- Daniel H on The Gospel and Entropy: “What fascinating beings we are. A human concerned about the heat death of the universe today is like a stromatolite 4 billion years ago worrying that some day it will be dredged up to make way for a luxury beach resort. We have a doctrine of eternal life. We readily have a solution for earthly mortality. I suppose the next concern is the heat death of the universe, uncountable eons in the future. Surely God has a solution for that, right? I’m not trying to mock or criticize. I find this question fascinating as well. I just think it’s a little funny we spend any energy dwelling on these extraneous gospel topics. I guess we like it and that’s why we’re on this forum.” Jul 9, 13:55
- on The Gospel and Entropy: “One thing I know is nothing really makes sense, whether it’s the scale of the universe or how my guts digest things, or how life is created. It’s all too bizarre to be either something someone created or something that just happens over time. Doesn’t make sense. So faith is pretty much a conscious choice for me to choose one story that doesn’t make much sense instead of accepting a different story they also doesn’t really make much sense. Finally, I think the story in the BoA of Adams without end and the roleplay (since disbanded and soon to be forgotten) of Adams and Eves in the temple is another pretty cool thing that doesn’t make much sense either.” Jul 9, 11:28
- on The Gospel and Entropy: “It could be that the known universe is just a small division of the sacred cosmos–perhaps a sort of thin layer of fallen creation along the outer edge where the waters of chaos are constantly lapping upon its shore.” Jul 9, 07:39
- on Church in Contrast: Participation and Meaning in Church (Or What Did Church Lead You to Think About) Yesterday, 7/5?: “Our Sunday School class spent a lot of time on Solomon’s prayer dedicating the temple. It struck me that he saw it as a tool to help Israel repent and reconcile with God. Too often we treat attending the temple as a reward for overcoming sin rather than a source of strength that will help us do so. On this week’s apparent theme, in testimony meeting a missionary read a poem about a man who finds himself on a hole, tries to build a ladder with the available materials but it’s not long enough, and then someone drops a rope to him (apparently a short rope, because he has to be on his ladder to reach it). As an analogy for the atonement that strikes me as all wrong: nothing we can do helps in the slightest way to save us from sin and death. As for changing, in my experience Christ’s help is more like “If you’ll just tie this rope around you, I’ll pull you up.” But the poem was obviously meaningful to the elder who read it. I did like the ending, where the man expresses his gratitude to his helper–and then is given a rope of his own and pointed to the thousands of holes around him. @DeAnn Spencer. I’d start with the supreme importance of agency, and that we must freely choose Christ in order to be true Christians, not choose him because of government influence or coercion. I’d point out the 11th Article of Faith, and maybe quote Joseph Smith’s statements that non-Christians were welcome in Nauvoo to make it clear how broadly he meant it to apply. Add Alma 30:7 about how it would be strictly contrary to the commandments of God for the law to put men on unequal grounds because of their beliefs (and a non-Christian in a Christian nation is definitely on unequal grounds). Maybe touch on how mixing government with religion makes religion a path to power, and Jesus’ sharpest criticism was reserved for those who use religion as a path to power. (I’d say it already applies to some of our politicians today). But I think the most relevant statement came from President Oaks in his October 2020 talk Love Your Enemies: “The United States was founded by immigrants of different nationalities and different ethnicities. Its unifying purpose was not to establish a particular religion or to perpetuate any of the diverse cultures or tribal loyalties of the old countries. Our founding generation sought to be unified by a new constitution and laws.” It’s frustrating that a member can advocate for the US to be a Christian nation without realizing they’re going against the prophet. It would be clearer if President Oaks came out and said Trumpism is wrong, Christian Nationalism is wrong, post-liberalism is wrong, etc. But it would also cause a lot of people to stop listening. Leadership’s current strategy of instead advocating for their opposites: loving your enemies, peacemaking, religious freedom, pluralism, etc. makes sense to me.” Jul 8, 14:56
- on A Museum Review: The Museum of Utah: “A highlight for me as I toured the museum was bumping into you!” Jul 8, 07:53
- on A Museum Review: The Museum of Utah: “my family and i visited last week when i was off for the 4th holiday weekend. it was overwhelming in the best sense; we definitely walked out thinking “we’re gonna have to come back, there’s just too much to see and process in one visit”. highly highly recommend if you are in the slc or surrounding areas. worth a drive.” Jul 7, 16:42
- on Church in Contrast: Participation and Meaning in Church (Or What Did Church Lead You to Think About) Yesterday, 7/5?: “I often use our ward fb page to comment on some of our s/school, or priesthood lessons on aspects of the lessons from which I have learnt, or to make further comment. I find our ward fb page to be an excellent medium to engage in gospel topic discussions.” Jul 7, 15:30
- on A Museum Review: The Museum of Utah: “If that’s an offer to fund it, Jonathan, I’m game!” Jul 7, 11:34
- on A Museum Review: The Museum of Utah: “This is a great category for new posts. Chad, we now need you to systematically visit museums and historical sites throughout the U.S. and/or internationally.” Jul 7, 11:09
- on Church in Contrast: Participation and Meaning in Church (Or What Did Church Lead You to Think About) Yesterday, 7/5?: “Last Lemming – I would love to hear how your ward’s out-of-the-closet Lesbian framed her rebuttal in Gospel (not political) terms. That would be so hard to do!” Jul 7, 08:48
