tomasgreenro
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Posts posted by tomasgreenro
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On 6/19/2024 at 8:40 PM, mikbone said:
My ortho residency director posed this question every 4 or 5 years to his rotating residents.
When my group heard it, our responses were: malpractice, not overseeing financial control of your practice, substance abuse, gambling, etc.
After a few minutes he had to tell us the answer - Divorce.
He strongly recommended against it. And even suggested that if the itch arrises NEVER get involved with a nurse or an office staff member. But instead just go to a Continual Medical Education meeting in Vegas to see a professional as the care will be better and the expense is way less then the alternative…
About 80% of the men in that room have been divorced at least once.
And the only ones that I know who stayed married were honest men who had strong Christian beliefs.
I know a neurosurgeon that has been divorced 4x from nurses or scrub techs. He works outrageous hours to support all the women and his next ex-wife.
My uncle went through two divorces, and they almost destroyed him financially and emotionally. He always said that the key is communication and setting boundaries early on.
Speaking of costly mistakes, I recently came across this article on gambling https://playsafecasino.ca/manitoba-online-casinos/ and how to choose the site you want to play on responsibly.
It's a good reminder to think twice before taking risks, whether it's in a relationship or with your finances. Life is hard enough without adding more stress to it.Residency life is tough on relationships. Staying honest and prioritizing values seems key to navigating both marriage and a demanding career. Thank you for sharing!
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On 9/27/2013 at 3:02 AM, Sharky said:
When one pays shouldn't really be the question, though I will say it is easier to spend on other things if you don't pay it soon after it hits your wallet!
Generally I tithe on a quarterly basis using rough calculations of what my actual income that quarter was with the exception of a "random guess" payment in August.
I rarely pay any tithes or any other church donations between Sept 1 & January 1 because my tax year ends September 1. I find it easier for my tax records if my Tithing/Donation Statement for the year states what was paid during my tax year, so I hold those donations & make them in January.
Once in a while I'll get a payment after Sept 1 that was actually credited or recorded before (plus the payments that the law permits me to choose which year I record it), so I will tithe those incomes immediately if they are going into "old year" books.
After I get my taxes done for the fiscal year I shrug off tithing over-payments or make a payment if it turns out I under paid tithing.
Some question if I can sit down with the Bishop in December & honestly say "Yes" when asked if this is a full tithe. Yes, I can and do.
Business operators, farmers, etc don't have the luxury of a regular paycheck or having a check stub to reference for their income amount. Their "income" isn't cut & dried ... well, maybe it is cut & dried in the case of Hay. I got record dollars for my annual haylage crop this year but also paid record process for the seed & fertilizer & near record for diesel. So it was good thing that drought & high demand drove up the hay price a bit.
I usually tithe once a month because it makes it easier to manage my budget. I just save the interest when I get paid and don't think about it until the end of the month. Speaking of budgeting, by the way, I've been looking for different ways to save money, especially on entertainment. I found Playmojo casino no deposit bonus https://casinosanalyzer.com/casino-bonuses/playmojo.com which can be a fun way to relax without spending too much money. Either way, having a system for both tithing and spending helps me stay organized and stress-free.I generally pay Fast Offerings in 1 or 2 lump payments too, generally early in the calendar year.
I think paying quarterly with estimates is a smart way to manage tithes and taxes. Thanks for sharing!
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On 11/6/2023 at 2:59 AM, zpeel05 said:
As the subject suggests, I'm a gym bro. Ever since I started working out it has been my life. I wouldn't give up training for the world because I'm so passionate about this and slowly but surely becoming lean and aesthetic has been a fulfilling journey.
I feel like ever since I started working out a little over a year ago I've been in conflict with the church's doctrine. My parents are always telling me to work out less (currently on a 6-day ~9hr/week split) and that my gains a temporary as I will simply lose them once I leave on a mission. Just today my dad told me that I won't have my muscles in Heaven and that the only things you take is family, ordinances, life choices, etc. I think it's ridiculous how I'm being ridiculed for doing something as basic as exercising.
I've decided that I won't be serving a mission at all if it means I can't work out. How is this even an issue? Granted, missionaries are allotted 30 mins for exercising, but for me that's merely than a pitiful ration, even when disregarding commute times to the gym and back. Even if I went full Mike Mentzer style it wouldn't work and besides, I shouldn't have to do that to begin with. When I raise my concerns to the bishopric, teachers, etc. I'm met with this "he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." (Matthew 10:39) sorta answer that isn't very satisfying. It seems like all this flies in the face of the whole "Word of Wisdom" and "the body is a temple" thing. I've worked so hard and I see no reason why I should lose my gains now, later in life, or after I die. (Will I take my gains with me to the next life? I don't wanna be a shredded dad my whole life only to be skinny in heaven with my family eternally; that would be stupid.)
Actually, when I was researching fitness ideas, I came across this post about how a fitness app was created that was super inspiring https://ddi-dev.com/blog/case/how-weve-created-a-fitness-app/ and that really got me interested. Maybe balancing training and your mission will help you find peace, or maybe focusing on the long-term benefits can change your perspective?tl;dr - don't wanna serve a mission bc it means I can't work out and I think that's dumb
I get where you're coming from. Balancing passion with faith can be tough. Thanks for saying this! Maybe there's a middle ground?
