NOM

Cry: What about folks in developing countries who are lucky to get one meal a day? Shouldn't they be getting tons and tons of "blessings" reigned down from heaven for skipping meals? Seems like exactly the opposite scenario to me. Did all the invisible deities in the sky not get the memo to spread ...

This spoke to me today. *** We are the Christians who move on, leaving behind what cannot be retained: the creeds written to cement a long dead empire; the justification for slavery, genocide and witch-burning; the refusal to hear other people’s truth; an idolized book, a man diminished to a god. We...

I don't think there's anything wrong with the sentiment. If I were over 70, I would wish for a way to keep things running by putting only myself at risk. It's just not possible, though.

I think of his comments as a failure of reason rather than a moral failure.

What is it about these specific people making confirmation bias into a way of life that makes us angry? (If it were anyone else, I could easily shrug it off.) What pain or fear causes the anger? What are we protecting?

An hour and a half now and I'm still not 100% certain, but it's hilarious. I remember years ago tuning into the PTL Club while channel surfing. Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker were having a fundraising telethon. I was convinced it was irreligious satire and was side-splittingly hilarious. Later I found o...

I'm a little more stressed. Remote work requires more coordination, which means more distractions, which are stressful for me. I'm not nearly as affected as many of my coworkers. One admitted straight-up during our daily sync-up that he couldn't concentrate on anything. Another nearly broke down in ...

I listened to a podcast with Philip Roth (from before he died), discussing his novel The Plot Against America. He read this great passage from it, talking about what it's like to live through historical events: . . . the unfolding of the unforeseen was everything. Turned wrong way round, the relent...

I think it would be nice to broaden this topic, and use the thread to post anything that's helping in a given day. My favorite space photo is helping me today. Zoom in and check out the spirals! https://www.nasa.gov/images/content/690958main_p1237a1.jpg It's a long exposure photo taken by the Hubble...

By the way. I still believe honesty is the best policy. Trying to derail the Trump administration, eh? Hey, Trump is honest. He just doesn't let facts get in the way of his thoughts. Anyway... I have a difficult time being dishonest, or even opaque. (I have a few theories about why, and "autism spe...

I sure am going to miss the break from church when this is over: https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-03-22/coronavirus-outbreak-nobel-laureate While many epidemiologists are warning of months, or even years, of massive social disruption and millions of deaths, Levitt says the data simply don...

Hey you extraverts
I've trained my whole life for this
Watch me avoid you

The blind watchmaker
Targets prophets who deceive.
Will they believe now?

The Rameumptom
Once safely isolated
Infecting our homes

Even as a believer, I would have scoffed at any sort of "parental unit" trying to hijack mine and my family's religious holiday. Are all of these people doing it happily and voluntarily or would many of them just as soon switch off the webcam and get on with their Sunday? I guess it's unthinkable (...

Well they don't exactly have time to create new talks. They're already written, correlated and translated to 100 languages by now. GC talks are a huge production. The most they'll have time to do is insert all the necessary "grateful for a living prophet who can make sure we're prepared in the midst...

As is typical, FIL has gone full-bore zealot, so my wife's entire family is doing video conferences with an hour SM and an hour SS. Six children and their spouses - except me - and 25 grandchildren. If you looked at this man's blood under a microscope, you would see that each cell is actually a tiny...

Do you think there's anything to what John noted about GC being modified very early without any action to protect missionaries, temple workers, and other at-risk members? The leadership swung into action to protect "The Brethren," but left everyone else in the fray. I doubt it's malicious. It is pr...

I need me a coffee cup that says that. Meanwhile, I am drinking my cup for and on behalf of the widow my husband was called to give the sacrament to. I figure the coffee will undo the good of the sacrament and perhaps she will repent of violating social isolation and risking spread of viruses. May ...

Maybe the plan is for the new missionaries to stick it out, bunker up for 6-8 months and do nothing, then when things are more back to normal they'll have a year or so left to go about the work. One comment on the podcast was that the worst thing, from the church's point of view, would be to have m...

Hagoth wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 20, 2020 11:27 am

The latest bulk email says only the speakers and those giving prayers (and Jesus, of course) will be present.

"Messages of truth, hope, and inspiration will prevail..."

Boy, I hope they are thoughtful and honest enough to follow through on that promise.

Well, 0 out of 3 ain't bad.