charity wrote:
What did you do during the sacrament service? I always tried to think of the great sacrifice He made for us. I tried to concentrate fuilly on the ordinance and the meaning of my baptismal covenant. Didn't think of Joseph Smith at all.
What I did was entertain restless children for 20 years. And (taking a stab here cause I don't know you) I'm guessing you have too on many occasion. I don't doubt that you meditate now, if you say you do. Look, I know what your saying. It was, can I say, "advised" that we think of Him, during the sac., but we've both been around the block and we both know that is very idealistic and very, very few of us actually did. Again, the difference by the way what we
say we do, and what we do.
And no, I didn't think of Joseph Smith either. I didn't want other members to see me cringe.
You can only speak for yourself. Of course, there are people of different levels of faith and knowledge. But your cynical "we just sit around and try to convince ourselves" is way off the mark.
Hardly. I'm dead on.
Because of the nature of my work, I've resided in wards from one coast to the other and several places inbetween. I've been able to chum up with countless members and have had heart to heart talks with them - you know, late at night over the kitchen table type stuff. I've never, and I mean never, had anyone who didn't recite thier testimony as follows.
"I
KNOW this church is true and Joseph Smith was a prophet. "
<talk, talk, talk>
<cry a bit, sniff, sniff>
<talk some more>
<another tear>
<1hour and 35 minutes later and at the end of great conversation....>
"So, as you can tell (don't say a word to my spouse) I'm not really sure if it's all true or not. But, hey, the church is a great place to raise kids."
So we all go back next Sunday to get our relig-o-meter filled back up.
Speaking for myself and no one else, but I am sure there are multitudes who would say the same thing, I don't need to be convinced that Joseph Smith is the prophet of the Restoration or that the Book of Mormon is what it says it is, an ancient record kept by prophets of God, brought forth by the power and gift of God to us in modern times. I already have a witness of those facts. I am convinced.
Of course they'd all the same thing, cause they know someones watching them. Get them alone, have a good heart to heart with them and confession will start to fly. They
need convincing all the time.
And again, I know you're being honest. I understand that you don't need convincing. There are a
few people who believe with every fiber of their being. Doesn't mean what they believe in is true, just means they believe.
I guess it reallly does matter what we bring into the situation. In my ward we don't often speak of Joseph Smith. In fact, I was one of the two speakers in sacrament meeting last week, and I didn't say his name once. I did mention Paul, because I was quoting from 1 Corinthians. My topic was the pure love of Christ.
Again, very idealistic. You should get out more.
"If False, it is one of the most cunning, wicked, bold, deep-laid impositions ever palmed upon the world, calculated to deceive and ruin millions… " - Orson Pratt on The Book of Mormon