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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: restornu

“48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

“I know many who are anti LDS have trouble with verse 48 which they deem impossible!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Resty,

Do you even understand the context of this passage?

Who Jesus is speaking to.
How this fits into this section of Matthew?
Who Matthew was written to?
What the main message of Matthew is?

From your post, it seems clear you are oblivious to all of that and more. If you understood it, you would not be making the point you are trying to use if for.

best,
ampu


301 posted on 04/15/2010 6:04:53 PM PDT by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: svcw

:)


302 posted on 04/15/2010 6:23:53 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: greyfoxx39

Bichupric...

A bishop with hiccups ???

:)


303 posted on 04/15/2010 6:25:39 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: restornu

Creative juices.....sometimes I just get that cooking thing right.
Now if I could just get those old lady chin hairs to stop growing!


304 posted on 04/15/2010 6:31:16 PM PDT by svcw (Habakkuk 2:3)
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To: aMorePerfectUnion

How sanctimonious of you!


305 posted on 04/15/2010 6:33:36 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: restornu
Is this what you meant?

Noun 1. bishopric - the territorial jurisdiction of a bishop

Otherwise I am confused.

306 posted on 04/15/2010 6:33:37 PM PDT by svcw (Habakkuk 2:3)
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To: JDW11235

***The Bible is true, as far as correctly translated, and there are many translations, and not all of them correct.***

From the Translators to the Reader...1611 KJV Preface.

http://www.bible-researcher.com/kjvpref.html

§ 13 [An answer to the imputations of our adversaries.]

• 1 Now to the latter we answer, that we do not deny, nay, we affirm and avow, that the very meanest translation of the Bible in English, set forth by men of our profession, (for we have seen none of theirs of the whole Bible as yet) containeth the Word of God, nay, is the Word of God.
• 2 As the King’s Speech which he uttered in Parliament, being translated into French, Dutch, Italian, and Latin, is still the King’s Speech, though it be not interpreted by every translator with the like grace, nor peradventure so fitly for phrase, nor so expressly for sense, everywhere.

.....
§ 15 [The purpose of the translators, with their number, furniture, care, etc.]

• 2 Truly, good Christian reader, we never thought from the beginning that we should need to make a new translation, nor yet to make of a bad one a good one,....... but to make a good one better, or out of many good ones, one principal good one, not justly to be excepted against; that hath been our endeavour, that our mark.
• 3 To that purpose there were many chosen that were greater in other men’s eyes than in their own, and that sought the truth rather than their own praise.


307 posted on 04/15/2010 6:33:50 PM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar (Obama's vision for America...Green shoots and skittles, where pancakes grow on fritter trees.)
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To: restornu

sanctimonious?

Hardly. I’m pointing out something I’ve pointed out
to you for several years now Resty...

To understand a verse, you must understand its context
and where it appears. The see and say method will cause
you to be wrong.

When you can answer the questions, you can have some
certainty you are not going off in the wrong direction.

You are capable of that young woman! :-)

ampu


308 posted on 04/15/2010 6:35:59 PM PDT by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: svcw; restornu

You should have tasted my pork tenderloin tonight. Marinated all afternoon in Madeira and and soy. Added a few seasonings including garlic and onion powder. Put it in a hot pan and browned both sides quickly and then into the oven at 350 for about fifteen minutes. Just barely reached 160 degrees with a meat thermometer. Tender and juicy!

Also had al dente cauliflower with au jus.

A nice little red Zinfandel finished the process.

Come on down!


309 posted on 04/15/2010 6:44:05 PM PDT by Utah Binger (Mount Carmel Utah, Twelve Miles East of Zion National Park)
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To: aMorePerfectUnion

I do not agree with you I rather listen to the spirit of the Lord then another tradition man!


310 posted on 04/15/2010 6:44:35 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: Utah Binger

I’ll be right there...

:)


311 posted on 04/15/2010 6:47:16 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: Utah Binger

Oh my goodness. It makes my tonight’s dinner of spare ribs seem like pikers.
I love cauliflower, raw cooked its just good.


312 posted on 04/15/2010 6:50:57 PM PDT by svcw (Habakkuk 2:3)
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To: Tennessee Nana

You’re always welcome!

Schedule yourself in at the Living History Museum for an overnight.

http://www.thunderbirdfoundation.com/
http://www.thunderbirdfoundation.com/calendar/index.asp?calendar=visits


313 posted on 04/15/2010 6:53:00 PM PDT by Utah Binger (Mount Carmel Utah, Twelve Miles East of Zion National Park)
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To: svcw; restornu; Tennessee Nana

If you steam it to a first stage it holds its’ firmness but keeps the flavor. I love it raw too.

We also had a very nice baked potato.

Simplicity in dining defined.


314 posted on 04/15/2010 6:57:37 PM PDT by Utah Binger (Mount Carmel Utah, Twelve Miles East of Zion National Park)
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To: ejonesie22

indeed


315 posted on 04/15/2010 8:05:40 PM PDT by Godzilla (3-7-77)
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To: restornu; Tennessee Nana; Saundra Duffy
Yep and some being spend thier days throwing acid at others faith!

while riding bicycles wearing white shirts and ties

316 posted on 04/15/2010 8:09:29 PM PDT by Godzilla (3-7-77)
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To: Normandy; ejonesie22
You may call that polytheism — I see it as Biblical truth.

nope norman, the bible doesn't teach polytheism - the bible teaches that there is only one God in the totality of everything. I give you the testimony of the bible

Isa 44:8* Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

317 posted on 04/15/2010 8:15:50 PM PDT by Godzilla (3-7-77)
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To: Normandy; ejonesie22
I think that the idea that Jesus Christ and God the Father are one and the same individual is not supported by the Biblical record.

Very good norman - neither does Christianity - surprised? That idea is called 'modalism'. I don't know what they teach you mormons about the Trinity within lds circles - but it appears it is grossly incorrect. However, proper understanding of the Trinity removes this misunderstanding you have. As the singular God is composed of three separate but ontologically unified Persons - they can converse with each other. In the cases you cite something is also added to the mixture - the humanity of Jesus. Thus Jesus would 'speak' to the Father just as he had before coming to earth - as the Second Person of the Trinity.

Since someone in lds realm has taught you that modalism = Trinitarism, you need to reeducate yourself at least to the correct description of the Trinity - regardless of whether you believe it or not - so that you can discuss it legitimately.

318 posted on 04/15/2010 8:25:43 PM PDT by Godzilla (3-7-77)
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To: MHGinTN; ejonesie22
You are not alone in your blasphemy.

How often have we seen mormons equate modalism to the Trinity? Far more common than I could imagine. Not sure who teaches it to them, but it is grossly dishonest that they are being misled on this by such a margin.

319 posted on 04/15/2010 8:28:14 PM PDT by Godzilla (3-7-77)
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To: Normandy
Latter-day Saint belief is that The God of Israel was the premortal Jesus Christ.

Then explain why this premortal Jesus God state the following:

Isaiah 43: 10* Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD (Jehovah - Jesus), and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God (Elohiem - heavenly father) formed, neither shall there be after me.

Doesn't Jesus recognize the existence of heavenly father? Jehovah/Jesus states NO gods were formed before or after him - so much for eternal progression.

320 posted on 04/15/2010 8:36:43 PM PDT by Godzilla (3-7-77)
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