Does Christmas have anything to do with Christ?

[Rick O'Shez]

By the way, next Christmas has been cancelled due to lack of interest. Sorry about that.

 

[apophenia]

I think our schools are doing a bang up job of terrifying our children, when it comes to the future of mankind. I wouldn't be opposed to an effort to start harvesting plastic from the ocean. I'm not sure if that is realistic. Maybe we should focus on preventing the dumping of plastic into the ocean. The idea of an ocean full of plastic is disgusting to say the least, but I'm not convinced that it has (generally speaking) an adverse effect on plankton, coral, or fish. It is like humanity is yet to be potty trained. We don't know how to be good stewards of this planet upon which we live.

Oh.
Well.
Here's an interesting thing you might like to know before you read the rest of this reply - I am a baptised member of the LDS.

The Records will show that I was baptised in Greenwich Temple ( Green Witch ! LOL) in Gladesville, Sydney Australia in 1963. I know the records are kept meticulously. I never informed the Bishop that I wished to be considered apostate and so am still a member of the church - we can discuss that later.I was 8 years old. Rob P. Brother of Francine and Janice. So you can check it out. And you will know exactly who I am. Perhaps it is time for me to rekindle my association, and tell my story.

In a nutshell, I decided as a teenager that Joseph Smith got one thing absolutely right - should a person wish to gain spiritual knowledge, all they need do is spend time alone in the wilderness, genuinely and with tenacity seeking communion and insight. This is exactly what I have done, And Joseph was right, And not only about that, which is why I am also named Kama Sonam Gyurme ( Kagyupa), and received a variety of other forms of spiritual education from other parts of the planet, at a very personal face-to-face level, including receiving shaktipat from Swami Muktananda, and darshan with Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, and learned the turning dance and zikr with a sufi sheikh, So you can see that I took the advice of Joseph Smith to heart, and pursued it consistently throughout my life.

This concerns me - "I think our schools are doing a bang up job of terrifying our children, when it comes to the future of mankind. "

And this - " I'm not convinced that it has (generally speaking) an adverse effect on plankton, coral, or fish."

Have you asked a marine biologist ? Given the gravity of the situation, do you not feel that becoming fully informed and educated about such a matter is incumbent upon a High Priest with some notion of stewardship of the planet ? And with nurturing the lives of his children's children ?

Can you detail the efforts you have made, especially recently, to assess the state of health of our ecosystems, and particularly the oceans ?

Yours in brotherly and sisterly love,

Rob P

 

[MikeSavage]

Oh.
Well.
Here's an interesting thing you might like to know before you read the rest of this reply - I am a baptised member of the LDS.

The Records will show that I was baptised in Greenwich Temple ( Green Witch ! LOL) in Gladesville, Sydney Australia in 1963. I know the records are kept meticulously. I never informed the Bishop that I wished to be considered apostate and so am still a member of the church - we can discuss that later.I was 8 years old. Rob P. Brother of Francine and Janice. So you can check it out. And you will know exactly who I am. Perhaps it is time for me to rekindle my association, and tell my story.

In a nutshell, I decided as a teenager that Joseph Smith got one thing absolutely right - should a person wish to gain spiritual knowledge, all they need do is spend time alone in the wilderness, genuinely and with tenacity seeking communion and insight. This is exactly what I have done, And Joseph was right, And not only about that, which is why I am also named Kama Sonam Gyurme ( Kagyupa), and received a variety of other forms of spiritual education from other parts of the planet, at a very personal face-to-face level, including receiving shaktipat from Swami Muktananda, and darshan with Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, and learned the turning dance and zikr with a sufi sheikh, So you can see that I took the advice of Joseph Smith to heart, and pursued it consistently throughout my life.

This concerns me - "I think our schools are doing a bang up job of terrifying our children, when it comes to the future of mankind. "

And this - " I'm not convinced that it has (generally speaking) an adverse effect on plankton, coral, or fish."

Have you asked a marine biologist ? Given the gravity of the situation, do you not feel that becoming fully informed and educated about such a matter is incumbent upon a High Priest with some notion of stewardship of the planet ? And with nurturing the lives of his children's children ?

Can you detail the efforts you have made, especially recently, to assess the state of health of our ecosystems, and particularly the oceans ?

Yours in brotherly and sisterly love,

Rob P

Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another so as to incite to love and fine works, 25 not forsaking our meeting together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as you see the day drawing near.

 

[apophenia]

Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another so as to incite to love and fine works, 25 not forsaking our meeting together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as you see the day drawing near.

Nice. Best wishes to you.

 

[rrosskopf]

Have you asked a marine biologist ?

I've gone out on the ocean with Marine biologists and collected samples. I'm more concerned with mercury, DDT and other poisons then I am with plastic. BTW, this seems way off topic. I think the real question is how to make Christmas more spiritual and less commercial.

 

[MikeSavage]

I've gone out on the ocean with Marine biologists and collected samples. I'm more concerned with mercury, DDT and other poisons then I am with plastic. BTW, this seems way off topic. I think the real question is how to make Christmas more spiritual and less commercial.

And what about the admonition to "stop touching the unclean thing"?

 

[rrosskopf]

And what about the admonition to "stop touching the unclean thing"?

I believe this is a direct reference to pagan religious artifacts. I'm okay with putting those in the ocean. ;-)

 

[MikeSavage]

I believe this is a direct reference to pagan religious artifacts. I'm okay with putting those in the ocean. ;-)

It includes anything pagan. Rituals, sacrifices, artifacts, and beliefs. Not just artifacts. I don't believe God appreciates anyone trying to rationalize in the way you seem to be rationalizing. His admonition includes ANYTHING pagan. This includes anything pagan in origin.

 

[apophenia]

I've gone out on the ocean with Marine biologists and collected samples. I'm more concerned with mercury, DDT and other poisons then I am with plastic. BTW, this seems way off topic. I think the real question is how to make Christmas more spiritual and less commercial.

That almost leaves me speechless.
But not quite.

I think that "how to make Christmas more spiritual and less commercial" is clearly the intent and content of my post.

Why are you more concerned with mercury, DDT and other poisons than you are with plastic ?

Heard of BPA ? And the food chain ?

 

[rrosskopf]

Why are you more concerned with mercury, DDT and other poisons than you are with plastic ?

Heard of BPA ? And the food chain ?

Studies have not shown a high risk with the low levels of BPA that occur in some foods. Mercury, lead and DDT have been shown to be detrimental in low doses. The average IQ of people in the United States actually went down after leaded gasoline was introduced. Mercury accumulates in many sea creatures. DDT can cause the extinction of foul. BPA, by comparison, isn't a major threat.

 

[MikeSavage]

Studies have not shown a high risk with the low levels of BPA that occur in some foods. Mercury, lead and DDT have been shown to be detrimental in low doses. The average IQ of people in the United States actually went down after leaded gasoline was introduced. Mercury accumulates in many sea creatures. DDT can cause the extinction of foul. BPA, by comparison, isn't a major threat.

Mercury, lead, and DDT are more threatening in the shorter term, but BPA is threatening in other long term ways. The first of which is the fact that it causes the body to create fat cells around the liver, and studies show that it causes liver cancer. The effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate glands in fetuses, infants, and young children aren't completely understood, but are devastating on many levels. IT'S EVERYWHERE and it's in most processed foods and beverages. Not to mention the fact that the trash heaps are filled with tons and tons of plastics with Bisphenol A in them.