Requirements to be a Christian

[aboutime]

By the late summer of 1958, I was in my 20s and of course by 1968 I was out.

To be frank here, I at no time saw the older people as having less wisdom than I had. But I realize that by the 70s and later, it was far easier to see the older in the way you say. Even when I was a teen I am sure some of my peers figured they knew it all. I have no clue why they thought that way.

I feel sorry for the current crop of wise acres since later they will be amazed at what they don't know and that when they do finally know, they will look back in the rear view of history and be ashamed.

Right you are Robert. You reminded me of an expression, former Defense Secretary Rumsfeld used a few times, that says just about the very same thing. And it means so much when we try to explain to the (as you called them) Wise Acres....better known as WHIPPERSNAPPERS.
And that expression applies so very well when trying to be honest with them, sharing information they Obviously Do Not Wish to hear.

He said "They Don't know, what they don't know...they don't know!"

If they take time to think about just that one sentence. There is no way they could disagree.

[Robert A Whit]

I disagree with the looking back part. The current wiseacres are to stupid to ever look back. You are thinking of your and my generations with that line of thought IMHO. THOSE SO ENLIGHTENED IN LIBERAL STUPIDITY ARE FAR , FAR LESS LIKELY TO EVER LOOK BACK. They are far too busy scheming how to defeat the truth and reality in order to destroy what is right so as to replace it with their insane fantasy of a socialistic paradise. This is in sanity is being taught in our public schools and colleges.-Tyr

I am quite certain that far too many fit the pattern you accurately described. A shame isn't it?

[Robert A Whit]

Right you are Robert. You reminded me of an expression, former Defense Secretary Rumsfeld used a few times, that says just about the very same thing. And it means so much when we try to explain to the (as you called them) Wise Acres....better known as WHIPPERSNAPPERS.
And that expression applies so very well when trying to be honest with them, sharing information they Obviously Do Not Wish to hear.

He said "They Don't know, what they don't know...they don't know!"

If they take time to think about just that one sentence. There is no way they could disagree.

Youi will know when you are my friend when you start calling me Bob.

Did you read Don's book? I have read his book, Bush's book and Cheney's book. Taken in whole, one can learn a lot. Much of what was in Gen. Tommy Franks book was confirmed as true. That not confirmed still was true since Franks was the commander of all forces in those two wars.

We agree on what you said.

[aboutime]

I am quite certain that far too many fit the pattern you accurately described. A shame isn't it?

More than a shame. Our entire Educational system in this nation is a shameful example of Politics, Money, and Power, all directed toward targets that DO NOT INCLUDE our Children First.

We all know it. And those who claim to be Politicians across this nation know. MONEY TALKS, and Uneducated Americans DO NOT CARE.

[Noir]

Say, has anybody found the TEN COMMANDMENTS yet?

You forget that Joseph Smith translated with adult witnesses watching him do it.

Why do you waste your time attacking our beliefs?

Science has learned there probably are millions of planets. Why would you be worried if some of us got a planet?

Most will end up on a planet. All planets probably will have leadership. Even our church has leaders. I add they don't get paid for their work that I am aware of. I know the Bishops don't get paid. My father served in the Bishopric. I know he got no pay.

That quote wasn't by me, though i'd like to respond anyways.

As for translating with other adults around, am i right in saying that a woman, who's name i can't recall, stole a hundred pages or so, and asked Smith to translate them again, as they would be exact copies (what a brilliant woman!) and Smiths reply was that he would be able to retell the general story, but he could not make an exact copy, as god had changed the books?...

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

I am quite certain that far too many fit the pattern you accurately described. A shame isn't it?

More than just a shame, its downright dangerous to our nation's security and our way of life.
If not corrected it will evetually lead to our destruction.-Tyr

[cadet]

Hmmm... interesting, the founder Joseph Smith Jr was a con man wanted for a huge number of crimes...

[Noir]

Hmmm... interesting, the founder Joseph Smith Jr was a con man wanted for a huge number of crimes...

Again, the only worse example i can think of is $cientology and L. Ron Hubbard. For there was a man who said "You don't get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion." Which he said to a public audience,

There are other great quotes too like "Whenever he was talking about being hard up he often used to say that he thought the easiest way to make money would be to start a religion" From a journalist who shared a room with him for a while.

And yet so many genuinely believe in Hubbard and Smith. Once you get over that fact, that the people who believe just don't care, you suddenly realise what a task you have before you.

(random mix of fonts by copypasta from Wikipedia)

[aboutime]

Youi will know when you are my friend when you start calling me Bob.

