Posted on 04/15/2010 8:56:50 AM PDT by T Minus Four
Think of the Salt Lake Temple as a designer bottle holding a one-of-a-kind fragrance.
Think of the gardens and buildings of Temple Square as bubble wrap around that container.
Think of the City Creek Center to the south, the Church Plaza to the east, the Conference Center to the north, and the Family History Library and Church History Museum to the west as a firm, sturdy box around all of it.
When something merits that much protection, you have to figure rough bumps and bounces are coming down the road.
I get a feeling the LDS Church sees turbulence ahead -- nasty weather -- and it is making preparations.
It's not about being defensive and keeping things out.
It's about being protective and keeping precious things safe.
When the chilly winds blow, forest creatures gather all that's life-sustaining about them.
Horses in the fields cluster together to stand against the hail.
I feel the LDS Church battening down the hatches for bad weather.
The Tabernacle Choir, which was performing musical versions of Robert Frost poetry and other secular works, now releases CDs filled with songs of faith, assurance and the need to rely on the Divine.
I feel protection is the point behind the long row of sentries -- those Mormon temples -- that stand along the Wasatch -- the new Brigham City temple, new Payson temple, the new remade Ogden temple and all the others.
I feel protect precious things is the point of the new mission statements of LDS businesses, the point for books that are picked for publication and the lessons selected for manuals.
Part of the world would divide and conquer.
The church would gather and protect.
Something uneasy this way comes. Not a vilent clash as in Jerusalem -- where cultures fight openly. We won't be seeing stone throwers in the streets of Salt Lake City.
The battle here won't be about territory.
It will be about choices -- about the advent of a bolder, more self-indulgent popular culture.
The church can see the writing on the wall -- often literally.
And graffiti on the temple will never do.
It's time -- as the old hymn has it -- to "safely gather in, ere the winter storms begin."
The plan is not to force people away.
The plan is to keep what's on the inside safe from harm.
And if that means putting up ramparts and watchtowers, so be it.
Even heaven, if you believe the stories, is a gated community -- not to keep people away, but to safeguard the gentle hearts of those who dwell there.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E-mail: jerjohn@desnews.com Jerry Earl Johnston chronicles his take on the Mormon experience in his column “New Harmony,” which appears on MormonTimes.com on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Really foreign. Like from another planet.
My hubby gets it though. Thank the Dear Lord!
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
I know many who are anti LDS have trouble with verse 48 which they deem impossible!
- - - - —
Because it IS impossible if you mean ‘perfection’ like we commonly use it (moral perfection) and as the LDS use it.
The Greek term is an architectural term that means complete, whole, finished. Not that we are to strive for perfect behavior, that is impossible.
We are only made “perfect” complete, whole, finished by the Blood of Christ shed on the Cross. He doesn’t ‘finish the job’, He does the WHOLE THING!
Sigh. More LDS regurgitation of scripture that they misuse.
I love you anyway, Resty.
I’ll take that as a “no”.
A ‘bishopric’ to the LDS is the committe of three members in charge of a local LDS congregation (or ward). It consists of a Bishop and 2 counselors.
Well it MUST be something colorcountry isn’t telling us, because the Truoooo Church would never do such a thing!
Good example of jumping to conclusion, assuming, surmising etc...
not a cyber myth!
That is what your post seemed to state. CC said that her current husband and her wanted to be sealed but her ex-husband would not sign the paperwork to allow it.
I have had several LDS people go through this and the HUSBAND (never) the wife HAS to give permission because the man can be sealed to more than one woman but a woman cannot be sealed to more than one man.
But your post implied that it must have been the wife (CC) fault.
Good example of jumping to conclusion, assuming, surmising etc...
I am talking about a real person not a cyber myth!
I will thank my Heavenly Father for sending His Only-Begotten Beloved Son to suffer and die for me, to take my place. And I will be eternally grateful.
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OK kid...
That was in mormon-speak...
now say it in English...
What does all that mean when its lined up against the Christian Bible ???
Hey, I heard you had an earthquake up your way last night.
My big house plant was gently swaying - I thought a gentle wind was blowing it, but there was no wind and it was in the house. I didn’t feel a thing.
I will thank my Heavenly Father for sending His Only-Begotten Beloved Son to suffer and die for me, to take my place. And I will be eternally grateful.
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God wont be impressed when you come in holding hands with the son of pedition Joey Smith...
I never mention CC I was talking totally of people I know in the flesh not a cyber spoof
Are you calling me a cyber spoof? LOL
It made the news in SoCal. LOL.
And I was talking about CC and other people I know IRL that have gone through similar things.
It is the ex-husbands decision (unless he is ex’d) for the sealing to be canceled.
I’m posting this again to explain the Trinity vs. the LDS view.
Go outside tomorrow and look up.
How many suns can you see in the sky? One. You cannot directly look at the sun because it is so bright it will burn your eyes.
Yet you can feel the warmth of the sun.
You can see the light of the sun.
Yet there is only one sun.
The Glory of the Father (the shekinah) is like the brightness of the sun, it is so bright (holy) that man cannot look directly upon it.
Jesus Christ, the son of God, is the light of the sun. While he was here, humans could see Him, feel Him and His power.
The Holy Spirit is the warmth of the sun. We can feel it, sense it even if we cannot physically see it.
Yet there is only one sun. The sun does not cease to exist just because we see light and feel warmth. The sun is still hanging in the sky.
There are three co-existent aspects of one thing (the sun), the same it true of the Trinity. They are three in one (not just one in purpose) co-equal and co-eternal.
In contrast, there is some illogicality in the LDS view of the godhead.
The LDS have taught, and I was taught as LDS, that we are here on earth in order to gain a body of flesh and bone in order to “progress”, which is what God did:
“Mormon prophets have continuously taught the sublime truth that God the Eternal Father was once a mortal man who passed through a school of earth life similar that through which we are now passing. He became God – an exalted being – through obedience to the same eternal Gosepl truths that we are given opportunity to obey.” - Apostle Milton R. Hunter, The Gospel Through the Ages, p. 104
Spirits cannot be made perfect without a body of flesh and bones. This body and its spirit are brought to immortality and blessings of salvation through the resurrection. … In no other way, other than through birth into this life and the resurrection, can spirits become like our Eternal Father.” - Joseph Fielding Smith, quoted here: http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=ea635ef93e84b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
So, if it is true that in order to progress to Godhood, a body of flesh and bone is needed (why we are here on earth), then why do 2 of the 3 members of the LDS Godhead violate that. If Christ was part of the Godhead prior to His incarnation (Matthew 1:23 and Hebrews 10:5) then he became a God prior to having a body of flesh and bone. This is also taught in the Endowment ceremony. Furthermore, if progression is an ETERNAL principle (see above) how has one person of the Godhead (the Holy Spirit) attained Godhood without getting a body (Acts 5:3,4)?
Either they are all Gods, or they are not. Which is it?
True, Reaganaut,I don’t understand the doctrine of the trinity.
I believe that “the Father has a body as tangible as man’s, the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit”. (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22)
Hmmm. That is a simple enough answer, I wonder why it wasn’t.
How can the Holy Spirit be a God and not have a body? To achieve Godhood, don’t you have to have possessed a body? What happened to the body of the Holy Ghost?
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