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Hey dude, I'm a Christian too. However, you gotta realize that it's extremism that leads people to want to fly planes into buildings, something the FAA might b

Hey dude, I'm a Christian too. However, you gotta realize that it's extremism that leads people to want to fly planes into buildings, something the FAA might be inclined to care a bit about. Also, mix religious extremism with quips like "the US must die", and you've got a pretty good explanation for why your application might have been denied. Also, extremism like this is not the best way to lead new people to Christ, bro. Jesus didn't care about whose face was on the denarius.

gavinhoward 3y ago
> Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets. [1] That's the kind of dying I'm talking about. Not extremist. That blog post is saying that the US is like Sodom and Gomorrha: there's a lot of evil, and God will eventually destroy it. I'm not saying it's our job to. Absolutely not. [1]: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world?lang=eng https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/the-fam...
- woodruffw 3y ago
  The distinction between "God will destroy the US" and "my interpretation of my religious group must destroy the US" is not an appreciable one from the US government's perspective, particularly when you consider that religious people tend to justify their actions in the name of their god.
  - gavinhoward 3y ago
    Which are fair points, including the one about "religious" people justifying their actions, for which I added a note to my post that says this: > Edit 2023-05-11: After confusion on Hacker News, I want to clarify the previous statement. > I believe that the United States must die, but I believe that God alone must do it by natural disaster, as with what happened with Sodom and Gomorrha. It is not for any individual or group to do, especially not the Latter-day Saints. > > We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly; > > – D&C 134:5 [1] [1]: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/134?lang=eng&id=5#p5 https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-test...
    - weeblewobble 3y ago
      No disrespect to you personally but after reading all your comments in this thread I definitely wouldn’t want you flying a plane that I was on
      - gavinhoward 3y ago
        I'm not sure how what you said could not be taken personally, to be honest. But whatever; I know my beliefs are not in vogue. And you don't have to worry about it; I want to fly helicopters.
    - serf 3y ago
      does adding a caveat to a wish for national destruction that it should be a natural disaster rather than a human group so as to avoid personal retribution for the comment seem like a Christian thing to do? Keep in mind that you're not wishing for less suffering during the calamity. You're not wishing for those that are innocent to be spared. You're not wishing for mercy. You're wishing for a cataclysm to destroy your enemies on a national level, and you don't want any guff for the opinion. None of these things strike me as something Jesus Christ would do.
      - gavinhoward 3y ago
        Your criticism is valid because my wording was bad. I do not wish for national destruction, actually. As I said somewhere in this thread, my communication skills are not good; I tend toward strong statements, too strong. My wife has worked on helping me overcome that, and I am better than I was two years ago when I wrote that post. I've added a note to the post addressing your criticism. See another one of my replies to one of your comments.
  - denton-scratch 3y ago
    During The Troubles, Dr. Ian Paisley used to say "God will blow up the IRA". Everyone knew what he meant.

gavinhoward 3y ago

> Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets. [1] That's the kind of dying I'm talking about. Not extremist. That blog post is saying that the US is like Sodom and Gomorrha: there's a lot of evil, and God will eventually destroy it. I'm not saying it's our job to. Absolutely not. [1]: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world?lang=eng https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/the-fam...

woodruffw 3y ago
The distinction between "God will destroy the US" and "my interpretation of my religious group must destroy the US" is not an appreciable one from the US government's perspective, particularly when you consider that religious people tend to justify their actions in the name of their god.
- gavinhoward 3y ago
  Which are fair points, including the one about "religious" people justifying their actions, for which I added a note to my post that says this: > Edit 2023-05-11: After confusion on Hacker News, I want to clarify the previous statement. > I believe that the United States must die, but I believe that God alone must do it by natural disaster, as with what happened with Sodom and Gomorrha. It is not for any individual or group to do, especially not the Latter-day Saints. > > We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly; > > – D&C 134:5 [1] [1]: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/134?lang=eng&id=5#p5 https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-test...
  - weeblewobble 3y ago
    No disrespect to you personally but after reading all your comments in this thread I definitely wouldn’t want you flying a plane that I was on
    - gavinhoward 3y ago
      I'm not sure how what you said could not be taken personally, to be honest. But whatever; I know my beliefs are not in vogue. And you don't have to worry about it; I want to fly helicopters.
  - serf 3y ago
    does adding a caveat to a wish for national destruction that it should be a natural disaster rather than a human group so as to avoid personal retribution for the comment seem like a Christian thing to do? Keep in mind that you're not wishing for less suffering during the calamity. You're not wishing for those that are innocent to be spared. You're not wishing for mercy. You're wishing for a cataclysm to destroy your enemies on a national level, and you don't want any guff for the opinion. None of these things strike me as something Jesus Christ would do.
    - gavinhoward 3y ago
      Your criticism is valid because my wording was bad. I do not wish for national destruction, actually. As I said somewhere in this thread, my communication skills are not good; I tend toward strong statements, too strong. My wife has worked on helping me overcome that, and I am better than I was two years ago when I wrote that post. I've added a note to the post addressing your criticism. See another one of my replies to one of your comments.
- denton-scratch 3y ago
  During The Troubles, Dr. Ian Paisley used to say "God will blow up the IRA". Everyone knew what he meant.