longview

It is TOO late for Xi. His government is unravelling with his supporters being transferred out of key positions in the military. There is much greater discontent by the people after they discovered that they truly do not have property rights and home ownership. It is a mirage for them. They cannot even make meaningful gains on their investments (unless they get favorable permissions from the insiders). The tariff adjustments is putting the CCP into a terrible bind. Manufacturing is relocating OUT of China in droves.

The full Shakespearean quote is: "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages." This quote is from William Shakespeare's play, As You Like It, specifically a monologue delivered by the character Jaques in Act II, Scene VII. The quote uses the metaphor of a stage to describe human life, suggesting that people are like actors playing different roles throughout their lives.

Please avail yourself the opportunity to ponder again the Proclamation on the Family. Which is the Basic Unit consisting of husband and wife and children. Children need the masculinity of fathers and the nurturing/comforting care of mothers. Homosexual relations cannot produce offsprings and they really should NOT adopt. Hetero marriages sanctioned by God lead to the top degree of the Celestial Kingdom. Homo relations devolve to the telestial murkiness.

The two/thirds outvoted the depravity and antagonism of Lucifer and his henchmen. The majority could have been the whole spectrum of truly faithful and valiant all the way to somewhat confused and whimpering fence sitters. I have heard it said that Cain was in "cahoots" with Lucifer but chose to enter the Second Estate.

But the Salt Lake Tribune is not asking the pertinent questions: If the gay couple are living together in their home or apartment, are they living the homosexual lifestyle? Do they understand the importance of the Law of Chastity? If they do, they have the problem of the "appearance of evil" in their living arrangement. People can agree with Pearson to FIRST consider everyone to be children of God. But that bishop needs to prioritize the future potential Celestial relationships over the temporal and carnal worldly circumstances. And to teach and counsel accordingly. The couple can still remain close friends. Hopefully they will strengthen each other in their efforts to draw closer to the Lord.

Because of their tremendous following as "rock stars", Donnie and Marie Osmond served as informal ambassadors for the Church. Marie tried to get Johnny Carson to investigate the Gospel in front of millions on the Tonight Show.

I thought Elder Benson's statements to be reasonably level-headed and wise. For the LBJ administration to use citizen soldiers to "maintain" a "no-win war" was deeply cynical. Our boys are NOT cannon-fodder. Elder Benson served wonderfully and graciously as secretary of agriculture in the Eisenhower administration even while he was in the Quorum of the Twelve.

I am concerned with the conspicuous absence lately of @smac97 who is a MAJOR voice on this board. What do you think happened ? ? ? ETA: Anybody know if Scott Lloyd is doing OK?

They "really" didn't want or need this conflict? You are really off your rocker. I requested this info from chatGPT: It is obvious that Iran has been and still is MASSIVELY funding an ALL-OUT subversion, infiltration and assault on BOTH Israel, the US and the West in general for MANY decades. If NK succeeds in secretly shipping the device to Iran where mullahs will stash it in a secure location for long enough, then NK will bide its time and NOT boast about it. Iran will work at making preparations for the most strategic effect in a place and time. The 9/11 jihadist carried out a VERY impressive martyrdom operation that required extensive planning and preparations and millions of dollars in funding. They even had time for their compatriots to do a huge short on airline stocks. It does NOT matter! If moslem soldiers are willing to die in martyrdom operations, so will the mullahs be willing to pit their ENTIRE nation (Iran) to become a martyr country. Remember: it wants to TRIGGER the advent of the Mahdi using extreme circumstances. It won't necessarily be North Korea that supplies the weapon, it could be Red china. Xi has been massively building up the power of his military for decades. If either NK or the CCP (or even jointly) can cause a severe event in the middle east, that will enable a surprise attack on Taiwan, South China waters, and even Japan and South Korea. The US military will be stretched too thin. This kind of scenario will cause the US stock market to crash WORSE than 1929!

