RE: [ZION] Inspirational Story

2003-11-16 Thread RB Scott
About two weeks ago. If I recall correctly, the piece ran in one of the D.C.
papers, Powt or Times, I forget which.

RBS

 -Original Message-
 From: John W. Redelfs [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2003 6:52 PM
 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Subject: RE: [ZION] Inspirational Story


 RB Scott wrote:
 Great story. It's been circulating for weeks.

 Where did you first read it, Ron?  Old news isn't very useful.  --JWR

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RE: [ZION] Thoreau

2003-11-16 Thread RB Scott
Perfect timing, Jim.  I'm going to Walden Pond this morning.

RBS

 -Original Message-
 From: Jim Cobabe [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2003 1:01 AM
 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Subject: [ZION] Thoreau
 
 
 
 The very simplicity and nakedness of man's life in the primitive ages 
 imply this advantage, at least, that they left him still but a sojourner 
 in nature. When he was refreshed with food and sleep, he contemplated 
 his journey again. He dwelt, as it were, in a tent in this world, and 
 was either threading the valleys, or crossing the plains, or climbing 
 the mountain-tops. But lo! men have become the tools of their tools. The 
 man who independently plucked the fruits when he was hungry is become a 
 farmer; and he who stood under a tree for shelter, a housekeeper. We now 
 no longer camp as for a night, but have settled down on earth and 
 forgotten heaven. We have adopted Christianity merely as an improved 
 method of agriculture. We have built for this world a family mansion, 
 and for the next a family tomb. 
  (Thoreau, Walden)
 
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[ZION] Nauvoo Zion trip

2003-11-16 Thread Gerald Smith
I'm starting to look at dates for a Nauvoo reunion. I noticed that July
4th is on a Sunday in 2004. It might make for a fun weekend in Nauvoo.

Any thoughts on it either way?  If everyone likes it, we can plan on that
weekend, otherwise I'll keep looking at dates.

Gary Smith

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[ZION] News sources

2003-11-16 Thread Gerald Smith
Well, the first one on your list already knocks your credibility down
quite a ways. the NYTimes group has been riddled with scandle over the
past year for fraudulent stories bent on making the left look good and
the right look evil.  I don't mind a magazine/newspaper slanting a
certain direction, as long as they don't make up the facts as they go
along.  Then there's one other major hit for them: Paul Krugman. Here's a
guy that should be in jail (a la Enron), trying to tell us that George W
Bush is evil? Come on! Give me a break!

The LA Times showed themselves to be rather one-sided in their
Thursday-last minute attack on Arnold Schwarzeneggar prior to the
election in California. Why didn't they do this weeks before, giving him
time to respond? And why didn't they also do the same on Gray Davis? Did
you know he had a relationship with a now-famous actress when she was 15
and he was in his twenties? How come that didn't come out on the Thursday
before, as well? Where is the fair and balanced?

The WSJ is an interesting lot. Their editorial page is extremely
conservative, while the news section is run by left-leaners, which is
kind of funny for a magazine based on capitalism, eh? But they still seem
to try and be balanced on the news section, regardless.

What I try to do is read some from both the right and left sides, hoping
to gain a balanced perspective from reading the two. 

Gary


Ron:  In my opinion, the news(this does not include editorialists or
editorialists) organizations that are the most reliable are:

1.  The New York Times group
2. The Washington Post/LA Times/Newsday/Newsweek group
3.  The Wall Street Journal/ Dow Jones

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[ZION] Good news sources

2003-11-16 Thread Gerald Smith
I've always like Wall Street Journal's best of the web, and the
Washington Times.

I also recommend Matt Drudge and Neal's Nuze (www.boortz.com) for
information. Neal Boortz is a libertarian radio talk show host in
Atlanta, so you get some good and interesting viewpoints from him.

For libertarian commentary, I like Reason magazine online. (I think they
are at www.reason.org).


K'aya K'ama,

Gerald (Gary) Smith 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
http://www.geocities.com/rameumptom/index.html LDS Evidences,
Family History, Food Storage, etc.

