So it's pretty much settled then that..

[_Tarski]

um, ..that the church isn't true?

[_Dr. Shades]

Yep.

Expect an announcement to that effect in General Conference next October.

[_Mercury]

um, ..that the church isn't true?

Nope, im just really into masochism.

[_barrelomonkeys]

I don't really understand what a person means when they say a church is true. I just think of a church as a meeting place where people congregate with others that share their faith. I don't understand it when LDS say that.

[_Jersey Girl]

I don't really understand what a person means when they say a church is true. I just think of a church as a meeting place where people congregate with others that share their faith. I don't understand it when LDS say that.

They mean the whole entire doctrinal enchilada, monkeys. Everything that came before, what is now, and what is yet to come. It's a statement of reinforcement that prepares you to accept what lies ahead.

[_barrelomonkeys]

I don't really understand what a person means when they say a church is true. I just think of a church as a meeting place where people congregate with others that share their faith. I don't understand it when LDS say that.

They mean the whole entire doctrinal enchilada, monkeys. Everything that came before, what is now, and what is yet to come. It's a statement of reinforcement that prepares you to accept what lies ahead.

I wish spirituality came without the mantras. It'd be so much easier for me.

[_Polygamy Porter]

I don't really understand what a person means when they say a church is true. I just think of a church as a meeting place where people congregate with others that share their faith. I don't understand it when LDS say that.

It is cult speak.

The members hear the follow rote statements from the time they can hear and mimic the phrases:

"I know that the church is true"

"I know that the Book of Mormon is true"

"I know that _current_prophet_name_ is true prophet of god"

"I know that Joseph Smith was true prophet of god"

Others will further pretentiously pontificate further:

"I know that Jesus is the Christ"

They see their parents and leaders repeating the above ad nauseam in daily speak, and any time they stand up at the podium in the chapel to bear their testimony, or give a talk.

Further, most children are required to repeat the phrases in the sunday school classes(called Primary in LDS).

Seeing this really for the first time as an adult made my skin crawl. I was asked to substitute for my then five year old daughter's class.

They hold what is called "opening exercises" where all of the younger children sit with their age group classes and sing, do skits, pray, and hold up pictures of Gordo as they all repeat "I know that Gordon B. Hinckley is a true prophet of god and speaks to god to tell us the right things to do. I will follow the counsel of the phophet...." It was month before my trip down the slipper slope of mo'postasy.

I told my wife that it was nothing short of brainwashing.

[_beastie]

don't really understand what a person means when they say a church is true. I just think of a church as a meeting place where people congregate with others that share their faith. I don't understand it when LDS say that.

It also means that the LDS church is the ONLY church on the face of the earth with the CORRECT, TRUE, AND REAL authority from Jesus Christ himself to perform saving ordinances in his name. It's the ONLY church with the POWER to perform ordinances that, along with an individual's righteousness, will allow him/her to enter into the highest degree of glory in the celestial kingdom and become a god one day.

All other churches, although the church is certainly more PC towards them than it used to be, as well meaning as they might be, just don't have that power and authority. So being baptized in another church may be nice and meaningful to people, but it isn't SANCTIONED by Jesus Christ himself and it won't allow the person to enter the Celestial Kingdom. It's just a nice little thing, as long as it doesn't lead the person AWAY from the LDS church.

It also means that this is the ONLY church that actually has Jesus Christ himself leading it, via revelation to his prophet. The other churches may have the influence of the Holy Spirit, like any other human being, but JC himself certainly isn't at the HELM of their churches.

Don't let all the PCness of internet Mormons fool you. The LDS religion is a very exclusive one.

[_Tarski]

It also means that this is the ONLY church that actually has Jesus Christ himself leading it, via revelation to his prophet.

And, let's add, this ability to receive revelation allows the prophets to definitively state some mere opinions on all sorts of matter.
ha ha ha

[_Some Schmo]

um, ..that the church isn't true?

Oh wow... yeah, I thought this was a given.