Archive for the 'fear' Category

A Child Is Born In Bukavu


A Christmas message, by today’s guest poster, mormongandhi.

A child is born in Bukavu

A child is born in Bukavu, and sadness fills his mother’s heart… Bukavu is not the city of David. It is a town in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. War has been ravaging the country for years. Ever since Kabila invaded the former Zaire with military support from the US. It is a war that no one speaks of – but it has cost the lives of millions of people and caused unimaginable suffering.

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The Single Mormon Girl and the Priesthood


Everybody blogs, right? Why not me? Looking for my niche, my angle, and the one thing that seemed to make me stand out in my corner of the world. I found it: Being single. And 40. And Mormon. In a family ward. In a town where EVERYONE is under 30, sealed in the temple and constantly reproducing. The best humor is found in our painful life experiences. Read about mine and laugh with me. Or at me. Whichever Continue reading…

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Highway 61 Re-revisited: Fear and Trembling before Faith


highway-61-re-revisited-fear-and-trembling-before-faith

Oh God said to Abraham, “Kill me a son”
Abe says, “Man, you must be puttin’ me on”
God say, “No.” Abe say, “What?”
God say, “You can do what you want Abe, but
The next time you see me comin’ you better run”
Well Abe says, “Where do you want this killin’ done?”
God says, “Out on Highway 61.”
(Bob Dylan)

 

Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) has written about the experience of Faith.  His short book ‘Fear and Trembling’ discusses the experience of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son Isaac, and his subsequent designation as the ‘Father of Faith’.  This is probably not the place for an in-depth discussion of this book but I want to outline his views because it asks some important questions about what Faith is, how we exercise it and its fruits. Continue reading…

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WHAT THE WORLD THINKS OF GOD


Whats the world think of god

The ICM poll of 10,000 people in the USA, UK, Israel, India, South Korea, Indonesia, Nigeria, Russia, Mexico and Lebanon was carried out for the BBC Continue reading…

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Learning and Understanding Vs. Winning Arguments


learning-and-understanding-vs-winning-arguments

Why do you read and comment on blogs? What is your goal? Do you want to make points and debate with others? Is it more important for you to reach mutual understanding and learn from each other? Can both happen at the same time?

This is an adaptation of a post my good friend Ron wrote. He is Catholic, so with his consent I have modified some of it to fit the audience here, as well as added some of my own thoughts. It was inspired by some of his encounters with a “rather nasty Fundamentalist Christian” who was “more interested in winning an argument, rather than learning.” These points, however, may be applied to anyone who wants to prove other people wrong rather than understand or learn.

“After spending years debating James White, I have noticed common tactics employed by people who want to win at any cost rather than seek a mutual understanding of the facts or even work toward a mutual disagreement. Ann Coulter is a good example of a political satirist who engages in this sort of rhetoric. Let’s take a close look, shall we?” Continue reading…

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What Makes People Good?


what-makes-people-good
An article in NewsweekAdventures in Good and Evil” made a few interesting points about why some people are good and some are evil. Continue reading…
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Interfaith International British DJ


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paul-32

OK Paul technically isn’t exactly an international DJ, not unless you consider that you can listen to his interviews on line.

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Mormon Masks


mormon-masks

Often people have a hard time with intimacy (intimacy = “into me see”) because they feel vulnerable.  They would rather deal with ideas than people, and they don’t want others to see who they are.  They might feel insecure or care what others think of them.  People who feel this way wear what we call social masks to hide who they are and present a facade instead of their true self to others.  And sometimes, the mask people wear is the church. Continue reading…

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That We Could All Be Like – Satan?


Today we have a guest post from Bishop Mike T. Young of the Spanish Fork 401st Ward.

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Are we going to be Eunuchs after this life?


My home teacher (who is very cool) came by yesterday to drop off some starter cables for my car and as one does in that short interlude we discussed the celestial kingdom and being Gods after this life. He believed that those who don’t make it to the highest kingdom in the Celestial Kingdom won’t have any sexual relationships and if you don’t have sexual relationships their will be no need for sexual organs.

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Faith vs. Doubt


faith-vs-doubt

“Faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.” Continue reading…

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Families Forver Naked and Not Ashamed


Mormon Matters Motto is Exploring Mormon culture in a balanced way- so bare with me on this one (excuse the pun). Continue reading…

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The Untold Story of Black Mormons by Guest


When I served a mission in eastern Canada in the early 90s, there were many things I was grateful for (warm boots, wool suits, fairly normal food). But above all, I was grateful that I was sent to a region with very few black people, as I was not looking forward to having to defend something in the Church’s past that had deeply troubled even a relatively immature teenager with a limited knowledge of Church history and doctrine.
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Strange Bedfellows


strange-bedfellows

One aspect of the church that makes me nervous at times is the alliances we form when our interests coincide with other groups, whether this is in the political realm (as is often the case), or even at times in interfaith work we undertake. Continue reading…

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Big Love -Big News


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