Mormon Prophet for President!

For those that haven't noticed we have a poll at the top left hand corner of the blog. We gave this one a shot because it sounded like an interesting idea that would cause room for plenty of discussion and little contention. Now here is your chance!

Today is the last day of voting for your choice of which LDS prophet would make a good president of the United States. Sound off and let your voice be heard as to who you voted for and why. You can even do a little politicing to get more last minute undecided votes for the person you think would be best.

In the future we will have other polls that we want your participation on, but we will make them week long polls. Waiting a month is too long for my taste.

I picked Heber J. Grant because of his ability to have the vision of a true and honest form of welfare(which we need), because of his sound understanding of economy as a banker (goodbye inflation), and because he was honest and clear in his opinions(not wavering like so many of our "leaders"). Not that other prophets wouldn't work, but he was president of the church during a time in this country where it was very easy to be down on the conditions of society and he kept the saints with their head in the game. Something I think we need now in this country. All qualities that I feel make Heber J. Grant my choice.... and seeing from the poll I might be the only person to think that.

Here's to guns. Not the ones so beautifully attached to my arms, the other real ones.

I know this is like throwing red meat to a pack of hungry wolves but the Supreme Court's ruling yesterday against the DC gun ban literally put a smile on my face that has not lifted for almost 24 hours. Next thing you know liberals and socialist are going to try to get the court to ban the smirks on all the faces of republicans, libertarians and constitutionalist around the country. I can hear them now "This is a no smirking zone, I need you to remove that smirk immediately or at lest put a lock on it for the safety of the children." All I can think to say as childish as it may be is "IN YOUR FACE YOU COMMIE SUCKERS!"

For years we have had to deal with them throwing Roe V. Wade in our face it being one of our most important issues decided by the judges and now the favor is returned. What drives me crazy about the republicans in office is that in situations like this they do not push the initiative given them, I was however heartened to hear McCain take the fight to his adversary on this one saying "Unlike the elitist view that believes Americans cling to guns out of bitterness, today's ruling recognizes that gun ownership is a fundamental right -- sacred, just as the right to free speech and assembly," Way to go McCain! If you want to get my vote continue acting like a man and take the fight to them. In celebration of the decision I am going to go out and buy at least three more hand guns just for the heck of it.

It bothers me when people pick and choose which part of the constitution they want to believe in. Most on the left will rant and rave about freedom of speech, freedom of the press and on and on but then completely disregard the second amendment. It's the same in the church I guess, people pick their favorite part of the gospel and focus on it. I don't think these people go so far as to say the rest of the gospel isn't true but by ignoring it we do it a disservice. The idea is to embrace the gospel as a whole and the same is true of the constitution. Every part is interconnected, the right to have guns in my home makes me that much more threatening to the government when they want to impose unacceptable rules. The fact that I am armed insures that I can speak freely. The left would have us believe that the freedom of speech and all others is granted to us by a benevolent government but in fact we the people grant them their life and by us having guns serves as a reminder of that fact to them. One of the first tenets of Marxism is after all to disarm the people, this way they have no way to stand up to operation, especially if that operation comes with guns which last time I checked most law enforcers have.

So go shooting this weekend and fire a couple rounds in thanksgiving the five justices that allowed us to keep it up.

Missionary Service Required!!!

There is a problem in the church that my father and I were discussing last night and that M. Galt and I have also discussed on several occasions. It concerns the future of our church and the state of our youth. In Conference Elder Ballard dropped the hammer when he introduced the "Raising the Bar" revelation to the church. No longer was the mission field a place to send your troubled sons to turn them into men. Now they would have to show that they were good and worthy of the blessings and experiences that they would have on a wonderful full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. For many this meant that gone were the days when a boy could smoke, drink, party, fool around, and be a moron and then go on a mission to be reformed yet for others there was another idea that has been implanted into their brains. It is the same mentality that pollutes our nation and that has now become common in our church. The mentality of "well, if you guys don't let me play the way I want then I am taking my ball and going home". I don't know who told the parents of these young men that it was okay for them not to go on a mission but perhaps they need to learn the difference between a suggestion and a commandment. The bar was not raised to disqualify their kids from missionary service bit rather to ensure that the boys would be able to get the best experience possible while already having a testimony of the gospel before they left. No longer is it good enough in the mission field for a missionary to say that he has known since he was a little kid that the church was true, it need to be felt and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit and that is not going to happen if the boy is unworthy or has no real testimony for himself. I have pin pointed a few areas that I think influence greatly the problem we are seeing now in our youth.

