Rico

But what about social security?

I assume the prophets also collect social security and medicare. If so, does that create an uneasy relationship whereby the leaders are collecting government benefits?

I think you need to turn to your bishop when you need help. Since you are going back to view it time and again and are having a tough time putting a stop to it, I think a Bishop could be the help you need.

So this is why you are leaving? Mormon Church purchases Maricopa land from builders Sounds kind of lame to leave a church because they bought 1900 acres of prime real estate land? When the economy picks up, and it will, it will be shown to have been a good investment. Just think, if the church hadn't stepped in and bought it, someone else would have...and they would be benefiting.... I guess to each their own.....I sure hope that you find a church to go to that goes along with your strong Book of Mormon testimony. From what I heard, there aren't very many.

Dude, I am an American. My ancestors walked across the plains to Zion. I have just lived in enough countries around the world to see the reality that many people face in their day to day life. People really aren't that different around the world and want the same things out of their life. They just have different ways of getting it.

Yes I am free to disagree with you and free to say that you didn't understand what I said. We need to take control of our lives and be empowered. That means taking action to kick the lousy thieving bums out on their rear. That is real action. Or maybe we need to completely overhaul our economic system by taking the power back. How is that for empowering? This system we have now is corrupt. It's time to change things and change things for the better. You would do quite well to read Progress and Poverty by Henry George and then you might understand what I am talking about. Don't worry, it's in the public domain and won't cost you a thing.

Now you are getting to the meat of it all. production means nothing, the means of production is everything. Unfortunately, Skippy, you are out of touch with reality. Skills and education will not get you as far as having the means of production. Heavenly Father owns all of the resources and all of those resources are more than enough for his children to use and prosper with if we just have the right education and skills. That's the way it should be. Unfortunately, a few of his children have decided to monopolize these resources. Imagine how different the world would be if the means of production were not in the hands of the greedy and that everyone could use their own education and skills to produce for themselves. We could truly then say that the only people living in poverty where those who chose to live in poverty. Ah, but forget about righting this wrong. The bleeding heart liberals see the problem, but their solution is the status quo. Tax the heck out of production, but keep the means of production in the evil few. All this does is perpetuate the status quo by making it more difficult for others to save up money to acquire the means of production. I am looking forward to the day when a man earns what he is worth and his experience and skills are truly valued as they should be. We all know that day is coming and when it does, that million dollar car and 20 million dollar house will be worthless.

What could he say or do that would make you feel better about everything?

You'll give me a quarter? How insulting. You can keep your quarter and instead take some time to read Doctrine and Covenants, you will find many references saying just the same. Or maybe you need to look in the Book of Mormon or the Bible. You will find plenty of references saying just the same. Maybe what you should do right now is to pray for eyes to see and ears to hear.....if you don't understand that buying a million dollar car while others are suffering is a bad thing.

Dude, you are on the internet. You are being brash, but there are people reading what you have to say living on next to no money every month. Yes, you are wealthy. Instead of living like they do, that's the wrong way. Live modestly and help them live the way you do. I have no problem with anyone having a million dollar car and a 20 million house, I think it's great and I think everyone should live like that.

Relativism is hurting all of us....so play the relativism game because it's what so many people play in an effort to make themselves feel better about their transgressions. Go and ahead and play the relativism card in front of Heavenly Father. Let's see how far it gets you. My guess is not that far, but I could be wrong. We all have free agency and we will all have to answer for the choices that we make. No amount of trying to justify it will work. And the person who buys the million dollar car is going to have to sit at the judgement bar and answer why he bought a million dollar car when his brother was dying for lack of money to buy medicine. Maybe that question won't be asked, I don't know. Maybe Heavenly Father will be satisfied with the answer that it made him feel good inside to buy a million dollar car, I don't know. One thing is certain, I am certainly thankful that I won't have that burden...though I have burdens of my own. And let's toss a firebomb in the theater, I have severe diabetes with blood sugar in the 300's and 400's most of the time and I have no money for medicine. I am dying early because of this. Which do you think is better, forgo the million dollar car and help me live or let me die and enjoy a million dollar car? Oops, you are a relativist, so let's put this in simpler terms. Are you willing to forgo the new $12,000 car and stick with your still functioning used car in order to insure that a brother lives?

I don't think anyone has a right to have a 20 million dollar house when there are people who don't even have a home. Imagine if he settled for a 500,000 house and then devoted 19.5 million to an enterprise that gave decent jobs to people. I'm not talking handouts or charity, just honest decent paying jobs. The same goes for a million dollar car, use the money to help let other people work. Just do the math, if that 19.5 million was used to generate income and those earning were full tithe payers, the Lord's income would be increased many times over. Or maybe I am wrong....

Motorcylce taxi drivers in Thailand are known for taking care of problems like the ones you are facing, but that's probably not an option in the UK. :) I'd go talk to the your BP and just tell him what you are feeling in your heart. Don't just go with a problem, go with a solution in mind. Maybe that solution is just having him listen to you and tell you that everyone will be ok.

We drink a lot of powdered milk and reconstituted evaporated milk. We have to where it tastes pretty good. The trick? We add either a bit of sugar or a bit of condensed milk after we have mixed up the powerded milk or evap milk. The little bit of sweetness makes it drink very well.

See it's a very complicated issues and things of God are not ever complicated......I still say that God is above all of this. I think the article of faith dealing with being subject can be taken many different ways based on interpreation of it. The only way that one can really interpret it is to compare it against how Joseph Smith himself interpreted it, since he wrote. He certainly didn't conform to man's law in any instance where it went against the Law as God gave to Him. And neither did Jesus or else He would have never been crucified.

