#Anti-Mormon Rhetoric

[mindfulldsliving]

Unveiling the Deceptive Critique of Prophet Joseph Smith's Teachings

The post at Life After Ministries attempts to critique Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), by comparing his actions with those of Old Testament prophets.

Joseph Smith Preaching – Teacher of God’s Truth Introduction The question of whether Joseph Smith bore the infirmities of others is one that appears to bare significant amount of misrepresentation from a critic of the LDS faith. This recent example comes from Michelle, an active contributor at the Life After Ministries blog, who published a post concerning a quote taken from the “Discourses of…

[thats-a-lot-of-cortisol]

My mom just sent a message to the family group chat suggesting that my siblings download the 'For the Strength of Youth' magazine on their Gospel Library app and talked about how much the youth magazines helped her testimony growing up and like, cool. Fine. Don't know why the 'sending random spiritual thoughts in the gc' thing started out of nowhere when it hadn't been a thing for a decade but this is just another one of those, and you're ofc allowed to talk about things that are significant in your life.

I don't think sending the 'What I Did When Someone Close to Me Challenged My Faith' article right afterwards was strictly necessary though 🙃

[nerdygaymormon]

Elder Oaks' address in October 2024 asks for civility and less polarization. “We need to love and do good to all. We need to avoid contention and be peacemakers in all our communications,” he advised. “This does not mean to compromise our principles and priorities but to cease harshly attacking others for theirs.”

Elder Oaks spoke about "temporary commandments," such as the exodus west by the early pioneers, and "permanent commandments." Some examples of permanent commandments include avoiding contention, tithing, fully embracing “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” and using the “revealed” name of the church.

He asked members to cease attacking others if their beliefs differ from your own. “As we pursue our preferred policies in public actions, let us qualify for his blessings by using the language and methods of peacemakers,” he urged. “In our families and other personal relationships, let us avoid what is harsh and hateful.”

Elder Oaks closes his remarks with the idea that in social and political discussions, “truth” needs to be taught and implies that apostles and prophets teach truth—so defend them.

———————————————

In response to Elder Oaks' address, his grandson Jared Oaks made the following comment via Latter Gay Stories:

GENERAL CONFERENCE COMMENTARY: My grandfather seems to have made a religious career out of anti-LGBTQIA2S+ policies, not prophesies. I’m saddened by that. Although I am not a practicing Mormon, I regret that he does not represent the best parts of Mormonism. What’s up with “don’t be mad at us for hating you”?

Mormonism, like other traditions and philosophers, has immense room for everyone; but Grandpa’s “love, but” rhetoric tells me that I am more welcome with Mormon membership than family.

There was one who “wept and stretched forth his arms, and his heart swelled wide as eternity.” My grandfather does not know what that means, judging from his addresses.

Love can and should include all.

The many LDS members who are friends of mine do not act and speak with anything but love for everyone. They constitute a “true church.” I can’t tell you how many amazing Mormons I know. I come from this tradition and care about the better parts of it.

Speaking of harmful rhetoric within families, as my grandfather did today, I was shocked when, just before meeting with one of my amazing cousins, [Dallin’s wife] Kristen Oaks, warned my grandpa that I might be wearing a “wife beater.”

That stung.

For the record, I am unmarried. If that makes me a royal disappointment, I accept the mantle.

-Jared Oaks

———————————————

I think what Jared is saying is the church can’t have it both ways. They can’t embrace "truths" which disparage minority communities and then want others to be okay and not get upset for members simply proclaiming their beliefs which are hurtful. Jared points out that his grandfather, Dallin H. Oaks, despite these words calling for more kindness, has not been kind to queer people—his own grandson included.

[thecursivej]

SOTU - 2024

Well, I'm forcing myself to watch the State of the Union while I grade speeches, so I figured I'd record my reactions and thoughts here.

Do I hope for the words "Immediate Ceasefire"? Absolutely. Will we get them? Looking at the track record, probably not. But I remain optimistic because otherwise I'd be six feet under by now; ANYWHO here is a list of my reactions/thoughts/general feelings of the evening's watch.

I do want to give a point of clarity: I technically am identified as a democrat; truly, I'm a socialist, but seeing as how the U.S. is stuck in this godforsaken two-party-system, that is where I am. Though both sides have me feeling very french-revolutionary-esque.

Of course the first thing I see if MTG rifling through her purse on screen. I quite literally despise her.

AP is discussing Ukraine's need for weapons and funding; I would truly rather us align with Ukraine than Isr@el. I will stand unapologetically firm for Palestine and Ukraine.

Who is actually in the cabinet? I know Blinken, Garland, and Buttiegeg. Damn, wish he was running again. Would rather have him than Biden.

How insane is it that the Sec. of Defense didn't even let the White House know that he had to go in for surgery because of cancer. Like, that's just bonkers to me.

Republicans truly look like fucking robots right now. No warm greetings, no hellos, simple nods.

Republicans out here wasting fucking time with that impeachment of Mayorkas. Like how about we house the homeless populations with the money they wasted on this circus.

Oh funky fresh look at the Ultra-Mormon(TM) Mitt Romney.

MTG with that stupid fucking MAGA hat on is just... disgusting. Like this bitch is crazy.

Okay Joe, speed it up down the fucking aisle please. I got papers to grade.

Lowkey Joe looks like he might have had a five-hour energy drink with that big-ole look in his eyes.

I do appreciate that Joe still smiles and is kind to MTG. She truly doesn't deserve it.

Okay this is getting just a wee bit too monarchy for me.

MTG holds up a button saying "Laken Riley..." (couldn't read the rest). Riley was a 14 year old girl murdered by a man who was an illegal immigrant of venezuela, and instead of handling this situation with grace, empathy, and love; MTG and others seem to be capitalizing on her death to push their anti-immigration rhetoric.