1. Parental Misconduct: The world has taught parents to coddle their kids and to not hold them accountable for their actions. I am not that old but I still remember the spankings that I would receive when I was little and did something stupid and I thank my father for the beatings and the lessons that I learned. Here is possibly the most important of them all. When around other people it is not appropriate to act how I want to act. It is only appropriate to act as the people around me want me to. This is not giving into peer pressure but rather learning to function in a group of people whose ideals and standards are hopefully higher than my own. A teenager should not use language in a group of adults that he would use with his "hommies" on the street. This will keep you from being labeled as a bad seed and as ignorant. I am not as smart as some people think that I am, but because I do not say the stupid things that pop into my head when I am around them I appear more intelligent that I am. So kids, learn to shut up! Parents, learn to discipline your children! I guarantee that Brigham Young probably spanked his kids and if he did it why don't you?

2. Leaders with years of seniority: This is actually a theory that I stumbled upon last night. How many of us belong to a ward where the young men's leadership is the same now as it was ten years ago? Is this a problem?... Well I guess it depends on the leaders really. I am the second oldest of five children and something that I learned is that my parents really do not discipline the youngest two kids like they did the two oldest of the family. When I returned from my mission I was surprised to see no curfew, no bed times, and no corporal punishment that I had seen my entire life while living in my father's home. I also noticed that my younger siblings sure mouthed off a lot more that I did... probably because they don't fear the back hand or mouth full of soap that I used to get. Upon questioning my parents I was told that they were to tired to deal with the kids any more and didn't want to have their younger kids dislike them like the older ones had. I had to straighten my father and mother out on this point and share that although I thought some of the rules they set were not needed or warranted that they had molded me into the man that I had become. I compare myself now to my younger brother who just graduated and sits around the house, has no job, and no desire to go to college before his mission. I know this sounds like I am harping on the parents again and that is good because most of the fault lies with them but back to the main idea. Leaders that stay in positions for an extended period of time end up doing the same thing. If I had told my priest quorum advisor that I was not going on a mission because I "didn't want to" I would have gotten a smack upside the head followed by teasing and eventually a heart felt one-on-one about how the leader loved me but that he would be prouder of me if I was a RM. I recently visited the priest quorum of my home ward and watched the priests teasing, picking on, and back mouthing the same advisor that I had known before. I finally had enough and spent about fifteen minutes telling all the priests that they were horrible examples of a priest quorum and that I feared the future of our church if they were to become the future leaders and missionaries. To this I had three boys tell me that they were not even going to go on a mission because it is too hard and they just don't want to. Leaders, get back on the ball and start cracking the whip...literally.

3.The Law of Sacrifice: My largest complaint is something based actually out of the scriptures. We have been told by the prophets and through old and new revelation that the thing that ticks the Lord off the most is when his children refuse to recognize his hand in all things. I heard a saying in the MTC that has stuck with me through the past five years. "There is no such thing as luck or chance. Luck and chance in your life is micro-management by the Lord." This brings me to my next point. I don't know how many youth will read this but I want to make a serious point. When I turned 18 I came to the realization that I was a moron. This epiphany saved my life because I realized one evening that I could have died several times not only in the course of my life but also several times since I had turned 16 and gotten my license. I owed the Lord for keeping me alive and that debt would be paid. After talking it over with my father I realized that the best way to pay the Lord off for what he had done for me so far was to stay repentant, recognize his hand in all things, and sacrifice something for him that he would never ask me to give, my free will. I chose to go on a mission so that I could repay the Savior for helping me through my first 19 years and the service I gave can not compare to the blessings I have received. I left behind a girl I had dated who would not commit to a relationship after over a year of dating, two jobs that helped me in no way further my education or my skills, a piece of junk car and no future really and when I got home I returned to a great paying job with educational and health benefits, a beautiful and intelligent wife, and a... decent car. The children of the church need to learn sacrifice and that falls once again on the heads of the parents.

In conclusion I should say that this is more of a rant than a call to arms but this is a serious problem in the church and it is high time that something is done about it. Perhaps we should just forget about the hoodlums in line to serve now and start working on the fresh batch of deacons that are coming in now to groom them. I am not a father but I have been helping my brother-in-law prepare for his mission for the past few months and it is some what apparent that this generation needs to learn a few things. The work will roll on with or with out us and the fact is that there is a problem and if we do not confront it there will be no way to improve our situation in the future.

Honk if you believe!

This story is very unique. Oddly enough it is over the possible creating of some "Christian" license plates. There are some opposing and compelling sides to this issue that I want to discuss and get some dialogue started on.

Is having a license plate showing your belief in Christ a constitutional right that we have under freedom of expression, or is it a violation of the separation of church and state? Should we let the plates happen or no?

If you want Pres. Monson's opinion on such forms of "worship" read the first paragraph of this article.

What poor people are poor for a reason?

