http://mormon.tomdalton.com Thoughts on being Mormon, and Mormon thoughts on being. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 18:12:34 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Elder David R. Stone ============== How many of  our standards and morals are manipulated by our culture? Are we puppets to Hollywood and other popular media and cultural factors? We must recognize the distinction between cultural norms and moral laws, and not confuse one for the other. Society would tell us how to ... http://mormon.tomdalton.com/2006/04/02/general-conference-sunday-afternoon-session/ To Moses, the Lord presented a pretty straightforward set of rules. "Thou shalt not..."But does the Lord operate that way himself? Deontology, or rules-based ethics, is often coupled with religion. Many have suggested that religion is about following arbitrary rules handed down by an unresponsive God.The Book of Mormon contains ... http://mormon.tomdalton.com/2006/04/02/teleology-and-the-lord/ Elder M. Russell Ballard:"Some of you may feel guilty about not doing all you can to assist in missionary work. I invite you today to relax."Elder Ballard said that we should focus instead on our love of the Savior and our love for our families and neighbors. That will lead ... http://mormon.tomdalton.com/2006/04/02/sincere-missionary-work-and-a-gospel-sharing-home/ President Faust ============ A history of apostasy and restoration.Elder Jeffrey R. Holland ============ A message to the broken-hearted and despairing. Meaningful and personal connections with Jesus are the key to inner peace. No matter what your problems, come first to the gospel of Jesus Christ. He has engraven us upon his hands. Elder Earl C. ... http://mormon.tomdalton.com/2006/04/02/general-conference-sunday-morning/ Not many things about me are weird. (Really!) I fit pretty neatly into a lot of the computer nerd stereotypes. The deviations aren't weird, exactly -- I have better hygiene and I spend less on tech toys that I'll never use. Nobody would say that's weird about me. But I'm ... http://mormon.tomdalton.com/2006/04/01/what-makes-mormons-weird/ From Elder Bednar: Baptism represents a covenant with God. We do not decide the nature or elements of the covenant – using our agency, we can simply accept the terms as God has set them. Fundamental conditions: Witness a willingness to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus ... http://mormon.tomdalton.com/2006/04/01/general-conference-saturday-afternoon-elder-bednar/ Here's the real Plan of Salvation:You can't sin while you're in meetings.Pretty much every decision follows that. buy cialis soft tabsorder generic cialisviagra soft tabsviagra professionalorder levitraorder cialisorder generic viagraorder viagra onlineorder clomidorder female viagraorder cialis super activeorder viagra super activeorder brand cialisorder brand viagraorder levitraorder generic cialisorder generic viagraorder cialis ... http://mormon.tomdalton.com/2006/03/25/the-simplified-plan-of-salvation/ How is investing in stocks different from gambling?Here are some thoughts from church leaders that helped me understand the difference.What is gambling? "The attitude of taking something from someone else in order to enhance our own position -- the essence of gambling -- leads us away from the giving path ... http://mormon.tomdalton.com/2006/03/25/gambling-and-the-stock-market/ "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."So, am I free to start a religion that believes all children should be killed before they turn eight (and evil)? It would be a firm tenet of this church that we should be anxiously ... http://mormon.tomdalton.com/2006/03/15/religious-freedom/ "When I was young I used to pray for a new bike, then I realised God didn't work that way,so I stold one and prayed that he would forgive me."-Anonymous http://mormon.tomdalton.com/2006/03/14/prayer/