I have a friend who can be hilarious at times when his irony vein gets pricked.
Here's his latest. A jab at the awesome celebration that's going to happen in a few hours on the dime of the nonMormon (label courtesy of Russell Nelson) members. In other words, he's creating his own celebration. Unfortunately, the guest of honor refused to attend. 😄
Friday, September 6, 2019
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
Freedom to Search for Truth
I totally love this quote. Surely, Russell Nelson was inspired by God when he said this, no matter what his heart's intent. I am looking at his words, only. I am taking them at face value. I printed two copies and am going to put them up where I see them every day.
"While
searching for the truth, we must be free to change our mind—even to
change our religion—in response to new information and inspiration…
One’s religion is not imposed by others. It is not predetermined.
It is a very personal and sacred choice, nestled at the very core of
human dignity.”
https://www.thechurchnews.com/archives/2004-05-27/elder-russell-m-nelson-freedom-to-do-and-to-be-96622
Credit for finding this quote goes to http://barerecord.blogspot.com/2019/08/a-very-personal-and-sacred-choice.html renamed A Seeker for Truth (can't change the url, but you can change the title of your blog).
Credit for finding this quote goes to http://barerecord.blogspot.com/2019/08/a-very-personal-and-sacred-choice.html renamed A Seeker for Truth (can't change the url, but you can change the title of your blog).
Friday, July 12, 2019
What is real?
What is real?
What is false?
What is eternally real?
What do I believe and why?
What is running the show in my mind?
What is running the show in my life?
Is God real?
Is God a she or a he or a they or an it?
If there's a council of the Gods, what does that even mean?
What stands in my way of doing what I think I want?
Am I afraid? If so, of what?
Am I convinced that I'm incompetent or lazy or [insert some other negative label]?
What really runs my life?
Is it my subconscious? If so, how can I control it? How can I tell it what I really want? Will it even listen to me?
How much am I controlled by what I was taught as a child by my culture, by my religion, by my schooling, by my life experiences?
I am like a fish that has no idea it is swimming in water. How can I be aware of that of which I am not aware? How can I even choose to be or think a certain way if I don't even know there's a choice there? If I don't even know there's another way of being? If I don't even know I'm acting or being a certain way?
I am questioning everything. Everything I believe. Everything I think I know. I am questioning my past religion. I am questioning my present religion. I am trying to break out of my paradigms so I can look at them and see if they are true. If there even is a "true" or "false" aspect to them. And to see if they are useful to me.
What helps me? What hinders me? If I am a burden on others, how can I stop being a burden?
Why am I so plugged in to those around me that their emotions dig into my mind and body like daggers? What if I don't want to feel like they do? What if I don't want to take responsibility for their feelings or actions? What if I'm not supposed to fix their feelings or actions or lives? What if I'm supposed to let go and let them feel and live and be their own person, even if they feel anger or frustration or some other painful emotion?
What the hell is life all about, anyway? (And I don't want a pat answer from religion (or Religion). I want the truth. Real truth. Not the skewed versions of truth that we humans think we have a corner on.)
On a deviating subject, I recommend reading Velikovsky's books. I read "Velikovsky Reconsidered". It gave me background on the opposition he encountered. I'm presently reading "Worlds in Collision" and intend to read "Earth in Upheaval" after that. I don't know if they can be gotten new. My copies are used, and several decades old.
Considering his theories without being angry that he's attacking your preconceived ideas or paradigms opens your eyes to the fact that even scientists don't necessarily know what the hell they're talking about. And I submit that pretty much all of us don't know what the hell we're talking about when we talk about things we "know" are true.
What is false?
What is eternally real?
What do I believe and why?
What is running the show in my mind?
What is running the show in my life?
Is God real?
Is God a she or a he or a they or an it?
If there's a council of the Gods, what does that even mean?
What stands in my way of doing what I think I want?
Am I afraid? If so, of what?
Am I convinced that I'm incompetent or lazy or [insert some other negative label]?
What really runs my life?
Is it my subconscious? If so, how can I control it? How can I tell it what I really want? Will it even listen to me?
How much am I controlled by what I was taught as a child by my culture, by my religion, by my schooling, by my life experiences?
I am like a fish that has no idea it is swimming in water. How can I be aware of that of which I am not aware? How can I even choose to be or think a certain way if I don't even know there's a choice there? If I don't even know there's another way of being? If I don't even know I'm acting or being a certain way?
I am questioning everything. Everything I believe. Everything I think I know. I am questioning my past religion. I am questioning my present religion. I am trying to break out of my paradigms so I can look at them and see if they are true. If there even is a "true" or "false" aspect to them. And to see if they are useful to me.
