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To: Gamecock
Taking just a few notes here and there as I type. If I don't mention something it doesn't mean I agree or disagree, just that I don't take absolute issue with what is said.

In the interest of berevity I'm only quoting snippets. Don't hang me for spelling or grammar either.

Required Disclaimer: These are my personal thoughts and beliefs and should not be considered the beliefs of other LDS members nor LDS doctrine.

If you don’t like the word cult, feel free to substitute in your mind an equivalent expression...“unorthodox church.”

Actually I think I would take "unorthodox church” without getting upset about it at all. Heretical I have a problem with only because heretics used to be burned at the stake. I really don't think though that even the most anti-mormon detractors would support burning us at the stake (I would hope not at least).

The fact that the Church is unable officially to rule this out is itself problematic.

I agree. It is my personal belief in the "immaculate conception" as believed by Christians and Catholics alike and that God and Mary did NOT have any kind of "sexual union". Things stated by earlier prophets to the contrary I belief were mortal attempts at trying to understand how a Virgin could become pregnant and concieve the Son of God.

believe its followers can become “gods and goddesses” after death...Frankly, this is an incomplete answer.

I'm not sure what to make of that answer either. A visit over to the bloggernacle (LDS members discussing their faith) there is an article about this that wonders the same thing you have.

Even our interpretation of the KJV Bible includes mentions of "gods and goddesses".

these other planets don’t exist yet because the Mormons have not yet become Gods and organized matter into those new worlds.

I'm not sure I agree with this "doctrine". I fully believe that we (Earth) is not the only planet in God's creations, nor are we the only inhabitants of this infinite universe.

However I don't think that we will become Gods to rule over the planets. At best I believe we will be helpers and workers to organize and steward over these worlds. God himself is still the creator, ruler and Lord over them.

I'm not sure what to make of this answer either because a simple "No" does contridict what I have been taught growing up in the church.

What specifically does the Mormon Church say about African-Americans and Native Americans

I'm with you...who wrote that question. Also the answer doesn't really even fit with the question.

I wonder why the Church ignored the question about caffeinated drinks? A straight answer would be that although the Church has never officially prohibited all use of any caffeinated drink, its leaders have typically interpreted the Church’s teaching to discourage their consumption.

True. Caffeinated sodas (Coke, Pepsi, Moutain Dew, etc) have been left up to the individual members to decide on. Some members say no, other say they are fine. I'm in the fine category. Don't know why that section was ignored. They could have said the same thing as you or I said.

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As some in the other thread mentioned these answers seem really canned and copy-pasted from a pre-approved sheet. Some of the answers didn't match the questions, some didn't match the beliefs (neither by LDS Member standards nor anti-LDS standards). I'm not sure who even answered these questions but sure seems like they just sent it off to the MTC call center and had some missionary trainee answer them instead of a more well versed spokesman.

That being said there isn't any need for the church to answer these questions to Fox News anyways. They only exist to shine light on Romney's LDS faith and attempt to discredit his candidacy based on religion instead of discrediting his GOP candidacy based on his near liberal views, possible issue flip-flopping, and disregard for the 2nd Amendment.

Fox needs to change it's name to Rudy News Network anyways.

77 posted on 12/19/2007 2:24:50 PM PST by Domandred (Eagles soar, but unfortunately weasels never get sucked into jet engines)
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To: Domandred
>> What specifically does the Mormon Church say about
>>African-Americans and Native Americans
 
>> I'm with you...who wrote that question. Also the answer
>> doesn't really even fit with the question.
 
That question was specifically a present-day racism bait. Its well-known that the Mormon church in June 1978 stopped their prohibition against Blacks of African descent from holding the priesthood, participating in temple ordinances and serving as full-time missionaries. This change in policy is oftentimes used as a defense against charges from critics that Mormons are racist. For example, Brigham Young taught that the Law of the Lord on Interracial marriage was death on the spot. And since he also taught quite clearly that every sermon he preached was scripture this teaching of his was taken quite seriously by faithful church members to mean that interracial marriages were forever prohibited. In fact Mark E. Peterson of the Council of the Twelve specifically insisted in 1978 that it be understood that this prohibition was not being lifted. For the most part Mormonism has moved past that now and nobody in acknowledged authority ever talks or encourages racism in public or private.
 
The point of mentioning the Native Americans is because the church still professes the Book of Mormon to be true and this book is very racist. People being cursed by God with dark skin and loathsomeness for being wicked? People getting white skin and delightsomeness for repenting? If that's not racism then what is?
87 posted on 12/19/2007 2:47:45 PM PST by Degaston
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To: Domandred
"It is my personal belief in the "immaculate conception" as believed by Christians and Catholics alike and that God and Mary did NOT have any kind of "sexual union". Things stated by earlier prophets to the contrary I belief were mortal attempts at trying to understand how a Virgin could become pregnant and concieve the Son of God."

Perhaps I misread your post, but doesn't the "Immaculate Conception" refer to the conception of Mary and not the conception of Jesus?

122 posted on 12/19/2007 8:51:54 PM PST by OldEagle
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