Sep 29, 2012

Kids do and say funny things

Best reasons to agree: +


    1. James' special power is that he has a shovel. James said he's not afraid of geese because he has a special power. His special power is that he has a hammer.
    2. Your baby trying to get out. Ask Megan.
    3. James tried jumping really high on the trampoline so that he could see Finley in heaven.
    4. He told his mom, your hair is spicy. What does that mean, she asked. It means you need to wash it.

    Warning: comments may not be funny, however they are note worthy for me to note as a way to understand that people are different and that they see the world differently. 

    Constructing Jesus 
    April 22, 2012:

    I was making myself lunch, and my son James was in the kitchen eating tortilla chips and salsa. He had stayed home from church on dubious assertions that he was sick. I was listening to a Mormon Stories Podcast, but turned it off when the Circle the Wagons conference came on (I didn't want to explain to him what a Gay Mormon was, yet).

    James could tell it was talking about religion and he asked if it was "our church" they were talking about. I said yes. He then informed me that "Jesus made our church" (Mormons believe that Jesus re-established his church through Joseph Smith. I assumed that he must have heard this in Sunday School and that he wanted to have a theological discussion).

    I have been doubting my faith narrative, but want to let James find his own way, so I just asked if he thinks Jesus made our Church. His answer was: "Yes, its really old". I understood this statement to be a logical explanation of how we know Jesus made our church, that our doctrines can be traced back to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It seemed to me that his Sunday school teachers had been pretty busy.

    I was using my good listening skills by reflecting what he said to me back to him. I said, "you think our Church is really old"? He said, "Yes... All the lights are broken".

    The light bulb went off, and I asked, "You think Jesus made our church, because it is really old?"

    "Yes"

    "James, I don't think Jesus made our Church".

    To which he said, "Well, why don't you just look it up on the internet?"

    So, if anyone knows a webpage that tracks which ward buildings Jesus physically constructed while he was here on earth, James and I would like to know.

    There are some good and bad in LDS scriptures

    Idea Stock Exchange: Analysis of LDS Scriptures

    Exploring Perspectives on LDS Scriptures

    Good Scriptures
    1. "1 Nephi 3:18 - Importance of preserving knowledge for future generations."
    2. "Mormon 9:4 - God as a compassionate rewarder, focusing on happiness. "Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell." This can sound harsh, but mathmatically it shows that God is maximizing happiness
    Interests of Those Who Agree
  1. Maintaining traditional values, promoting positive religious teachings.
  2. Values Supporting the Conclusion
  3. Preservation, compassion, optimism in divine nature.
  4. Bad Scriptures
    1. "1 Nephi 4:6 - Perception of God's silence as neglect."
    2. "1 Nephi 7:12 - Inconsistency in divine involvement over time."
    3. "1 Nephi 8:33 - Possible criticism of religious institutions."
    4. "1 Nephi 8:37 - Harsh view of divine judgment and exclusion."
    Interests of Those Who Disagree
  5. Encouraging modern religious interpretations, challenging traditional views.
  6. Values Opposing the Conclusion
  7. Critical thinking, modernization of religious beliefs, inclusivity.
  8. Idea Stock Exchange: Benefits and Costs of LDS Scriptures Interpretations

    Analysis of Benefits and Costs of Interpreting LDS Scriptures

    Benefits
    1. Moral guidance and ethical perspectives.
    2. Preservation and respect for historical religious traditions.
    3. Reinforcement of community and familial values.
    4. Personal comfort and spiritual reassurance.
    Costs
    1. Potential for rigid or outdated interpretations.
    2. Conflict with modern ethical and social norms.
    3. Psychological stress due to perceived divine judgment or inconsistency.
    4. Alienation or exclusion of individuals with differing beliefs.
    Idea Stock Exchange Analysis

    Idea Stock Exchange Analysis

    Belief Statement: There are good and bad aspects in LDS scriptures

    Objective Criteria for Assessing the Validity of this Belief

    • Scriptural Context and Alignment
    • Theological Consistency
    • Historical and Cultural Context
    • Ethical and Moral Standards Evaluation

    Unstated Assumptions

    • Mix of literal and metaphorical teachings in LDS scriptures
    • Applicability of modern ethical standards to religious texts
    • Multiple interpretations of scriptural passages

    Shared Interests (Maslow's Hierarchy)

    • Belonging: Community within or outside LDS faith
    • Self-Actualization: Understanding spiritual teachings
    • Esteem: Intellectual integrity in faith discussions

    Key Resources for Comprehensive Understanding

    • Comparative religious text studies
    • Historical context analyses
    • Theological critiques from diverse perspectives

    Underlying Issues

    • Interpretation levels: Literal vs Metaphorical
    • Ancient texts and modern values reconciliation
    • Potential biases in LDS belief discussions

    Top-rated Solutions

    • Encouraging interfaith dialogues
    • Educational initiatives in scriptural studies
    • Open platforms for scriptural interpretation discussions

    Alternative Expressions

    • "LDS scriptures contain a blend of teachings and questionable doctrines."
    • "Mormon es offer insights despite doctrinal inconsistencies."

    Scores for Each Variation

    • Blend of Teachings - Score: 75%
    • Insights and Doctrinal Issues - Score: 70%

    Chicago has cool architecture +0

    Background, context, and assumptions:
    1. Cool architecture is functional, sustainable, and attractive.
    1. The Chicago Architectural Boat Tour is cool -2. It is hard for an Architectural boat tour to be cool, without cool architecture. 
    2. Chicago is where the skyscraper was invited. 
    Score: 
    • Reasons to agree: +2. 
    • Net total of reasons to agree minus reasons to disagree: -2
    • Total: 0
    My mom when she and my dad came to visit on a bridge in Millennium Park. 


    Background: Me at The Bean, from a 2006 Chicago boat tour, that McDonalds Restaurant Design group took as a team building experience. The image supports this belief because: The bean is cool architecture because it allows you to see yourself in the City. It allows you to reinterprit your surroundings.

    The bean


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