Okay, cool selfie skills Joe, but let's get on with it.

ALSO HOW IS JOE BIDEN GONNA BE SO IN DEPTH WITH TECH AND "Savvy" WITH IT WHEN MOTHERFUCKER WANTS TO BAN TIKTOK!? Hello?!

BERNIE AND RAPHAEL! I feel like I haven't seen these guys in 10 million years.

Oh thank god we're starting.

Aww the little hand shake thingy he does with Kamala makes my heart happy.

Did Joe just yell "tony"?!

Wow, even got some republicans clapping for him (probs not a good thing but here we are)

Okay, good bit of humor at the top; and a throwback to the 40s. Funky fresh.

Yeah we ain't living in ordinary times for damn sure.

Interesting point of democracy being attacked here in the U.S. AND Internationally. (Mentions Ukraine and Putin; no word on Gaza yet).

Someone busted out a Ukrainian flag and shook it; rock on.

OH SHIT HE GOT MIKE JOHNSON TO CLAP!

Appreciate the insistance that the U.S. won't send troops to UKR.

Good use of Reagan to connect with the Repubs; and compare to the predecessor (aka Tr*mp).

Mike Johnson nodding instead of clapping about the predecessor comment, trying to save his ass in Orange Man's eyes.

Welcome to NATO, Sweden!

If there is one thing that should connect Democrats and Republicans; it's hatred for Putin. Yet there's a mix of Repubs standing in agreement and sitting to back up the predecessor's comment on Putin doing "whatever the hell he wants"

Talking about Jan 6. What breaks my heart? My parents still believe it wasn't an insurrection. Yikes on Bikes for me.

The line "You can't love your country only when you win" hits hard and even got Mike Johnson to applaud in agreement.

Foreign AND Domestic. Need a hefty focus on that with the right-wing republican group (@ MTG, Gaetz, Cruz, etc.)

Discussing IVF in Alabama; good connection to the overturning of Rowe v. Wade. It sucks that Republicans HAVE THE POWER to protect IVF nationally but shot the damn bill down not even a week ago.

ABORTION IS A HUMAN RIGHT. BODILY AUTONOMY IS A HUMAN. FUCKING. RIGHT. (@ The Missouri Senators who support taking away bodily autonomy).

WOMEN AREN'T WITHOUT ELECTORAL AND POLITICAL POWER; WE ABOUT TO TURN UP IN FORCE MOTHERFUCKERS!!! Bring back the strats from the 1900s; time to use our power and go bonkers.

Someone get Joe a glass of water please. Motherfucker looks a bit parched and keeps coughing. I get that when my throat goes dryyy

Can Biden not restore RvW? Can he not by an executive order make RvW the law of the land already?

Revisiting COVID's start from 2020 (Next week is the four year anniversary since the global pandemic).

PFFT idk who just yelled "LIES" but that was comical AF.

Well, the pandemic still controls a big part of our lives... so...don't agree with that shit.

Man, everyone sitting-and-standing must be getting a HELLA calf work out.

Sure, unemployment is down and new jobs are built; but corporate greed is quite literally killing us. Can Congress or Biden do something, damn it?!

Are we beginning to feel it, though? Are we feeling good economics? I doubt we are.

Good job pointing out how both parties have failed to buy american products, but how this admin has established that.

There's a good two rows of Republicans who stand in applause; but the rest just... sit there. Like robots. It's freaky as fuck.

Joe is actually doing pretty great with the flow of this speech. Only a couple of stumbles, but overall pretty gucci. (He'd get a 9/10 on delivery in my public speaking class).

God these fuckers are really gonna make me run for office at this damn point.

Removing poisonous lead pipes... but there's still a water crisis in Flint, Biden. Like, what the fuckeroni do you mean?

Yes, let's invest in family farms; lets stop selling our farmland (especially in Missouri) to foreign countries (@ China buying up TONS of Missouri Farmland).

I love that the UAW president is here, because he straight up is my kind of people. Dude wears eat-the-rich shirts and calls out the unethical-ness of billionaires.

UAW President pointing to Biden saying "It's you!"; nah dawg, it's you Sean.

MIDDLE CLASS DID BUILD THE COUNTRY AND UNIONS BUILT THE MIDDLE CLASS MOTHER FUCKERS!!!

Yes we get back up but right now...we might be getting more french revolutionary-esque if y'all don't stop PLAYING WITH OUR LIVES.

Oh jesus not the 4-more-years chants.

Oh now we talking about the future

YES PLEASE END TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMIES.

Says he's not anti-corp; but points out how trickle down economics has only helped the wealthy.

Yeah, how the fuck does it hurt the wealthy to pay just a weeee bit more in taxes? Like dawg, what are you gonna do with another million? What's the point?

Ooooh is Biden about to rope the repubs into some bipartisan shit? Please do.

What is Republicans huge issue with capping insulin? Truly? Who does it harm? Billionaires still get billions.

[prententiousjackal]

Been mourning the wedding I could never have.

There were no Mormon weddings on TV so I modeled my future temple wedding off of other christian weddings. I thought temples would be similar on the inside to church-houses, that there'd be a chapel to wed in, husband and wife would exchange personal vows or use something similar to the conventional christian cookie cutter vows only without the "death till we part" rhetoric because temple marriage would be forever. I thought there'd be chapel's worth amount of people attending. I thought the bride could wear a nice flowing dress and the groom could wear a black suit.

Knowing that temple weddings were supposed to be indoors, kids can't attend and that temple weddings were supposed to be for marriage forever were the only major differences I knew of at first.

I remember as a kid getting angry at the show Caillou for a wedding episode where some couple had their wedding outdoors and Caillou was allowed to attend despite being a little kid. I'd watch Spiderman 2 and shame Peter Parker for suggesting Mary Jane be married outdoors.

