This is for encouragement, ideas, and support for people going through a faith transition no matter where you hope to end up. This is also the place to laugh, cry, and love together.
Not Buying It wrote: ↑Thu Jun 07, 2018 5:35 am
I would go on: “Brothers and sisters - this illustrates conclusively that we cannot rely on our feelings as a guide to truth. If Elder Holland was fooled by this story and shared it thinking it was a ‘missionary story for the ages’, ordinary members like you and I have no hope of discerning what is God speaking to us and what is merely our own thoughts and emotions. God gave you a brain - you must use it to determine what it is true, because your thoughts and emotions are an unreliable guide”.
That’s my fantasy anyway, but it will never happen.
Now, wait a sec, NBI. Holland's got this covered. Remember his wise sermon on "Wrong Roads?"
Even when God told him to go down the wrong road, Holland and his young son learned a valuable lesson, so it was still technically "right." All YOU need to do, is figure out the lesson Holland learned when he told his untrue story to the missionaries. Oh ye of little faith, better get cracking on that.
"And I don't need you...or, your homespun philosophies."
"And when you try to break my spirit, it won't work, because there's nothing left to break."
Thank you all so much!!! I knew my NOM ward family would come through. You guys have given me TON of awesome stuff. I will post a copy of my talk when I get it all put together!
...walked eye-deep in hell
believing in old men’s lies...--Ezra Pound
EternityIsNow wrote: ↑Thu Jun 07, 2018 3:34 amPresident Nelson came to my stake conference a few weeks ago. His wife spoke about how he wakes up in the middle of the night with ideas and writes them down. To her that was part of the proof that he is a prophet. To me this is an example of Mormons misinterpreting creativity as divine inspiration. Because that is a very well-known creative event, when we are resting our minds are relaxed we have an easier time being creative or finding creative solutions to our problems.
Sorry for another threadjack, but I can't help myself. I find this above paragraph absolutely hilarious. Did any of you old(er) folks of NOM read "The Great Brain" books back in the day? The "Great Brain" in those books (was it Tom?) would do this trick where he used his subconscious to come up with "Great" solutions in his sleep, by concentrating on the "problem" when falling asleep. So RMN uses his "Great Brain" in his sleep, and thinks that it is actually mormon god speaking to him. RMN is the Great Brain of modern mormonism!
Faith does not give you the answers, it just stops you asking the questions. -Frater Ravus
EternityIsNow wrote: ↑Thu Jun 07, 2018 3:34 amPresident Nelson came to my stake conference a few weeks ago. His wife spoke about how he wakes up in the middle of the night with ideas and writes them down. To her that was part of the proof that he is a prophet. To me this is an example of Mormons misinterpreting creativity as divine inspiration. Because that is a very well-known creative event, when we are resting our minds are relaxed we have an easier time being creative or finding creative solutions to our problems.
Sorry for another threadjack, but I can't help myself. I find this above paragraph absolutely hilarious. Did any of you old(er) folks of NOM read "The Great Brain" books back in the day? The "Great Brain" in those books (was it Tom?) would do this trick where he used his subconscious to come up with "Great" solutions in his sleep, by concentrating on the "problem" when falling asleep. So RMN uses his "Great Brain" in his sleep, and thinks that it is actually mormon god speaking to him. RMN is the Great Brain of modern mormonism!
I used to struggle with physics homework, think about the problems as I was falling asleep, and wake up with answers. Must have been the Spirt®. I wish he'd help me do better than a C in that class...
Not Buying It wrote: ↑Thu Jun 07, 2018 5:35 am
I would go on: “Brothers and sisters - this illustrates conclusively that we cannot rely on our feelings as a guide to truth. If Elder Holland was fooled by this story and shared it thinking it was a ‘missionary story for the ages’, ordinary members like you and I have no hope of discerning what is God speaking to us and what is merely our own thoughts and emotions. God gave you a brain - you must use it to determine what it is true, because your thoughts and emotions are an unreliable guide”.
That’s my fantasy anyway, but it will never happen.
Now, wait a sec, NBI. Holland's got this covered. Remember his wise sermon on "Wrong Roads?"
Even when God told him to go down the wrong road, Holland and his young son learned a valuable lesson, so it was still technically "right." All YOU need to do, is figure out the lesson Holland learned when he told his untrue story to the missionaries. Oh ye of little faith, better get cracking on that.
Ah, yes I forgot, sometimes God tells Elder Holland to do the wrong thing just to teach him some kind of weird lesson, I still have’t figured out what that lesson is, but clearly this was another “wrong road” experience for him.
"The truth is elegantly simple. The lie needs complex apologia. 4 simple words: Joe made it up. It answers everything with the perfect simplicity of Occam's Razor. Every convoluted excuse withers." - Some guy on Reddit called disposazelph
So basically I didn't write it down just kind of winged it. I started off listing all the gifts of the spirit and then said I would focus on the gifts of healing. I played the ditzy blonde card and I was like: "I looked and looked for stories of the brethren healing people, but I couldn't find any. Isn't that weird that the apostles can't heal people like they did in Jesus's time? In fact lots of them like Elder Bendar and Elder Eyring, say that people have to have faith not to be healed. And that is sad because wheat if you really wanted to be healed?" Then I told the story of Jane Manning James healing the child that the Elders had given up on and thought would die.
I did have some people come up to me and tell me they really liked my talk. And some people who avoid making eye contact. But in the end I have 0 f@#%s to give any of it.
...walked eye-deep in hell
believing in old men’s lies...--Ezra Pound
That's pretty courageous! Good for you for pulling it off - I suspect talks like yours will be the norm, as some will like talks that move into this "new" direction, and the old guard will snidely dismiss it. Oh, it's a fun time to go to church.
Hopefully it got a few people to exercise their brain cells on a Sunday morning, instead of plugging into the hive mind.
"And I don't need you...or, your homespun philosophies."
"And when you try to break my spirit, it won't work, because there's nothing left to break."
