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Those who have been both TBM and not at different times of their lives, during which period were you more inclined to give a $1 or $5 or $10 bill to someone on a street asking for help?

Anyone, is it more important that you refrain from drinking beer than being kind to others?

Do the TR interview questions ask if you are keeping the Word of Wisdom? IIUC, then the answer is yes. And ask if you are kind/generous/helping your fellow man? Why not?

Is it really more important not to drink beer than whether you are kind/generous/helping? Why is the LDS Church more concerned with beer drinking?

Can you be generous to the degree God wants and needs us to be with each other, if we are passing judgment on others, labeling them deficient in some way, such as labeling them 'homeless', 'pan handlers', etc.

Sock,

In response to your questions -

Those who have been both TBM and not at different times of their lives, during which period were you more inclined to give a $1 or $5 or $10 bill to someone on a street asking for help?

I think I am equally inclined to give now as I was as a Mormon. What has changed is why. As a Mormon, I did so based on the teaching in Mosiah about giving, or if I could not give, being able to say honestly in my heart that I gave not because I had not. I've come to appreciate that many religious traditions, especially non-Western ones, emphasize charity of this kind.

Today, I give out of a sense of what kind of person I want to be. As I told a co-worker who critisied me for giving a pan-handler a $5 because "He'll just use it buy drugs", I'd rather trust and be proven wrong then lose the ability to trust at all.

Anyone, is it more important that you refrain from drinking beer than being kind to others?

The only difference between my current views and my LDS views is that I no longer see beer as inherantly bad. I would, as a Mormon, view unkindness as a violation of the second great law professed by Christ - to love thy neighbor as thyself. While serving in the military, I was told by a number of non-Mormons that I was one of the few Mormon's they knew who they felt didn't look down on them because they drank or did other things Mormons abstain from. I think this is partially why. I would always rather have a friend who was a good person who drank than a dick but had a temple recommend.

As to the latter questions - I wonder how much of it has to do with ease of measuring success? While serving a mission, my mission president considered the recommend interview as a chance to give a stewardship report. He didn't want "yes" or "no" answers to the questions. He wanted to know how I was doing in each area. When we came to the question about being honest in one's dealings with their fellow man, I answered, "I try". He was a great man, in my opinion, and his response reflected my view of him as such: "That's all we can do, Elder." But then asked for examples of how I tried, both successfully and where I thought I could do better. I think under a recommend process such as this, the question of being kind could be measured in a valuable way. But to ask people, "Are you kind?" is worse than asking if they are honest. No one is always kind. Just like no one is always honest. But to be aware of the need is important, so like you I think it would be worth making it more of an emphasis.

(You know, I'm well aware this is an LDS related board but I'm starting to feel like a token Never around here. Why do you guys never open this stuff up to all believers?)

[/whine]

Treat people the way you would want to be treated if you were in their situation.

Jersey Girl wrote:(You know, I'm well aware this is an LDS related board but I'm starting to feel like a token Never around here. Why do you guys never open this stuff up to all believers?)

[/whine]

I did couch the OP in the Mormon context, but please, feel free to contribute from your own, never Mo (but believer) perspective.

I think acts of kindness spread here and there are important parts of faith. I find myself thinking that the various other virtues all work together. Personal responsibity, courage, determination, truthfulness, desire can give more substance to kindness. On the other hand those other virtues may become corrupt without kindness.

Now I approve of beer but I think a person needs to realize it can be abused and if abused it can become a destructive force in a persons life. Beer abuse can result in a lot of unkindness.

When you are Mormon you don't have to give money to panhandlers or charities because you give money to the church. The church knows where that money needs to go. The church gives that money to all the needy people of the world. If the panhandler on the street corner really needs the money then tithing funds will find their way into his hands. It's magic.

I've always been a giving sort of person. Now I just don't give money to churches. I don't think I get a good bang for my buck. I'll give money to just about anyone who asks. My wife says that I attract those people. I really don't care if a panhandler buys booze or drugs with my money. It's his/her life. Who am I to tell him/her how to live it?

Beer doesn't even register anymore. Beer is harmless, especially if you live in Utah. A true alcoholic needs the hard stuff. If a panhandler asked me for beer money, I'd give it to him. Everyone needs beer money. Beer was being brewed before Adam and Eve existed.

sock puppet wrote:Anyone, is it more important that you refrain from drinking beer than being kind to others?

Not drinking beer is the burden of our peculiarity. Being kind to others is the manifestation of our Christianity and is the path on which we must tread.

Hades wrote: Beer was being brewed before Adam and Eve existed.

Are You the 1st counselor of president bcspace?


Edited to add:

sock puppet wrote:Those who have been both TBM and not at different times of their lives, during which period were you more inclined to give a $1 or $5 or $10 bill to someone on a street asking for help?

I find I am far more charitable when I am outside Mormonism.

Anyone, is it more important that you refrain from drinking beer than being kind to others?

It's more important to be kind to others.

Do the TR interview questions ask if you are keeping the Word of Wisdom? IIUC, then the answer is yes. And ask if you are kind/generous/helping your fellow man? Why not?

Yes you are asked specifically about the WOW but not about kindness. Although this may be implied in some of the other questions about following Christ, honest in your dealings etc. (it's been a while since I had one though)

Is it really more important not to drink beer than whether you are kind/generous/helping? Why is the LDS Church more concerned with beer drinking?

Because the Church believes you are being kind to others when you pay tithing, fast donations, do your home teaching etc. the Church prescribes and directs how to be kind to others, showing it doesn't believe members can be trusted to decide for themselves.

Can you be generous to the degree God wants and needs us to be with each other, if we are passing judgment on others, labeling them deficient in some way, such as labeling them 'homeless', 'pan handlers', etc.

No.