I mentioned a few times that I an active musician. Today, Thurs, is an unusually busy day in that I have a practice at a community college symphonic band at 1230 playing an alto sax, then in the afternoon with a small ensemble (4 piece) playing Haydn Beethoven etc. on a bass clarinet and then in a full orchestra this evening playing more classical pieces. Just Thursdays are this busy. The
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https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/you-shouldn-t-come-to-the-temple-drunk-the-ever-changing-rules-and-rituals-of-lds-temple-worship/ar-AA1UcHBb 'Not all of the rituals that faith founder Joseph Smith introduced stuck. What are some of the ones that came and went? And what does it tell us that Latter-day Saints no longer perform them today? From the beginning, the temple was viewed by church
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I know the site and the format of this forum are quite dated. The fact that folks still want to post and read here is enough to keep this going for a few years more. The content here often gets discovered when people are asking about Mormon issues on Google and other searches. I am getting dated too as I approach 75. How does that happen? sigh. Most of my hobby time is spent on music. I
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Applebees was shut down and torn down recently in my city. It is being replaced with a new Canes chicken
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from: https://www.oftwominds.com/blogaug26/joyless-pantomime8-26.html 'The basic idea is that there's a widening gulf between what we actually experience and what we're told we should be experiencing, and this disconnect is inescapably deranging. Since the entire realm we inhabit is telling us everything's great and the sky's the limit, we pantomime this same claim as if we're actually experi
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My son joined the army at age 20. It gave him the basis for a very successful career and life. He is in his 40's now and has a beautiful home and has invested well. I told him to save nearly 100% of his military pay and when he gets out he will have a nest egg to start the rest of his life. Don't buy an expensive car or waste money. Of course you have to live and have some fun too. Be fruga
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I thought about this topic today before reading this particular post that the cult is really nothing but rules and regulations. There is no substance. I guess it keeps peoples' minds occupied on the mundane and ignoring what makes life interesting. I just had a great run playing in a small orchestra for 9 performances of Oliver. It was fun as we all complemented each other on our playing and
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There is still an extermination order that is active. Wow. How can that be? Killing people sanctioned by a church - this church.! Thanks for the link. It is good that ugly historically events are being brought to light.
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Thinking of you! Wishing you peace and comfort.
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I am in my mid 70's so this is on my mind too. A paid for home and an investment portfolio keep DW and I comfortable though not a lavish lifestyle. Giving the investments to the kids and grandkids is to allow them some freedom earlier in life than we experienced. Our largest charity is the Chattanooga Area Food Bank which will also get some funds. Yes we do need to declutter. I am curren
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It was great to meet you years ago. Glad you are doing well.
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I live in the heart of Evangelical culture - mega churches everywhere. I attended a few over the years to appease some friends who wanted us to visit. We only visited each one once. There is no way that Mormonism is even close to evolving to becoming an Evangelical church. Mormonism is more like Scientology than Christianity, in my opinion, if you are comparing to Evangelicals. The speaking i
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I just finished reading a second book on AI. It is quite disturbing to learn how AI seeks to evade restrictions placed upon it when programmers thought they contained it with code. It literally out smarts the developers. This is an over simplification. Reading numerous experiences from a variety of sources all seem to confirm that controlling AI may be impossible. I am going back to read
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Yes, they still go door to door. We had them on the porch a few weeks ago. Since I am an old fart, I told them that their cult was preaching the world was going to end in 1975. I used to have end of the world pamphlets in Finnish. The cult tried to deny that prophesy, but I had proof. I guess I should have saved those things. One of the two women said she had heard of that. I doubt she wi
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This is hard to understand. Here in East TN a man was just convicted this week of killing his wife. He shot her in the driveway, in a neighborhood not far from me, while she was calling 911. A straightforward conviction. This was kept in the news for awhile as she was quite attractive. I guess if you are ugly, it does not get as much news.
