Is it hard to be a good Mormon?

[_The Nehor]

To become a drop in the eternal conciousness? To sink into contented non-existence? No, I like myself too much for that. I want power and glory of the right kind (and the wrong kind too but I'm working on that). Plus in Nirvana I can't build myself my own private pleasure planet now can I?

Ohhh no, no. You don't get it.

You experience heaven in each moment, transcendence is the way of existence. You do not reduce yourself to a drop but are the whole ocean.

;)

~dancer~

But it involves surrendering everything you are to that state in order to become the ocean. That path revolts me to be honest. Then there's the whole not believing it's correct aspect. ;)

[_asbestosman]

You do not reduce yourself to a drop but are the whole ocean.

If I ever got that big, then I think it'd be time to go on a diet.

[consiglieri]

I remember a Gospel Doctrine lesson on keeping the sabbath holy.

The teacher said something about pulling a few weeds from the garden one Sunday as his wife and kids were outside playing, and did he break the sabbath by doing that. The bulk of the class thought that was sabbath breaking.

Start adding in sins of omission, sin of commission, sins when you think a certain thing, sins for feeling a certain way....it all starts to add up very quickly just how incredibly sinful we are in the eyes of the Mormon God.

So, yes, it is hard to be a Mormon.

Now, is it hard to APPEAR to be a good Mormon? No. Simply abstain from coffee, tea, tobacco and alcohol, pay tithes, attend meetings, don't do recreational activities on Sundays and be nice. Wearing garments and attending the temple helps.

I'm with you, Scottie. I think that it is hard to truly BE a good Mormon, because of all the rules and fine print. I have a friend who always looks like he's going to burst a gasket because he's trying so hard. I wonder sometimes if he has some private room which he goes into to flog himself at night...wait a minute, that's hardcore Catholicism.

When I was LDS, I used to comment that my lifestyle didn't change much. And it hadn't. But I always felt dirty because of the emphasis on how impure people were who had done things that I had done before. Because I had learned to dislike myself, I tried as hard as I could to appear to be a good Mormon. But I always felt like a poser and a fraud.

My views have since changed, I'm not going to play the whore because I occasionally have sex. I get less than most people I know (here them tell it I get more, but that's their perception), just because I actually get some doesn't mean I need to hang my head and wear a scarlet letter. I actually think that judging someone based on whether or not they have sex with a marriage contract nearby is rediculous.

Edited for the TBMs who I know would jump all over this: When I was a member I had sex TWICE. I confessed each time and moved on. The most difficult part for me was the time I had to go back and confess something to a MAN that I had confessed to GOD (though for different reasons) a year-and-a-half before. The confession to the MAN left me feeling dirty, fearful, and just full of hatred for myself. I don't ever want to feel that way again. It's not up to some stranger with a get into the temple free card machine to tell me whether or not I respect my body. It's up to me and my perception of God. Right now I am celibate and want to remain that way. There's no reward system here.

[_Brackite]

Is being a Good Mormon hard?

in my opinion, Yes! Being a God Mormon is hard. The Following is from the Former 12th LDS Church President, Spencer W. Kimball in his Book, Titled, “The Miracle of Forgiveness," First Published Back in 1969:

"Trying is not sufficient. Nor is repentance complete when one merely tries to abandon sin." "To 'try' is weak. To 'do the best I can' is not strong. We must always do better than we can."
('Miracle of Forgiveness’, Pages, 164-165.).

Now, The Following is from a Speech that the Former 13th LDS Church President, Ezra Taft Benson gave in the Priesthood Session, Tilted, ‘To the Single Adult Brethren of the Church,’ Back in April of 1988:

Be an example in your Church activity—honor the Sabbath day, attend your meetings, observe the Word of Wisdom, pay your tithes and offerings, support your leaders, and otherwise keep the commandments. Serve cheerfully and gratefully in every calling you receive. Live worthy of a temple recommend and enjoy the sweet, sacred spirit that comes from frequent temple attendance.

