Believing members: If it weren't true, would u want to know?

[_Polygamy Porter]

This is for believing current members.

Ray does not count, he obviously does not believe it enough to be a member again.

Regardless of what you believe, know, or how you feel, please answer this question:

If the church was not true, would you want to know?


Yes or no and a brief explanation.

Additionally, if YES, how would you react to the information?

[_Palmyra Porter]

Well s***chya Bro. Hey I'M ON THE BOARD NOW!!

[MODERATOR NOTE: Please do not use the "S" word, or any of its variants, in the Terrestrial Forum. Thanks!]

[_Polygamy Porter]

Well s***chya Bro. Hey I'M ON THE BOARD NOW!!

[MODERATOR NOTE: Please do not use the "S" word, or any of its variants, in the Terrestrial Forum. Thanks!]

OH MY FING GAWD!!

MY brutha is on the board!!!

sweet mother of Joseph, Lucy Mack Smith!

[_The Nehor]

If it wasn't true, then yes, I would want to know.

It's be a hard thing to prove to me at this point. Maybe if you showed me an implant in my brain that aliens with time machines were using to forecast the future for me I might buy it. Once I saw the implant.

[_Polygamy Porter]

If it wasn't true, then yes, I would want to know.

It's be a hard thing to prove to me at this point. Maybe if you showed me an implant in my brain that aliens with time machines were using to forecast the future for me I might buy it. Once I saw the implant.

No implant, but there are plenty of external evidences and the lack there of that prove the Mormon church is a facade.

So, finish my question please.

You would want to know. What would you do with this new knowledge?

Stay? or Leave?

[_The Nehor]

If it wasn't true, then yes, I would want to know.

It's be a hard thing to prove to me at this point. Maybe if you showed me an implant in my brain that aliens with time machines were using to forecast the future for me I might buy it. Once I saw the implant.

No implant, but there are plenty of external evidences and the lack there of that prove the Mormon church is a facade.

So, finish my question please.

You would want to know. What would you do with this new knowledge?

Stay? or Leave?

If you were to somehow prove that the Gospel I have accepted is false I would seek out a better one.

[_Jason Bourne]

This is for believing current members.

Ray does not count, he obviously does not believe it enough to be a member again.

Regardless of what you believe, know, or how you feel, please answer this question:

If the church was not true, would you want to know?


Yes or no and a brief explanation.

Additionally, if YES, how would you react to the information?

Sure, but I have already determined that knowing or not knowing whether the LDS religion, or any other for that matter, is really impossible unless God, assuming there is a God tells you personally to your face. Thus, at least for me, religion revolves around the realms of faith and metaphysics. Knowing any religious claim is true or the only truth is really an impossibility at least at this point.

Know, one evangelical friend of mine agrees with this but argues that the evidence that the LDS Church is not what it claims is so overwhelming so it is a mistake to maintain faith in it, at least the parts that diverge from traditional Christianity.

For him when I ask about Christianity, he agrees it is ultimately faith, but that there are eveidencees that is is worth placing your faith in and that arguments against are not strong enough to deter your faith in it. Many anti Christians disagree.

So, as I have noted before, the utility I personally derive from religious faith is worth it to me, and the LDS Church is quite fine for me in maintaining my religious faith, though I do not think I could be called a zealot LDS TBM any longer.

Make sense at all?

[_asbestosman]

I would want to know what God wants me to do. I find it unlikely that the LDS church isn't where He wants me to be--indeed, where He wants all His children to end up. Still, if I think following the truth is important.

[_Polygamy Porter]

This is for believing current members.

Ray does not count, he obviously does not believe it enough to be a member again.

Regardless of what you believe, know, or how you feel, please answer this question:

If the church was not true, would you want to know?


Yes or no and a brief explanation.

Additionally, if YES, how would you react to the information?

Sure, but I have already determined that knowing or not knowing whether the LDS religion, or any other for that matter, is really impossible unless God, assuming there is a God tells you personally to your face. Thus, at least for me, religion revolves around the realms of faith and metaphysics. Knowing any religious claim is true or the only truth is really an impossibility at least at this point.

Now, one evangelical friend of mine agrees with this but argues that the evidence that the LDS Church is not what it claims is so overwhelming so it is a mistake to maintain faith in it, at least the parts that diverge from traditional Christianity.

For him when I ask about Christianity, he agrees it is ultimately faith, but that there are eveidencees that is is worth placing your faith in and that arguments against are not strong enough to deter your faith in it. Many anti Christians disagree.

So, as I have noted before, the utility I personally derive from religious faith is worth it to me, and the LDS Church is quite fine for me in maintaining my religious faith, though I do not think I could be called a zealot LDS TBM any longer.

Make sense at all?

Thanks to all who have responded thus far.

Jason brings up an interesting point.

The belief in general christianity is based on events that supposedly occurred around 2,000 years ago. Given that amount of time and lack of definitive records and compelling evidences, it is in my opinion easier to understand someone having faith in the whole christ story.

With Mormonism, it not only occurred less than 200 years ago, but we have records, witnesses, and evidence. We are told by the leaders that their religion is factually based on these events, that they either ACTUALLY happened or they did not.

What we argue about on boards like this is typically NOT concerning the christ story, it is about whether these events in smith's life actually happened and if they happened in the way we have been taught about them. Much less faith is required or perhaps even allowed in these very recent events.

The divinity of the christ story really has nothing to do with "is the church true". Think about it. Think about all of the other requirements of Mormonism. They are based on what smith and company wrote or said. Christianity is a very small portion of Mormonism.

So we could ask the following questions:

1. Would you want to know if smith's first vision actually happened as it has been taught?

2. Would you want to know if smith actually translated ancient records?

3. Would you want to know if god did not ever speak to smith and all that he claimed was from god in the D&C was only from him and his associates?

4. Would you want to know if smith did not but just copied and embellished other works and ideas for his day?

5. Would you want to know if smith lied to the membership about polygamy?

6. Would you want to know if smith translated some papyrus in doctrines that you align yourself with?

7. Would you want to know if Mormonism is nothing more than just another christian based religion?

[_Yoda]

Would you want to know if Mormonism is nothing more than just another christian based religion?

Basically, this is how I view it. I think that's why I don't fall into the mold you try to put me into.

I believe in Jesus Christ and his teachings. My feeling is that if I choose to worship him, it doesn't matter which Church I attend to do that.

I have extenuating family circumstances which makes it much easier for me to attend Church and be involved to some degree within the LDS culture. I don't have the luxury you have, PP. My husband is very TBM and is not going to leave the Church. We have been through hell and back so I'm not looking for a divorce. I'm sorry if I'm not the purist you would like me to be, but I have to do what works for me.

I come here to talk about issues involving the Church I can't do anywhere else.

You seem to think that I'm a hypocrite for doing that. OK, whatever.