Morley wrote: For instance, you could explain how, in the LDS Church, obedience and morality are different. Or why they’re the same thing.
Is obedience to the commandments/teachings of the church and/or the Gospel of Jesus Christ immoral? For example, if I choose to honor my father and my mother...is that a moral act or is it simply blind obedience? Are there shades of gray? Should we act according to our moral conscience as we walk the path of obedience to commandments? If obeying a particular commandment goes against the grain of our own sense of morality are we obligated to obey?
There is obviously a LOT that can be unpacked in regards to your question.
9/11 terrorists. Moral because they were being obedient?
You ask a question that would take reams of dialogue to discuss before coming to any compromise or resolution.
In regards to the church and the daily living of the gospel, yes, I think that...generally speaking...walking the path of obedience to the commandments and guidelines of the church shows moral stamina and character. Are there going to be some hiccups along the way such as Prop. 8 sorts of speed bumps where both the church and its members have to find common ground if possible? Sure. Are there going to be times when common ground cannot be found between some members and the leadership? Sure. So can it get messy for some and not for others in what they see as moral correctness vs. not? Sure.
Back to the OP. Stem was making the argument that any placement or reward in the afterlife is a result of a set of arbitrary rules that may not have a grounding in what he considers to be correct moral practice, etc. At least that's what I got out of what he said. My argument is that the commandments of God are not a bunch of arbitrary rules and/or commandments that have little or nothing to do with correct moral principles but in fact are based upon eternal verities and moral guidelines and practices that can bring us to a state of godliness.
For example, charity. If charity...which includes the pure love of Christ and desire to become like Him...rules our hearts, is that not going to lead us in paths of moral clarity when it comes to making correct choices and controlling/disciplining our thoughts? I think so.
Anyway, I'm sure you will find reason to find exceptions and or reasons to find it abhorrent and/or unreasonable to find/look at the commandments of God to be contrary to moral correctness/practice. Be that as it may, isn't it wonderful that we each have the freedom to choose that which we believe to be correct moral practice/behavior?
And opposition provides those opportunities to make these choices.
Regards,
MG