Then I went on Temple Open Houses and saw pictures of the sealing room to realize it was nothing like a chapel. But the infinity mirror was cool and I readjusted my expectations, but still sometimes forgetting and gravitating toward that chapel wedding image.

Then I went to temples for baptisms for the dead a few times. I hated it. I was so ill prepared. I felt scared to ask questions in fear of breaking some holy silence. I'd get confused on where the group was. It was very disorienting. And I didn't get to see any part of the temple that I didn't need to see for what I was doing. I didn't want to feel unprepared again and curiosity got the best of me so I found explanations of the rest of the temple online. And it all too ridiculous and different from what I imagined.

I feel like I was raised in a totally different religion that's been taken away from me. People want to convert to this brand new religion of the temple that was nothing like what I wanted. My dreams of nice suits and dresses are broken. It's such a betrayal.

People really expect me to pay 10% of my income for this? Tithing didn't seem like much as a kid when you didn't actually have to care about money, but now I realize how much it is. The temple is the most expensive wedding venue, even individual invitees need to pay for entry, it has a low occupancy so not many people could attend anyway and it's absolutely butt ugly. Not worth it. 0/10

I feel like I can't love someone. Not just because I'm a shy friendless anti-social wreck. But also because I don't want to face the expectations of temple marriage and I don't want my partner to be made to feel like they're driving a wedge between my and my family. I wouldn't want them to be preached to and blamed for not wanting a temple marriage either. Sometimes I wonder if it'd be easier to become partners with a man or a trans person than with a cis-woman. It'd burn bridges so quick. No one would expect us to get married in the stupid temple.

Had all these thoughts stuck in my head in an incoherent song. I imagine it starting out like something solemn you'd hear at a wedding before turning into pop music. So I got some cheesy lyrics with the most boring rhyme schemes and some songs I'd steal and mix melodies from, in my mind.

I thought I’d be married in a suit Surrounded by everyone I knew She’d be wearing a dress so white As I stared down that endless hall into her eyes ... But now I know it can not happen I think I was raised in a different faith Now they’re trying to convert me to a new religion Never thought this would be my fate ... Can you see me in a suit kneeling at the altar? I thought my faith would never falter. ... Misleading photos in magazines, But not a single wedding on TV. Thought the temple walls was just a canopy, But now I know what I wasn’t supposed to see. ... Brooches of flowers, reduced down to leaves. Rainbows of colors, now just white and green. ... My chapel shrunk into a tiny chamber. My entry list saw friends as strangers. ... If there’s such a thing as a life hereafter. You don’t need a building to be together forever.

[askgothamshitty]

Everyone's like "the radical feminists make porn out to be the epitome of all misogyny, they dont understand how deeply misogyny is entrenched everywhere" and then in the same breath, call men who view women as objects "porn addicts" and claim that it is the primary source of them doing this.

Ahhh very good observation! Another contradiction among anti-feminists… on some level they know the feminist analysis is correct but they don’t want to outright agree with it! So they demonize and find a roundabout way of approving of the idea anyways…

TBH, I don’t like the addiction model that much, though. I think that rhetoric is often an attempt to take make porn users look like victims (and make the adult film stars look like evil siren-like villains). It takes the focus away from the exploitative industry and the understanding of porn as propaganda. There’s a reason why this model is so popular among Mormon-related think tanks and not radical feminists like Dworkin and Mackinnon

[snooty-tooty]

Saw a post about how devote religious queer people belong in pride. I was really touched and happy, since that’s what I believe too! Pride is for everyone (except cops!)

But then I went to op’s blog, they were spewing anti-mormon rhetoric, and it made me feel hurt. Didn’t you say we belong at pride?

[im-a-secret-to-everyone]

Hi! (This is gonna be a long ask) I read your post about wishing you could be fine with your friend that's on a mission and your queerstake friends choosing to stay in the cult and I totally get it I won't go into too much detail since you said you don't want trauma dumps, but as a pimo (physically in, mentally out if you didn't know) exmo, it's been hard with my cousin currently on a mission and my queer friends at church doing lots of things to interact with the cult (I don't know if they're pimo like me or not, and I don't want to ask bc it might damage our relationship if they are in the church) As far as deconstruction goes, it varies from person to person how they handle facts/media/etc. that goes against the cult - some people who are more closed minded when it comes to those things will either ignore it and/or label it as "evil" or "anti mormon", while people who are more open minded and/or are more naturally inquisitive may accept it and/or try and debate you and/or at least think about it (I was an open minded tbm, my deconstruction started in seminary when one of my (pimo) friends would poke holes in church doctrine, asking rhetorical questions like "Why would god do it like that?" or "Couldn't this just have happened instead?" and it really got me thinking) And finally, if you want more information about how the church operates and why it can be such a dangerous cult, I'd recommend checking out Exmo Lex's channel on youtube, her videos are really good and she's good at explaining and teaching things to people who were never members of the cult I'd also recommend reading the CES letter and Letter For My Wife if you want to learn about the early church and the big problems with it Hope you have a good day!

aaa thank you so much!

it hasn't been very long at all but i'm starting to have hope for some of my friends. exposing them to unapologetic queerness and a few subtlely religion-critical posts seems to be going well! hopefully i'll have practice by the time the mission ends and i can finally talk more openly with that friend.

i don't think i'll seek out more info just on the basis that i'm upset enough thinking about what i do know. i'll keep those in mind though!

hope everything's going well for you!

[wombatwisdom]

Is this my way of processing the last two days of General Conference? Absolutely. If you feel so inclined, come along with me, we'll see where we end up. This might get spicier (and rantier) than some are comfortable with so proceed to your comfort level <3

----------------------------------------

So, the October 2023 general conference is over and I am angry. But, in truth, nothing new was said--the mormon church remains a bigoted institution. This is just how it goes--so why I am so angry? What about this conference makes any difference?

