Inconceivable wrote:Semantically speaking, they are no longer "Christian" (a very mis-defined term), they would rather be identified as followers of Christ. He is one of the most charitable people I've ever met (and the friends his family have discovered in the process are most similar). Although they attend a congregation, their community of believers transcend religion and culture. Like minded people gravitate to what he emulates. They're not alone and they're not afraid. Think about it.
I find that approach appealing, depending on what your understanding of Jesus actually is.
"Petition wasn’t meant to start a witch hunt as I’ve said 6000 times." ~ Hanna Seariac, LDS apologist
Inconceivable wrote:Semantically speaking, they are no longer "Christian" (a very mis-defined term), they would rather be identified as followers of Christ. He is one of the most charitable people I've ever met (and the friends his family have discovered in the process are most similar). Although they attend a congregation, their community of believers transcend religion and culture. Like minded people gravitate to what he emulates. They're not alone and they're not afraid. Think about it.
I find that approach appealing, depending on what your understanding of Jesus actually is.
My friend pretty much sticks with the 4 gospels. The definition becomes a lot less broad. Does Jesus actually have to exist in order for you to emulate His peaceable walk? Well, that's an option.
The rest is a lot of fluff, no?
In retrospect, my exit from Mormonism would not have been such a violence on everyone (including myself) if I had been aware of this option.
Cicero wrote:Kevin: All religions have wacky doctrines and untenable truth claims to some extent. That's why they all ultimately rely on faith. If you are still in Brazil, then I think you should consider Catholicism, mainly because I would consider it a vastly superior religious experience to the other religions I encountered in Brazil. For example, I certainly wouldn't be able to tolerate the intolerance of popular sects like Assembleia de Deus or other similar Pentecostales.
LDSfaqs: If you are going to call Kevin to repent, then do it in a PM. Putting it out there for everyone to see just says that you are looking to glorify yourself and it will only provoke a negative reaction (and rightly so). You should be ashamed of yourself for implying that difficulties in Kevin's marriage somehow means that he has "joined the dark side." You were absolutely right to be offended when people on this board brought up your personal history, and given that history I simply cannot believe that you would dare to say something like that. Look to the beam in your own eye before calling out anyone else.
Cicero the more you post the more I like you. You are a class act.