Denied the Sacrament: Do Mormons Misunderstand Grace?
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_silentkid
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Another great post, KA. I went through the whole not able to take the sacrament for 4 weeks probation thing when I was 22. My bishop felt that my "sin" required a probationary period. I was at BYU at the time. Believe me, people in attendance at sacrament meeting in a singles ward pay attention to who is and who isn't taking the sacrament. Dating requires worthiness. It was embarassing. I went "less active" soon after.
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_SatanWasSetUp
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silentkid wrote:Another great post, KA. I went through the whole not able to take the sacrament for 4 weeks probation thing when I was 22. My bishop felt that my "sin" required a probationary period. I was at BYU at the time. Believe me, people in attendance at sacrament meeting in a singles ward pay attention to who is and who isn't taking the sacrament. Dating requires worthiness. It was embarassing. I went "less active" soon after.
There are a few strategies one could employ to get around the scarlet letter of not partaking.
1) Somehow find yourself out in the foyer during sacrament. If you have a kid, this one's easy. If sacrament meeting is first, just strategically arrive a little late. Much easier to hide not partaking it in the foyer. Just slip into the bathroom or down a dark hallway when the deacon shows up with the tray to serve the foyer folks.
2) Go inactive. If you are active and people see you not taking the sacrament, everyone, including your friends start avoiding you. If you simply go inactive, everyone, including people you never knew before, suddenly become your best friends.
3) Partake anyway. When the tray comes your way, hope that the Bishop isn't paying attention, then just partake of it anyway. This one's risky. I've never known anyone to attempt this deception, and who knows what the consequences from the bishop might be. I would suspect discipline, up to and including excommunication.
4) Pretend to partake. This is a variation of #4 that might save your butt when the Bishop blows a gasket. Reach into the tray and pretend to grab a piece of bread and then pretend to eat it. The water is a little trickier, but if you buy a magician book you might be able to figure out how to use slight of hand to trick your nosy neighbors. The tough part might be convincing the bishop you faked it.
These are just a few of the strategies that one can use to allow themselves to go through the bishop's forgiveness program while avoiding the guilt associated with it.
"We of this Church do not rely on any man-made statement concerning the nature of Deity. Our knowledge comes directly from the personal experience of Joseph Smith." - Gordon B. Hinckley
"It's wrong to criticize leaders of the Mormon Church even if the criticism is true." - Dallin H. Oaks
"It's wrong to criticize leaders of the Mormon Church even if the criticism is true." - Dallin H. Oaks
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_silentkid
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SatanWasSetUp wrote:4) Pretend to partake. This is a variation of #4 that might save your butt when the Bishop blows a gasket. Reach into the tray and pretend to grab a piece of bread and then pretend to eat it. The water is a little trickier, but if you buy a magician book you might be able to figure out how to use slight of hand to trick your nosy neighbors. The tough part might be convincing the bishop you faked it.
Awesome! LOL.
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_ludwigm
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Sacrament is one of the most misused word in Mormonism (which like distort, redefine the words and/or blow a smoke around the words).
Please read (FYI) http://www.answers.com/topic/sacrament !
It is certainly not a scripture but presents the common definitions.
One little excerpt:
Warning: the word sacrament is in plural.
Please read (FYI) http://www.answers.com/topic/sacrament !
It is certainly not a scripture but presents the common definitions.
One little excerpt:
Clearly, Christian churches, denominations, and sects are divided regarding the number and operation of the sacraments, but they are generally held to have been instituted by Jesus Christ. They are usually administered by the clergy to a recipient or recipients, and are generally understood to involve visible and invisible components.
Warning: the word sacrament is in plural.
- Whenever a poet or preacher, chief or wizard spouts gibberish, the human race spends centuries deciphering the message. - Umberto Eco
- To assert that the earth revolves around the sun is as erroneous as to claim that Jesus was not born of a virgin. - Cardinal Bellarmine at the trial of Galilei
- To assert that the earth revolves around the sun is as erroneous as to claim that Jesus was not born of a virgin. - Cardinal Bellarmine at the trial of Galilei
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_MishMagnet
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On Satans #4 - you could bring your own unsantified sacraficial emblem, palm it and eat it. That way you are following the letter of the law and it's harder to discipline. Take an empty cup out of the tray, keep it for next week, fill it at the drinking fountain and just hold it in your other hand till it's time.
Genius!
Genius!
Insert ironic quote from fellow board member here.
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_KimberlyAnn
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MishMagnet wrote:On Satans #4 - you could bring your own unsantified sacraficial emblem, palm it and eat it. That way you are following the letter of the law and it's harder to discipline. Take an empty cup out of the tray, keep it for next week, fill it at the drinking fountain and just hold it in your other hand till it's time.
Genius!
OMG! You ARE a genius, Mishie!
Hilarious!
KA