Dress and groom yourself in a way that reflects your lifelong commitment to share the gospel with others.
Be thoughtful, loving, helpful, and appreciative of your family as you seek to deepen those eternal relationships.
In your dating and courting, fully maintain the standards of the Church. Be morally clean. “Let virtue garnish [your] thoughts unceasingly” (D&C 121:45).

Remember the counsel of Elder Bruce R. McConkie that “the most important single thing that any Latter-day Saint ever does in this world is to marry the right person in the right place by the right authority” (Choose an Eternal Companion, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year, Provo, 3 May 1966, p. 2).

Understand that temple marriage is essential to your salvation and exaltation.

Carefully select practical and worthwhile goals and, in an organized way, work to reach them.

Apply yourself prayerfully and diligently to selecting and pursuing academic and vocational goals.

Share the gospel and your testimony with those who are not members of the Church or who are less active.

...

To obtain a fulness of glory and exaltation in the celestial kingdom, one must enter into this holiest of ordinances.

Without marriage, the purposes of the Lord would be frustrated. Choice spirits would be withheld from the experience of mortality. And postponing marriage unduly often means limiting your posterity, and the time will come, brethren, when you will feel and know that loss.

I can assure you that the greatest responsibility and the greatest joys in life are centered in the family, honorable marriage, and rearing a righteous posterity. And the older you become, the less likely you are to marry, and then you may lose these eternal blessings altogether.

( Ezra Taft Benson, “To the Single Adult Brethren of the Church,” Ensign, May 1988, Page 51: LINK. )

[_The Nehor]

Is being a Good Mormon hard?

in my opinion, Yes! Being a God Mormon is hard. The Following is from the Former 12th LDS Church President, Spencer W. Kimball in his Book, Titled, “The Miracle of Forgiveness," First Published Back in 1969:

"Trying is not sufficient. Nor is repentance complete when one merely tries to abandon sin." "To 'try' is weak. To 'do the best I can' is not strong. We must always do better than we can." (‘Miracle of Forgiveness’, Pages, 164-165.).

Now, The Following is from a Speech that the Former 13th LDS Church President, Ezra Taft Benson gave in the Priesthood Session, Tilted, ‘To the Single Adult Brethren of the Church,’ Back in April of 1988:

Be an example in your Church activity—honor the Sabbath day, attend your meetings, observe the Word of Wisdom, pay your tithes and offerings, support your leaders, and otherwise keep the commandments. Serve cheerfully and gratefully in every calling you receive. Live worthy of a temple recommend and enjoy the sweet, sacred spirit that comes from frequent temple attendance.

Dress and groom yourself in a way that reflects your lifelong commitment to share the gospel with others.
Be thoughtful, loving, helpful, and appreciative of your family as you seek to deepen those eternal relationships.
In your dating and courting, fully maintain the standards of the Church. Be morally clean. “Let virtue garnish [your] thoughts unceasingly” (D&C 121:45).

Remember the counsel of Elder Bruce R. McConkie that “the most important single thing that any Latter-day Saint ever does in this world is to marry the right person in the right place by the right authority” (Choose an Eternal Companion, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year, Provo, 3 May 1966, p. 2).

Understand that temple marriage is essential to your salvation and exaltation.

Carefully select practical and worthwhile goals and, in an organized way, work to reach them.

Apply yourself prayerfully and diligently to selecting and pursuing academic and vocational goals.

Share the gospel and your testimony with those who are not members of the Church or who are less active.

...

To obtain a fulness of glory and exaltation in the celestial kingdom, one must enter into this holiest of ordinances.

Without marriage, the purposes of the Lord would be frustrated. Choice spirits would be withheld from the experience of mortality. And postponing marriage unduly often means limiting your posterity, and the time will come, brethren, when you will feel and know that loss.