Parhaps I'm new enough in the lgbtq+ community to still flinch at anti-queer rhetoric. Perhaps I am a fool who trusts change might come. Perhaps it's the logical failings in our theology as currently presented that suggests our leaders are too smug in their condemnations.

Or perhaps it's my feeling that it shouldn't have to be this way.

----------------------------------------------

Today, for conference, I wore a new dress that gives me a euphoric silhouette. My partner called it my armor. It was Oakes and Christofferson who convinced me of it--I need a stronger dose of self-love to get through the weekend.

It wasn't all bad to be sure. The hurtful talks were in the minority. Any thoughts on the impacts of these talks is just speculation. But I know that people are hurting with what was said, and I know that I was hurt. And all the dresses in the world wouldn't have helped.

------------------------------------------------

I'm sure there will come the usual hand waving. Some will nod sagely, perhaps even sympathetically and say "it's so nice when the Prophet and apostles don't hold back". To you I say, I'm glad you are so sure in your standing with God to afford some schadenfreude.

Others will say that they are mistaken, or it was just their opinions, or they are just a product of their time. I do agree that everyone is imperfect, but if I were to use imperfection as the excuse for the negative impacts of my actions, I don't think it would be very meaningful. Harm is being done--we can't make excuses to justify it.

Others will say that we are to turn our cheeks and accept our lot. This to me also is worrying. The Bible is unclear on this point, but where is the line where you stop turning cheeks and start flipping tables?

--------------------------------------------------

There is a lot to unpack from conference. But I also want to do more than I am currently doing. I can't do anything about the Leaders, but I'm going to try and love harder than I currently do, reach out more than I currently do, and be the best disciple of Christ not destined to the celestial kingdom I can be!

[mindfulldsliving]

The Nature of God, Trinity Doctrine, and LDS Beliefs

Eric Johnson's claim that Latter-day Saint teachings lack evidence is easily refutable. Extensive scholarly research and ancient texts, combined with modern theological studies, offer a robust body of evidence supporting these teachings.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Are Christians: Here’s Why Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Are Christians: Here’s WhyBiblical Definition of a ChristianMatthew 16:24-26Romans 12:1-3God Was Never a SinnerThe Concept of ‘Mormon Jesus’Jesus and Satan as Brothers: Historical ContextSatan as a Son of God: Biblical References in Job 1 and 2Symbols…

[luesmainblog]

Hi there, is there a link to your about page that people can access via the tumblr mobile app?

you can try my direct About link but I don't know if it's readable on mobile, I'm a strictly desktop user and I've been here since before the site became mobile-centric, so I genuinely don't know what's accessible and what isn't :( my phone can't really run the tumblr app half the time, so it's not something i'm able to check for.

honestly it's nothing that isn't pretty much covered by "i'm here i'm queer get used to it" or looking at the political stuff i do reblog. brief summary being i'm nb, aspec, anti-terf, anti-swerf, anti-cop, and anti-harassment. longer summary: I do my best to be an ally to jewish and muslim folk, but i am very under-educated in that area. same applies to mental illnesses. i was around during The Ace Raids(period of tumblr history where the site went extremely anti-ace for, at the time, no discernable reason. now we know it was general anti-queer getting its hooks in early.) and i watched the birth of the mogai community and the bi v pan debate. as a result my attitude towards identity is "you're the expert, just use whatever label suits you best and i'll believe you about it". i respect older/"outdated" identities and do my best to learn about queer history and incorporate that knowledge into my views. i can get kind of anti-christian at times due to the general trauma of living in the united states and watching "religious belief" become the excuse for massive levels of abuse and control, but i do respect people who use that belief to help people and push positive change. i view Missionary Work(i.e. going to another location and doing charity specifically to spread the word of your religion, like the god damn mormons are constantly doing) as inherently colonization and fundamentally do not understand people who consider it to be a good deed. i am against arranged marriage, but respectful to those who are comfortable in theirs. I support poly marriage(i am poly myself), and i think we need to severely change how disability aid is handled so that disabled people can marry who they want without losing their coverage and don't have to literally count pennies to make sure they're not over an insanely low limit. i can get kind of loud about intersex people's existence and rights. I support landback, but i am under-educated in native issues. I consider neurodivergency a positive thing, but i also acknowledge it as a disability. i consider the political lesbians of the 1960s to have been infiltrates and traitors, as their beliefs were foundational to modern TERF rhetoric. I don't have a DNI(if some asshole decides to follow me they're gonna see exactly what i think about them very quickly, and if they stick around anyways, maybe something i post will shake their beliefs a little), but TERFs, SWERFs, nazis and MAGAs get blocked on sight. harassment will also be blocked and reported. I am a strong believer in online anonymity; i don't think it's wise to share your age, sex, race or location unless it's something you WANT people to be aware of. I also don't think it's a good idea to share your face, but i don't harp on people who do make that choice unless they're underaged(and even then it's gonna be a very light 'hey maybe this is a bad idea'). double points on location, stop telling people where you live. that should NEVER have been normalized.

i'm also into a lot of fandoms, and i don't usually tag unless asked. current tags: NSFC(not safe for crystal, basically any mention of death will be under this), Facepaint, Spiders, Cats, Horrible Things, Important, Signal Boost, For My Wife, Frosty, Crinket, and Awesome Music. if you dig too deep into that last one you'll find some OLD tumblr culture. i also try to tag for content warnings like abuse, flashing lights, and sexual assault.

in short, i think other people should be able to exist how they want to as long as it's not inherently harmful to others, and i love to learn more about the world and spread that knowledge. i'm gonna see if i can make this my pinned post, this is honestly a better summary of what you're gonna see on this blog than my about page is. also, not the most important thing, but I do have memory problems, so i usually use Likes as a way to show myself i've already reblogged/seen something. ff to block if this ain't your rodeo, and welcome aboard if you stay!

