"I debunk the story, her usual reply is, "I think the message is more important than whether or not it really happened." I think HER being able to tell HER message without being interrupted by facts may be what is important to her. Without truth, what WOULD be the important message?
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I'm thrilled to have access to so much information via the internet. Every now and again I'll start following a thread, like on Youtube, that introduces some idea or conspiracy theory in a rather convincing way. Do you feel like or worry that you or exmo's in general, may be MORE susceptible to such things because of the years spent IN the church being told what to think? Or do you feel
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In my ward in Texas we were taught that the blacks were "fence sitters" in the war in heaven. I think they'd get their chance after this life if they were valiant enough. I also remember just accepting that at face value. "Uh, okay." What sheeple we were. I always thought of myself as being racially non-descriminatory, but I DID accept this back in the day. I can't reca
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l would guess that it has little to do with the local church population and everything to do with tourist population. The sad difference between this temple and other cathedrals is that the cathedrals were built for everyone, and were meant to inspire those entering it (well, probably also to inspire them enough to put a little more in the offering plate too) but at least EVERYONE was welcome.
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I think it kick starts visual stimulation and then the imagination takes over to create the rest of a fantasy scene which you can totally control. But I did come across a case that surprised me very much. I work at a library and a patron complained to me that someone was looking at porn on one of the computers. Don't do that, btw, unless you want to get in a lot of trouble. When I came u
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I actually was thinking in such terms (well, not the porn part) only a few days ago. Didn’t realize it was “out there” already. Ooh, what a philosopher I must be. No, but I guess I do cling to the hope that perhaps somehow we do live on after this life. Then I thought, if we maybe have multiple lives, we could be improving ourselves eternally until we become super great beings. (of
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They are already having to give up all sorts of other stuff - I'm sure it's really annoying to have someone pushing even more guilt and self-denial. A non-priesthood-holding woman no less. And it might sound just a little too liberal too.
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But wouldn't all those spirit pigs get trapped in the pre-existence if we didn't bring them into the world . . . even if we eat them and send them right back.
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I have a warm feeling that LOTR is true. Where can I mail my checks?
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Use your year to earn as much as you can and avoid college loans as much as you can! We paid totally for our son's undergrad, but grad school was on him. He ended up with $35,000 in loans, which he's paying faithfully now around $500 per month and has several years to go before paying off. This amount is considered average these days - but there's nothing ordinary about it - it's insane to
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In the recent NOAH movie, the animals boarded the ark and immediately lay down and fell asleep until it was all over. And that would certainly decrease the amount of food needed and there'd be less poop and urine if they did that on the Jaredite ships. But then you'd have SLEEPING animals rolling around when the ship flipped. Joseph really needed to work on that story a bit more. I'd say it
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I am sorry for your loss. I think if members REALLY REALLY believed in Mormon teachings, they would ALL be very extremist in such a way. If you REALLY and ABSOLUTELY believed that your unbelieving friend or family member would FOREVER be parted from you, you might do desperate things to prevent that from happening. I'm actually a little hurt that MY believing family, who don't give m
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OMG! The tears were just streaming down my cheeks as I read Kent Ponder's description of the Jaredite ships from the link you provided above. I couldn't stop laughing. This one: http://packham.n4m.org/ships.htm I remember visualizing the construction a little when I read about the ships, but clearly I never put near enough thought to it. It really is so very very ludicrous. Thanks so
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Actually, it would have been more realistic if they'd offered to leave your kids alone if you'd pay THEM $500,000.
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The ancient temples performed animal sacrifice. If they brought back animal sacrifice to the temple, I think the blood would have to stay in the temple, but the meat could go to the food courts and the pelts to a leather shop in the church's mall. The Lord would benefit from the entire animal in that way. (ahem, I think I hear thunder outside.)
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It gets very complicated, doesn't it? - If you have access to "the gospel" during your life and accept it - you're good to go. - If you have access to "the gospel" during your life, but don't accept, you're in trouble. - If you don't have access to it during your life, but someone finds your records and does it for you . . . and you accept it - you're okay - unless ma
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I do not ever worry that maybe it is true and that I am in danger. I have a very firm testimony that the LDS church is not true - or rather, it teaches many things that are not true. Even if I was wrong, if there is a God and he really loves me, and if there was a heavenly afterlife, why would he punish me for eternity for not believing, or actually, why would he want to punish me for eternity
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Ah! Just what I needed. TXS!
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It might have demonstrated a lack of faith if they had admitted to looking for it. Bless their hearts - they must have believed it was true, or they wouldn't have even tried. QUESTION - I am new to this site and haven't figured out all the acronyms. Is there some place where these are defined? TSCC, for example, is still eluding me.
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The Director of the county office that I work for is also one of the local church leaders, so I've always worried about that when I think of formally breaking. Of course, I suppose he must know that I've been totally inactive for decades. But I just don't want to draw attention like that to myself. I DO have a finished letter, just ready for mailing. I guess I just don't trust him.
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I guess I've still got my PB down in the basement somewhere. I don't remember anything on mine but I remember my older sister's saying something about how she'd have children and they'd walk in her footsteps and call her "blessed" or something in that vein. My sister never married or had children. But the clincher on her PB, which perhaps is the same on them all, is that it e
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Although the church may gain members through births, the number of EX-members being "born" each day is growing as well. And a LOT of ex-members are not afraid to talk to other people. I agree, also, that the readily available historical data now available in the privacy of your own computer, is probably very instrumental in the greatest revelation about the church, that it is based
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The worst case of "happiness" I've seen is amongst the young adults who are still single and getting past a certain age. My unmarried nieces are about to explode with happiness and upbeatness on Facebook - but sadly, I know that it's a facade. Now I know that finding a mate can be frustrating regardless of your beliefs, but I feel like the LDS church is SO fanatical about marriage
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