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On 4/19/2024 at 6:02 PM, ZealoulyStriving said:
Last year as I was reading through the Book of Mormon again, I was inspired to really notice all the father-son(s) dynamics, I then realized that beyond being the "keystone of our religion" and our "latter-day survival guide", it is specifically directed at men. I believe Mormon was inspired to include the things he did because the Lord knew in the days it would come forward masculinity and manhood would be under attack and the accounts in the Book of Mormon can help to counter that trend. The Book of Mormon addresses:
*how to be a good husband (Lehi)
*how to be a good father (Lehi, Jacob, Enos, King Benjamin, Alma(s), Helaman ben Alma, etc...)
*how to be a good mentor (Captain Helaman)
*how to be a good friend/companion (Ammon ben Mosiah, Alma ben Alma)
*how to be a good leader and citizen (Chief Captain Moroni)
The Book of Mormon is literally a "How to Manual" of being a man.
It's amazing how these examples are still relevant today. Speaking of responsibilities, I've been overwhelmed with my studies lately and it's gotten me thinking about how to better manage my time and tasks. I found a great resource https://essays.edubirdie.com/do-my-assignment that helped me with my assignment. Balancing it all can be difficult, but with the right tools and guidance, like the Book of Mormon examples, it is possible!I appreciate your perspective on the Book of Mormon as a guide to manhood. It's inspiring to see how these examples can provide direction for being a good father, husband, and leader in today’s world. Thanks for sharing!
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On 9/4/2024 at 8:40 PM, Traveler said:
Sorry about your phone. Since I am retired and no longer require a dependable hot spot my wife wanted me to switch to a Chinese phone (iPhone) – I now have enough experience to understand your frustration. If you have an Android – it was not your phone that lost your long response.
There is a difference between “nice” things and expensive things – anyone that can afford expensive things is not poor and should be paying the same tax rate as everybody else that is rich and can afford expensive things. There is a very big difference between someone in poverty and someone that that spends foolishly. You should read the book “The Richest Man in Babylon”. Pay particular attention to Arkad’s Seven Cures of Poverty (or how to generate money and wealth). I was raised by an extremely wealthy man that grew up with 13 siblings raised poor in a 3-bedroom house without running water, central heat or electricity. When I reached the age of 8, I was expected to have a job outside of our home and family and pay for my own clothing, school supplies and leisure activities.
Most of our food we grew ourselves. We raised rabbits and chickens for meat – we hunted and fished not for fun but to have enough to eat. I am dyslexic and had great difficulty with school subjects that were not logical (most of them excluding math and science). I also have difficulty with emotions – especially in relationships. For me kindness or cruelty should not be based on emotions (like revenge) but rather on logic and what I consider intelligence (the ability to learn and alter one’s behavior). I do not understand the emotion of attachments to things that naturally decay. I very much regret that our society measures wealth by the accumulation of things. If we view economy in such a manner, we will fail at every attempt to end poverty and increase lasting wealth – regardless of if it is for ourselves or someone else.
The only way to help the poor is one on one – something that government (local, state or federal) is incapable of. Bureaucrats are incapable of helping anyone – they are only capable of following some set of rules and showing others how to follow those rules. Everything in government is instituted through bureaucrats.
Jordon Peterson makes a very good point about helping others. First begin with taking care of yourself. If you can succeed with that, you can start to take care of those closest to you. When you get good at that you can start to teach other how to do what you have learned. My father would always say – if you want to learn something never consider learning it from someone that has only failed at doing it. Learn from the most successful person at doing what you want to learn, that you can find. If you can take care of yourself and teach other to take care of themselves – you and your friends are rich.
It's hard to tell the difference between those who really struggle and those who make bad financial decisions. I also learned the importance of learning from those who have succeeded. Speaking of studying, I'm currently trying to improve my academic writing skills and I found https://edubirdie.com/annotated-bibliography-writing-service here this helpful annotated bibliography writing service. This is great for those who need a little extra support with their schoolwork. In any case, it is true that personal responsibility and smart choices can make a big difference in a person's life.The most successful system I have found to diminish poverty is capitalism and a strong middle class. I believe if a government comes up with any idea that in any way diminishes capitalism and/or a strong middle class – you will fail badly, and poverty will expand until either a different way of achieved or the middle class is destroyed resulting in a system of the very rich living off the very poor. There is no example in history of diminishing poverty without a strong middle class.
The Traveler
I completely agree with the importance of personal responsibility and learning from successful people. It's really helpful. Thanks for sharing your perspective!
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On 9/29/2023 at 6:53 PM, Traveler said:
I am of the opinion that AI is not quite what a lot of people think. Sometimes not even those that create the software. Sometime ago I designed controls for AGV’s. AGV stands for Automated Guided Vehicle. In essence this is a cadre of unmanned fork trucks under complete control of computers. After running simulation of the factory against known parameters it was determined that 30 AGV were needed to handle the load. Currently there were 20 manned fork trucks, but the factory was being expanded. It was determined that the company could only afford 15 automated AGV’s. I added a simple change to the AI algorithm (learning algorithm) that I thought would handle work assignments quicker and more efficiently.