I think North Korea with its madman despot could easily and stealthfully gift Iran with both the nuclear device and the rocket to boost it. Iran firmly believes this kind of extremism hasten the advent of the "prophesied" messianic hero called the Mahdi, the twelfth imam. The jihadist believe the following: The Mahdi is the hero who will usher in an era of divine justice. Extreme warfare and global chaos are seen as necessary preconditions for his appearance. These apocalyptic beliefs motivate acts of terrorism and mass violence, as extremists believe they are divinely mandated to bring about the end times.

Yet it is going to take an "outsider" taking over the Dept. of Health and Human Services to make the necessary reforms and "clean ups" to root out so much corruption in the bureaucracy: X-Twitter Post

Is it possible that regulatory agencies were improperly influenced into allowing the use of Monsanto's product Roundup? The GMO plants were engineered to resist the poisoning effect of glyphosate in order to kill undesirable weeds? Then later this product was applied more massively to enable killing the crops for the purpose of "pre-drying" to facilitate harvesting on schedule? That this process has led to greater incidences of cancer and other neurological problems?

Mollie Engelhart wrote a very powerful column that seriously question the overreach of bureaucracy in so many ways. See: https://www.theepochtimes.com/opinion/make-it-make-sense-why-are-we-punishing-the-farmers-doing-the-right-thing-5863593 She outlines very cogent points: Why is it that the organic apple must wear a label, pay a certification fee, and carry a price premium—while the conventional apple, grown with chemical fertilizers and synthetic pesticides, is simply called an apple? What if we flipped that? What if the organic apple was just an apple—and the one grown with chemical inputs had to be labeled chemically grown? Why does the burden fall on the farmer doing the right thing, while the one using harmful practices skates by without warning, cost, or consequence? Our rules make it harder to farm responsibly. A chemical farmer can spray right up to the edge of their fence line, but an organic farmer must give up 25 feet on all sides—and sell that buffer zone as non-organic. How does that make any sense? The system is rigged. It pushes farmers toward chemical dependency—not because they want to—but because doing the right thing is cost-prohibitive and over-regulated. Organic farmers pay annual fees and a percentage of their sales just to carry the label. They’re taxed not just financially, but logistically and emotionally—while conventional farmers get a free pass to pollute. Consider this: Research has shown that living within a mile of a golf course significantly increases your risk of Parkinson’s. Why? Because of a widely used herbicide that’s banned in other countries yet still sold here—often by foreign companies that won’t allow its use in their own homelands. Why do we allow that without tax, penalty, or even a warning label? Even within the regenerative and organic movements, we’re adding roadblocks. Equity audits have been folded into some certification programs. While I believe all men are created equal in the image of God, blending social justice metrics into a farming standard makes the transition away from chemical farming even less accessible to the very farmers we’re trying to reach. If we want to include social goals, let’s create a separate certification for those values. But let farming standards focus on soil, animals, and food. And here’s the bigger question: Why are we trusting distant bureaucracies to keep our food safe instead of trusting our neighbors and fellow American farmers? We’ve been conditioned to believe that federal regulation protects us, but often, it protects itself. Bureaucracy and red tape don’t make food healthier—they make it harder and more expensive to grow. They widen the gap between citizens and their food, and between intention and impact. We are so far removed from functioning as a constitutional republic that many Americans don’t even remember that’s what we are. But it’s time we return to that foundation—where power is decentralized, communities are strong, and individuals take responsibility for what they grow, eat, and support. We need less regulation and more relationship. We need to know who’s growing our food. We need to support local systems—small farms, medium farms, and large local farms that feed their communities. We need to rebuild a robust hub-and-spoke food network that serves people, not just centralized corporations. Why is raw milk illegal in many states, while shelf-stable, ultra-processed food-like substances—linked to chronic disease—are perfectly legal? We’re afraid of the wrong bogeyman. We’re being lulled to sleep by the illusion of convenience, but there are real consequences: to our health, our water, our soil, and the survival of the American family farm. If we want a food system that supports health, freedom, and regeneration, we must stop rewarding the polluters and punishing the protectors.

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Is it possible to accept both the 1886 revelation and the 1890 Manifesto as simultaneously true? Many Church members, from 1890 to the present, understand the following: (1) the 1890 Manifesto did not revoke any plural marriage sealings performed prior to its issuance—Church leaders and others continued living with their plural wives; and (2) the practice of plural marriage continued in a limited way. In mortality, a male member may be sealed to only one living wife at a time, but he may also be sealed to additional spouses who are deceased—before or after his current spouse—which does not violate legal standards.

