Faith that can shut down a rock concert.

[_Yong Xi]

For your reading pleasure.

http://mormontimes.com/around_church/general_authority/?id=7888

At least Elder Cook didn't bring up Mick Jagger.

[_Inconceivable]

Further, as the men departed Caracas and headed back into sunshine and heat, they realized it was only raining over the concert venue

I saw this sort of thing in SLC once. It was raining everywhere but at downtawn temple square during general conference. There was even sun shining on the temple - no kidding.

So the Mormon God has power over some of the elements. Big deal.

The Book of Mormon is still fiction
The book of Abraham is still a fabrication
My tithing never did much for the poor
Joseph Smith is still a liar

Earthlings can be pretty gullible.

[_harmony]

I saw this sort of thing in SLC once. It was raining everywhere but at downtawn temple square during general conference. There was even sun shining on the temple - no kidding.

Happens here all the time. Seems like it's always the members' hay fields that are getting the rain, though, and those 7 day working nonLDS that don't get rained on hay. Unless, of course, God's mad at all of us, in which case, no one's hay escaped, except the inactive Jack Mormons who timed it perfectly and baled on Sunday before it rained.

[_John Larsen]

WARNING: Link to Telestial-caliber image of the Asian tsunami aftermath

[_Inconceivable]

Thanks John,

One wonders if there is a God out there that can do any better than assist us in finding our car keys.

[_Dr. Shades]

The story is 100% bogus. Here's how to tell:

He and several other general authorities had set up a three-hour meeting with bishops and stake presidents to discuss why Venezuela had yet to be blessed with a temple.

As the meeting began, loud rock music poured into the room through the open windows, drowning out the discussion. It was too hot to close the windows.

Cook asked two young men to go see what could be done to shut down the music.

Since when are "young men" allowed into meetings with General Authorities, bishops, and stake presidents?

One man in the group asked him if he realized what he was asking and explained that the "noise" was coming from a nearby rock concert that had been sold out for weeks.

"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Cook asked before he instructed the congregation to pray for the messengers' success.

It turned out that the two young men sent off persuaded the lead guitarist in the band to hold off warming up for an hour, bearing testimony to an amused musician that they were on a Lord's errand.

Since when can two young men simply walk onstage and chat up a lead guitarist during--or even prior to--a sold out rock concert?

Three hours later, the meeting ended and Cook and others realized they'd heard nothing from the band.

When they looked outside, they discovered it had been raining hard for two hours, effectively shutting down the outdoor concert.

What was the point of talking to the lead guitarist at all? Why didn't the Lord just make it start raining one hour earlier and save the two young men the trip?

And if that weren't enough, instead of sending two young men to go onstage and ask a lead guitarist to stop playing for an hour, and instead of raining out the event and ruining it for thousands of people, why didn't the Lord just make it a little cooler inside the room so they could shut the windows?

And to top it all off, why didn't they A) simply wrap the meeting up in one hour, the selfsame hour in which the lead guitarist had been persuaded to hold off on warming up, or B) have them start the meeting an hour later, the hour in which He was going to make it rain?

This story has more holes than swiss cheese. I don't believe a word of it.

(John Larsen: What does that image have to do with faith shutting down a rock concert?? Throw me a bone here.)

[_WjExMo]

Can that picture please be linked offline?

Yes, it is reality, but sometimes, even if we're not Mormon, we like to avoid said reality.

Let those who click on it, do so.

All rise... You may sit.

[_truth dancer]

Hi Shades,

Regarding Johns photo, what does it say about God that he would intervene and stop the rain for a few hours so a few guys could have less noise during a meeting, (because it was too hot to shut the windows), but could care less about millions of children, babies, mothers, and fathers, who lost their lives and their families due to the waters.

Nice God we got there. NOT!



A picture is worth a thosand words.

[_The Dude]

This story starts out as an example of God letting people use their free agency, with the rock band delaying the show for the sake of the church meeting. But noooo, then God sends a special rain cloud to screw up the show, not only removing the opportunity for the band to make right choices, but punishing them after they made the right choice. I think the message here is something different than what Elder Cook intended. God is a malevolent bastard.

And then there's this:

Elder Cook walked right into the crowd, taking his microphone down onto the main floor and gathering those in the chapel up close.

I know what's concerning most of you here today," he said, "You are wondering where your spouse is, was he killed in the war in heaven?"

Yeah, I'm wondering if my spouse was killed in the war in heaven. WTF is wrong with this guy?

He listed six principles to keep in mind as they pray for blessings:
Believe, trust, have faith.
Repent, pay the price.
Pray without ceasing as if it all depends on the Lord.
Work as if it all depends on you.
Prepare for intense trials of your faith (don't give up).
Expect the Lord to perform according to his will.

And, of course, pay your tithing.

[_John Larsen]

He listed six principles to keep in mind as they pray for blessings:
Believe, trust, have faith.
Repent, pay the price.
Pray without ceasing as if it all depends on the Lord.
Work as if it all depends on you.
Prepare for intense trials of your faith (don't give up).
Expect the Lord to perform according to his will.

And, of course, pay your tithing.

Let me take Occam's Razor to that list. Let's see....OK:

Work as if it all depends on you.