So this was supper surprising to me. According to the Wall Street Journal people making less the $20,000 a year spend more then 1/3 of their time in "passive leisure." "Passive leisure" is defined by such activities as watching TV. They compared this to those making over $100,000 a year who spent less then 1/5 of their time in "passive leisure." It's almost like some poor are poor for a reason not related to the evil rich exploiting them. For the record I would hardly consider some one making $100,000 a year rich.

This just illustrates to me that choices have consequences. If you choose to spend moor then 1/3 of your life watching TV in your trailer house thinking of ways to pimp out your camaro then you will not make money and it is no one else's fault but your own. People could take that third of time and go to school, look for more productive hobbies, heck even reading a book. Again I will draw on my experience living in the south to illustrate my point. I met more people who had aspirations of getting on disability then I met who wanted to go to collage. I met whole families of people who had "disability's" that kept them at home all day watching Springer over getting an actual job.

I think what Voltaire said about work applies famously to the discussion. "Work banishes those three great evils: boredom, vice, and poverty." It also correspond to the direction Adam and Eve where given when they where banished from the garden, didn't God tell them that by the sweat of their brows' they would eat bread? If some one lives off the work of another for an extended period of time they are in opposition to the commandments of God. Of course everyone who is poor with come up with an excuse that generally revolves around some one else treating them unfairly and how their situation is not their fault. To some extent I am sure bad things do happen, they have happened to me. But if I look honestly at the bad things that have happened to me financially I can take full responsibility for at least 90% of it. Thus the principle of responsibility corresponds directly to the ability to raise above our circumstances. If you are poor and don't like where you are in life then you need to stop what your doing and look at the choices you are making and start making the opposite choices that will lead you to success.

But people will not do that. they will look to the government to save them in their sin.

Those mormons can rap yo!

Is there a place for rap or hip hop music in LDS culture? More specifically, I want to know, is it possible for there to be a popular form of music, such as rap or hip hop, that has a Mormon basis to it. I know back in the 80's the Walter & Hays band did the embarrassing novelty white guy rap song called "Mormon Rap". But is that as far as it can go with Mormons and rap music?

I realize that during the millennium there might be the off chance, but even then I wonder if we won't revert back to afterglow for our listening "pleasure".

I've got an idea!

I apologize to those who work at places that do not allow you tube videos in our blog. But I have to use this one. Among this congressional representatives thick Texan accent, there are some decent points to be made about making sure that in this rapidly changing world we remember to think before we act. I don't care what any group says about the woes and special interest they seek political assistance in achieving. There comes a point when the leaders of any country to take a step back and make sure that solving one problem doesn't create fifty others in the meantime.


I love the environment. I have over 20 trees on my .20 acre lot. I believe in doing what we can for the environment. I do what I can to be responsible in not driving too far, conserving energy, etc. But it is important that we take a step back and seek to understand, not just our options as a people and a society, but the effect each one of those options will have; not what we effect want or think they will have. No where in the constitution does it give the government power to enforce what kind of light bulb I buy, but this congress has done it. And they have done it without considering the full extent of the legislation that they have passed.

I read a good article in a 4-wheel drive magazine (of all places) that printed what I consider to be the most balanced and fair basis with which to look at environmental policy.

I can't find it online but it is in a recent printing of Peterson's Off-Road magazine. I have a big Amen going out to the writer of this editorial. His thought was that we should consider at what point do earth's rights supersede human rights? I had never really considered the earth to have rights but there is some merit to looking at it that way. Again, I love the environment very much. In fact the brethren have spoken clearly on making sure that we take care of this Earth that God has given us and not to abuse it. However, enforcing and enacting laws that require the use of an item that requires more waste in order to dispose of the original product, is not helping the environment at all! Additionally, I don't want the possibility of killing my family with mercury poisoning a step in the right direction to a better America.

Please tell me there is a better way.....

That's so gay...

As you may have heard, gay marriage is now legal in California (Just Fabulous). The stage is set for California to have its folklore prophecy fulfilled of falling into the ocean. Since the church's stance on gays is as clear if not clearer than it is on the word of wisdom, there should be no doubt in our minds as to the possibility (or lack there of) of having a gay clergy the LDS Church.

Thank goodness I am not German and/or Lutheran. In case you have been in a media closet I will bring the latest in the adversary's attempt to hurt the spirituality of mankind through confusion and hatred.

For the full story read here

What I found interesting about this story is not that this is the story of a gay man wanting to get into clergy, that has already happened in this case. It is now a debate because he wants to be in senior clergy or a Bishop. Now correct me if I am wrong but if a certain lifestyle is wrong and against the teachings of their faith, why is it that it is only now an issue. This guy has even set up the Center for Gay and Lesbian Lutherans.

