The problem with Mormons

[_Bond...James Bond]

There is only one god that we worship.

Gaz

You only worship one God. Are there other Gods that you don't worship-Yes or No?

Bond

[_Sam Harris]

Hey GIMR!

I answered your further question about Anne Rice in a PM so we wouldn't derail the thread completely! LOL

In answer to Bond's question of why religion is important at all...I think the importance of religion stems on a lot of levels...most of them being tradition.

I think that we all long for an explanation for death, and the possibility of life after death. Religion offers us that solace. The organization accompanying religion offers a sense of community and companionship.

In ANY type of large organization, unfortunately, you are going to deal with gossip, people on power trips, etc. You have to be willing to accept the bad with the good.

LOL, but derailing a thread is so fun!

What you say is true, religion stems mainly from tradition these days. Which is why I try to hide from it. I have scary memories of my childhood forays into my grandmas' churches.

What comes after death is a scary thing for many, and yeah, that is a motivation for religion as well. Many like to think that if they do certain things, they'll be set. But tomorrow is promised to no one. As far as community, yes, that's what church's main function is for me. Community. I love my church family, and no matter how scarcely they see me, they're always loving to me. My pastor rocks, and I treasure every chance I get to learn from him, but to me my daily walk is just that, a daily walk. I have some friends who really get antsy at the thought that I don't attend church regularly. If they saw what I study on a daily basis just for school, not to mention what I do in my free time, they'd see I have plenty of "church". 80% of what I do as far as reading, music, what I watch on TV, it's based around Christianity. I don't shut stuff out, but hell, I'm a religious studies major! To me, God is everywhere. So I can tap in whenever I want. The ultimate convenience, LOL.

Yeah, I've come to realize that there are humans in church. And one of the classes I've been taking actually posed a very challenging thought to me, the idea of not abandoning a toxic church, rather staying and trying to be a force for positive change. I think this is possible on a congregational level, when you don't have higher ups nulling and voiding your every move. Which is why I gave up on my conquest of sorts with regards to cultural issues in the LDS church. Only time is gonna solve that problem.

A friend once said that the devil is most active up in church. Makes one go hmmmm.....

[_Sam Harris]

You get from God what you give him.

You get answers to prayer by praying, and it builds and grows from there.

Its called the refiners fire, and sometimes its hard, purposely so.


Gaz

Very true and insightful. You do get from God what you give him. Hence the phrase "God helps those who help themselves". When I was young and struggling, my dad's mom used to say to me, "just have faith". I had no idea what to do with that. Sometimes faith requires patience...which is what she was asking me to have back then. Sometimes faith requires action. Back then, faith to me was getting out of bed each morning, even when I didn't want to. Today, faith is wating for another job to come through. *sigh* I hate being without a paycheck! Grrr...

As far as the refiner's fire, I have often said that I would not change my past, as difficult as it was. I wouldn't change a thing, I wouldn't get rid of one beating, I wouldn't bring one person back from the dead, I wouldn't shut one kid's mouth so they wouldn't tease me, I wouldn't stop one lie from being said about me. All that adversity, that refiner's fire, it shaped me into someone I love dearly, someone I'm happy with. Someone who is far more secure than many of my female contemporaries. And I'm grateful to God for all he brought me through to get here.

My pastor once said that in life there are three kinds of storms: storms of correction, storms of direction, and storms of perfection. I like that analogy.

[_Mercury]

Mormonism is the same as the eternal. The principles taught are eternal.

Then why do they (the "eternal principals" ) keep changing?

[_Sam Harris]

Mormonism is the same as the eternal. The principles taught are eternal.

Then why do they (the "eternal principals" ) keep changing?

ROFL!!! Aw damn, why'd you have to go there?

[_Gazelam]

Yes, there are more Gods than one, but only one that we worship.

Read those scriptures in John again to see how this works.

Gaz

[_Gazelam]

Thank you for your comments.

I like what your pastor said about storms.

Gaz

[_Gazelam]

What doctrine changed, please share.

Gaz

[_Mercury]

Yes, there are more Gods than one, but only one that we worship.

Read those scriptures in John again to see how this works.

Gaz

Hes quoting the faerie book again!

I don't think gaz realizes that him quoting scripture would be like an exmo trying to quote the Tanners for backup.

[_Mercury]

What doctrine changed, please share.

Gaz

Do you practice polygamy?

Do you beieve that africans are dark skinned because they were fence sitters in teh pre existence?

Do you believe in the aw of consecration as practiced in the United Order?

All of these things are not subject to varying dispensations but in the words of "prophets" are "eternal principals".

THere are many more.