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The Mormon Advantage
Townhall.com ^ | 4/5/2007 | Maggie Gallagher

Posted on 04/05/2007 5:42:47 PM PDT by Utah Girl

Mitt Romney is riding high this week after his victory in "the first primary," which consists of raising cold, hard cash to compete: more than $20 million in the first quarter, $5 million more than his closest contender, Rudy "Lay off my wife!" Giuliani. John McCain came in a lackluster third with $12.5 million.

Romney's campaign benefited from two distinct donor networks, according to media accounts: Wall Street and Mormons. GOP front-runner Rudy, struggling with one of those weird media freak shows erupting around his wife, Judith (her alleged participation in future Cabinet meetings and former puppy killings), must be a little envious on both counts.

Why is it that all the Dem candidates are still married to their first spouse, while among the current crop of leading GOP contenders, the only guy with just one wife is the Mormon?

Truth is, I don't think this is just an accident. There's something about Mormons the rest of us ought to pay attention to: Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do much better than almost any other faith group at sustaining a marriage culture -- and they do this while participating fully and successfully in modern life. Utah is above the national average in both household income and the proportion of adults who are college graduates.

(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: giuliani; judith; mccain; romney
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To: MHGinTN

Wow, I must say that I am impressed, I may have to reconsider the undermatched comment above. That said, what a needlessly complex theory you have come up with. Have you heard of Occam’s razor? (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/occam’s%20razor ) Basically when two explanations explain something equally well, the simplest is true.

Your explanation above cannot possibly be proven wrong because of the number of assumptions that are not of mortal realm. This ‘set apart’ spirit is not to be found anywhere in the bible in this form, but you interpret scriptures to say that anyway.

How about John 17 (the great intercessitory prayer) (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/john/17)

11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be bone, as we are.

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

I quote these scriptures because these are Jesus Christ’s own words. Here he draws a simile (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=simile) between his relationship with the father, and his disciples’ relationship with him. He also draws a simile with his oneness with God and their oneness.

Now everyone knows the disciples did not join together like some pre-technology transformer into a giant super apostle, but joined in heart might mind and strength. The apostles were united in their love for each other and for their fellow man. They sacrificed themselves when necessary for their fellow man, this union they felt with each other and with Christ transformed them. This is the oneness that Jesus is comparing with his oneness with God the father. This is not my analogy; it is Jesus Christ’s analogy. He whose servant I am made this comparison, and I dare not deny that which I have received a testimony of from him. This is what Mormons believe when the scriptures speak of the oneness of God. The word God can be used to mean any one member of the God head, or all three together. If this simple interpretation of oneness is considered your explanation is complex and obviously the construct of man. Jesus himself said it, how can I but believe him?

When I am faced with choosing between God’s word and yours, I hope you will not feel slighted when I go with the Word of God. I hope should I ever say anything that contradicts the word of God, you will also choose his word over mine.

Go with God.


241 posted on 04/08/2007 4:03:02 PM PDT by DelphiUser ("You can lead a man to knowledge, but you can't make him think")
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Yahushua’s (Jesus’s) Soul was retrieved from Gehenna and His body was raised out of the tomb, reunited with the Spirit. This is the miracle of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and FirstFruits. It is the how behind our redemption. It is the why which underlies the Messiah Yahshua’s final words on Moriah’s upright pole. It is the reason Paul told us that “the Messiah Yahshua died according to the Scriptures.” The Scriptures he was referring to were the only Scriptures that existed at the time, the Tanach, and more specifically, Psalms 22 and 88, Isaiah 52 and 53. At His execution, the Messiah quoted the Psalm so that we wouldn’t miss the mechanism behind the miracle of our salvation.” [ http://www.yadayahweh.com/Yada_Yahweh_Salvation_Yasha.YHWH ]


242 posted on 04/08/2007 4:43:03 PM PDT by MHGinTN (If you've had life support. Promote life support for others.)
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To: MHGinTN
What would a spirit/Spirit need with gender?..
I can think no reason for that to be so..
Human bodies need spirit to reproduce by DNA(rna)..
Do spirits/Spirts have DNA(rna)?..
I can see no reason for that to be so either..

Gender is probably an earthly need for this planet, for a time/age/eon....
Spirits/spirts probably have no need for gender or DNA..
Human language, qualia and mental constructs can require it though..

