rameumptom

I take evangelicals on an individualized basis. Some take Mormons as Christians, while others think we are devils incarnate and seeking to carry mankind down to hell with us. Some befriend us, while some evangelical churches have their semi-annual training on cults (Godmakers, etc) that specialize on what Mormons "believe" (with a twist). I know some evangelical churches that do the same to Muslims and other groups, so I can understand why various groups are cautious about them. Of course, PC has demonstrated that evangelicals can befriend Mormons and accept them as Christians, though quirky ones.

If the body is kept "alive" by machines, does that necessarily mean the spirit is still in the body? What if you are keeping a soulless body running for years for no reason whatsoever? Just because a body can function does not mean there is a spirit within it. If the brain is dead, perhaps that is a signal that the spirit has left?

Vort, et al, Yes, it is a Rame sighting. I've been busy in different/other venues, such as Millennial Star blog. Thought I'd stop by more often here if I can. If a young man does not have a testimony, or at least a desire to believe, he should not serve a mission. Even a weak testimony may be strengthened on a mission. However, preparation makes a big difference on whether a young man has a successful mission or not. It determines whether his mission will be to refine him, or so he can bless and refine others. Mission presidents hope for the latter.

I personally find many commonalities. I also would say that many of the differences come from two things: First, and emphasis on different parts of the gospel, and Second, a LDS 20th century effort to separate ourselves from the rest of Christianity. There was a focus on the differences, which included how grace was compartmentalized away from obedience, etc., or the 3 degrees not always considered levels of glory/heaven, or Salvation usually meant exaltation. I think we're getting away from our 20th century language cognitive dissonance. Pres Uchtdorf explained grace in a way that would many any evangelical proud. Elder Holland explained Christ's atonement in a way that evangelicals would love (we are all forever falling into the abyss, and only Christ can reach out and grab us). We now know that we cannot earn salvation nor exaltation; we can only prepare ourselves to receive levels of grace through repentance and faith, our obedience an outward sign of an inner change of heart. Perhaps the two biggest differences are Creatio Ex Nihilo and the Homoousias of the Trinity. Still, we believe God formed/created all things and the Godhead are united/One in all things.

I think there is a major problem with many young men in society in general. Fewer are attending college, many are staying longer in the parents' home, many are delaying marriage, many are getting hooked on video games and porn, many are reluctant to take on any responsibilities whatsoever. This is now affecting the Church, as well. Young men are delaying missions or choosing not to serve. A large number go inactive, rather than seek a spiritual conversion and accept the responsibilities. Young men should not serve for solely cultural or social reasons. But they should learn to step above the world and find the spiritual witness that will move them to serve. I joined when I was 16 of my own volition. The gospel answered a lot of questions of life for me. When I met Elder S. Dilworth Young (presidency of the 70), who asked me if I was planning on serving a mission - something I never before was asked, nor had I considered - the answer was easy. I promised him I would serve, because I had/have a testimony of the prophets and servants of God, and I knew this is what God would have me do. Such requires accepting a witness and the responsibility of carrying that witness into the world.

Raven, actually there are several people here that know me fairly well. I used to be a moderator here a few years ago. And I find that many of my online friends have become some of my best friends....

Thanks for the support. I am on LinkedIn and a few other sites. Seems to me that when the Law of Consecration kicks in, there will be a better and more personal way to do all of this....

I was just at the Nauvoo Temple last weekend (Labor Day weekend) for friends' sealing. My sixth trip there, as I live about six hours away (Indianapolis). Really a fun place to see, and the temple is very spiritual and uplifting. Most temples are now built with a chapel next to it, that can be used as a visitor's center. Missionaries often use it to stage visits by investigators, etc. Youth trips are staged there also. We've used the Louisville KY chapel for a youth conference connected to the temple and stake youth baptisms.

So, I find myself in the unemployment line. I know the best ways to find work are usually through networking. What are the best places to network, especially among LDS? Is it proper to ask people online to pass around your resume for you at their places of work, etc? BTW, if anyone wants to share my resume, please PM me and I'll pass it along.... rameumptom / Gerald Smith

It was just overturned by a judge in Indiana today, also.

Canada is very different from the USA. Governing 30 million people and 80 million caribou is very different from governing 300 million people AND policing the world. You don't see the Canadian government trying to intercept everyone's cell phone calls, use their version of the IRS to attack political opponents, or have their intelligence agency snoop on their parliament. Our government has moved from being something to assist the people, to wanting to direct the lives of people. It is like the Master Controller in the movie TRON, always seeking to suck up more into its growing power scheme. The American government is becoming fascist and tyrannical - the opposite of what the Founding Fathers sought to have. We are having a big discussion that Canadians are not, simply because we have a huge population that is being rounded up electronically, being told how to spend our money, and being told we have to like it. If Canada was doing the same to their people, you would also see a big fuss going on there.

