Ask a Mormon Anything...but please be polite :)

We are 126 years removed from Polygamy. Still some act as if we stopped a day or two ago. Some think we still marry more than a wife.

I like to remind people of our church name. The Church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints.

We are locked into Jesus. The part of latter day saints is what we work to be. We do not have some screaming match sort of preacher. The loud acts of the Obama church are never found in our church. We are very respectful. We do not like to run down any church. We think it is not our place to tear down churches.

I have been to church where they have no denomination and the people sing loudly and wave their hands all over. We never do that.

 

You probably would truly enjoy our church. It would be so different for you. We are a loving group. We can be correctly called very honest. We won't run down churches. We really do want to be better humans.

Believe it or not, our church is very good at giving charity when communities have serious problems. We sent in a lot of trucks to supply the victims of Katrina for instance. Our Missionaries help a lot of people by working for the public.

If a person needs a good fine man, we have them all over the globe.

 

But he will. How many christians think muslims or jews or hindus will be in the promised land?

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Per the definition of cult, I agree, all religions are cults.

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Which means, the unchanging God, changed. Something is not right with this.
Most say God never changes, but the OT God and the NT God definitely are not the same entity.
MOD EDIT>>>>RESPONSE TO DELETED POST

 

One thing us Christians aren't suppose to do, is judge other people. Do some Christians, sure they do, but it isn't right. My attitude is I'm not God, I don't make the rules, He does. The Bible also says God looks at the heart of man, so does it make sense that he would reject a person that truly loves Him because his or her faith was different. Many Christians will say yes, but I'm not so sure, and I'm glad I don't need to make that judgement call.

My change of heart on this subject came from some serious studies of near death experiences, but that is a whole different subject.

 

Full Definition of cult
1
: formal religious veneration : worship
2
: a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents
3
: a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
4
: a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults>
5
a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad
b : the object of such devotion
c : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion

From this definitions, just about any religion can be called a cult.

 

First of all, I'm not afraid of anything, and not sure what you are talking about. I don't alter the quotes.

The bible clearly says that God looks at the heart of man, I also understand the bible was written by man and is potentially fallible, you must always remember or learn the political environment during the first counsel. The early church had three hundred documents or letters to consider, and look what we ended up with. Study the Nag Hammabi scrolls, they are first century scrolls, first hand accounts.

Yes he did, and if someone truly loves God do you believe Jesus is going to reject that person because he or she didn't have a full understanding that he is the messiah, stop and think a little for yourself and don't just regurgitate what someone else has taught you.

 

Young was long dead when the church put an stop to polygamy. He died 13 years earlier.

The statement that the Feds came down on Mormons is challenging. See, there to this day no laws against polygamy in Federal law. If you find the law, let me know. The Feds told the territory of Utah that to be a state, they had to put an end to polygamy. Had they done that to homosexuals, one would hear them screaming bloody murder over it.

Utah does enforce the law against polygamy. I think it is a state law now.

I am not clear why the church would sue. What record of church litigation do you have to talk of?

I have not believed there really are very many of those who still marry more than one wife.

Maybe you have a census report to offer.

If a man can marry a man, what is to prevent a man from marrying over one woman?

 

First hand accounts?
There are only 2 accounts from roughly that era, Josephus' Antiquities of the Jews written about 93-94 CE, and believed to have been 'edited' later on and the Annals of Tacitus written about 116 CE.
Neither were even close to a first hand account but Tacitus was at least plausible as he was documenting the history of Romes burning during Nero's rule, and his use of the Christians as a scapegoat.

" But all human efforts, all the lavish gifts of the emperor, and the propitiations of the gods, did not banish the sinister belief that the conflagration was the result of an order. Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man's cruelty, that they were being destroyed.

 

Hillary supporters meet that definition as do Obama supporters.

 

as do Trumpettes.

 

I think I could have believed the same things yes. You see, for me, it is not just about hard proof. Like many, I believe that feelings are not always subjective. So, if I felt the way I do now, then yes I could believe.

I always welcome other religions to tell me their views on anything. The thing is, it goes back to what I have felt.

 

1. No magic underwear
2. See post 15

 

Deuteronomy gives provisions for polygamy, I never implied that it is a sin. Interesting our government doesn't acknowledge multiple marriages and I was sure there were laws prohibiting, I need to research that. Actually might not be a bad idea, get four or five, put them to work, and go fishing.

As for homosexuals; I'm with the Mosaic law on that issue, God called it an abomination, and I'm not going to argue with Him.

 

It is obvious you haven't studied the Nag Hammabi scrolls, and I'm very well aware of Jewish and Roman history of that era. The people that penned the scrolls were those who walked with Christ other than Paul.

