rameumptom

"Midgets" is a politically incorrect term. Please use the term "leprechaun." As a term, it is so much more magically delicious!

I see a fib in your writing. The Church is less strict than it was in generations past. If your mother and grandmother were allowed to drink a little wine, it wasn't in the LDS Church, which has had a ban on it since the 1850s. BTW, God doesn't keep us from the ones we love, WE keep ourselves from the ones we love. WE are the ones that become heartless, because WE refuse to repent, WE refuse to believe, WE refuse to accept the atonement on Christ's terms, WE refuse to become holy enough to dwell in God's presence. The gift of grace is waiting for anyone who will accept it on God's terms. But it must be on God's terms, otherwise we really are not accepting the gift, but looking the gift horse in the mouth. The Church is not as strict as it once was. A generation or two ago, adultery was an automatic excommunication. Now I sit on councils where former bishops who have committed adultery may not receive such strict discipline. In our teaching, we focus much more on faith and grace than before. So, I think someone is telling stories here, especially regarding wine drinking, which is truly a baloney sandwich if I ever saw one.

For those who only speak Spanish, it would be a major disadvantage for them. They need immersion in English in order to understand and speak English well enough to do well in advanced classes and in college. A bilingual school would just give them reason to never learn English well, and so hurt them in the long run.

We had a saying on our mission: If she didn't wait for you, it wasn't meant to be. If she did wait for you, it meant no one else wanted her. Seriously, If you are sitting by the phone/mailbox for 2 years waiting for him, it means you are not growing. Right now, the answer is for you to work on you and not worry too much about him. If it is the right thing, then you'll know it when he returns. If not, then the circumstances in your life will lead you in a better path, but only if you are busy working on YOU.

It was actually the more polite thing that came to my mind when I read it....

That's not a polite thing to say in regards to how Eowyn's dieting is working for her....

There is a temporary hell in Spirit Prison (in the Spirit World), and there is a permanent hell called Outer Darkness. On the story of Lazarus and the rich man, there was no way across the gulf at that time. Only Christ could bridge that gulf, and he had not accomplished his work yet. How does one go from Spirit Prison to Paradise? By having faith in Christ and repenting fully of one's sins. This is called Justification, or being made sinless in Christ. Through this process, we receive the gift of grace, which saves us from death and hell without any works of our own. As in Alma 36, Alma suffered in hell until he believed and repented, after which he was instantly rescued. There is also the process of Sanctification. This is where we grow in faith and repentance, make and receive covenants and ordinances, and receive greater portions of the Holy Spirit, which makes us more and more holy. In D&C 93, we learn that Christ went from grace to grace, receiving grace for grace until he obtained a fullness, and we must do the same. Obedience and keeping commandments become a natural outcome of our becoming holy. From Alma 12, Alma 36, Mormon 9 and other scripture, we find that we make our own hell. When we refuse to accept the grace of the atonement, and instead try to find our own method of salvation and happiness, we end up miserable (like Satan 2 Nephi 2). Only when we quit trying to have things our own way and embrace the atonement that Christ offers to us, can we have true happiness. For Alma, hell was facing his sins head on, realizing what he had done and knowing there was no escaping what he did on his own. He did not escape that hell until after he believed and repented. Outer Darkness is reserved for those who refuse to ever repent and embrace Christ. They choose to be his eternal enemy, loving Satan more than God, even as Cain (Moses 5). D&C 76 teaches that the Telestial are those who are worthy of hell and will suffer it until they repent, after which they receive the grace and gift of salvation in Christ. Joe Spencer discusses a lot of this in depth in a series of blog posts, as he reviews Stephen Robinson's book, Believing Christ. It will help you understand the importance of grace, and how we make our own hell by simply rejecting the atonement that is always there waiting for us to humbly accept through faith and repentance.

I believe we can still enjoy our family relationships in all the kingdoms of glory. That said, they will not be exactly what they are here. For the exalted, they can continue having children into the eternities and creating new family bonds, etc. D&C 76 tells us that those in the higher kingdoms will visit and instruct those in the lower kingdoms - a time for families to lovingly help those who were not as holy in this life. They can enjoy those relationships to the extent they may in the kingdoms they are in, but they will be limited by the amount of light, life and joy they have within themselves.

