Sweet Video

In my last post I mentioned that I don't see the Church as perfect.  Despite the amazing good things that the Church does and helps people achieve, there are some problems there.  Not admitting such is intellectual dishonesty in my opinion.  Here is a series of videos that explains well the origin to many of these problems with the Church, its leadership and general members.  Furthermore, it gives this information with an appropriate perspective and in an more articulate manner than I could.  The first three videos deal with this topic, the last three deal more with evidences.  Definitely watch the first three!

The other side

I frequently am bothered when people that are very critical of the church, both from within and without.  On the other hand, I'm not one to tout the church as perfectly run or error free.  I do feel that the critics focus too much on the negative without taking advantage of the positives.  There are a ton and they aren't publicized enough.  Much of the greatness I have in my life is due to the influence of the church.  I wish that would get more credit, it is definitely due. 

Here is a good article from an outside source doing just that...
http://beta-newsroom.lds.org/article/major-new-study-of-religion-has-much-to-say-about-mormons

For all you haters...

A pretty interesting Church policy change is that at least part of the Church Handbook of Instructions is now posted online.  Great news for all the sophisticated people like myself...see the following image...

Interesting

I had a ton of things to say about all that went on this past week with Elder Packer's talk, but I lost the desire to spend the time to type it all out.  Basically, as usual, I tend not to jump on either extreme's band wagon.  The worst thing in the entire situation is when people don't treat those they disagree with civily.  Unfortunately that is happening way too often and I think overshadows the issues at hand.

Anyway, while I was looking up some info on a couple GA's, I noticed their bio's have how many children they have had.  Although it is totally up to the individual and you can't judge another and how many children they do or don't have, I couldn't resist noticing the following trend...

Average number of children to the seven most senior GA's (excluding President Monson to keep the numbers at seven and seven) is 6.4 while the average for the seven least senior GA's is 3.7.  One of the things I learned in my sociology minor that stuck out the most to me was how we as LDS people tend to follow the nation trends very similar, just at different levels for most things.  For example, when the average family went from four to two, we went from eight to four (or some other similar numbers).  We drop when the country drops, but just at different numbers.  Here are the stats...

Monson 3

Q12

Packer 10

Perry 3

Nelson 10

Oaks 6

Ballard 7

Scott 7

Hales 2

Holland 3

Bednar 3

Cook 3

Christofferson 5

Anderson 4

Everyone but Monson

Packer 10

Perry 3

Nelson 10

Oaks 6

Ballard 7

Scott 7

Hales 2

Holland 3

Eyring 6

Uchtdorf 2

Bednar 3

Cook 3

Christofferson 5

Anderson 4

Averages

First 7 = 6.4

Last 7 = 3.7

Be Aware

This post is off the cuff so pardon me for not delivering it in a very articulate manner....Not many members know that Joseph did the majority of his translating of the BOM via a seer stone in a hat.  Sometimes learning about church history facts such as this can be bothersome to one's testimony, and understandably so.  If your understanding of the translation process is as depicted in the majority of Church art, you are fairly incorrect. 

As a seminary teacher and one who is very aware of church history warts (or potential warts) I try to teach in such a way that the students become aware of these things in a normal, comfortable manner.  Last week I taught the translation process and no one batted an eye when I mentioned the above translation fact.  Now, if someone tries to blindside them in the future this fact in a faith discouraging manner, they will already know and be prepared.  While working on one of next week's lessons, I came across the following verse that never stood out to me like it did today and relates well to this issue.  

D&C 38:30 I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear. 

I feel bad for those whose church history learning was out of sync and created some cognitive dissonance for them when the more accurate information was learned.  I know I've been there a time or two.

I am a...Muslim?

Check out this cool video.  Does the format look familiar...?

9/11 Happened to Us All @ Yahoo! Video

Proxy Baptisms

I'm as surprised as you are about the number of posts on my blog recently.  It is turning more into a place where I can share interesting things I come across rather than a place to lay out my thoughts.  Here is a very interesting blog post that was brought up on another blog I regularly follow.  If you ever need a good place to send your Jewish friends that ask about why we do proxy baptisms then I have the place for you....

http://www.jewishjournal.com/jews_and_mormons/item/mormon_proxy_immersions_for_the_dead_39100728/

Check out his other posts too if interested.

http://www.jewishjournal.com/jews_and_mormons

Egyptian Works

If you deal much with LDS apologetics on either side of the fence then you know that the Book of Abraham and the Kirkland Egyptian Papers are very difficult to follow and argued by many as the weakest link in the Joseph Smith as a prophet chain.  If you have put much time into this at all then enjoy this presentation given at a recent FAIR conference.  Two great videos that potentially restart the entire game on the BofA.

http://vimeo.com/user439270/videos

Awesomeness

There have been many things I was tempted to post about over the past few months, but with a fourth baby, work getting terribly busy and my scout calling, I haven't had anything motivate me enough to post despite the aforementioned difficulties.  I even started a couple, but have them saved as incomplete edits.  Anyway, I really like the church's new marketing/media campaign and I couldn't resist posting this link that I have below.  I think the campaign will sync well with the general population, and I really like the following example of it.  If you haven't created one for yourself (and you are Saint of record), I highly recommend logging in and doing it.

http://mormon.org/josh

...and for more of the same http://mormon.org/people/

JS Quote I Liked

Because I frequently visit a couple blogs about the Church and its doctrine I come across a few people who try to "steady the ark." While I am not naive enough to believe in the infallibility of prophets, I do think some members go too far in their criticisms. I understand that the Church is lead by men and therefore mistakes are unavoidable. Furthermore, sometimes those mistakes are easy to see. With that, enjoy the following from Brother Joseph...