Did you read Don's book? I have read his book, Bush's book and Cheney's book. Taken in whole, one can learn a lot. Much of what was in Gen. Tommy Franks book was confirmed as true. That not confirmed still was true since Franks was the commander of all forces in those two wars.

We agree on what you said.

Thank you. I will tell you my real name in private PM. Sorry we got off on the wrong foot here. Sounds like You and I share much more than just agreements about topics here.

We're not that far apart on the Real Things that matter. Sad to say. I haven't done enough reading...offline over the last many years. I'll make no excuses, other than admit our financial situation, downgraded with large medical bills not covered by the shrinking, former military health care...has prevented many of the luxuries...even books, from being part of our life.
The computer has become my temporary resting place when I'm not in pain, or unable to sit for long periods.
Enough about that.
I am glad you are here to help us further educate the Un-educated, and Under-educated who defend themselves by calling me, and others the Uneducated...to hide their ignorance.

[Robert A Whit]

More than a shame. Our entire Educational system in this nation is a shameful example of Politics, Money, and Power, all directed toward targets that DO NOT INCLUDE our Children First.

We all know it. And those who claim to be Politicians across this nation know. MONEY TALKS, and Uneducated Americans DO NOT CARE.

Going back to my days in high school, I lived in a farming area. While the downtown was a small city, the city limits went well out and we still had many farms. The high school was built in 1926 and was greek or roman construction. It had very tall columns. It spanned 300 acres and included a farm that is currently another high school.

Anyway, my point is that my family was democrats but I can't tell you what most of the rest of the school was. I recall a pal whose parents were Republicans. Politics was not on the plate for discussion with my pals.

What could you learn at that high school?
You could get an excellent higher math background. you could learn any of 4 languages. We had all sorts of shops. You could learn what you needed to go to a university or take shops. And learn to work on diesel or gasoline products. Radio shop, wood working and many others were there. If you did not want to go to college, you could show up on a job knowing what to do.

We did not learn how to feel. We learned facts. We did not get taught the democrats credo. I can't tell you what party any of my teachers belonged to but one. And he was working as both a teacher and in the state assembly and was a democrat. He did not wear his party on his sleeve.

Today you have kids where their teacher is trying to convert them to socialism. Back then, not at all.

[Robert A Whit]

That quote wasn't by me, though i'd like to respond anyways.

As for translating with other adults around, am i right in saying that a woman, who's name i can't recall, stole a hundred pages or so, and asked Smith to translate them again, as they would be exact copies (what a brilliant woman!) and Smiths reply was that he would be able to retell the general story, but he could not make an exact copy, as god had changed the books?...

If by accident I misquoted you, I truly apologize. It is not my intent to make false claims.

Smith would still have to kept the plates in his possession to retranslate. I never heard that story ever that you told.

Somebody claims Smith was a wanted criminal. Smith was murdered by a mob. I know the story but I never read any stories by the townspeople who murdered him. Maybe they wrote something up to try to justify why they killed him.

I suspect were you to have stole that many pages of the Bible from the authors of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John, they would have to also paraphrase it.

[Robert A Whit]

Hmmm... interesting, the founder Joseph Smith Jr was a con man wanted for a huge number of crimes...

Ronald Reagan used to say that Democrats know so very much that just is not true.

[taft2012]

As I said, the philosophy of what is good and what is evil is remarkably complex, and as such has been the subject of countless books through millennia of free thought.

And ofcourse the 'majority' can enact evil. Evil and democracy are not at odds with each other.

Which is why societies have traditionally anchored their values on something "higher" than the mere mechanations of public discourse, be it Christianity, some sort of collectivist theory, Islam, etc.

Western society anchored itself to Christianity, and with the normal growing pains that societies endure, managed to elevate itself to the most civilized and advanced part of the globe.

When there's an earthquake in Japan, Turkey, or Haiti, people suffering on the ground don't look forlornly to the skies asking "When are the Saudis going to get here with aid?" or "When are the Chinese going to arrive?"

They're always waiting for the west, particularly the USA. Because they know the nature of true Christian charity will come to the aid of those suffering.


Sorry, but that "good" doesn't come from anywhere else but Christianity.

[PostmodernProphet]

Kinda hammers home much of what i find off putting about religions, making people think they are weak, wicked, and sick.

that's okay, Noir.....maybe someday you'll also come to realize you're just like the rest of us.....

[PostmodernProphet]

Things like that may sound nice, but really, we have to judge. If we didn't, then nothing would be considered worthy of condemnation, so no, we should judge, and IMO we do it pretty well on the whole in westernised, liberal cultures.

well, there's always arrogance......