tiancum

i think it was because they "watched for iniquity" in him. Have you ever had a person purposefully misunderstand and misquote you so that you look bad? it happened to Christ a lot.

i believe every thought we think is a choice. the above quotes of people saying they were simply put there, is true too. but ultimately we foster the garden of thought that flows into our bodies. Or, should I say, we choose to whom we listeth to obey. Therefore some thoughts can attract more thoughts of the same type. if virtue garnishes our thoughts continually, then we will sow a garden full of good thought, beautiful revelation, and beautiful feelings. If we nurture dark thoughts, then we will reap a bitter harvest, and discover that our thoughts are affecting our emotions gravely. I assert that the emotion is never a "sin" but the thought we harvested to fuel that emotion.

Are you sure you didn't mean METTLE? I have not known PC to be a meddler, as some others here obviously are. I would say he has shown his mettle, not his meddle. But that's just me, you can say whatever you want. yup, i misspelled. METTLE looks better anyway

Yea you probably owe PC an apology. A little something about PC, he would defend us, and our beliefs, which are not too different from his, most of the time, to the death. He has shown his meddle many times here.

Lol Although racial profiling is wrong, Islam isn't a race. Extreme Islam is wrong. Some call it fundamentalist Islam, i personally don't like that moniker. Terror and hate, whether it comes from Muslims, Christians, or Taoists is wrong. Even hating and condemning people who are racist, sexist, abusive is wrong. Extreme or fundamentalist anything is wrong, (including mormonism, and Christianity) it alienates our brothers and sisters, and breeds contention. Loving one another...no matter what is the answer. If mainstream Muslim leaders preach this, then they are on the right track. (I have heard it done)

how sad is that, with a degree in history. 74% actually some of the answers had more than one possible correct. lol excuses excuses

Amen PC. They are indeed one. (all ..please don't start a heated debate on what "one" means. What ever you think it means, good for you.) lol

I agree. Kindness and respect go a long way. it has been lacking here. About the cut an pastes. If ya don't want to read em, skip over them. Also, i gotta laugh gaia, cos you spent a rather lengthy post quoting GA's saying that GA quotes don't constitute official doctrine. I loved the post, it was really funny though, in an ironic sort of way. ; ) I am using your secret now too Gaia, It rocks! I just doubled in smartness. THank you!!

Bruce R McKonkie.He further explains Brigham's other assertions in context. It makes sense to me. could you let that be a possibility for you also gaia? I could be mistaken, but it seems like a stumbling block for you...as well as other recent topics. Could that be correct? may I ask you a couple questions Gaia? -where are you getting your materials? Do ya have actual books, official records, or are they coming from an unofficial site somewhere. -do you visit anti-mormon sites? Now many are clever to say they got it directly from the source, but if they are still historically "secondary sources" No matter how, verbatim they are copied, or cut and pasted.

Bruce R McKonkie.He further explains Brigham's other assertions in context. It makes sense to me. could you let that be a possibility for you also gaia? I could be mistaken, but it seems like a stumbling block for you...as well as other recent topics. Could that be correct? may I ask you a couple questions Gaia? -where are you getting your materials? Do ya have actual books, official records, or are they coming from an unofficial site somewhere. -do you visit anti-mormon sites? Now many are clever to say they got it directly from the source, but if they are still historically "secondary sources" No matter how, verbatim they are copied, or cut and pasted.

Yes, Bro. Dorsey is right. Satan loves to do this. I have had many do this with my words. I have said many things, and people have taken them really wrong. The key is this. When someone speaks with the spirit, it needs to be understood with the holy ghost also, or, like the scripture says, it is NOT of God. I have had many, non Christian, proclaimed Christian, LDS etc (with less than pure motives) say i believe some really weird things. The Adam/God theory was NEVER taught as doctrine...officially. It was a fringe doctrine that many subscribed to, just like the foolish fringe belief that God is still learning, or that Satan will come back some day. These records, simply are not scripture. They were never EVER referred to as scripture either. They are imperfect records. Much is not accurate, whether by hearing incorrectly, or by deliberate deception. When a person continually fills their mind with darkness, it makes discerning with the spirit more and more difficult. This is indeed anti-mormon. President Hinkley has spoken on the Adam-god theory and said is was wrong. That is pretty clear to me.

Is this how God officially communicates/interprets His word? through scholars? Is there scriptural president for this?

By this, are you implying more than two? I think Christ listens too. After all He and the father are ONE. SO YUP I guess i am.

