NeuroTypical

Vangelis.

But I, as a kid with glasses, belonged to a specific group of people - the group of 'funny lookin' kids who looked like they wouldn't fight back'. Yes indeed, the guy who beat me up absolutely had a pattern of targeting this group. Why was there only one crime committed against me then?

Oh, I wasn't reacting to any poster, just sharing my thoughts about hate crimes, and they're inherent goofiness. (And also trying to find a way to make light of my embarassing backstory, as a kid who was beat up both for having glasses, and for being mormon, on separate occasions )

In other words, if you beat up a kid because he wears glasses, that's less bad than if you beat up a kid because he's Mormon.

Wait - folks with Downs Syndrome are incapable of sin? You may be able to graduate high school, but you will never be accountable for your actions?I'm not sure I can go that far...

Disagree. But at least we found our foundational difference with each other. In order to have good discussion, words have to mean the same thing to both parties. I'm of the mind that a human's sexuality involves much more than just their actions. You're not. Anyone know of a way to resolve this one way or the other? Arm wrestle? Rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock? (Both are prefereable to posting dictionary definitions.)

Here is the relevant chapter from the Gospel Principles Handbook. Chapter 19: Repentance

I have a hard enough time navigating through this sphere of existence, to think about my next sphere.

My daughter's pediatric surgeon said "If this stuff passes, I'm quitting my practice here and moving to another country." The stuff passed. I called the following year to make an appointment, and he wasn't there any more, and his staff didn't know where he had gone. We've come close, twice in recent years, to travelling to another country for medical care. We'll see what 2014 brings.

Forget president - how about Colorado? [state-specific-Rant]As I drive to and from work, I hear election ads for state senators - and their terms are not up this year. Senators Morse from Colorado Springs, and Giron from Pueblo, have both been sucesfully recalled in forced recall elections. Because they pushed for stupid gun laws that do absolutely nothing besides make things harder for law abiding people. And they refused to hear sufficient debate on the legislation, even changing Senate rules to push the bills through. 50 of Colorado's Sheriffs are suing to kill the stupid laws. And Morse and Giron's recall has sent a message to the rest of America, that yes, we know you're an elected official, but no, your need to be seen as 'doing something' doesn't mean you should pass stupid, feel-good, useless, harmful, unconstitutional horse puckey laws.[/state-specific-Rant]

Full disclosure upfront: I did not serve a mission, but I wish that I had. So, great story so far, but I'm wondering something. Why did you end up interpreting your dream as counsel to not go on a mission? I read your post 3 times, and can't really find that information anywhere. So you've been given gifts and talents that will allow you to build great websites that spread the gospel and accomplish wonderful things. What does that have to do with not going on a mission?How do you know the dream wasn't along the lines of "don't get complacent after you get back from your mission, because you'll be forwarding the Lord's work through the internet"? But anyay, back to your story: Wait - so one bishop counseled you to make the decision yourself, and your home ward bishop told you he received revelation that you will go on a mission? You specifically, or just "everyone"?Duelling bishops? Or is there more to the story? But anyway, all that aside, your main questions: Meh. Tell those with stewardship over you the truth and then don't talk about it any more. Tell everyone else you're gay and then bat your eyelashes at them until they go away. Who the heck cares what other people think? You'll be sniffed disdainfully at, by women who seek only a RM. Their loss. You'll be treated poorly by people who treat people poorly who don't conform to their expectations of what people should be. Maybe they'll grow up someday and be worthy of your friendship. But you'll also be treated well by folks who understand the role of righteous judgement, and that negatively judging someone else automatically for not going on a mission is unrighteous judgement. Yeah, this isn't really a mormon specific issue. This is more of a "young man starting to spread his wings in a direction his family doesn't want" thing, and it happens to lots of people. Your duty is clear - love and honor your parents (Those are the two commandments - love, and honor.) Tell your home ward bishop you'd be interested in hosting a conference call between him, and your other bishop, so the two bishops can fight it out and get back to you with a clear coherent story. Good list. I think you've thought this through. And the start of your story indicates you've also prayed and sought the Lord's counsel. I'd still like clarity about why you think the Lord counseled you to not go on a mission. I mean, if that's just the part of the story you're not telling us, then ok. But from what you've told us, "Mission now, websites later" seems like a fine inspired life plan to me. No matter what you decide, I hope you come here early and often. We need more people here who understand internet memes.