[nerdygaymormon]

My parents are the most anti LGBT people I know. They hate us with a passion. Do you think that I will get poison by my parents if I continue to live with them?

I don't know your parents so I can't really answer that question, but it's horrifying to think a child would even consider this a possibility?

There is a thing about Mormons and many other conservative Christians in which they don't see the existence and identity of queer people as real because they don't fit in with their theology. When their queer family & friends come out, Mormons often feel like they have to choose between their church or their loved one, and that's not a good feeling.

It's a reason that some Mormons can be really aggressive in expressing negative views of queer people, because even our mere existence is threatening to their worldview.

I should clarify, the LDS Church has slowly been shifting its rhetoric about queer people, gay people in particular. I think it leaves some members confused. Many aren't aware that the way church leaders talk about queer people has shifted for the better.

Here's some questions that are hard for many Mormons to answer in a way that anything that doesn't sound rejecting, and yet they claim to love their neighbor?

Is it okay for somene to identify as gay?

Will they still be gay when they die?

Are queer people a mistake?

Is being queer just a challenge or trial of this life?

Are queer people an affront to God?

Are queer people automatically not in the Celestial Kingdom and therefore no longer sealed to their parents, meaning coming out as queer is akin to breaking up an eternal family?

Let me end on a hopeful note. In past decades, many families chose their church over their child. These days most families make a different choice, whether it's trying to hold onto both or choosing their child over their church. Many strongly anti-queer people have had to confront and modify their bigotry when someone they love comes out because the person that sits across the dinner table from them does not match all the horrible beliefs they once held.

And one more positive note, The worst part of coming out is not knowing how things will turn out. It's the unknown and worry that it will be 100% the worst-case scenario is common, but it will not be 100% worst case, nor will it be 100% best case. Most people are surprised to find it's closer to the best case scenario than it is to the worst case scenario they imagined.

I hope your parents' love for you is strong enough to cause them to question the bigoted thoughts that have shaped and defined who they think queer people are.

[thegenealogy]

1 Chronicles 4: 21-23. "The Emissary."

The Gematria for this section comes from Beth Ashbeah, the Linen Workers. Linen has to be growen, harvested, retted, then spun into fibers and then woven.

Linen garments are a sign of intense refinement. The Gematria says:

"Kabbalah changes the Bible. Decode the Bible. Hitler and Armageddon caused the codes to be hidden. Decode the Record and the world will become Shabbathai, the Bride of the King.

Use charisma to speak against the fake people and the pedophile, and a snake will be killed."

This obviously refers to the problem posed by the terrorists of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and their leader, Mitt Romney, who are by far the worst enemies of a global Shabbat since Hitler.

Once we decide to fully enforce laws prohibiting domestic terrorism and those against the Mormon's predilections for pedophilia and human trafficking, significant progress towards Shabbathai will be made.

This will require the closure of the Church for good along with the Republican Party and its support mechanisms lest the world once again fall prey to its rhetorics of violence, bigotry, anti-Semitism, homophobia and terracide.

21 The sons of Shelah "The Emissary" son of Judah:

Er the father of Lekah, Laadah the father of Mareshah and the clans of the linen workers at Beth Ashbea, 

er=the wild ass vs. the donkey that conveys Mashiach.

Lekah=goes forth

Laadah=talk widly

Mareshah=the summit

Beth Ashbea=house of the oath

22 Jokim, the men of Kozeba, and Joash and Saraph, who ruled in Moab and Jashubi Lehem. (These records are from ancient times.) 

Jokim=the Lord will raise up

Kozeba=lying

Joash=Yah has grasped

Saraph=burning serpent

Moab=who is your father?

Jashubi Lehem=war is returning

23 They were the potters who lived at Netaim and Gederah; they stayed there and worked for the king.

Netaim=plantations

Gederah=wall

The Gematria for this section comes from the word Shelah:

"There is an alarm. Cancer booms the meaning. The Hidden Code has changed. Changed, changed.

Decode Me, All of Me, I am the Beach by the Black Sea, I am the Egg and the Thigh, I am the Face. I am God."

The Torah Tantra for the above is:

"The antichrist goes forth and talks wildly in the House of the Oath. The Lord has seen, war has come and He and His Prophets will rise up against the Liar, and protect the Garden Behind the Wall."

God is speaking to directly to His prophets through the Gematria, the Burning Serpent, telling them the world must do something to protect this place, the Garden Behind the Wall, from the Republicans and their imp, Donald Trump, a liar who took and oath. He had lots of help in this effort and now our world is now turning on borrowed time.

The evidence of Trump's betrayal is in the movie the Widows. Someone has extensive footage regarding Barbara and David Green's theft of Blue State Digital telemarketing lists from the Clinton campaign and the role the Family Research Council and Senator Hawley played in it. To pretend Trump et al are not guilty and to allow them to survive is to Bear False Witness against God and this cannot be tolerated.

Joe Biden must prosecute the Trump Administration, the Republican Party, the Family Research Council, the Greens, Waltons, the Kochs, the Heritage Foundation the RNC and every lawmaker and page that knew what happened at Josh Hawley's house and said nothing or our government should no longer be considered sovereign over us.

Donald Trump is a War Criminal. If the Biden Administration refuses to prosecute him for his crimes, then President Biden also needs to be arrested. Tolerance of election fraud and despotism undermines the edifice of modern civilzation. Public Servants who understand and respect the importance of this will arrest Donald Trump and Joe Biden if necessary this very instant.

To "ret" the sins of the former generation away from the present and weave the future together as if all were linen workers is how freedom from corruption and apartheid called Shabbathai will last.