243 posted on 04/08/2007 4:53:22 PM PDT by hosepipe (CAUTION: This propaganda is laced with hyperbole....)
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To: MHGinTN; nowandlater; PGalt; sevenbak; DelphiUser; restornu; colorcountry; cpforlife.org; Coleus; ..

In the spirit of the day, I’m in favor of puting aside our theological differences, and come together, at least temporarily, to acknowledge that we all believe that He has risen, that he atoned for our sins, that He is literally the Son of God, and shall come again!

God bless you all on this Easter Sunday!

Sevenbak


244 posted on 04/08/2007 4:59:41 PM PDT by sevenbak
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The ac`tual readin of John 17:11, as in Young's translation from the Greek:

John 17:11 and no more am I in the world, and these are in the world, and I come unto Thee. Holy Father, keep them in Thy name, whom Thou hast given to me, that they may be one as we;

The reader will note that there is no word 'bone' given, nor does the Greek offer such an addition to the text.

245 posted on 04/08/2007 5:06:05 PM PDT by MHGinTN (If you've had life support. Promote life support for others.)
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And further in John's Gospel from Young's translation:

Jn17:20-26

20 'And not in regard to these alone do I ask, but also in regard to those who shall be believing, through their word, in me;

21 that they all may be one, as Thou Father [art] in me, and I in Thee; that they also in us may be one, that the world may believe that Thou didst send me.

22 'And I, the glory that thou hast given to me, have given to them, that they may be one as we are one;

23 I in them, and Thou in me, that they may be perfected into one, and that the world may know that Thou didst send me, and didst love them as Thou didst love me.

24 'Father, those whom Thou hast given to me, I will that where I am they also may be with me, that they may behold my glory that Thou didst give to me, because Thou didst love me before the foundation of the world.

25 'Righteous Father, also the world did not know Thee, and I knew Thee, and these have known that Thou didst send me,

26 and I made known to them Thy name, and will make known, that the love with which Thou lovedst me in them may be, and I in them.'

246 posted on 04/08/2007 5:12:45 PM PDT by MHGinTN (If you've had life support. Promote life support for others.)
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To: MHGinTN

Want to tackle more of my ideas of theology?

YHWH, has been translated as “I AM. I AM” which we also see in the account where Jehovah talks to Moses and tells him who he is. Now, why is the statement “I AM. I AM” so important. Is there a deeper meaning? In Hebrew, YHWH, is the male verb form of “I AM” found in “YH”, plus it is the femal verb form of “I AM”. Also, it does not exactly mean “I AM”, it is more like “I HAVE BEEN AND I AM BECOMING”. Sounds strange yes? In my opinion, if you studied the literal meaning of the word JEHOVAH and ELOHIM, you will find a lot meaning.


247 posted on 04/08/2007 5:54:07 PM PDT by nowandlater (Romney-Thompson 2008)
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To: Tribune7

you mean like “Stranger in a Strange Land”?


248 posted on 04/08/2007 5:56:10 PM PDT by donmeaker (You may not be interested in War but War is interested in you.)
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To: nowandlater
As we enter the Renewed Covenant [being 'born again'], Yahuweh refers to Himself as "Father." His Set-Apart Spirit, feminine [as in the convention of language having feminine and masculine words] in the Hebrew Qodesh Ruach [set apart Spirit], remains enveloped in maternal terms: parakletos - the one who "calls alongside, comforts, and encourages." And most significantly, Yahuweh’s human representative, the Messiah, or perhaps more accurately, the Ma’sehyah, is the long awaited and often prophesized "Son of God."

Qodesh simply means "to separate and set-apart." The Hebrew word is based upon qadash. In fact qodesh could be qadash because both words are spelled identically in the original Hebrew text. Qadash means: "to consecrate or dedicate a person or thing to a particular purpose, to be separated and set-apart, belonging to God." The root of the word means "to be clean and pure." The Qodesh Spirit is "Set-Apart" from God yet She "belongs to God." The Qodesh Spirit is "dedicated to the purpose" of God: cleaning and purifying us, nurturing us, clothing us, teaching us, protecting and saving us. [from Yada Yahweh]

249 posted on 04/08/2007 6:13:19 PM PDT by MHGinTN (If you've had life support. Promote life support for others.)
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To: MHGinTN

Don’t you find it unusual that the major names of God in Hebrew are both feminine and masculine?


