Three Powerful Books

[_mentalgymnast]

You admitted your interactions with the spiritual is flawed. You don't have any physical evidence to back up what you believe. That leaves just your flawed understanding of the spiritual experience. It doesn't mean you are wrong, but it does mean you don't know you are right. That means some of the probabilities you assigned to Honor's questions were unreasonably high, but then it was based on a feeling of certainly. I have seen so many arguing about mundane things both feeling 100% certain they are right.

Here’s what I actually said to huckleberry:

I am under no illusion in thinking that I have a complete understanding of the Spirit. I fully recognize that you and anyone else seeking the Spirit of God will be gifted with inspiration and guidance to direct your life. I also readily admit that my responses to the Spirit are not free from error or bias in my own thinking. I think that’s where God gives us the freedom to choose and to be human.

And:

But the fact is, if the Bof Mormon is true, then it’s true whether we try and make it so or not. I am of the opinion that there’s a greater chance that the Book of Mormon is true than not. Even with the concerns and issues that come up along the way. It was a long and winding road to get to where I’m at now, but I’m comfortable in saying that I believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

Here is what you originally said:

Yet while admitting to huckelberry that interpretations of spiritual experiences are flawed since so many get different ideas from them, you have based your beliefs solely on what the church teaches and your flawed understanding of the spiritual experience.

And that isn’t strictly true. I have based my beliefs on learning from MANY different sources. I have based my beliefs on my own lived experience. I have based my beliefs on a certain level of confidence that I have in the scriptures, including the Book of Mormon. It is anchor and keystone of belief. I have based my beliefs on looking at the world as it is and concluding that there is purpose and design in the framework of existence.

Admittedly some of the most powerful elevation experiences I’ve had have been within the context of responsibilities and experiences within the church/priesthood/family context. The experiences themselves are not ‘flawed’ in the sense that I know that something beyond the norm was experienced. There was Spirit. But I don’t base my belief on Spirit (in regards to church truth claims) exclusively because I know that I can’t be 100% sure that these experiences are unique to the fact I am LDS.

Themis, you often try and make things conform to your own life experiences and limited views of reality. You then overlay that on others. That results in partial truth telling. Your view is distorted.

There’s always more to the story. Lemmie was just looking for a quick ‘high five’. She often doesn’t think things through.

Regards,
MG

I noticed that you posted after this post. The fact is, Themis, you got it wrong for the reasons I’m re-posting here again. Along with Lemmie your judgment calls are not always spot on.

Admit it.

Your batting average is on the low side.

Regards,
MG

[_honorentheos]

I am wary of being the judge and jury in regards to the life and doings of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

I think that's insane. Whether or not he was a trustworthy person affected my life and the life of my family to such a degree it would have been irresponsible to not judge his doings critical. What's between him and God, as it were, is not my concern. But whether or not I should arrange my life and that of my family around his claims to speaking for God? Oh yeah, I'm gonna judge.

[_Lemmie]

I see mental is trying to rehabilitate his reputation, yet again. No matter, your arguments are on point.
Its obvious his feelings of certainty are driven entirely by his Mormon upbringing, and he is incapable of thinking past that.

I hope in real life you are not an analyst of some type. Especially for the US government in a position of importance. If you are, we’re in a world of hurt in the good ol’ USA. Especially if there are more like you. :rolleyes:

My guess is that you’re not. I hope I’m right. Scary thought though.

Truthfully? I would guess that you’re not in a responsible position where your sage advice/judgement is relied on. If so, then what the heck is going on here?

I sure as heck hope you’re not a psychoanalyst. That’s a really scary thought.

when mentalgymnast starts attacking other commenters, you know he feels like he has lost the battle.

The fact is, Themis, you got it wrong for the reasons I’m re-posting here again. Along with Lemmie your judgment calls are not always spot on.

Admit it.

Your batting average is on the low side.

And he attacks another poster! This one is pretty nonsensical, given the logical nature of Themis’ very thoughtful posts.

[_honorentheos]

There’s your evidence, honor.

The church.

MG

The institution that caused the Mountains Meadow's Massacre?

The institution that adopted racist positions that were so deeply embedded they were behind the southern states in resolving their on-the-books racial discrimination?

The institution that is still actively opposing equal rights for women?

The institution that hid it's own history from its own membership until the internet pushed it to evolve, and it's done so kicking and scream every inch of the way while continuing to infantilize it's own membership?

The institution that has taught generations of human beings morality is a set of rules you follow, black or white binary thinking only, rather than a sophisticated method of judging challenging issues in a complex world?

The institution that thinks telling a kid in a same-sex couple household they are lesser than their peers because of their parents was a good idea?