Maureen, that is a non sequitur question. Just because no specific Bible writing has been found on metal, does not mean some did not exist anciently. The Dead Sea Scrolls included some copper scrolls. They were not the Bible, but OT manuscripts were found among them.

Teancum Teancum was a diligent soldier. His small army was trained in discipline and the art of war, so that he could stop the Lamanites cold at Bountiful’s border. Bravery was also a pillar for Teancum. Braving death, Teancum crept among the Lamanite army’s tents until he found Amalickiah and slew him in his sleep. Such bravery has won impossible battles time and again in history’s wars. Because of such actions, the Lamanites ended their drive to the north. With Moroni’s strategies, the Nephite armies of Teancum and Lehi were able to regain some cities. But the war is only begun. Bibliography “Warfare in the Book of Mormon” by William Hamblin and Stephen Ricks: http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/ Macuahuitl: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macuahuitl

Book of Mormon Lesson 31 “Firm in the Faith of Christ” Alma 43–52 Having finished sharing his testimony with his sons, Alma and his people now look to many years of war. One major thing to note: most of the Lamanites are not interested in having a war with the Nephites. We shall see that the wars are almost always caused by Nephite dissenters. In this and the next lesson we find a lot of war, strategy, and bloodshed. I will not discuss much on these, but refer you to an excellent volume, “Warfare in the Book of Mormon” by William Hamblin and Stephen Ricks. So it is in this first major war that introduces Captains Moroni and Lehi to the reader. The apostate Zoramites are angered because Alma has “destroyed their craft” of plundering the poor and turning them into slaves. As with American history, some of our biggest wars were fought over freedom and slavery. Alma liberating the poor Zoramites, caused a similar reaction to that of the American South, in regards to the Underground Railroad and limits being placed on future expansion of slavery. Feeling that their rights were being threatened, both Zoramites and Southerners felt they had no other recourse than to fight back. In the case of the Zoramites, they quickly gained power, because they recruited the Lamanites to fight with them. A captain was called, Zarahemnah, who chose hardened Zoramites and other apostate Nephites to lead the armies against the Nephites. The name “Zarahemnah” may simply be the word Zarahemla with an alternate ending, or perhaps was pronounced differently by either the Zoramites or Lamanites, and so was spelled as it was pronounced. It does show a distinct connection to the city of Zarahemla, and therefore the Mulekites. The Mulekites were descended from the kings of Judah and Israel, They may have felt they had the right to rule over the Nephites, being descended from King David. Interestingly, Moroni does not see a problem in using strategy to defeat the oppressors. Have previous Nephite captains and leaders struggled with this issue in the past? His strategy includes using spies, seeking guidance from the prophet, and using an ambush to surround the Lamanite army. Why would Mormon note that Captain Moroni did not have a problem with such strategy, when it does not seem outlandish? In chapter 44, Zerahemnah is about to surrender, but rejects the demand of Moroni to make an oath to never invade or attack again. Zerahemnah realizes that either his people or their children would some day break the oath, something too important for him to do, as oath keeping was a very serious thing to do in the Ancient Near East. Only when he sees his men about to be completely destroyed, does he agree to make such an oath. We see Zerahemnah as the “bad guy”, and yet oaths are important enough to him that he would rather fight than to risk breaking it later. Also, the oath was important enough for Moroni to ask of it, and then accept it from Zerahemnah. Clearly, the characters involved are more complex than we often consider, and the culture is very different than ours today. Would you accept a promise from someone who was trying to kill you? In refusing to make the covenant, Zerahemnah attacks Moroni and is quickly stopped by Moroni’s guard. The guard scalps Zerahemnah, places the scalp on the tip of his sword, and threatens the Lamanites with utter destruction if they do not surrender. The “sword” which was used to scalp Zerahemna was probably a “macuahuitl”, a wooden sword with obsidian blades, used as a slashing weapon. It could easily remove a person’s scalp with little effort. Over the years, many LDS have thought this was the beginning of collecting scalps by Native Americans. However, the evidence suggests it is not the case. First, the Book of Mormon’s geography is most likely in Central America, around Guatemala and Honduras, etc. The people there were not known for collecting scalps of any kind. Second, this was not an intentional scalping, but occurred in an attempt to disarm the enemy. Third, the Book of Mormon does not mention anymore scalping incidents. It was likely a notable event, but nothing that started a trend toward scalping one’s enemies. Chapters 45-49 Alma turns the records and his position as chief priest over to Helaman, his son. He asks a series of believing questions: Do you believe what the records state? Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Will you keep the commandments? Helaman answers completely in the affirmative: Yea, I believe all of thy words. Yea, I will keep thy commandments with all my heart. Because of his belief, Alma told Helaman that he would prosper in the land. Again, this directs us back to the original teachings of Lehi, where if we keep the commandments, we will prosper in the land of promise. Alma then shares some secret things with Helaman. The Nephites would be visited by Christ, but would eventually reject him. Within 400 years of Christ’s visit to the Nephites, they would rebel against the perfect light of Christ they had received. “But whosoever remaineth, and is not destroyed in that great and dreadful day, shall be numbered among the Lamanites, and shall become like unto them, all, save it be a few who shall be called the disciples of the Lord; and them shall the Lamanites pursue even until they shall become extinct. And now, because of iniquity, this prophecy shall be fulfilled” (Alma 25:14). Interestingly, Mormon shares this secret telling between Alma and Helaman at a time when the young chief captain is called, Moroni. Mormon’s own son, Moroni, would be one of the few disciples of the Lord, who would be pursued until he was extinct. Alma blesses Helaman, the land for the righteous’ sake, and the Church. Then he curses the wicked, who have ripened in iniquity, so that only destruction will be left them. Why? Because the wicked will bring the destruction upon themselves. They are not wiped out by plagues, volcanoes, or earthquakes, but by the sword and their intense hatred. Alma then walks into the wilderness and never returns. Mormon speculates that Alma may have been “taken up by the Spirit” or translated, which he believes also happened with Moses. To be translated means to be changed from a mortal existence to something more. The body can no longer be hungry, tired or sickened. One can be saddened by the sins and iniquities of the world. The Great War The wars do not end with the promises made by Zerahemnah. It isn’t that the Lamanites want to return to war, but new players, who have not made an oath of peace, enter in. Amalickiah sought to be king of the Nephites. He flattered the lower judges, bribing them with positions of royal power, if they would support him as king. As I mentioned before when Mosiah created the reign of judges, the lower positions were given out to satisfy the various groups wanting power. It is very likely that many Mulekites were elected as lower judges, and were eager to gain more power. When King Mosiah II found them, the Mulekites were a people who had dwelt among the Jaredites for centuries, and had lost their language and religion. When they escaped the final wars of the Jaredites, the Mulekites brought with them to Zarahemla all of secret combinations and intrigues of the Jaredites. Amalickiah was their chance to gain more power. Here we get a true contrast between two men: Amalickiah and Moroni. Amalickiah uses flattering words to deceive and get gain. Moroni writes a few words upon his cloak and uses it as an ensign and Standard of Liberty to the people to call them to fight for their freedoms, family and God. Amalickiah has to offer positions of power and gain. Moroni only asks the people to defend their rights and families. Amalickiah seeks to use and abuse power. Moroni uses power to tear down power, and will retire immediately after the war is over. Unlike Amalickiah, Moroni quotes scripture from the Brass Plates. The patriarch Jacob received a remnant of the coat he made for Joseph. While he believed his son dead, Jacob still believed that somewhere was a remnant of young Joseph’s seed that would be blessed by God. As Moroni likened the scriptures to the Nephites, he proclaimed that they were to defend their faith and freedoms against tyranny. Moroni obtains a covenant from the Free Men, to fight for those things God had given them. Meanwhile, Amalickiah seeks a new strategy and flees to the Lamanites. In chapter 46, we read of the Title of Liberty. Realize that while Moroni promotes liberty that he is not beyond selective freedom. He takes free speech away from those who would have Amalickiah as their king. In fact, those who will not defend freedom and country, perhaps what some may call pacifists, are forced to take up arms or are put to death. What is the limit of freedom, and does a free nation have the right to place such a restriction upon it? In chapters 47, Amalickiah uses his flattery and intrigue to gain the trust of the Lamanite king, then the Lamanite army. In both instances, he betrays them. The