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LDS Church Battening Down Hatches (OPEN)
The Mormon Times ^ | Wednesday, Apr. 14, 2010 | Jerry Earl Johnston

Posted on 04/15/2010 8:56:50 AM PDT by T Minus Four

Think of the Salt Lake Temple as a designer bottle holding a one-of-a-kind fragrance.

Think of the gardens and buildings of Temple Square as bubble wrap around that container.

Think of the City Creek Center to the south, the Church Plaza to the east, the Conference Center to the north, and the Family History Library and Church History Museum to the west as a firm, sturdy box around all of it.

When something merits that much protection, you have to figure rough bumps and bounces are coming down the road.

I get a feeling the LDS Church sees turbulence ahead -- nasty weather -- and it is making preparations.

It's not about being defensive and keeping things out.

It's about being protective and keeping precious things safe.

When the chilly winds blow, forest creatures gather all that's life-sustaining about them.

Horses in the fields cluster together to stand against the hail.

I feel the LDS Church battening down the hatches for bad weather.

The Tabernacle Choir, which was performing musical versions of Robert Frost poetry and other secular works, now releases CDs filled with songs of faith, assurance and the need to rely on the Divine.

I feel protection is the point behind the long row of sentries -- those Mormon temples -- that stand along the Wasatch -- the new Brigham City temple, new Payson temple, the new remade Ogden temple and all the others.

I feel protect precious things is the point of the new mission statements of LDS businesses, the point for books that are picked for publication and the lessons selected for manuals.

Part of the world would divide and conquer.

The church would gather and protect.

Something uneasy this way comes. Not a vilent clash as in Jerusalem -- where cultures fight openly. We won't be seeing stone throwers in the streets of Salt Lake City.

The battle here won't be about territory.

It will be about choices -- about the advent of a bolder, more self-indulgent popular culture.

The church can see the writing on the wall -- often literally.

And graffiti on the temple will never do.

It's time -- as the old hymn has it -- to "safely gather in, ere the winter storms begin."

The plan is not to force people away.

The plan is to keep what's on the inside safe from harm.

And if that means putting up ramparts and watchtowers, so be it.

Even heaven, if you believe the stories, is a gated community -- not to keep people away, but to safeguard the gentle hearts of those who dwell there.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E-mail: jerjohn@desnews.com Jerry Earl Johnston chronicles his take on the Mormon experience in his column “New Harmony,” which appears on MormonTimes.com on Wednesdays and Sundays.


TOPICS: Other non-Christian; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: inman; lds; mormon
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To: Normandy; Godzilla
Then by your reckoning Jesus is not God, or a god, correct?

However seems the Bible disputes that in Genesis and John among others. Word made flesh sound familiar?

Also what about all the successful exalted Mormons who themselves have obtained godhood in the next world. Is that an ‘out of sight out of mind” thing.

Polytheism is both the worship AND belief in more than one god. Saying one is not a polytheist is not enough, you have to actually NOT BE one nor follow a polytheistic dogma for it to count...

221 posted on 04/15/2010 2:05:25 PM PDT by ejonesie22
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To: netmilsmom
Wow, that isn’t nice

It was a joke amongst dear friends. But you're a sweetie to defend her :-)

222 posted on 04/15/2010 2:08:23 PM PDT by T Minus Four (Abortion: one dead, one wounded.)
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To: Normandy
I believe serving God means reaching out, not hiding out.

Well, then what's your take on the article?

223 posted on 04/15/2010 2:11:59 PM PDT by T Minus Four (Abortion: one dead, one wounded.)
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To: Godzilla
Sounds trinitarian...
224 posted on 04/15/2010 2:13:11 PM PDT by ejonesie22
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To: greyfoxx39

LOL...got that right


225 posted on 04/15/2010 2:15:05 PM PDT by big'ol_freeper ("Anyone pushing Romney must love socialism...Piss on Romney and his enablers!!" ~ Jim Robinson)
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To: svcw
I sit with my back to the wall so I can see the door. (My cousin thinks it is genetic in Italians)

I do that too. Must be some Italian mixed into the German-Irishness that is me :-)

226 posted on 04/15/2010 2:16:45 PM PDT by T Minus Four (Abortion: one dead, one wounded.)
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To: reaganaut

If you are holding a big fat needle in one hand and a rubber tournequet (sp?) in the other, maybe :-)


227 posted on 04/15/2010 2:21:57 PM PDT by T Minus Four (Abortion: one dead, one wounded.)
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To: JDW11235
..and that if you’d all stop lying on a thread, I’d stop refuting it

Here's some fancy red writing: NAME ONE!

