Breast implants

[Jarid in Cedar]

I like that quote.

My grandpa thought that it was completely embarrassing and inappropriate for any adult, especially an LDS adult, to wear shorts. Now everybody wears shorts. He thought women should always wear dresses instead of pants.

These cultural norms change over time. Eventually I'm sure I will be the old man who is appalled by the indecent stuff the young kids are wearing.

This is why we constantly hear about the decline of moral standings with each successive generation. The norms change and the old coots freak out(not you of course BYU71).
The good ole' days are a fantasy that some people make up to forget about how hard their life was growing up, raising kids, etc.

[smokymountainrain]

Serious question -- what's the test for determining if something that GBH said while president of the Church was a suggestion vs. a commandment? and what's the source for your answer?

If it is in line with the temple recommend questions or a commandment already found in the standard works, it's a commandment. If not, it is most likely counsel/suggestion.

Either that or if he tells the membership it's a commandment.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I'm very disappointed in you people. A thread that starts with breast implants changes into a discussion of tattoos and earrings and then shorts? Please, people...

STAY ON TOPIC!!

Actually, I am enjoying the irony. It is typically the other way around.

[scottie]

If it is in line with the temple recommend questions or a commandment already found in the standard works, it's a commandment. If not, it is most likely counsel/suggestion.

Either that or if he tells the membership it's a commandment.

I hate posting responses like this, but can you point me to your source? (Specifically, a talk given by a GA). Just trying to weed out opinions (fully aware that a talk given by a GA is pretty much still an opinion).

[smokymountainrain]

I hate posting responses like this, but can you point me to your source? (Specifically, a talk given by a GA). Just trying to weed out opinions (fully aware that a talk given by a GA is pretty much still an opinion).

I hate responses like that as well, but in this case your response is appropriate. I answered just your first question. No credible source as it is my opinion only.

[TripletDaddy]

Serious question -- what's the test for determining if something that GBH said while president of the Church was a suggestion vs. a commandment? and what's the source for your answer?

If you are in the process of judging someone else for not conforming to your personal interpretation, it is usually a commandment.

If you are in the process of rationalizing your own behavior, it is usually a suggestion.

If you are SeattleUte, it is usually Mark E. Peterson, regardless of the question.

[SoonerCoug]

Here is another question. If the body is a temple, and we're allowed to paint the temple walls, then why aren't we allowed to do artwork on the body?

Besides, you can always remove a tattoo if you regret it later.

[YOUTUBE]aRgLUoJdcOU[/YOUTUBE]

[scottie]

I hate responses like that as well, but in this case your response is appropriate. I answered just your first question. No credible source as it is my opinion only.

Somewhat off-topic, but about five years ago our SS president at the time was also a CES employee (full-time seminary teacher). I was in a GD class (the SS prez was also in attendance) and there was good class participation this particular Sunday. At the end of class just before the closing prayer the SS prez stands up and points out that something like 57 statements made in class that day (he had written them all down) were "false doctrine" (i.e., opinions stated as doctrine rather than opinions) and that we needed to stop doing that. It was a pretty good message I thought, not sure how the teacher or those who had participated felt about it though.

[il Padrino Ute]

Here is another question. If the body is a temple, and we're allowed to paint the temple walls, then why aren't we allowed to do artwork on the body?

Besides, you can always remove a tattoo if you regret it later.

[youtube]aRgLUoJdcOU[/youtube]

If you're saying you want a tattoo, you don't need anyone here to give you permission. Just go get one.

[SoonerCoug]

If you're saying you want a tattoo, you don't need anyone here to give you permission. Just go get one.

Actually it's my wife that wants a tattoo.

[RC Vikings]

Why has the Church spoken out against tattoos and extra earrings but not against breast implants? It seems to me that all of these things are just attempts to decorate or beautify the body.

None of the wives of the church leaders had tattoos and very few had more then one piercing so it was safe to go here. Not so with the boob jobs.

[il Padrino Ute]

Actually it's my wife that wants a tattoo.

What's stopping her?

[pellegrino]

Somewhat off-topic, but about five years ago our SS president at the time was also a CES employee (full-time seminary teacher). I was in a GD class (the SS prez was also in attendance) and there was good class participation this particular Sunday. At the end of class just before the closing prayer the SS prez stands up and points out that something like 57 statements made in class that day (he had written them all down) were "false doctrine" (i.e., opinions stated as doctrine rather than opinions) and that we needed to stop doing that. It was a pretty good message I thought, not sure how the teacher or those who had participated felt about it though.

Here's the link you asked for, straight from LDS.org

http://www.newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsr...ormon-doctrine

Notable highlight for me:

Not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. A single statement made by a single leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, but is not meant to be officially binding for the whole Church. With divine inspiration, the First Presidency (the prophet and his two counselors) and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the second-highest governing body of the Church) counsel together to establish doctrine that is consistently proclaimed in official Church publications.

[LA Ute]

Right on.

Piercings and tattoos are just cultural traditions that evolve over time and geography. If the LDS Church really wants to be an international church, it sure seems strange to give out edicts based on conservative US norms.

In cultures where tattoos are the norm (New Zealand) or nose rings are the norm (India, maybe), why would Americans try to impose their own cultural traditions on people from other countries where those cultural traditions differ?

Since we've been talking about the Mayo Clinic in other threads, I was reminded of how I learned when I was in residency there that employees are forbidden from having any "visible tattoos." I knew some secretaries and nurses with tattoos that they had to keep hidden. One male nurse who had been in the Navy had to always wear long-sleeved shirts at work to cover his tattoos.

While I understand why the Church (like the Mayo Clinic) wants its members to maintain a clean-cut, professional image, the advice on piercings and tattoos just seems overly Utah-centric.

Do we know that the Church promotes these standards outside the USA? My bother in-law wore a lava-lava the entire time he was on his mission to Fiji.

[ERCougar]

None of the wives of the church leaders had tattoos and very few had more then one piercing so it was safe to go here. Not so with the boob jobs.

LOL...this was my thought too.

On a side note, in SS today, we had a lesson on D&C 89. The teacher first explained that originally it was "not by constraint or commandment" until about 1930 because the first church leaders needed a grace period to break their previously formed addictions. Later, he read verse 3

Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints.

and emphasized that the Word of Wisdom can be followed by "even the weakest" if they really want to be called saints.

I thought about asking his opinion of the first 100 years of church leaders, but I decided against it.