NeuroTypical

I have two questions. * Did you get to ride the 'inclinators' at the Luxor, and are they as cool as they look from the ground? * What kind of homework?

We did in Iraq. The first guy elected, was not the US first pick, or even our second. We certainly didn't get the staunch pro-American ally out of Iraq that we were hoping for.I mean yeah, I see your point, and I'm not specifically disagreeing with it. I don't know if Iraq was the exception or the model. Maybe neither.

Like arrrgh, and stuff.

It's not that bad. Check your "thanks" stats - you've been thanked 30 times out of 157 posts. That's 19% of your posts getting thanks. Hey - someone sees value in about 1 of every 5 of your posts - that's not horrible, right?

If you ask that lady who got hauled away by the cops a few years back, after screaming at President Hinckley as he was opening up a Women's Conference, they already have been. :)

Back when I was engaging church critics all the time, I'd run into LDSChristian's mindset all over the place. "Dangit, John 1:1 says what it says and means what it means, and all these links and scriptures agree with it, and it just proves you mormons follow a different Jesus, and that's it! If you can't see that, you're just not reading my scriptures and sources hard enough!" I rarely made a dent in them, I don't expect we'll make much of a dent in LDSC either. You have to choose to be open to alternatives - you can't be forced or persuaded or argued into it. LM

Hi xoomer, Welcome back - sounds like some of the painful things you've gone through are a bit less painful now that some time has passed. It sounds like you're already on the right track. Giving up smoking can be terribly hard. Remember - you don't have to be perfect. It's a worthy-enough goal to be slightly better than you were yesterday. And yes, God understands that we step backwards sometimes.

Not at all, Jsmoltz. Here's some good reading material for you: Myths about Mental Illness - By Elder Alexander B. Morrison Of the Seventy - 2005 October Ensign Folks would line up to give you a priesthood blessing.

Enlighten us, LDSC - how can one tell one from the other?

We LOVE chick-fil-a. Their kid meal toys are the only toys that aren't pop-culture insults to my children's intellect. Their constant fundraising and other community support stuff is great to watch. They've helped our homeschool co-op. Their food is good. Wherever they are, you'll see them busy, and the fast food joint next to them not so busy. Time to go there every day for a year!

We homeschool, and are having more luck with cursive than we did with regular printing. (Yes, they're learning to type as well.)

Excellent post, unix. I had to chuckle. The stereotypical LDS guy. Interesting that we think we see so many of them, but it's really hard to find someone to stand up and say "yeah, I'm that guy!" I've been to maybe 3 baptisms or Stake Conference meetings in the last 5 years - one of them was my own daughter's baptism. Haven't really had FHE in a decade. And for some reason, someone thought it was a good idea to make me moderator of this forum. I'm reminded of that funny southpark episode: Work on the cussing, consider a short sleeve shirt, and you might be surprised how good active LDS life can be. I read your entire post, and I can't say I agree with you. What is the content of your heart? Are you a good person, or do you go about working acts of evil on purpose? I could give a wet slap what you look like or your mannerisms - do you believe in God and try to do what He wants you to do? Then why shouldn't we drag you around and show you to people? You say you want to raise your kids to find their testimony? Do you know how many of the shirt and tie guys at church don't really give that much thought? As a representative of the concealed-carry handgun permit-holding mormons, welcome. On behalf of the borderline-reclusive introvert mormons, welcome. As someone who gets blank stares from his bishop and EQP every time he mentions being a moderator on an online LDS forum, welcome. If you shake my hand, you're shaking the hand of someone who didn't go on a mission, and dislikes much of LDS culture. Welcome.

Isn't it interesting that the more experiences we gather, the more we open our ears? I'm noticing this about myself as the decades go by. Welcome.

That's interesting ram. So does that mean that Jewish folk figure Adam is Truth? Or did truth not really take human form or what?Sorry, I've never delved very far into Jewish understanding of stuff we've got in our OT. Where's truth today according to them? LM

Howdy. Love to hear predictions - but I get my prophecies from other sources. So, what do you think will happen in the next year or two?