I can go on, but ok. The church is garbage. I can't sugar coat how low in esteem I hold the institution of the Church. There are a lot of good people who call it their spiritual home. But the institution is not good in any sense of the term I would agree with using to describe it.

[_honorentheos]

I see mental is trying to rehabilitate his reputation, yet again. No matter, your arguments are on point.
Its obvious his feelings of certainty are driven entirely by his Mormon upbringing, and he is incapable of thinking past that.

I hope in real life you are not an analyst of some type. Especially for the US government in a position of importance. If you are, we’re in a world of hurt in the good ol’ USA. Especially if there are more like you. :rolleyes:

My guess is that you’re not. I hope I’m right. Scary thought though.

Truthfully? I would guess that you’re not in a responsible position where your sage advice/judgement is relied on. If so, then what the heck is going on here?

I sure as heck hope you’re not a psychoanalyst. That’s a really scary thought.

Regards,
MG

She nailed it. That is exactly what you are doing here. It's interesting that everyone sees it but you.

[_Philo Sofee]

I am wary of being the judge and jury in regards to the life and doings of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

I think that's insane. Whether or not he was a trustworthy person affected my life and the life of my family to such a degree it would have been irresponsible to not judge his doings critical. What's between him and God, as it were, is not my concern. But whether or not I should arrange my life and that of my family around his claims to speaking for God? Oh yeah, I'm gonna judge.

Wins the internet today........

[_mentalgymnast]

I hope in real life you are not an analyst of some type. Especially for the US government in a position of importance. If you are, we’re in a world of hurt in the good ol’ USA. Especially if there are more like you. :rolleyes:

My guess is that you’re not. I hope I’m right. Scary thought though.

Truthfully? I would guess that you’re not in a responsible position where your sage advice/judgement is relied on. If so, then what the heck is going on here?

I sure as heck hope you’re not a psychoanalyst. That’s a really scary thought.

when mentalgymnast starts attacking other commenters, you know he feels like he has lost the battle.

The fact is, Themis, you got it wrong for the reasons I’m re-posting here again. Along with Lemmie your judgment calls are not always spot on.

Admit it.

Your batting average is on the low side.

And he attacks another poster! This one is pretty nonsensical, given the logical nature of Themis’ very thoughtful posts.

Not an attack, ma’am. Just throwing some stuff out there. If the shoe fits, then so be it. As I’ve said before, it appears that you are humor impaired. My hyperbole was made somewhat in jest, but alas, you can’t seem to comprehend/see it.

Regards,
MG

[_Philo Sofee]

Lemmie
Its obvious his (MG's) feelings of certainty are driven entirely by his Mormon upbringing, and he is incapable of thinking past that.

It betrays all who enter it, and yet they still worship and praise and love it. The glory in limiting their thinking to Mormon Myopia imagining it has celestial height and depth. Whatever their leaders says, they believe, though they are now apparently trained within, to lie about that to the outside world in order to protect the brainwashing they don't want the world to know which occurs...

[_Philo Sofee]

MG to Lemmee
Not an attack, ma’am. Just throwing some stuff out there. If the shoe fits, then so be it. As I’ve said before, it appears that you are humor impaired. My hyperbole was made somewhat in jest, but alas, you can’t seem to comprehend/see it.

That is what Trump says everyday as he also is caught in his lies. You have learned your lessons from your master well ObeeMentalOne

[_mentalgymnast]

I hope in real life you are not an analyst of some type. Especially for the US government in a position of importance. If you are, we’re in a world of hurt in the good ol’ USA. Especially if there are more like you. :rolleyes:

My guess is that you’re not. I hope I’m right. Scary thought though.

Truthfully? I would guess that you’re not in a responsible position where your sage advice/judgement is relied on. If so, then what the heck is going on here?

I sure as heck hope you’re not a psychoanalyst. That’s a really scary thought.

Regards,
MG

She nailed it. That is exactly what you are doing here. It's interesting that everyone sees it but you.

When I consider who the ‘everyones’ are. That doesn’t surprise me.

I’m obviously fighting against the grain and swimming against the current.

I’m surprised actually, that Lemmie, for one, doesn’t have me on ignore. She’s a real time waster.

I appreciate the fact that this time around, compared to a few years ago, I’m able to speak without being immediately shouted down by a whole host of folks. That’s why I come and go though. I realize that the positions I take cause a tsunami of reactions, mostly negative. It doesn’t surprise me. I realize I’m cutting into a narrative that is near and dear to the hearts of many here.

But it is what it is.

For my own well being I have to leave now and then because this place is rather toxic and dark.

Not much in the way of sunshine and lollipops.

That time is coming up pretty quick.

‘Sigh of relief from the peanut gallery’

Regards,
MG