Bottom line – 12 AGV’s were able to handle all the work assignments – even for the expanded factory. There were other surprises discovered by the plant sustainers (system operators) that allowed them to operate the factory more efficiently and reliably (with one exception – but that is a whole other discussion).
I am excited that the Church is developing its own AI. But this is not a kind of entity that is capable of thinking on its own – only within parameters. This is why it will never guess or attempt to tell anyone where the next temples will be built. The advantage AI has over humans it that it is able to scan much more information than people. Like a robot in a factory, it can perform more specifically defined tasks under much more stringent and defined parameters than people.
The Church AI can access more information than a person or even a number of people – in addition the AI can organized and craft the information faster than people. This can be a valuable tool to those interested in ways of utilizing the data and creating reports. But be assured that an AI crafted by anti-LDS accessing the same information would produce very different results.
I agree that AI is powerful, especially in specific tasks. Your AGV example shows how even small changes can lead to significant efficiency gains. On a related note, for those interested in exploring how artificial intelligence might impact other fields, such as free ai writer is a resource for AI essay writing help. It works quite well, but sometimes you need to edit its text.The Traveler
AI is powerful, but it relies heavily on human input and parameters. It's a tool, not a thinker. Thanks for sharing!
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On 8/7/2023 at 7:48 PM, Traveler said:
Perhaps I am the odd one out in this thread discussion. What I dislike the most in a Church lesson (Gospel Doctrine, Priesthood, Relief Society or 5th Sunday of the month discussion) is when a “teacher” cuts off class contributions with a comment that we must move along to cover the material.
Some of the best class discussion I have been involved in have occurred when the “teacher”, for whatever reason, did not show up resulting in an unprepared discussion. Another good example of a great teacher – I believe is like my wife, who prepares material from the lesson, scripture quotes, general authority quotes, videos provided by the Church and Tabernacle choir recording but is unable to get to even 20% of what she has prepared.
I believe that all a teacher ought to present for a lesson can be summed up in one question – “What touched you during your family and personal study of this lesson”. When this part of the discussion has completed, or near completion, anything else the teacher adds to the lesson is filler and hardly consequential – certainly not to be considered something to be complained about by (perhaps unprepared) class members. What individuals include in their personal study and is witnessed to by the Holy Ghost – ought to be included in discussions. But unfortunately, many come to church unprepared to contribute – which I believe is okay and an opportunity for them to receive witnesses which the spirit will give understanding to them.
For those looking to improve their study habits, whether for church lessons or for academic purposes, resources like https://edubirdie.com/coursework-writing will help with term paper writing and can be incredibly helpful. This will help to reduce the workload and have more time for studying.Sorry, I am a little less compassionate towards those that come with nothing prepared – that go home complaining about what those that made effort to prepare something, provided.
The Traveler
I agree that unplanned discussions can be the most meaningful. They allow for deeper, Spirit-led engagement and personal insights. Thanks for the answer!
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On 3/28/2024 at 10:24 PM, Vort said:
IQ stands for "intelligence quotient". IQ as such fails to have much (any) meaning past about 170.
What does it mean to have an IQ of 300? Technically, at least originally (things might have changed), it meant that an adult with an IQ of 300 was three times the "intellectual age" of the average adult. By definition, all "adults" are 18 years old, and again by definition, the mean performance of a large group of randomly selected adults on a test of IQ is set at 100 using the formula
IQ = (intellectual age based on test performance) / (chronological age) * 100
The 100 multiple is to give a number between about 50 and 150 instead of some fractional number between about 0.5 and 1.5. So a person who performs exactly as expected for his/her (adult) age will score an 18 (the chronological age of adulthood), and 18 / 18 * 100 = 100—the average IQ.
Now the trick becomes, How does one assign an "intellectual age" to a person based on his/her score on some test? When we have a very large group of people who (we assume) will fall along a normal distribution, we can use statistical methods to figure out what score on what test indicates what IQ. So we just take the results of many, many iterations of the tests with various test-takers, and we "normalize" the scores such that the mean is 100 and the standard deviation is 15 IQ points. That gives us a table for each test that reveals the IQ (or at least the IQ score for that test on that day) for the individual who took the test.
But up around an IQ of 150 or 160, how do you reliably distinguish between individual performances? You can't just keep making the questions harder and harder. The idea of "intelligence" has been that it is a fixed quantity with which a person is born, and it does not/cannot increase with practice (though it can decrease with disease, age, injury, and lack of performance). (You can see immediately why this whole approach to measuring a supposedly inborn and invariant quantity is doomed from the start.) Maybe you include some questions requiring an understanding of, I don't know, differential equations or particle physics or spectral analysis or Old English literature. But are you now testing that person's native capabilities, or his education? Because the two are very different quantities, though they are also very intimately related and even intertwined. By the time you get to measuring an IQ of 190 or so, the tests don't really mean anything. We do not have the ability to discriminate between someone with an IQ of 190 and someone else with an IQ of 210, much less between someone with an IQ of 190 and someone with an IQ of 192. So saying that So-and-so has an IQ of 300 doesn't actually mean anything, as far as I can tell.
