Confessions of an LDS Free-thinker (3)

This is the third of my confessions. I think. Lately, one of the things I have been wrestling with is the meaning of the words sustain and emulate. This is simply because my Bishop of my Church congregation (called a ward) has been giving me some grief over what sustain and emulate actually mean. As a free thinker, I'm an agent unto myself and I am capable of creating as God does. Same as any other human on the planet.

However, in my quest to learn more, I am frustrated by my Bishop's understanding of what it means to support the Leaders of the Church. I support the leaders of the Church, I really do, but as far I understand things, my support can go only so far as sustain is defined. However, my bishop is only interested in "sustaining" the Leaders as so far as emulating them as examples of how we aught to live our lives. And this gives me a headache since I do not believe in blind obedience.

sustain

Transitive Verb.
Pronunciation: \sə-ˈstān\

Function: transitive verb

Etymology:

Middle English sustenen, from Anglo-French sustein-, stem of sustenir, from Latin sustinēre to hold up, sustain, from sub-, sus- up + tenēre to hold — more at sub-, thin

Date:

13th century

1: to give support or relief to
2: to supply with sustenance : nourish
3: keep up, prolong
4: to support the weight of : prop; also : to carry or withstand (a weight or pressure)
5: to buoy up <sustained by hope>
6 a: to bear up under b: suffer, undergo <sustained heavy losses>
7 a: to support as true, legal, or just b: to allow or admit as valid sustained the motion>
8: to support by adequate proof : confirm sustains our contention>

Now, emulate.

emulate

Pronunciation:

\ˈem-yə-ˌlāt, -yü-\

Function:

transitive verb

Inflected Form(s):

em·u·lat·ed; em·u·lat·ing

Etymology:

Latin aemulatus, past participle of aemulari, from aemulus rivaling

Date:

1582

1 a: to strive to equal or excel b: imitate; especially : to imitate by means of an emulator
2: to equal or approach equality with

So, are we supposed to bear up our leaders, to buoy them up, and to support them as legal and just? Or are we suposed to imitate them? Really, I have no idea at what my bishop is trying to get at. If it is the former, I do that wholeheartedly. The latter, I'm not to sure about. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are taught that Jesus' life is our example, and that Jesus is our exemplar. Jesus is the Master of all the masters; His teachings supercede Buddha's, Lao Tzu's, Confucius', Moses', and Joseph Smith's. These other masters all complement their Master in their teachings on how a person can reach his or her fullest potential. So, why is emulating President Hinckley more important than living the Life of Jesus? I have no idea; but I'm beginning to feel that I'm being pulled this way and that way with my relationship to my bishop.

Jiang Hu Hong Kong (and Salt Lake City)

After my censure by ICE, I decided to work on a few things that would prove that I'm capable of originality. The first thing is an adventure designed for strong action in a world of Shadow and Martial Arts; a shared world known as Jiang Hu (which means "Rivers and Lakes").

In this first, adrenaline charged, high octane adventure; our intrepid band of adventurers start in Salt Lake City and fly to Hong Kong to retrieve an artifact stolen from the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.

The adventure should contain lots of explosions and be a good, all around can of action and adventure. A high FX Adventure, the adventure is based on the d20 Modern System.

Stage of Draft: Rough.

Working with the Youth

I'm working with the Youth in my Church Group and have volunteered to join the Boy Scout Troop on the merit badge council. Although I have to wear those stupid swimsuits when I go swimming with the youth (a naked leader with the youth doesn't come with good consequences); it's a set up I have to deal with.

I'll save the swimsuit arguement at a later time.

Anyway, as secretary, I pass boys off for their Scout advancements and merit badges. Although I thought that I'd be doing something else. I'll probably will. The fun hasn't really kicked off yet. :) I was called as Young Men's Secretary earilier this month. I haven't been updating my blog; mostly because my MS Windows computer has been giving me distress. I want to shoot it with a 12 gauge shotgun (BLAM!).

Writing for ICE

My dream for writing for Rolemaster has been dashed mostly because I have a problem coming up with original stuff. Well, the problem is simple. I do have a hard time coming up with original stuff. This is simply because I agonize over it. I fuss and fuss and don't let the gear work turn. ;)

However, the gear works have turned, actually. I did think of something original. It's an idea that will work nicely.

School

Sorry about the relative quietness, but I'm making preparations to go back to school. As of today, my computer has been going haywire lately. A windows ME machine, it has been trying my patience. I scream at it every time I get a fatal error. It's just insane to buy another Windows Machine.

So, I've decided to stop the insanity and pick up an Apple MacBook Pro. It's mainly for school, and it's been fortuitous to get ready for school and get a private education loan. So, it's a plus.