The article states that conservative Lutherans are having a hard time with the possibility of this promotion which I am sure has everything to do with the fact that he is openly gay. So where does this leave the Lutheran Church? Do they endorse the lifestyle or not? If there is a tenant of their faith that allows for gay clergy then the conservatives in their faith don't simply have a problem with gays, they have a problem with their religion.

I for one am glad to be a part of a religion who has made a clear and immovable stand on such an issue. We love them as children of God but hold no place for the endorsement of such practices. One can live in harmony with the gospel as long on Same-Sex Attraction impulses are not acted upon. The same as any other sins like pornography or premarital sexual relations.

In any case perhaps this video will interest you and serve for further discussion (Warning it is PG-13).

What would the Justice League do?

I was going to write about the possibility that McCain may actually be getting what the rest of us actually know by saying he is supporting states rights to drill for oil. Its almost like if we produce more and the government gets out of the way then gas prices will drop.....hummmm such a strange idea. Of course he still tried to pander to stupid people by saying he would investigate "speculators" to make sure they are doing what's right. Sure he will, and I am sure that it will turn up what they always turns up. Nothing. Its almost as rich as the new messiah Oboma stumping in Flint Michigan talking about reinvestment in "green" opportunities to solve our energy problems. Funny how liberals always go to Flint, always promise hope and change and yet in four year there they are again in the same place promising the same things. Stupid people still believe them though, Republican and Democrat.

Politicians say what they say, always have, always will. In my own world though as I was getting ready to park at work the other day there was some guy straddling the line between two spots in his over grown truck. I didn't note that this parking lot was indoor where space is limited. I don't think there is anything so rude as double parking so I am faced with two choices from a moral stand point.

Option one, do I act as the whirlwind of justice and take vengeance on the vehicle with a note, key scratch or various other forums of vandalism?

Option two. Does the fact that this guy has veterans stickers in his window exempt him from any forum of parking justice.

My own thinking is that if no action is taken then these people will never know or recognize their sins on humanity and speedy parking.

Let's get things straight.....

It is the opinion of this blogger that there is something that has gone on far too long in the populous of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It is an issue that I feel is being rationalized by more and more members and I think it is high time that something is done about it!

We know from D&C section 89 that within the revelation we call the Word of Wisdom, there are laid out certain general principles and practices to the Lords law of Health, and there are some specifics. Why LDS folk seem to think that if something is not listed in that section specifically it automatically is okay to consume? What am I speaking of.... caffeinated and/or cola drinks, near beer, and this ignorant acceptance that herbal tea is okay. What Prophet said that lie?

I am well aware that the market is flooded with all sorts of drinks that either use caffeine or some herbal counterfeit. Additionally I am aware of all the various uninspired myths and hypothetical "spirit of the law" viewpoints that are almost always a rationalization designed to make the individual seek ways to consume what they want and find no sin in it. Do you really think God is going to change his standards because you are "stronger" than everyone else? I hear red wine is good for your heart... great, grape juice is better and costs less... and you don't kill your brain cells while doing it.

There are so many lies perpetuated by the adversary that are designed for people to find "logical" excuses to not follow the revelations of the Lord. Do you believe the lies? Do you live the lies? Do you even perpetuate the lies to others?

We have heard the circumstances of when Joseph Smith received that revelation for D&C 89. We all know it was when he was chewing tobacco, and he smoked cigars while riding his horse and Emma thought it was gross. But Joseph was no more accountable for such standards than a child under 8 is for their actions because there was no law given prior to. After the revelation was given, after that point, the entire world, not just the saints, will be measured by the way they have treated their bodies in this life. The standard by which they will be judged in part is section 89 of the doctrine and covenants as well as any future revelation that has come out by the Lord's inspired leaders.

Joseph Fielding Smith in Answers to Gospel questions made the standard to not drink cola drinks (ie Pepsi, Coke, and similar products). He was a prophet and whether you agree with this idea, following in faith and obedience is a better path than disobedience and rationalization.

So what is my point? Since I am not the Prophet my words will probably not be binding eternally, but as a friend and as a public service announcement to the world on this here 'interweb'; Just Say NO!

Say no to coffee and tea (regardless of how herbal it is-there has been no clarification accepting the use of herbal tea by any brethren, and just because the Lord did not disallow it specifically in D&C doesn't make it okay. So stop using that excuse). Say no to near beer (It smells like the fluids collected from the drippy arm pits of sweaty mine workers so why drink it in the first place?). It still has alcohol and is still processed the same way. Having less bad stuff doesn't make it okay. And for your own sake, give up the energy drinks and the kidney ruining cola drinks. Caffeine aside, all the medical reasons these thing are to be avoided may not be revealed to the world at large. But it doesn't mean we shouldn't follow it. You didn't wait to see the Gold Plates before believing in the Book of Mormon. So why do you need more proof than the words of the Prophets before following their council with regards to these matters.

