Well, yes. Religion isn't shoes. While I wholeheartedly support your right--even responsibility--to test beliefs as you learn them, part of the purpose of religion is to push us to achieve greater potential, rather than just approve of us as we are.
And if they aren't part of the standard works...? Go on, I said it was a circular argument. Feel free to complete the other half of the circle any time.
Because my point was that they were NEVER part of the standard works. To refute that, all you need to do is cite ONE (1) source other than...
I agree that we don't express that love and concern the right way, but I'm not sure that's the best yardstick to measure it by. I've heard folks talk as if they will not stop feeling marginalized until the LDS are performing same-sex temple marriages.
I think THAT is an excellent yardstick to...
This is a circular argument. If the JOD's are part of the standard words, they have authority to say what's part of the standard works. If they are not, they have no authority to make such a declaration.
The modern church has stated unequivocally that they are not part of the standard works...
He established one church in two places. He established His church in the Old World, then He established His church in the New World.
As Scott pointed out, the twelve who were ordained in the Americas were referred to as "twelve disciples," not Apostles. These twelve disciples in America...
Actually, that's generally required of all children of polygamists who seek baptism. They need to be legal adults (18+), they need to not be living with their parents, and they need to renounce/denounce/disavow their parents' lifestyle. To be clear, I don't think they need to say more than...
Orontes, as I say above, I'm no raving fan of the New God Argument, but I'm not sure where the problem lies in many of these objections:
The mind is identical to states or functions of mere matter...therefore there's no free will or moral obligation. How does that follow? Didn't Joseph Smith...
Singularitarian, as I understand them, are focused (too much , IMHO) on devoting time and resources to crossing the next threshold of technological singularity, which they believe will grant them immortality in their lifetime. I don't think that expectation is quite as stupid as it sounds, and...
I'm not a member of the MTA, but I'm a Mormon with strong transhumanist leanings. I don't hang my testimony on a transhumanist interpretation of the Gospel, but apart from that, I guess I'd call myself a Mormon Transhumanist. I've considered joining the MTA.
Well, there are diverse positions...
Okay, I'm trying to make one answer to both posts again, so if you think I'm ignoring something important, let me know.
What expression of compassion or caring would you accept as genuine, besides changing the policy? Because there's been many conference talks where it seems they are...
Just FYI, I think you are trying to say "definitely," and the word error creates a very different perception. You did the same thing in the thread on the Book of Mormon.
Oh, and welcome to RF, brother! :)
First, I think you held your own alright, it was just not the kind of discussion you were looking for. That was a missionary trying to move you down a spiritual road, not an intellectual trying to explore thorny problems. Katz and others here are more suited to that kind of discussion...
This is part of how doctrine adds to and enriches itself over time. One can imagine how easy it was for early saints to oversimplify and just say "The HS is everywhere," but as more is revealed, we get a tweak: the influence is everywhere, even though the HS has a localized presence somewhere...
Okay, I'll take a few, but I reserve the right to lose steam if/when we see serious shenanigans:
From the top, skipping Emma, we have the infamous Fanny Alger. Strangely, the site skips the few references to their actual marriage in favor of the much more flimsy evidence of a sexual...
This would also be grappling with it, of course. My point is that they church must make a blanket statement about all such marriages, as they now constitute an official category.
Huh... that's the most persuasive argument in favor of gay marriage that I've heard yet. And I have no...
Exactly. We believe that a person who does the will of God will have their answers come to them in time. Live the law in order to learn it.
Whenever I get into the various wives of Joseph, I ask for specific names, birth dates and marriage dates before going very far. There are some...
Okay, I'm late to the game and not sure which questions are still sincerely being questioned, so I'll just settle for a mostly tongue-in-cheek fisking of the stuff everyone else has answered:
Which makes it all the more strange that they have not done so. Of all the corrections Joseph Smith...
Yeah, well when just the feeling that you might have hurt someone is enough to cause a literal panic attack, you learn to avoid personal attacks. :) But enough about me.
No, seriously, Katz, enough about me. :P
*sigh* You have been so patient with me of late. You keep me coming back...