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[ZION] Swampy comment

2003-11-16 Thread Gerald Smith
Hey, It isn't my fault you guys have never gotten around to draining your
swamps. Protecting your alligators is more important than standing on
solid ground, I guess.  '-)

But it is a pretty city, especially when you are enjoying Midnight in the
Garden of Good and Evil

K'aya K'ama,

Gerald (Gary) Smith 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
http://www.geocities.com/rameumptom/index.html LDS Evidences,
Family History, Food Storage, etc.



Gerald Smith wrote:

It's good for us to have more than one viewpoint, even if we don't
agree. 
It should challenge us to consider and reconsider our personal ideas on

things, to ensure we are standing on solid ground, or at least on
ground 
that isn't too swampy.
Gary Smith
===
Grampa Bill asks:
Is that swampy comment another swipe at Savannah? Down here, 
 standing on swampy land is about our only option.
Love y'all.
Grampa Bill in Savannah

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RE: [ZION] News sources

2003-11-16 Thread RB Scott


 -Original Message-
 From: Gerald Smith [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2003 10:03 AM
 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Subject: [ZION] News sources


 Well, the first one on your list already knocks your credibility down
 quite a ways. the NYTimes group has been riddled with scandle over the
 past year for fraudulent stories bent on making the left look good and
 the right look evil.  I don't mind a magazine/newspaper slanting a
 certain direction, as long as they don't make up the facts as they go
 along.  Then there's one other major hit for them: Paul Krugman. Here's a
 guy that should be in jail (a la Enron), trying to tell us that George W
 Bush is evil? Come on! Give me a break!

*Riddled* with scandal? Please do tell. Surely you are not suggesting that
the fraudulent work of one or two -- which the Times uncovered on its own --
is example of riddled.  Paul Krugman? If you'd read my post carefully --
should I not expect Zion subscribers to read carefully -- you'd have read my
comments were of the reporters, not of the editorialists on the editorial
page or the op-ed page. By the way, the NYTimes group includes several
newspapers, including the Boston Globe, the  NYTimes news service etc.

 The LA Times showed themselves to be rather one-sided in their
 Thursday-last minute attack on Arnold Schwarzeneggar prior to the
 election in California. Why didn't they do this weeks before, giving him
 time to respond? And why didn't they also do the same on Gray Davis? Did
 you know he had a relationship with a now-famous actress when she was 15
 and he was in his twenties? How come that didn't come out on the Thursday
 before, as well? Where is the fair and balanced?

The question to me boils down to whether the claims against Arnold were
accurate or not. So far as I could tell -- and I do know quite a bit about
Arnold's history-- the charges seemed reasonably accurate.  I will also
point out that the campaign season there was quite short lived and, further,
that the stories broke well before the final weekend of the campaign.  No, I
did not know about Davis affair with a 15-year-old actress when he was in
his 20s.

 The WSJ is an interesting lot. Their editorial page is extremely
 conservative, while the news section is run by left-leaners, which is
 kind of funny for a magazine based on capitalism, eh? But they still seem
 to try and be balanced on the news section, regardless.

Yeh, right.  Lotsa left leaners at the WSJ.  Sigh. You forget I do know more
than a few who are definitedly not left leaners.

 What I try to do is read some from both the right and left sides, hoping
 to gain a balanced perspective from reading the two. 

Well, Gary, why don't you give me your list?  I think mine was pretty broad
and balanced.  But perhaps you can teach me a thing or two.




 Ron:  In my opinion, the news(this does not include editorialists or
 editorialists) organizations that are the most reliable are:

 1.  The New York Times group
 2. The Washington Post/LA Times/Newsday/Newsweek group
 3.  The Wall Street Journal/ Dow Jones

 //
 
 ///  ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at  ///
 ///  http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html  ///
 //
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RE: [ZION] Thoreau

2003-11-16 Thread RB Scott
It was lovely. Sunny, but cold and blustery. One could imagine Old H.D.
laying in supplies for the cold New England winter ahead.

