I've been suspended !

[_Gazelam]

Jersey,

I hope you realize by now that I often invest a long time trying to reach a point of understanding with you and that I don't do it just to give you a hard time.

Yes I do, and I thank you for it. You, Liz, and my wife do a very good job of whitleing away at me, lol

[_Jersey Girl]

Jersey,

I hope you realize by now that I often invest a long time trying to reach a point of understanding with you and that I don't do it just to give you a hard time.

Yes I do, and I thank you for it. You, Liz, and my wife do a very good job of whitleing away at me, lol

You know what I think you should do, Gaz? I think that once a month, you should drop out of church and drop into another church or house of worship as a visitor and just see how other congregations express their faith in their own religious setting. I think you'd find it interesting and also find that you can identify with other religions on some level.

When I went to the Hindu funeral, I think I wrote about it on this board actually, I really felt disconnected from the religious content. Before I went, I read up on Hindu beliefs regarding suicide because that was what accounted for the death. It was then that I knew I could identify more with the grief on the part of his mother, who was my friend. I knew that above all else, my role was to comfort my friend no matter what she believed about eternal destination or how much our beliefs differed.

Even if/when you think that the religious practices of others are a boatload, you still have to know and remember that behind the practices is a human heart that wants hope for the future and beyond. Even those who appeal to "God's mommy".

They want it, too.

[_Jersey Girl]

Oh, I found it.

http://mormondiscussions.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=24526#p24526

[_Brackite]

Here is the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, From 1 Nephi 11:18:

[18] And he said unto me, Behold, the virgin which thou seest, is the mother of God, after the manner of the flesh.

And, Here is the 1981 edition of the Book of Mormon, From 1 Nephi 11:18:

[18] And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.

Thanks Dr. Shades, For having the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon Online.

http://www.mormoninformation.com/01_1neph.htm

[_Mercury]

To perfectly Godwin up this thread, see here:
Why did the Gestapo always come in the night?

Why, David Koresh and Jim Jones, of course!

The element of surprise is the most effective implement when dealing with dissent.

[_Brackite]

In that regard my attempt at humor was indeed in bad taste.

Yes, it was, Gaz. However, it is a Good thing that You realize that now, Gaz. I have also stated a few things during my lifetime that I later came to regret. It is a Great thing that we can be forgiven for our Mistakes that we have made during the Past, Gaz.

[_moksha]

... when you denigrate other religious traditions, you denigrate your own religion.

Ray, you are so wise.

This should be a banner headline and could well serve as someone's signature line, whether here at MAD or elsewhere.

[_Gazelam]

Jersey,

You know what I think you should do, Gaz? I think that once a month, you should drop out of church and drop into another church or house of worship as a visitor and just see how other congregations express their faith in their own religious setting. I think you'd find it interesting and also find that you can identify with other religions on some level.

I've done this at a baptist church and an evangelical. The singing was fun at the baptist, but I found the speakers at both to be anemic in their preaching. I enjoyed the class given at the evangelical, there was good discussion to be had, and the energy levels at both were very good. I wish more Mormons had the energy level of the born again christians. Mormons tend to be tired I've found.

Even if/when you think that the religious practices of others are a boatload, you still have to know and remember that behind the practices is a human heart that wants hope for the future and beyond. Even those who appeal to "God's mommy".

They want it, too.

Well said. I meant my comment to be taken in a joking manner by those who shared a viewpoint. Often these comments can be seen as cruel by those not in the circle. I guess that means they shoulden't have been said in the first place eh? backbiting is not a very christian attribute.

In your opinion though, do you see how teaching someone to pray to a saint is in actuality a devilish teaching?

[_harmony]

I wish more Mormons had the energy level of the born again christians. Mormons tend to be tired I've found.

Of course we're tired. Large families, multiple callings, mandatory meaningless boring meetings, little if any down time. Some rousing music in church might help, and a fire and brimstone preacher now and then to wake up the old guys would probably be fun too. All the emphasis on reverence is detrimental to one's spirituality. Maybe if church was more interesting, more fun, livelier, we wouldn't have such a dismal activity rate.

[_beastie]

Well said. I meant my comment to be taken in a joking manner by those who shared a viewpoint. Often these comments can be seen as cruel by those not in the circle. I guess that means they shoulden't have been said in the first place eh? backbiting is not a very christian attribute.

In your opinion though, do you see how teaching someone to pray to a saint is in actuality a devilish teaching?

You see it as a devilish teaching in the same way they see that the angel of light who appeared to Joseph Smith was really Satan in disguise.

Mormons are tired for the reasons Harmony shared, but I think there is another reason, too. Mormons are emotionally and psychologically tired due to the stress of constantly needing to prove themselves worthy of the CK. In other words, I think the LDS emphasis on work results in tired, stressed believers. I don't mean to imply that LDS don't teach grace, as well, but works are emphasized in the LDS theology in a way absent in most protestant faiths. That results in more obedient followers (hence the lower premarital sex rate in LDS), but it also results in tired, stressed followers.