The Problem is Me

kcjohnson3, you are a classic example of insanity. Apparently you live in some bizarre universe cooked up in your diseased imagination.

I have been a member of the Church all my life. I served as a bishop myself. Never in my experience has any of the things you describe ever taken place.

You need to see a psychiatrist.

kjohnson3

The answer to your question is simple.

What Brother Otterson said is true.

What you wrote is not.
How do you keep a straight face?

Mark
Always seek the truth.

VOLKMARE

Yes, Glenn Beck represents LDS attitudes and beliefs very well.

"The core of Christian faith is to look inwardly for correction of self, not outwardly for correction of others."

This is an amazing observation, given that Mr. Otterson's church has the strictest and most comprehensive code of behavior this side of the state pen.

Furthermore, in the Mormon community, people spy on one another, tattle to their bishops, and quake in their own boots when summoned to a meeting with those bishops. And the church encourages and reinforces this behavior by promoting the tattlers while reprimanding and even casting out the transgressors.

So, with a membership body raised up from infancy to look for (and dutifully report) others' indiscretions, how can Mr. Otterson say these things with a straight face?

Great column, Brother Otterson

It is always inspiring to read your take on the subject.

Mark
Always seek the truth.

PS: even Glen Beck recognised the truth when he saw it. His life is better for it. Just ask him, he'll tell you.

M.O.:

According to one of the stories in the Bible therein, god deliberately 'confused' the Sodom and Gomorra folk near the 'Tower of Babel' by making them "TALK IN TONGUES" and run around like chickens with heads, bumping into each other etc..

So, the signs of these times, by god (and not the one you nor any human think they know; which for sure is not a human form of a god) is that the world is now again, deliberately being made 'confused' and therefore 'angry at each the other.'?

Prophecy: Please understand sir that this weeks U.N. Security Council meeting will also find itself confused and will display anger and fustration between themselves like never hath experienced nor seen before by the world.

To start, '911' happened after 'DUBAN-1' and todays Financial Global Tsunami is another sign of many, not to omitt the Bird/Swine-Flu that's about to hammer (or Punish) humanity further for their past and current APATHY's And many more curses to come. According to this god life is expendable (no SALAVATION).

The curse of "THE-BLAME" is comming And the Judeo Mormons or Christiandoms are not immune. Nor are the Judeo Jews or Judeo Islamics or the Hindu nor Buddhists and others. And Praying such away (god visiting in Mysterious-ways) will not help anyone. No, the 'RAPTURE' is not what this is, that will inevitably come in a Billion Years or so.

But for now and in the not to distant future, cross your fingers and HOPE for the best.

Great column, Mr. Otterson.

Now, too bad you can't convince your Mormon Elder Glenn Beck who reflects your Utah membership's homophobia, racism and misogyny and uses these to get rich by scaring and angering his lemmings toward violence and civil war.

I suppose jesus was being unchristian when he was angry in the synagogue.

If you want to read about sacrifice and lack of anger, etc. read Ramayana and Bhagvad Gita. There you will see forgiveness, self sacrifice, love unabridged, etc - even that newly acquired western understanding that the emphasis is on actions, not scriptures.

Rationalizing good values on a mythical figure like jesus or allah is not very useful.

hariuam

Answer (from Matthew, Chapter 5):
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: (21-22)

Most texts of the bible do not have (in v 22: without cause); it is considered a later edition to the text. For most of us, the text reads:

but I say to you that if you are angry with a brother ["or sister" understood] you will be liable to judgment, and if you insult a brother [or sister] you will be liable to the council, and if you say, 'you fool' you will be liable to the hell of fire.

The Sermon on the Mount is intended to be absolutes; it is not good news (gospel) but law [the accusation that we cannot obey].

By putting "without cause" in the statement about anger, we give someone an out. For Jesus, the anger at another is always rejected, for among other reasons, it is the first step that leads to murder. Without anger, there is no murder. The impossibility of life without anger shows that we are to strive for the highest, and never attain it. Thus, we must rely on gospel, the good news that it is done FOR us already.

By adding "without cause", especially in political discourse we allows for the distortion of the other that says "see, he/she gave me cause to be angry with him/her" As Christians, we are to be not angry. Period.

Pr Chris

Michael
Well said. Thank you. Have you heard the interview Krista Tippet did with Sean Corne on Speaking of Faith?

The fault is not in me. The fault is in my ideology. If I believe there is only one way to truth, only one savior, only one church, only one last prophet, one highest book that applies to all peoples - then it is rational for me to decry all others.

When churches and mosques stop telling the world that they are the one and only way to heaven, there is only one savior, that all other gods are false gods, etc, then people will be willing to learn that we are all god's children, all in earnest search for God and Truth and thus debate helps us all to get closer to That Truth (Tat Sat).

hariaum