RBS

 -Original Message-
 From: RB Scott [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2003 4:44 AM
 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Subject: RE: [ZION] Thoreau


 Perfect timing, Jim.  I'm going to Walden Pond this morning.

 RBS

  -Original Message-
  From: Jim Cobabe [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
  Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2003 1:01 AM
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  Subject: [ZION] Thoreau
 
 
 
  The very simplicity and nakedness of man's life in the primitive ages
  imply this advantage, at least, that they left him still but a
 sojourner
  in nature. When he was refreshed with food and sleep, he contemplated
  his journey again. He dwelt, as it were, in a tent in this world, and
  was either threading the valleys, or crossing the plains, or climbing
  the mountain-tops. But lo! men have become the tools of their
 tools. The
  man who independently plucked the fruits when he was hungry is become a
  farmer; and he who stood under a tree for shelter, a
 housekeeper. We now
  no longer camp as for a night, but have settled down on earth and
  forgotten heaven. We have adopted Christianity merely as an improved
  method of agriculture. We have built for this world a family mansion,
  and for the next a family tomb.
   (Thoreau, Walden)
 
  //
  
  ///  ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at  ///
  ///  http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html  ///
  //
  ///
 
 

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Re: [ZION] The Small World of the Church

2003-11-16 Thread Doug McGee
Small world indeed.

Just so happens that Val Williams lives in South Bend.  Well,
that's where my wife is from too.  Turns out that she and
Val were good friends in South Bend before I captured here and
married her off here in Utah.
I've never had the opportunity to meet Val but hope to one of
these days when we visit Karen's family in South Bend.
Doug

--

--
Out the modem, through the POP, down
the T1, off the router, down the OC3
...nothin' but Net.

Name: Doug McGee
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

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[ZION] Highway 666

2003-11-16 Thread Steven Montgomery
Considering past discussions we've had on this list regarding the Mark of 
the Beast and the number 666, I thought the following short article 
(From the National Geographic Magazine for December 2003) both interesting 
and humorous. At least I got quite a chuckle out of it. I've transcribed it 
here in its entirety (Sans the photo which accompanied it):

Quote
Its Number Was Up. Some people consider 666 a sign of evil--the number 
of the beast in the New Testament Book of Revelation. That's why two-lane 
U.S. 666 through the four corners area, named because it was the sixth spur 
off U.S. 66, is now U.S. 491. The road's satanic connotation caused such 
protest among the Navajo, whose New Mexico lands it crosses, that Governor 
Bill Richardson announced the name change last June. But old 666 never was 
a highway to hell. It went to Utah. --MGZ
/Quote

It seems like I remember a joke about highway 666 which had a similar 
punchline. Does anyone remember the joke, or variants?



--
Steven Montgomery
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
O ye Priest of Baal. O, ye gentile religionest O. ye inhabitants of Babylon 
possessing the Mark of the beast What knowledge have ye of the ordinances 
or blessings or virtues of the house  Church of God (The Kirtland Diary of 
Wilford Woodruff)

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[ZION] Apocrypha

2003-11-16 Thread John W. Redelfs
From: Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.1, APOCRYPHA AND PSEUDEPIGRAPHA

When Joseph Smith was engaged in translating the Old Testament (see Joseph 
Smith Translation of the Bible [JST]), he came to the Apocrypha and sought 
divine counsel on what to do with it. The revelation given in response to 
his prayer informed him that the Apocrypha contains both truth and error, 
but was mostly translated correctly (DC 91:1). Although he was counseled 
not to translate the Apocrypha, the revelation states that any who read 
those writings with the Holy Spirit as a guide shall obtain benefit 
therefrom; without the Holy Ghost, a man cannot be benefited spiritually 
by reading the Apocrypha (DC 91:5-6).
---

Question: The Bible is mostly translated correctly and contains both 
truth and error.  We can benefit from reading the Bible with the Holy 
Spirit as a guide, and we cannot benefit from reading the Bible without 
that guide.  Everything that is said here of the Apocrypha could as well be 
said about the whole Bible, so what is the point in making a distinction?

