Many of you hate my sources. You know what? It doesn’t matter because the information is true. If I could get all that information off the LDS website I would. Ultimately it doesn’t matter because the church doesn’t deny ANYTHING I have said. I just like these sites because it says the information in a way that is both easy to find and easy to understand.
Someone posted this comment that I’d like to address: “Just like Wikipedia, Familysearch.org has been opened to allow anyone to post information about anyone's geneology, including Joseph Smith's. I personally did a search of him and got at least 5 different versions of the same man, born in the same town on the same day. How can that be? The only explanation is that someone is wrong!”
As far as familysearch goes- I know there are lots of Joseph Smiths on there. The Joseph Smith I looked up, was born on December 23 1805 in Vermont. Died on June 27th (my birthday) 1844 in Carthage Jail, Hancock, Illinois. Parents are Joseph Smith and Lucy Mac. If you search it right, there is only ONE Joseph Smith with all of this correct information. This IS the right Joseph Smith. Under “events” while clarifying your search, enter “marriage”. Maybe that will help you find the right one. But like I said- it doesn’t matter. ALL this information is true and is not denied by the church.
One more thing to add about my tithing post. The church IS spending over 1 billion on a mall. I know the church probably has a lot of places that tithe money has to go towards, but I really doubt that (1) tithe payers write their tithing checks thinking “gee, I hope they use this to build a mall” and (2) God requested the prophet to put a billion dollars into a mall. Sorry, but I just don’t agree with that. So, for all you full tithe payers, you better get out to that mall when it’s done. After all, you did help pay for it!
Someone asked me if I believe that God loves us. Of course I do. If there is a creator, I’m sure it loves us.
“Do I believe he wants what is right for us?”
- Yes. But I don’t believe that what is right for me is what is right for everyone. I don’t believe that what is right for you is what is right for me. Why would God put a cookie cutter judgment mold on billions of people who are all unique?
- No. Because so many times I have prayed to God and it doesn’t matter. I don’t hear his voice. I don’t feel him. I don’t see him. If I pray to God for something to happen, and it happens, I am supposed to believe that he answered my prayer. But if I pray to God for something to happen and it doesn’t happen, then that was just God’s intentions for me. I find that a convenient “out” for Christians and I do not believe in that.
“Do I believe in faith?”
- In regards to religion-No. I feel that faith is a manipulative and convenient tool as well. It’s a convenient way for Christians to get everyone to believe what they believe.
John already addressed some things about Daphne. But someone asked: “If Daphne wants to be a drug addict when she is 14 are you going to let her make that decision or are you going to teach her what you think is right?”
- First of all, I think that it’s funny that someone might think that since we left Mormonism that Daphne has a higher chance of being a drug addict, or doing drugs. I have seen just as many drug addicts/drug users inside the church as outside the church. But, ultimately, I want Daphne to make decisions that will benefit her life. Choosing her own religion is not something that will harm her life or her body so she has free reign over that. But leaving it up to her to choose whether or not she is going to abuse drugs IS something that will harm her life and her body. I want her to know to respect the laws of this nation, and that they are set up to help us be civil and healthy. So, I’m guessing this commenter was talking about illegal drugs. So I will probably not advise Daphne to do illegal drugs. Marijuana is a different story. That is a totally different post in itself. But, if Daphne wants to try cigarettes or alcohol, I will encourage her to wait until she is of legal age. I myself didn’t wait until I was 21 to drink, so I really can’t be too harsh on Daphne if she doesn’t wait until she is 21 to drink. That would be really hard. But I did wait until I was 18 to smoke and get tattoos and piercings.
Anyways, I hope this answers the question. I really want to say that “there aren’t stupid questions, only stupid answers”… but I’m having a hard time being able to admit that with this one. LOL.
SO- for all of you out there who aren't afraid to IDENTIFY YOURSELVES... ask away!
7 comments:
I agree that people should identify themselves. Everyone is open to their own opinion and although some don't agree with your decisions, they shouldn't belittle or be so nasty about it.
John and Amberly,
You are certainly entitled to your beliefs and to be treated kindly. I did, however, want to offer another perspective on what the church has done with downtown SLC.
Maybe you should have seen the area in downtown Salt Lake City before the Church stepped in to improve it. Spending that amount of money has rid the area of crime and drugs. I can tell you this as a witness of the before, during, and nearly after. The church ultimately saved that historic area from what normally happens to older downtown areas and has made a family- friendly area that many Utahns can now enjoy instead of avoiding. If the church wants to use money (which isn't even mine in the first place), then I say go ahead and contribute to the community. After all, I think that's what churches should do. Be good neighbors.
Just because it's a mall doesn't mean the church intends to necessarily stand to make a whole lot of money. In fact, they are moving the BYU Salt Lake Center over there, so I think it's fair to say they have an interest in what goes on there, just like anybody else in the neighborhood.
Anyway, I hope you guys are doing well, and good luck with finishing school and moving.
Allison (Willden) Hansen
that's cool. how come it's not more of a common knowledge among members? my mom didn't have any idea this was going on.
I'm not sure why more people don't know about it outside of Utah. It seems like they are always talking about the progress on local news stations here that I've kinda stopped paying attention to what they are saying. I just found out that a couple of other churches and non profit organizations will have space there too. Kinda neat.
Oh, and thanks for the comment on my blog. More people should probably put more energy into maintaining friendships, which is helpful, than arguing, which accomplishes nothing.
Women can be sealed to more than one man, but only one will be effective in the next life. She will have to choose. We heard a story in Stake Conference tonight about this young couple who came from England and were in the Willie and Martin handcart companies walking across the frozen plains in the wintertime. They were waiting to get married until they got to Salt Lake so they could be sealed. He got pneumonia and died. She couldn't bear the thought of leaving his body buried in the snow so she had his body wrapped in her shawl and hung from a tree so the wolves couldn't get at it. Imagine what it was like for her to drive away, watching him hang from that tree.
When she got to Salt Lake City she was eventually married to a man as his third polygamous wife. Fast forward to the present. Members who now live in an area where the handcart pioneers passed through did some research on these couragous people and found that there were some who hadn't had their temple work done and were seeing that it got down. James E. Faust of the First Presidency went there, heard this story and instructed these people to seal the couple together. When he was told that she was already sealed to someone else he said, "Seal them anyway. She deserves a choice."
Did you know that it took Brigham Yound 2 years to get a testimony after he read the Book of Mormon?
I am glad you will give Daphne a choice; gay or straight, catholic or mormon, republican or democrat, crazy cat lady or red hat lady. Either way, she'll still be Daphne and you will still love her. We know that.
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