Give me all the crap you want, but I am right about this and you know it.

Give it to me ugly.

Last night as me and Miss. Galt where watching the TV we flipped past Anderson Copper from CNN. The wife yells at me to stop so she can drool over this "news caster." Despite my objections that he is simply a rich kid trying to find importance in his life because he couldn't live up to what his ancestors did we stayed for a few minutes.

This is a typical of your average liberal/socialist activist. Everyone I have known has come from money and because they are too lazy to get out and make something of themselves they have to fight the good fight.

But I digress, I think our news casters should be ugly old men. I trust ugly people way more then I trust the attractive ones. This trust comes from the fact that no ugly person has ever been given a thing. Because they haven't had things given to them on account of their looks they have had to develop this thing we call "corrector" or had to "think" about how they are going to make a living. Because ugly people have been tricked by so many good looking people on the hope that they just might get in bed with them they have developed great critical thinking skills. It's these people I would much rather get my news from. They speak to us with experience. Its like some rich white guy trying to play the blues, I'm just not buying it. I want my blues from a repressed minority and my news from an ugly guy.

In the interest of full disclosure I have to admit that as much as you ladies may like to imagine other wise I am an ugly/smart person. Once I accepted I was stuck with my looks it opened my world up to unbelievable realms of possibility. No longer did I have to labor under any delusions of grandeur and I knew that anything I wanted in this life I would have to work for it.

So over the weekend I advise a little mirror time of your own. If you don't like what you see just accept that you will not be on TV. But take heart in that pretty much everything else is open for you.

What good comes from a liberal?

When it comes to liberalism in the United States you either understand the point of view or you loathe it. After a recent perusal of an article I found some interesting thoughts from someone claiming to explain liberalism in such a calm collected and logical manner that 'everyone should just believe this way because it makes so much sense'.

You can read the article yourself :
http://www.elroy.net/politics/liberal.html

Among some of the misguided quotes that I will present, there is one that I actually agree with the writer on. He writes, "Seems these days Conservatives have convinced themselves, and some of the American public, that being a Liberal is akin to being a card-carrying member of the Communist Party." While Liberals may not have an actual card to carry, they certainly are similar in ideology and implementation of their belief system. All conservatives are doing are calling a spade a spade.

The author continues to explain the "real" liberal viewpoints, not the ones suggested by some implied conservative collective as to what Liberals believe:

First claim, "The Liberal believes it is a nation's job to protect its citizens from physical harm, whether from external sources, such as hostile nations, or internal ones... Liberals believe in a strong military, well suited to defend the nation." If this is really how they believe, then why are they so opposed to the iraq war and in military funding? Reconcile that for me...

Second Claim, "Liberals believe in sound regulations to protect us from economic oppression. Liberals believe in just laws to protect us from social oppression. And Liberals believe in quality education to protect us from the oppression of ignorance." The oppression of ignorance? Holy crap what a concept! Maybe they (liberals of course) would like to explain how the people in the ghetto living off liberal welfare are economically and socially oppressed! I think we can all agree that there is a degree of ignorant oppression, it just might be self-inflicted in some cases.

Third Claim, "Fleeing oppression in mother Europe, our founders established a nation where personal belief and self-determination are protected, not persecuted, where hard work is rewarded, not demanded, and where each person is bestowed with the ability to better his or her life because of citizenship, not class." Hard work rewarded? Last report we got was that some unemployed said "it was too hot for some to go out and get a job" so they stayed by the government funded hotel pool while eating their government funded meals. These people are not unemployed because they were not in the upper class. Any job applications floating around with a list of check boxes wanting to know what class you are in before you are hired? I don't think so. Not even McDonalds gives a crap if you rent or own a home. Speaking of our founding fathers, they sought for less government-that is how they were to be less persecuted and oppressed by a monarchy-like liberal government. I would love to hear a liberal explain to me how having more government "take care of us" is any different than what the founding fathers died to get away from. Not just died, but crossed a huge ocean, fought off established national armies and navy's just to get away from such micromanaging of our lives by government. They didn't want to have to rely on government to save them, they wanted to do it on their own. Liberalism as it stands today is closer to the monarchy of old england (hmm, who has a national heath care system?) than it does any form of Democracy.

Final thought from the article, "Liberty is found within a system. That system does not happen by itself. It is created and supported by us, the People, and it is funded by our labors. The money we pay in taxes is what allows us to thrive in Liberty and work in fairness. Reasonable taxation is necessary because without it, many of us would find it difficult to get paid even a fraction of what we are paid now. And those who benefit more from the system should expect to pay more to help support it." Did I read that right? those who benefit more from the system should expect to pay more to help support it? How the hell do you suppose to reconcile that idea to current practice if the system that liberals try to create impose taxes on the rich while the poor get all the benefits? If that is the case and the poor benefit more, then they should pay more in taxes! Right? Their thoughts not mine...