John W. Redelfs   [EMAIL PROTECTED]
===
While we cannot agree with others on certain matters, we
must never be disagreeable. We must be friendly,
soft-spoken, neighborly, and understanding. (President
Gordon B. Hinckley, October 2003)
===
All my opinions are tentative pending further data. --JWR 

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[ZION] Robert J. Matthews

2003-11-16 Thread John W. Redelfs
I am reading an article by Robert J. Matthews collected by Wilfred Griggs 
in his title APOCRYPHAL WRITINGS AND THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS.  In his 
article, Matthews says that our present Old and New Testament canon, being 
selected in times of apostasy, is no doubt quite incomplete.

Have LDS scholars ever suggested apocryphal or pseudepigraphal books that 
should have been included in the Biblical canon?  What about additional 
portions of the Ethiopic Book of Enoch some of which is found in Moses 6 
and 7 in our Pearl of Great Price?  Obviously, nothing can be included in 
our canon without divine commandment, and the sustaining vote of the 
General Conference, but candidates for such treatment ought to be a more 
interesting part of the apocrypha than much of the rest of it, wouldn't you 
think?  I'm just wondering what are some of the most obvious omissions from 
the Old and New Testaments?

John W. Redelfs   [EMAIL PROTECTED]
===
While we cannot agree with others on certain matters, we
must never be disagreeable. We must be friendly,
soft-spoken, neighborly, and understanding. (President
Gordon B. Hinckley, October 2003)
===
All my opinions are tentative pending further data. --JWR 

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RE: [ZION] News sources

2003-11-16 Thread Jim Cobabe

Another matter that leaves dead-tree news in the dust is simply the 
selection available in online media sources.

There are thousands of online sources now.  I can sample them all, at my 
leisure.  I could never have had such a selection available in printed 
copies.

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[ZION] The Return of the King

2003-11-16 Thread John W. Redelfs
Tomorrow it is exactly one month until the opening of The Lord of the 
Rings: The Return of the King on December 17th.  --JWR

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[ZION] The Return of Cousin Bill

2003-11-16 Thread Cousin Bill
From: John W. Redelfs [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Tomorrow it is exactly one month until the opening of The Lord of
the
Rings: The Return of the King on December 17th.  --JWR
--
It's already Dec. 17 here in Japan.  But I'm looking forward to
one month after tomorrow (the 18th) for me, which will be The
Return of Cousin Bill.  Going home for winter vacation.

Cousin Bill
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Our country, right or wrong.  When
right, to be kept right.  When wrong,
to be put right. -- Carl Schurz

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Re: [ZION] The Return of the King

2003-11-16 Thread Ronn! Blankenship
At 07:25 PM 11/16/03 -0900, John W. Redelfs wrote:
Tomorrow it is exactly one month until the opening of The Lord of the 
Rings: The Return of the King on December 17th.  --JWR


Guess I ought to get around to renting and watching _The Two Towers_, then 
. . .



-- Ronn!  :)

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[ZION] The Hymn of the Pearl

2003-11-16 Thread John W. Redelfs
The Hymn of Judas Thomas the Apostle

The Hymn of the Pearl
or
The Hymn of the Robe of Glory
When I was a little child,
and dwelling in my kingdom,
in my father's house, and was content with the wealth and the
luxuries of my nourishers,
from the East, our home,
my parents equipped me (and) sent me forth;
and of the wealth of our treasury
they took abundantly, (and) tied up for me a load
large and (yet) light, which I myself could carry,