228 posted on 04/15/2010 2:25:42 PM PDT by T Minus Four (Abortion: one dead, one wounded.)
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To: colorcountry; Normandy

Let’s see how honest you truly are colorcountry.

Did Jesus Christ have a father?


229 posted on 04/15/2010 2:26:31 PM PDT by restornu (For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;)
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To: MsLady
Evangelical Christians appear to be going more liberal seeing so many turned out for Obama.

Do you have a source for this? You know that "evangelical" is not a denomination don't you, and that non-denominational, evangelical and pentecostal can have serious overlap. For instance, I consider myself 100% evangelical AND non-denominational.

230 posted on 04/15/2010 2:29:09 PM PDT by T Minus Four (Abortion: one dead, one wounded.)
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To: svcw
In fact, it is projected that we will approach the 200 million mark by century end.

Wow! Call Mike Mann at P.S.U. and show him what a REAL hockey stick looks like. :)

231 posted on 04/15/2010 2:29:36 PM PDT by Ole Okie
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To: restornu

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is the Son of God as to his divine nature, while as to his human nature he is the Son of David
(Rom. 1:3, 4. Comp. Gal. 4:4; John 1:1-14; 5:18-25; 10:30-38,
which prove that Christ was the Son of God before his
incarnation, and that his claim to this title is a claim of
equality with God).

Quid pro quo......So did God belong to two different Godheads?


232 posted on 04/15/2010 2:36:07 PM PDT by colorcountry (A faith without truth is not true faith.)
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To: MsLady
Oh boy. This is why I can't stand high-profile religious leaders of any stripe. Rick Warren is more than an "If". Don't know about the other guy. Unfortunately, "evangelical" is not trademarked. Anyone can call themselves that.

Not familiar with the other guy. The evangelicals I know are called Mike, Sandy, Gina, Bill, Mark, Jake, Shaye, Randy, Ken, Linda, etc, etc, etc. And you will almost certainly never hear of them. But they are evangelizing with all their hearts.

233 posted on 04/15/2010 2:37:13 PM PDT by T Minus Four (Abortion: one dead, one wounded.)
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To: ejonesie22

I believe that Jesus is indeed a God.


234 posted on 04/15/2010 2:40:17 PM PDT by Normandy
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To: Normandy
Is he separate from the father?
235 posted on 04/15/2010 2:41:21 PM PDT by ejonesie22
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To: mrreaganaut
Even heaven, if you believe the stories, is a gated community -- not to keep people away, but to safeguard the gentle hearts of those who dwell there.

What the fetchin' heck is THAT supposed to mean?

I know, isn't that the most preposterous statement? I don't know whether to laugh or cry. As if.

236 posted on 04/15/2010 2:41:36 PM PDT by T Minus Four (Abortion: one dead, one wounded.)
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To: ejonesie22

Yes, I believe he is separate from the Father — not the same individual.


237 posted on 04/15/2010 2:43:18 PM PDT by Normandy
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To: colorcountry

#216 - Right on! I don’t have a problem with your “articles of faith” and I am amazed that you have a problem with mine. Jesus Christ is our wonderful Savior.


238 posted on 04/15/2010 2:45:17 PM PDT by Saundra Duffy (For victory & freedom!!!)
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To: Tennessee Nana

Amen to that! At LAST I’ll be able to SING! I always say I received many gifts but a singing voice was definately not one of them. Well, when I get where I’m going, I’m going to sing without cease, at the top of my lungs! And dance and worship my King! I’ll be a fool like David :-)


239 posted on 04/15/2010 2:45:42 PM PDT by T Minus Four (Abortion: one dead, one wounded.)
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To: Normandy
Well there is two gods you beleive in right there.

Main Entry: poly·the·ism
Function: noun
Etymology: French polytheisme, from Late Greek polytheos polytheistic, from Greek, of many gods, from poly- + theos god
Date: 1613
: belief in or worship of more than one god.

240 posted on 04/15/2010 2:47:18 PM PDT by ejonesie22
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