Lamanite captain is poisoned and the king slain, so that Amalickiah may become king himself. His pattern is like that of the Jaredites, willing to do anything in order to get gain and power. Jaredite history was filled with intrigue, betrayals, and overthrows. While the Nephites have experienced the Jaredite methods for a couple generations now (since coming to Zarahemla), the Lamanites have never seen it before, and are totally gullible. We can see the goodness in the Lamanites, as most of them desire not to war with the Nephites. It is possible that they recalled the oath Zerahemnah made to Moroni, to never come again to battle with the Nephites. Oaths being so important, they would not have wanted to break it, and so ran away from the Lamanite king. Only Amalickiah’s treachery and trickery could stir up the Lamanites against the Nephites sufficiently to fight them. In chapter 49, we find that Moroni’s preparations for war are very useful in the beginning. Throwing up walls around the Nephite cities gave greater protection. The Lamanite hearts would sink, and possibly many would run away. In this we find that military preparations only help so far. Once the heart of the people is corrupted, no fortifications can protect from outside invasion for long. Morianton Chapter 50 In the incident between the cities of Lehi and Morianton, we discover some interesting things. Moroni set up cities in the wilderness in order to create a border defense against the Lamanites. He kicked the redneck Lamanites living in the wilderness (often described as vicious, wearing loincloths, and eating raw meat) out of the disputed territory. While this gave the Nephites greater security, it could have been used by Amalickiah as a reason for the Lamanites to attack. Such an action would disturb the status quo, as Lamanites had lived in the wilderness territory for centuries. Next, Morianton is a Jaredite name (Ether 1:22). Here we can see that there is still a physical division between Mulekites (Morianton) and Nephites (Lehi). Again, there is a border dispute involved, as Moroni had not established strong boundaries between cities and lands. The people of Morianton are viewed immediately as the bad guys in black hats, while those in Lehi are the good guys. The man Morianton is described as being of “much passion”. He and his people take up arms, forcing the people of Lehi to flee to Moroni for protection. Well, of course Moroni would take their side, as he also is a Nephite! (or so the Mulekites would have thought). Morianton only sees one option, ally with the Lamanites. Only a battle with Moroni keeps them from escaping. We see that the frontier was dangerous. Allies were not always dependable, trustworthy, nor good. This could have been another reason for the Lamanites to attack - obviously Moroni was forcing people against their will! The Lamanites could swoop in and save those enslaved by their Nephite captors. “And thus were the people of Morianton brought back. And upon their covenanting to keep the peace they were restored to the land of Morianton, and a union took place between them and the people of Lehi; and they were also restored to their lands” (Alma 50:36). Again, the oath was something very important to all involved. I’m sure Morianton had told his people that Moroni would slay them all if they did not fight or escape. To find themselves restored to their land, must have seemed incredible. Moroni was still willing to trust them to defend the border and have their own autonomy, as long as they worked in union with the city of Lehi. King Men and Free Men Chapter 51-52 But the internal contentions do not end with Morianton. Instead, many refuse to fight against the Lamanites. They want Amalickiah’s troops to come in and take over. They want a king. In refusing to fight, they weakened the armies of Moroni and risked sabotage and internal intrigue. Moroni was forced to shut down their rebellion by moving much of his army away from the frontier with the Lamanites, and back into the heart of the Nephite lands. Suddenly, there was a new division among the Nephites. Where they once were divided by kinship, now they would divide on political lines. Free men wished to maintain the freedoms given them by King Mosiah, while the King Men wished to return to the greatness and power the nation had under its kings. Moroni was again forced to take arms against them. Those who would not covenant to fight for freedom were slain. During this dangerous period, with the nation divided, the Lamanites attacked. Though the cities were well defended, they were not impregnable. It did not take long for the Lamanites to find the weaknesses of the Nephite cities and overthrow them. The Nephite armor, the Nephite reinforced cities, and all of Moroni’s technological advances could not protect the Nephites. Even with such advances, the Nephites fled before the Lamanite army even to the borders of the land Bountiful. The only thing that could stop them was a strong and true heart, as we find in Teancum.

