DEA wants to hassle Mormons or preppers...

I think you misunderstand the Mormon Philosophy concerning Individual Protection of FAMILY, by it's Members. This issue goes way back to the 1830s and 40s, and when the Mormons were driven out of Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, by MOBs, and the Founder of the Church, Murdered. After these things happened, and during the move West, to Utah, Mormons were enlisted in the Mexican War as the Mormon Battalion. They learned much, during that service, to a country that forced them to flee, from their Homes. When these boys returned to Utah, from California, after being Mustered Out, they brought all their weapons with them, and the saying was " Never Again will we be bullied, or MOBed" When the President of the United States sent the Johnston Army to the Utah Territory, to put down a so-called "Rebellion" the Mormons took action, in their own Defense. They attacked, and destroyed, the Supply Trains, that followed the Armies March. Disrupted their movements, and forced them to spend a very cold winter at Fort Laramie, with few provisions. Then they were ready to Burn Down everything, in the way of the Spring Push, and move south, out of the valley with a Scotched Earth Policy, should the Army make it thru the Mountain Passes into the Valley, which they had heavily fortified. "Never Again" was the Watchword for the defenders. Turned out they didn't have to fight one Battle, as the "Army" was starving, and in such a poor state, they couldn't have attacked anything. The "Army" was ALLOWED, to move thru SaltLake City with NO Colors Flying, and setup a small Fort, just south of the "Point of the Mountain" which is still an Army Base, Today. Their supplies had to be purchased from the Mormons, and their Supply Trains, from the east, were NOT ALLOWED, to have ANY Armed Escorts thru the Territory. "Never Again" is still the Watchword" to this day. You will NOT hear much about what the Utah Valley Mormons have in the way of weapons, as these are FAMILY Issues, but I KNOW, that at the first sign of an Intrusion, by an Outside Force, by use of Arms, it would take less than a Day, to form up Companies of Armed Men, able to defend their Homes and families. "Never Again" ...... YMMV....

 

Larry, would you be surprised to hear that many people don't believe in God? and they are still good, decent, hard working and moral people?

 

Sorry to disagree Larry but I don't think morals come from God any more than I think homosexuality comes from "satan." Morals are not the exclusive province of the Judeo-Christian world. I believe that morals evolve in a society over time and in context of the culture in which they exist. Our ethics and moral compasses are, to an extent, self defined and self serving. The saying "honor among thieves" comes to mind. I may find thievery immoral but within that limited community that accepts it as the norm, honor is moral and dishonor is immoral. It's completely in context.

My moral character is a result of the family in which I was raised and I'm quite satisfied with my value system but drop me into the center of an Amish community and I would be seen as a woman of low moral character. If I were/am viewed as immoral by others, it's of little matter to me.

 

The day a human being dares to insist they are moral only because of the belief in an invisible being and expects me to believe it based on the track record any 2nd grade child can obtain, (dare we count the holy wars waged in the name of gods?) I will sprout wings myself and declare to be Metatron and imbibe gasoline, strike a match and self ignite.

Be good. Love one another. Be honest with yourself. Stand ready.

That being said, I have nothing further to add.

 

I'm not biting.

Keep your religion in the religious section of the forum. Always remember you are communicating with other human beings who might actually have a high enough IQ to call BS when they read it.

 

If morals are based solely on the word of God, using the ten commandments as the biblical Bill of Rights/Bill of Forbidden, are there any circumstances in which one of the ten commandments could be broken but the act still be moral? Take, for example, stealing. Stealing from avarice would be immoral but would stealing food to feed your starving family also be immoral? Thou shalt not kill is commandment number one, clearly immoral in our culture and by the word of God. However, what if I kill defensively to protect my life or that of another, or in combat in defense of my country? Would either of those qualify as moral acts?

I'm always confused by absolutes.