[pynkhues]

Wondering if you had any thoughts on hillsong church ? Just watched a documentary on them and didn’t realize that they started in New Zealand and Australia and how much they actually shaped churches that I grew up in and American non denominational Christianity in general. You always have such thoughtful responses and as I’m trying to work through some religious trauma I just wondered if you’d have any words of wisdom 🖤

Oh, gosh, that’s a pretty massive question, anon, haha. But yes, Hillsong did originate in Australia, and it had a pretty big foothold on the Gold Coast, which was somewhere I spent a significant amount of time during my childhood, so I brushed up against it a bit. My mum’s family was Catholic (my mum actually went to a Sisters of Mercy Convent-run boarding school in the 70s) and my dad’s family is mostly non-religious, although they’d probably say they were Anglican (my mum’s father actually temporarily disowned my mother over the fact that my dad was on-paper Anglican), so neither of them had particularly warm feelings towards Hillsong at large.

Hillsong to me feels Australian in the way Mormonism feels American – both are steeped in, I think, parts of national identity that create a sort of targeted approach to faith by personalising it. They utilise familiar language and landscapes to make religion more palatable to the demographics they’re trying to appeal to (or target), and Hillsong, at least in my opinion, has long courted the Byron Bay aesthetic which embraces a sort of new age, alternative medicine, hippy vibe, which appeals to celebrities and younger people – something they deliberately capitalise on. They aren’t a regular church, they’re a cool church, y’know? Or at least, that’s what they’re trying to sell, but the reality is they’ve always functioned with the same sort of anti-choice, anti-woman, creationist rhetoric, and predatory cult-like approach as most Pentecostal / Evangelical denominations, right down to the child sexual abuse.

What’s worse is that Hillsong positions itself as a brand first, meaning it in many ways follows in the footsteps of Scientology by cultivating celebrity clientele and pop culture relevance to insinuate itself in mainstream media and broaden its reach with the goal of not only increasing its congregation, but it’s political influence. It did both successfully through our last Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, which has certainly only further soured me on it all. Its an insidious behaviour for any church, but in many ways it’s not dissimilar to what the Church of England was doing 500 years ago. Churches as institutions have always liked power, and in the 21st Century, celebrity unfortunately leads to both social and political power.

I could talk more about that, but I guess all of this is to say that at the end of the day, I don’t really agree with the concept of organised religion generally. I personally would say that I’m irreligious, but lean into the agnostic as opposed to the frankly atheist, and while I feel communal sharing of faith and spirituality is sometimes appropriate (i.e. for funerary rites or for the purpose of some [not all] charity), on the whole, I believe spirituality is personal, and it needs to be personal. So much of faith and spirituality is about determining our worth and navigating the reeds of what it means to have a soul, which is in itself a journey of extreme vulnerability, and to place that journey in the hands of a human-run structure opens door after door for abuse and exploitation.

Which happens with tragic frequency, as we all know, and I’m sorry you’re navigating some religious trauma at the moment, anon. Religion is a complicated thing, and the process of understanding our relationship with it can leave us feeling especially exposed, both with and without the long arm of the faith-based institutions and the people within them. I wish you only good things in moving forwards <3

[heathersdesk]

I want to talk about this in the church sphere. This is one of the spaces where it's most important to get this right, and it definitely falls apart more often than not when kids become teenagers.

When my husband and I first moved to Idaho, we were the Sunday school teachers for a group of 14-15 year olds. This group had developed a reputation from the time they were in Primary of chewing up teachers and spitting them out. I was told horror stories of how badly they had treated some of their teachers, how they'd gotten in trouble with their parents so many times, how much they didn't want me to take it personally if they disengaged and didn't show up or checked out.

I cannot stress to you enough how normal these kids were. They never did anything that wasn't totally normal for their age.

The first war I put an end to was against the phones. Why? Why do adults have this assumption that as soon as anyone is looking at their phone, they're no longer listening? They can do both. And if they're not listening, that's okay too! I tune out stuff all the time that isn't applicable to me and tune back in when something interests me. It feels like unbridled arrogance to expect the full, undivided attention of anyone to me. Especially a teenager, when I can fully see that being in a religious space is happening to them against their will. They're already experiencing disrespect of their will and choices just by being there. I don't need to add anything else to it to make it worse.

We started gamifying church to make it interesting. They loved Jeopardy, so we did that once a month. We had questions we would ask for prizes each Sunday, which everyone who answered would get a candy bar. But if you answered first, you got a king size of whatever you asked for the next week. They had to text us the answers and they had to wait until class was over. They appreciated that and took it really seriously. We needed the time stamps on the texts to call it sometimes, and they were really competitive.

There were rewards for participation, but no punishment if you didn't. My husband was called to something else and I had the class on my own. Their parents all came to me and said all the same stuff they said at the beginning. They didn't think I'd be able to handle them. And by that point, their kids were as engaged as they could be. Several of them were participating consistently. The one who never talked, to the point that I had no idea what his voice sounded like, said "good stuff" at the end one time. Honest to God, I wanted to make myself an award for that one.

All I did was expect them to be teenagers, let them act like teenagers, showed them gratitude for participating, and let them have a clean slate by not holding stuff against them that happened when they were 6 years old.

One of the most important lessons I taught that really made a difference was when we talked about mental illness. We did an anonymous Q and A, and one of them genuinely wanted to know where God is during mental illness. They couldn't have had a better person speaking to that than me because I am mentally ill. I was dealing with PTSD and chronic illness at the time. And when I tell you you could've heard a pin drop, that every eye was on me, not a single phone was out, I had their full and collective attention for the first time, I'm not kidding. I had the privilege of telling them from my heart that God doesn't give up on people in mental illness. It wasn't a perfect delivery. But I meant what I said. It was a truly powerful moment where my imperfect language didn't matter because the Spirit was carrying what they truly needed to hear in that moment. And even though I knew who asked the question, there was more than one person who needed that answer, including one who really resented church and wasn't there very often.

