LDS Church Battening Down Hatches (OPEN)

The Mormon Times ^ | Wednesday, Apr. 14, 2010 | Jerry Earl Johnston

[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.

[greyfoxx39]

Hilarious!

[SevenofNine]

On Off topic do you notice that Spock is better director than Capt Kirk LOL!

[greyfoxx39]

What a telling post!

No one has to attend Church if they don’t want to. I don’t care what Church you belong to, no one can force you to attend a service against your will. I don’t know what you are talking about. There are no “slaves” in the Kingdom.

"Capital-"C"-Church, Capital-"K"-Kingdom"..Saundra, that is a perfect example of the enslavement to mormonism in a nutshell.

Mormonism should just give up the demand to be known as "Christian". The only "Church" is the whole body of Christianity, the only "Kingdom" is the Kingdom of God....you are using both terms to describe your sect's denomination AND claim the Church and Kingdom as Joseph Smith territory.

[Normandy]

You may feel insulted. I am certain that Jesus does not.

[restornu]

One cannot converse with an unreasonable dislike such as you are displaying!

[greyfoxx39]

WHOA!!!! Post emergency!

Let trained EMS teams fix this accident...

“I think you are mistaken about Latter-day Saints insulting Jesus (well, except for denying His eternal Godhood, His death and Atonement on the cross, and His Gospel of Grace).”

“I have never heard any talk or lesson or testimony where anyone has said anything demeaning (except that He is a created being, like any angel, satan or spirit), insulting or derogatory (ditto) about Jesus Christ. I have constantly heard the opposite (because we only care about the usage of words - not what they mean).”

“We teach (falsehoods about God and His Glorious Gospel of Grace), testify (by substituting feelings for Truth), exhort (You too can be a God! Get with it!!!), encourage people to believe in Jesus Christ (you know, the mormon jesus), to come unto him (actually, come to our Morg Church, it’s all the same - we’re the restoration, you know. In fact, our jesus was a mormon! really!), to repent of sin (hot drinks especially!!), to follow his teachings (like always to wear magic underwear, or to learn some secret heavenly handshakes, or some spiffy masonic rituals).

Done!

Drive carefully from now on!

Post EMS Services

[MHGinTN]

‘Certain’? ... Moronism derangement has you thoroughly in its grip, FRiend. Did you even bother to read the entire post I offered for your reading? When you paint Jesus as feckless, you insult the God of Creation. That you would twist that to say you are certain Jesus is not insulted is very ‘Smithian’. ... And you wonder why Christians find Mormonism disgusting when we dig into the beliefs of your cult!

[greyfoxx39]

Apparently it matters not a whit what was taught, or written, or learned before this minute. It only matters what is said now by the so called prophet of lds. If he changes his mind it’s ok because it only matters what he says when he says it. Honestly I am beginning to think that may be written down some where in a training manual for lds.

It matters to God.

[SZonian]

When you decide to actually converse as opposed to casting aspersions about intent and purported bias let me know.

Until then, if disagreeing with your comments and posts is “unreasonable dislike”, then so be it.

[Normandy]

I don’t believe that Jesus was tricked. As he said, he could have defended himself with legions of angels if he had wanted.

I just don’t believe that if someone says that Jesus was victimized that he is going to be too upset about it or take it as an insult.

[greyfoxx39]

I don’t believe that Jesus was tricked. As he said, he could have defended himself with legions of angels if he had wanted.

Why do mormons not believe that Jesus should be honored with capitalizing HIS, HE, HIM, when referring to HIM...when mormons capitalize church without fail when referring to their church?

You have a mormon on this very thread complaining about the "insult to her faith" because we do not capitalize.

Double standard much? OR, is it because the mormon jesus was just a man?

[Normandy]

For me it’s just a habit. In the scriptures the pronouns are not capitalized. In LDS publications they are. No disrespect intended.

I capitalize C in Church, when I use it as a shortened form of the name “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”.

[restornu]

Oh it seems I am dealing with shapeshifters who are always moving the bar so why should I bother!

This has nothing to do with disagreements it has to do with a lack of civility and none of you seem to have a awareness that it is disrespectful

Whatever happen to the golden rule?

I am not talking about a conversation getting heated and one saying things beyond the mark.

What is going on is daily mantra of wanton disrespect toward another fellow being faith.

Each of us should be able to exchange our opinions and things that are disagreed upon with out resorting to name calling and endless demeaning the names of each others faith.

[greyfoxx39]

For me it’s just a habit.

Do you always capitalize "prophet" when writing about Joseph Smith?

[Normandy]

No.

[SZonian]

"...with a lack of civility and none of you seem to have a awareness that it is disrespectful"

Coming from the one who just called me a "shapeshifter" I'd say you're the one who is unaware Resty.

You want civil discussion? Then quit calling people biased shapeshifters and a myriad number of other aspersions and maybe then you'll earn the kind of respect you're demanding.

[MHGinTN]

Indeed, Nina, we have proof that some things are very very important in God's plan. He had the Hebrews practice the blood atonement for more than a thousand years before He, GOD, came in the flesh to accomplish blood atonement.

It is interesting to witness Mormon apologists contradict what their supposed 'prophet' has to say regarding Jesus. It is, in the end, just dishonesty.

[MHGinTN]

Um, make that ‘GINA’. Sorry, m’Lady. Typing too fast, to get to other things kitchen is heating up.

[JDW11235]

Shapeshifters, you got it. I’ve already called that out in an earlier post. One topic will never be discussed, they always ping a half dozen or more people to flood you to overwhelm and silence you.

That’s why I find myself disengaging from those types of exchanges. I learned a long time, that when neighborhood bullies want to play games with you, you either have to play on their terms, or pick up your ball and go home. Shoot, I have other friends. I don’t need to interact more thean incidentally with people who don’t want to be civil.

It’s much easier to have unity and worthwhile relationships with civil people. I would have come and joined in with you, so you wouldn’t be the lone voice, but I have found that it’s a waste of time to have civil discourse with those unable to do so. I talk to people on FR all the time, having civil discourse and Religion never comes up, or when it does, we find common ground and are happy to know each other. It’s just small, angry minority who is pushing an agenda because of their own cognitive dissonance, and those they use to join in that are the uncivil ones. I have hope though, they’re not bad people, just misled.

[reaganaut]

As a lawyer might plead,

“Your Honor, How can my client get a fair trial with all this evidence against him?”

- - - - - -
That defense as probably already been used.

What say you, Counselor?