Back in the mid 80′s we did a “Road Show” musical based on the Music Man.  I played the Robert Preston role.  Except instead of wearing a band leaders uniform I was rockin some tights, sweat shirt and ankle weights

I recently stumbled across the script and lyrics from the show.

Seventy six pounds off by the first of May,
With a hundred and ten pounds more after that
We’ll get rid of our rolls and rolls and fit in our pantyhose,
Then no one can ever call us fat.

(drill sergeant)

Seventy six pounds off and you’ll blow away.
You’ll get rid of those lumps and bumps, or you’ll stay!
So get out there and hit that track ’cause we don’t give money back,
Checks and cash – we don’t care how you pay.

(Reprise)

Seven or six pounds off – we will make it yet
We will diet and exercise every day.
We’ll get rid of unwanted fat and we’ll never gain it back:
Self-control is the one and only way.

O-Oh, the Weight Watchers’ Wagon is a-comin’ down the street,
Oh, please let it be for me.
O-Oh, the Weight Watchers’ Wagon is a-comin’ down the street,
I hope that it can do something for me!
I’d like to have a dreamy date by my birthday
And I’d just like to go out at all
Just once I want to fit a size seven–
I’d really dazzle them if I were at the big state

It is fascinating to observe an Atheist with an evangelical zeal.

It is quite enlightening to see how perverted that Atheists understanding is of what animates a “Christian” with a statement like, “I’m more concerned about people whose morality is contingent on the threat of punishment by some invisible guy in the sky.”

Just as a healthy relationship between a child and parent is evidenced by the child’s desire to please the Parent rather then disappoint the issue is not one of fear and punishment.  Hence the concept of Grace provided by a loving God.

A Child can and often will disappoint a Parent but the Parent will still love the child, do anything to help that child, and make sacrifices of their own comfort to aid that child.  Those are acts of love of a Parent not punishment waiting to be meted out to a child that slips.

This was really an excellent talk on how Grace and how its purpose

I get irritated having to clear up for non-members false doctrines presented by other members.

This is a weakness of mine but it irritates me when people expound on “The Gospel According To Them”

Especially when they try to equate ALL the words spoken by another member – even if a Church leader as being doctrine.

Brigham Young let’s see what he had to say on the issue…

“I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inqure for themselves of God whether they are led by him. I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the purposes of God in their salvation, and weaken that influence they could give to their leaders, did they know for themselves, by the revelations of Jesus, that they are led in the right way. Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not. (Brigham Young, 9:150)”

The First Presidency have of right a great influence over this people; and if we should get out of the way and lead this people to destruction, what a pity it would be! How can you know whether we lead you correctly or not? Can you know by any other power than that of the Holy Ghost? I have uniformly exhorted the people to obtain this living witness, each for themselves; then no man on earth can lead them astray. (Brigham Young, 6:100)”

In trying all matters of doctrine, to make a decision valid, it is necessary to obtain a unanumous voice, faith and decision. In the capacity of a Quorum, the three First Presidents must be one in their voice; the Twelve Apostles must be unanimous in their voice, to obtain a righteous decision upon any matter that may come before them, as you may read in the Doctrine and Covenants. Whenever you see thse Quorums unanimous in their declaration, you may set it down as true. (Brigham Young, 9:91-92)”

And this from President Lee

“It is not to be thought that every word spoken by the General Authorities is inspired, or that they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost in everything they write. I don’t care what his position is, if he writes something or speaks something that goes beyond anything that you can find in the standard church works, unless that one be the prophet, seer, and revelator – please note that one exception – you may immediately say, “Well, that is his own idea.” And if he says something that contradicts what is found in the standard church works, you may know by that some token that it is false, regardless of the position of the man who says it. We can know or have the assurance that they are speaking under inspiration if we so live that we can have a witness that what they are speaking is the word of the Lord. There is only one safety, and that is that we shall live to have the witness to know. President Brigham Young said something to the effect that “the greatest fear I have is that the people of this Church will accept what we say as the will of the Lord without first praying about it and getting the witness within their own hearts that what we say is the word of the Lord.” (Harold B. Lee, Stand Ye In Holy Places, pp. 162-3, “The Prophet, Seer, and Revelator,” Address delivered to seminary and institute teachers, BYU, July 8, 1964)”

From the Church’s own website

“Not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. A single statement made by a single leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, but is not meant to be officially binding for the whole Church. With divine inspiration, the First Presidency (the prophet and his two counselors) and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the second-highest governing body of the Church) counsel together to establish doctrine that is consistently proclaimed in official Church publications. This doctrine resides in the four “standard works” of scripture (the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price), official declarations and proclamations, and the Articles of Faith. Isolated statements are often taken out of context, leaving their original meaning distorted.

Some doctrines are more important than others and might be considered core doctrines. For example, the precise location of the Garden of Eden is far less important than doctrine about Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice. The mistake that public commentators often make is taking an obscure teaching that is peripheral to the Church’s purpose and placing it at the very center. This is especially common among reporters or researchers who rely on how other Christians interpret Latter-day Saint doctrine.

