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Agreed. When Joseph Smith talked about finding truth in other Christian denominations, I don't believe he was limiting that to truths derived from the Bible. He didn't qualify it at all and I don't think we should either. We put limits on our ability to see truth if we prejudice ourselves with invalid assumptions. And your statement about other faiths not having access to truths that aren't also within the restored gospel and true and living Church is potentially problematic, if for no other reason than the fact that Joseph Smith defined "Mormonism" as encompassing all truth wherever it is found. And Joseph specifically said truths beyond the Bible: "we believe that we have a right to embrace all, and every item of truth, without limitation.... with all our hearts, all things whatsoever is manifest unto us by the highest degree of testimony that God has committed us, as written in the old and new Testament, or any where else, by any manifestation, whereof we know that it has come from God: and has application to us, being adapted to our situation and circumstances; age, and generation of life" (quoted in my post here, from Letter from Joseph Smith to Isaac Galland, Mar. 22, 1839) This is very true. This is a good example, but I don't think it quite reaches the definition of an aggressive zealot (as defined earlier).

But you say there is a chance.

Gotta love the constant downvotes I receive from two or three individuals on this board. They act like fans at a sporting event who love to constantly boo and heckle the opposing teams superstar. So I guess I will start wearing the downvotes as a badge of honor.

No apologies, it's just a bit unusual to see. You can resurrect whatever thread interests you. I'm not sure I accept the indwelling was a later phenomena. King Saul had the spirit pore upon him and he spoke the tongues of angel just like at Pentecost. and yet the Spirit withdrew. King David had the Spirit and prayed for it not to be taken. It "may" abide in you forever. But what if you defile the temple of your body? What happens when we "quench" (1 Thessalonians 5:19) and "grieve" (Ephesians 4:30) the Spirit? Will we not remember so well?

Go thy way and be deeply offended no more, @mfbukowski.

Nah. Face it bud, your attempt to make me look stupid failed miserably. These snarky and immature remarks tell me that you either haven’t read or don’t understand the scriptures and statement by Joseph Smith and other early leaders of the church about the role and destiny of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the last days.

It's late at night. I misread that as "I'm a gift.", and I thought, OK, I can see that!

You’re selling yourself way too short here. Find yourself a nice LDS fundamentalist fringe group. Think of how right they must be with less than a hundred members.

Sorry, I’m new here a didn’t know not to go into old threads. The Holy Spirit in Old Testament days came upon men to strengthen and equip them for some specific work, but He didn’t abide with them and Indwell them. The indwelling came later John 14:16-19 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

Here, for what it's worth, is what I said about Mr. Kehe's [possible] "hit piece" about Brandon Sanderson [perhaps that's not what it is, but that's what it felt like to me] on reddit:

I’ll have to search some more on it then. Sounds like you have already gathered the good stuff.

What other spiritual force, other than the Holy Spirit, confuses the wicked (Jeremiah 20:11) and confounds their speech (Genesis 11:9)? Digging deep into the older threads, I see. Cheers.

They are actually not discrepancies, He is teaching a deeper message. Proverbs 25:2 2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

Thank you - Works for me if that’s how He meant it. As far as what’s important here, I’m comfortable with the directives to be humble and to be slow to anger . I see them as two different things, both good. IMO the discrepancies between heavenly rewards are irrelevant in this life, where on earth the benefits to both in relationships that abound from emotional maturity can be motivating.

Hmm. I thought he was simply saying "again" using two examples of sacrificing all for the same heavenly reward, the gnosis, I have not noticed a real difference between the two.

I meant Genesis 3:15 where I typed 15

I don't think you understood. He's saying it might be "sin" to not eat the fruit, since carnal knowledge and an awareness of nakedness seemed necessary to "make love" and thus fulfill the commandment to multiply. So, to not eat the fruit would have been a sin of "omission". Indeed, the narrative speaks of fruit, though there are many theories as to its transcendent meaning; like a poetically clean way to describe sexuality, human's transition from gatherers to farmers, even theories about psychotropic mushrooms. But we'll probably keep calling it fruit until we know for sure it's not about fruit.

A hint if your inspired to study the Word, they are the same people referred to as a treasure, and those referred to as a pearl in Matthew 13:44-46

You mean the same General Conference that only a minority group (at most 25%) even attends or views and were at least 2/3 of the membership is completely inactive and wants nothing to do with the church? This is to say nothing of the total percentage of people among the world’s population who cast a sustaining vote in General Conference. What percentage is less than 5 million people out of 8 billion?

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. If you didn’t read it in the first place He can’t bring into your remembrance. You have to do your part. John 14:14-16 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.. Forever, how do people think you lose it!!

Traditionally the vast majority of Christians accepted pretty much all Catholics, Protestants, and Eastern Orthodox to be Christians and part of the church or body of Christ, while rejecting Mormons as Christians. They reject the Book of Mormon, the revelations in the D&C, and the ordinances of the temple. Within the United States the Holy Trinity is almost universally accepted and the idea of faith without works is extremely popular among Christians. And of course the United States and the rest of the once predominantly Christian world has become largely secular. Most people, including a large number of so-called Christians believe that it’s okay to do all sorts of things that are contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ, like watching worldly tv shows and movies or listening to worldly music that depicts immoral and sinful lifestyles as normal and acceptable, partying, getting drunk or doing drugs, dressing immodestly, wearing costly apparel, engaging in premarital sex, and having elective abortions. Support for LGBTQ lifestyles, including sex is also rapidly growing and at an all time high.

The “poor in spirit” and the “meek” My understanding is that 5:3 refers to humility in the context of one’s relationship with God. 5:5 refers to a gentle, kind, non reactive personality (I assume in the context of relationships with one’s neighbor. ) In my mind, it’s hard to have one without the other. But yes, it looks as though the Savior is credited for identifying these qualities as two separate things. I need to work on both. I am successful at times.

Agreed. And it was a terrible piece about another terrible article. Sanderson's fan came to his defense but Sanderson was like, meh, don't bother, all good (I am boring).

The writer is what’s wrong with so much. Dripping with derision, deigning to come down from his ivory tower in San Francisco and forced to watch the horror of a teenage boy adding salt to his food. I think it’s fine to like Sanderson’s writing or not. Art comes down to taste. But this piece was horrible.

Did you ever notice the difference between the two sets of people in Matthew 5:3 and 5:5? Notice how they have different blessings?