NeuroTypical

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Posts posted by NeuroTypical

  1. Sadly, she said that her mom in particular said that this subject was "closed"

    It worries me that so many gay teens commit suicide.

    Gee, I wonder if these two things are ever related?

    I'd talk to the parents - armed with church resources. Maybe she's a young teen with all the hormones flowing looking around her at popular culture and wondering if she shouldn't join in, and maybe she's facing some serious biochemical factors or environmental traumas that are presenting her with a real problem. If the former, her parent's response might have been the appropriate one. If the latter, they need a wakeup call because yeah, a lot of responses like suicide and leaving home are on the table.

    LM

  2. I've considered installing a small home windmill for a while. There is a company (not offering service in my state) which will provide a free windmill, in exchange for the energy credits paid by the electric company for 7 years.

    There is no single alternative energy source that is "the answer" right now - and maybe not ever. But every decade that rolls by, they get a bit better. Everything got renewed interest when gas was pushing $5/gal. Perhaps that interest will carry us into a few good reliable cheap viable alternatives.

    LM

  3. You can hope about anything you like, it can be either a true or false hope. It's technically true about faith as well, but when Mormons use the term faith, we're talking about faith in Jesus Christ. And when we talk about faith in that way, no, you can never have misplaced faith.

    You can hope to never get a calling you get. You can hope the IRS won't lose your tax refund. You can hope whatever you want. But if you have Faith in Jesus Christ, it will never be a faith in something false.

    LM

  4. Tithing is between you and the Lord. If you ask your Bishop about gross vs. net, he's likely to look up the scripture with you, where it says "increase". He'll then tell you it's up to you and the Lord to figure out what "increase" means.

    So, you and the Lord figure it out, and then you either pay it or you don't. If you do, you're a full tithe payer. If you don't, you're not.

    LM

  5. Winter is horrible. Depression can be a thorn in the flesh that God will not take away.

    Have you looked into Seasonal Affective Disorder? Current thinking is that "winter blues" (in your case - horribly extreme winter blues) are a function of the amount of full-spectrum sunlight that hits our skin and eyes.

    My wife tells me that spending 5-10 minutes in front of a light box in the morning has worked wonders with her when the days are short and the nights are long.

  6. So, I trust she knew she was violating established rules when she uploaded that video? That's why the harsh punishment, right?

    From where I'm standing, it's my role as a parent to help my kids understand technology (especially online stuff), understand the ins and outs, the dangers and wonders, and how to appropriately navigate such waters. I'd help my daughter set up her own youtube account, and start notifying relatives and well-wishers about this new source of adorable and charming.

    LM

  7. Within the church, we are told to make ready for such events.

    What 'such events'? Mad Max sci-fi plotline apocalyptic B-movie events? The oil isn't going to "suddenly dry up". Who in the church is telling us to prepare for such things? All the urging I see from church leaders involve getting out of debt, being as self-reliant as possible, and storing resources against periods of hardship. I see concern about pandemic influenza and economic downturn. I don't see anyone in a leadership position forecasting the end of civilization as we know it, other than vague and nonspecific talk about living in the last days.

    Could you cite your sources?

    What would be expected of us as church members in this kind of situation?

    Well, since you are the one hearing from the church about such things, what are they telling us to do?
  8. Off subject...do you live in Colorado Springs? I love Colorado Springs and hope to move their in the not to distant future. My wife and I have visited the Northgate Ward and hope to move to the Pine creek area.

    We live on the outskirts of C/S, and I work in the city right now. I know a few people from the Northgate ward. The area is growing (more slowly this year, but still growing). The groundbreaking on a new Stake Center in the area happened last week.

    Join us, you'll love it!

    LM

  9. Did the shrinks give you any thought-pattern or behavior modification stuff to work on? If yes, how's that working out for you? If no, I suggest you try again with a shrink who know something about cognitive behavior therapy.

  10. Quick question: Let's say tomorrow, non-LDS archaeologists discovered the sword of Laban, the city of Zarahemla, Nephite and Lamanite gravesites, and buildings with 'reformed Egyptian' carved into their walls. If that happened, would you repent your words and seek to be baptized into the Mormon church?

    No I would not because such things do not exist.
    Can't really discuss anything further - your mind is self-concluded, and it will remain so until you chose otherwise.

    I'll just accept that you mean well, in your own way, and leave you to yourself.

    LM

  11. Well, this is where I will give an opinion.

    In a free society, sexuality is an unmoderated expression.

    That doesn't mean a (supposed to be) private institution such as a Church cannot legislate differently toward it's membership, though.

    Thank you for the opinion. This topic can easily get us riled up, but I hope we can remain civil.

    If a society can only be free if sexuality goes unmoderated, then does not your opinion indicate that you cannot have a free society if it has restrictions/laws against public nudity, rape, age of consent, etc?

    I'm thinking you can 'moderate' these things, and still have a free society. A free society to me, indicates people's unmoderated ability to chose for themselves which laws they'll follow, through a peaceful and just method, and they're free to go somewhere else if they don't like it.

    LM

  12. Sorry Perry, you can't. This kind of attitude is still a bit alarming, though.

    America has enjoyed 144 years of not trying to break itself apart. From that standpoint, LittleWyvern's statement is correct.

    The human race is one unending story of rising and falling cultures and civilizations, full of comings and goings, treaties and warfare, unity and secession. From that standpoint, LittleWyvern's statement holds a heck of a lot less water.

    The question of the day: is anyone out there willing to start killing and dying to alter this nation? As far as I can tell, the answer is no, (apart from the fringest of the fringe who have always been willing no matter what was going on). All the talk I'm hearing is merely saber rattling. There's no reason to break up this great country, when we can still fight a legitimate fight at the ballot box. Much less bloody.

    LM

  13. "Homosexual relationships seem to have been prevalent in ancient Greece. It is possible Achilles and Patroclus of Homer's Iliad were icons of male homosexuality. Aristotle stated that the Cretans encouraged homosexuality as a population controller on the island community in his Politics." Homosexuality in Ancient Greece - ReligionFacts

    So, I'm reading this link, and I see it asserts what you say it does. But as I read the examples it gives supporting it's claim, I don't see the examples proving what you (and the website) seem to say they prove.

    Yeah, there was an element of acceptable homosexuality in ancient Greece. People talked about it, wrote about it, sang about it. We have records talking about attitudes towards it. That doesn't support your statement "most of the elite had a wife and a homosexual relationship" You state it as a fact - I'm thinking it's more of an opinion. The website says stuff like "attraction to males and homosexual relationships in the active role with one's social inferiors was common", but then it fails to support the statement, instead making passing mention in passive voice "There were stories of same-sex exploits" of greek Gods.

    I notice the webpage cites Plato's "The Symposium" as a source for further reading. I remember reading this back in College. If I remember correctly, someone ends up all ticked off because in all that talk of love, he tries to spend the night with Socrates and nothing happened.

    Anyway, to answer your question, I believe their homosexuality might have been a symptom, but not a prime cause. I'm thinking it was something between the lead leaching out of their cookware, to their overexpanded comfortable laziness.

    LM