I think intelligence can be expressed in many ways, not just through IQ. Speaking of intelligence and self-development, I recently read an essay on Beowulf, an epic poem from the early Middle Ages, which you can find this and develop by reading these wonderful essays. The hero Beowulf also demonstrated considerable skill and knowledge. He was a true leader and warrior. Reading such works is truly a pleasure.
There are many who say that IQ tests are stupid and meaningless. For the record, I am not one of those people; they are wrong. IQ tests are not stupid, and they most certainly are not meaningless. IQ tests are the most reliable psychometric tests ever created, the most reproducible, absolutely solid statistical indicators of people's general ability to perform across a very wide variety of tasks. They are very meaningful, robust, and reliable as real-world performance indicators.
But instead of "intelligence quotient", I think they would be better characterized as an "intellectual performance quotient" or something of the sort. Intelligence is not what psychologists of 110 years ago thought it was, nor is it what today's researchers think it is. Defining "intelligence" is probably not something that modern science can do in a useful way, except in a very narrow sense. The best definition is given by scripture: Intelligence is the light of truth. Science as such cannot touch this definition, because it's not useful to science. But it is most useful to human beings.
IQ tests measure potential for intellectual performance, but above a certain point, they lose meaningful distinction between high scores. Do you believe there are better ways to measure intelligence than IQ tests? Thanks for the reply right away!
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On 10/14/2023 at 1:53 PM, Jamie123 said:
I didn't post this question in the Reading Group section because it's a bit silly and trivial, and I'm only mentioning it at all to put off doing any serious work this morning.
I have had three copies of the Book of Mormon over the years. The first copy was given to me when the sisters first came to visit. I read about the first quarter of it, and a bit in the middle. (In fact the most I ever read until we started the Reading Group here.) A few years later I gave that copy back - mostly because I'd started dating a "seriously Christian girl" (you know the type) who didn't approve of "Mormonism" - as we then called it. Like the stupid young man I was, I was "out to impress", so I made a special trip back to the meeting house to "return" the Book of Mormon and Gospel Principles. I kept telling myself I was Prospero "drowning his book". (Stupid young men can be very pretentious!)
Anyway, quite a bit later (I'd moved to London by this time) two more sisters came and gave me another copy. As far as I could make out this was identical to the first. I don't believe I ever read it. I still have it somewhere at the back of a cupboard.
Later still, while my wife* and daughter were out of the country, I went to visit the London England Temple at Newchapel, where I met former BYU-professor Michael Pinegar and his wife Rebecca - daughter (though I didn't know this at the time) of Apostle Bruce McConkie. I had a very nice chat with them, after which they insisted on giving me yet another copy. This is the copy I have now.
It is considerably thinner than the other two. Why is this? The copyright date says 1981 and 2013 - so I'm guessing that in 2013 they started using thinner paper? (Though it doesn't seem any thinner.) I doubt they'd have cut any of the text out. Also I don't think there are as many pictures as I remember. One of these days I'm going to have to dig out my other copy and compare them.
For the past few years it's sat under my desk atop a pile of other books, while I regarded it with a mixture of fascination and awe - something exciting but potentially dangerous. I was like someone who'd kept himself pure all his life** looking at an unopened copy of Lady Chatterley's Lover. The "me" who started reading it all those years ago was an atheist, so at least I'd had that protection. What would it do to me now?
Reading it now with you guys has taken its mystique away and I'm quite glad of it. I'm even starting to enjoy the story, and find it interesting! Thanks to everyone for this!
After reading it now with you guys, we lost it's mystique and I'm so glad we did. I'm even starting to enjoy the story and find it interesting! Thank you all for this! If anyone needs help with their history homework, like I do, I recommend visiting this resource https://edubrain.ai/history-homework-helper/ they have real professionals who will help you understand the difficult questions.
So, as I said, my current copy of the Book of Mormon is very different from the previous ones.*Not the "seriously Christian girl". A totally other woman.
**Unlike me.
I totally relate to the hesitancy and curiosity. It's amazing how our perspectives change over time. The community here really does make reading more enjoyable and insightful. This is much appreciated, thanks for sharing your journey!
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On 7/17/2023 at 5:54 AM, mordorbund said:
@Backroads @Vort Would that alleviate your concerns if it wasn't a live feed? The video could be deleted after 4 years (not kept "forever" but long enough to see if there was a past history) and perhaps stored on local servers. It sounds like you've got a system for the hall cameras, would that be sufficient here too? Or are there problems with that system too?
This should also work for the parents requesting a live feed. The advantage of a live feed is that the teacher will know that at any time a parent can suddenly pop online and see what is being taught and how the class is disciplined. If there is a concern then they can request the recorded day or week and the district will have the chance to scrub the kid's faces first (or whatever else needs to happen to grant child anonymity -- but they cannot allow for clipping out segments of the video because that would just feed into the concerns).
Installing cameras may create a risk of misuse of information and violation of the privacy of children, especially those with special needs. There were no cameras at my school and everything seemed to be fine. How will children cheat (joke)? For example, I used an essay service before, I found https://ca.papersowl.com/ for this. I cheated just as often as many schoolchildren and students. I think the cameras are too much. Nobody likes being watched.The idea is good, but the children will feel awkward knowing that they are being watched.
