scottyg

I am a fan of Star Trek Discovery but I do have some concerns about sifi in general that seems to be more unfounded and ridiculous fantasy than actual empirical science.  For example I challenge any and everyone to provide even a single example that proves an intelligent species can evolve and not become extinct without binary (male and female) sex as the only means to preserve any and all intelligent species.  
We do know that many species have become extinct but it is most difficult to me to imagen an intelligent species (however intelligence is defined) that would deliberately more towards extinction through encouragement of same sex attraction or deliberate sexual alteration rendering individuals within that species sterile.  I would think that such pseudo intelligence would discount such as unfit in the scientific notion of survival of the fittest.
 
The Traveler

Well, I think venting here and elsewhere and getting some feedback is helping. Today I did partake in an act of service of delivering some clothes to a family who said they didn't have cars.
Now, of course when I got there, there were three cars. But it occurred to me, by the state of the home and the family, that "I don't have a car" can be code for "we honestly can't afford the gas to get to your place".

If we listen to the prophets and the spirit we will realize that in the Last-days there will be an assault on the eternal principles that directly effect social interactions.  The strength of a nation lies in the strength of its social principles and foremost to a stable and enduring society is the family.  It is my personal view that the stability and endurance of our freedoms and liberties are currently at great risk.  For example the masculinity of males and the  caring nurturing side of females (especially towards children) are being redefined as evil - specifically xenophobic, bigotry and definitely homophobic. 
I find it interesting that currently it is thought that the way to stop bullying is to bully the bully.  Our super heroes are worshiped in entertainment because they are violent against those that are evil - evil being defined as someone that is violent????  This is the outcome from the destabilizing notions that we ought to love our neighbor (those that agree with us) and that we ought to hate and are vengeful towards our enemies.   
I believe that it is this kind of thinking that is the engine of "Secret Combinations".  That we love (love meaning to support and to accept whatever it is that a person we love intends to do) and that we condemn and hate whatever it is a person that disagrees with us (our enemy) intends to do.  In the D&C section we are warned about evil that will lie to make it look like those that are righteous (righteous meaning to uphold the covenants of G-d) are lying and corrupt.  In short it is good to lie or make false statements before a court of law (FISA court) to bring legal accusations against your political enemies.  
I agree with @scottyg and @Still_Small_Voice but I believe that what they are referencing is just a very teeny weeny tip of a colossal iceberg.
 
The Traveler

Approximately one in six from America's youngest adult generation now identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, headlining a trend of increased LGBT identification in the country, according to a new Gallup survey.
The survey, conducted throughout the last year, found that 16% of U.S. adults from Generation Z identify as something other than heterosexual. Those surveyed were born between 1997 and 2002. Generation Z is defined as those born between 1997 and 2012; the survey did not include those who have not reached age 18. Of those 18- to 23-year-olds who identify as LGBT, 72% of them classified themselves as bisexual.
"Thus, 11.5% of all Gen Z adults in the U.S. say they are bisexual, with about 2% each identifying as gay, lesbian or transgender," Gallup stated.
Additionally, the percentage is poised to grow, since many individuals from Generation Z have not yet reached adulthood and thus were not surveyed.
https://www.theblaze.com/news/1-in-6-gen-z-lgbt

https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/hasbro-rebranding-mr-potato-head-gender-neutral
Another article from nbc states that the toy will also be sold in a family pack with accessories for two sets of "same gender" parents for the baby potato.
Our children need to be taught how to feel the Holy Ghost and discover truth for themselves, because the world is ready to sweep them up in sin.

https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/hasbro-rebranding-mr-potato-head-gender-neutral
Another article from nbc states that the toy will also be sold in a family pack with accessories for two sets of "same gender" parents for the baby potato.
Our children need to be taught how to feel the Holy Ghost and discover truth for themselves, because the world is ready to sweep them up in sin.

“It is true intelligence for a man to take a subject that is mysterious and great in itself, and to unfold and simplify it so that a child can understand it”
John Taylor

In additional these Stimulus packages have a lot more then just the checks to citizens... Its a majority of pork and special interest spending that got authorized in the name of "helping those who are hurting" 

