Ummm... my wife is over 30, and third generation LDS - lifelong...did a mission several years back in Leeds England, and (I already knew those items to be true and correct - with the exception that polygamy has not been widely practiced/approved since about the early teens - several years after the agreement by Smoot was struck with the Feds)
I read the post off to her, and affirmed more details that I knew (which were not mentioned in that post).
This surprised her, because she did not know that I knew so much about LDS doings and beliefs.
It was similar to her reaction when she was going to describe the temple garments to me - her (non LDS) new husband - and I calmly looked at them, smiled, and identified the embroidered markings over the general area of the nipples on one’s chest as the compass and square from FreeMasonry (I am also NOT a Mason - by choice. I could automatically be one if I wished because of old family ties.), and explained what the traditions were for those markings - as well as the markings on the shorts, and their older and current meanings.
Planet Kolob - check. There is even an old and beloved song in the LDS hymnal about it (cannot cite you the hymn number off the top of my head, but I’ll bet my mother-in-law could give the number, and play accompaniment on piano - she has been Relief Society Pres for two years, the most recent time, having served as such at least twice before) and one line goes, “If you could hie thee to planet Kolob in the wink of an eye...”
Becoming gods (and goddesses) of other planets? Absolutely a belief of the old and new LDS, as well as proxy conversion and baptism of deceased family members, which is considered a necessary ordinance.
Other than making far more brief references, I don’t see where SeahawkFan got anything wrong.
My wife actually came over and read the info in that post over my shoulder, and though she though the details were thin, she did not disagree with any of it (other than noting, as I earlier stipulated, that they do not “do the plural marriage thing anymore.”)
It is one thing to dispute people here as being “anti’s” or “ex-mormons” with an axe to grind.
My wife is a currently practicing, seriously devout, and dedicated LDS gal. She has no “anti” agenda to pursue; in fact, she would be just as happy if I would come to a point where I would see things the way she does and choose LDS myself. She knows this will never happen - not for love, nor money as the expression goes.
I made it clear before we married that she ought not entertain any notions that I would ever become a practicing “good LDS man”.
I said “...but if you can look at me and see that I earnestly desire to serve G_d with all my heart, and to be the husband and father, and man that He would lead me to be, then...”
I would love it if (what I consider to be) the “blinders” would fall from her eyes about LDS doctrine, and she would choose to step out of that milieu.
I pray for her constantly, and I often pray with her. As a man and a husband, I very often lead in our prayers together.
But she has grown up with LDS culture...girl’s camp, young women’s group, her mission, the whole environment, so I try to understand that such a change may be altogether unrealistic, and even if it does come, it most likely will take time.
We have some interesting discussions about the differences between LDS theology and doctrine and Christian theology and doctrine. We are able to be emphatic and passionate in upholding our own beliefs without yelling at, or insulting one another on a personal level.
Maintaining decorum like that is vital to having a happy and fulfilling marriage and family life, and to always having respect with one another. It helps that we are both amiable and reasonable people.
If she can be forthright about her beliefs with me - why can’t we correctly identify LDS beliefs here in this forum.It is not as if there is a lack of direct source material to draw from. Both the Ensign and the Times come to my home by mail regularly, and she often discusses the sermons and teachings from her church with me on Sunday afternoons (as I do likewise with her from my church’s teachings).
I hope this contributes to our dialogue on FR.
A.A.C.
++++
The wording that is used is straight copy and pasts, or remembered and wrote.
The way it is worded is close, but the way it is said, it is just far enough to be misleading enough to create negative ideas about God's teachings.
Game, set, match and CHECKMATE, AAC!
What an inspiring story! Your faiths could make a marriage unendurable and instead the respect, patience and love you have for one another overcomes the differences. Thank you for sharing such wonderful personal insight into what marriage is about.
Awesome...
My prayers are with you AAC and also with your wife, that the Lord will grant you the desires of your heart and set your wife free.
Thanks for your post AAC...what a lucky couple you are.