The weakness within me.
Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 7:01 pm
Ultimately I just want to be a better person. Well by "just" I don't' mean to say that's my only focus and goal but its definitely a high priority--not to belabor that point.
If Mormonism the religion will be helpful to my stated objective I'm happy. In sum, looking back I don't know where I'd be without my religious faith (by that I mean I sincerely don't know, not the crying in testimony meeting meaningof I don't know). In some ways its helped shape me, but granted some of that shaping I could have gotten elsewhere or without the religion. So I suppose that means I"m at elast somewhat open to exploring other "life-styles" if that's what you want to call it. I'm not trying to state I'm going to actively leave the Church or decry publically the things about it that I find troubling or disagree with. Oh no. That's not what I'm doing. I'm just stating that I truly think there is good out there. Good and truths being found, practiced, and taught outside the realm of my religion. I mean for one, my religion is steeped heavily in western culture. I hope one day there's more of an embrace of outside influences within this western, oh I forgot, conservative culture. I recognize there's weakness sitting in my vantage point (as a faithful LDS) and trying to find truth whereever it may be. (another decent example in found in Just me's recent thread about the age of the earth).
Anyway, and I've said this before, the Church to me is nothing if not a sanctuary to help its people learn the concept of love. LDS call charity greater than love, but its all the same. loving the Savior. Loving others. Building unity. Building camraderie. I realize in the Church's efforts there may be, or may just appear to be, things done or said that seem to contradict the purpose I find in the Church. I don't think the Church is inerrant--that's my justification. One of these days, i truly hope the Church proves to me, beyond any shadow of my doubts, that it is the best org around that I can align myself with to help me accomplish a better person. I guess my faith and that hope I just described keeps me believing, keeps me going, keeps me "defending" (if anyone can call what I do that).
So here we are. What say you, if you care to say anything at all?
If Mormonism the religion will be helpful to my stated objective I'm happy. In sum, looking back I don't know where I'd be without my religious faith (by that I mean I sincerely don't know, not the crying in testimony meeting meaningof I don't know). In some ways its helped shape me, but granted some of that shaping I could have gotten elsewhere or without the religion. So I suppose that means I"m at elast somewhat open to exploring other "life-styles" if that's what you want to call it. I'm not trying to state I'm going to actively leave the Church or decry publically the things about it that I find troubling or disagree with. Oh no. That's not what I'm doing. I'm just stating that I truly think there is good out there. Good and truths being found, practiced, and taught outside the realm of my religion. I mean for one, my religion is steeped heavily in western culture. I hope one day there's more of an embrace of outside influences within this western, oh I forgot, conservative culture. I recognize there's weakness sitting in my vantage point (as a faithful LDS) and trying to find truth whereever it may be. (another decent example in found in Just me's recent thread about the age of the earth).
Anyway, and I've said this before, the Church to me is nothing if not a sanctuary to help its people learn the concept of love. LDS call charity greater than love, but its all the same. loving the Savior. Loving others. Building unity. Building camraderie. I realize in the Church's efforts there may be, or may just appear to be, things done or said that seem to contradict the purpose I find in the Church. I don't think the Church is inerrant--that's my justification. One of these days, i truly hope the Church proves to me, beyond any shadow of my doubts, that it is the best org around that I can align myself with to help me accomplish a better person. I guess my faith and that hope I just described keeps me believing, keeps me going, keeps me "defending" (if anyone can call what I do that).
So here we are. What say you, if you care to say anything at all?