Afraid, thank you for sharing your story. Very sad this happened to you with people you thought were friends. Time to find new friends, I think. Good luck.
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I was told that mostly the missionaries have cars and drive to an area, then walk around just in that area, then drive to another area. I live in a very nice neighborhood and have never seen a missionary or had one knock on my door.
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Wow. This is very interesting, and I guess is the reason they would build in the middle of nowhere, because its the only place where there is vacant land around for the church to buy.
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What a silly thing to control. Why on earth would a man having a beard influence anything about his judgment, decision-making, character, etc.?
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Interesting thread, thanks. A lot of health care premiums are now subject to tax, BoJ. It is new, just started about 3 years ago. One loophole gone.
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Gee, sometimes I've regretted not belonging to a church with all its fun activities, when I was growing up. thanks everyone, I don't regret that anymore!!!
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I'm sorry, I don't understand this: "You see he was married to his lifelong partner and the church would not permit his baptism unless he divorced his partner." If he was married why did he have to get divorced?
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Wow, some great stuff here!!! "Testi-monkey" thanks for the laugh!!! And Ch. 8:32 was kind of skipped over in my SS. :)
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Some great thoughts and sharing here, thanks especially exminion and Hietokolob. I wasn't in the church long but I often felt that the Mormon men were especially angry toward women, just a level of hostility I had not encountered previously. Take care and I will hope everyone here who was hurt, can recover and live a joyful life.
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Exminion, I am just curious about your belongings being stolen from the hallway, wow! Harsh. Can you tell me generally what state or area of the country this was, whether it was a huge megalopolis or smaller city? I just want to make sure never to move there, where even at church people will steal your stuff!!! Thanks, Mel
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Wow exmin, thanks! I sometimes wondered if there was something wrong with my brain that I couldn't understand all this scripture. Then I got to the final lesson about Exaltation and I could understand that one, it was like a kindergarten concept, giving all kinds of candy, whatever you wanted--but saving the expensive candy for your special friends--only the married and tithing and repentan
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Hahah smirk and lowpriest. When I first started going I sat up front with the Mishies, then later I sat in back and sure enough, there were all these people on their phones, browsing, just like Kathleen said. I sometimes just got up and walked around the halls. The people outside in the lounge chairs or the kitchen or the mother's room were all the coolest people. They were too bored to sit
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I agree with Summer on this one. It has all the appearance of being a cost-saving measure, save on lights, heat, and allow more turnover in crowded wards. A place that forces members to do janitorial--lawyers and doctors to spend their time vacuuming--will stoop to nothing to save a buck. I always wondered if Mitt Romney took a rotation on janitorial. :)
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Birth control has been freely available in my state at least, County clinics, walk in, since the 1970's. There is no reason for anyone to have more children than they can afford. The church is just like the Catholics, why do religions keep discouraging sensible family size limits? However, I personally know (they told me themselves) of one family in my ward who has received $800 per month to
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I work for a government and all reimbursements for mileage or expenses are on some sort of other tax thing and they do not add to my personal taxable income. Does anybody know, who all does get paid? Do Bishops get paid? And I'm sorry, I don't know what a "SP" is, is that higher than a Bishop? Sorry for my cluelessness. :)
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Wow they get paid that much??? Can somebody tell me what the mission president does--he's higher than the Bishop, is he like a stake president? Do those also get paid? I wasn't in too long so I'm a bit fuzzy on this but hearing about this salary would have been enough to make me quit!
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Maybe bring back paid janitorial makes a difference to the person who wants the work and now is paid for it :) :) :)
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I always liked the Greeks with all their different gods with different agendas. One god gave you a good harvest, and another one took it away. Some great laughs and perspectives here, thanks especially Done and Hietokolob
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ificouldhie, Thanks for the laugh!!! yep!!!
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I imagine many don't want to hear any truth because they are there more as a social circle than about the religion. The tithing is more like club dues...pay to belong... Can you just stay friends with who you want, go to church only very occasionally and if you start to twitch, walk around? And see it as a social club and ignore the religion? I don't think I can do that but it is an idea
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The Big Change is from 3-hour block to 2-hour block (Sunday School only held every other week, etc.). Now you're supposed to do 'home study' on your own for the third hour. So logically, if they are offering one-third less services, everyone's tithing should also reduce by one-third. Right?
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Hello Altava, I am sorry you are struggling and I hope things get better. One thing struck me from your post. You say you are gay but yet you are considering returning to a church which doesn't accept that. Think carefully what might drive you to return where you are not in your entirety, welcomed. Self-sabotage? Poor self-esteem? Take care! Let us know how things are!
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I'm with Cheryl and Cate here...as someone who has spent many lonely Christmases alone, even though they are hurtful I am for some sort of conciliation or at the least changing the subject to ice cream...just to keep your family in your life...your alternative is many Christmas times alone...
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In my state the deaths from drunk driving continue to increase despite strict limits, this is because it is so difficult to get a DUI conviction now only specially trained troopers even arrest them. The lawyers have made it so there is almost always a way out of a conviction. So I doubt Utah's strict limits will make much difference.
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Finally, some Gospel Principles I can get behind: * Alcohol * Low standards * Poor decisions And I'll add, not learning from any mistakes of the past! Cheers!
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Secular Priest, thank you for your insights. I am also single and was given the new book, our ward elected to start at 10 am instead of 9 so people will just sleep in and get home the same time as always. I also doubt I will spend much time with this new manual-- studying alone is not my thing. having a study class only twice a month will reduce my incentive to attend at all. If they really
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Steve, Hilarious! Thanks!!!
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Secular, wow, how awful that he tried to take away your Temple Recommend! And I think you are right on, Wally Prince-turning it all on you, blaming your anger. Both the temples around my ward are closed for repairs. the closest one now is a 5+ hour drive away. Needless to say I had no plans to ever go there.
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Hahah I like this topic! There didn't seem to BE many single men in my ward, I can think of only 2 out of the 300 members....lots of divorced single women with children hunting them, though....
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Since I am new and just got through the Gospel Principles book, I looked it up and yes, just like Crisping Pin, here is the reference: (Gospel Principles, Chastity Chapter) "Breaking the Law of Chastity Is Extremely Serious ...Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent bloo
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