- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
The following is my New Year’s Resolution post for this past week from my personal blog:
When I discuss “
the Gospel” I always go back to my parsing tendency. The “
gospel” is the “ good news“. It is NOT the “
beat people over the head like a hellfire and damnation preacher” news. (There are those who need that type of preaching, and I have delivered that type of sermon at least once, but it is not best for everyone.) It is the “
Exercise faith; Repent continually; Be baptized; Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost; repeat ad infinitum as you endure to the end; praise Heavenly Father and Jesus that you will be redeemed despite your inability to live to a standard of perfection that otherwise would damn all to an everlasting separation from God” news. It is the “
Do all you can do, and I will make up the difference” news. In saying this, I am not in the mercy-only-glorying, cop-out-claiming, confess-alone-and-be-saved, all-is-well-in-Zion camp. I just choose to focus on the fact that
I can muddle my way through life doing the best I know how to do, striving to change my imperfect self, without overwhelming guilt and shame– because someone bought me and paid for me and is willing to take me home. Whether that is literal or symbolic, it means a lot even in the easy months, but it means much, much more in the difficult months – when I need “good news” in a more explicit way.
I think the ironic thing is that we all want to be from free guilt (rightly so), but then we actually demonize sociopaths (rightly so) who are actually free of guilt. I guess this like most things, its not an either or proposition but its about finding the right balance, which goes right along with your statement of not having an “overwhelming” sense of guilt and shame.
Ray, First off… speaking of this & in hopes of making you smile, I’ve got a little story for you.
Before 911 airport restrictions & you could go wait with your family or friends by their gate… One of my best friends & I got bored. He dared me (or I dared myself – don’t remember lol) to roll around in a wheel chair, & act like I was disabled, until his boarding time (which was like 2 hours). So, I did… we cruized the airport shops & talked with people. I realized how discrimated those in wheelchairs are sometimes – getting dirty looks etc. Then the time came for him to board his flight. He’d served a mission & memorized the video about Joseph Smith being confused about the different religious groups (& preachers) during the time. So he came up to me, sitting in the wheel chair… & in front of everyone there, yelled, “Today, is the day to declare your faith!! You’re healed!” He dramatically (but softly) slapped my head & I got up. You should have seen the looks!
😯 😆 On a more serious note…
One Sacrament Metting, someone gave a talk about hell & damnation, when I was in the midst of dealing with a lot of fear & shame.
So, it ticked me off. Then, I thought of how I’d redefined some words… Like sin=incorrect thoughts & Repentance= correcting one’s thinking to be more mentally & physically healthy. Then, when I kept my new definitions in mind, the talk changed from being annyoing to inspiring!
I hope things work out for the best, for you, Ray.
Holy crap!! I LOVE that story, fetherina. Thanks. I neeed the laugh today.
sundance, yeah, guilt isn’t necessarily a bad thing at all. It’s all in how you use it and how much you let yourself focus on it. I do believe in absolutes, ironically – but I don’t believe we understand them much – at all. So, I don’t believe overwhelming guilt is good in any case.
It’s like”sorrow unto repentance” and “sorrow unto damnation”. Both are sorrow, but the difference is in what they cause within us.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.