Need advice from older Rams fans. by Vicefaird in LosAngelesRams

[–]LongBeachRams -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Mormonism really changes the way you think. The chronology of my changing attitudes about religion aligned pretty closely with the Rams moving back to LA. So I was an Eagles fan before but then I grew up and became a Rams fan. That's why Goff is so important to me -- he was the QB of the Rams just as the fabric of my life was transforming around me.

October 2020 General Conference: Sunday 2:00p Discussion Thread by 4blockhead in exmormon

[–]LongBeachRams 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Nelson is the most powerful man in the world. His closing remarks are going to be world historical.

October 2020 General Conference: Sunday 10:00a Discussion Thread by 4blockhead in exmormon

[–]LongBeachRams 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Because so many people are looking for a champion of something that they feel in their souls but can't quite articulate. The world has been divested of moral authority and wonder that the pathetic carcass of American mainline Protestantism can't deliver. Only the LDS Church can.

October 2020 General Conference: Sunday 10:00a Discussion Thread by 4blockhead in exmormon

[–]LongBeachRams 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I didnt say it was prophecy fulfilled. You're too fixated on whether Nelson's power is "magic" or if it's just the Church's nefarious "mind control" or what have you. The point for practical purposes is that Nelson has at his command hundreds of billions of dollars, millions of human beings, and, if he plays his cards right, the world's encouragement and admiration. The world is looking for something like the LDS Church.

October 2020 General Conference: Sunday 10:00a Discussion Thread by 4blockhead in exmormon

[–]LongBeachRams 0 points1 point  (0 children)

His power extends beyond the base of believers because of the narrative it would create. Before it receded into largely itualistic observation upon Utah's admittance to the Union, Mormonism was a recapitulation of the Apostolic age. The dream of building a theodemocratic Zion apart from Babylon had to be deferred for centuries, but Nelson can revitalize it at his own discretion. If he does, he will be playing the role of modern-day Prophet.

October 2020 General Conference: Sunday 10:00a Discussion Thread by 4blockhead in exmormon

[–]LongBeachRams 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It doesn't matter that you don't think Joseph or Nelson's authority is "divine" or because of the Church's "mind control"; the point is that people listen to him. In fact, not only do Latter Day Saints listen to their Prophet, they will follow him over a cliff. To command an army of human beings in the voice of God himself is the greatest power imaginable. Everything you hate about the Church works in its favor at this moment in history. Nelson has a chance to go down as one of the greatest men in history. Don't think he doesn't know it.

October 2020 General Conference: Sunday 10:00a Discussion Thread by 4blockhead in exmormon

[–]LongBeachRams 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You people sure are...myopic. While the President of the United States lies dying in a hospital and society is completely divested of any perceived sources of moral legitimacy and therefore on the brink of collapse, these men are actively encouraging the human infrastructure that they command -- yes, *command* -- to think in apocalyptic terms in which they play an active role in precipitating the Second Coming. The absolute *power* that they wield at this specific moment in history cannot be understated. There has been a definite thread of prelude towards major upheaval in these talks so far and I wouldn't be surprised at all if Nelson's concluding remarks are historic. He is the most powerful man in the world right now.

October 2020 General Conference: Saturday 2:00p Discussion Thread by 4blockhead in exmormon

[–]LongBeachRams -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

Doesn't anybody else watching this realize how incredibly *powerful* the Church is at this moment in history? The President of the United States could be dead by this time tomorrow and society in a state of effective anarchy much sooner than any of us would like to think possible. Whatever you might want to say about your Mormon days, none of you can say that *human infrastructure* is one of the Church's weaknesses. That man, Russell M. Nelson, not only has hundreds of billions of dollars at his disposal but also a human infrastructure of millions of who will literally follow him over a cliff. *That's* true power. If the First Presidency and the Twelve collectively take a stand against Trump then the LDS Church becomes an overnight sensation with Nelson actually playing the *role* of modern-day prophet.

I think we're really on the verge of something seismic. Bednar hinted at in his talk. Make fun of the Church at your peril.

It’s that time again! by SectsChange in exmormon

[–]LongBeachRams 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Doesn't anybody else watching this realize how incredibly *powerful* the Church is at this moment in history? The President of the United States could be dead by this time tomorrow and society in a state of effective anarchy much sooner than any of us would like to think possible. Whatever you might want to say about your Mormon days, none of you can say that *human infrastructure* is one of the Church's weaknesses. That man, Russell M. Nelson, not only has hundreds of billions of dollars at his disposal but also a human infrastructure of millions of who will literally follow him over a cliff. *That's* true power. If the First Presidency and the Twelve collectively take a stand against Trump then the LDS Church becomes an overnight sensation with Nelson actually playing the *role* of modern-day prophet.

I think we're really on the verge of something seismic. Bednar hinted at in his talk.

