Elsie, good point.
Jesus was toughest upon the religious legalists of his day, the Pharisees -- those who turned faith & faithful living into a series of ritual points of obedience checklisted to be observed outwardly. (Jesus also didn't appreciate the misrepresentation they were to the world, saying at one point that they would travel the world to make a convert twice the son of hell)
The "new checklist" is the temple recommend (tithing, temple endowments, word of wisdom obedience, temple work, temple sealings, etc.) And it doesn't stop there.
Single? (The Mormon god regards you as second or third tier...and for a while in the 19th century, single-wife LDS leaders were frowned upon)
Not a Mormon church member? Then you haven't performed the work of confirmation, nor the ensuing work of ordination (Melchizedek/Aaronic priesthoods)
And, despite Reno's claim @#416 in this thread, it doesn't stop there. [Reno claimed: "Your statement that “all we can do” is 100% obedience to the law, unfortunately shows your complete ignorance of our beliefs & doctrine on the matter. There is only One that has ever been perfect or ever will be during our mortal sojourn here on earth. “all that we can” in these tabernacles of clay is far short of 100%.]
Well, Reno, you keep pouring forth the putdowns...the latest being Now I understand why the whole faith vs. works issue raised in post 551 was so difficult for you. I take it reading comprehension isn't your strong suit.
Based upon the following quotes of an LDS "prophet," I take it, Reno, that church history isn't your strong suit. I leave it up to others to determine who is right. It's not Reno vs. me as he claims -- it's actually in this case Reno vs. Joseph Fielding Smith:
Therefore the words of James are true. Unless a man can abide strictly in complete accord, he cannot ENTER there, and in the words of James, he is guilty of all. In other words if there is ONE DIVINE LAW THAT HE DOES NOT KEEP HE IS BARRED FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE KINGDOM... (Answers to Gospel Questions, vol. 3, p. 26)
And: So in the celestial kingdom, we must be worthy IN EVERY POINT, or we fail to receive the blessing. The kingdom of God must exist in absolute unity. EVERY LAW MUST BE OBEYED, and no member of the Church can have a place there unless he is in FULL accord. (Answers to Gospel Questions, vol. 3, p. 27)
So, whose word do we take as a spokesperson for Mormonism? Its 10th "prophet" or a FREEPER whose not likely to be an LDS general authority?
Reno There is only One that has ever been perfect or ever will be during our mortal sojourn here on earth. “all that we can” in these tabernacles of clay is far short of 100%....
...Or Joseph Fielding Smith: Unless a man can abide strictly in complete accord, he cannot ENTER there...one divine law that he does not keep, he is barred from participating in the kingdom...Every law must be obeyed...
As Anti’s are want to do, you quote Joseph Fielding Smith in Answers to Gospel Questions, vol. 3, p. 26, 27, & yet only give a snippet to make your case & leave out some of the most important parts of explanation, in other words, your snippet was taken out of context. Surprise surprise.
Why is it that you left out the 2 scriptures he quotes?
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (”Matt. 5:48 Matthew 5:48.)
And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end. (”3 Ne. 27:19 III Nephi 27:19.)
These 2 scriptures tie in the rest of his thoughts on the snippets you presented. Do we believe that one must become perfect? Yes. That accords w/ Matt. 5:48Matthew 5:48. And that's where you left it? As someone who proports to know a lot about our beliefs, why did you leave out the part that we believe that no one will live perfect lives here on earth, but that we may become perfect by the grace of God through the atoning sacrifice of our Savior? In other words, through repentance made possible by the atonement.
When we sincerely repent, we are for forgiven & thus made whole again. So, even though we will all fall short of 100% on our own, we can reach 100% by repentance through the atonement. Why did you leave that part out Colo? What were your motives? Surely you know these things. Why would you take those things out of context like that? Was this just something you took from an anti site & just took for truth? Or did you really know & just not share the whole picture?
That's the beef we have w/ you anti’s. It's not that you're fellow Christians that happen to have a different point of view. We respect that. What we don't respect are those that purposely or otherwise, take our beliefs & contort, misrepresent, misquote, lie, & often take out of context, our writings & the beliefs therein.
It's a shame that “Christians” would do that to fellow Christians in the name of Christianity to simply prove they are right. If one stops & thinks about it, it's not very Christian at all imho. Your motives are between you & the Lord so I'll not lay charge to that part. But really, you do need to stop & think about what you're doing. You folks get caught in these activities all the time. Do you really feel it furthers your cause?
Listen, I've got a Sabbath to attend to in which I will turn my full attention to the Lord. I'll not interrupt that w/ further banter here that would do nothing but take away from the spirit of the day. Have a great Sabbath my FRiend, & as always, my best to you & yours on this sacred day & season.