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Say what you will about Mormonism, but they've got fairer view of immortality. In Mormon theology, practically everyone ends up happy. In Christian theology, you can be sent to be everlastingly tortured for completely arbitrary reasons. Even a very bad person's sins are finite, but the punishment is infinite. Talk about injustice.

Buffalo wrote:Say what you will about Mormonism, but they've got fairer view of immortality. In Mormon theology, practically everyone ends up happy. In Christian theology, you can be sent to be everlastingly tortured for completely arbitrary reasons. Even a very bad person's sins are finite, but the punishment is infinite. Talk about injustice.

Not all fantasies are created equally.

Buffalo wrote:Say what you will about Mormonism, but they've got fairer view of immortality. In Mormon theology, practically everyone ends up happy. In Christian theology, you can be sent to be everlastingly tortured for completely arbitrary reasons. Even a very bad person's sins are finite, but the punishment is infinite. Talk about injustice.

Well you're right, of course. The added incentive is in LDS belief, salvation is maximized in the LDS concept of exaltation. While the traditional Christian view would put salvation on par, about, with the LDS Terrestrial Kingdom. No reaching for the stars for them.

stemelbow wrote:

Buffalo wrote:Say what you will about Mormonism, but they've got fairer view of immortality. In Mormon theology, practically everyone ends up happy. In Christian theology, you can be sent to be everlastingly tortured for completely arbitrary reasons. Even a very bad person's sins are finite, but the punishment is infinite. Talk about injustice.

Well you're right, of course. The added incentive is in LDS belief, salvation is maximized in the LDS concept of exaltation. While the traditional Christian view would put salvation on par, about, with the LDS Terrestrial Kingdom. No reaching for the stars for them.

I guess that making worlds + babies with multiple celestial wives is probably more fulfilling than singing songs + groveling at the feet of Jesus for all eternity.

However, the one caveat that I would add is that this model of heaven is only better if you're a white member of the church. According to BY, the blacks still have to be slaves of the whites in the Celestial Kingdom.

Buffalo wrote:Say what you will about Mormonism, but they've got fairer view of immortality. In Mormon theology, practically everyone ends up happy.

Do women end up happy? I can't speak for other women, but for my own part, any view of the afterlife which makes me my husband's subordinate for eternity sounds like hell.

Do gays end up happy? Are they thrilled by the prospect of getting un-gayed and paired up with a member of the opposite sex? I know that if gays believed in a religion where marriage to a fellow gay formed a central part of its view of the afterlife, and they promised me that their deity would "cure" my heterosexuality and pair me up with another woman in the next life, I wouldn't be thrilled.

Do widows who have had at least two loving husbands over the course of their lifetime end up happy? How do they feel about having to choose only one man to spend eternity with while a man in the same situation can be with both his wives?

I don't think that Mormonism has a "fairer" view of immortality at all. Clearer answers on the fate of the unevangelized, yes (though not answers without their own problems). A happier fate for unbelievers in Mormonism? Arguably, yes.

But whether or not the LDS view of immortality is really more appealing is heavily dependent on one's sex and orientation (and possibly race?) in this life. I can see why heterosexual white men dig it.

MsJack wrote:

Buffalo wrote:Say what you will about Mormonism, but they've got fairer view of immortality. In Mormon theology, practically everyone ends up happy.

Do women end up happy? I can't speak for other women, but for my own part, any view of the afterlife which makes me my husband's subordinate for eternity sounds like hell.

Do gays end up happy? Are they thrilled by the prospect of getting un-gayed and paired up with a member of the opposite sex? I know that if gays believed in a religion where marriage to a fellow gay formed a central part of its view of the afterlife, and they promised me that their deity would "cure" my heterosexuality and pair me up with another woman in the next life, I wouldn't be thrilled.

Do widows who have had at least two loving husbands over the course of their lifetime end up happy? How do they feel about having to choose only one man to spend eternity with while a man in the same situation can be with both his wives?

I don't think that Mormonism has a "fairer" view of immortality at all. Clearer answers on the fate of the unevangelized, yes (though not answers without their own problems). A happier fate for unbelievers in Mormonism? Arguably, yes.

