Question for Catholic posters

[longview]

13 hours ago, mfbukowski said:

I think you do not live in Los Angeles.

I'm confused.  I thought LA was flat with a huge mess of interstates.

[mfbukowski]

10 hours ago, longview said:

I'm confused.  I thought LA was flat with a huge mess of interstates.

Nowhere close to flat, and full of tall buildings much taller than a church steeple.

[longview]

13 hours ago, mfbukowski said:

Nowhere close to flat, and full of tall buildings much taller than a church steeple.

Oh, some metropolises and even some hills.  But isn't it mostly flat?

[mfbukowski]

On 8/8/2017 at 11:20 AM, longview said:

Oh, some metropolises and even some hills.  But isn't it mostly flat?

Metropolises?

Sure its flat if you leave out San Fernando Valley, the San Gabriel Valley, Baldwin Hills, Beverly Hills, the San Gabriel Valley, the Hollywood Hills , Santa Monica and Malibu, and various passes you have to go through to get places, the bottom of the valleys and top of the hills are all flat or no one could build on them.  Go to google earth and look at a 3-D version of the topography, and if you find that "flat" I will not debate semantics with you.  See the mountain in the background here? 

See the mountain in the background here? The LA Metro area goes our farther than that mountain in the distance.  That is Mt. Baldy and there are cities after cities continuously including the foothills for that mountain and communities beyond right into Palm Springs.  Arguably "the city" stretches for about a hundred and 20 miles from Ventura to San Bernardino on the East-west axis and a hundred or more miles North-South from Palmdale to Laguna Beach.  That's 5 counties and about 13.1 million people.  That all makes it a little hard to spot the LDS chapels by the spires when you drive into town.  See any in this shot?  They are there!

Edited August 9, 2017 by mfbukowski

[thesometimesaint]

The Metropolitan Area of LA is arguably the biggest population center in the US, but it includes several cities in it own right. Geographically it is huge. The LA Temple is actually in the Westwood district of LA up against the hills.

[Meerkat]

On 8/5/2017 at 10:07 AM, RevTestament said:

I think the issue is that the cross becomes an image of worship. There is nothing about a t shape that we should bow to or pray to - at least in the opinion of Joseph Smith. If I owned a cross piece of jewelry, I would not bow or pray to it, so I believe that would be OK - it would be like wearing the symbol of the fish. Then it really is just a reminder to myself of my commitments, which is how Catholics believe they reverence the cross. However, the same can be argued for the pagan statues. They normally represented some being which the people truly believed in. Changing the statues out for someone else doesn't change this fact. YHWH wishes to be reverenced in spirit and truth rather than through some statue which neither sees, nor hears, nor walks nor smells.

There's a lot I don't know or understand.  I've heard theories about why we don't have crosses in our buildings, such as not wanting to glorify the weapon that killed our Lord.  But that doesn't resonate with me.  I completely understand why other Christians love the cross.  It represents the depth of what the Savior was willing to do for each of us.  George Bennard's beautiful hymn "The Old Rugged Cross" conveys deep spirit and importance to Christians and those who seek Him:

"On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

• Refrain:
  So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
  Till my trophies at last I lay down;
  I will cling to the old rugged cross,
  And exchange it someday for a crown.

I don't know why the Cross isn't more prominent in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.  But there are some things I do know: However Christ accomplished it, I know the Atonement is real because my life has been transformed through faith in Jesus Christ.  The Holy Ghost testifies to me of that fact and I have been redeemed from a life of sin and sorrow.   I was blind.  I see now and my life is filled with joy.  Reading the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ,  has strengthened my faith in the Savior.  I know it is true by the same Spirit that testified to me of Jesus Christ. Because of that knowledge, I know Joseph Smith was a prophet. Latter day Saints believe we are led by a prophet today.  And I suppose that is why whether or not the cross is front and center in our worship doesn't matter to me.  I do my best to follow our leaders and keep Christ at the center of my life.  He is the one that has changed my life.  I stay close to the things I do know.  I don't worry much about what I don't know, but embrace truth wherever I find it, line upon line.

I'm not procelyting.  I'm explaining why I, a Mormon, believe what I believe.  And I respect everyone else's journey as well.

Sincerely,

Meerkat