I would agree. I have given blessings I know were just me making stuff up, saying what was wanted to hear in a non specific way. I don't like it, but I figure it's the best way to avoid more people being hurt. At the end of the day if is provides comfort in a placebo type way that's still better than nothing.
Forum: Recovery Board

Not in London itself, but close to it. We had that presentation as well... I think it was a national thing. The church really thinks there's going to be hundreds of people knocking at the door now, and wants us to be prepared. I haven't seen any evidence yet of anyone being influenced by it. Its odd - on the one hand they are opposed to the musical yet they are quite happy to piggy back off it w
Forum: Recovery Board

I had to sit through Sunday School today which was all about how great Joseph Smith was. How great the BoM is. How it contains the whole of the plan of salvation. (I pointed out to DW that it doesn't - she spent the next 10 minutes frantically looking in vain to find references to the pre-existence or 3 degrees. Really the TBM members have no idea what's in the book.) Anyway I think Jesus was on
Forum: Recovery Board

I have heard of this. When I was in the MTC one of the sisters read it out as a spiritual thought. She was so overcome "by the spirit" she was crying etc. I thought it sounded a bit suspiscious at the time.. after all, woudn't it be more famous if it was real? I did manage to track down details of it somewhere - it's definately a work of fiction. Now the fact that the sister was so spir
Forum: Recovery Board

After I went through the first time just before my mission I was deeply disturbed. I talked to my Bishop about it and he said that the more you go the more you will understand it. That's why we were told to go so often. He clearly didn't know any more about what any of it meant than I did. No one does. Its a classic Emperor's New Clothes scenario. No one is going to be brave enough to be the firs
Forum: Recovery Board

Jospeh was a frequent drinker, I believe his journals mention having beers etc. I find it funny that after receiving the WOW he continued to drink... yet as a boy he didn't drink when there was no WOW. How's that for mixed up?
Forum: Recovery Board

And equally, someone who googles the temple ceremony can discover the tokens and signs without being a mormon and can get into heaven...
Forum: Recovery Board

Yes, then I do know you! Quite well! Unfortunately I am not sure I am as brave to reveal my name here, but if you want I can be in touch separately.
Forum: Recovery Board

The reason I ask is because from your description I think its possible that I know you outside of the forum. Now you might be comfortable staying anonymous, I'd understand that. If you did want to talk outside the forum though if that would help, equally would be happy to do that too.
Forum: Recovery Board

Miggols99, What I would add is that you are not alone in having to keep up appearances for family sake. I think you'd be surprised if you knew who around you might be feeling the same way, I am sure there will be some. Would you be happy talking to someone else in the same position, if you could find them?
Forum: Recovery Board

I would agree with this assessment. Recently I have been looking at the churchs UK accounts for 2011 (the most recent available). Of all the tithing money spent, NONE appears to be spent on anything charitable. Only the money donated specifically for Fast Offering or Humanitarian aid goes somewhere charitable and that's untraceable as it goes back to HQ first. We only have their word that's where
Forum: Recovery Board

Wait! have I missed something? Is Monson terribly ill?
Forum: Recovery Board

This is amazing work... so uncanny, checking the day I went, looking at the list, and seeing that same name I was given staring right back at me. And to think at the time I thought it was unique to me and inspired...
Forum: Recovery Board

I know it's all made up, and there are no real consequences, but what does the church say will happen if you just stop wearing garments but keep attending? Yes, you'd lose your recommend, but beyond that are there any "blessings" you would lose? Would you still be able to get the CK?
Forum: Recovery Board

Hi Geoff I think I know you in "Real life". You might prefer to keep all discussions like this online here, but if you like I could make myself known to you outside of the forum?
Forum: Recovery Board

Thanks for the info on this... Does anyone know how this letter came to be preserved? In who's posession it was? Where is the original now? Have any apologists ever tried to dismiss it as fake? Thanks!
Forum: Recovery Board

Not R Rated, but in my mission there was an urban myth that the Rocky movies were OK for us to watch on P Days since they were "inspirational". Me and my companion got through the whole box set 1-5 one day. Good times!
Forum: Recovery Board

Does anyone know when tithing really came into effect in the church? Did JS start it? If so what was so significant about Lorenzo Snow's famous sermon on it then? If there was no tithing in JS time, how did the church get any money? Just random donations from whoever JS could persude to part with the cash?
Forum: Recovery Board

I was District Leader and Zone Leader in UK mission in late 90s and the questions I had to ask were: Abortion Murder Homosexuality Serious Crime (nothing more specific than that) So glad I didn't have to ask about masturbation...
Forum: Recovery Board

Even at the time the KJV was produced, thee and thou were falling out of use. However William Tyndale, who produced much of the translation that came to be in the KJV, sought to preserve the singular and plural distinctions that he found in his Hebrew and Greek originals. Therefore, he used thou for the singular and ye for the plural regardless of the relative status of the speaker and the addres
Forum: Recovery Board

Really? Well that actually makes sense. Is there anything documented anywhere, or is this speculation?
Forum: Recovery Board

Ok I was reading this today and I found this in verse 51: 51 Verily, I say unto you: A commandment I give unto mine handmaid, Emma Smith, your wife, whom I have given unto you, that she stay herself and partake not of that which I commanded you to offer unto her; for I did it, saith the Lord, to aprove you all, as I did Abraham, and that I might require an offering at your hand, by covenant an
Forum: Recovery Board

The Isaiah chapters were actually some of the last bits to be translated, and didnt correspond to Olivers arrival, since the part that corresponded to the lost 116 pages was done last. I've read a theory somewhere that this was the point JS thought he had written enough and just lumped a load of the Bible in the fill the remaining pages.
Forum: Recovery Board

Thanks for the info... Where does the information come from though? Is it in the church history somewhere, or are there letters? I also read about the letter to John Dunham requesting the Nauvoo legion, however I also heard that this letter was one of the Hofmann forgeries. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks!
Forum: Recovery Board

I have read in various places that before he went to Carthage and to his death, JS was supposed to have fled Nauvoo and was only persuaded to return by Emma Smith calling him a coward. Does anyone know the source for this story? I can't seem to find it anywhere. How reliable is it? Thanks!
Forum: Recovery Board

Again thanks for the many responses. To answer "If you never find a suitable answer to your questions, does that justify accepting the church's explanations for those events as valid?" Well possibly not. The church clearly has presented a slightly different take on all these stories than seems to have actually happened, and just kept quiet about other parts. I wouldnt have had to have
Forum: Recovery Board

Thanks! Something that had never occured to me previously.
Forum: Recovery Board

Hi all Many thanks for all the detailed responses, I appreciate it, and a lot of it makes sense! There's a lot of info here for me to go through, but I expect I will be back!
Forum: Recovery Board

Hi everyone. I've been lurking aroud here for several months taking it all in. I guess I'm what you'd call TBM but having serious doubts. I still have some questions to work through that you guys may have already thought about. If JS made it all up.. 1) Who wrote the BOM? Could he really have written such a big piece himself in a few months, especially as his early writings/letters seem very p
Forum: Recovery Board