why me wrote:Well, of course if you would come to church smelling like a brewery, it may not go down well for anyone. But the black shirt is fine. I know of one ward member in my ward who always wore a black shirt and still passed the sacrament. Maybe you shouldn't post in extremes. Here is the newsflash: no one would care if you wore an black shirt to church. And people would attempt to help you if you came smelling of alcohol I think Zee that you and your wife were much loved in your ward. And they would show you kindness regardless of your problems.
How long has it been since you were in sacrament meeting? I have seen Aaronic priesthood holders who weren't allowed to pass the sacrament because they weren't wearing a white shirt. And when we used to attend church in Idaho when we visited my wife's parents, we always came into the building smelling of cigarettes (MIL was a chain smoker until she repented later in life), and people treated us like we had leprosy.
How is describing fairly common behavior "posting in extremes"?
Fence Sitter wrote:There is a contradiction between the leadership of the church, which encourages faith promoting study, and the apologists, whose dismissive attitudes say you just haven't investigated the issue fully.
Well, I haven't seen a religion yet that encourages its members to read non faith promoting material about their church. Most would advise not to read literature that may be harmful for their soul.
I haven't seen or heard of any methodist or lutheran preachers advising their flock to read anti material. Nor any other protestant pasters giving such advise. But maybe I have missed something somewhere.
If I understand you correctly you are saying 1. That the apologist are reading literature that is harmful to their soul. 2. Religion in general discourages investigation into what it claims.
We agree.
Just out of curiosity would a methodist preacher consider reading the Book of Mormon to be 'harmful to the soul?
"Any over-ritualized religion since the dawn of time can make its priests say yes, we know, it is rotten, and hard luck, but just do as we say, keep at the ritual, stick it out, give us your money and you'll end up with the angels in heaven for evermore."
My point is that I am not able to live NOM nor am I able to be a jack Mormon. There is nothing wrong with people that choose that path. More power to them. It doesn't work for me. The point also is that religion really is nothing more than an idea. We make a big deal out of what religion is right when all along it doesn't matter. Sad, really.
Oh for shame, how the mortals put the blame on us gods, for they say evils come from us, but it is they, rather, who by their own recklessness win sorrow beyond what is given... Zeus (1178 BC)
I never wrote bla bla bla in my posts. But I understood your point.
I intend to lay a foundation that will revolutionize the whole world. Joseph Smith We are “to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to provide for the widow, to dry up the tear of the orphan, to comfort the afflicted, whether in this church, or in any other, or in no church at all…” Joseph Smith
My point is that I am not able to live NOM nor am I able to be a jack Mormon. There is nothing wrong with people that choose that path. More power to them. It doesn't work for me. The point also is that religion really is nothing more than an idea. We make a big deal out of what religion is right when all along it doesn't matter. Sad, really.
For most believing christians religion is more than just an idea. It is a way of life. And if one believes a church is a true church of god, it certainly matters. In the new testament, I do not hear Paul tell the Pagans that it really does not matter who has the truth. He set out to convince the pagans that they were living wrongly and he preached to the saints how to live a christ centered life. It mattered.
I intend to lay a foundation that will revolutionize the whole world. Joseph Smith We are “to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to provide for the widow, to dry up the tear of the orphan, to comfort the afflicted, whether in this church, or in any other, or in no church at all…” Joseph Smith
Seems to me that all overly zealous believers, in any endeavor, are at risk from disillusionment when their house of cards comes down. Ideas and beliefs need to be examined on their own and freely entered into. Even with this approach, ideas and beliefs are not stone but rather remain a malleable substance. When you assign as a true belief something you were told was true, then your belief is sure to falter when the wind blows and reveals other substance under that claim of truth. Too TBM, too Catholic, too Antidisestablishmentarianistic? Watch out.