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On 12/14/2023 at 1:33 AM, zil2 said:
No, I've not gone off the deep end!
TL,DR: Has anyone actually read the original interpretation (by Michael B. Rush who appears to have originated it) of the vision contained in the apocryphal book 2 Esdras, chapters 11 and 12 about US presidents and used to predict the timing of the Second Coming? If so, do you have any thoughts?
(Above chapter 11 link is an old book on the google play store that was scanned. I trust its translation more as some make no sense and confuse matters more. Other good ones seem to be the Bible Gateway one and Bible Society one.)
Long Version:
A Church member (sister) I know has been reading some books and watching some videos by this fellow, including the book in which he details his interpretation (which he said is inspired, and explains when / how that happened in the book - and in the excerpt at the above link). Here is where he claims to be the originator (at same link) - at least, that's my interpretation:
Of course, brother Rush has written books and is selling them, along with making YouTube videos. This is the first time I've heard of him. And though I've heard the phrase "Ezra's Eagle" before, I had no idea what it was and never felt inclined to investigate.
Back to this sister. She said her adult children have been giving her a hard time because she's reading the guy's books and asked if I'd be willing to read some portion of them (or perhaps all) and tell her what I think. The short section on Ezra's Eagle (from the July 2020 edition of A Remnant Shall Return) was the first thing she wanted me to read. So, I took the book.
First thing I did was google this site, and then the web. I didn't find much in text (hate watching videos when I'm trying to learn details - wastes so much time). But I found that it's from a vision in the apocryphal book of 2 Esdras 11 and 12. So, I found that and read it. It meant nothing specific to me, so then I turned to the book. (Later, I went back and read some of the book of Daniel 2, 7 and 8, because it's mentioned in 2 Esdras, but I couldn't find any obvious relation between the visions - though I don't suppose there has to be.)
Useful notes about me:
- I'm not a history buff. I think the US education system I grew up in was explicitly designed to cause children to be disinterested in history, and it succeeded with me. I've only recently started changing my mind, so I'm ignorant as a stump.
- I'm not a "signs of the times" buff. I know the scriptures, I know the basics of these signs, but I've always figured the Second Coming for me was more likely to happen at my death than at the Second Coming, and either way, my preparation ought to be the same - live the gospel, follow the prophets.
- I'm skeptical about folks claiming to have figured out interpretations of scripture (or apocryphal writings) that are new to the world, so I figure that makes me a good candidate to give this sister a reasoned opinion.
- But I also believe firmly that secret combinations are real, in operation at this moment, and present a real threat to our peaceful and prosperous existence in this country. IMO, President Benson was no nut job.
- Back when Ordain Women was all over the news (but new to me), I decided rather than reading news stories about them, I'd go to their website and see what they said about themselves. As soon as the home page loaded, the Spirit communicated to me in no uncertain terms that this was a dangerous place. It didn't tell me to leave, just gave me a sense that I needed to be on my guard. That experience has led me to trust that this can happen, to be open for such guidance, and to be skeptical and cautious when researching such things. All this to say, I'm not in danger of going off the deep end after things like this.
Initial Impression
So, back to the book. I read the first chapter - which was more about him, what he's doing, and why. It raised some yellow flags (not orange or red, just yellow):
- Some phrases could be him setting the reader up to trust the author over prophets and over what they have already learned - maybe (or maybe they're just poorly worded - I would need to read more of his writings to figure out which).
- He seems to use scripture to discredit himself without realizing it.
- In the second chapter, he cites scripture that supports him, but skips over verses of the same passage that might encourage the reader to be skeptical of him (which makes me more skeptical).
- In some places, his wording is a bit condescending, assuming the reader doesn't know certain scriptures or understand their import, and telling the reader that he (the author) will educate the reader on these later. (This also made me wonder if he was trying to set up the reader to trust in the author more than themselves, prophets, the Church and its manuals, and/or the Holy Ghost - doesn't have to be the case, maybe the guy just thinks too much of himself, but it stood out to me.)
- And, when it comes to eagles as symbols, he doesn't even address Russia or Muscovy with its short-lived three-headed eagle (and I have no idea if there are others he missed). Not sure that matters, but still.
- Mr. Rush is also in serious need of a (better) proofreader, editor, and typesetter / printer. (There's a chart / graph that is clearly missing key elements, and even if those elements were present, it would be meaningless without pages of citation to give the data points meaning. It's kinda bizarre that it was left like that - and no fix or mention or anything on the website.)
Ezra's Eagle
And then I read the second chapter about Ezra's Eagle (have yet to read the third). When I was done, there wasn't really anything that screamed "apostate" or "nut job" at me (though Mr. Rush comes off as both a Trump fan-boy and someone prone to over-the-top (to the point of absurd - seems to have been removed in his latest version found in the excerpt on the website) predictions about what might happen with Trump's presidency - which was on-going when the book was published (2015) and updated (2020)). I didn't even find any particular reason to think he was wrong except (see the "mess up" comment next)...
After reading this chapter, wherein he seemed to mess up his counting of wings, feathers, and presidents - off by 1, I decided to go back to 2 Esdras and diagram what I read for myself, without regard for or consulting brother Rush's book.
