Search found 245 matches

by Gatorbait
Sun Jun 04, 2023 3:36 pm
Forum: Support
Topic: Bible banned from schools in Davis County, Utah
Replies: 6
Views: 842

Re: Bible banned from schools in Davis County, Utah

Personally, I think that banning books is a childish, selfish ego driven act. Hell, if you don't want to read the Bible, don't read it. Who gives a s**t? No one. If you do, it's not going to make you an ax murderer. I'd bet that of the people wanting to ban the Bible, that there's not more than 5% w...
by Gatorbait
Sun Jun 04, 2023 3:29 pm
Forum: Doctrinal Discussion
Topic: So many Holes in the gospel, so few explanations.
Replies: 7
Views: 954

Re: So many Holes in the gospel, so few explanations.

Went to church today. Pretty good meeting I thought, for fast meeting. No obnoxious kiddies sing-songing how they "know the church is true". Not one. Lady got up and said that she had been doubting the church's truthfulness. I knew this lady well and was surprised to hear her say that....but it was ...
by Gatorbait
Mon May 29, 2023 10:21 am
Forum: Doctrinal Discussion
Topic: Surrendering your moral compass to authority figures
Replies: 7
Views: 1092

Re: Surrendering your moral compass to authority figures

Groupthink, tribalism requires not just surrendering your moral compass, but surrendering your entire compass in all things. United we stand, divided we fall - from soldiers to football players to orchestras - united unquestioned blind obedience to authority - conformity. Wear the team uniform, mar...
by Gatorbait
Mon May 29, 2023 10:17 am
Forum: Doctrinal Discussion
Topic: Temple Prayer Roll
Replies: 13
Views: 2194

Re: Temple Prayer Roll

Have not been to a temple in quite some time, unless you count a Buddhist temple that I visited in Korea a few years back , so I don't know how they do it now, but I always thought writing names on pieces of paper and dropping them in a box so that people who you don't know, who don't know your name...
by Gatorbait
Fri May 26, 2023 8:18 am
Forum: Support
Topic: 60 Minutes this week: LDS & SEC
Replies: 27
Views: 2794

Re: 60 Minutes this week: LDS & SEC

I would like to bear my testimony that the church is true. The leaders of the church know the covenant path. I wish to follow my loving leaders. To do so, I set up 13 shell companies to pay my tithing through. This is the way. I also have learned from my leaders how to evade paying taxes, which all...
by Gatorbait
Fri May 26, 2023 7:47 am
Forum: Doctrinal Discussion
Topic: Shrinkage = Growth
Replies: 6
Views: 974

Re: Shrinkage = Growth

It is interesting to me how the growth in the church seems to have stalled to a crawl in most of Holland, Belgium and the areas adjacent to them. Last time I was in Belgium, I did not see any mission mormonaries at all. No churches, and no sign of a Mormon presence. And I really looked for it. At on...
by Gatorbait
Sun May 21, 2023 11:15 am
Forum: Doctrinal Discussion
Topic: Reasons not to resign from church
Replies: 12
Views: 1477

Re: Reasons not to resign from church

It seems pointless to resign, at least to me. Those of us who have been close to someone who resigned have more likely than not found that resigning did not bring their Mormon thoughts or feelings to an end. Sorry. This, I've found, is especially true if the person who resigns was once a member who ...
by Gatorbait
Sun May 21, 2023 10:59 am
Forum: Support
Topic: My best friend is out, but works with a bishop from HELL
Replies: 9
Views: 1236

Re: My best friend is out, but works with a bishop from HELL

Wow, a lot going on over there across the pond. Sounds like the opposite of the gospel of Christ there in your corner of the world. Bishop from hell sounds like a real corker. Wonder which crazy and stupid mold these bozos come from. As was said, we have plenty just like him here in the states. Anyw...
by Gatorbait
Sun May 21, 2023 10:52 am
Forum: Support
Topic: Reframing
Replies: 6
Views: 913

Re: Reframing

Thought provoking post this. Trust a lot of us have gone through the same experience upon attending church, uninteresting or talks about nonsense. Notable difference between attending in places where church membership is more dense. My experience has been that people further out of Utah and Eastern ...
by Gatorbait
Mon May 08, 2023 3:59 pm
Forum: Doctrinal Discussion
Topic: God as a human father vs. God is Love
Replies: 7
Views: 845

Re: God as a human father vs. God is Love

It's probably different for everyone, but for me it was the Bible (and with it my concept of theism) that fell apart first. Though it was the problems of Mormon history and doctrine that allowed me to realize that it was possible to question the foundational stories and doctrines of the Bible. I fo...
by Gatorbait
Thu Apr 27, 2023 10:09 am
Forum: Mixed Faith Relationships
Topic: It's not all my fault?
Replies: 10
Views: 13689

Re: It's not all my fault?

