Publius

Recently a user has twice accused me and other Latter-day Saint Christians of receiving money for our responses in favor of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He knows this is not true. Does he not realize that if he has to lie to make a point, that he hasn't made it? Or does the end really justify the means? Serious answers to all three questions will be appreciated.

Every time somebody sends me one, I click on "Reply to this message," and every single time I'm taken to my own profile.

Help!, because Yahoo!'s help is useless. So is this new user interface, for that matter.

An evolutionist challenged me to provide my proof for creationism. I think he's barking up the wrong tree, because I believe that God could have created the different clades of life at different times, but developing from there via evolution. Had he wanted to, he could have created life from a single protozoon.

I've stated in the past that I'm an Old Earth Creationist, and I believe that the earth developed according to current astronomical and geophysical theory. I also believe that God could very well have tinkered with the process.

But back to the point, how can I tell the not entirely polite gentleman my point of view? I'd really appreciate it.

... it's a horse opera musical that features the phrase "the way of the west." It also features mouse roulette.

Any hints, please? Thanks.

Yes, that's right -- I'm referring to the Jewish seven heavens. I want to see how well Christian self-styled Bible experts really know their Bibles. What are those conditions and heavens? Jews are warmly welcome to answer to further my education.

Havoc! (Arf! Arf! Grrrr!)

(Oh, dear atheists: I have a pretty shrewd idea what some of your answers will be. If you want to play nicely, go ahead and welcome.)

... all else being equal? Basically a good person, etc.

I'm already pretty sure that I've worked out the Atheist, Latter-day Saint, and Jewish opinions for myself, but all answers are welcome, of course. You'll just get reported if you're rude.

What I'm really after is answers from those Catholics, Evangelicals, and Bible Fundamentalist Protestants who think that everybody who doesn't think like them is going to Hell.

a) Steven FillInTheBlankBerg[h]

b) Francis Ford Coppola Dozen Variations

c) Cecil B. De Mille

d) Leonard Bernstein

e) Other

What are the most important differences between a Dementor and a lawyer?

Simple question. Let slip the dogs of war.

Lots of perfectly innocent questions, or so it seems to me, are being deleted today. What gives?

What does my epitaph mean?

I'll never see heaven,

And this is why:

Up there I was honest,

But here I lie.

Have you heard about the hen and the fan?

Have you heard about the happy dog and the fan?

Have you heard about the canary and the mixer?

What's more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs?

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Long ago in the Mission Training Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I met my great-aunt and great-uncle (yes -- I am related to both of them. Two brothers married two sisters, you see.). They were also preparing for ANOTHER mission (I think they served at least three missions). I shook my great-uncle's hand, gave my great-aunt a kiss, and introduced my companion to them.

As we were walking away, I said to my companion, "You know, I just kissed a sister missionary."

My companion smiled.

"I think I need to confess."

He smiled wider.

Anyway, in my next interview with our district leader (kind of a first-line leadership position, below zone leaders, which in turn are below the "apes" -- the Assistants to the President), I mentioned my sin. He exploded on the spot and began finding various faults with me.

I said, "She was my great-aunt."

He shouted, "I don't care if it was your grandmother, ...!"

I said, "She's my grandmother's sister."

Then it sank in. I have seldom seen a more comical look on a missionary's face. Yes, I got chewed out by my branch president (kind of like a bishop but on a smaller scale), but I still haven't been able to repent of what I did.

So, does that make me a bad person?

Thanks.

I've not checked the other forums, but in R&S, many questions that seem perfectly reasonable and in accord with the community guidelines are deleted. Does anybody have any ideas why this happens? I'm a little confused.

Thanks.

Sorry to coin a phrase, but what's with all the hostility towards and teasing of atheists in this forum? Granted, some of them are obnoxious, but that's because they're human beings, not because they're atheists. Some are polite, like that old Boris fellow who used an avatar of Frankenstein's monster.

So correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't we stand a better chance of touching somebody else's heart by exhibiting good manners and genuine concern? Didn't Jesus teach us to "let our light so shine" that people seeing us would have a reason to glorify God?

Telling somebody, "you're wrong!" is never a convincing argument. Insulting him or threatening him with hell fire is not calculated to make him wish to listen to what we have to share.

Am I missing some huge, obvious piece of a puzzle here? Or do we Christians need to follow Jesus a little more closely? Never mind how other people treat us, isn't it up to us to set the good example first?

I realized the other day that in the character Albus Dumbledore, J. K. Rowling basically turned Merlin into Gandalf the Gay. I wonder if he has a thing for Professor Flitwick -- or is it just Hobbits?

Please provide any funnier descriptions of Dumbledore or any of the Harry Potter characters.

Harry Potter: Marked for greatness. Scarred for life.

Molly Weasly: Deadlier than the male.

Lord Voldemort: Proof that recycling is bad for you.

Rubeus Hagrid: Economy packaging.

Grawp: Bulk product.

Hermione Granger: Hogwarts' answer to the supercomputer.

Ron Weasly: Instant Alzheimer's. He can't even remember the times he showed leadership and got attention and praise. He would rather simply be jealous of Harry. It's easier.

Grimmauld Place: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC.

Kreacher: President Obama's newest Supreme Court nominee.

Now that the United States of America is no longer a republic, what happens to the Pledge of Alliegance? All that is left of us is an evil empire, a representative democracy. The states have ceased to have any meaningful rights; what evil one state legislates for itself, others are coerced to accept or allow as well.

So is the pledge meaningful now or not?

Don't get me wrong. I am a fan of our Constitution, but a logical one. I'm Jeffersonian, not Hamiltonian. If you scratched me, I would bleed red, white and blue -- but at what point in the decay of our country does a Christian man cease trying to reform his country and start rebelling against the evil it does?

The online game, Legends of Zork, is an online role-playing game. One of the monsters in it is a "devil doll," which has (and you can see) a star of David on its overall bib.

Do you think this is a deliberate insult to Jews? Or is it a reference to the golem? Or both? Neither?

Atheists are as welcome to respond as Jews are; however, I'm already aware of the "he didn't exist" assertion. If you want two points, go ahead, but you won't have earned them. Come up with something better than that, please.

Muslims, please feel free to respond as well. I want to be sure that I understand and respect the points of view of everyone.

Sympathizers and supporters, thank you, but I'm interested in hearing all of the arguments that people think that they have against it and its teachings. Antagonists, I'm doing this to ensure that I am giving you and your beliefs the respect that they deserve, so please deserve my respect. You do not need to call names or insult me or the church; just tell me your reasons. It will help if they are the results of your own scholarship instead of parroting, but I need the parrots' responses, too. You're never going to convince me or turn me aside; but I want to understand your point of view. Pile it on, higher and deeper.

The best answer will be the one that provides the most data, I think.