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Re: Points of departure There have been many more than two "factions" or "denominations" of Mormons, and there is a great deal of acrimony between them, as many of them claim that they are the only "real" Mormons. There is, of course, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints...

After reading mandrill's post, I was going to say something about how this "true believer" tendency seems to be more of a problem in monotheistic religions, but I think that Erynn did a good job of pointing that out, so I won't.:) I do think that a lot of people in Christianity, at least, make...

My advice? If you come upon a person or an institution that claims to have the True Religion, run like hell. I used to participate in such a religion. Not that they preach that anyone who doesn't believe the way they do will go to Hell - they don't exactly believe in that particular place...

Okay. I've sort of followed this story, and I too wonder about the mother's role in the whole controversy. However, I also think it's really sad that the authorities of the church would be more concerned at following tradition (and that's all it is, as far as I can see from my non-Catholic...

Interesting. I do have weird dreams a lot, at any rate. I really like caves ("caverns and grottos"). And I've always been interested in that time between being awake and being asleep. It's a place I'm very often aware of in interesting ways - in other words, I can actually feel myself falling...

I hope not.:) Actually, I don't think I believe in discrete "heavens" and "hells". I come out of a religious tradition that doesn't have an orthodox understanding of heaven and hell, anyway, but I don't buy their picture of the afterlife, either. I guess what it comes down to is that I think...

Brian, I think this is an interesting question. It is, in fact, something I've been doing some thinking about recently. I think the crux of the problem is not so much that the ruling elite doesn't practice ethics while the rest of us do. I think it is more that those who make it to the ruling...

mandrill...Welcome to the forum. I notice that you said over on another thread that your education is in anthropology. Mine, too (although it was called Intercultural Studies where I went to school). Nice to meet someone else with interests in both anthropology and in spiritual/religious issues.

You ask some interesting questions, Brian, that I'm going to have to think about some before I can even begin to find answers to them. But what you say about language, Brian, and what mandrill has said pertaining to this topic, prompts this association: Among the many other things that it is...

I'd like to echo those who pointed out the different between organized religion and spirituality. It has been my experience (long and hard) that while organized religions might mean well, they tend to end up becoming a lot more about rules and obedience to them than about feeding the spirit...

Interesting thread. However, I would like to point out that all translation involves interpretation, and all interpretation involves subjective decisions on meaning by the person doing the translating. This is not just my feeling, but the opinion of every professor of Biblical literature I've...

Seems to me that would be the best place for it.:)

I can't find the article in question now, but the impression I got from an article in Yahoo news a day or two ago was that the whole thing was a hoax - there was no "dark secret"; it was just a way to publicize the documentary. Wish I had a link for you, but I looked and I can't seem to find it...

Depends on the day. Some days it is "The Joshua Tree" (U2). Other times it is "Abbey Road" (Beatles). Every once in awhile it is "Wild Frontier" (Gary Moore). And sometimes it is "Greatest Hits" (Journey). Anyway, those are the albums/CDs. If you're talking about individual songs, I'd have...

I'd like to second the notion of a books disucssion board.

And neither do I intend to offend...however, I have to say that taking the meaning from any verse, from any scripture, be it from Christianity or any other religion, is not "simple" in any sense of the word. First, you have to take into consideration that no translation can possibly be...

Okay, you all can laugh at me if you want to, but I used to live in a house that I am convinced was haunted. For the four and a half years I lived there, I was constantly hearing someone call my name when no one was home, no radio or tv were on, and all the doors and windows were shut and no...

Can't pick just one, so a list: The Right Stuff A Hard Day's Night Rebel Without A Cause The Day The Earth Stood Still Close Encounters of the Third Kind The Godfather The Turning Point The Parent Trap (original version) I'm sure there are more, but I can't think of them at the moment.

Don't have any bumper stickers, but I've seen some good ones: You're just jealous because the voices talk to me. Friends help you move; real friends help you move bodies. Reunite Gondwanaland. Everybody look busy...Jesus is coming. You...out of the gene pool, NOW. I tried being an...

Phi...that was a great poem. It made me laugh, as well. On a slightly more serious note, however, I would hope that someone turned on to science by Sagan or Gould or one of the other popularizers would go on to find out more and not just get caught up in their favorite scientist's particular...