I fit in just fine. I work in a building full of introverted engineers, and when they get together and socialize, I'm the one standing in the corner watching everyone. It stopped being 'not fitting in' once I got comfortable with who I was.

I am having a little problem understand what you are talking about. How many murders are there that have never murdered anyone? How many adulterers are there that have never committed adultery? ... How can a person even say that they like or do not like sushi if they have never tasted sushi? ... It appears to me to be a logical disconnect when someone thinks to define themselves with what they have never actually done. So, I think I see what you're saying. Your sexuality is defined solely by your behavior, and nothing else. Am I getting it?When I follow your line of thinking, statements like these seem to logically follow: * People cannot accurately think of themselves as heterosexual, until they establish a reliable track record of exclusively heterosexual behavior. * The church has no heterosexual youth under 16 (except for those who have not followed guidelines on dating.) Maybe I'm just confuzzled, but those statements seem wierd to me. Am I not understanding you correctly?

Hi mcknzm7. I can't really say anything to help, but I can say you're in good company. I pretty much felt that way until I was 26. Sometimes life throws stuff like that at us. Feel free to follow everyone else's advice, I just wanted you to know you're hardly the only one out there who's been in that situation. If you can beat my score, I'll email you a blue ribbon. :)

Let me join with our Catholic visitor friend here in response to Martain's post. Care to explain to us just exactly how you know that TalkativeIntrovert has not sought God's direction in this matter? Exactly how do you come to the knowledge that her faith is subpar?I mean, you're quoting good relevant scriptures that are worthy of consideration. But it seems more like you're beating her over the head with them and yelling "stop doing it wrong" - and I don't think that's warranted, or helpful.

Huh. Just out of curiosity, how many folks would need to claim that they consider themselves bisexual, and have never been involved in bisexual behavior, in order for you to rethink your claim?

The only advice that makes sense to me in such situations, is this: You are role modeling behavior for your children. What you put up with, they'll put up with in their marriages. How you choose to react to the obstacles and poisons of life, is how they'll react. So pick the behavior you want to see coming out of them once they're married, and then go do it. If that means leaving your addicted destructive husband, then so be it. (And I'm sorry.) If that means staying together and toughing it out, then so be it. (And I'm sorry.)

Bytebear is correct. Teaching situational awareness and how to not walk around with your face plastered to your smartphone, would probably prevent more muggings, rapes, and murders than buying stronger doors for schools.

October, 2008: August, 2013: Interesting decision to resurrect your thread, StillSmallVoice. So, the Gov says annual inflation looks to be under 2%, and you figure it's 10-15%. Ok. I'm wondering - at what rate of yearly inflation (government numbers) do you believe we will see government price controls on food, panic, and food shortages?

I think one of the defining characteristics of an INTJ, is that we discuss things on the internet.

I'm either an INTJ or an INFJ, depending on my mood when taking the test.

Maybe you could ask her to point to the church that claims to not be the true church, so you could see what nonboastful looks like. (This is only if your fiance has a sense of humor and wouldn't think you're being sarcastic.)

I sometimes feel like I have lived in two different worlds. Back in the '70's and '80's (and I assume before that), this was pretty much the going opinion culturally. Not only that, but it was pretty much never talked about or even thought much about. When I was growing up, you read a newspaper, and you could find the society page written by and for women, but the authors and contributors were all identified as "Mrs. Bill Mitchell". Only the mocked and scorned 'wimminz libbers' ever made a stink about such things.Stuff changed (for me at least) in the '90's. There seemed to be a push for dealing with this stuff. Victims came forward and spoke openly to groups of people. Books were written and read. Crime reporting went up. These days, the notion that spousal rape doesn't exist, comes from a tiny minority of folks, and maybe people who haven't really thought about it much, and are in the process of thinking things through.

Kind of. The Gospel (good news), is that there is a God. Not only that, but He's a just/kind/wise/perfect/loving God. Not only that, but He's interested in our well-being, and wants us to return to Him after death. That information, along with the details of how we go about returning to Him, the nature of sin and atonement and repentence and all, is what makes up the Gospel.

I used to think this was for LDS only, until my Catholic neighbors had us over for a picnic, and the dad did the same thing when saying their prayer!