And there were no topics off limits. We covered the multiple accounts of the First Vision and the anti-Catholic rhetoric attributed to the Book of Mormon in the same Q and A. If there was anything any of them wanted to talk about, we created spaces to deviate from the curriculum to have those conversations. We did it often. We developed a trust with them that allowed them, and us, to be human.

When I was in Relief Society, I became their advocates in that space. I told their parents constantly how good they were, how much they've grown, that they needed more credit and some slack. Every time I talked about them behind their backs, it was only to say something good about them. I never repeated anything they said or did back to their parents. There was nothing to report anyway, except that I loved them and they genuinely didn't give me any problems. And that was the truth.

Treat teenagers like people. They are people. They have their own feelings, needs, and spirituality that is going to develop independent of the institution, even when they're in it. And that's okay! View your influence as a privilege, not a right. Treat their hearts like sacred ground that require a gentle touch and consent. Everyone deserves that. Teenagers in any church are no exception.

consider: teenagers aren’t apathetic about everything they’re just used to you shitting all over whatever they show excitement about

[nightguide]

RACHEL BERRY GAY DAY PARADE: LAST MAN (ANSON SEABRA)

YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN: PLACE MET FOR BIG DAY EVENT

(ANTI) EMOTIONS: YOU DID NOT DO IT (1 OPTION)

(ANTI) LOVE: YOU MAKE OTHER PEOPLE DO IT FOR YOU (VIEWERS OPINION)

BEING FOUND OR SEEN: BE OKAY WITH NOT MAKING THINGS GO YOUR WAY BECAUSE OF YOUR PLANS GOING RESOLUTE FOR SOMEONE ELSE (IT'S THEIR DAY)

CHAOS (DISTRACTED): WHATEVER HAPPENS, HAPPENS. I DON'T CONTROL THE INTUITION OR WHATEVER QUEEN BIAS YOU HEARD OF, I DON'T CONTROL THAT STEREOTYPE EITHER (IT'S YOU OR HELL LOGIC, BASICALLY) RUN

CHILD ARCHETYPE: YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT (NOT YOU, BASICALLY BUT BE OKAY WITH BEING IN THE CAMERA (ALL 'HER' LOGIC IS ALREADY APPLIED KNOWN FACTORS ABOUT THE ON SCREEN REAL LIFE SISTER (WHICH THEY KEPT YOU CONFIDENTIAL ABOUT) NOT YOUR JOB (SOUTH PARK PHYSICS)

FEAR OF AFTERLIFE: HEARTBREAK CONSTANT (NOT YOU, ALWAYS)

FEAR OF CHANGE: NO HOPE (HANNAH MONTANA IN YOUR FACE: SO YOU'RE TWO FACED, HUH?)

FEAR OF EXTRATERRESTRIALS: YOU'RE TOO SLOW FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO BE YOU (YOU'RE WRONG, ALWAYS)

FEAR OF GOD: SHUT THE FUCK UP (GAME LOGIC IS YOUR CROTCH DECIDING YOU)

FEAR OF LIGHT: WHAT YOU SAY, GOES (FIRST WORD)

FEAR OF VULNERABILITY: YOU HATE LIVING, SO DOES AN ORPHAN YOUR AGE (YOU DON'T KNOW SOCIAL BIOLOGY FOR SOMEONE YOUR AGE (GRANDPARENTS SCOWL AT YOU IN REAL LIFE: THATS HOW HARD YOU ARE)

GENETIC DISCRIMINATION: YOU'RE BROKEN (LIVE WITH THE MUSIC)

GENOCIDE: PIECE. OF. SHIT.

HOLOCAUST: NOTHING COMPARES TO YOU, REVERTING SOMEONE MAKES YOU A SHITTIER PERSON IRL CUZ THEY HAVE WHAT YOU NEVER HAD: A LIFE

INADEQUACY: KEEP YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER THAN YOUR FRIENDS (HEARTBREAK OCCURS WITH PRETTY PRIVILEDGE (ACTUALLY, TRUE)

LACK OF INTELLIGENCE (FEAR): YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SMOKE IN A DREAM BUT SOMEONE DID (FOR GOALS)

LIFE UNCERTAINTY/DEATH: WHO MADE YOU KING OF ALL BITCHES (YOU SPEAK PER POINT, NOT FOR 'GOALS' (YOUR DAD DOES NOT HAVE SOCIAL GRINDR, SHUT UP)

LOSING SOUL: ALLAH REDEEMS YOU (BINARY GOALS IS INFATUATION, GET TF OFF THE INTERNET YOU SHITTY MUSLIM (OFFENSES INFINITY)

MALE ARCHETYPE: DRUGS ARE HALAL, HUH?

MASSACRE: PRISON BREAK CAST BREAKS YOUR LEGS FOR CADBURY CREAM EGG IDEA FOR ALAN SUGAR SPORTS (BEAT THAT)

MOTHER ARCHETYPE: WHAT DID YOU SAY?

PURGATORY: YOU AIN'T MUSLIM (PROVE THAT)

RACE DISCRIMINATION: MORMON BASICS IS YOU 'THINKING YOU'RE HOT SHIT' WHEN IN REALITY, YOU'RE TERRIFYING TO LOOK AT (SOCIETY COSPLAYS YOU AS DJINNS)

RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION: WHO?