The moral argument against federal stimulus is grounded in the realization of where stimulus money comes from: taxes. If only people who paid taxes were getting the stimulus then it would just be a tax break. Instead we have the federal government taking money from one group and giving to another. The analogy often used is imagine I found out that you're struggling financially so I reach in my pocket and give you $600. I tell Carb what's going on and he hands over $600 also. No one is objecting to this (until we find out you're the subject of the charity thread - but we can forego that discussion for now). Where it becomes morally wrong is when I go to Carb and tell him you're struggling financially, and he WILL give you $600 or I will forcibly take $600 from him to give you. The fact that it benefits you does not make it any less of a robbery. What suddenly makes it okay when I don't do it myself but instead vote for some faceless government to bully on my behalf?
The logistical argument against federal stimulus is the variance in cost-of-living across the nation. $600 will go a lot farther in Provo, UT than it will in New York City. 
Rapid inflation (also known as a "soft default" for government loans) penalizes saving. Similarly, income tax penalizes high wages, sales tax penalizes high spending, and property taxes penalizes ownership. Yet despite these penalties we still see wages, spending, and ownership. So there's a tradeoff. In the case of inflation, the economy can handle some, but you don't want so much that it stifles lending (if I loan you $100K today, I want to know that the 200K I get back in 30 years is worth more than the $100K I'm giving you now).
You've grouped UBI and stimulus together, but note that these are 2 different things. We used to have a few posters promoting universal basic income, but I haven't seen them for a while. Is UBI something you'd also like to discuss or do you want to keep this focused on stimulus?

I can relate as well. This is very common amongst almost all families, both in the church and out. We should not make judgments about other people thinking that their life is perfect, when in reality they may have gone, or are actively going, though the exact same trials. This is a problem plaguing our ward at the moment...too much comparison, supposition, and speculation taking place. It is causing folks to resent their neighbors, seek for riches, forget how blessed they really are, and how they need to be more willing to serve others.
That being said, I will not bend over backwards for someone who isn't willing to do a little bending for themselves, and I have no problem letting someone fall on their face...so they can learn to pick themselves back up.

Thank you for coming to post.  I personally do not know you but I would not mind getting to know you.  I have written a few books and articles myself - but they are all technical manuals and papers.  Currently I am a retired engineer that worked in the field of automation, robotics and artificial intelligence.   It is my personal opinion that when communicating with others we should understand our own biases and prejudices first - and then try to understand the bias and prejudice of those with whom we wish to communicate.   So if you do not want to talk about Brother Brigham's flaws - don't say he was flawed - speak clearly and to the best of your ability and understanding - why you believe Brigham was or was not flawed.  If there are plenty of good thing - then focus on what and why you think the good things should be understood - especially for his place and time and how that can relate to our place and time.
I agree with @Vort - if you do not know your opinion - then and only then should you pretend that you do not have an opinion.  If you cannot state your purpose and make logical arguments for it - why would you continue to hold that opinion?  I, myself, believe Brigham rose above his place and time and deserves to be understood as one of the great leaders of his time and place along with other great men of history that accomplished unusually great things; despite the challenges he faced not just within himself but even more so from the world. 
 
The Traveler

Goodness I'm a bit late to the party here. I wouldn't even have seen the year-old thread if I hadn't stumbled upon it while searching for an article. Vort, your analysis of myself and my approach in this article is probably the most scathing missive I've seen in a long while. Your criticism is duly noted. I also appreciate the feedback of the others in this thread.
I meant no harm to President Young. In fact, the purpose of the article was meant to highlight some of his positive teachings. The link to the video was just meant as an example of the extent to which President Young has been criticized over the years (i.e. "People have literally made movies criticizing him"). I stand by my statement that I agree with some of the criticisms that have been raised about him over the centuries. I think it's no secret that the man had his faults and I have no problem acknowledging them (the Church itself acknowledges some of his faults)--though I had/have no intention of acknowledging them in a demeaning way. This was not an attempt to attack President Young. I simply pointed out that while the man had his faults, there are also plenty of good things we can and should focus on. But I apologize if my approach rubbed many of you the wrong way. It was not my intention. I continue to learn and grow as a writer, and I hope you all can be patient with me as I struggle to be an advocate for our shared faith.

It may surprise some people to know this, but ai went through a phase where I behaved like this.  It was a selfish phase.  I could have gone out of my way (bend a bit like @scottyg was saying).  But my mentality was:The more I can get others to do for me the easier it is for me.  
It had nothing to do with what was right or what was more practical or any spirit of cooperation or personal responsibility.  It was wholely about what I could get out of it for as little effort on my part as possible.
Pretty selfish, right?  Yup.  I was.
I got out of that phase because enough people around me told me that this behavior was unacceptable.  And enough people refused to help me to the point that I realized I was on my own.
So I did things because no one else would do it for me.  I'd read enough stories of people picking themselves up by their bootstraps and succeeding.
If it hadn't been for both sides of that equation, I don't think I would have gotten out of that mindset.   Why would I?  What would have been my motivation.  If I could get by without doing anything I would have.
It was only after I got out of that phase that I truly began to understand that "vision" (think "Paper Dream") that I'd had for so long.  And more importantly how I was to achieve it.

I can relate as well. This is very common amongst almost all families, both in the church and out. We should not make judgments about other people thinking that their life is perfect, when in reality they may have gone, or are actively going, though the exact same trials. This is a problem plaguing our ward at the moment...too much comparison, supposition, and speculation taking place. It is causing folks to resent their neighbors, seek for riches, forget how blessed they really are, and how they need to be more willing to serve others.
That being said, I will not bend over backwards for someone who isn't willing to do a little bending for themselves, and I have no problem letting someone fall on their face...so they can learn to pick themselves back up.