For those who don't know, the vision describes an eagle which has 3 heads, 12 wings (or large feathers), and 8 feathers (or small or "under" wings). The interpretation describes the heads, wings, and feathers as "kings" that will rule the kingdom represented by the eagle.
Biggest problem - vagueness in sequence of the various wings/feathers ruling:
- Chapter 11 makes it clear that three of the larger wings rule first.
- After that, it suggests that the other 9 rule...
- But in v22 we see that the 12 wings (large feathers) and 2 feathers (little wings) are gone, so 2 of the 8 ruled in there somewhere, but that previous suggestion might make you think it was after the 9 wings.
- Then in chapter 12, in the interpretation, in v14 and 16, it says 12 kings - the 12 wings (large feathers) rule one after another.
- But then it says in v19 that the 8 "under wings" (little feathers) are kings who will reign for a short time. "And two of them shall perish, when the middle time approacheth: four shall be kept for a while until the time of the ending thereof shall approach: but two shall be kept unto the end." Which suggests that two of these kings who rule for a short time will be interspersed in with the 12 wings, despite it saying the 12 will rule "one after another".
None of that is insurmountable. I wouldn't even consider it unusual for an ancient prophecy to not have details in order as we might expect them today. One could be justified in arguing either way - 12 large rule, then the 8 small (forget the three heads for now); or 2 of the little are intermixed with the 12 large, then the rest of the little. Neither is unreasonable.
Technical problem: in 11:13-17, but especially v17, it says of the second feather which ruled for a long time, "There shall none after thee attain unto thy time, neither unto the half thereof." Brother Rush argues that this is FDR, who served 4 terms (but only 12 years, not 16). Other presidents since him have served 2 terms, 8 years, which is more than half of 12. And if you count 4 terms, they served 2, which is half as many, and the verse says they won't even get to half. Brother Rush overcomes this by saying that Webster's 1828 dictionary defines "attain" "as exceeding or surpassing". The Webster's 1828 website doesn't agree. (But, "gain, overtake, arrive at" is the definition in Johnson's 1828 dictionary - Webster includes overtake, but also as a secondary possibility, barely mentioned.)
Now, I'm taking brother Rush's assertion that the first wing to rule this eagle is Herbert Hoover (see the excerpt for why - secret organization), and starting there. For some reason, Rush himself screws up after wing #12 / president #14 (Barack Obama):
Duration President Wing / Feather 4 Herbert Hoover Wing 1 of 12 12 Franklin D. Roosevelt Wing 2 of 12 8 Harry S. Truman Wing 3 of 12 8 Dwight D Eisenhower Wing 4 of 12 2 John F. Kennedy Feather 1 of 8 6 Lyndon B. Johnson Wing 5 of 12 5 Richard M. Nixon Feather 2 of 8 45 years to the middle 2.5 Gerald R. Ford Wing 6 of 12 4 Jimmy Carter Wing 7 of 12 8 Ronald Reagan Wing 8 of 12 4 George Bush Wing 9 of 12 8 Bill Clinton Wing 10 of 12 8 George W. Bush Wing 11 of 12 8 Barack Obama Wing 12 of 12 1 Donald J. Trump Feather 3 of 8 3 Joseph R. Biden Feather 4 of 8 46.5 years since the middle Maybe he screwed it up because he was using one of the weird translations. Anywho, this screw up is why I stopped after chapter 2 and went back to 2 Esdras 11-12 to map it out for myself. Ignoring that, let us start with Obama, the last wing. At this point, all 12 wings and 2 of 8 feathers have ruled, leaving us 6 feathers. Here's what the vision says about those:
- 11:24: two of the 6 remaining go and move under the head on the right (presumably ally themselves politically). These are the two saved to the end (see above).
- Of the remaining 4, they wanted to rule (11:25)
- 11:26: (feather 3 of 😎 "there was one set up, but within a while it appeared no more" - this is no different from previous language. But the translation Rush is using says "there was one set up, but shortly it appeared no more." He takes the "shortly" to mean the presidency would be cut short - Trump's presidency. No, "shortly" hasn't been used before, but had he gone to the interpretation, that makes it clear that all the little feathers will rule for a shorter time (12:20). So Trump's rule didn't have to be cut short for "shortly" to apply. (Alternately, Rush somehow skipped this feather.)
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11:27: (feather 4 of 😎 "A second also, and it was sooner away than the first." This suggests that Biden's presidency will end before its full 4 years are up (if Rush's interpretation is correct, once his own error is fixed). Rush actually completely misses either feather 3 or feather 4 - it's impossible to tell which - if he thinks Trump is feather 4, he misses #3; if he thinks Trump is feather 3, he misses 4.
- Having jumped over one feather without addressing it, he goes straight to feathers 5 and 6 (and this is where he poses some absurd scenarios that I'm not even going to bother addressing - we're past that anyway with Biden being feather 4). Truly baffled that he could screw this part up even before Biden was elected.
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Note that feathers 3, 4, 5, and 6 are "kept for a while until the time of the ending thereof shall approach" (ending of the eagle). This would suggest we're nearing the end.
- Feathers 7 & 8 will be "kept unto the end".
Anywho, if brother Rush is correct (after I've corrected his mistake), here's what's going to happen:
- Biden's presidency will be cut short - shorter than Trump's.