gold of Beth-Ellaya,
and silver of Gazak the great,
and rubies of India,
and agates from Beth-Kashan,
and they furnished me with the adamant,
which can crush iron.
And they took off from me the glittering robe,
which in their affection they made for me,
and the purple toga,
which was measured (and) woven to my stature.
And they made a compact with me,
and wrote it in my heart, that it might not be forgotten:
If thou goest down into Egypt,
and bringest the one pearl,
which is in the midst of the sea
around the loud-breathing serpent,
thou shalt put on thy glittering robe
and thy toga, with which (thou art) contented,
and with thy brother, who is next to us in authority,
thou shalt be heir in our kingdom.
I quitted the East (and) went down,
there being two guardians,
for the way was dangerous and difficult,
and I was very young to travel it.
I passed through the borders of Maishan,
the meeting-place of the merchants of the East,
and I reached the land of Babel,
and I entered the walls of Sarbug.
I went down into Egypt,
and my companions parted from me.
I went straight to the serpent,
I dwelt in his abode,
(waiting) till he should lumber and sleep,
and I could take my pearl from him.
And when I was single and alone
(and) became strange to my family,
one of my race, a free-born man,
and Oriental, I saw there,
a youth fair and loveable,
the son of oil-sellers;
and he came and attached himself to me,
and I made him my intimate friend,
and associate with whom I shared my merchandise.
I warned him against the Egyptians,
and against consorting with the unclean;

And I dressed in their dress,
that they might not hold me in abhorrence,
because I was come from abroad in order to take the pearl,
and arouse the serpent against me.
But in some way other or another
they found out that I was not their countryman,
and they dealt with me treacherously,
and gave their food to eat.
I forget that I was a son of kings,
and I served their king;
and I forgot the pearl,
for which my parents had sent me,
and because of the burden of their oppressions
I lay in a deep sleep.
But all this things that befell me
my parents perceived, and were grieved for me;
and proclamation was made in our kingdom,
that every one should come to our gate [kingdom],
kings and princes of Parthia,
and all the nobles of the East.
And they wove a plan on my behalf,
that I might not be left in Egypt;
and they wrote to me a letter,
and every noble signed his name to it:
From thy father, the king of kings,
and thy mother, the mistress of the East,
and from thy brother, our second (in authority),
to thee our son, who art in Egypt, greeting!
Call to mind that thou art a son of kings!
See the slavery,--whom thou servest!
Remember the pearl,
for which thou was sent to Egypt!
Think of thy robe,
and remember thy splendid toga,
which thou shalt wear and (with which) thou shalt be adorned,
when thy name hath been read out in the list of the valiant,
and thy brother, our viceroy,
thou shalt be in our kingdom.
My letter is a letter,
which the king sealed with his own right hand,
(to keep it) from the wicked ones, the children of Babel,
and from the savage demons of Sarbug.
It flew in the likeness of an eagle,
the king of all birds;
it flew and alight beside me,
and became all speech.
At its voice and the sound of its rustling,
I started and arose from my sleep.
I took it up and kissed it,
and I began (and) read it;
and according to what was traced on my heart
were the words of my letter.
I remembered that I was a son of royal parents,
and my noble birth asserted itself.
I remembered the pearl,
for which I had been sent to Egypt,
and I began to charm him,
the terrible loud breathing serpent.
I hushed him asleep and lulled him into slumber,
for my father's name I named over him,
and the name of our second (in power),
and the of my mother, the queen of the East.
And I snatched away the pearl,

and turned to go back to my father's house.

And their filthy and unclean dress I stripped off,
and left it in their country;
and I took my way straight to come
to the light of our home in the East.
And my letter, my awakener,
I found before me on the road;
and as with its voice it had awakened me,
(so) too with its light it was leading me.
It, that dwelt in the palace,
gave light before me with its form,
and with its voice and its guidance
it also encouraged me to speed,
and with its love it drew me on.

I went forth (and) passed by Sarbug;
I left Babel on my left hand;
and I came to the great Maisan,
to the haven of merchants,
which sitteth on the 

Re: [ZION] The Hymn of the Pearl

2003-11-16 Thread Stacy Smith
That's quite a document.  I believe I've seen it only once before.  Yes, 
there seems to be a couple of teachings which it suggests, but proving it 
to the world is something else again.  Then again, maybe the world doesn't 
have to know.

Stacy.

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