But whether or not the LDS view of immortality is really more appealing is heavily dependent on one's sex and orientation (and possibly race?) in this life. I can see why heterosexual white men dig it.

Yes, this is an excellent point. I had forgotten about the problems with this eternity for women and homosexuals. The Mormon view of eternity is very problematic.

Also, considering that white, heterosexual, males are the small minority of humans that have ever lived on the earth, I would also propose that the Mormon afterlife probably leaves most of the people who have ever lived unhappy.

MsJack wrote:Do women end up happy? I can't speak for other women, but for my own part, any view of the afterlife which makes me my husband's subordinate for eternity sounds like hell.

nah...all the women in the church are truly looking forward to an unhappy eternity while subordinating themselves to their men. Those LDS women are duped.

Do gays end up happy? Are they thrilled by the prospect of getting un-gayed and paired up with a member of the opposite sex? I know that if gays believed in a religion where marriage to a fellow gay formed a central part of its view of the afterlife, and they promised me that their deity would "cure" my heterosexuality and pair me up with another woman in the next life, I wouldn't be thrilled.

Nah those LDS who are attracted to those of the same sex but have faith in the Church and what they perceive as God's plan, are looking for an eternity of happiness feeling forced to be attracted to someone of the opposite sex.

Do widows who have had at least two loving husbands over the course of their lifetime end up happy? How do they feel about having to choose only one man to spend eternity with while a man in the same situation can be with both his wives?

Nah...these LDS women, as you describe, are you looking forward, too, to a miserable eternity.

I don't think that Mormonism has a "fairer" view of immortality at all. Clearer answers on the fate of the unevangelized, yes (though not answers without their own problems). A happier fate for unbelievers in Mormonism? Arguably, yes.

But whether or not the LDS view of immortality is really more appealing is heavily dependent on one's sex and orientation (and possibly race?) in this life. I can see why heterosexual white men dig it.

no kidding. All LDS Women and all LDS men that aren't white aren't at all looking forward to a happy blissful eternity at all.

MsJack wrote:

Buffalo wrote:Say what you will about Mormonism, but they've got fairer view of immortality. In Mormon theology, practically everyone ends up happy.

Do women end up happy? I can't speak for other women, but for my own part, any view of the afterlife which makes me my husband's subordinate for eternity sounds like hell.

Do gays end up happy? Are they thrilled by the prospect of getting un-gayed and paired up with a member of the opposite sex? I know that if gays believed in a religion where marriage to a fellow gay formed a central part of its view of the afterlife, and they promised me that their deity would "cure" my heterosexuality and pair me up with another woman in the next life, I wouldn't be thrilled.

Do widows who have had at least two loving husbands over the course of their lifetime end up happy? How do they feel about having to choose only one man to spend eternity with while a man in the same situation can be with both his wives?

I don't think that Mormonism has a "fairer" view of immortality at all. Clearer answers on the fate of the unevangelized, yes (though not answers without their own problems). A happier fate for unbelievers in Mormonism? Arguably, yes.

But whether or not the LDS view of immortality is really more appealing is heavily dependent on one's sex and orientation (and possibly race?) in this life. I can see why heterosexual white men dig it.

Yes, these are very fair points. However, it still beats out the complete arbitrary and unfair everlasting torture that your version of God has in store for most of his creations.

Buffalo wrote:Yes, these are very fair points. However, it still beats out the complete arbitrary and unfair everlasting torture that your version of God has in store for most of his creations.

I think its more fair to consider that most LDS women look forward to eternity as a place of happiness though. I don't think she raises good points, as much as raises legitimate questions to put to women in the Church, or people who are attracted to those of hte same sex in the Church. And ultimately you are right, even if we grant her caricature of LDS women and such, we are left with the notion that this is lightyears above the traditional Christian view.

Hey stem,

stemelbow wrote:
we are left with the notion that this is lightyears above the traditional Christian view.

Aren't all LDS views "light-years above the traditional Christian views"?

Peace,
Ceeboo