- Feathers 5 & 6 - two folk who want to rule (11:28) will be "eaten up" when the three heads awake with the larger one ruling and the two smaller ones its allies.
- The large head rules "with much oppression" and more power than any of its predecessors. "For these (the three heads) are they that shall accomplish her (the eagle's) wickedness, and that shall finish her last end." (Whether this will be the next president after Biden or something else due to government collapse, heaven knows.)
- Suddenly the big giant head (sorry, couldn't resist) will die in its bed in pain (11:33 and 12:26)
- Then the right and left heads will rule together, but the right head will kill the left with the sword (11:34-35, 12:27-28)
- Then the right will also die by the sword (12:28) after being condemned by the Lord (11:36-12:2)
- Then the last two feathers (7 & 😎 will rule together "and their kingdom was small (likely means short), and full of uproar" (12:2)
- These two will be burned up along with the entire eagle (12:3, 29-33)
But don't worry, "For the rest of my people shall he deliver with mercy, those that have been preserved throughout my borders, and he shall make them joyful until the coming of the end, even the day of judgement, whereof I have spoken unto thee from the beginning."
Well, I guess I'll go read chapter 3 now. Final thought: If brother Rush is seeking to set himself up above prophets or to lead people astray, starting the book with an interpretation of a vision from the apocrypha, where there's nothing from any prophet to contradict him, is a clever move to gain the reader's trust in his authenticity and insight. (I'd be more convinced were it not for the glaring "feather 3/4 error" and the absurdities of what might happen if Trump's presidency were cut short.)
I remember when a child of my friends graduated from school and they were a little confused. Then I told them to read it https://edubirdie.com/examples/high-school-graduation-speech/ it's a really great resource. Modern education is constantly changing and we must change along with it. Therefore, by reading current information, we keep pace with modernity.
Anywho, FWIW, and curious if anyone else has thoughts. If you made it this far, you deserve a milkshake - go get one!
I agree with you. This is a really interesting post. Thank you!
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On 3/6/2024 at 7:00 PM, Traveler said:
Just a little bit of history – as I have experienced. In my college years I, with a few return missionary friends, embarked or a Church history vacation one summer. Our encounter with our religious LDS neighbors was bitter and disappointing and left a very bad taste in my mouth. In my youth, I blamed everything on who we called the Reorganites. Over the years this bitter relationship has softened.
One of the doctrines that has sustained some bitterness has been our stand on the priesthood being exclusively for men. The Community of Christ currently has women apostles. There was some bitterness over blacks and the priesthood. Not so much concerning the blacks and the priesthood but the Community of Christ suffered a great division over women and the priesthood. They have never been solvent economically since that division.
The LDS Church has financed the Community of Christ to maintain our common interest in historical properties. It was never sustainable – especially for the Community of Christ.
A few years ago, my wife and I (with some local friends) again made a trip through Church History. My personal encounter with the Community of Christ was like meeting with beloved long separated family members. I spent a day with one of their general authorities (president of the 70’s). I was privileged to go with him through their private vault of artifacts accumulated form the beginning and dating back to the time we were not separated. With their new focus on “The Community of Christ”, he tearfully confessed to me that they did not have the resources to maintain the artifacts of history. It was not just the finances but the human resources as well. We openly discussed the possibility of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints carrying this baton to the finish line when the Messiah comes.
The bitterness between our religious institutions seems to be the one factor no longer a concern. I am grateful that our brethren in Christ have carried this burden so well and nobly for so long. I am grateful that the properties will now be restored to what they need and ought to be – a treasure for the Saints to enjoy during the millennial reign. The years in college were really full, I remember how I constantly had problems with writing stories on various topics. I even had to use https://essays.edubirdie.com/assignment-writing-service to help me get through the task. If you have a similar problem, you can use this proven resource, which is staffed by eager professionals.
The Traveler
It sounds like your journey through Church history has been quite a rollercoaster of emotions, from bitterness to reconciliation. It's heartening to hear that the bitterness between your religious institutions has softened over time, allowing for collaboration and support in preserving historical artifacts. It seems like a hopeful step towards unity and mutual respect among believers. Thank you!
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On 12/31/2023 at 10:10 PM, Carborendum said:
Yes, you're probably right. But it does explain a lot of it.
A 3x factor is probably a local phenomenon. The national average has been just under 2.0
- Overall inflation alone (which is 100% the government's fault) will explain about a 1.5 to 1.6 factor over the course of 15 years.
- Building code requirements effect the land prices. A recent subdivision I designed ended up creating a cost of about $50k per lot above and beyond the price of the land originally due to development costs as mandated by the County. There was, of course a bit more cost due to the profit to the developer. But I'm not privy to that amount.
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Houses are required to have more construction requirements every three years. Most people aren't aware of the differences. But they incrementally cause more and more cost each year.
- When new homes cost more, existing homes will see their appraisals rise as well.
- Property taxes won't explain home prices. But it impacts the monthly payment (which usually escrows the property tax). The original point was about affordability, and the escrow amount is included in that.
- Insurance rates (also escrowed into the overall monthly payment) have gone up mainly due to government influences. And this gets a lot more convoluted when you consider broad based insurance companies (i.e. companies that do more than one type of insurance).