“I will give you one of the Keys of the mysteries of the Kingdom. It is an eternal principle, that has existed with God from all eternity: That man who rises up to condemn others, finding fault with the Church, saying that they are out of the way, while he himself is righteous, then know assuredly, that that man is in the high road to apostasy; and if he does not repent, will apostatize, as God lives.” - History of the Church, 3:385; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on July 2, 1839, in Montrose, Iowa; reported by Wilford Woodruff and Willard Richards.

Things have been very busy with a new baby, scout camp, taxes, etc., but I couldn't let this moment pass without some statement concerning the nature of this historic moment! [Click the link below the video or skip to the 45 seconds point in the video.]



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5t8GdxFYBU#t=0m45s

Sunday night to today doesn't seem like 5 days to me...thanks for another lie Mr. Obama.

Random Thoughts Lately

1. In faith precedes the miracles it is funny to read where the prophet Spencer W Kimball describes the amazing technological advances that have happened (up to that point in the late 70's) by detailing how we can sit in our living room and watch on our tv a fight in Madison Square Garden
2. Are wealthy people more likely to be conservative because conservative policies are more likely to keep money with the individual and therefore they migrate to that party, or are conservative values more likely to make you wealthy?
3. The constitution is for controlling human nature and keeping it in check so those who have authority can't use it to take advantage of people
4. Beckham is the most loving and giving person I think I've ever met, he always is amazing us w/ his natural giving and caring nature. It makes me fear we will lose him b/c he is too pure for this world
5. Members of the church don't have a 100% knowledge that it is true and therefore a 0% doubt. Similarly, those who have left the church don't have a 100% disbelief and a 0% faith. We all have a varied percentage, when it falls below 50% we tend to leave and when its above 50% we tend to stick around.
6. Probably our largest political problem right now is that we argue too often and too strongly over our disagreements, and not so much because we disagree or what we disagree on.
7. it irritates me when people who subscribe to the Mormon faith and its requirements for personal revelation also infer superior personal revelation despite not adhering to those canonized prerequisites

Love this

Comment on my brother's blog where they showed how much money they saved in their shopping..

Love your family
...but why do you guys even care what is a good deal or even free lately?
I mean come on. The head of your household is a DENTIST. Bringin' in the big bucks ya know?
Who cares what's free when you'll never have to worry about $?
Kuddos though. :)

As a dentist I get judged the same way all the time. I like what his physician friend said in a later comment. In my current ward I know people with other jobs that make more than I ever have as a dentist yet they don't get judged similarly b/c they don't have the title. I can't decide if it is more funny or more bothersome because it is definitely both.

Who said the mainstream media is liberal?

I thought this was telling http://www.getreligion.org/?p=24471

With all the hoopla surrounding Glenn Beck, I decided to start watching him the past few weeks. I hadn't seen him since his days on CNN. I have to admit, he's pretty scary. I'll give his detractors a little credit to calling him a demagogue, but pretty much most of what he says is fact so I can't give them any credit for calling him the "Misinformer of the Year." Watching him creates a big fear in me though. One, if what he implies about various Washington people is correct, then I fear for his life. Two, similarly, if what he says is correct and they don't take option one, I fear they will try to discredit him via his Mormonism...hopefully, neither occurs.

Best of 2009

Last year I didn't find as many songs as usual. My list for the year only includes 89 songs, that is a bit anemic for me. Anyway, here is the list of songs I got this year. I'm sure there are a few that came out in previous years, but I didn't get them until this year. If you don't know every single one of them, where have you been all year....? =)

(click links to see videos)
Funnest to sing together with kids = Handlebars - Flobots
Best lyrics = The Good Left Undone - Rise Against
Favorite Techno = Feel Your Love - Kim Sozzi
Favorite song not on the list because I couldn't find it = Crush Me

