Maklelan - A romantic incentive

[_Chomsky]

Nope, married to one myself. Have Mormon kids myself.

Another open invite to help us understand what sets you apart.

Please do share. I've now asked a half dozen times for some for some clarification on where my line of thinking is wrong. Still no answer.

Sorry. Just not stuff I talk about online.

It doesn't upset me at all. I find it humorous when someone claims their experiences are different and yet can't explain how they are different.

Or won't, particularly given the antagonism.

I don't blame you.

[_Everybody Wang Chung]

Sanctorian is right, we would love to hear your conversion story. You should never be ashamed to of the Gospel or to share your testimony. Let's hear!!

Sorry to disappoint.

No worries, Mak. Not disappointed at all. I understand. When I was young like you I probably lacked the same courage. It will come as you grow older. Courage, and a lot of aches and pains.

[_Quasimodo]

No worries, Mak. Not disappointed at all. I understand. When I was young like you I probably lacked the same courage. It will come as you grow older. Courage, and a lot of aches and pains.

I can fully agree with the aches and pains. I'm still waiting for the courage.

[_ludwigm]

Interesting thread.

Verrry interrrresting...

[_maklelan]

No worries, Mak. Not disappointed at all. I understand. When I was young like you I probably lacked the same courage. It will come as you grow older. Courage, and a lot of aches and pains.

And surely the naïveté to think that making assumptions about my motivations and pretending to talk down to me is at all effective will fade as you grow older as well.

[Guest]

Most of us likely have hidden and/or non-obvious motivations for doing why we do what we do that are often inconceivable to others that haven't walked a mile in our shoes.

As my favorite quote suggests, we do not and often cannot know what wars are going on down where the spirit meets the bone--so best to have compassion for all, whether it's wanted or not.

[Guest]

I'm being perfectly authentic. I'm keeping certain things to myself, but I'm being authentic. Our experiences are obviously different. That seems to upset you more than it does me. Why is it important to you that everyone's experience be the same?

Mak, since I do know at least a couple of "first things" about you based on our interaction in real life, I'm obviously aware that you're keeping at least one significant thing to yourself. Of course, that is your right. That being said, it's also entirely understandable that others are interpreting your failure to be as fully open in this thread as a lack of full authenticity.

[_Bazooka]

I was deeply embedded in Dallas' drug culture at the time, with no real way out. My first attempt at college ended with me being kicked out. After an OD and narrowly avoiding jail, things were just getting worse.

Mak,

You should watch "The Dallas Buyer's Club." I'm sure you would identify with several of the characters.

Sanctorian is right, we would love to hear your conversion story. You should never be ashamed to of the Gospel or to share your testimony. Let's hear!!

You first.

[Guest]

You first.

Bazooka,

I've previously done so in depth on numerous other posts. Notwithstanding, I'll give you the cliff note's version.

My testimony has gone through several pretty drastic changes in my life. When I was a young BYU student and missionary, I pretty much had faith and believed everything I heard from my parents, Church leaders and scriptures, without question.

Somewhere around my mid-thirties I realized that much of the faith I had placed in the Church was not based in reality, and there were hard questions the Church had absolutely no answers to.

As it stands now, I'm a very cultural and cafeteria Mormon. I try to only take what I feel is good in my heart and disregard the rest. Just like most adult people live their lives, and their religion.

I don't fault Mak for not wanting to share his testimony. I probably wouldn't have felt comfortable doing so on a public board when I was his age.

[_Everybody Wang Chung]

No worries, Mak. Not disappointed at all. I understand. When I was young like you I probably lacked the same courage. It will come as you grow older. Courage, and a lot of aches and pains.

And surely the naïveté to think that making assumptions about my motivations and pretending to talk down to me is at all effective will fade as you grow older as well.

Mormons: judging other Mormons righteously since 1830.

Mak, thanks for not doing to me what you allege I did to you.