Bazooka wrote:
You mean "go ahead and present your case....again".
Man A - born 1965 in Texas, lives his life without coming into contact with the LDS Gospel. Dies.
Man B - born 1965 in Texas, lives his life but rejects the missionaries at his door, out of hand as he isn't interested in religion. Dies.
Man C - born 1965 in Texas, lives his life within the LDS Gospel (baptised at 8 etc) but fails to live up to the standards required. Dies.
Which Man (according to LDS doctrine) is in better standing with God at the point at which he dies?
*please, before you go off on your tangents, just answer this^ simple question. Based solely on what I have told you about them, is it man A, B or C?
No, I will not answer this question because it is IMPOSSIBLE to answer "based solely on what [you] have told me about them." It is an utterly assumption filled question. Quite frankly, it is NOT a simple question.
What if God would have placed the spirit of Man A into the position of man B or C? You would get a different result. I already described how complicated this can get. In an earlier discussion, I explained that God places distinct individuals in distinct positions based on His omniscient wisdom. No two spirits are the same and no two situations are the same. I answered your question before, and now I answered it again.
- - -- -There is so much to consider here:
What kind of life did Man A live? Did he live his life according to the dictates of his conscience? Would he have accepted the gospel if it was presented to him?
Did the Holy Spirit inspire Man B when the missionaries went to the door? Did Man B reject the Holy Spirit's invitation to listen to the missionaries? Did Man B live a noble life?
What do you mean Man C did not live up to the standards required? Nobody is perfect. Did man C repent after not living up to certain standards?
If you think about it, each one of these persons may not have lived up to the standards that God expected for each of the individuals in each of their unique positions.
I
will say this: The ideal position would be Man D, who is presented the restored Gospel and then lives it. That is the better position to be in. Some people are placed by God to be in that position, so that they can be exalted. Others are placed in the position to hear the gospel, and they reject it. Then at the judgement bar, they will have no excuse at all, having been given the opportunity to embrace the fulness of truth, but then rejected it.
-7up