beastie wrote:mg-
Within Mormon theology what kind of relationship do you think they could have? Would there be no possibility of happiness?
Well, we all know Joseph Smith said that even the lesser degrees of glory are wonderful beyond imagination, so it assures us of happiness. Yet it also assures us that only those in the highest degree of glory will retain familial rights and relations. Families are forever, but only for those in the Celestial Kingdom. So to construct a paradigm that simultaneously allows for some sort of eternal bliss and familial loss is as baffling to me as constructing a paradigm that simultaneously bathes believers in eternal bliss while torturing others for eternity.
What are the particular familial rights and relations...and let's add in
obligations and
responsibilities, that you would wish to retain? When you say "familial loss", are you referring to losing the opportunity to associate, love, cherish and "hang out" with the person or persons that you love...or something more? Are you assuming that the same
pleasures associated with "familial rights and relations" here on earth would be existent in an "eternal bliss"? You go on to say "torturing others for eternity". Are these the same individuals that are experiencing a "glory... wonderful beyond imagination"?
I would expect that if you, as an unbeliever, die and find out that there is something on "the other side" you will also be pleased to find out that your boyfriend and yourself will still have association and happiness beyond description together. The question is, would you and your boyfriend want to "sign on" to what could be
fairly significant obligations and responsibilities, if God were to put them before you, or are there certain rights that you would
demand regardless of the obligations and responsibilities which may be attached?
Would you expect that God would
simply trust and honor you with certain responsibilities and obligations?
Regards,
MG