The Top Ten and Only Reasons to be a True Believer

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_Franktalk
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Re: The Top Ten and Only Reasons to be a True Believer

Post by _Franktalk »

Drifting wrote:Frank, do you think God lied to me or perhaps the process described in Moroni is flawed? Or do you think it was my fault I got the 'wrong' answer?


I have no idea what happened in your personal experience. But I suggest you try again with a different question. Like to tomorrows lottery numbers. Something you can prove to the world. Is it possible that what you understood in scripture is not the real message in scripture? If you were asking to verify the message then what is the Holy Ghost supposed to do? Deny the false message or declare true the scripture even though your interpretation is false? Your interpretation is critical to the Holy Ghost. I suggest you break down scripture into fine parts and pray like crazy.
_Drifting
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Re: The Top Ten and Only Reasons to be a True Believer

Post by _Drifting »

Franktalk wrote:
Drifting wrote:Frank, do you think God lied to me or perhaps the process described in Moroni is flawed? Or do you think it was my fault I got the 'wrong' answer?


Is it possible that what you understood in scripture is not the real message in scripture? If you were asking to verify the message then what is the Holy Ghost supposed to do? Deny the false message or declare true the scripture even though your interpretation is false? Your interpretation is critical to the Holy Ghost. I suggest you break down scripture into fine parts and pray like crazy.


Frank, you seem to be ignoring the content of my post.
I read the Book of Mormon.
I asked if it was true - got nothing.
I asked if it was false - got a spiritual confirmation that it was false.

Are you claiming that my spiritual witness is false?
“We look to not only the spiritual but also the temporal, and we believe that a person who is impoverished temporally cannot blossom spiritually.”
Keith McMullin - Counsellor in Presiding Bishopric

"One, two, three...let's go shopping!"
Thomas S Monson - Prophet, Seer, Revelator
_Franktalk
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Re: The Top Ten and Only Reasons to be a True Believer

Post by _Franktalk »

Drifting wrote:Frank, you seem to be ignoring the content of my post.
I read the Book of Mormon.
I asked if it was true - got nothing.
I asked if it was false - got a spiritual confirmation that it was false.

Are you claiming that my spiritual witness is false?


I have to be real careful what I pray for. Like when I prayed for the content of the Bible. I received a confirmation of the core gospel. That is all. If you asked if there is a message in the Book of Mormon from God you may get another answer. But even this may not be exactly true. God's messages can come from anywhere. And Satan's messages can come from anywhere. It really depends on you. Did you read the Bible and interpret it correctly? Did you have a relationship with Christ? Were you following the commandments? Have you forgiven all those who have ever sinned against you? Are you currently walking in Christ and walking in the spirit? God knows who will fall and who will walk in the spirit. Sometimes the future as yet unplayed out will determine what happens today.

I do not know what experience you had. If you truly believe that the Book of Mormon is false does that mean that everything in the Book of Mormon which speaks of Christ is false? Even the words that are copied from the Bible? If the restored message is false what of the original? All of this needs to be figured out. I spent years in a state of confusion. I refused to make scripture say something. Allow it to speak to you. What holds it all together is our love for God and His love for us. Without that scripture does not speak to you. For instance let us take some scripture and figure out what it says. You first:

Romans 10

1Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
2For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
3For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
5For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
6But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
7Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
8But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
19But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
20But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
21But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

Romans 11

1I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying,
3Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
4But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
5Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
6And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
7What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
8(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
9And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
10Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
11I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
12Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
13For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
14If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
15For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
16For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
17And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
18Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
20Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
24For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
26And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
28As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes.
29For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
30For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
31Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
32For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
33O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
34For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
35Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
36For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

If you have been witnessed to the Bible as truth then please let me know the truth contained in these two chapters.
_Alfredo
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Re: The Top Ten and Only Reasons to be a True Believer

Post by _Alfredo »

Okidoke, Frank. One step at a time.

Do you understand the difference between...

(1) establishing (from observation) that, given convictions about contrary interpretations, it is possible to perceive a twisted Truth, but be strongly convinced you were revealed un-twisted Truth.

--and--

(2) attempting to establish (from proof) that, given convictions about contrary interpretations, we can know which interpretations are twisted.

??????????????????????


Only one (1) establishes the scope of my problem with the "twisted/not-so-twisted" model of religious experience. The other (2) is an attempt to resolve the problem my contention raises.

At this point, I make absolutely no judgement concerning which interpretation is twisted. You imagined I did.

I only intend to establish, at this point, that there must be a way to discern between the convincing perception of "un-twisted Truth" and actual un-twisted Truth, if we are to rely and act upon our interpretations.


Regardless of whether you think there is a way to tell the difference...

...can you please demonstrate that you understand my contention before you reject it?

If you can't do this, I won't waste any more time talking past each other.
_Themis
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Re: The Top Ten and Only Reasons to be a True Believer

Post by _Themis »

Franktalk wrote:
What you say is perfectly reasonable it just happens to be against scripture. If that is your world then fine but don't assume your view is correct. That assumption may get you in trouble.

Many people departed from the Lord in times past. The Lord in His mercy brought tribulation to those people. In their pain and suffering they turned to God. Some people who will not be turned are given over to Satan. Even that is an act of mercy. Because if someone does not receive then little is expected. I am not judging you I am just retelling the message from scripture. I have no idea who you are. Now what I just said seems crazy to some people. But it all makes perfect sense if you consider two things. One is that our body is not us, we are a spirit. The pain and suffering seems like a reality but it is just part of this temporary stop for us. It will seem as a dream once we depart from this life. The other is everything that happens is in the plan for us to learn good from evil. If you embrace these two ideas then everything else falls into place.