Actually, GM and Chrysler have only paid off a portion of what we ended up giving them. It is amazing how many gimmicks government can use to move money around. GM only needed to go thru a bankruptcy, which they ended up doing after we bailed them out anyway. Chrysler was taken from the stock holders and used as a payback for unions. So, Obama picked the winners. While I don't blame Obama for this big miss, I do blame government for being inefficient and liable to being bribed or not do its job.

I think that Adam and Eve transgressed the law of the Garden. To be within the Garden required a being to be immortal, which in Adam and Eve's instance would mean no children. Adam saw the importance to obey God's law to not partake. However, Eve seems to have been thinking about having children and fulfilling the higher law. Understanding that there was "no other way" to achieve this, she partook of the fruit. Adam then also partook, understanding that the first law had been transgressed, and without Eve he could not fulfill the second law of multiplying. In the Book of Moses, we see this difference of thinking in Adam and Eve. Once the angel explained to them that the sacrifice was done in similitude of Christ, Adam rejoiced saying that because of his transgression, he would resurrect again. However, Eve rejoiced because of their (our) transgression they would have eternal seed. Why were they cast out of Eden for a transgression? Because Eden was not set up for mortals, and they would need to be mortals to bear children, etc. They were not cast out because they did something wicked. They were cast out simply because they no longer were compatible with that environment. Like tadpoles turning into frogs, their gills turned into lungs, and so they needed to adapt to a new environment.

Whatever the mark was that was placed on Cain, according to scripture, was not as a curse. It was set up to protect Cain from anyone seeking to harm him! The curse was developed much later, primarily by Christians to justify enslaving black people, who they were convinced were descended from Cain and/or Ham.

You are trying to get answers to something where there are no answers to give. Joseph Smith made one brief statement, and we've spent the last 175 years trying to fill in the spaces with speculation. The fact is, there are key pieces to the puzzle that are missing, and without them, we cannot fill in the puzzle sufficiently to say, "Ahhh, it is a pretty country scene!" Our minds cannot handle giant things. Can you imagine the size and scope of our solar system, with planets and billions of asteroids, etc. that go for billions of miles from one edge to the other? If not, then how can you contemplate our galaxy, with its 100 billion stars, billions of solar systems, black holes, quarks, super strings, novae, etc? And then, how could you begin to contemplate a universe with 100 billion galaxies, each with 100-200 billion stars, etc? Infinite numbers of stars explode, creating new matter and new stars in an endless cycle that began (for us) 14 billion years ago, and who knows what is on the other side of the Big Bang?. Galaxies continually expand and crash into one another, creating new creations from the wreckage. If one cannot mentally or visually conceive these things, then how are we going to understand infinite regression?

A Brazilian that uses the southern phrase "y'all"? How different! Welcome.

I have a Google Chromecast, and use it quite a bit, even without a subscription to Netflix, etc.

There is help for those who feel worthless and depressed. Get help for it. Suicide will not solve the problem.

An acorn grows up to be a tree. Does it gets its ability to be a tree from its ancestors? Yes. However, being a tree is an inate thing in its DNA. It will not grow up to be anything else. God's power is inate within him, part of his DNA. It derives from his being God, whether he was always God or not is not germane to his godness.

Not on Netflix or any of the other sites (Amazon, Hulu Plus) right now. I can see many films and shows without them. CBS.com shows all their stuff online. I am watching Star Trek Voyager series from the start. There are lots of free stuff from Hulu, Youtube, etc., to see, as well. Saw "Ernest Saves Christmas" for free on Youtube for Christmas. Used my Google Chromecast and launched it onto the big screen. Also watch a lot of music vids, like Lindsey Stirling's violin videos, etc.

I'm blogging again on the Old Testament Sunday School lessons on my blog. I won't be posting here, as it is too much redundancy, and hard to keep up on multiple locations. However, you can see the first three lessons now and I will try and post one each week as we go forth. Joel's Monastery

Who IS this John Doe? And is he really a HE? And does he have hair? This and MORE will be revealed sometime in 2014!!! Stay tuned!

Welcome back. You know, from a distance, you resemble Clint Eastwood. Actually, you resemble Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future 3, where he is in the Old West and says his name is Clint Eastwood. Truly a poser, if ever there was one!

I did not know my future wife very well at all. We were friends briefly, when I went to South Korea in the military. Several months into my time there, I wrote her as a friend. We both sent each other a photo at the same time. Both of us received a witness of the Spirit as we saw the photo that we were to be married. I barely knew her, and so no feelings of "love" had developed. Yet, we obeyed the Spirit and were married soon after I returned from Korea. 27 years later, I still know it was the right decision: to marry even though romantic love had not yet developed. Given that for centuries marriages were arranged and people grew in love towards one another, I think we are truly confused in this day and age what love is all about.

That is a bunch of malarkey. You are basically saying that we are unthinking animals that cannot control/choose emotion. God is unable to fill us with charity/love (Moroni 7:48) regardless the situation? We can control reactions. But the Book of Mormon also tells us that we have the ability to act and not be acted upon (2 Nephi 2). IOW, we can CHOOSE ahead of time what emotion we will use. We can choose to love, even if others choose to react or not love. This is what separates those who will become as God, from those who will just be animals.