I can relate as well. This is very common amongst almost all families, both in the church and out. We should not make judgments about other people thinking that their life is perfect, when in reality they may have gone, or are actively going, though the exact same trials. This is a problem plaguing our ward at the moment...too much comparison, supposition, and speculation taking place. It is causing folks to resent their neighbors, seek for riches, forget how blessed they really are, and how they need to be more willing to serve others.
That being said, I will not bend over backwards for someone who isn't willing to do a little bending for themselves, and I have no problem letting someone fall on their face...so they can learn to pick themselves back up.

I can relate as well. This is very common amongst almost all families, both in the church and out. We should not make judgments about other people thinking that their life is perfect, when in reality they may have gone, or are actively going, though the exact same trials. This is a problem plaguing our ward at the moment...too much comparison, supposition, and speculation taking place. It is causing folks to resent their neighbors, seek for riches, forget how blessed they really are, and how they need to be more willing to serve others.
That being said, I will not bend over backwards for someone who isn't willing to do a little bending for themselves, and I have no problem letting someone fall on their face...so they can learn to pick themselves back up.

So, this may be terribly condescending on my end, but . . .
There is a staggering number of people out there whose brains just don’t work right.
It may be due to chemical addiction, or trauma in the early phases of childhood development, or bad culture, or bad genetics, or a bunch of other things.  But this is just how their brains (don’t) function, and they go through life from one train wreck to the next because certain things just don’t “click”; and the ability of therapeutic/chemical/surgical interventions to correct those kinds of cognitive errors is limited.
I was at a seminar a couple years ago that made this point in a much more delicate way, with something called The Brain Architecture Game.  At the time I was defending indigent parents whose children were in DCFS custody, and my takeaway (which maybe wasn’t what its creators intended) was:  your ability to fix these people is somewhat limited; so don’t knock yourself out trying.  If you can show kindness, and find a meaningful way to help the next generation be a little less dysfunctional than the last one, you’re doing the Lord’s work.
There’s more wisdom in the saying that “the poor you have with you always” than most of us are willing to admit.  

“It is true intelligence for a man to take a subject that is mysterious and great in itself, and to unfold and simplify it so that a child can understand it”
John Taylor

What good news awaits those in the resurrection who refused to accept the gospel of
Jesus Christ or those who continued in their sins and did not repent?

Remember that Sections 8 and 9 were given by the Lord to Oliver Cowdery regarding the translation of scripture (the Book of Mormon). I do not know that this was intended by the Lord to be a general instruction manual on receiving revelation through the word of God, though obviously it has been used as such for a century or more. The whole burning bosom/stupor of thought dichotomy was to prevent the translator (which is what Oliver wanted to be) from giving a bad translation. Doubtless this applies to other types of revelation, but the application of the burning bosom/stupor of thought method to other things isn't immediately apparent in all situations. Regardless, some (much) revelation received doesn't follow this pattern exactly.

This instruction was given to Oliver Cowdery, and that is how he personally "felt the Spirit." I think the general message, and why it is canonized, is that God knows each of us personally and how we individually "feel the Spirit."
I must be like Oliver in that when I prayed to know the Church and Book of Mormon are true, I received a distinct burning in the bosom, and I knew it was God speaking to me. To make a long story short, I was not taught by missionaries or anyone else (all I was going by were the Testimony of Joseph Smith pamphlet and Book of Mormon, which I read independently of any Church member contact) and so had no idea how prayers like this were answered. It wasn't even a technically correct prayer. At any rate, a couple of years later, having gotten my hands on a D&C, I found this verse which confirmed what I already knew was an answer from God.
Our thoughts and feelings have a physical / temporal basis, a brain housed in a body with all that entails and we know about from many branches of science. The burning in the bosom is a physical and emotional reaction to or manifestation of a spiritual experience. I think "burning"  can also have a figurative meaning, such as a confirming thought being "burned" into our mind.

Yeah, I had to explain to a colleague last week the phrase "take a page out of their book". My colleague has twenty years on me and was born and raised in Utah. I know we teach kindergarten, but come on.
I had some guy with deplorable grammar declare to me "thrice" wasn't a word. Archaic, arguably, but I think it has character and its meaning can't be that hard to figure out. He basically used his lack of comprehension as an attack against me.
One I had to explain to a professional twice my age "coy".
I don't think I have a crazy vocabulary (do I?) Yet these are my experiences. My view is people should take the opportunity to just learn words before our language crumbles.

“It is true intelligence for a man to take a subject that is mysterious and great in itself, and to unfold and simplify it so that a child can understand it”
John Taylor

It seems to me that the point of having a vocabulary is to be able to communicate ones thoughts to others.  If she's unable to do that, then her vocabulary might need to expand. Just in a different direction than most peoples.