What helps me? What hinders me? If I am a burden on others, how can I stop being a burden?
Why am I so plugged in to those around me that their emotions dig into my mind and body like daggers? What if I don't want to feel like they do? What if I don't want to take responsibility for their feelings or actions? What if I'm not supposed to fix their feelings or actions or lives? What if I'm supposed to let go and let them feel and live and be their own person, even if they feel anger or frustration or some other painful emotion?
What the hell is life all about, anyway? (And I don't want a pat answer from religion (or Religion). I want the truth. Real truth. Not the skewed versions of truth that we humans think we have a corner on.)
On a deviating subject, I recommend reading Velikovsky's books. I read "Velikovsky Reconsidered". It gave me background on the opposition he encountered. I'm presently reading "Worlds in Collision" and intend to read "Earth in Upheaval" after that. I don't know if they can be gotten new. My copies are used, and several decades old.
Considering his theories without being angry that he's attacking your preconceived ideas or paradigms opens your eyes to the fact that even scientists don't necessarily know what the hell they're talking about. And I submit that pretty much all of us don't know what the hell we're talking about when we talk about things we "know" are true.
Saturday, December 1, 2018
Scripture Changes - Updated
At the bottom of this post is the update.
In Joseph Smith's version of the Book of Mormon that I use, it says this:
In the present Latter-day Saint (Mormon) version of the Book of Mormon, the same verse says this:
It seems to me there is an important difference between causing iniquity and choosing it.
Choosing it, to me, implies that a choice is laid before you. Do you want this or this? Whereas causing implies, to me, creating it. "Hey, I've got this great idea! Let's punish the homeless and forbid begging." or "We really should enact more laws to take away people's choices. They're too stupid to know how to make their own decisions." or something else that the "voice of the people" came up with.
Update 12/2/2018 after 1:30 p.m.
The comments spurred me to do research when I had time to get on my computer, however, the two scriptures posted above (and linked) do say what I said they said (can be verified by clicking on the links). I double checked when I wrote the post, then checked again when comments said all of the editions of the Book of Mormon said "choose".
I searched an online 1830 Book of Mormon and discovered that it did, indeed, say "choose". This is the link to the book. You'll have to do your own search in it because it's a pdf, not a web page. Also, here is a link to a pdf of textual changes made to the Book of Mormon and the change I noticed is not in there. And here is a link to an 1840 copy of the Book of Mormon (left page, upper third of the page). It, also, says "choose". Now, I am thinking that the change was one of the few changes Denver Snuffer made (with permission or at the direction of the Lord, as I understand that the changes he did make were not his own desires). If the change was made by Denver at the Lord's direction, I still hold that the change is from God, and it definitely gives a clearer view of what the scriptures were trying to convey.
Useful links:
Scriptures Project - errors
Scriptures Project - Tracking Changes
(Posted March 2018) Scriptures Completed
In Joseph Smith's version of the Book of Mormon that I use, it says this:
. . . if the time should come that the voice of this people should cause iniquity . . . they would be ripe for destruction . . . .
In the present Latter-day Saint (Mormon) version of the Book of Mormon, the same verse says this:
. . . if the time should come that the voice of this people should choose iniquity . . . they would be ripe for destruction . . . .
It seems to me there is an important difference between causing iniquity and choosing it.
Choosing it, to me, implies that a choice is laid before you. Do you want this or this? Whereas causing implies, to me, creating it. "Hey, I've got this great idea! Let's punish the homeless and forbid begging." or "We really should enact more laws to take away people's choices. They're too stupid to know how to make their own decisions." or something else that the "voice of the people" came up with.
Update 12/2/2018 after 1:30 p.m.
The comments spurred me to do research when I had time to get on my computer, however, the two scriptures posted above (and linked) do say what I said they said (can be verified by clicking on the links). I double checked when I wrote the post, then checked again when comments said all of the editions of the Book of Mormon said "choose".
I searched an online 1830 Book of Mormon and discovered that it did, indeed, say "choose". This is the link to the book. You'll have to do your own search in it because it's a pdf, not a web page. Also, here is a link to a pdf of textual changes made to the Book of Mormon and the change I noticed is not in there. And here is a link to an 1840 copy of the Book of Mormon (left page, upper third of the page). It, also, says "choose". Now, I am thinking that the change was one of the few changes Denver Snuffer made (with permission or at the direction of the Lord, as I understand that the changes he did make were not his own desires). If the change was made by Denver at the Lord's direction, I still hold that the change is from God, and it definitely gives a clearer view of what the scriptures were trying to convey.
Useful links:
Scriptures Project - errors
Scriptures Project - Tracking Changes
(Posted March 2018) Scriptures Completed
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)