What did you think of Elder Holland’s talk?

Parse the talk more carefully.

Ouch! It was hard to listen to those voices after hearing people who can sing! ha!

brjones-

I’m assuming you are watching the “Dancing With The Stars Results Show” and that is why we haven’t heard from you. I know you have to have an opinion on Arnel vs. Steve, I mean c’mon you were in the thick of the Journey Days were you not?

Well, hopefully Mormon Matters isn’t going to become Mormon Matters Shatters.

Since we are COMPLETELY off topic now, anyone have any comments about Arnel Pineda vs. Steve Perry?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5yPkxCLads

pinkpatent-

It brought back a ton of memories for me too! It was great to see Steve Perry singing again, I miss the good ole’ Journey days. I can still hear “Open Arms” playing at my junior high after school dance……..

Remember, it is not whether you can see, but that you can sing better than the worst singer(s). In this case, Willie Nelson, Cindy Lauper, or Bob Dylan. Your odds are pretty good.

BiV, I officially demand that you be in choir! I need you near me, ’cause I can’t sing.

Now for something I won’t apologize for. You have got to be kidding about Cindy Lauper! I can’t tell if she even takes herself serious, even for a moment, when she sings like that. You ought to Google Roseanne Barr singing the National Anthem, and see if you don’t find the resemblances striking.

I just watched your video. I was overcome with a wide range of emotion as I watched the singers from so many different backgrounds unite together in one voice for a common cause. In the midst of this presentation my mind began drift in the spirit of this unity, and suddenly I saw myself participating there as well. A few moments later, as I was relishing in this waking dream I looked to my right and there was Jeff Spector also joining me as a friend in song. This awareness jarred my senses and as I began to look around, not only was there one Jeff, but TWO!. That’s right, the former, as well as the Elder. Elder Holland too, was in attendance. We were all there, Hawkgrrrl was chirping her sweet heart out, Dexter was deliver a soulful solo in likes of Michael MacDonald. BrJones, in a practical manner delivered a simple yet appropriate harmony. JMB275, Pinkpatent, Mormon Heretic, and Jen, you, you were there too Jen. For a short moment Steve Evans appeared in dream, though he was not singing, he was in the control room pushing for a do over and was trying to the stop tape, but we just kept singing. It was a wonderful moment, as the United Order became song. In the midst of this sweet serenity, suddenly there a confused muttle. That’s right, Willie Nelson came in late on Solo, and then stumbled through it. But then it was back to beautiful music, but only for a moment, when Cindy Lauper came in additioning her voice as a Roseanne Barr sound alike. The music was beginning to fade, until suddenly the peace came to a sweet end, though the noise continued for several minutes, as Bob Dylan approached the microphone an ripped the beating heart right out of the song.

When the song finally ended I took my place among the panel of judges, and had a short unanimous deliberation with Simon, Paula, and Randy, which resulted in a heretofore unprecedented decision. This week we would disqualify not two American Idol hopefuls, but Three. You guessed it, Willie, Cindy, and Bob, were issued marching orders staining the otherwise astonishing talent.

The reason I relate this story, is because I learned a valuable lesson. Mabey we don’t “need” everybodies input.

BrJones & Jeff Spector – please don’t leave over this! Your POVs will be missed.

Off to the trenches…have a great day everyone!

By the way, when ya’ll say you’re leaving, we know you are still there or at least checking in, so just so you know, everyone says hi and we would love to hear from you soon!

It’s not like any of these questions/issues have eternal consequences – oh wait…..

Can I get an AMEN!

For example: “If anyone is foolish enough or misled enough to reject 531 pages of a heretofore unknown text….”

Hertofore unknown text……?” What of that 18 chapters of the book of Isaiah that are quoted directly from the KJV? And that whole part in 3rd Nephi seems a bit similar to the Sermon on the Mount? Not to mention the other hundreds of similarities with the KJV. But yet “Hertofore unknown text……” Really?

It seems that EH, and the church, might be a little more humble when calling someone who looks at the BOM story with a raised eyebrow “deceived and pathetic.” The only thing more crazy than wondering whether a brilliant fraud used contemporary sources like Ethan Smith and Solomon Spaulding to assemble those 531 pages is EH’s (and the church’s) reasoning that they were “translated” from golden plates (that got taken back by an angel) through a stone in a hat (errrr, I mean Urim and Thummim) and reflect ancient history of the “PRINCIPAL” – err, I mean “AMONG” the ancestors of the American Indians.

Finally, since discovering some of the issues with the BOM, I’ve often noted how some engage in mental gymnastics, bad arguments, straw men, and wishful thinking (sometimes in the form of FAIR and FARMS rebuttals) to “crawl over or under or around (problems with) The Book of Mormon” – with the end goal of rationalizing/legitimizing the BOM. It’s highly ironic to have the tables turned!