I know you will not see just how many huge assumptions you make here as being fact. I will at least be willing to hear each argument of why something should be considered true, but I can't actually get you to make any, even though I have tried. All you end up doing is typing a bunch of rambling assertions you assume must be fact, but not why they should be considered fact. One is how do you discern which expereinces are from God, and what they mean. You have still avioded this one. Another is scripture, but the first one would be helpful for now.
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_Themis
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Re: The Top Ten and Only Reasons to be a True Believer

Post by _Themis »

Franktalk wrote:
You don't agree with anyone who embraces scripture so using a subset of them to support your argument means nothing. If the subset of people you refer to do not embrace the unseen then they are not believers at all. It is that simple.

"Intense believers" Have one of these people join in on the conversation. I would love to chat with them. We will see what they believe.


LOL Another words if they don't agree with me then they are not really believer's. I wonder about intense believers in Wicca, or Islam, Hinduism, etc. How would you get them to accept your beliefs or your Scripture?

Many people deny the Holocaust does that mean that the Holocaust did not happen?


Sure, even though we have plenty of evidence. This is where you are. You also have certain beliefs that go against even more evidence. That is the difference here, and like Holocaust deniers you won't present any arguments of why your beliefs and assumptions should be considered true.

You see the various beliefs in religion as proof that the methods of spiritual experience are flawed. I believe it just shows that man is flawed.


But why? This is what we are asking you to show. Why should your interpretation of the spiritual expereince be more accurate then others who have a very different one that may conflict with yours.

I have no idea what happened in your personal experience. But I suggest you try again with a different question. Like to tomorrows lottery numbers. Something you can prove to the world. Is it possible that what you understood in scripture is not the real message in scripture? If you were asking to verify the message then what is the Holy Ghost supposed to do? Deny the false message or declare true the scripture even though your interpretation is false? Your interpretation is critical to the Holy Ghost. I suggest you break down scripture into fine parts and pray like crazy.


This is the lame excuse one gives if people don't get the answer they think they should. Keep trying until you do. And you can't even grasp why your method is so flawed.

If you have been witnessed to the Bible as truth then please let me know the truth contained in these two chapters.


How do you know you have been witnessed to?
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_SteelHead
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Re: The Top Ten and Only Reasons to be a True Believer

Post by _SteelHead »

They are fact because Frank says they are fact and the spirit has witnessed this to him. He is also supported by his interpretation of the scriptures, which are also accepted as fact and so can not be questioned.

Arguing with Frank is like chasing your tail. You just go in circles. I would like to see Frank and nightlion debate the validity of thier viewpoints to one another. It would be amusing. I would make popcorn.

But to paraphrase Frank. I do it right, most everyone else does it wrong. My circular reasonig proves it. Here is a scripture..... See?
It is better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener at war.

Some of us, on the other hand, actually prefer a religion that includes some type of correlation with reality.
~Bill Hamblin
_Alfredo
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Re: The Top Ten and Only Reasons to be a True Believer

Post by _Alfredo »

Alfredo wrote:
subgenius wrote:Bump
for Alfredo to fix his argument or correct his position

Don't worry. I'm stunned and thrilled you can even follow my argument. I'll give my own flavor of response, but in essence, I agree with Themis and Dad of a Mormon:

Themis wrote:Self evident is a lame excuse to avoid criticisms of the meanings we may attach to the spiritual expereince. It still requires interpretation, and if it is self evident then we should not have so much disagreement.

Dad of a Mormon wrote:Calling it "self-evident" doesn't mean that isn't an interpretation.


It also might just save time to ignore my argument and ask you to answer or dispute one simple question...

In what possible sense do you mean "self-evident" which applies to all spiritual confirmation of the Mormon paradigm, but does not apply to a single spiritual dis-confirmation of the same paradigm?


Bump for subgenius to return with more interesting conversation...
_SteelHead
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Re: The Top Ten and Only Reasons to be a True Believer

Post by _SteelHead »

Here Frank,
let's approach this from another direction.

I am a candomblista. Some of the ideas of my belief system to not express themselves well in english. I worship the Orixas, specifically Exu. Laroye Exu! I have seen my Orixa in vision, I have interacted, conversed and learned from him. I have seen the power of his blessings. He has given me a "corpo fechado" and my enemies can not hurt me in the jogo. He has weakened my enemies for me. He grants me great power "Axe"! My belief is very personal, very spiritual, to me very real.

Why should I believe anything in the Christian Bible?
It is better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener at war.

Some of us, on the other hand, actually prefer a religion that includes some type of correlation with reality.
~Bill Hamblin
_Franktalk
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Re: The Top Ten and Only Reasons to be a True Believer

Post by _Franktalk »

SteelHead wrote:Here Frank,
let's approach this from another direction.

I am a candomblista. Some of the ideas of my belief system to not express themselves well in english. I worship the Orixas, specifically Exu. Laroye Exu! I have seen my Orixa in vision, I have interacted, conversed and learned from him. I have seen the power of his blessings. He has given me a "corpo fechado" and my enemies can not hurt me in the jogo. He has weakened my enemies for me. He grants me great power "Axe"! My belief is very personal, very spiritual, to me very real.

Why should I believe anything in the Christian Bible?


I don't know what bar you go to but I think they are mixing something in your drinks. It is very simple, we have choice, for whatever reason if we want to believe in Orixas then we may talk our self into it. People can and do talk them self into being a Christian as well. The Bible does speak about these people.

Luk 8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
Luk 8:6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
Luk 8:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
Luk 8:8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit a hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Luk 8:9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
Luk 8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
Luk 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Luk 8:12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
Luk 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
Luk 8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
Luk 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

If you don't have a root of faith then nothing can save you.
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