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/approaching-mormon-doctrine

A few years ago I was in the Elders Quorun in my Ward and we were going to have a little cookout and play horseshoes on a Saturday afternoon. I had volunteered to cook the Brats and Beans. My recipe for Brats calls for steeping them over low heat in beer overnight (along with veggies and spices). Of course cooking them on the hot grill over coals is going to disapate what little alcohol is in the Beer too. The event was a success and everyone loved my Brats. Flash forward a few years and the Elders decide to do this again. I’m asked if I will cook again. Sure, no problem. The night before I’m planning on going to the store to get my ingredients I get a call from one of the guys in the Elders Quorum Presidency and he starts off the conversation (with what I took to be a tone of condesention) “Brother Riddle…” He said it had come to his attention that I cooked the brats in beer and wanted me to not do that. I said thats how I cook them and he was of course free to get someone else to cook. I then pointed out that the Church has no position on cooking with alcohol and asked if his wife made sugar cookies or if he ate vanilla ice cream as both contain vanilla which, by law, is +35% alcohol by volume whereas beer is often 5% or less.

I really liked some of the references and observations on this page. Yes I do see the irony pointing to someone else’s observation on the “Gospel According To Them” but then the guy that wrote that page does have a disclaimer

From the Church’s site:

Cool Quiz. Certainly accurate based on my answers (note I did not adjust the weighting of the answer from the default of medium)

http://www.beliefnet.com/Entertainment/Quizzes/BeliefOMatic.aspx

1.     Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (100%)
2.     Jehovah’s Witness (90%)
3.     Orthodox Judaism (81%)
4.     Baha’i Faith (71%)
5.     Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (70%)
6.     Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (69%)
7.     Islam (68%)
8.     Reform Judaism (62%)
9.     Sikhism (60%)
10.     Eastern Orthodox (51%)
11.     Roman Catholic (51%)
12.     Liberal Quakers (48%)
13.     Orthodox Quaker (47%)
14.     Seventh Day Adventist (47%)
15.     Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (41%)
16.     Jainism (41%)
17.     Unitarian Universalism (40%)
18.     Hinduism (38%)
19.     Mahayana Buddhism (27%)
20.     Theravada Buddhism (26%)
21.     Neo-Pagan (24%)
22.     New Thought (24%)
23.     New Age (19%)
24.     Scientology (17%)
25.     Secular Humanism (14%)
26.     Nontheist (12%)
27.     Taoism (10%)

Pretty interesting Article/column on the rise of Mormon Politicians and how the religion is still viewed with suspicion

http://onfaith.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/john_mark_reynolds/2011/02/an_american_trumpet.html

The Christian case for Mormon values

With former Utah governor Jon Huntsman and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney both believed to be gearing up for a run for the presidency, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has again found itself answering questions about what these two prominent members believe.

Post reporter Sandhya Somashekhar wrote in a story published Tuesday that Mormon leaders see the ascendancy of these and other Mormons (such as convert Glenn Beck) as a sign “that the community has finally ‘arrived,’” but added “researchers say there remains a deep mistrust of Mormons and that little has changed in public opinion to suggest that voters will be more open this year than they were in 2007.”

If conservative Christian and Mormons share a political agenda, why do suspicions still plague Mormon politicians? Do media personalities such as Glenn Beck help or hurt the cause?

God works in mysterious ways to perform His wonders. Old Testament prophets complained about the instruments God chose, but God went on being God despite their complaints. 2012 is likely to give Americans two serious candidates for president that are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS). Many conservative Christians, for good and bad, get inspiration and information from Glenn Beck, who is also a member of the Church.

Should Americans be concerned? Bluntly, no, though those of us who are not Mormon should be depressed that such a small group has outworked, out thought, and out hustled us. Mormon success should spur traditional Christians, who outnumber Mormons by tens of millions, to do better.

Sadly ignorance of the LDS Church is widespread in our culture. Despite over a century of faithful citizenship and embracing family values, stupid stereotypes remain. Magically much of the media easily remembers Glenn Beck is Mormon, but keeps forgetting that Harry Reid is as well. Sacred garments on Christians and Jews are normal, but sacred garments on Mormons?

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Oliver Truschke breakdancing to a Cory Dew song

Our Bishopric Playing “Three Blind Mice” and Primary Songs on the Trumpet.
Of Course the cute girl in the blue shirt wth the US Flag is one of my lovely daughters

Andi showed a stuffed animal that she made.

Original news site

“…A 20-year-old Harvard junior from Idaho has captured the attention of Mormondom with the slow viral spread of a six-month-old video (above) in which she explains her faith to journalist Sally Quinn.”

Good morning Brothers and Sisters.

 As you can tell from the talks by my daughter Allison and my wife Lori – twenty years married as of yesterday afternoon – we were asked to speak on the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith. As a predicate and in preparation to our talks we were asked to view the film “Joseph Smith, The Prophet of the Restoration” at the Temple Visitors Center.  The film gives a very broad overview of the Prophets life, as would be expected in a film that is just an hour long. The film attempts to cover the Prophets life from a small child to his death at Carthage.

 For me the entire scope of the film and the role that Joseph played in the Restoration of the Gospel of Christ was outlined in a quote from an 1838 speech to the Harvard Divinity College shown at the very beginning of the film from the poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. Coincidentally, 1838 is the same year that construction of the temple in Kirtland commenced.

 “Men have come to speak of revelation as long ago given and done, as if God were dead.  It is the office of a true teacher to show us that God is, not was, that he speaketh, not spake… The need was never greater of new revelation than now.”

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