NateHowe

Sorry to rejoin this discussion three pages after my first post on the matter. AutumnBreez, I didn't find your original post offensive; I was simply making a statement about our mode of obedience as a people generally. KingDavid, although I agree in part, I do believe that acknowledging the revelatory significance of the WOW is the more important part of obedience. If we fast on Fast Sunday because research shows it's healthy to fast occasionally, that becomes a diet, not a sacrifice before God. In a similar way, if we obey the WOW for the health benefits rather than reasons of faithful obedience, we should reexamine our reasons. That said, it is better to obey a commandment for a less important reason than to break it! We all do this. However, for me, the higher reason for which I choose to obey that commandment is that the Lord has told me that Joseph Smith is a Prophet and that his words are true.

It depends on your goal in reading the scriptures. If your objective is to get through the scriptures from cover to cover, it may be easier to lose focus. It may help if you study by topic, trying to find a variety of scriptures through the Topical Guide and other resources to give you a complete view of one specific principle. When you study this way, try writing down principles you learn about the topic from each scripture reference. Then you involve more parts of your mind and soul, and you get a more fulfilling experience than reading the scriptures like a novel.

Wanderer (and anybody else who cares), I just got transcripts up for the first two shows. I'm in the process on a new episode - hopefully it will be ready in the next couple of days.

I'm in the "Copies of the Book of Mormon" camp. This helps avoid confusion - some people think that the Book of Mormon is constantly changing because of our belief in modern revelation. Some people think there are different volumes of the "Book of the Mormons." "Copies of the Book of Mormon" clearly indicates one document with many copies in circulation.

Wanderer, I'll try to get transcripts going soon. For any of the rest of you who want to submit, I'd love some new episodes. I'm working on one myself, but I am always seeking outside input. Thanks.

I think a-train's line of thinking is that we should repent now so that when Christ comes again (soon?) we will be found standing in holy places, doing something better than protesting what happens inside.

Although I personally believe that the Word of Wisdom is spot-on in modern scientific studies of health, we must not allow our following it to become a "See, I told you so" approach. I do not follow the Word of Wisdom because it is healthy. I follow because it was revealed through a Prophet of God. If the Prophet said that green peas are forbidden by the Lord, I would stop eating them, regardless of their health benefits. The focus must fall on the process of revelation more than so-called proof.

"Blessed are the Meek, for they shall inherit the earth." This is a commandment to live with humility, not an excuse to be a doormat for abusers. You can forgive completely without continually putting yourself in a position to be hurt repeatedly. Although we can control our own reaction to other people's imperfections, we cannot control their repentance process. Thus, sometimes we must forgive completely and remove ourselves completely from the situation at the same time.

The phrase in confirmation, "Receive the Holy Ghost," is a command as well as a bestowal. When a person who has been baptized and confirmed by the proper authority lives in harmony with the teachings of Christ and seeks for the Holy Ghost to be with him or her constantly, the gift is activated, the command is fulfilled, and the baptism is fully effective. As a worthy member of the Church, an additional way you can renew and reenact your baptismal covenant is to perform baptism by proxy in the Temple. The Sacrament is the true weekly renewal of covenant, but Temple baptisms are a wonderful, physical reminder of the covenant.

Well, since much of obesity has to do with genetic predisposition, should we also ostracize cancer patients, diabetics, and people with heart disease?

The beauty of the entire arrangement is that we don't have to take anybody's word for it, because when we are taught ANYTHING that claims to be from God, we must pray and receive confirmation through the Holy Spirit that it is true. If it is not true, the Spirit will not confirm it. Does not Christ say that the Spirit will teach us all things and bring all things to our remembrance? The role of the Spirit is to REVEAL. The Holy Ghost is the Lord's most common method of revelation. I believe that many people of many religions receive knowledge from God. The Church does not have a monopoly on Godly ideas or good people. We simply have a fullness. I am accepting revelation - you are excepting it. Again, any claim that God has spoken is subject to the litmus test of individual confirmation through the Holy Ghost. It is available to all people, but not all are willing to accept or recognize it. Again, the basis of religion is faith, so nothing can be empirically proven. That is the plan - we must search, study, obey, pray, listen, receive, believe, and act. Often in that order. There is no other way to know certainly.

Again, only Christ can judge. Will Mother Teresa go to the Terrestrial Kingdom? Doubtful.