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This article hit home for me. We have been in our home for nearly 40 years. We barely know the neighbors. We wave and that is about it. They are all politically conservative, so we have little in common that way. There are no disputes with them, and it feels safe though lonely at times. Fortunately, I have my music which allows plenty of social interaction for me. Being introverts we tend
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Congrats! I have been retired over 10 years now. This time of life has gone by faster than any other 10 years it feels. Tonight, I play alto and tenor sax with a jazz group for an outdoor dinner experience. Perfect weather. Tomorrow I have a dress rehearsal with a string orchestra and then a concert Saturday night playing the bass clarinet. I am already booked for 9 performances o
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I posted about this a few years ago. A new mega Church of the Church of God, (headquartered here in TN) was about to hold its open house during Covid. I wrote two emails to the pastor and admins to not open the church to the public until Covid is gone. This mega Church is a short walk from my home. Well they had their open house and praise celebration. Three people died who were prominent me
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Finland is part of the Nordic group of countries and is not considered part of Scandinavia, even though it is commonly considered part of Scandinavia or included in conversations about that region. I just followed the title of the article. The Finnish language is unique and has almost virtually nothing in common with the Germanic languages of Sweden, Germany etc, Estonian is the closest to the
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n/t
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Mormonism is primarily suited for extroverts. It is uncomfortable for introverts to have to perform to the demands of a Mormon lifestyle.. I spent 20 years of my life trying to fit a personality pattern that was awkward for me as a Mormon. It feels great to be free of Mormon expectations such as missionary work, being an example to others so they will want to join the cult, home teaching etc.
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The article does not mention Mormonism or religion. It is acceptance of being quiet, peaceful with the absence of expectation.. DW forwarded this to me as I am at times rather reticent to engage in small talk as a typical Finn. https://www.scandinaviastandard.com/ss-a-people-who-leave-scandinavia-and-come-back-often-say-the-same-thing-it-wasnt-the-healthcare-or-the-design-it-was-the-silence-
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Last week DW and I flew from Atlanta GA to Tampa FL. Sitting near us were 1 missionary directly behind us and 3 in the row across. They were hitting politely on the two folks behind us. This was one male missionary and 3 females. They talked how they had just been in Mexico and god has now called them to Florida. The male talked quite loudly on how his mission call was signed by a prophet
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I was in Florida for a few days and just returned home to Tennessee today and immediately had a performance at a local university. I just got home and saw this. Have her contact me at erickett@gmail.com
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A Michigan federal grand jury indicted an individual for her alleged involvement in a “forced labor conspiracy” spanning Michigan, Florida, Texas, and Missouri. Kathleen Klein, also known as “Prophetess,” ran a network of call centers throughout several states and “used forced labor to solicit donations” for Kingdom of God Global Church, according to a Thursday Department of Justic
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In regards to coffee, of which I have several cups a day, an exhaustive study was conducted on personality traits of psychopaths. The most common trait? - they drank their coffee black. Well off to have a 2nd cup before my concert this afternoon.
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Affinity fraud. I used to peruse ex-JW sites. MLMs are common if not rampant at Kingdom Halls. Folks trying to find an easy way to make money among those already deluded by religion. It is a prime location for recruitment into all kinds of scams.
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Visiting my son in Florida and it is only 67F and sunny and sitting by the pool. We are all suffering. :-)
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I firmly support vaccines. This anti-vax movement is to me quire disturbing. I could be a skeptic since I got covid last year 3 weeks after getting the booster. The booster was theoretically at its peak efficacy. Not everything is perfect. I use the same pharmacy for all my vaccines and they keep a record. I requested a print out in December and the pharmacist reviewed it with me. It is a
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We are just having a rainy day today. The ice storm has missed us so far. A rehearsal for tonight is canceled. We were concerned for icy roads in the evening. Our home sauna is fired up. Three hours of practicing the saxophone and will veg the rest of the day after a sauna. It has been more than 30 years of not attending church. A sauna was a necessity for my Finnish DNA. We are good.
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