Having spent Thankgsgiving around my family, I'm once again reminded that we live in totally separate moral worlds. My values are so different from theirs it's unbelievable. When we get together, we really only talk about the old days, because we differ too much to talk about what we're up to these days. They have their way of thinking, and I have mine, and what's more, these days I teach peop
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Thank you so much.
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The FLDS don't want the LDS to define the term either.
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I just found out that my father is in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. I've actually been worried about it for a while now. I've had a lot a struggles getting along with my dad over the years, but I was always happy to share my dreams with him about my intellectual life. Now, I don't know what to say to him. He's thrilled that I've become such a success in this endeavor, but five minu
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This topic is my whole life. As a philosopher, I'm an ethicist. Every time we make a decision about what to do we are making an ethical decision, to some degree. The ultimate question of morality is, how must I live? Every decision about this is a moral decision. I don't believe in moral relativism. But the questions that concern our individual lives are different from the questions that
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I've been posting here off and on for well over 10 years, and I've had a considerable amount to say over the years about many different topics. So now, I'm setting up a page on FB that is going to be dedicated to whatever issues interest me. But that is a lot, so I've got just a few starter ideas. First of all, the most important interest of is the human rights problems in polygamous societies
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Once I was talking to a Mormon about the BOM. She was actually a jack-Mormon. She said to me "I know the BOM is true. I haven't read it but I know it's true." That really makes it easy. You don't even have to know what is in it. You just have to believe.
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I'm sorry. I gave you a really lame response above. Anyone can tell you that you can do what you want. But I came up with something that might interest you. Is there anything about your whole Mormon and exmo experience that has given you a kind of particular talent? Did you get out of Mormonism because you're good at something in particular? If so, that's a good indication that it's somet
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Now that you're finished with Mormonism, you can do whatever you want, within reason of course. I've been out for 27 years and the celebration never ends. I've done so many things I could never have done. When I say "within reason" I really do mean it. That is your only constraint now.
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Whoa. I know exactly what you're going through. Try to be careful with that stuff. It can bite back. Do you need to spend some time with wild people who are sober? Really, I'd hate to see someone go off the deep end like I did. There are healthier ways to rebel against the most sorry excuse for religion in the West. Have fun, but remember that you have to take responsibility for yourself n
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They find that insanely important for some reason.
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n/t
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We were discussing the "shock treatment" that LDS leaders have tried to use as an aversion to same-sex attraction. Some idiot said "While OBVIOUS horrible mistakes were made..." OK, who made the mistakes? It wasn't admitted to me who made them.
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Jesus put out a message and everyone who agreed with him clicked "like." That's the extent of LDS activism, and valiance.
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"It is not wanted that there might be a telling of the whole truth." If I'm grading papers and someone pulls this stunt, I draw a line right through the sentence. I consider it a fine art to express oneself in the most efficient way possible. I don't want to give people any reason to ask me to make myself more clear. I own everything I say and I absolutely HATE to be misunderstood
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It's amusing that whenever the Salt Lake Tribune suggests there is division among the LDS it makes them all fight like cats and dogs, while at the same time they're trying to hide the fact that they don't all believe the same thing. Then, when you point out their disagreements, they get really irate. They do not want to appear divided to everyone else. It totally cracks me up! How many of the
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My boss loves it when I criticize Mormonism. He's from India and it blows his mind to hear my stories. And he's seen some crazy stuff in his life. He's an expert on the religions of India, for example. It's like he can't get enough of it. He's always suggesting that I talk about it more in class. The only reason I don't say a whole lot is because the whole lecture tends to get sidetracked i
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I've decided that when people flaunt their religion in public, they're just begging to be challenged. I can't turn them down. It's like a drug to me. If you think your religion is too sacred for criticism, you have no business discussing it in public. Facebook is a public site. I'll be there, but I won't be bearing my testimony. I'll be challenging the people who do. For a philosopher, the
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Now that's a guy who has influenced a hemisphere. Mormons are constantly being told how wonderful some talk was when in truth, almost everyone was asleep the whole time. They don't know what it's like to go to an exciting lecture or debate. All they know is a lot of droning and boring personal stories and a bunch of words mixed up in a soup and served cold.
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Wow! That really looks interesting. He's definitely got the touch when it comes to human anatomy. I'll have to stop in next time I'm on campus.
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When I went to the AUB private school at the "Brown House" in Bluffdale, Utah, part of my junior high curriculum was to tutor younger kids who were learning how to read. It's not that it was such a bad idea, especially since I could read extremely well from a very early age. I was better educated than most of the teachers by that age and that isn't even anything to boast about. But w
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I was around Japanese businessmen way back in my capitalist days. The thing I had to learn about them is that they would not directly say "no." They always had a more passive way of giving a negative reply, and they were constantly nodding even if they had no idea what someone was talking about. I adore the Japanese culture, don't get me wrong, but this kind of cultural passivity can
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His voice was heard by me.
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Absolutely hilarious! Thanks CA girl.
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"What is wanted?" Does this drive you crazy? I could strangle whoever came up with the idea that this style makes one sound important. The sentence is supposed to go: "What do you want?" Grrrr. It's like God is so important we can't even address certain matters like normal people do. "The Book of Mormon was translated by the Prophet Joseph Smith." No n
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I came up with the smoking question a couple of days ago, then I just thought about all of the hilarious implications. When I started this thread, I only had a vague idea about what I was going to type, but it just came out all at once and it had me laughing so hard I just had to share it here. I'm amazed that I was once actually expected to believe all of this, but this is Mormon fundamentalis
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As soon as they start to say "I testify...", that's a perfect time to interrupt and say thank you, that's enough. Then, end the conversation and walk away if necessary. They really are expecting people to be amazed or something, since this is just how they act around their own kind and it's all just a show anyway. Don't give them any indication that you take them seriously or they'll
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It sounds like a good part-time job, and if you enjoy doing it, so what. You're not contributing to their madness. You're actually making the world a little bit better by what you do. Keep doing it if you enjoy it and it pays well. But if you want a job that takes a jab at religion, there's always philosophy. But you'll make better money as a musician. Trust me on that one! And they're bot
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Electroconvulsive therapy has been used in a very limited capacity to treat depression when nothing else worked. It actually has helped people. But it has nothing to do with what this article mentions. Electric shock has been used in cruel experimental ways in an effort to cause a psychological aversion, but it is not the same thing as electroconvulsive therapy, which the patient reportedly do
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All of this will be revealed in time, Levi. When we get to heaven, knowledge will be computerized and we'll be able to just download it directly into our heads. This has been promised to all worthy and righteous saints. Oh, and Jesus isn't all-powerful yet. See below.
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