If liberals are really about "defending the freedom - the Liberty - of all people who make up our great nation", why is it okay to tax the rich? If liberals state that "hard work is rewarded, not demanded, and where each person is bestowed with the ability to better his or her life because of citizenship, not class." If there are to be no benefits based on class, then there should be no penalties either right? Seems fair to me!?

In conclusion I have come to the belief that liberalism has no good to come of it. Lies perpetuated by a group of manipulative power hungry socialists seeking to oppress the stupid who can't see the BS for what it is, does not make for sound life doctrine no matter how many ways it is to be rationalized. That is not an endorsement of any other ideology, just a slam on this one.

How does socialism differ from the United Order spoken of in the doctrine and covenants you might ask? Well the main difference is one is holy, uplifting, and still encourages the best and most honorable social and economic productivity. The other results in greed by its leaders and the endorsement of slothful behaviors that breed discontentment and laziness. If no one has to work for anything in a liberal government because it is their right to receive it, then why have a job? Let the government support you. What I want to know, how is the government going to get taxes if all you have to do is sit in a hotel and collect FEMA checks forever? That well will dry up and that society will fall to chaos.

This is how big you feel for going green isn't it?

I hate this whole "go green" movement that is sweeping the nation like small pocks. But instead of throwing red meat to the crowed with talk of high gas prices I wanted to tackle a few "green" arguments with just a little thing not many people use any more called "logic."

A couple of months ago the company I work for started in with their big push to "go green." Company flunkies where in the lobby of the new five story building they finished construction on just four months ago. My five story building sits right next to two other even larger buildings they completed at the same time. The promotions people where there passing out go green reusable hard plastic cups and one of the stooges asked me if I wanted to pitch in and "go green by reusing a new cup?" "No" I said but I couldn't leave it at that, so I went on. "If the company really cared about going green and lessening their carbon foot print then instead of building these three huge structures and requiring all their employees to drive in their evil polluting cars to get here then they would have spent way less money then they did on all of this and just updated their systems so that I could do this job from home." That's right I am on the phone all day, there is no reason I couldn't do this from home and the company could not only save the money by not having to build these huge building to overcompensate for some hidden feeling of inadequacies but they would have made my life easier by cutting out commuting. They didn't do that though because they really don't care about going green, neither does anyone else who claims to be concerned about the environment. They just want to be associated with a fad and get good press.

Item two. OK lets suppose the world is warming and the climate is changing. I will give anyone a bright shinny nickel if they tell me what the worlds perfect temperature is. No one has done it and no one will do it because there is no perfect temperature, the world has always changed, change is what our life and the worlds life is all about. Remember the freaking ice age? What caused that? The dinosaurs have too many SUV's? Change happens, always has, always will, deal with it.

Point three. So your saving the world by buying only organic food. Ever stop to think why its more expensive then the evil chemically vegetables? I mean if they are not using chemicals to grow it shouldn't it be less expensive because less is going into growing it? It's expensive for two reasons #1 The people who buy the stuff are retarded and actually think they are chipping in by paying more. #2 The crop yields are lower then the chemical stuff because there are no pesticides used, therefore to get their money back farmers have to have larger fields, larger fields means more water, means more tractor time covering the larger space, means a "larger carbon foot print." Now if your buying your vegetables from farmer john down the street good for you, your right that is cool that your helping local farmers and they probably are not doing all the thinks I just talked about. But how much time and fuel are you using driving from location to location, stopping and starting your car to get this good dead done? O yea if all the chemicals in and on our food are so bad why do we live longer then we did as a race 100 years ago? If the chemicals are so bad shouldn't people have lived longer when they lived "closer to the earth?"

Aggravation four. Why is it that the people who complain the loudest about the environment are the people who spend the least amount of time outside of a city? These are the same people who complain about overpopulation. These are the same people who have never driven highway 50 through Nevada and realized that there is way more open space in this world then we could ever use. These people are not so concerned about over population of the world as much as they are concerned about population growth in their little neck of the world. They really want people out of their way. And that's my biggest aggravation with greenies, they are not only ignorant and illogical but selfish, its all about them and they are the only ones who can change the world....buy telling everyone else how to live their life.

Frustration five. We all have to switch out our old light bulbs for the new florescent kind. Ever stop to think who is going to make a huge amount of money off this? Ever stop to think that maybe they got in to a politicians head or pocket book to make this happen? Did you know when the new ones break you have to get all pregnant women out of the room/house when you clean it up? You do. Sounds supper green and human friendly hu?