While this is one particular case, it's actually quite common.

Furthermore, Vort, you are saying that God will confirm to man's laws. I am confused. Who is supreme, man or God?

They would be prosecuted for bigamy. In fact, they could be prosecuted for bigamy ad concubinage right now. Vort, in the constitution there is a supremacy clause in fed vs state. I assume that God's Law is always supreme over man's law. You can't honestly believe that if the feds passed a law that required all men to hunt down and kill people with green hair that God would go along with it.

Actually to add a wrinkle to it. The couple was unable to be sealed in the Manila temple and had to go a temple in a third country so the temple in Manila wouldn't recognize the marriage because of the civil law, but one in another country could. Adultery is a crime in the Philippines and this behavior is specifically singled out as adultery under the law in the Philippines. :) So it's possible to commit adultery and live the covenants made in the temple. :) I think there is an easier answer to both this and the original poster...the Law of God is supreme to manmade law and if man's law contradicts with God's Law then God's Law is followed.

Ok, now I am going to give a real live example of this. A man and a woman are both married to other people in their home country of the Philippines. They go off and work in another country. They fall in love, divorce their spouses and get married in this other country. Their home country, the Philippines, doesn't have divorce and in fact, doesn't recognize foreign divorces of its citizens. In other words, in the Philippines, they are still married to their original spouses. This couple then goes to the temple in a 3rd country and gets sealed together. When they go back to the Philippines, they are still legally married to another spouse, if they are intimate with each other while in Philippines, they can arrested for adultery, but what is the church stance? They are lawfully married in another jurisdiction. Also, judging from the posts here, if they both went back to their original spouses and were intimate, that would be legal? How would that fit in with the doctrine of the Church? It's not adulterous by the law of the land, but ???? They would be violating their covenants when sealed, right? As you answer this, you might want to revisit original answers to the original post....

You have probably done all that you can do and there is probably nothing else that you can do. Still, I think it's cold and hard to just kick him out so it's not surprising that you might be worried about him. Does he have a job? Does he have any savings? If no to these, then maybe you needed to handle things differently and it still isn't too late. If he comes back and still doesn't want to live the rules then maybe it is time to do the right thing. Sit him down with all of the family there. Give him an envelope with money so that he doesn't leave broke. Give them him a hug and let him know that he is on his own from that moment forward. Let him know that you love him and that he is welcome back anytime he is willing to abide by new rules, including paying rent, even $50 a month is a something.

I am the EQ secretary. It's a case of no home teachers being assigned. I have suggested it twice, but I feel out of place doing any more than that because my calling is to serve others, not serve myself. I'd love to be assigned the HT companionship that's having the most difficult time of doing their home teaching because every Sunday, I would suggest that they come and visit me that week. Well, I think they feel hamstrung. Where I am is one of the most economically depressed areas in the US. Population has fallen 30% in the last 4 years. Total employment is probably less than half of what is was just 5 years ago. There is a large misallocation of labor, meaning that the skills needed are not present in the existing unemployed workforce. What this means is that the people are depressed. I know a lot of people are praying for things to get better and hoping that things can be improved, but I remember what Elder Bednar said. He said, to the effect, are you willing to be the answer to your prayers? I am willing to be. I am just one person and I am doing my best. At the same time, I feel so alone. My family feels alone. We just want to feel that someone actually cares. I have a feeling that if me and my family feels that need, I am sure that other families feel that need as well. I know have an idea and I thank you for that...time to suggest another idea....

Thanks, the help I need isn't financial. I will make do and get through things. Heavenly Father watched out for me when I wasn't following the Gospel, I know He won't abandon me now. I am just looking for fellowship and friendship. I'd like to see some work towards building up Zion. This is the time to do it. Despite my health issues and financial issues, I am ready and willing to do what it takes to help out. This is our chance to be part of something better and more important than ourselves. I'd love to have the stupidity to go and talk to our Branch Presidency and say: But I won't say that because it's not me to get inspiration for the Branch. I will just keep it to myself. I have seen inspired leadership in this Church and I know that this Church is true. I know that members and leaders make mistakes. I just pray that our Branch President would ask us this 5th Sunday for Relief Society and EQ members to give their ideas to help build up Israel.

Going to the temple isn't about money right now, it's about logistics. The only way to get to the temple is by flying for 6 hours on the plane. My wife really shouldn't leave until her green card AOS is approved and that could be another 6 to 8 months, or more. I need to renew the US passports for my kids and that takes money, but also time, maybe 6 to 8 weeks. It's complicated, but we knew it and so did HF. On day 361 of our membership in the Church, we were a $3 ride away from the temple....now we are a $3000 plane flight(4 people) from the temple. I am content with waiting on the temple and it's something we prayed about as a family. We decided that it was ok to wait. I just didn't expect to be brought into a meeting and then told, well the church can help to go to temple, but you need put together a budget and figure out how much you can save. Right now, we can save zero. If HF was ok with us not going then, I am sure He is ok with us waiting until we actually have money and can again go to the temple easily. Our goal is to go to the Seattle temple and be sealed as a family, once we have other things taken care and can make the trip to the mainland and see my mother.

Dating is a way we grow and is a way to meet other people to help us make our decision on who we should be with. Being that you feel you should date others and learn more then it's pretty clear that you are not 100% sure this is the guy you want to be. The best thing you can do is realize this and have him realize this. Maybe, just maybe, being away from him for 2 years and dating others will make you 100% sure that he is the guy for you. Just want to add, any time you date, temptation enters the picture....but you already know that.