mnn727

Since both Judaism and Islam can trace their beginnings back to Abraham, its not suprisng that they have similar ideas on the killing of animals for food. Halal and Kosher are very similar in that both involve the quick and painless as possible method of killing animals along with giving thanks to God. Native Americans had similar beliefs also; quick/painless as possible, and giving thanks (although this was usually to the animal), which shouldn't be surprising to those of us in the LDS faith.

Wasn't me, I put them in the dishwasher. -- I couldn't resist.

You can quote anyone you want to, however we LDS believe in continuing revelation which trumps anything a 2000 year old book says. Do you also not eat lobster and pork due to the dietary restrictions in the O.T. or did continuing revelation trump that commandment for you? To get back to the OP's question, what do you think hot drinks are if not coffee or tea? Even were you to drink them cold, they both have to be brewed which is hot.

I wouldn't have a civil marriage -- that's what I am trying to say. Civil marriages end at death, I don't want that, nor should anyone who likes their family.

While the decision to cheat is almost always 100% on the cheater, what leads up to that decision is almost never 100% on the cheater.

Families can be forever, why would you want a marriage that ends at death?

Should that hold true if you're married to an abuser? a cheater? Why just 'til death due you part? why do you want a divorce then?

I gave 2 options there, not just one.

That would be a poor choice by the person marrying the abuser.Again, its not the ex-spouses fault that you dated and then married an abuser. Without getting too personal, I don't even blame my ex-wife 100% for her cheating, had I been a better husband to her she might not have looked elsewhere for what it was she thought she was missing in our marriage, I accept at least 50% of the blame there myself. (she could have reacted to it differently however)

Its what I have been saying and meaning all along

I didn't say that it did, but we have the freedom to choose how it affects us. I'm on my 2nd marriage myself, first marriage ended before I became LDS but everything I did after the divorce date was all MY choice, and not because of what my ex-wife did that caused the end of our marriage. Yes, my life changed at that point, but I chose how to deal with it and no one is responsible for my choices except me. Yes, I moped around blaming her for a while, but then I picked myself up and got on with my life. Met my current wife at an LDS singles site in '98 got married a few months later and still going strong. We choose how we react to situations we are in. I'm not saying divorce doesn't hurt or take some time to get over, but its not a life ending/depressed for the rest of your life/never get over it experience -- unless you let it be.

So you're rejecting that we have the freedom to choose how to handle our lives?

She stopped suffering for His sin when the divorce was final, what she did with her life after that was her choice There are many ways of meeting single LDS members. I met my wife through an LDS dating site, we lived over 1000 miles apart at the time back in '98 so you can see LDS dating sites have been around for quite a while now. A woman having children while dating will just weed out the men that are shallow. Being in a small ward/stake with few older single people is not the problem it was years ago.

You asked how we see violence in the Bible so I will give you my personal opinion which is NOT to be confused with LDS beliefs or Doctrine. I believe much of the O.T. is about mans and specifically Israels attempt to explain things they didn't understand and how to deal with others. I PERSONALLY don't think most of the O.T. is 'inspired' Scripture. And yes that is opposed to what the Church teaches. So how do I reconcile that with my LDS beliefs/membership? Because you can still find moral lessons in much of it. Just as you can find moral lessons in Aesop's fables, Grimm Fairy tales and even Star Wars and other works of fiction. I know many will disagree with me but I'm sticking with it.

Why would you have a problem with that? I am sure your friend has had the opportunity to date and thereby lead towards perhaps a 2nd marriage, whether she did actually date was her choice - no one elses. Or are you upset that repentance is possible?

Sorry, but that is incorrect -- they kept it going, but it was not started by them.

I like JFK's definition of Liberal: A "Liberal" is someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people -- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal," then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal." Which just shows that people have been using the 'us vrs them' argument about liberals and conservatives for 50 years now.

Some Wards are terrible that way, we were in one about 8 years ago. I pretty much went inactive after not missing a Sunday since I had been baptized about 10 year earlier. We lived in that ward for just under 2 years and when we finally bought a house I had one requirement - that it was outside of that wards boundaries. Sorry, no suggestions for you, just that some wards are terrible.

Interesting how this thread has run. At one point in time I was very rigid in my thinking, everything was black and white. Then through study and prayer I finally figured out that everyone is at different spiritual levels and everyone is a sinner with their favorite sins. If you ever listened to President Faust speak, he was not worried about his sins of commission (sins he committed) but he was very worried about his sins of omission -- things he should have done but hadn't. I'm nowhere near his level of spirituality to worried about things I should have done - they are not even on my horizon as sins - yet. SO since we are all at different levels of spirituality then there must be shades of gray as far as sins go. Who am I to say that drinking a near beer is a sin when I haven't always honored my parents? Who am I to say cooking with wine is a sin when I haven't always been a cheerful giver? Who am I to say someone is not following the WoW when I eat fruit out of season and consume meat in the summer? Come on everyone, lets HELP teach each other to become more Christlike and stop worrying about legalities, we all have enough sins of our own to worry about.

Like all questions in the TR interview, if the person can honestly answer them correctly then they get the TR. In other words if the person believes near beer does not break the WOW then it doesn't for him/her. I cook with wine occasionally and I use NyQuil when I get a cold -- yet I answer that I keep the WOW, do I? that's up to me and God to judge, not you. I would say intent is what counts; when I take NyQuil am I trying to get drunk? No I'm trying to get a good nights sleep. Let's worry about our own sins and let others worry about theirs.

Word in financial regions is that B&N are going to be selling their electronic division (ie Nook) that alone would keep me away from it.

I have a regular Kindle and love it, it not a Fire, just the basic Kindle -- I don't want or need a tablet, but if I did want/need a table I would buy a real tablet, not an imitation.

Tell that to my employer who blocks many more sites than BYU does. Nothing wrong with a group or college or employer having rules -- nobody say you have to go to school there or work for a certain employer.

You are a Life long member and you've never heard of the Spirit World and Baptisms for the Dead? or the 3 Kingdoms of Glory? or the definition of eternal burnings? Have you never heard that everyone's Temple work will be done in the millinium? None of this stuff is hidden and most of it is taught often. Eternal Burnings may be a bit obscure but everything else is taught pretty much weekly. I have a question for you: Do you study your lessons every week? do you research things you question? lds.org is a great resource and extremely searchable.

My wife wears one all the time. There is nothing wrong with wearing it. To be clear though the reason we do not have crosses on our buildings is because while many people have been killed for their beliefs, only Christ took upon himself the sins of the world, died and then rose from the dead. (ie Christ lives)