SEEING THE DARKNESS (DENIAL): WHAT YOU LAST THOUGHT (YOUR RHETORIC TIL YOUR MOTHER REMARRIES (SHOCK HORROR)

SPIRITUAL BETRAYAL: ALLAH IS SUGAR TO YOU (WHAT THE BABY LAST ATE)

TORTURE & PAIN: WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER IS WRITTEN IN DAJJAL QUR'AN (INTERNET ITSELF)

TRAPPED IN DARKNESS: SURAH AL-NEVER

UNKNOWN FUTURE: AYAHS WORK IN MONOPOLY PHYSICS NOW (YOU'RE BRUTALISED AND WON'T ADMIT IT)

WAR AND KILLING: YOU PAY FOR A LIVING (NO WONDER THE BABY DOES NOT HAVE A LIFE)

SOCKTOWN TONIGHT: WARGAMES

(ANTI) EMOTIONS: YOU LIKE LIKE (WHY YOU BOUGHT IT)

(ANTI) LOVE: YOU DON'T FORGIVE (IT'S YOURS BUT REPLICAS (KEANU MOVIE) IS YOU IRL) BUY TO FORGIVE THE MATCHING UNBROKEN (BAND) RESPONDENTS TO THE ONE BEST FRIEND CATCHING UP WITH OLD SCHOOL PHYSICS (HER DnD GROUP)

BEING FOUND OR SEEN: ALLAH SUGAR GRANTED ACCESS TO BUY YOUR WAY INTO HAPPINESS WITHOUT FORGIVENESS (JUDGEMENT DAY LATER)

CHAOS (DISTRACTED): YOU WILL DO AS YOU ASKED (FULL PUPPET (PUPPROPHECY) ROTATION OF EVENTS (PLANNED BY: MATTHEW GRAY GUBLER)

CHILD ARCHETYPE: YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE AMENDS WITH A SOCIAL SHIT-SHOW BY YOU BEING OKAY WITH HEARTBREAK AS LONG AS YOU KNEW HOW TO BE AN INNER CHILD (BY MAKING LIGHT OF THE SITUATION BY BEING KNOWN AS AN ACTOR WHEN YOU'RE NOT THERE (KHAWAARIJ ENERGY)

FEAR OF AFTERLIFE: MAKING IT UP FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO LIVE IT (YOUR MAP IS YOUR STORYLINE TO BE MADE HISTORY: WHY YOU'RE NOT INVOLVED IN 'COMMUNICATION VIA SHADA' IS WHY YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT YOUR EROTIC FANTASIES TO MAKE SENSE

FEAR OF CHANGE: YOU HATE EVERYTHING ENOUGH THAT YOU'RE ALLOWED TO CHANGE FOR THAT ONE LITTLE REASON (YOU'RE PUPPET NOW)

FEAR OF EXTRATERRESTRIALS: BE OKAY WITH HARSH JUDGEMENTS (YOU KNEW)

FEAR OF GOD: ALAN SUGAR IS PETTY

FEAR OF LIGHT: LIGHTMARE TRACKS YOUR PHONE (ELECTRIC INTUITION (EARTH IS ALONE WITHOUT HER)

FEAR OF VULNERABILITY: HEARTBREAK IS CONSTANT WITHOUT YOU BEING HERE (YOU HATE THAT REASON FOR BEING HERE WITHOUT SEXUALLY FINDING YOURSELF IN THE INDUSTRY: ISLAMIC RULES STILL APPLY)

GENETIC DISCRIMINATION: YOU HATE YOURSELF ENOUGH THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THE RACES (SHITTY FOUNDATION SHADE FOUND)

GENOCIDE: YOU'RE ALLOWED TO BE YOURSELF ON CAMERA (LIKE WHO GIVES A FUCK)

HOLOCAUST: CHANGE HISTORY WITH WILL SMITH (HE'S HITLER)

INADEQUACY: WHATEVER YOU SAY GOES (APPARENTLY YOU KNOW ALL)

LACK OF INTELLIGENCE (FEAR): SOCIAL INDEPENDENCE (YOU AND WHAT GROUP (INTUITION BIAS)

LIFE UNCERTAINTY/DEATH: TOTAL WIPEOUT (TV SHOW) LOGIC

LOSING SOUL: WHY YOU THINK YOU'RE ALIVE IS WHY YOU'RE NOW ELIGIBLE TO DIE (NOBODY CARES)

MALE ARCHETYPE: WHATEVER YOU SAY, THINKS YOU AGAIN (YOU'RE OUTSMARTED (THINK AGAIN)

MASSACRE: YOU'RE LIKE LIGHTMARE (SAUDI ARABIA WILL HAVE YOU ARRESTED FOR 'PUNY ACT' TO 'ALLAH' IN REAL LIFE (BEDROOM RULES STAY LOGICAL, NOT MYTHICAL)

MOTHER ARCHETYPE: YOU'RE LITERALLY 'HER' (PUNY ND BABY IN THE FAMILY)

PURGATORY: SHUT THE FAK UP (YOU KNEW WHO SAID IT FIRST: YOUR ROTARY CHECK UP)

RACE DISCRIMINATION: GO ALL OR ALL-AH

RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION: HATE YOURSELF FOR NOT BEING THE ND BABY (TRY A LIL' HARDER)

SEEING THE DARKNESS (DENIAL): DON'T COMMIT SUICIDE CUZ YOU THINK CELEBRITIES LOOK 'SEXY' IN PERSON (NOT ALLOWED)

SPIRITUAL BETRAYAL: GOD HATES YOUR HANDS (HUMILIATE HIM)

TORTURE & PAIN: SONIC GAMES BETRAY YOUR LOGIC (STAY MAD)

TRAPPED IN DARKNESS: YOU HATE TIKTOK (SHE WENT VIRAL)

UNKNOWN FUTURE: WHY YOU (BASTARD CHECK UP: IT'S ALL HONESTY NOW)

WAR AND KILLING: WHATEVER TRAIN (SINGER) SAYS, GOES (YOUR WORD AGAINST GOD IRL)