Not everything, I understand. But the market forces are something that the average person is well aware of. And that may be the difference between the 2.0 average and the 3.0 that you cited. Some places like CA are seeing their home prices plummet, while places like Texas and Florida are seeing things skyrocket. I, myself, saw the price go up over 40% in two years. Multiply that with the 2.0 average, and yes, it has tripled. But most of that was in the past 5 years.
We're at a peak right now. The next year or two will see home prices plummet. It is also very important to pay attention to payment methods when buying a house and in general payments on the Internet. I use Amazon pay casino quite often as I gamble and this is a great resource to find proven and reliable games. They also give a promo code there, with the help of which I won a fairly significant amount of money.
It's interesting that you mentioned the continual increase in construction requirements for homes. Do you think there should be more awareness about these changes among homeowners or potential buyers? Thanks for the reply right away!
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On 6/3/2022 at 5:06 PM, Carborendum said:
I am wondering what has been the common practice for wards in various parts of the country:
This Sunday will be the first Sunday of the month. It has been three weeks since the last Gospel Doctrine class. That means three weeks worth of reading and three chapters in the CFM manual.
Does your ward only cover the most recent week? All the weeks since the last class? Or just "pick one?" Or try to find highlights of the entire set? Or ???
I know a lot about it, as a child I went to it. Depending on local circumstances and needs, Sunday classes may cover different time periods and materials. We were taught there not to cheat, but when I grew up I broke this rule. Found a writing service, used https://papersowl.com/examples/ for this. It is also important to consider the characteristics of your group and the needs of the participants. Discussion with leadership or participants will help determine the most appropriate approach for your Sunday School.If it's been three weeks since your last session, there are several options to consider. Your chamber can focus on the last week to discuss in detail and delve into content missed during this time. Or you can choose one week out of three and focus on the main points and key teachings. You can also try to cover the main aspects of the entire set and do an overview of the past three weeks.
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On 3/6/2023 at 10:04 PM, Ironhold said:
Some media outlets are saying that these are "protestors".
They aren't.
They're anarcho-communists who believe that they are modern-day "anti-fascists" despite they themselves being the ones who use fascistic methods to get their way. Often, these people are actually from upper-class backgrounds, and I'm hearing reports that among those arrested in the assault on the facility here are an employee with the Southern Poverty Law Center and a professor from Canada.
A number of people have fallen for their propaganda, but everyone else who understands what's going on know that these people are domestic terrorists.
Attacking the police is an unacceptable and dangerous act that cannot be justified. The police play an important role in ensuring public safety and justice. Violence and aggression only exacerbate problems and destroy trust in society. I hear a lot about police brutality, I use https://edubirdie.com/examples/police-brutality/ for that. But if you figure it out, then people themselves bring it to this. The best way to resolve conflicts and protests is through peaceful communication, dialogue and compromise. I urge everyone to abide by the law, respect the right of others to safety, and assert their rights through legal and non-violent means. Only through mutual understanding and cooperation can we build a better and more just society.The media always talks a lot
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On 8/2/2021 at 12:45 AM, scottyg said:
The book is filth. It was not written to actually help anyone, but to create angst and foster division. The author will hide behind the guise of "love", "compassion", "tolerance", and "understanding". If this person is a member of the church, they likely won't be for much longer. Publishing a book talking about theology that differs from that of the church is an excellent way to be shown the door...they are practically daring the church to oust them. It is nothing but foul lies meant to further hurt those who are already struggling. Some of the BS in there is dangerous, and will canker our impressionable youth and members more than any disease ever could. There is no such thing as a "non-binary spirit", period. Those who openly teach such lies would not be allowed anywhere near my children, and I would have zero problem openly rebuking them in front of other ward members for doing so in a classroom setting. Everyone should stick to the scriptures and words of modern day prophets who have already given much wise counsel regarding those who deal with same sex attraction.
Generally, Mormons believe in the Book of Mormon as God-inspired scripture. The Queer Mormon Theological Book claims that its author received revelations from God that expand upon the knowledge presented in the Book of Mormon. I still want to study this issue in more detail, but first I'm on the path of federalism, I found a lot of information https://www.studydriver.com/federalism/ here. I might do the same with this book. I also know that anyone who wishes to study this book must independently and consciously take responsibility for their beliefs and actions based on this book.Thank you for the detailed explanation -
On 11/27/2022 at 9:11 PM, mordorbund said:
There’s something about mentioning pointers that makes it seem meta — or maybe it happens even before that. I “like”d your post to let you know that I saw what you did there, but I wanted you to know that I also saw what you did there.
😁
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On 12/9/2022 at 5:22 PM, Carborendum said:
Indeed. Have you heard of permaculture method known as a "forest garden"?
I agree with this opinion. You can't ask for more than that. I'm in college now and have found http://essaypapers.reviews/ to solve everything. Because I don't have enough time for my hobby. I think I'm not the only one who does this, I also hope there are many people in solidarity with me!
Nice video
For the D&D crowd
in General Discussion
Posted · Edited by tomasgreenro
This is why I’ve stopped supporting WOTC. They keep alienating longtime fans while chasing trends. The Pinkertons thing was the last straw!