Sounds familiar. Losing the garments is a toughy. They really think you are on a path straight to hell with that one. My wife still wears them but I'm still holding out hope there. She says she's okay with me giving garments the old heave ho many years ago but I think she still holds out that I will...
by Gatorbait
Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:59 am
Forum: Mixed Faith Relationships
Topic: Marital strife
Replies: 11
Views: 13873

Re: Marital strife

Feeling your pain here. Hard for many of us to believe that any logical person really believes in the church unless they know little about it. Sure, I understand how people want to feel a part of something, we all do that, mingle with those like us, hell, isn't that what NOM is all about? But really...
by Gatorbait
Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:41 am
Forum: Doctrinal Discussion
Topic: Ever wished you would just cease to be?
Replies: 23
Views: 2731

Re: Ever wished you would just cease to be?

The dull ache of that hurt, after 3 1/2 years is very much there. I'm so sorry for your sorrow, Gaitorbate. I sort of get it why people hang onto their religious belief, trying just to get through a few years, faithful enough to have a hope of seeing their loved one again. I for one would never try...
by Gatorbait
Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:32 am
Forum: Support
Topic: Filling the whole Earth
Replies: 11
Views: 1090

Re: Filling the whole Earth

Points well taken. Not sure where the $236 B number came from for the church assets, but I'm pretty sure it could be higher than that, but I'm not expert. Lots of land holdings hither and thither, tax free. Those have to be worth quite a lot of moola. The widow's mite has forever struck me as wrong-...
by Gatorbait
Wed Apr 26, 2023 2:01 pm
Forum: Support
Topic: Joseph Smith “sexual predator” label?
Replies: 23
Views: 2484

Re: Joseph Smith “sexual predator” label?

Joseph was an opportunistic serial predator. On the ranch my Grandpa used to say once a bear or wolf got a taste of a cow, or more usually a calf, it would focus on the calves, to the exclusion of its usual food/prey. A side note: C.S. Lewis once said something like God doesn’t reveal himself to us...
by Gatorbait
Wed Apr 26, 2023 1:59 pm
Forum: Support
Topic: Mormons are disinterested in spirituality
Replies: 20
Views: 1994

Re: Mormons are disinterested in spirituality

Wow, great post. Loved everyone's thoughts on this one. For me, spirituality is something that either you have, or you don't. Can't fake it, yet I cannot say that I understand it. It is more of a presence or a feeling that you get that sometimes brings you to tears when you feel someone's love for y...
by Gatorbait
Wed Apr 26, 2023 1:29 pm
Forum: Support
Topic: Recognized National Leader?
Replies: 10
Views: 1231

Re: Recognized National Leader?

Glass shelf wrote: If there's one thing I know about Mormonism from living in "the mission field" for all my non-BYU years, it's that no one else thinks Mormons are nearly as important as Mormons think other people think Mormons are.

Spot on noble one. Could not agree more.
by Gatorbait
Wed Apr 26, 2023 1:26 pm
Forum: Support
Topic: Prophets or place holders? Your opinion please.
Replies: 3
Views: 573

Prophets or place holders? Your opinion please.

Not long ago I was dining with some friends that I've had for more than 50 years, yep, I'm a geezer...The topic of church presidents came up and we each decided on the ones we liked and listed ones that we thought really made a difference for good and were not just "place holders". We limited oursel...
by Gatorbait
Mon Apr 10, 2023 9:11 am
Forum: Support
Topic: Let’s talk about new temples for a minute
Replies: 18
Views: 1710

Re: Let’s talk about new temples for a minute

Bob the builder garments, now there's an idea, but one piece garmies- I don't think so.
by Gatorbait
Thu Apr 06, 2023 8:05 am
Forum: Support
Topic: Review of General Conference
Replies: 2
Views: 556

Re: Review of General Conference

Great stuff Moksha, thanks for sharing.