Posted on 07/20/2008 9:36:13 PM PDT by Graybeard58
Mormons focus on accessible, social aspects of their religion. Although the Mormon system of doctrine is genuinely attractive to many of its members, many have argued that the primary "glue" of Mormonism is the heritage, culture, and family ties, not the doctrine and theology.
In other words, the typical allegiance to the Mormon organization primarily stems from something other than doctrinal concerns. The average Mormon sitting in a pew does not care how or why their religion works, they only care that it works for them.
They are not concerned with the real character of Joseph Smith or how the LDS scriptures coincide with biblical teachings. A common element often overlooked when Christians share their faith with Latter-day Saints is that many Mormons are not Mormon merely for doctrinal reasons. This view of not being concerned with theology is considered to be atheological. If a person does not care about their theology, they miss the importance of rooting their entire life in the true knowledge of God and a coherent, rational, theological worldview.
A person's relationship with God is built on the foundation of what one believes about God and what it means to be right with God. This is the most important determining factor in shaping the way a person lives.
An atheological person does not seriously reflect on their own foundational worldview assumptions (e.g., what is truth, who is God, does this matter?), nor do they see how doing so would be relevant to everyday life.
South Park, a fictional, satirical cartoon, depicted a Mormon named "Gary" with the following words:
"Look, maybe us Mormons do believe in crazy stories that make absolutely no sense. And maybe Joseph Smith did make it all up. But I have a great life and a great family and I have the Book of Mormon to thank for that. The truth is, I don’t care if Joseph Smith made it all up. Because what the church teaches now is loving your family, being nice and helping people. And even though people in this town might think that’s stupid, I still choose to believe in it."
Grey Echols, a Mormon, writes the following in a review of By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus:
"This is a well written book which manages to not push an 'anti-Mormon' agenda. However as an LDS I do not think others should read it. Why? Because it could destroy your faith in the church. I am not trying to be clever. If you enjoy all of the good things the church has brought into your life, do you care where it came from?
No other church has so short a history that it can be examined so closely by science. Otherwise we would find that they are all created on the backs of con-artist. I am willing to bet every religion was founded by a fraud. So who cares. Does religion bring us together? Does it bond a nation, a town, a family? If so then let it be.
The truth is fleeting, and life is short. If believing in Santa makes children smile then believing in God makes adults smile. When children find out Santa isn't real, you kill a certain spark you can never get back. When you expose a church as a fraud, you kill a little spark in all of us."
Please do not use potty language or references to potty language on the Religion Forum.
Okay ... no more noting Barbara Streisand for me!
Regardless of the exact details of Mormon belief, if the average religious person can't defend the basics, why should we be arguing over the details?
How is my philosophical argument "specious"? Can the average person prove to anyone that he currently has a book in his hand? It is more difficult than you would think.
If you say, "Oh that's just silly philosophical nonsense" then you have to rely on what you might call commonsense.
And if you rely on commonsense then you have to admit that as a whole Mormons live rather close to the conservative ideal, so what's wrong with them?
Christianity has a large number a rather implausible beliefs: How did we get a human race from just Adam and Eve without incest? How did Noah get every kind of animal onto the ark ... including the multitudes of unique species existing only in the Amazon rainforest? etc, etc.
So whether it was special glasses or a peep stone, and whether or not anyone else ever saw any gold tablets is relatively unimportant.
Facts are one thing.
Summaries that misrepresent are something else because the often are not close to what is really true.
Learn for yourself.
LDS materials are fascinating, better than anything from so called "anti" sites...
Their own "leaders" "teachers" and "writers", even more so...
(Grey Echols, a Mormon, writes the following in a review of By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus...)
I would think such a well oiled machine would have better control over their "facts" and those that present them.
Perhaps all the current (and past) effort being put in "sales" should be more evenly split with "support"...
++++++++++++
Did he just make a personal degrading remark?
Joseph Smith claimed he was superior to Jesus Christ:
"I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet" (History of the Church, Vol. 6, pp. 408, 409).
Proverbs 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
Did he just make a personal degrading remark?
++++++++++++
No.
god will call for more then one wife when he sees it is the right time
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If a so called “other wife” showed up at my door, asking for my husband, I would knock her senseless...
Got scripture on that ???
Got milk ???
I’ve got a few yummy cookies to snack on while we wait for the crickets to tune up...
LOL...
It is always good to have “scripture” customized to your mortal desires on this earth, then anything goes, and it is good...
Golly. I can’t imagine why you would ping me to this “information.” It’s not like I’ve been in a closet for umpty years.
But thanks, anyway!
;o]
Yes, it keeps amazing me when the Jim Bakkers and Billy Grahams and other assorted scam artists keep failing and the mainstreamers keep doing the same sorts of things. Well, let the Creflo Dollars and the Benny hinns of the world keep on demonstrating the bankruptcy of mainstream protestantism. Weep on!
Well, let’s be sure we understand what you’re trying to spittle here: are you claiming Billy Graham is to be equated with Creflo Dollar and Benny Hinn and the convicted criminal, Bakker?
I believe he is. His recorded conversations with Richard Nixon tend to reveal him.
You’re reading/hearing more in those conversations than is there. NO CRIMINALITY has ever been laid at Billy Graham’s feet and you can’t do it either, Mormon. But that’s okay since it is your personal opinion you’re sharing, about one of the great evangelists in the History of Christianity, a man whom God has used to bring Salvation in Christ to so many many lost souls.
Give them milk, not meat.
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