Ask A Mormon (LDS)

[Prometheus]

I would answer more, but I really have to go to bed. See that thread
http://www.volconvo.com/forums/showt...240#post158240

my life sucks. But it's friday tomarrow. Then the labor day weekend, which means college football games for me with front row tickets. And women. No women here in vernal.

[Flip Jackson]

Would I be Mormon if not born into it? Hard to say. I would love to say yes, but it is tough to have that much foresight or knowledge of myself.

I will say this, I would either be Mormon or not Christian at all. Mormonsim is the only church I have found that really practices what it preaches. Leaders have no motivation but the well-being of the people. No money involved. We do not condemn others, and I can't stand anyone Christian or not, that condemns another's ideas or beliefs. We expect good actions. I would despise a church that said just say "I believe in Jesus," and I am somehow saved.

Believe it or not, I am a very logical person. I have had a hard time accepting religion in general. It is tough to believe at times. But Mormonism logically makes sense to me, and lives what it teaches. It encourages study and learning. That is key to any church I believe in.

As I said before, if I weren't Mormon, I doubt I could be any other kind of Christian.

[Flip Jackson]

Next, I don't think polygamy itself is a sin, unless it isn't authorized by God. Difficult to explain.

Sometimes, especially in tha past, women kind of needed men for support. Polygamy was practiced to give umarried women or widow's a family and male figure. Also we believe only men can have the priesthood, or the power and authority to act in God's name, and polygamy allowed for many women to get a tie to the priesthood if they outnumbered the men.

Even when it was practiced, an incredibly small number did so. Only those asked to by the leaders when a woman needed aid. Currently, polygamy is not authorized by God for whatever reason.

At least this is how I understand things. I readily admit I could have understood things wrong.

[Flip Jackson]

Soccer, you asked Prometheus about how he can belive his interpretation is correct, when there seems to be so slim a chance.

First, I don't really consider Mormonism as a break off from any other Christian church. It has rather unique roots, and diffrent beliefs.

Second, the church as a whole believes in "saving doctrines," or those necessary for salvation. There should be no variation in these doctrines.Where people often have different interpretations are the points about God or religion that aren't necessary, I guess. For eaxample, creation. Some Mormons believe in a six day creation, some believe in one that matches the scientific timeline. This point is not necessary for salvation, but is interesting to discuss. That is why it doesn't matter if Prometheus is right in many cases, but it is a good idea to try to understand as best we can.

[Flip Jackson]

I too must go to bed. Lots to do. I need to get more sleep. I have been exhausted at work recently.

[Morgan_Freeman]

Quote by: Prometheus As far as coffie goes - it basically comes down to the drug in it. Caffiene is an addictive substance that is not good for your body. At the time the WOW was given, the only caffene was from tea and coffie or "hot drinks". Because of this the dietary restriction only applies to toe and coffie, but many mormons don't drink caffenated soda either. They try to live the "spirit of the law" as oppossed to the letter. This is probably the more accurate interpritation in my mind.

So you don't drink coffee because it's bad for you? Or because the church tells you not to? What if research shows that coffee is good for you? (It's tending that way)
For that matter, its fairly well established that red wine is good for you in moderation. And besides, Jesus and his posse drank the stuff all the time, why cant you?

[Mia]

Quote by: Prometheus Well he didn't just stumble upon it. He was directed to the location by an angle.

Did angels direct him to take people's money to lead them to bunk treasures as well?

Sorry - while the 'core' of the religion may have developed into something 'real', the beginnings were BS.

[Mia]

Quote by: Flip Jackson Next, I don't think polygamy itself is a sin, unless it isn't authorized by God. Difficult to explain. Sometimes, especially in tha past, women kind of needed men for support. Polygamy was practiced to give umarried women or widow's a family and male figure. Also we believe only men can have the priesthood, or the power and authority to act in God's name, and polygamy allowed for many women to get a tie to the priesthood if they outnumbered the men. Even when it was practiced, an incredibly small number did so. Only those asked to by the leaders when a woman needed aid. Currently, polygamy is not authorized by God for whatever reason. At least this is how I understand things. I readily admit I could have understood things wrong.

But that current lack of authorization from God came after the government started putting pressure on the LDS to stop.