 

What do you think of Jehovah Witnesses? Do Mormons consider JW direct competition? Which is more proper 'Mormon' or 'Latter Day Saints?'

 

1. There are no re-education camps.
2. Feelings of Homosexuality are not inherently bad.
3. Acting on feelings of Homosexuality is a sin in God's eyes.
4. Excommunication only happens on basis of refusing God's forgiveness by not repenting. Repentance implies giving up sin, even if we like it.

God does forgive on condition of repentance. Sins of a sexual nature are very serious in God's eyes. They pervert the purpose of procreation, which is the process whereby God grants life.
There is a concept in the church that shows us why we sin. When Adam and Eve partook of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they transgressed and died Spiritually. Their bodies became carnal bodies with all sorts of desires that were not in line with God's commandments. There are many ungodly desires that mankind can experience. Homosexuality is one of those desires. To overcome the base desires of a carnal body is to become more like God.

 

Do you think you would have had the same feelings if you were brought up differently, or had other experiences? Do you think that you might interpret the feelings differently if you didn't have the background you do?

People from different religions have feelings that they interpret as reason to believe their religions. This includes mutually exclusive religions, so we know they can't all be true. This leads at least me to believe that, for whatever reason, going back on what one has felt isn't reliable in these matters. How do you resolve this?

 

Well, since I wasn't in a situation where I had to be brought into the church, I have to go off of what others have told me. I served as a missionary for my church for two years. I had the pleasure of sharing the Gospel with people, and watching their lives change. I later married one of the people I had taught as a missionary. I asked my wife why she joined. She had previously been a very devout Catholic. She told me she hadn't really believed what I was saying until after I had left for home from my mission. She said that when she read the Book of Mormon, and prayed about it, she had felt something that had been missing when she went to church. I asked what she meant by that. She said she had always felt good about going to church, but this didn't just make her happy, it filled a hole in her heart that she hadn't even realized was there. I have heard similar stories from other people who have converted. It seems apparent that the feelings are different. As a caveat, I have gone to other churches before, and they do not feel the same to me. I am not filled with peace and joy, its just feels empty. Anyway that is the best way I can describe it. I wish I knew someone on the forum who had converted, they might be able to explain a bit better.

 

So the Mormon church is so incredibly cruel to them, because to hell with gay people????

That is really what you are saying it seems like.

Btw my husband was excommunicated for this. Disowned by his parents. So you justify that cruelty with "god is an ass?"

 

Well, honestly we don't view other religions as 'competitors'. One of our articles of faith states "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God, all men the same privilege. Let them worship how, what, or where they may." I personally don't agree with Jehovah Witnesses doctrine.

It is more correct to say Latter-Day saint, or LDS, whichever is fine. I don't find it offensive to be referred to as Mormon though. The full name of the church is 'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints'.

 

What you are actually saying is that God is cruel to all sinners. You see, he sees sin as bad period. You can be excommunicated for sins other than homosexual acts. We don't believe in hell in the same sense that other religions do, so no gay people aren't going to hell. Please define as to what you think cruel is by the way.

 

The tithe is an offering to God. Though I agree on the eternal torment doctrine.
If by ET you mean extra terrestrial, I am not sure. Could you be more specific?

To say The Book of Mormon is a spin off from the bible is not quite accurate. It was written in parallel with the Bible on the American continent from about 600 BC until its completion in about 421 AD. Does it have the same content? The same doctrine, yes. Some of the writers also quote Isaiah, Jeremiah, and a few others. When Jesus visits the people there, he also tells them the same things he told the people in the old world.

 

No, your church isn't God.

But sexual sins more so. That is what you said.

I have misgivings about any Church that performs that ritual. What good are they if they are a membership club that thinks they are the arbiter of salvation? Doesn't that make them a false god or a demigod?

So you're church treats them like (*)(*)(*)(*) because...why?

Excommunication, exile from all friends and family. Is that something that you would find pleasant?

 

I'll define cruel....creating a creature, giving it "carnal desires" , a healthy sex drive, and then saying that unless you're breeding you should never have sex and you're a sinner if you do and should have your access to your religion denied you......

 

No offense taken. My parents never forced me to believe. They told me what the church taught, and gave me the choice to believe. I chose to be baptized after deciding what my parents and teachers told me was the truth. I did fall away somewhat in my teenage years though. Later, on my mission, I was exposed to all sorts of religions, and cultures. I learned quite a lot, however, I decided that what I had learned as a child was still the truth and that's what I have been living.

Will I teach my children what I believe to be true? Yes absolutely. Will I force them to accept it as truth? Absolutely not. They have to test it themselves, just like I did. Really, the strongest believers in our church are the ones who tested the truth and found it to still ring true for them.