250 posted on 04/08/2007 6:18:47 PM PDT by nowandlater (Romney-Thompson 2008)
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To: sevenbak
Sooo, what’s your point? My post was complimentary.
251 posted on 04/08/2007 6:26:27 PM PDT by snoringbear (')
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To: nowandlater

Not at all. We are using the convention of language to convey concepts which are not in all things one-for-one transferrable in the realm of Spirit and Truth. The notions of feminine and masculine should not be miscronstrued to relate a sexual connotation in the name of The Almighty.


252 posted on 04/08/2007 6:27:05 PM PDT by MHGinTN (If you've had life support. Promote life support for others.)
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To: MHGinTN

Ok, I now that is the traditional explanation. But when I look at it, I want to take the literal meaning. Oh well, I guess we will agree to disagree!


253 posted on 04/08/2007 6:33:16 PM PDT by nowandlater (Romney-Thompson 2008)
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To: snoringbear
Quite right, looking back at what you said, you were referring to others taking pot shots. My apologies! My hackles were up from defending my faith from others and I didn’t read your comment close enough, my sincere apologies!
254 posted on 04/08/2007 7:34:56 PM PDT by sevenbak
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To: AnalogReigns

ping to the ‘bone’ post


255 posted on 04/08/2007 8:20:06 PM PDT by MHGinTN (If you've had life support. Promote life support for others.)
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To: MHGinTN

What’s the bone post?


256 posted on 04/08/2007 8:37:58 PM PDT by sevenbak
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To: MHGinTN

>>Yahushua’s (Jesus’s) Soul was retrieved from Gehenna and
>>His body was raised out of the tomb, reunited with the
>>Spirit. This is the miracle of Passover, Unleavened
>>Bread, and FirstFruits.

The Passover miracle was the tenth plague of Egypt, where the tribes of Israel were commanded by Moses to sacrifice a male lamb and post it’s blood on their doorpost so that the destroying angel would know to Passover their house and not kill their first born, thus they were saved by the blood of the lamb which while symbolic of Jesus’ death and sacrifice for them was instituted long before Jesus was born. The unleavened bread, is the bread of haste because they were getting ready to leave Egypt and did not have time to let it rise. Bitter herbs were to remind them of the bitterness of bondage. Jesus was sacrifice on a high day matched the prophecy (which had already been fulfilled once) because it was a prophecy that would be fulfilled multiple times, like the prophecies about the coming of Christ, he will come again, but the Jews did not understand that.

The point is if you only look at easter and passover as Christs burial and ressurection, you are missing a lot. There are layers of meaning going back centuries that all point to Christ.


257 posted on 04/08/2007 9:01:24 PM PDT by DelphiUser ("You can lead a man to knowledge, but you can't make him think")
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To: sevenbak

I’m not sure of this, but it appears a major Mormon doctrine (that God the Father is physical...found only in Mormonism, never a Christian idea) was supported by a misprint of John 17:11 where it says: “keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be [b]one, as we are”

Wackier things are known...wouldn’t surprise me at all. The “one” in some translation was misprinted as “bone,” at least that’s how it appears to this layman. Not to be too offensive, but there appears to be a diabolical sense of humor out there somewhere—in the things some will believe.

Reminds me of one of the early versions of the King James Bible. Exodus 20:14, in the 10 Commandments, “Thou shalt not commit adultery” was misprinted without the “not.” It was known as the “Wicked Bible...”


258 posted on 04/08/2007 9:01:49 PM PDT by AnalogReigns
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To: MHGinTN

Sorry, the B was from a footnote refrence and I tried to get them all, but obveously missed one. It should be “Be one” but since bone is a word my spell check did not help me catch that one. I am fallible my quotation of scripture stands corrected as “Be one” not “Be bone”.

Thank you.


259 posted on 04/08/2007 9:06:10 PM PDT by DelphiUser ("You can lead a man to knowledge, but you can't make him think")
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To: Angry Write Mail
"Correction of grammer: Kelsey?
260 posted on 04/08/2007 9:09:02 PM PDT by MistrX
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