Is Christianity Black or White?

After serving a mission in the deep south, it has been my unfortunate opportunity to see that racism is alive and kicking in the world. Even among a few, rare, Latter-Day Saints. There are some, both black and white, that feel race is an issue worth discussing. So let's discuss it. Watch this video (for as long as you can - at least a minutes worth) and then continue reading.



What I got from this video'd sermon by the truly ignorant Dr. Rev. Wright is the "revelation" that Jesus was black, and that if he were on the earth today he would not be able to catch a cab. Nothing he speaks of in this sermon will bring you any closer to God for adhering to it. That is the function and purpose of Christianity-To bring people unto God.

Now as far as I am concerned, I am glad to belong to a church that has a living prophet who embodies the gospel he preaches; not a complaining, manipulative, over dressed, loud, brash, and contentious bigot that finds success in the tearing apart and agitating of the human soul.

If racism is such a poison (and Rev. Wright is so hurt by it), then why keep feeding it to your congregation in reverse? When a wrong is retaliated or mirrored by one person, it hardly makes that wrong thing right. Did Jesus' crucifiction make it okay for his followers to go crucify the Jews? Is he not preaching a 'retaliation' version of the law of Moses which Christ himself said was a lower (f)law? Are the actions carried out by such a person as Rev. Wright simply a sign that Satan personally inspires men to rile up and anger others of our Heavenly Fathers children in an attempt to kill the unity and brotherhood Zion should be made up of? Can I get an AMEN?!

p.s. - (Last I checked most cab drivers were ethnic or non-white, so why is it that black people can't catch a cab?)

"Charity never faileth", but is what we do actully charity?

This is most likely going to come across as a rant more then anything else but I am OK with that because it ticks me off so much. before I start though a little FYI on me, I lived in New Orleans for a while in fact a I spent a good portion of my mission serving in downtown covering the French Quarter as well as all the housing projects and the worst parts of the ghetto. Coming from some one who has lived there and seen the way people live in that city it came as no surprise that when Hurricane Katrina hit that pandemonium inside. That city felt like it was on the verge of anarchy on any give day but throw in a nice natural disaster and you are good to go for total distraction.

But this isn't the aggravating part. Bad stuff happens, I get that but then I found this news story from the golf coast of Alabama detailing how these "victims" are still living off the government. That's right nearly three years later these people are still living in government paid for hotel rooms, getting three catered meals a day and act like it is all owed to them. One lady said she cant get a job because "its to hot outside." Having been in and out of the neighborhoods these people came from I am not overly surprised by the attitude.

What is anyone actually going to do about it though? If approached by authorities they will come up with some kind of disability that will prevent them form working and everyone will just accept that we as a society have leaches living off our work. My thought is that this type of behavior will only get more common because as a society we do not have the will power to actually let people live with the mistakes they make. I know the hurricane wasn't a result of their decision, however not getting a job and improving your life is. If we wanted real "change we could believe in" I am sure we would have real welfare reform if we started cutting people off and letting them face the actual reality of their decisions. I am sure we would have to see some horrible stuff people would inflict on themselves but eventually it would pay off and they would face the basic choice we all have to come to "Do I work and earn a living or do I die?"

From the gospel perspective the savior is there to save us but he does not do it in our sin, we have to turn away from sin and make the decision to change our life's. With out that change there is nothing the savior can or will do. So what should we do with situations like this?

Is speeding a sin....?

The 12th article of faith that we have covenanted to live by at the time of baptism is one of those principles that seems easy to rationalize. It reads: "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law."

If we as Latter-Day Saints don't keep the laws of the land we stand in conflict with the teachings of God who is the author of our faith. Right?

Or is it that clean cut?

For instance is it a sin to break speed limit laws? If so, and sin makes us unclean, then it would stand to reason that unrepentant speeding would keep us from exaltation. Your thoughts....

Finally, to start your weekend off right, enjoy one of the worst music videos of all time and it just happens to have a somewhat fitting title.

Guilt.

In the church we don't believe in original sin right? We are not responsible for Adam and Eve's transgression and unlike most of the other Christian religions we shouldn't feel any guilt for what they did. Knowing that other churches and people believe in original sin it should come as no surprise that so many people seem to be fascinated with Barack Obama. I believe it is Rush that calls slavery Americas original sin in the minds of those on the left. No matter what we do to improve race relations we are always going to be guilty. Why with the guilt? Because guilty people are easy to leverage into doing what you want. If there is something that can be held over your head then you have to give up anything that it is asked because you owe it to pay off the price for your sin. So the mantra becomes "your guilty so you have to pay and not ask questions of substance about this guilt." Funny how those who ascribe the guilt are the ones who tell you how you can pay for it. The similarities between modern liberalism and churches of old are amazing, there is no questioning of the doctrine, there is only atonement through you giving something up.