Bini, you compare apples with oranges when it comes to someone who builds a building that will have children's films in it (or was built several decades ago, when violent films were less than they are today), with someone directly involved with a violent movie. While the murderer is most responsible for his actions (if the Lord determines he is mentally stable) there are others that also need to be responsible. For example, what is a 6 year old doing in a violent film at midnight? I'm glad the babysitter tried to save her, but why is the babysitter bringing a 6 year old to the film at midnight? That Hollywood promotes sex and violence means they have some responsibility on how it affects society. There are several here that are angry that Hollywood and others are promoting gay marriage, but let them off the hook when they promote violence. Seriously? Can we get some balance here? The Book of Mormon condemns sexual sin, but its bigger message is regarding violence. If we are defending Hollywood and those that promote violence, then we have been convinced that evil is good. As it is, it seems there are several here that just do not want to hear this. So I'm bowing out of this discussion, praying that all of us can see the evil that is upon us. I do not think Christian Bale is an evil man, but he is thoughtlessly promoting evil things.

I think his weakness is he talks too much, and so the "Shhh" was just the leader's way of saying, "shut up for once!"

My point is WHY does it need to be taken out of a film? Because it is wrong to have in the first place! I will admit that over the years I have enjoyed violence in my films. But as I now look at life and the goings on throughout the world, I see unwarranted violence as a slap in God's face. When the world collapses into violent chaos as it did prior to the Flood, I think we will all mourn the day we were so cavalier about violence and refusing responsibility for it. In doing so, we lie to ourselves and God, and I fear that for many of us the repentance will come at an expensive price.

If that is the case, then there is lots of evidence for ancient metal writings. Among the Dead Sea Scrolls was found the Copper Scroll, containing a list of treasure. In the last century, we've found ancient metal plates (gold, silver, copper, lead, etc) in many places, including Persia, South Korea, and the Levant. Hugh Nibley discusses it briefly in An Approach to the Book of Mormon, chapter 2. In fact, at Millennial Star blog, we'll be discussing this chapter beginning Sunday. I've already prepared the post, and it will go online very early that morning.

The Hebrew word Etz means "wood" and can mean many things, depending on the usage. If you sit on an Etz, it is a chair. If an Etz grows, it is a tree. If you write/read, it is a book. Some etz used by Israel and other Middle Eastern groups was wood with wax on it, and they would write on the wax. So, it wasn't always completely wood we are talking about. Second, according to the Documentary Hypothesis, the Bible as we have it today did not come directly from Moses. Instead, it was oral for centuries, and then various portions were written by different people/groups (J, E, D, P, R) and combined after the Diaspora (530BC). The Brass Plates of Laban, being from the line of Joseph, was probably written in Northern Israel and brought to Jerusalem just prior to Northern Israel's destruction by the Assyrians. Some scholars have suggested that the Brass Plates of Laban could be the source for E, and I tend to agree from the evidence. So, it has nothing directly to do with what Moses wrote himself, as those writings probably were in the Ark of the Covenant and lost with it, or lost/decayed before hand, leaving mostly an oral tradition behind. Note that it was a big deal when the book of Deuteronomy was found within the temple in King Josiah's day, showing that some of Moses' writings were not in their possession for a period of time. You can read more about the Documentary Hypothesis here: http://www.lds.net/forums/book-mormon/44043-book-mormon-gospel-doctrine-lesson-1-keystone-our-religion.html

Nephi wrote 1 and 2 Nephi about 20 years after leaving Jerusalem. He would long have had the Brass Plates in his hands by then. People often assume things when they write, especially regarding the knowledge of their audience. He didn't have to explain how he knew they were brass, because they had been in his possession for years by the time he wrote.