Well, this statement came out in 2002, and was pretty much what was told to me in the late '80's when I was considering a mission:

Millions? I've read about persecutions and pogroms and whatnot, but I've never heard the claim millions. The holocaust at around five million, but it didn't have anything to do with Jews being blamed for Jesus' death...

Our ward was finishing up a service project one saturday at the church, and we noticed something going on at the community church across the street. It seemed like an elderly couple was trying to do landscaping - moving a bunch of rocks and paving stones and whatnot. So our ward made a phone call or two, got a few more brethren, and half a dozen elders helped them out.We got news about how the pastor responded on Sunday. He got up in front of the congregation and spoke about how beautiful the new landscaping looked. He thanked the congregation for the donations that made it possible. Then he talked about how even though folks had signed up to complete the project, there was just the elderly couple that actually showed up to work. He very clearly stated that the mormons from across the street, quickly rounded up half a dozen strong backs and smilingly did the work. Then he said "Their example is a finer sermon on charity and pure Christian service than anything I prepared to say today". He informed the congregation flat out that whoever floated the next criticism of the mormons, would be answering to him personally. Then he dismissed the congregation early and asked people to reflect on what they'd learned. LM

Well, the protestors aren't just upset Egyptians. I suppose the average protestor pawn is, but those pawns are being played by both sides. The Egyptian police aren't currently patrolling the Rafah border crossing, so a bunch of armed thugs from Gaza come across and work with the Muslim Brotherhood. On the other side, folks loyal to Mubarak are pretending to be in the mob, and are breaking things and setting private property on fire, to give the mob a bad name.

We're often taught that when we have a problem, we shouldn't approach authorities unless we have a solution in mind. When it comes to callings, that's sort of like trying to cut the bishop and his access to inspiration out of the loop. Why not just meet with the bishop and tell him all the stuff you told us, and then counsel with him? Maybe there's an alternative option that would reduce or eliminate your anxiety and let you stay productive. Here's an example how my wife does it: "Hi bishop, you know I'm the Girl's Activity Day assistant for Tuesday nights. This semester, I'm having to take a class on Tuesday nights that conflict. Class starts in 2 weeks - so I'll be there the next two Tuesdays." It's up to the Bishop if he wants to release her, or change the structure, or whatever. No asking to be released necessary.

Maybe we're just not getting your big picture. Exactly how do you propose to have a mormon walk into a baptist church and gain access to the podium and an audience? As far as I can tell, it would work kind of like this: Baptist: Hi, thanks for applying for the pastor position. Your resume was a bit vague about the churches you've preached at. Can you fill us in? You: I'm an ordained Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of La- Baptist: Oh, sorry - we're only interviewing for baptists. Thanks for your time.

For some reason, I have it in my head that I prefer the term 'consequences' over 'reprocussions. But as I sit here and think about it, I can't for the life of me explain why.

Whether your dad is happy or not, getting married involves you leaving their family and starting your own. From a practical every day standpoint, you are no longer your dad's kid, you are your husband's wife. That means if you show up to visit, and your father is rude or makes life hard, or insults your spouse, you pick hubby over dad. If you get hitched, and dad has certain expectations that conflict with your husband about what you'll do and not do, be and not be, you go with your husband and tell dad no thanks.Are you willing? Go for it. Are you too worried about pleasing dad? You probably need to mature a bit more.

Never mind - nothing to see here. Egypts military and police, Pres. Obama, and the nations of the world have decided to stick with Mubarak. The media is following their lead. Heck, even Charles Krauthammer was on the radio supporting Pres. Obama's decision. It looked like folks took a good hard look at the alternative to Mubarak, and decided the brotherhood of islam was worse.

Actually, we have an occasional poster on this forum who claims a strong testimony of the BoM's truth, yet chooses to remain baptist because he figures God wants him to. Anyway, from what I know of non-LDS Christian faiths, one does not simply just "go to let's say a baptist church...and teach the people the gospel". Believe it or not, folks in other congregations take an interest in who speaks to them over the podium. When the community church across the road was replacing their pastor, they had a big flowchart outlining the church's steps in selecting a new pastor. Lots of committee interviews, guest pastor appearances, member voting, etc. Looks like another grand slam idea goes back to the drawing board, LDSChristian...