Before that, it was permitted. God doesn't follow human law.

This is the kind of thing that causes LDS to lose credibility.

In terms of the issue of Polygamy as a whole, Christianity and Islam speak of it in their books, Islam citing similar reasons as you did above, so I don't think that's something to 'pin' on Mormans.

[Mia]

Quote by: Morgan_Freeman So you don't drink coffee because it's bad for you? Or because the church tells you not to? What if research shows that coffee is good for you? (It's tending that way) For that matter, its fairly well established that red wine is good for you in moderation. And besides, Jesus and his posse drank the stuff all the time, why cant you?

A cup of coffee a day IS healthy for you, and the latest studies say 1-2 of any kind of drink per day is good, not just wine.

Yea for me and my 2 girly beers in the evening!!

[SteveA]

Quote by: SoccerfreakAB2 If you're going to believe in religion, it makes no sense to me whatsoever to have your own little interpretation of the religion itself. That is, making sense of portions of the religion different from the mainstream, or refusing to believe in part of the religion, or maybe adding your own extra detail that you wish could happen. In any case, the religion you're believing in already has a slim enough chance from being the true religion, and I mean slimmmm. Having your own interpretation makes the odds too high to imagine, also keeping in mind that there are probably thousands who have their own interpretation of religion.

What are the odds of there being only one true religion?

(I'm assuming your specific religious view makes the assumption that there's only one version, so what are the odds that your specific religious viewpoint is correct?)

[Milton Bradley]

Do Mormons know that the same person who invented the Jehova Wittness Church invented the Morman Church in similar fashion?


If you do know this, why would you continue down the path the Mormans have chosen?

[Lilith]

What path have Mormons chosen? I guess I have to study up on this religion...never gave it much thought...just another religion among all the myriad others.

[jose]

so is it OK for mormons to drink de-caf coffee, and caffien free pepsi? i heard you have to pay 10% of your earnings to the church is that deductable from govt. tax?

[Flip Jackson]

I have a minute or two so I will do what I can.

Morgan, I try to not drink coffee, because I think that caffeine is addictive, and I don't fel like being addicted to something to wake me up. I would rather find more natural ways, like geting enough sleep. Also, I personally detest the smell of the stuff. i have no desire to even try it.

Unless I am mistaken, the wine in the Bible was more like our grape juice today than our wine today. Or so I have heard. Besides cultures change, it makes sense that the church will change a little as culture changes. New problems arise and old ones disappear.

As far as what science says is ok for me, I tend to be wary of such claims. Medicine that is supposed to help all kinds of illnesses are often discovered to have serious side effects after many people have taken the medication. Cigarettes used to be considered good for you. I would like to wait longer before I accept possible plusses of drinking wine. And there is the possibbility that wine could have possitive and negative effects.

[Mia]

Quote by: SteveA What are the odds of there being only one true religion?

I couldn't agree more. God is more logical than to banish most of the world for believing in the 'wrong' path to Him and not being born in the right place to be in the right religion.

But I think a discussion of that nature would be hijacking this thread, and would be better suited in it's own.

[Mia]

Quote by: Milton Bradley the same person who invented the Jehova Wittness Church invented the Morman Church in similar fashion?

Joseph Smith is the founder of the cult, I mean Jehova's Witnesses?

[Lilith]

Wait a minute, are Mormons the ones who don't believe in seeing docters or taking medicine? Isin't there some religion out there that believes that?

[YourTokah]

So Women can't be priests? Why is this? Are we second class, or not as worthy of talking to God or being god's messenger? This is a clincher for me with a lot of religions, and not because I'm some mullet-wearing feminist. I just don't agree that penises make you better in any way. Women bear children, fer Chrissakes. I will never EVER adhere to a religion that doesn't allow women to hold the same rank as men.

[ihaQ]

How many wives have you ever had at one time?

[SoccerfreakAB2]

Quote by: SteveA What are the odds of there being only one true religion? (I'm assuming your specific religious view makes the assumption that there's only one version, so what are the odds that your specific religious viewpoint is correct?)

according to science, the odds of the major religions beings true are about slim to none. Too much of the other information has been proved wrong for everything to be true. As for creation, I suppose you cannot make odds of that one.