Gazelam wrote:Please share with us the straw that broke your camels back.
It wasn't one straw. It was just realizing that Mormonism requires you to maintain a huge structure of rationalizations just to make it even remotely plausible. When I was honest with myself, I stopped rationalizing and admitted the truth.
Gazelam wrote:Do you believe in the Bible? Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ?
Honestly, I don't really know. I was talking with my mission companion/BYU roommate on the phone this morning, and we seem to be in the same place these days: we would really like to believe in God, but we lean towards his nonexistence. 21 years ago, we were young, believing Mormons out to convert South America. And now look at us. But we both are happy and optimistic. Life is pretty good, you know?
There is a saying, I think its jewish, that when there is a stirring on Earth there is a stirring in heaven. If you want God to interact with you, you have to interact with him.
You need to strip things down to the basics, give yourself the old six discussions. Just give it a week of doing it the way your supposed to. Pray when and how you should, read an hour each night.
Just try it for a week, see if he answers you. Remember after you offer your prayer to stay on your knees for an extra minute, give God a quiet chance to answer you.
Gaz
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. - Plato
In a heartbeat. I'd lie six ways to Sunday, if I had to, and I'd feel no guilt for doing so. God does not put barriers between family members; only men do that, power-hungry, hard-hearted, hoist with their own petard, foolish arrogant men.
I allow nothing to get in the way of me being where I want to be for an important family event, and that certainly includes strangers in Salt Lake City.
Fortunately for me, my bishop does not require me to lie. "I don't know", and "I'm still working that out" is sufficient for him. His idea is that it's more important for me to be in the temple than for him to stand in a judgment he is not qualified to make. He is a gentle soul and a fine bishop.
Gazelam wrote:There is a saying, I think its jewish, that when there is a stirring on Earth there is a stirring in heaven. If you want God to interact with you, you have to interact with him.
You need to strip things down to the basics, give yourself the old six discussions. Just give it a week of doing it the way your supposed to. Pray when and how you should, read an hour each night.
Just try it for a week, see if he answers you. Remember after you offer your prayer to stay on your knees for an extra minute, give God a quiet chance to answer you.
Gaz
It's stuff like this that just makes me wonder about people. Do you seriously not think I haven't done this?