Gentiles - Moral Superiority - Intellectual Superiority

[_Trevor]

Indeed. Either the Church is what it claims to be, or it's not. It's really that simple.

No, I am afraid the choices are like this. Either BC has a false sense of moral superiority, or he has a false sense of moral superiority. Wait a second...

[_Some Schmo]

Indeed. Either the Church is what it claims to be, or it's not. It's really that simple.

No, I am afraid the choices are like this. Either BC has a false sense of moral superiority, or he has a false sense of moral superiority. Wait a second...

Actually, I think BC has a very real sense of moral superiority. It's just not based on anything real, and hence, unjustified.

:D

[_Coca Cola]

I couldn't vote because the poll was closed, but as a Mormon I always believed Mormons as a people were superior because "we have the truth."

I personally didn't think i was all that superior to others because I knew I wasn't perfect, but I had a patriarchal blessing that told me I was "valiant" in the pre-earth life and therefore was allowed to be born into a Mormon home. So, I attributed my being born in the US to a middle-class LDS family to my supposed exalted state in the pre-earth life. The good things I enjoyed here were a result of the great things I did there. Therefore, I felt special even though I wasn't perfect.

[_Gazelam]

The difference between a Mormon and a Gentile is this:

When one becomes a member of the church, they are either adopted into the House of Israel or they begin to come into their family heritage.

A member of the church goes through the same struggles as any other person in the world, but we ask God to hold us to a higher standard, to expect more from us. In return we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, which slowly teaches us to recognize his promptings. If we follow these promptings they act as personal scripture to us in guiding us into being more Christlike.

It is not that we are better than anyone else. Its that we have set ourselves on a path that has the potential to make us truly great. And it is a path that God takes an active interest in, it is His church, and His plan. And we are His children who have sought him out and made ourselves a part of his life. We have accepted his invitation.

Gentiles are not a part of this, and we seek them out and invite them. Its not that we are better, but we know how to be the best we can be.

[_Trevor]

Actually, I think BC has a very real sense of moral superiority. It's just not based on anything real, and hence, unjustified.

:D

I couldn't have put it better myself, obviously. :P

[_Bond...James Bond]

I've been thinking about the general issues of how we create hierarchies within our society. We create them without even knowing them. We are parts of different hierarchies and exist at different levels in different hierarchies. We create hierarchies based on money and we always look down on those below us, often not dwelling on the fact that we're looked down upon in turn. We create hierarchies based on image and the average look down on the fat and ugly, while the beautiful look down on the rest. We do it. And the religious along with the same. What's interesting with the religious hierarchies is that unlike other things which are material and can be judged by all...religious hierarchies deal with how we percieve an invisible, supposedly supernatural, all powerful force. Or how we don't pervceive the force or unbelieve. My guess is that people are at an impasse because they take opposing absolute positions on the subject. So there we are.

Let's admit it and move on. To where we move on is anyone's guess. Honesty with ourselves and our position in life? Honesty and acceptance, possibly happiness? Hopefully.

Just a thought.

[_Some Schmo]

When one becomes a member of the church, they are either adopted into the House of Israel or they begin to come into their family heritage.

A member of the church goes through the same struggles as any other person in the world, but we ask God to hold us to a higher standard, to expect more from us. In return we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, which slowly teaches us to recognize his promptings. If we follow these promptings they act as personal scripture to us in guiding us into being more Christlike.

It is not that we are better than anyone else. Its that we have set ourselves on a path that has the potential to make us truly great. And it is a path that God takes an active interest in, it is His church, and His plan. And we are His children who have sought him out and made ourselves a part of his life. We have accepted his invitation.

Gentiles are not a part of this, and we seek them out and invite them. Its not that we are better, but we know how to be the best we can be.

Is it just me, or does this sound like he's reading from the rulebook (or perhaps a character background supplementary) of some new, cheesy and doomed to fail role-playing game?

Whatever it is, it's most assuredly contrived silliness. It's hard to imagine he's actually serious about this.

[_Moniker]

We create hierarchies based on money and we always look down on those below us, often not dwelling on the fact that we're looked down upon in turn.