This question is the classic anti-Mormon (or anti-anything for that matter) tactic of taking one snippet of text from a speech that spans pages and trying to characterize it as a doctrinal exposition. One soundbite out of context usually sounds ridiculous coming from anybody's lips. By the way, caution and discretion in choosing chat opportunities is still quite a valid concern. For every wholesome social chat, there are many others which don't live up to LDS standards.

I think the book of Joel is excellent, and often skipped over in favor of the more well-known books. Is it a character? I guess not. How about Maher-shalal-hash-baz? Coolest name ever.

This page from the official Church site explains pretty well the Church discipline process: LDS.org - Topic Definition - Church Disciplinary Councils Church discipline is a process to help those who have committed serious sins to obtain forgiveness and repent fully. It is not retributive punishment - it is official guidance.

If you believe that "God's will has already been revealed," you must account for the cessation of such revelation. It did not end at the Crucifixion or the Resurrection, as the Revelation of St. John stands an example, so what was the cutting-off point when God stopped speaking to man? Why did revelation stop? Secondly, if you believe that revelation ever did occur, in what way did it happen? Moses talked to God face to face. Can God not so talk with Joseph Smith? With Gordon B. Hinckley? One does not have to be a bigwig of some sort to speak with and be spoken to by God. Such a stance would be elitist and unjust - not in the nature of God. So why can God not communicate with the common man? There is no evidence, Biblical or otherwise, that shuts the mouth of God. Historically, He has only failed to speak when we cease listening.

Guide to the Scriptures: Lots Casting lots is possibly more akin to voting than to a dice game. However, let's assume that Matthias was chosen by a game of pure chance (which I see as unlikely): This would mean that there were so many righteous, spiritually qualified witnesses of Christ who could effectively fill the role of Apostle that some way was needed to narrow the field, and casting lots was a device to narrow the choice to one. I personally think that by saying the Apostles "gave forth their lots," they were essentially giving their votes in a poll.

Missionary life is difficult. If you can't hack it, you shouldn't go. Either way, you shouldn't complain. It's voluntary service - what do the scriptures say about those who give their gifts grudgingly?

Welcome back! I was a pretty infrequent poster before the merge, as well.

Welcome. Hope you enjoy the site.

And that's just about all the prophets in the scriptures have said - God told me something, and he wants you to listen. If you deny that God reveals His will to man, you have conveniently omitted the basis of Christian religion (and most other religion, too), so we have little common ground upon which to hold a reasonable discussion on this or any religious issue.

We call the Holy Ghost a "personage of spirit." The actual person of the Holy Ghost can only be in one place at one time, but His influence can be felt by anybody, according to their preparation to receive that influence.

Only a perfect Judge can make such a permanent judgment, and as a perfect Judge, He will take into account all the circumstances of one's life. Thus, many people who faithfully practiced various religions in this world will have no worries for the next life. We cannot place ourselves in the position of that perfect Judge, because we honestly cannot see the thoughts and intents of the heart. This question comes up frequently, and I can't help but think it's the least important for a committed Christian to ask. If your relationship with Jesus Christ is good, you need not ask the Mormons where they think you'll go. If you are confident in your faith, you should know the answer.

This is the real crux of the issue. If you rely on the Bible and other past texts as the basis for your faith, your views are logical. Unfortunately, there is a larger difference here than a simple discussion about the meaning of callings. I am going to say something that could be taken the wrong way, so read carefully: The Church is not based on the Bible. It is not based on the Book of Mormon. It is not based on the Doctrine and Covenants. It is based on the power and principle by which those documents came into being: Revelation from God. If we actually believe in revelation, it is not strange to think that God could tell a Bishop, through the Holy Ghost, who should teach the Gospel Doctrine class. Now, we have the utmost respect for the Bible and all scripture. We use them in our preaching. We use them in our homes. But without revelation from God, those documents are dead and so is the Church.

Usually, speaking in Church is an assignment rather than a calling. A calling (in this sense) is a position within the Church which you fulfill for a period of time. When you are called OR assigned, it gives you an opportunity to exercise your agency. By accepting, you demonstrate faith. God does not give assignments without providing a way to fulfill them, but he cannot force any of us to accept them. So by refusing a calling, or an assignment, you are exercising your agency. As far as specific fear of public speaking, we can discuss that in more depth if you like, perhaps on another thread.