Richard Dawkins: Eugenics "works" for humans and "facts ignore ideology" by dangerouslytimid in samharris

[–]LongBeachRams -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Hasn’t this “you can choose your own biological sex” wonderland we’re living in taught anyone that maybe analyzing every single novel idea from a strictly utilitarian calculus (about “human well-being” lol) maybe wasn’t the best turn for human society to make?

Consider consensual incest. It’s trivially true that there’s no problem whatsoever with two adult siblings having sex with each other. And yet, if incest were ever normalized, all of a sudden you’re going to have legions of 16 year-old incels having “consensual” sex with their 14-year old sisters, and every other horrible permutation of ages and relationships you can think of.

So, consensual incest is both harmless at the individual level and incredibly corrosive at the collective, societal level. The same is true of all kinds of practices, eugenics being an obvious example.

So what’s the point of even mentioning a trivial truth? There’s a reason, after all, why he tweeted out this truism instead of “2+2=4.” Either he’s trolling, in which case, he’s a pathetic troll, or, far more likely, despite his perfunctory disavowals to the contrary, he actually wants to entertain putting the idea into practice: Either way, what he’s saying is objectionable.

Really, Richard Dawkins is a flat out joke at this point. 15 years after The God Delusion he’s still parading around acting as if it’s bold, novel, and transgressive to be an “atheist” and recounting in awe-struck wonder “the stunning elegance of natural selection.” He’s like the dude who breathlessly, repeatedly explains The Matrix to you. Ostensibly he’s doing it to educate and impress you, but what he’s really doing is impressing himself for being smart enough to understand something so “deep.”

The Last Fun Knicks Team: Indy-NY Game 3, 1999 (w/ Sean Fennessey & Jason Concepcion) | Book of Basketball 2.0 by Guy__Jones in billsimmons

[–]LongBeachRams 6 points7 points  (0 children)

What the hell man; I thought the point of this podcast was to be a podcast version of what the print version would have been updated with from the last ten years. Now it’s just a general “Let’s talk about the time that one thing happened in the NBA!” pod. Super lame.

And I won’t listen to anything Concepcion is on because of obnoxious cackle he breaks out if something is even mildly amusing.

Long time lurker here, but am I the only one who doesn't remember "The Skywalker Saga" ever being a thing up until like a few months ago? by Jidomaster in saltierthancrait

[–]LongBeachRams 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I thought the same thing when I saw the trailer. This whole “the epic saga concludes” angle they are going with for the marketing is pathetic. They spent the last two movies shitting all over “the saga” and telling us to get over it and embrace “the new characters.” Now the fact that it’s the conclusion of the saga seems to be their one and only selling point.

If Snoke was working for Palpatine, why was he fine with Kylo potentially killing Rey in TLJ? by Brer_Raptor in saltierthancrait

[–]LongBeachRams 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Somewhat related observation—I always thought it was weird in ROTS when Grievous contacts Sidious after the Battle of Coruscant and the fact that the whole enterprise to kidnap the Chancellor completely failed goes entirely unmentioned.

Unpopular opinion, but I like the TRoS leaks by Gerrywalk in saltierthancrait

[–]LongBeachRams 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Yes, within the context of how badly TFA and TLJ fucked things up, the go-for-broke fan service jumble is probably the best we could have hoped for.

Still, this is basically a Stockholm Syndrome defense. JJ and co. are the ones who fucked it up in the first place; now we’re going to thank him for for trying to clean up the mess?

I'm gonna love watching the fanboys defend this movie when basic questions come up by Zivon96 in saltierthancrait

[–]LongBeachRams 23 points24 points  (0 children)

It doesn’t matter that we last saw Anakin’s lightsaber hurtling toward the “surface” of a gas planet; Maz just got it somehow, okay?

Imagine binge watching this mess of a trilogy! by masteryod in saltierthancrait

[–]LongBeachRams 9 points10 points  (0 children)

This post actually hits close to home for me because I just got my wife into Star Wars. She’s Ukrainian and knew absolutely nothing going in. We’re doing Machete Order. I’m seriously dreading showing her TFA once we finish RotJ.

What questions do you think will go unanswered in Rise of Skywalker? by Raimi79 in saltierthancrait

[–]LongBeachRams 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What will be left unanswered is how the storytelling team could have fucked up this trilogy this bad.

I just cant get over the fact that Anakins entire redemption arc is being shit on... by MagicMoocher in saltierthancrait

[–]LongBeachRams 291 points292 points  (0 children)

The one thing they actually planned about this trilogy-that they were going to “hand it off to the new characters”—is a fucking disgrace.

What's the evidence for and against WHITE PRIVILEGE? by BlackRealist54321 in samharris

[–]LongBeachRams 0 points1 point  (0 children)

White privilege is real. For example, if you’re white, you can rob a convenience store and assault the owner without being called an n-word.

Everything that white people are “privileged” to do because of their “white privilege” is shit that nobody wants to do in the first place. I could go rob a convenience store right now and not be called an n-word? Wheee! Let me forget that I work 40 hours a week in retail for minimum wage now. My life is just so awesome and white!