Mormon Open Forum

I’ve always been skeptical of Nibleyites stretching Joseph Smith’s ponderings on the resurrection into an astrophysics lesson that likely was never intended. I believe in creation ex nihilo à la Big Bang, and I believe the earth was created from recycled matter consistent with the idea of our sun being a third generation star made up of condensed matter from prior generations of larger stars that went supernova. Why do traditional Christians and orthodox Mormons say it has to be one way or the other (ex nihilo according to traditional Christians or recycled matter according to orthodox Mormons)? Why not both? Why confuse initial creation of space, time, matter and energy ex nihilo with the much later creation of our solar system from recycled matter?

Why do we refer to refraining from all booze, including beer, as part of the WofW when it was HJG that introduced this as a requirement? The Section 89 WofW is not presented as a requirement and allows beer.

Does anyone know if HJG contemplated adding his revelation to D&C, but never got around to it, or if he lacked a consensus with the other apostles to do so? Does that make HJG’s four don’ts that we now refer to as the WofW just another uninspired erroneous tradition, like BY’s priesthood ban was?

I remember reading somewhere that at the time Stephen L. Richards resigned his apostleship over this issue, but was then talked out of quitting.

Here are two thoughts to the 1st Presidency of the church regarding last week’s conference:

On Temple attendance, if you fix it they will come. And when you do fix it, don’t be afraid to announce the changes, otherwise the members who feel uncomfortable from their first and last time there will never know there’s an improved temple worship to check out. For example, many members still don’t know about the simplified initiatory because once was enough for them; with an announcement, they’d give it another try. Basically, drop/replace all the crap that had meaning to the early Masonic saints and has no meaning to modern saints. Until then, why waste your breath when people don’t want to come? Oh, ditch the Gs too; check this out for some ideas: http://mormonopenforum.blogsome.com/2005/07/05/temple-fashion/

On missionary work, if you fix the product, the members will enthusiastically sell it. Again, until then, why waste your breath?

To close on a positive note, Kudos to Pres Monson for just saying stop regarding porn and not making some bull shit talk on the subject full of nonsense about addiction and other intellectual masturbation.

Happy Easter

As many know, I’ve come to view myself as Evangelical Mormon with a strong Unitarian bent, having little patience for rigid belief systems such as those promulgated by BRM, BKP, etc and utterly rejecting even a hint of salvation by works.

Yesterday I was listening to Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in Orange County on the Hugh Hewitt radio show, and I felt the spirit when he was testifying of Christ as Lord and Savior, even though it was clear he was testifying of a Nicaean Christ. Does this mean I’m Southern Baptist too?

Steve EM

So sad. It looks like we have to wait for Monson and then BKP to pass before we have a chance to break the color barrier in our top leadership and the Q of the 12 begins to look like the church at large. Until then, the bigots continue to rule. I say ____-em!

Steve EM

It’s my understanding that for decades now, BKP, the poster fossil for why we need a retirement tradition for apostles, has prevented expansion of church higher education to meet the needs of a bigger church, a position he held even before being an apostle early in the cretaceous period sometime before flower plants arose. Since simple fairness and common sense dictates that the system be expanded or sold off, there is obviously an impasse among the apostles, hence the untenable status quo. So what will happen to church higher education when BKP goes the way of the dinosaurs?

Steve EM

Is Pink’s song U + Ur Hand an anthem for attractive lesbians or frigid straight women? How do men feel about the song’s allegation?

While I love a female singer who can belt out a song like that, the lyrics are awful.

Are some temple vows another forbidden fruit? Can violating temple covenants be transgression, rather than sin?

When I received the temple endowment one of the covenants was no sexual intercourse outside of legal marriage. In today’s “simplified endowment” this is changed to no sexual relations outside of legal marriage, a significantly tougher challenge, unless Bill Clinton is the one defining “sexual relations”. In any case, both the old and new versions are a stiff (no pun intended) challenge to a young single with high libido who on the spot went with the flow and made the covenant which is presented w/o advanced warning and no three day attorney review clause.

Personally, as someone who fell off the LofC wagon post mission, I know how hard it is to stay on that wagon, particularly when you’re not feeling good about how your mission ended and a voluptuous young BYU coed is begging you to please and enjoy her. I threw in the LofC towel, as have many others. What followed was a string of superficial relationships and a son I only learned about a few years ago. In my mind back then there was no place in the church for a person like me, so I ex’ed myself so to speak.

But eventually that sorry path lead to a relationship with my active LDS wife-to-be who replaced a live-in gf, reentry into the church, marriage to my soulmate of 27 years and five great kids. We’ve been blessed.

Eve and Adam made a choice to defy G-d and partake of the forbidden fruit which in turn brings on the human race on earth, growth through earthly struggles and the need for a redeemer who can make us right again with G-d, something we can’t do for ourselves. It is said that Adam and Eve transgressed for a greater good, not sinned. Does G-d set up forbidden fruit for each of us, knowing and expecting we will do the opposite for possibly a greater good?

Steve EM

I think Fudge is far more fitting, but I’m just curious.

Steve EM

According to recent press reports, the FLDS consummate their marriages in their Temple. Is this something peculiar to the modern FLDS, or was this a practice in early Mormonism that the FLDS have preserved? Are/were witnesses involved? Has any reader consummated an LDS Temple? (presumably clandestinely w/o a bed).