Well shucks, you got me there. Pot, meet Kettle. 
I’d say I need to modify my hypothesis.
I’m wondering if the OP has any idea what the LDS church mean by priestcraft?
DISCLAIMER: Believe in the Theory of Body Signals at your own risk, as I can’t prove them to be true at this time. Stick with the tried-and-true methods of determining spiritual truth via reading the scriptures, pondering them and praying about their truthfulness (Moroni 10:3-5 in the Book of Mormon and James 1:5 in the Bible).
Which brought you such tried-and-true results as the Spanish Inquisition, burning heretics, and covering up for pedophile priests.
Heh. I’d bet my itchy right nut that I’ve considered belief in Mormonism with more sincerity and open-mindedness than you’ve considered atheism. Hell, I’d probably also bet my itchy left nut that I’ve considered Mormonism with more sincerity and open-mindedness than you’ve considered Mormonism.
Priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the Welfare of Zion…. But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish. And oh, yeah, itchy left elbows supersede all of this. Amen
Pay up, then. I grew up a Latter-day Saint, attended all the meetings, was baptized at age eight, was ordained a deacon, teacher and priest in the Aaronic Priesthood and an elder in the Melchizedek Priesthood (but never served a mission); graduated a four-year Seminary student in high school years; have served as Primary, Sunday School, Priesthood and Choir Pianist and twice as Ward Organist; made it to Life Boy Scout and Senior Patrol Leader; have read the Old Testament twice, the New Testament three or four times, the Book of Mormon six or seven times, and the D&C and PoGP once or twice.
There’s a difference between priestcraft and the request that “every member should be a missionary.” I’m authorized to be a member missionary and my bishop told me I could write a book on the body signals, so no priestcraft there. Jesus Christ is my personal savior and I have a testimony that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His true church. This testimony I bear in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Well, you got me. I can’t play piano or organ. And I’ve only read the OT once, but read D&C and PoGP many times. But other than that, I can add elders quorum teacher, Sunday School president, missionary for 2 years, zone leader, married in the temple, and was never “inactive”. So ya, let’s compare résumés to see who investigated Mormonism more seriously.
If you want to catch up, how about studying PoGP in more detail with an open mind and a sincere desire to know the truth. Look at Book of Abraham facsimiles 1, 2, and 3. Joseph Smith interprets the drawings, and in some instances (facsimile 3, I think) gives direct translations of hieroglyphs above the people drawn. Now look up on Google. How did Joseph do? Did he have a supernatural gift for translating ancient Egyptian scripture? Or is it probable that he was making stuff up? Remember, open-mindedness is the goal here.
And to bring us back to the subject of the thread, that’s what I was doing nearly 7 years ago when my right palm started permanently itching. Right palm is good, right? Maybe I was onto something.
Here’s what lds.org says on this topic: Translation of the Book of Abraham
Yes, I’ve already read that. I think it was written by a guy named Rhodes. No relation.
I’m sure you’re aware that “open-mindedness” involves studying both sides of an issue. So if you were sincere and had real intent to find truth, you’d need to look outside of the Joseph Smith Fan Club to assess the validity of his translations.
That’s all well and fine, but as one Apostle has said (to paraphrase), we don’t give equal time to the Adversary. We are one-sided. So while atheism requires looking at both sides of the issue, faith has no such requirement. No man pleases God without faith. To gain faith, we need to study and ponder the scriptures, then ask God in prayer to give us a witness within our hearts that what we just read is true.
Even if we just desire to have faith, we can let that desire work within us and nurture it like a seedling, giving it figurative water and sunshine until it is a strong testimony of the truth.
So “faith”.and “truth”.are mutually exclusive concepts, gotcha.
Nice. You keep demanding open-mindedness from us, while you’ve been commanded by an Apostle to be closed-minded.
My old pastor would have choice words for you, I think, although I wouldn’t speak for that kind old man whom I haven’t seen in over a decade.
Doubt is the heart and soul of faith. Through doubt, faith is either tempered or shattered - but in either case it’s better off for having been tested. Also in either case your god knew which way you were really skewing all along in your most secret of hearts, so you might as well get in on that memo while you’re at it.
And by the way, the Catholic Church at least *does “*give equal time to the Adversary”. Where do you think the phrase “devil’s advocate” sprang from ?
Thank you. This is about as clear an explanation of what is wrong with religious faith as any I’ve ever seen. And it’s straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. I’m going to copy/paste/save this for future reference.
And baaack to the point of all this- what is needed is the Koranic (Quaranic?) equivalent of the above, spread among ISIS members such that they question the godliness of their behavior. Maybe they will listen to the Koran, though I suspect they have an impenetrable way of interpreting it. Either way, I doubt they would ever respect your Life Scout badge or any Mormon credential you care to name.
(not to pick on Boy Scouts. I was a Life Scout myself)
Thank you for getting back on topic. I agree with you–ISIS will probably laugh at this thread if they ever see it, and that will be that. I don’t know much about the Koran myself, so I’m left to wonder if it says anything about ISIS’s interpretation of it. 
This is what I was complaining about earlier in the thread. In order to start to believe it, you have to first believe it.