NOM

alas wrote: ↑Sun Apr 02, 2023 10:07 am My DH managed to turn it on, but he put ear phones in because he wants to avoid comments from the peanut gallery (me) but now he has fallen asleep. [start sarcasm] Funny how terribly important conference is to believers. [End sarcasm]

Conference can be sleep-inducing. Following along on NOM concurrently can help keep you awake.

I would like the blessing of good-tasting no-calorie ice cream.

Okay, so Rusty is up next.

asb wrote: ↑Sun Apr 02, 2023 10:09 am This is disgusting. The day my spouse died, all I wanted to do is spend the rest of the day with my kids. It didn't even occur to me to do the other things we had planned. Going to the temple for a routine visit is absolutely disrespectful.

I agree, this is disrespectful. It demonstrates very clearly that they love the church and not her as a human being. Why do Mormons deny grief by burying it under a ton of “faith”? Even if we will see them again, the rest of my life without my mother is still one hell of a long time. I am going to spend the time missing and remembering her and celebrating the wonderful brilliant woman she was, not sitting through a boring repetitive ceremony that has nothing to do with either her of Jesus Christ.

I have already told at least one of my children that when I die, I want an old fashioned Irish wake, complete with whiskey and wailing.

Good for you Alas !!!

Sh!t

Anyone think this experience really happened? Anyone?

I don't even know where to go with this.

Does he understand the difference between "being mean" and calling our someone's harmful bullsh!t? Because I don't think he does.

My trauma therapist helped me see how this whole "contention is of the devil" thing is just a way for the church to shame us when we feel hurt.

I liked that.

Someone returns early from a mission
Gets divorced
Questions their testimony
Of becoming politically polarized

Judging them and criticizing DOES NOT HELP!

-lost

lostinmiddlemormonism wrote: ↑Sun Apr 02, 2023 10:22 am Anyone think this experience really happened? Anyone?

Nelson does like embellished stories. This story will probably be researched by the crack detectives at Discuss Mormonism. If they find something, it might make the Radio Free Mormon podcast. Surgeons throwing scalpels infected with gangrene and ending up stuck in Nelson's arm!!!

While there are some things in this talk that I don't love, I agree with the overall premise. We all need to be nicer to each other, everywhere.

This may be may favorite of Nelson's talks.

+10

Edit: calling it my favorite isn't saying much. I dislike most of everything he says.

lostinmiddlemormonism wrote: ↑Sun Apr 02, 2023 10:30 am I liked that.

Someone returns early from a mission
Gets divorced
Questions their testimony
Of becoming politically polarized

Judging them and criticizing DOES NOT HELP!

-lost

I don't think anyone has ever said this in GC before. +20

I agree plus 30 for Rusty

græy wrote: ↑Sun Apr 02, 2023 10:31 am While there are some things in this talk that I don't love, I agree with the overall premise. We all need to be nicer to each other, everywhere.

This may be may favorite of Nelson's talks.

+10

Edit: calling it my favorite isn't saying much. I dislike most of everything he says.

I can't think of a better one he's ever given, honestly.

Even the joke was actually decent, and relevant.

-lost

Well done Rusty. I didn't see that one coming.

Finally caught one talk, and this one wasnt bad. I was rolling my eyeballs a bit, but it was the line about not getting peace at any price that earned a +25 from me. It was a standard submissive nonsense word salad that I hate about talks like this until he said that.

I agree, this is one of Rusty's finest. Probably his only finest.

this prayer has gone on long enough to get me through a tsa checkpoint!

-lost

Oaks: -10 for reminding us of his presence by conducting the session
Christofferson: -25 for giving us permission to disagree on important stuff like sports teams, but whatever you do, submit to the church (especially when they threaten you).
Johnson: 0 - Nice try at a Christ-centered talk, but it just fell flat, especially with frequent appeals to RMN and devolving into instruction on obedience.
-5 for the occasional slips into primary voice
Soares: +5 for an attempt at focusing on Jesus, but it was just boring to listen to.
Yamashita: -5 for another talk about patriarchal blessings being special. At least he recognized that they don't address all the situations in our lives.
Anderson: -25 for twisting RMN's recent changes into somehow helping us focus on Christ (such as no more "Mormon," two-hour church, temples, temples, temples).
-50 for a terrible story about a dad dishonoring his wife by going to the temple literally later in the same day that she died.
Duncan: -10 for making it all about temples and pretending that no one else in the world believes in eternal families.
Nelson: +50 for a really good talk about avoiding conflict and being a peacemaker.
-10 for giving many pretty words about the evils of prejudice and how all are invited, while ignoring how the church he leads marginalizes some people (e.g., women, LGBTQ, etc.).