katherine the great

😂 Kind of embarrassing but hilariously funny!

Hang in there Papa! 💜

Great ideas! (Our climate won’t allow outdoors right now but maybe next Spring...)

Lol! I think you’re just making stuff up now. 🤥

What is your definition of "civilization"?

...or the excuse used by the conquerors to justify their atrocities. (Trail of tears?)

How lovely. Another commonality is the utter genocide and displacement of the people already living in those areas.

Yeah-mother's guilt. It's terrible. 😢 Does she realize she's in very good company? Eve, Rebekah, Sariah, Camille Kimball, Heavenly Mother...(to name a few)

Ugh. I don't think I would get along very well with your wife. I have a daughter who causes me endless grief but I don't know if I could deal with criticism from a spouse who isn't her parent over her behavior. There really isn't anything we can do about our grown children's choices. I feel bad for your situation. I wouldn't expect her to love a stepchild in the same way that she loves her own children but I just can't wrap my mind around this propensity for judgement over a person's personal choices. Is it just their rejection of gospel teachings that upsets her or are they disrespectful to

It works both ways. I've sometimes wondered why some religious people go out of their way to express disrespect and contempt for science. The fact is, religion and science are both important and they answer different questions pertaining to the human experience. Science does a pretty good job at answering "what, when, where and how" questions while religion does a better job of answering questions such as "why" are we here? Religion does a better job of explaining purpose and helps us cope with the chaos that life can bring. IMHO

Detachment can be seen as a coping strategy in certain toxic environments. I agree with Calm though that it can be dangerous if it lasts too long or if one becomes detached from healthy relationships.

Apparently his obituary said he was a Free Methodist. (according to the link in his Wiki page)

Yes. I’m just a “silly” anthropologist. Naturally you’re the expert on human nature. 🙄

I rest my case if the best evidence you have of African "degeneracy" comes from the pen of Renaissance European explorers (hardly models of morality!) And I didn't say you need a lesson in history (which is always written from an enculturated point of view). I said you need to educate yourself on humans in general. I have very little regard for history as fact but I find it interesting as opinion/specific point of view. Maybe you could gain more understanding of humans if you read ethnographies written by 21st century scientists.

Hugely different. I still enjoy their company a couple days a week.

This is the very reason I have no desire to be exalted. Nothing about creating children only to lose them forever sounds very heavenly to me.

Hehe.. 😀 I enjoy your thoughtful questions. I think its possible to believe that evil exists and that Satan is the spirit-personification of evil. I tend to believe that evil only exists when humans are present. And in many ways, we determine what is evil. For instance, is killing evil? Many animals instinctually kill and no one considers that evil. Humans kill and it depends on the circumstances whether or not it's evil. The genes of the person also will help determine whether or not they are likely to even be capable of killing. Satan could whisper in my ear all day to kill you and it wou

This is truly one of the most ethnocentric, repulsive posts I've ever read on this board. In what way are Central African tribes totally degenerate? Also, please define "civilization". I think you need to educate yourself on humans in general. As a species, human have a certain "morality". We see altruistic and cruel, selfish behaviors cross-culturally in all societies--it's part of being human--not a part of being Jewish or Christian. "But the reality is that an atheist does what feels good for them at the time." This is an outrageous generalization.

It sounds like Means is purposely misrepresenting the letter. I interpret the letter as referring specifically to leaders and their interactions with (only) members directly under their stewardship. Certainly not to any church member's interaction with other members. He presents it as if 25% of all Idaho citizens might recuse themselves from the trial simply because they are members of record. It's ridiculous!

I wonder if he made that statement before the explosion of whole genome analysis. It would certainly be true if the research were limited to mt and y-chromosome DNA. Heck, since the "out of the box" thinking geneticist Svante Paabo came along from Max Planck institute, we have been able to find Neanderthal and Denisovan DNA that passed into our ancestors in small populations tens of thousands of years ago. Modern people still have these segments. They had to look pretty deep into the genome to find them because they were so old. I do agree with you though that looking at ancient DNA would be

From the viewpoint of the Book of Mormon, is a population bottleneck that would wipe out any trace of ancestry even a possibility? I don't really see it. By the time smallpox wiped out 90% of the population, their genes would have spread far and wide. Quick and early genetic drift may be a possibility.

I agree. As noted earlier though, preservation is a problem in heavily forested areas. Every once in awhile we get lucky.

Ummm. You are aware (I assume) that we have the technology to analyze the autosomal DNA now. Gone are the days that we have to rely on mtdna and Y chromosome DNA which only trace a maternal and paternal single line. This technology, along with the ability to analyze DNA on ancient remains gives us an astronomically better chance of finding those rare lines from small founding populations.

I appreciate your posts too--long or short. They are always very thoughtful. I watched the prelim piecemeal and I'm seeing that I did miss some of it. Was anything said about fingerprints on the duct tape? I'm starting to wonder if only Alex Cox's fingerprints were there. If Chad's prints were on it, it seems like it would be slam dunk for at least the concealment of evidence charge.

😳 He should have been disbarred. What a scumbag! It fits with the odd lack of self control I noticed.