How does this tie into Barack Obama? Just look to his slogans "hope" and "change." Hope for what? The overcoming of the guilt they have taught you that you deserve. Change from what? The way your parents and grand parents oppressed nameless masses of minorities and poor people. Because the guilt for the original sin is orthodoxy there can be no questioning it. This will start soon, anyone questioning Barack will be called a racist. That title alone will scare anyone from asking actual questions about what he intends to do if elected. Why is it that calling people things they are not still works to end arguments? Why is that people still feel this guilt and are so easily shut down by the mere insinuation of racism? Who knows but it works like clockwork every time.

What fascinates me is how willing people are to accept guilt for something they have no responsibility for. My thoughts on it are that people are always feeling guilty because they know deep down inside that they are violating something and the guilt is a natural reaction. But heaven forbid that inner guilt be in response to something they have done, its much easier to put this guilt on your parents and their sins. Now comes a person who says there will be hope if you vote for him, he speaks well and everyone you look up to says he is going to save our country from the way it is. Never mind if the things he says have been proven incorrect time and time again. This time it will work because some how he is smarter then all the other failed socialists and this guy is black so it has to work.

Perhaps the final nail in the coffin of why I will not vote For Barack ( as if I needed anything more then knowing he is a socialist) was when George Lucas said he Barack had the force with him. I want my money back for the last Indiana Jones movie. If the person who had the judgment to put that turd on the screen says vote for Barack I am automatically voting the other direction.

If not Mitt Romney, then who?

With Mitt Romney running for president, the idea of having a Mormon in a prominent political office has been an interesting point of discussion. Since he didn't succeed in obtaining the republican party's nomination it begs the question, "If Mitt Romney is not the Mormon to win a spot on a November ballot, is there another Mormon better suited? (party non-specific)"

As a side thought to this, one could ask the question, "Is having a Mormon in the White House a good thing for the cause of the Gospel? or could it possibly arming the adversary with another way for people to be "offended" or view the Church in a negative light? I can hear it now, "I disagree with his foreign policy, the church must not be true."

It is easy to make the argument that is doesn't matter what religion the person is so why discuss it?

Religion will always be a factor as long as we live in a country with a constitution that claims to protect God given rights and who prints "In God We Trust" on its currency. Perception is more powerful than fact when dealing with people in general but especially Americans. So yes, religion, or perception of religion, matters. But in the end, what role should Mormons play in politics or public office and who should fill that role?

Everyone knows the main line of the Robin hood story, "steal from the rich and give to the poor" right? I have said for years that the Robin Hood story was a con by socialists to convince society as a whole that it is OK to take from the rich as along as YOU have the right motivation for the action. In every movie the rich are portrayed as evil and have always come by their money by exploiting the poor so because of their evilness it is OK to to take from them.

So with this in mind check out this story of a 14 year old kid who stole $22,000 from his neighbors and then began redistributing the money to others for needs such as car insurance. The headline of course calls this little thief a Robin Hood which by society's standards would then classify him as a hero. As befitting his hero status this kid isn't getting any jail time for the crime.

So here is my question, being members of the church can we justify the Robin Hood mentality as long as the people we take from are evil? Can we justify forcibly taking in any forum?

What this blog is all about.... By James Numark

For sometime now I have found myself having strong opinions on many things in life. Politics, government, the arts, and society to name a few. I view blogging as the greatest manifestation of free speech and blatant opinion giving that we have in this ever shrinking world. With freedom of speech also comes freedom to not like what other people are saying and that makes blogging even more fun.

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or to some, "one of them thar Mormons". I see no reason to be ashamed of such a thing. However, being a member is also something that provides a unique backdrop in discussing the societies in which we live. A perspective worth sharing with the world. I hope that this blog on this here interweb thing, can be a place for people to discuss contemporary issues in an open, fun, often humorous but honest format.

In keeping with the title of our blog however we hope that there is a way to seek out the truth of things with a spiritual backdrop. This can be a positive forum for the elevating of the human spirit. Feel free to disagree with people but let's keep the insulting of one another's mother to a minimum.

One serious rule: Any insults to deity will not be tolerated. Freedom of speech is one thing, but I will not allow this to be a forum for poisoning other people through the insulting of our God or the spreading of malicious falsehoods. If that is your cup of hot chocolate (I would have said tea but section 89 says no tea) then please spread your crap somewhere else. I love my God too much to allow such vain insults.

Enjoy the blog and try your best to have fun with issues that effect all of us in one way or another. Thanks for your comments in advance.