NOM

Interesting stuff, Kerry. I'm curious to see if you will take into account the significance of sacramental substances like kykeon in the Eleusinian Mysteries and other entheogens extending well into the Christian era.

Still waiting for the podcast. I get most of my podcast listening done on my bike or on the bus.

Like so many things, virtual tribes can be taken too far, especially if they become a complete retreat from reality. But, just like some things that are condemned by the Word of Wisdom, if used responsibly they can be a healthy respite from the sh!tstorm of daily pressures.

2/3 of the way through. He brings up some really fascinating sites and does a great job of summarizing their significance. The stuff about the maps is fascinating and I would like to look into it more. I would, however, just like to point out how often he says things like "I'm certain we'd see that ...

I dunno guys, I'm about a half hour into America Before and I already feel like I'm getting the ol' apologist routine of drawing lines through unrelated points, and a couple of downright contradictions. I was going to mention a couple, but I don't want to start a debate. I'll keep watching and I hop...

I remember someone on NOM talking about how easy it is to spot Mormons at Disneyland. They're the only people who wear a t-shirt under their t-shirt on a hot day. I think the church's insistence that you promise to wear garments while doing yardwork is just about the most telling thing about the rel...

As far as jokes that are actually in the Bible go (aside from the talking ass, of course - that's a cheap laugh), my favorite was when Yahweh appeared to Moses and showed him his butt instead of his face. I take it as a prescient message about how seriously to take the stuff that Moses would come up...

Our balance paid to the church in tithing this year is zero. When the bishop asked I shook my head (side-to-side as in "no") but said "yes." Bishop: "What do you mean by that?" Me: "I mean that I'm a retired part-time student and I don't have an income anymore, so I have paid 10% of zero." Mrs. Hago...

I have noticed over the years that some Mormons, in talks and testimonies, speak ONLY about Joseph Smith, the current PS&R and the Book of Mormon, and NEVER about Jesus, while a small subset ALWAYS talk about Jesus and NEVER talk about the Mormon-exclusive stuff. This leads me to believe that there ...

deacon blues wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 06, 2019 9:19 pm

Whatever happened to humbly seeking truth, and following where it leads?

Great question. I suppose the answer is: BECAUSE of where it leads.

p.s. I woke up with Steely Dan playing in my head and thought of you.

Palerider wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 05, 2019 2:11 pm

I'd wager if someone really wanted to delve into it, this is what they would find.

Too bad they don't use his name. We could see if he has an IMDB page.

I heard that 500 people watched a resurrected guy fly up into heaven. I know it's true because one guy, who wasn't there at the time, wrote it down a few decades later.

I understand there were actually more than 500 (oddly round number) people there but, you know, falafel.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/inspiration/latter-day-saints-channel/watch/series/his-grace/his-grace-choosing-to-believe-in-god?lang=eng&cid=email-IN_110319_CTA2a This video equates questioning with darkness and switching off your brain with letting the light come back in. The bigger problem,...

Sometimes I get the feeling that it's a bigger sin to call Joseph Smith a predator than for Joseph Smith to BE a predator.

I'm halfway through and so far this interview is fascinating. A couple of things were really interesting to me. First that Rector's talks from the podium about the importance of being kind, not just following the rules, were aimed at the men sitting behind him. Second was Lila's observation that man...

What if the papyri actually contained the Book of Abraham, written by his own hand?

Not only won't they debate, they won't even engage directly with members of their own church on hard questions, or even publish answers under their own names. They are so absolutely terrified of letting people see how utterly uninformed and helpless they are. All they have is their image and they're...

This morning I heard an interview on the radio with a guy named Paul Selig who claims to channel spirits. He dictates exactly what they are saying to him and it is written down into books that are produced entirely by dictation and published without needing any editing. This guy seems very reasonabl...

What apologetics say, or don't say, admit or don't admit, ultimately doesn't matter. We are at a point in this church where even what general authorities say or don't say, and even what an apostle says or doesn't say, doesn't matter. If it isn't taught consistently, by all 15 of the 12 apostles, fo...

What apologetics say, or don't say, admit or don't admit, ultimately doesn't matter. We are at a point in this church where even what general authorities say or don't say, and even what an apostle says or doesn't say, doesn't matter. If it isn't taught consistently, by all 15 of the 12 apostles, fo...