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when thinking of sinful activities then why isn't the thought as good as doing the deed when thinking of good things? I know, the road to hell is paved with good intentions and all that But, it is taught often that thinking of sinful deeds is as good as having done them.(without the fun of the real experience most of the time)
If so, why isn't thinking of doing something good just as rewarding as actually doing it? (at least on the heavenly reward/punishment level)

There's a very good naturalistic answer to this one.

It's far more useful to those in charge to make people actually do real deeds after you tell them to, and it's also far easier when you can lead them around by the nose using a chain of guilt.

Good thoughts rarely turn into good actions.

Bad thoughts quite often turn into bad actions.

Good point!

I am sympathetic with the concept that intent should be as bad as achieving something. Such as when a person intends to kill someone, but misses and only ends up wounding them and gets off with a lower charge and sentence than someone with better aim. It appears to be a nonsense when we hear of some thug being charged for 'wounding with intent', then two weeks later, their victim dies in hospital and the charge gets upgraded to 'murder'.

This scriptural concept casts a wide enough net to get those who merely think "boy, I would like to ..." or "wouldn't it be fun to ...". But there is no credit at all for thinking good thoughts.

Thoughts or otherwise, is it possible to compensate for bad by doing good? It seems to be to be that the more a person is thought of as 'good', the worse they are judged for doing something 'bad'.

Besides, who says you don't get good points for thinking good thoughts??

If I have a desire to feed all the starving people in the world, yet it is outside of my power to do so, I'm pretty sure I will be judged kindly on the desires of my heart.

Scottie wrote:Good thoughts rarely turn into good actions.

Bad thoughts quite often turn into bad actions.

Do they?

I am not sure. I think that bad thoughts turning into bad actions may just be more salient.

Today I thought very many bad thoughts. My husband is away for a weekend, racing his bike in a popular tourist spot and larking it up with his biking buddies. Meanwhile the kids are driving me batty. I thought many bad thoughts about my husband today.

I managed to arrange for #1 boy (Pest) to go to a magic show and stay with his cousins the night, but was late getting him into town because #2 boy (Tutu) tipped 2 litres of milk on the floor and pooed his pants and ran away down the road.

So I was late and Pest had not packed his overnight bag, and scattered Pokemon cards all around the place, while I was catching and cleaning the Tutu. So I said some very bad words to the children about them having to live with their (TBM) granny after I had a heart attack, thought some very bad thoughts about abandoning them somewhere. And then I said and thought very bad things about other drivers on the road who insisted on driving 10km/h below the limit on clear roads. And pedestrians who walked too slowly across crossings. I fact I imagined mowing down one particular pedestrian who seemed to be dawdling.

In the end, not counting neutral thoughts, my ratio of bad to good thoughts would be huge. In fact, I can't think of any 'good' thoughts I thought today. My bad thoughts are sort of a safety valve. After fantasising about abandoning my children outside the door of some arty farty liberal social worker, I am probably less likely to actually do so.

I have just noticed that the Tutu has squashed a Jelly Tip into my hand-knotted wool carpet, and is smearing icecream/chocolate/jelly hands all over the TV screen. I am thinking bad thoughts right now.

Danna! Sell the bike! Or, buy yer own?? TBM heritage? Big problem. Make the best of it as you escape. Start Class-action of all conscripted-moms appealing for compensation from Church & Wall Street for Gender discrimination & Sexual exploitation.

Meanwhile, sell all household furnishings of any value. Replace them from Sally Anne. Put cover-alls on yourself & kids. Enjoy your indiscretions and tie off your tubes...Or cut-off ...
You ain't the first, or the last ;-)

This whole question of thought-deed thing is a sequential & consequential thing as they materialize consequences when given life. No "life", little material evidence of the thought. OTOH could be regret or gratitude... Wish I had/glad I didn't...

Nothing to do with religion...

Roger

This is one of the most nefarious mindfucks the Mormon cult has laid on its membership. The act is NOT the same as the thought. Not even close. But for Mo's who take their leadership seriously, this creates and incredible pressure to regiment one's self all the time. Total control. Ceded over to the Mocult. Ugh. So sad.

What is so wrong with attempting to control your thoughts??

Scottie wrote:What is so wrong with attempting to control your thoughts??

I'm not seeing self-control as a bad thing. Even external control isn't always a bad thing (thinking: society using law to control individual actions).