Six Degrees of Pooch, Pilot, and Prophet.

[Stray Pooch]

So I'll bite, what kind of priest are you?

In name only. It's my last name.

LOL.  Let me just go ahead and wipe this egg off of my face . . . 

[Stray Pooch]

I'm an ordained minister in the Universal Church.  I only had to pay $7 for my diploma to prove it!

I love it!  An ordained Atheist.  Going for that tax exemption are ya? 

[Cynthia]

I'm confused 

Not trying to insult Mormons though. There are many confusing things about Catholicism as well. In fact, my Aunt is a Mormon. Her father is erm...a minister? (is that correct?) I'm not sure, but he had the authority to marry my Uncle and Aunt. Her father and mother lived many years in the Virgin Islands doing work for the Mormon church and they also lived many years in Costa Rica doing a lot of humanitarian work for the Mormon church. They are both very interesting people.

The Catholic church is the direct "result of" Jesus' church on the rock. THE CHURCH is the Catholic Church on the Rock. The disciples took Jesus' word and ran with it, sort of speak.  Many other Christian religions chose not to "agree" with that "Rock".

 
I dont see  anything wrong with belonging to an "offshoot", if you will, of the Christian faith....be it Mormon, or Methodist. Afterall, the bottom line is the belief in Christ's word. The Mormon believes in Jesus. (Correct me if I am wrong, Pooch.)
 But I can see that anything to do with Christianity is confusing to the atheist, or non believer. That's a given.
Again...nothing wrong with that either....Christ has plenty of love to go around.
The Mormons own a great deal of land in Hawaii...from what I have heard. Again, Pooch correct me if I am wrong.
I see nothing wrong with any group of people doing good in the world, owning property, and more.

It's high time that we accept all people for being human.

I guess I am a practical Catholic, but I love my faith, even though I am a part timer.

It's time we celebrate all faiths and beliefs in a world of strife.

Cynthia

[Stray Pooch]

I dont see  anything wrong with belonging to an "offshoot", if you will, of the Christian faith....be it Mormon, or Methodist. Afterall, the bottom line is the belief in Christ's word. The Mormon believes in Jesus. (Correct me if I am wrong, Pooch.)

You are quite correct.  The actual name of the Church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Christ is the head of the church, the savior of the world and the only begotten son of the living God.

The Mormons own a great deal of land in Hawaii...from what I have heard. Again, Pooch correct me if I am wrong.

The church established missions in the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) early on.  There is actually a campus of Brigham Young University in Hawaii.  The church also runs a cultural center there and Hawaii had a temple established way back when there were only a dozen or so in the world (there are around 130 or so these days).  I don't know much more about it, just that Hawaii was an early outpost for mission work.  It surprises folks to learn that Las Vegas was originally a Mormon colony as well. 

[hnumpah]

But I can see that anything to do with Christianity is confusing to the atheist, or non believer. That's a given.

Not necessarily. I was a deacon in the church and considering studying for the ministry before I became enlightened. I would imagine quite a few of us atheists are reformed christians.

[Cynthia]

I dont see  anything wrong with belonging to an "offshoot", if you will, of the Christian faith....be it Mormon, or Methodist. Afterall, the bottom line is the belief in Christ's word. The Mormon believes in Jesus. (Correct me if I am wrong, Pooch.)

You are quite correct.  The actual name of the Church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Christ is the head of the church, the savior of the world and the only begotten son of the living God.

The Mormons own a great deal of land in Hawaii...from what I have heard. Again, Pooch correct me if I am wrong.

The church established missions in the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) early on.  There is actually a campus of Brigham Young University in Hawaii.  The church also runs a cultural center there and Hawaii had a temple established way back when there were only a dozen or so in the world (there are around 130 or so these days).  I don't know much more about it, just that Hawaii was an early outpost for mission work.  It surprises folks to learn that Las Vegas was originally a Mormon colony as well. 

Wow, Poochie!
Neat. I learned about the Hawaii connection when I was there about ten years ago, while strolling through the very cultural center of which you speak. Hawaii is a beautiful place for an American town....I've tripped the beach fantastic there three times, now. But, I would love to visit  the Virgin Islands and/or Bahamas someday. ....tourists have ruined the Hawaiian islands, somewhat. But the big islands are still beautiful...no matter the splash of unwanted feet. ha!

Hmm, interesting about Las Vegas.
Smiths' grocery stores are also Mormon related eh?

[Stray Pooch]

Not necessarily. I was a deacon in the church and considering studying for the ministry before I became enlightened. I would imagine quite a few of us atheists are reformed christians.

So you are a Deacon, a Priest AND an atheist.  Now I'M confused! 

[Stray Pooch]

Smiths' grocery stores are also Mormon related eh?

I'm not familiar with the chain, so I can't tell you.  Some of Joseph Smith's relatives stayed with the church when they went to Utah, but his wife and children went with the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  So if there is any connection to Joseph it might be through a branch that went with the RLDS church (now split into two groups known as the "Community of Christ" or "The Restoration Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints").   Or it maybe that one of the relatives in the LDS Church owned the store.   I have heard that Safeway has a Mormon connection but I don't know for sure.

Of course, as Mormon businessmen go Marriot is probably the most recognizable.  (Well, aside from Mitt these days, but I don't think he has his name as a brand out there.)

[hnumpah]

No, I was a deacon. At the time I was considering going to the seminary at Vanderbilt to become a minister. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your point of view), the more I studied and learned, the more I, um, became disillusioned, until I finally got to the point where I decided I could not become a minister and preach something to others that I no longer believed in myself.

I'm not rabidly anti-religion, nor even mildly so. I pretty much don't care what someone believes as long as they keep it to themselves and don't keep pestering me about it. In the case of Jehovah's witnesses, though, who can't seem to take no for an answer, I have been known to invite them in for a chat, then tie them in knots with questions about their religion that they can't answer. They generally don't come back after that.

When I worked as an EMT, there were times victims asked me to pray with them, or that I gave them last rites. They were either dying anyway or thought they were, and if that was what they needed and it gave them comfort, I had no problem with it. From my standpoint, it was part of patient care. Some might consider it hypocritical, but if it gave them some comfort and reduced their anxiety, it made it easier for me to treat them and might increase the likelihood of a positive outcome. You do what you gotta do.

[Cynthia]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith%27s_Food_and_Drug

Hey poochie!