Oh the humanity

[_Inconceivable]

I'm not sure what Jesus has to do with any of this.

Absolutely nothing. Absolutely positively nothing at all.

Bingo.

[_harmony]

I'm curious as to what you find wrong with a gaggle of mostly old people wearing funny clothes and stepping through a bunch of meaningless rituals.

It's possible to send $30 to Save the Children and also do temple work.

I'm not sure what Jesus has to do with any of this.

I think Inc's referring to the money that's required to build and maintain the temples, that could be spent on feeding the world's children (because Lord knows there are no poor among US!).

[_Inconceivable]

..The Jesus of the New Testament exercised compassion upon the very least first. He administered to them temporally first.

I'm curious as to what you find wrong with a gaggle of mostly old people wearing funny clothes and stepping through a bunch of meaningless rituals.

It's possible to send $30 to Save the Children and also do temple work.

I'm not sure what Jesus has to do with any of this.

I don't think you get it. For many, life is more like a points system. But how inappropriate is doing both when it equates to losing even one life? Even if it's not yours?

Even one brick is not worth the life of a child - even when you go to great lengths to keep them nameless, faceless and invisible from your own big picture.

In the story of Jesus, He gave all. Everything. In the Mormon story, the husbandmen are publically recognized for giving some of what they consider His treasure. Are they following His footsteps or blazing their own trail. I see two distinct sets of footprints. What are your eyes not telling you?

[Guest]

I don't think you get it. For many, life is more like a points system. But how inappropriate is doing both when it equates to losing even one life? Even if it's not yours?

Even one brick is not worth the life of a child - even when you go to great lengths to keep them nameless, faceless and invisible from your own big picture.

In the story of Jesus, He gave all. Everything. In the Mormon story, the husbandmen are publically recognized for giving some of what they consider His treasure. Are they following His footsteps or blazing their own trail. I see two distinct sets of footprints. What are your eyes not telling you?

So, you're saying that it's wrong for me to be spending money and time on fly fishing. I should be sending that money (and giving that time) to children in Africa. Do I have that right?



edit: Fixed bad typing.

[_Morley]

I think Inc's referring to the money that's required to build and maintain the temples, that could be spent on feeding the world's children (because Lord knows there are no poor among US!).

Would this also apply to the money spent on sports arenas?

[_Nortinski]

I think Inc's referring to the money that's required to build and maintain the temples, that could be spent on feeding the world's children (because Lord knows there are no poor among US!).

Would this also apply to the money spent on sports arenas?

Only if the people paying for the Sports arenas were doing so because they were told God commanded it. And that it was required to go to heaven.

[_Tchild]

Only if the people paying for the Sports arenas were doing so because they were told God commanded it. And that it was required to go to heaven.

Which is exactly why LDS believers maintain temples. It is about their priorities, not yours or mine. They believe that God has commanded them to build temples and to maintain them as part of the "requirement" for gaining exaltation.

Why don't we all live in tiny little apartments...or tents, or stack ourselves up in bunks ten to a room so that all of our spare money can go to feed the poor?

If it is so important, don't let the church and its misplaced priorities (misplaced to our hierarchy of values) stop us from living an ascetic life and giving all we have to the poor.

The church doesn't have a value system that believes that feeding the poor is superior to temple building. If they did, they would feed the poor and stop building temples, but they do not.

Simple really.

[_Inconceivable]

In the story of Jesus, He gave all. Everything. In the Mormon story, the husbandmen are publically recognized for giving some of what they consider His treasure. Are they following His footsteps or blazing their own trail. I see two distinct sets of footprints. What are your eyes not telling you?

So, you're saying that it's wrong for me to be spending money and time on fly fishing. I should be sending that money (and giving that time) to children in Africa. Do I have that right?

That's ok, Morley, you still misunderstand.

Jesus told the rich man to give all that he had to the poor and follow him. The rich man was sad because it didn't fit into his business model.

The Mormon church claims not only to follow Christ but to actually represent Him as executors of a small portion of His earthly estate called the Corporation of the President.

If Jesus commanded old fart Monson and his empty suits to liquidate His assets and donate all the proceeds to the administration of the less fortunate, would they declare Jesus unfit to lead? Well, so far as we understand, that's how he handled his finances his entire mortal life. Did Jesus become a changing God?

Apparently so.

[_Morley]

That's ok, Morley, you still misunderstand.

Jesus told the rich man to give all that he had to the poor and follow him. The rich man was sad because it didn't fit into his business model.

The Mormon church claims not only to follow Christ but to actually represent Him as executors of a small portion of His earthly estate called the Corporation of the President.

If Jesus commanded old fart Monson and his empty suits to liquidate His assets and donate all the proceeds to the administration of the less fortunate, would they declare Jesus unfit to lead? Well, so far as we understand, that's how he handled his finances his entire mortal life. Did Jesus become a changing God?

Apparently so.

I appreciate your patience with me, Inc, but I really do think I understand. The LDS Jesus isn't the if-you-have-two-coats-give-one-to-the-poor-Jesus, he's more of an obey-the-word-of-wisdom-and-do-your-ordinances-Jesus. They need big, white, richly appointed buildings to obey this Jesus. The way I need a river to fish and Rice Stadium to watch the Utes play.

[_Inconceivable]

I appreciate your patience with me, Inc, but I really do think I understand. The LDS Jesus isn't the if-you-have-two-coats-give-one-to-the-poor-Jesus, he's more of an obey-the-word-of-wisdom-and-do-your-ordinances-Jesus. They need big, white, richly appointed buildings to obey this Jesus. The way I need a river to fish and Rice Stadium to watch the Utes play.

Yeah, we're on the same page. I think I misunderstood you.

Honestly, I see nothing wrong with someone fishing or doing whatever. We live within our capacity and we all have our personal belief systems. People are basically good, contribute and are even kind. Most, at least, take care of their own.

Then there are organizations..

The Mormon hierarchy (as well as many other christian religeons) attempt to re-define the simple life of the One they claim to be their leader. I'm just saying, the suits will never see him return even if he does exist. Why? He's not who they think he is. In spite of John the Revelator's acid trip, Jesus was a peaceful man that demonstrated compassion to all and was no respector of persons (except for maybe Sadducees, those that offended his children old or young and of course all Mormon apologists).