Song	Artist
1, 2, 3, 4	Plain White T's
3 Rounds And A Sound	Blind Pilot
Already Gone	Kelly Clarkson
Angel On My Shoulder	Kaskade
Another Day (James Doman Remix Extended)	Sophia May
Audience Of One	Rise Against
Battlefield	Jordin Sparks
Beat It	Fall Out Boy Ft. John Mayer
Boom Boom Pow (Clean)	Black Eyed Peas
Call My Name (Thomas Gold Remix)	Morgan Page
Chemistry (Radio Version)	Velvet
Crimewave (Crystal Castles Vs. Health Remix)	Crystal Castles
Day 'N' Nite	Kid Cudi
Day 'N' Nite (Crookers Remix)	Kid Cudi
Dead And Gone (Clean)	T.I. Ft. Justin Timberlake
Do You Remember	Jack Johnson
Don't Trust Me (P.O. Clean Edit)	3oh!3
Echo	Gorilla Zoe
Electric Feel	MGMT
Evacuate The Dance Floor	Cascada feat. Carlprit
Feel Your Love (Original Mix)	Kim Sozzi
Feel Your Love (Original Mix)	Kim Sozzi
Fireflies	Owl City
Forever (Radio Edit)	Milk Inc
Friends and Love	Nicholas Hooper
Genesis	Justice
Go On, Say It	Blind Pilot
Good Morning Planetarium	Falling Up
Handlebars	Flobots
Heartless	Kanye West
Heartless (Cover)	The Fray
Hot (Club Mix)	Inna
Hot (Radio_Edit)	Inna
I Buried A Bone	Blind Pilot
I Did It For Love	BoA
I Got It	Gorilla Zoe Ft. Big Block
I Gotta Feeling	The Black Eyed Peas
I Hope They Get To Me In Time	Darius Rucker
If Today Was Your Last Day	Nickelback
If You Knew	Chris Lake Ft. Nastala
I'm Not Over	Carolina Liar
Imagination (Kaskade Club Remix)	Jes
Infinity 2008	Guru Josh Project
Infinity 2008 (Klaas Remix)	Guru Josh Project
Keep Hope Alive	Crystal Method
Kids	MGMT
Kiss Me Back	Kim Sozzi
Let The Feelings Go ( Radio Edit DRM )	Anna Grace
Lollipop (Instrumental)	Lil Wayne
Love Drunk	Boys Like Girls
Love Story	Taylor Swift
Major Tom	Shiny Toy Guns
Modern Times (Chriss Ortega Mix)	Steve Forest Ft. Marcus Pearson
My Flow So Tight	Jump Smokers
Nothing Better	The Postal Service
On The Wing	Owl City
One Day	Matisyahu
One Red Thread	Blind Pilot
Open Ur Mind	Jason Nevins
Oviedo	Blind Pilot
Paint Or Pollen	Blind Pilot
Paper Planes	M.I.A.
Papparazzi	Lady GaGa
Party In The USA	Miley Cirus
Poor Boy	Blind Pilot
Rehab	Rihanna
Right Now (Na Na Na)	Akon
Shake It	Metro Station
She Wolf	Shakira
She Wolf	Shakira
Shooting Star	David Rush
Smooth Criminal	Buzz Cuts
Smooth Criminal (Acoustic)	Michael Jackson
Smooth Criminal (Dance Remix)	Michael Jackson
Step One Two	Kaskade
Strawberry Avalanche	Owl City
Sugar	Flo Rida Ft. Wynter
Take Me On The Floor	The Veronicas
The Bitter End	Blind Pilot
The Fear	Lily Allen
The Motions	Matthew West
The Story I Heard	Blind Pilot
Things I Cannot Recall	Blind Pilot
Two Towns From Me	Blind Pilot
Vanished	Crystal Castles
White Horse (Whelan & DiScala Club Mix)	Sarah Mcleod
Who We Are	Ryan Calhoun
Wildcat	Ratatat

Somethings not right here...

I saw this originally mentioned on a BCC post, but didn't think it was going to get much traction. I'm starting to see it posted in a lot of other places. What is wrong with this?




Well, besides the obvious such as not allowing LDS women into his meetings, or even restricting the attendance at all. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but something definitely bugs...

Tired of Sunday School?

Be honest, sometimes Sunday School can be boring. I blame this more on the audience than the teacher frequently. I know that Marisa and I feel like we have to "pull ourselves back" from making too many comments. Yet, at he same time we feel obliged to comment more to feel the void. Then, when comments are given, they are too bland. From what Marisa says, this happens especially in Relief Society. Too often the comments are about others and not often enough about ourselves. Applying the scriptures, to ourselves, HONESTLY and openly is a sure fire way to bring in the spirit. For another take on the whole correlation processes, its intents, positives and potential negatives, read this interesting article from the blog By Common Consent.

BTW, for those of you that are entirely against the correlation department, try to come up with a program that can be dispursed across the entire world, in many languages, for all doctrinal experience levels, for all teaching experience levels, applicable to ages 12-120, prepare and organize it in a reasonable amount of time by a reasonable amount of people, and in a way that will keep both local influences and speculative ideas from being taught as doctrinal.

First post of the decade

Where are we headed...? Hopefully, not down the road to socialism.



Here is a sweet clip showing the famous socialist proving grounds of Detroit. All though I believe that some socialists truly have the good of mankind as their end result, you can't deny two things in my opinion: 1-power can't go very far with humans before becoming corrupt, 2-due to human nature, socialist policies kill motivation and drive.