All it takes...

...to make sense of all the confusing, cloudy doctrine and policies is to consider for a moment that it might- might- be something other than it claims.
All it takes is to step back one little baby step, take a deep breath and do the following:
take off your MoGoggles and set them down on the table. They'll be right there if you need them again. Look at all the chaotic elements of the church with the assumption that he made it up.
If you do this with a clear conscience, a fair amount of critical reasoning and an open heart, you will certainly see the truth.
The various accounts of the first vision, the numerous attempts to sell the Book of Mormon, the near 100% loss of church leadership over 'the principle' - all these things can be clearly explained by the following statement: Joseph Smith Jr. fabricated the revelations, visions and doctrine of the early church. All of it. There was no restoration (this is an easy one... If this is Christ's restored church, why aren't Mormons Jewish?)
There was absolutely not any kind of divine guidance in the actions of Brother Joseph, he did what he did for personal gain.
Suddenly the vanishing evidence of massive battles makes sense. Of course it can vanish- it never existed. DNA science has proven that the Native Americans are not the 'Lamanites' spoken of in the BofM. The Book of Abraham was not translated from the manuscripts that Smith claimed. All of these things and more are troublesome to members of the church, and for good reason. You're given one version of the story as fact, but the evidence piles up to the contrary. Just step back for a second and consider that it might not be true. Just for a minute. The evidence is overwhelming that it's fraudulent.
It's that easy.

I can go into extreme detail. I can cite primary sources and timelines that are 'approved.' The church's own websites hold the information to show that JS was a fraud.

Numerous church leaders have given us the clues: it's either all right or all wrong. It either happened or this is a fraud. Black and white. All or nothing. I'll present that since it isn't all of what it claims to be, then it is completely false. *

Suddenly things come into focus.

*both Joseph Fielding Smith and Gordon B Hinckley were fond of making claims like this. I can cite sources if you'd like. Or you can find them for yourself.

My Exciting Evening

A Thought

Quote of the Day from Google 3-9-2009

Absolute faith corrupts as absolutely as absolute power.
- Eric Hoffer

Faux Pas

Alright, I'm certainly not a bastion of high fashion, but I think I dress fairly well, and I know when I see something that looks good on others. I also feel like I'm not incorrect when I determine something is foul on somebody else.

So I saw the most nasty, awful, disgusting, three-years-ago thing I've ever seen in my life.

Disclaimer: I was in Spanish fork due to the convenience of SF stores vs Springville stores during the big 400 South reconstruction project.

Now I love boots. I REALLY love some kinds of boots. Sexy boots are cool. Doc Martens are sweet. Combat boots are forever and always awesome. Even cowboy boots have their place and when worn properly, are very nice.
It seems that some people really look good in any kind of boots- my wife for example.
I'm quite excited that the current fashion trend for both men and women is big tall boots. I'm fashionable again!!
There is one brand of boots that I'm not particularly fond of. To avoid any kind of legal action, I'll call them Fuggs. They don't necessarily suck all the time, but rather in a general sort of way. These heinous creations have become such a fad that even Kmart, Payless and Walmart have their own crappy ripoffs (nickname FFuggs- Fake Fuggs.) Hint to the redneck fashionistas: if your product has cheap ripoffs in stock at the local megalomart, your trend might be a bit dated.
Anyway, I digress. This is what I saw at the store.



WHAT!!!?!?!?!? That's the stupidest thing I've ever seen. Wouldn't the woolly cuffs leave chafing and a rash?

GAH! nastiness and disgusting foul blahfilled poostyle.
Ok, I'm done purging now.


















eew.

Nostalgia Scares Me

I spent some time in the old 'hood today.
A brief walk through the old neighborhood market was somewhat lame. The place was far smaller than I remember. But it still smells the same.
I actually was a customer at that store the day that it opened in 1980. We spent many hours prowling around the parking lot, morning noon and night.

The problem is: as I walked around the store, I felt that the people there were tired, old, snobbish and shallow. Except for the lady that let me cut in front of her cart o'plenty with my 3 items- she is cool. But seriously- I saw at least 20 people with checkbooks in hand. Do people still use checks?

Is this really where I come from? Do I really claim this place?
I found myself becoming apprehensive and wanting to run away screaming. So I did. calmly and quietly.

Now I'm faced with the stress of deciding what all this means, which is not unlike the dilemma I faced when adding friends to Facebook over the last year or so: I lose sleep over catching up with old acquaintances. I literally fear having to talk to people I haven't kept up with. I have a few dear friends that I've maintained contact with over the years- they are cool. But the people who are back on the scene are not necessarily welcome.
The biggest Facebook Phobia I have is mixing all my friends, work associates, family, etc into one pot. I have a bit of cross-pollination going on, and it really freaks me out. My lovely wife calls it 'Mixing the Pudding' and the concept terrifies me.