Anatess, look at the Joker. They made a very compelling and interesting bad guy that people liked! People talked more about Heath Ledger's character than Batman, and he earned several awards postmortem over it. They glorified the Joker's violence. All other actors involved were complicit in the level of violence, etc., in the movie. What did the murderer call himself when the cops arrested him? "I'm the Joker." Another point, for the last few weeks an upcoming Sean Penn movie has had its trailer in the movies. In this one, a bunch of bad guys come through a movie theater screen and shoot up the audience. Hmmmmm. I wonder where the murderer got his idea to do something like that?

Mr Bale chose to be in three violent films. Studies have long shown the impact violent films have on people. While he did not write the screen play or direct, he accepted millions of dollars to be its spokesperson. Up until the tragedy, he was hitting all the talk shows promoting the film. Guess what? He's responsible for his part in it. As for the abused child that goes out and harms, the abusive father IS partially responsible. D&C teaches that parents are responsible for what they teach their children: D&C 68:25-28 "And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents..... And they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord." D&C 98:16 teaches: "Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children;" Joseph Smith and other leaders were often chastised by the Lord for not teaching their children. Yes, I also blame parents for accepting such violence into their homes and lives. Sometimes I think we Christians have it all wrong when it comes to violence. We scream at sexy movies and music, etc., and we should. But then give full license for our kids (and ourselves) to enjoy as much violent as we can get in these things. Had the movie been about child rape, and the perpetrator had sexually harmed several kids, we would all be after the movie makers and actors. Yet, because this is about violence, we try and defend those who promote violence. I'm here to promote peace and denounce violence. And I am denouncing those who are teaching our children violence. Yes, the BoM is violent. But it has a purpose, in showing how evil that violence and hatred is, and the importance of proclaiming the love and peace of Christ. It does not glorify violence. Batman has been made into a "dark knight" that seems to enjoy the violence too much. That is not a hero. And anyone who plays such a violent character is not a hero (as the OP suggests).

I'm not blaming guns or spoons. I am blaming those who are creating a violent culture for strongly molding and influencing our culture of violence. Just as tobacco manufacturers are responsible for how they advertise their products, I think Madison Avenue is partially responsible for our obesity problem, btw. They spend millions annually to indoctrinate us in buying and eating the biggest burger, the tasty fries, etc. That said, one usually does not find 70 people seriously injured or killed in an instant from sitting down at a McDonalds. The level of comparison is important here. The Book of Mormon warns us concerning violence and breeding violence. I don't think we need to abrogate freedom of speech, but when someone says or does something, their action can and should be held responsible for any negative outcomes. If a series of extremely violent movies and video games lead to a massacre, then the makers of the movie should be partially responsible. They take the risk when they make the film or game, knowing they are influencing society.

Perhaps it is a sincere gesture. But sincere gestures do not fix major problems in society. If he's serious about it, then he needs to make some big changes. No more acting in violent films, and encouraging others to not support such films. Donating part of his millions to organizations that support victims of violence.

He was the main character in three violent films that influenced the murderer. If actors refused to act in extremely violent films we would have fewer of them. Instead, they seek to make millions by continually "pushing the envelope" of what is good/evil. They took the Batman of the 1960s and turned him into a very dark and evil character. So, now there is little difference between good guys and bad guys? If someone isn't part of the solution, then that person is part of the problem.

Your husband and you are not expected to financially assist these families. Nor are you expected to do everything for them. Your husband is to report the needs to the EQP, and allow the quorum to share the burden. Get with your husband on what he/you both can/will do to help these families. Anything above that goes to the quorum to assist and manage. In fact, the Quorum president is in charge of long term welfare, and so should put in place a system that can help the down and out get back on their feet. He should be looking at local government and charitable resources when possible. If someone needs training for a new job, then there are resources which the quorum can find. Your husband is not to do everything, and should discuss with his quorum leaders where he needs help in this. This can also include rides, etc.

If Christian Bale wants to impress me, then he can donate all of his earnings from this Batman movie (and perhaps the other two) to the victims of this tragedy. Otherwise, it is just a photo op moment to try and save this Batman movie from losing money.

Ask your bishop to read his Church Handbook vol 1. It explains it in there. There is a waiting period after baptism to have priesthood and temple blessings restored.