to do.” In that moment I felt as quiet inside as I had ever felt. And the message came, and I was sure who it was from. It was clear what I was to do. I received no promise of the outcome. There was only the assurance that I was a child who had been told what path led to whatever He wanted for me. Henry B Eyring, Apr 2006 General Conference

There was nothing in Pres. Oaks talk that was controversial or confusing. Folks (and especially our kids) need to realize and remember that black lives do matter, (everyone's life matters and is important) but the organization that calls themselves "black lives matter" is not actually associated with that phrase, and could actually care less about the prosperity of black america. Their organization is all about destroying our country as we know it at any cost, and lifting themselves up through theft and violence. They, along with may rioters we see in places like Seattle - aka CHAZ, are today's version of the Gadianton Robbers - lazy, evil, destructive, and disgusting people. Black Lives Matter, but Black Lives Matter as a phrase and black lives matter the organization are two completely different things. The actions and messages of the latter are far away from love, tolerance, and acceptance. This group is exhibit A of a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Cool your jets space cadet. Never said it was okay. Never implied it was okay. I have zero interest in debating anything. Just asked for your source. Have a nice evening.

Source? Studies I have read about that kind of thing are widely panned for their evidence being insufficient and conflicting, and for their conclusions being inflated.