Gaia, Just curious, are you LDS? I thought I remembered by your name before it said LDS. You know A LOT about us, I am impressed. Who says we don't pray to her. Many just don't realize it. If they are one, then when we talk to one, we talk to the other. When we pray, we are singling out the male part of God, we are simply honoring the priesthood that they...(AND I MEAN BOTH OF THEM) established. I won't ever "pray to her". I pray to them, every time I pray. When i say, "heavenly Father", i know they ALL hear me. They all answer. They are one. It is silly to separate them, when they work so hard to be ONE. If people are exed, it is not because they have talked about a Heavenly Mother. You don't get exed for such a thing. Most often, you get exed for your attitude. (something that people who have been exed, more often than not, don't even realize they have)

Faith is an action word. And it is one of the first principle of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ....second being repentance. Many times the scriptures tell us, (dare I say, Christ himself tells us) to exercise faith unto repentance. I believe the difference between a true follower of Christ and one who ...is not.... is the ability to repent. This manifests itself when confronted with a difficult situation or person, and our weakness is exposed. We have the choice right there, to either face the weakness, and have faith that the Lord still loves us and can forgive us, and repair us...OR...justify, become angry, blame the world, and choose not to look inward. Hugh Nibley once said, we are here for 2 main reasons, "to forgive and repent" of all the trials, hells, losses, pains and heartaches I have gone through, those two things have been the most difficult for me. Most of our covenants we make are connected to those two things. An important part of forgiveness is forgiving ourselves. repentance is not complete unless that threshhold is crossed

I agree. I believe, and this is my opinion, that what makes us eligible for these gifts is true repentance. I also believe that the only way to get closer, to have that intimate, close relationship, and someday actually see him face to face, is to truly repent. Sure, obedience is essential, but when Christ appears to his brethren/children, his first command (more often than not) is that they repent. (ya can't be obedient unless you start looking inward, stop blaming others and repent) Someone once told me that true repentance is always coupled with revelation. There is always a cleansing, The dark in us is literally replaced with light, and something is taught from on high, or we have more ability to understand truth. At first, being stubborn, I resisted, but i am beginning to understand what this person meant. I assert that it is impossible to manifest gifts of the spirit unless we are on the road to true and complete conversion. Perhaps one who exhibits "false gifts" has not paid the price above.

What are the qualifications? When the Lord decides to give a person one, many or ALL of these gifts, what do these people have in common? And another question... Does Satan use counterfeits to these gifts, and how can we tell whether it comes from God or not?

Doctor Steuss, may i ask a question? Just out of curiosity and way of topic. Are you really a doctor? and if so, cool, in what? Talk about random. Sorry i was just curious.

i would say that there are many prophets. Anyone with the true testimony of Christ, is a true prophet. big difference between A prophet THE prophet. I think a false prophet is one who strives to get gain from his/her predictions. Whether it be, money, fame, a following. Basically one who sets himself up as a light to the world. I don't trust when one of these tells me that they have recieved revelation "for" me. Someone very close to me has seen some wonderful prophecies, but he confesses that he doesn't totally know what they mean. He guesses, and the Lord tells him in part, but sometimes the true meaning doesn't come all at once.

You are correct. He does not want us to suffer through it for years and years. he does not like it when we sin. But he lets us. Honestly, he does not want us to be hurt AT ALL. But he lets us, because he loves us, and wants us to have the gift that he earned, growth. Yup you are right, it is a result of our own inadequacies. If we were adequate, we wouldn't have anything to overcome. All we are given is the promise, if we come unto Him, he will make our weakness strength. He doesn't say overnight. (nephi wrote his psalm in 2 nephi 4 about a weakness that plagued him for years...his anger. it plagued him all through the wilderness, and into the promised land.)

honestly, i think A big reason that women don't have it, is that men need the trial more.... We simply need to overcome things that women don't need to as much. We tend to use unrighteous dominion a lot. I am not saying that women don't use it, it is just more easily enforced by men....and so we do. Women ain't perfect either, I even knew a woman who would tell her husband what to say in blessings. It was horrible. (but thats besides the point)

you tell us Snow, it looks like you know something we dont.

You kept saying failure. When i read your post, it was NOT a story of failure. Not at all. It is a story of perseverance. Have you ever tried to chop down a Redwood tree? One man and an axe would take a very long time. Some of our weaknesses are as big as redwoods, and The Lord in his mercy lets us work for it, and it take a very long time sometimes. One of my weaknesses was exposed to me when I was 13, and 25 years later, I am finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel. As I look back, I don't beat myself up for taking so long, but thank God for giving me the strength to continue along his path of repentance for 25 years. Without him, i would ahve given up 24 years ago. The reason you have the strength to continue, and keep learning and trying, is because God, your heavenly Father has not given up on you. Why do you think the scriptures ask for us to have patience. You are no different than any other true follower of Christ. You see your sin, pray, for deliverance and hunker down for the long haul. You are in a much better boat than those, and there are many, who think they actually keep the commandments. NOPE SORRY, all are lost and fallen. Remember, our father in heaven gave us Faith to get us through the hard times, the dark times, the times when we want to give up. It isn't true faith unless its strong enough to guide you through these times. Look into your heart and see, it is strong enough. I know you are strong enough to hang in there. Patience in affliction. I know you will be delivered. I know it.

If God wants it, who am I to disagree. I guess that same idea can be used with everything. What if God wanted to Call President Bush as a Prophet? or make Alaska tropical rain forest. (both very unlikely)If God wants it to happen, I can disagree all i want, but it's gonna happen whether I'm teachable about it or not.

lol that works too PC