Is it possible to accept both the 1886 revelation and the 1890 Manifesto as simultaneously true? Many Church members, from 1890 to the present, understand the following: (1) the 1890 Manifesto did not revoke any plural marriage sealings performed prior to its issuance—Church leaders and others continued living with their plural wives; and (2) the practice of plural marriage continued in a limited way. In mortality, a male member may be sealed to only one living wife at a time, but he may also be sealed to additional spouses who are deceased—before or after his current spouse—which does not violate legal standards.

The government does NOT need to regulate everything in sight. In the words of a wise man - - - “Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” ― Ronald Reagan

If an organization is dedicated to providing actual charity whether it is counselling or donating goods and services without charge, then the government needs to keep their cotton-picking fingers off it! The "employees" that make up the organization are more likely to be volunteers that are comfortable already having sufficient means for living independently. Others may have altruistic desires for serving the poor and the afflicted and are willing to live a more modest existence. I am retired and feel happy to serve without pay every couple weeks at the Denver Bishop's Storehouse. Interesting sidenote, this place used to have a thriving canning operation several years ago. But when busybody bureaucrats starting interfering with its traditional processes and mandating that the Church pay a stiff fee for "inspectors" to come to oversee the operation, then the Church decided to clear out the facility and bring the work to a screeching halt. Thus leaving only the shipping of goods from Salt Lake City for repackaging and transshipment to Wyoming, South Dakota, etc. It is a crying shame because there was a great deal of enthusiasm for members to engage in the canning process.

With secure encryption? In any case, I prefer NOT to bring my cell into the temple because it infringes too much on my focus on temple service.

There you go . . . way off into the weeds . . .

You must have missed the reference to D&C 138. The symbolism is substantiated to such an extent that the parallels between the parable and the vision is fully "fleshed out" in the structural sense.

Spirit prison is definitely a distinct place which Jesus in His parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (see Luke 16:19 - 31) described as a place of torment. There is also a place of rest for the righteous (Jesus said to the penitent thief on the cross: "today you will be with me in Paradise"). Jesus said in the parable that "there is a great gulf fixed" between the two places. President Joseph F. Smith in 1918 received a powerful vision which described Jesus' visit with the righteous in the place of rest (a state between mortal death and the subsequent resurrection). Jesus did NOT go among the wicked and disobedient but He did organize missionary forces from among the righteous to carry the light of the Gospel to those sitting in darkness. See D&C 138. Here is James E. Talmage's commentary on the parable (I have highlighted portions in red): There was a good reason for Jesus using the name of Lazarus in the parable. It is the name of the beloved brother of Mary and Martha that had lain in the tomb for four days. Lazarus most likely was in the place of rest before he was called back by Jesus. The opponents of Jesus were furious at the miracle of Lazarus and STILL rejected the testimonies of both Jesus and the actual Lazarus!

Is that your assessment? Does she see herself as running ragged? Have you talked with her about it? Discretely or frankly among that dinner party? Why not be open about it? Maybe she loves living the "Law of Consecration" to the hilt? Or maybe she is simply virtue signalling? Kind of like the woke social justice warrior that loved to virtue signal by wearing a mask even while driving alone in the car in the midst of the Covid hysteria?

I think Calm is too "touchy" about some things. With marriage declining drastically and people putting off childbearing 10 or 20 years down the road, candidates for motherhood and fatherhood should be encouraged and celebrated a lot more. We need to do it institutionally, culturally, educationally, civically, and most importantly religiously!

I can recall my days at Utah State University in the first half of the 1970's where I was invited by a friend in my third year to come to church. I became reactivated and started attending Church Institute which I enjoyed very much. I do remember the bishops and others were drawn from among the institute staff and instructors to serve in campus wards. I suppose that the MTC staff and instructors and language specialists would number in the thousands? Could they have some kind of rotation going where one third of the staff will serve for 5 or so years in ward callings in addition to their regular duties at the MTC?