Rants and Raves

Forgotten: Yes, I did indeed say that. And I thought about that when I posted it. But it was just too important, and just consider it over time. Whatever I'm paying you, I'll triple it. Enjoy your bonus.

Today I figured out my biggest problem with the Mormon Church. Who knows how many times I've said that over the years, but seriously, I found the root of it.

And it stems from Free Agency. You have a church that preaches Free Agency from God that also robs its members of that agency legally. I have an entire page on it in my notebook from this morning, but that's my issue of the moment with them. Legislating things that needn't be legislated. If your members can't handle themselves, that's a point to bring down the legislative system on the rest of the non-believers?

I've heard numbers between 50-75% on how many Mormons are in the state, population wise. That's still enough to pass laws, but there's still enough of us to raise a mighty big stink.

What's the deal with legislating a teen ban on tanning? What about having your religious organizations throwing out coffee machines (or anything else related) from comunal stores and areas because your doctrines tell you coffee is evil (because someone with the power of God said so, naturally)? WTF? Coffee pots can be used for other things, not to need to argue for them. Teens can sunbathe outside, but not as convenient or often. So we should obviously shut down, or restrict, our primary mode of business in that industry because we have a massive double standard complex. Obviously.

I'm just tired of seeing it. And I realized what was at the heart of it this morning. That for YEARS I have debated with your missionaries on Free Agency and your other doctrines, and for YEARS have gotten the same or similar answers. But you can't deny the fact that the church robs you of it at every opportunity. Closing stores down on Sundays, and so many other things (I should clarify that none of these things are inherently wrong if people agree to them, but I'm tired of it being forced into law because it's in the book of mormon or doctrine and covenants.)

It's the same thing that I've always had a problem with members going to each others houses on Sundays looking for those that missed church. Call them, but why do you need to go in assault squads looking to berrate them or coddle them en masse? Three of you or more are required to attend each of those sessions? WTF? I maintain that it is no christians, buddhists, or anyone else's responsibility to maintain anothers soul. If you want to see them do something, talk to them about it, but this constant enforcement is crap. If they didn't show up on Sunday, they had a good reason, why? BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP. Who cares? That's between them and God. Not them and you. They still answer to God and God alone just like everyone else. So why need you judge them on Earth and THEN in Heaven?

I'm tired and obviously digressing. It's just been a long time since I've vented on these things. But because the members accept them nothing will change. And the non-mormons will suffer just as much, but more because they're ACTUALLY AWARE of what is going on. But heathens never have anything good to offer, eh?

Other then that I found a unique idea about the Iraq war from an unexpected source. Unique in the sense that I've yet to have heard of it. But essentially our soldiers there are magnets for the terrorists (that part is by in large a great big: "Duh!"). But the side effect of this is that it keeps the attention there. Essentially the comment was made that "I'd rather have the insurgents killing Americans there where they have body armor and M-16s than here." Here we loose women, children, men, and so many other things. We lose our sense of security. Those soldiers are PRECISELY and DIRECTLY dying for our security right now. Al Qaida and all the other little groups out there are very much divided in attentions. At least more so than if we sat here waiting for the next 9-11.

I just never thought about it in those SPECIFIC terms. Losing American Soldiers, our brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers and friends, is still a VERY tragic occurance. But their sacrifice is purchasing the lives of our children that have yet to come into age and defend themselves. They defend those not able to defend themselves. And some of them bravely give their lives for it.

Just thought that would be a good dicotomy from the previous topic.