I do NOT look down upon those that are lower on the socio-economic scale then I am. I've never done so. I'm being as completely honest about that as I can be without going into great detail. :)

There are lots of things I look up to. I look up to those that I see are intelligent, kind, noble, generous, compassionate, etc... I DO look down upon those that are hateful, and cruel. Their status in life does not make me see them as less of a human being. I see people as HIDEOUS from their actions. I see beauty in those that may not be traditionally beautiful from their actions, likewise.

Let's admit it and move on. To where we move on is anyone's guess. Honesty with ourselves and our position in life? Honesty and acceptance, possibly happiness? Hopefully.

Just a thought.

I think hierarchies, of course, exist in all societies. Yet, I don't think talking about them, and discussing why they are so, should be a problem. Was I ever taught that I was morally superior to a religious person? NEVER! Am I interested to find out that there are religions that teach they are morally superior to me and others outside their religion? Yah, I sure am. I want to understand it. I accept that I may be looked down upon -- I want to understand it. More than that if there is to be dialogue perhaps SOMEONE could tell me the behaviors that make them morally superior and they could be open to the possibility that morality is not confined to a tight lil sect of some religious.

[Anonymous]

We create hierarchies based on money and we always look down on those below us, often not dwelling on the fact that we're looked down upon in turn.

I do NOT look down upon those that are lower on the socio-economic scale then I am. I've never done so. I'm being as completely honest about that as I can be without going into great detail. :)

There are lots of things I look up to. I look up to those that I see are intelligent, kind, noble, generous, compassionate, etc... I DO look down upon those that are hateful, and cruel. Their status in life does not make me see them as less of a human being. I see people as HIDEOUS from their actions. I see beauty in those that may not be traditionally beautiful from their actions, likewise.

Let's admit it and move on. To where we move on is anyone's guess. Honesty with ourselves and our position in life? Honesty and acceptance, possibly happiness? Hopefully.

Just a thought.

I think hierarchies, of course, exist in all societies. Yet, I don't think talking about them, and discussing why they are so, should be a problem. Was I ever taught that I was morally superior to a religious person? NEVER! Am I interested to find out that there are religions that teach they are morally superior to me and others outside their religion? Yah, I sure am. I want to understand it. I accept that I may be looked down upon -- I want to understand it. More than that if there is to be dialogue perhaps SOMEONE could tell me the behaviors that make them morally superior and they could be open to the possibility that morality is not confined to a tight lil sect of some religious.

I was using the global "We" which is of course allows exceptions on the economic or beauty or religious hierarchies. Some have reached a few levels of Enlightenment higher than others. Not that I have, I'm still a poor soul down a few levels on alot of hierarchies.

As to morality...I think problems will always exist because each person's code of "morality" or "ethics" is unique, and will bring about conflict with others.

[_Moniker]

The difference between a Mormon and a Gentile is this:

When one becomes a member of the church, they are either adopted into the House of Israel or they begin to come into their family heritage.

A member of the church goes through the same struggles as any other person in the world, but we ask God to hold us to a higher standard, to expect more from us. In return we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, which slowly teaches us to recognize his promptings. If we follow these promptings they act as personal scripture to us in guiding us into being more Christlike.

It is not that we are better than anyone else. Its that we have set ourselves on a path that has the potential to make us truly great. And it is a path that God takes an active interest in, it is His church, and His plan. And we are His children who have sought him out and made ourselves a part of his life. We have accepted his invitation.

Gentiles are not a part of this, and we seek them out and invite them. Its not that we are better, but we know how to be the best we can be.

I watched a movie the other evening that was called "Three Needles" -- it followed a virus and humans... it ended talking about Saints. Not the LDS kind. :)

That there are saints all about us -- those that will never have their name heard, and will never even recognize that they are one. I think understanding how to live with love, compassion, charity, and goodwill can make any person a remarkable person. I don't need the Holy Ghost to tell me how to avoid hurting others or myself -- life taught me that, Gaz.

I, too, am not better -- yet, I also know how to be the best I can be without any supernatural promptings. :)