I can assure you that the greatest responsibility and the greatest joys in life are centered in the family, honorable marriage, and rearing a righteous posterity. And the older you become, the less likely you are to marry, and then you may lose these eternal blessings altogether.

( Ezra Taft Benson, “To the Single Adult Brethren of the Church,” Ensign, May 1988, Page 51: LINK. )

Is someone hinting something to me. I've been known to be slow. ;)

[_Sam Harris]

Nehor, you're too cute.

[Guest]

Hi Nehor...

To ascend the spiritual heights, repent daily, seek not just wisdom from God but greater commandments to obey, get the revelation you need to make yourself more perfect, and surrender yourself enough to let Christ save you....yeah, for me that's hard.

in my opinion, while the specifics may be different in Christianity than in other religions, faith traditions, or belief systems, this is more about just being a good person.

Life is not easy... living a full and healthy life is not simple but I see this common life journey not so much about Mormonism as just life.

~dancer~

I agree, TD.

Yet, I often see Nehor attempting to live his faith and I appreciate it. Respect it. I've seen him remorseful when he's acted in kind when goaded into anger. I've witnessed him often ridiculed on the board and still endure to attempt to be kind in many respects. None of us are perfect -- and that I see that he recognizes that he's not and attempts to be a better person is something that is very remarkable. I enjoy watching it.

I am by no means perfect! I am a mess! I'm quite temperamental, I'm no saint, and I can be cruel.... I'm working on betterment. I think it matters not which path we take to improvement. Sincerely looking within and wanting to improve is something I try to do -- I'm often not too skilled at this. I imagine for any person that attempts to hold themselves to certain standards there is always a struggle to reach that level.

[_The Nehor]

Hi Nehor...

To ascend the spiritual heights, repent daily, seek not just wisdom from God but greater commandments to obey, get the revelation you need to make yourself more perfect, and surrender yourself enough to let Christ save you....yeah, for me that's hard.

in my opinion, while the specifics may be different in Christianity than in other religions, faith traditions, or belief systems, this is more about just being a good person.

Life is not easy... living a full and healthy life is not simple but I see this common life journey not so much about Mormonism as just life.

~dancer~

I agree, TD.

Yet, I often see Nehor attempting to live his faith and I appreciate it. Respect it. I've seen him remorseful when he's acted in kind when goaded into anger. I've witnessed him often ridiculed on the board and still endure to attempt to be kind in many respects. None of us are perfect -- and that I see that he recognizes that he's not and attempts to be a better person is something that is very remarkable. I enjoy watching it.

Thank you, that's very sweet and I appreciate it. Thanks GIMR for remarking on my cuteness, never hurts the ego let me tell you.

[_Abinadi's Fire]

I am by no means perfect! I am a mess! I'm quite temperamental, I'm no saint, and I can be cruel.... I'm working on betterment. I think it matters not which path we take to improvement. Sincerely looking within and wanting to improve is something I try to do -- I'm often not too skilled at this. I imagine for any person that attempts to hold themselves to certain standards there is always a struggle to reach that level.

Personally I think this is what it is all about, at least in the "do unto others" sense - since we know that we are not perfect, then we should treat others with the same amount of mercy that we ourselves hope for.

I think this verse and the story surrounding it is somewhat relevant:

Luke 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

[_MishMagnet]

Yes, I think it's difficult. I also feel that (strictly in my opinion) it requires a sacrifice of 'realness.' I also think being an Orthodox Jew or a Muslim woman would be very difficult. I make my comments as an outsider of all 3 religions, though, not believing in word or in deed.

Although I thought I felt a connection to something else while in the church I did not truly find that until I left and stopped guarding my heart from my surroundings. (That would be the world outside the church.) I remember one afternoon feeling completely drunk on the beauty of the world and the love I felt for my life. This happened about a year after I'd left the church. The sky seemed bluer - everything had become brighter. I was filled with gratitude for this new life. So much that I can recall it perfectly and it happened 14 years ago.