mormon.org:"I am a Muslim, and a Hindu, and a Christian…"

I really like the “I’m a Mormon” stuff – as much for what it can say to members as for what it can say to others.

Yes. I almost feel like some of the profiles should say “I’m a Mormon too

Postby mackay11 » 2013 Jul 16, 21:16

I found this profile on Mormon.org quite refreshing:

Mackay, I found this profile more than refreshing, IMO it is life giving. About 6 months ago my HP GL in private told me there were some complaints that I was not sticking close enough to the manual when giving my lesson. Supposedly some members didn’t come because I didn’t regurgitate the manual to them. Apparently the Bp agreed. I didn’t.

I’m afraid my response was a bit stronger than my HP GL felt comfortable with. I told him I found the manual lessons written for the lowest common denominator, and I had class members who were x-bishops, ex-high council members, descendants of the pioneers, etc. and that I attempted in every lesson to inspire, inform, or motivate. While I am liberal in what materials I drew from, but I never veered from Official Doctrine, at least no more than others would veer conservatively from Official Doctrine. Nevertheless I told him I recognized the Bp’s stewardship and would endeavor to reign myself in. Nevertheless I believe that “the Glory of God is intelligence”, that “Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith” (D&C 88:118), and that the 13th Article of Faith has not been removed from the Standard Works.

Rather than teaching all the lessons from the book now, I teach when asked, along w/ other members. But things are sure getting boring. So when I read your quote from Mormon.org, my spirit leaped for joy. I absolutely loved It, and can’t for the life of me understand why the Church has moved in the opposite direction. It violates some pretty foundational Mormon beliefs, IMO.

Sorry if it’s there and I just don’t see it, but is there a link to this profile on mormon.org? I can’t find it through the search there.

Anyway, this profile is really cool. I did one for mormon.org a while back (part of a push to do so in our ward). I certainly wasn’t as openly “heterodox” in my profile as this person was, but I pointed out similar themes.

Oh, how I wish that the type of attitude expressed in that profile could become the norm (or at least a lot more common) in the Church — i.e. “we feel that we have some important truths to share, but we honestly and sincerely recognize the same in many other belief systems. We believe that we are *a* path back to God, but not *the* only path”.

Anyway, cool post — thanks!

I love your profile picture

It’s here: http://mormon.org/me/3dqt

I didn’t realise I’d missed it in the OP, so I’ve added it there too.

I found this profile on Mormon.org quite refreshing:

http://mormon.org/me/3dqt

Hi I’m Gregory

I am a Muslim, and a Hindu, and a Christian, and a Jew, and that’s why I’m a Mormon.

…God is Truth and God is Love. Truth and Love are my religion. Joseph Smith said that “One of the grand fundamental principles of ‘Mormonism’ is to receive truth, let it come from whence it may”, that “We should gather all the good and true principles in the world and treasure them up, or we shall not come out as true ‘Mormons’”, and that “If by the principles of truth we succeed in uniting men of all denominations in the bonds of love, shall we not have attained a good object?” The purpose of the Church being to unite all mankind in Truth and Love, the Church has nothing to fear from other faiths, other sciences, or any other honest inquiry. The Church must incorporate every truth, be it moral, philosophical, scientific, or theological, and shed every falsehood, no matter how cherished. It is a glorious process. Add to that the fellowship of the Saints, and that is why I am Mormon…

Awesome!

It reminds me of the story, Life of Pi… a story about a boy who wanted to be Christian, Muslim and Hindu.

My first impression of the symbolism in that story was that God represents the preference of goodness.

Goodness, being true to one’s nature, one’s potential.

It is in carnivorous animals’ nature to eat other animals – that is how they were created to be.

Humans are not created to kill each other.

Humans have more intelligence, potential and ability to choose, rather than go by instinct.

Choosing the story about the animals, over the other story, is a way of accepting the “circle of life” among animals and refusing to accept such animalistic behavior from humanity.

Pi’s experience alone on the boat & raft reminded me of the ultimate struggle – to conquer one’s own ego/pride. “The kingdom (realm/experience) of God is within you.” Sometimes we have to get to the place where somehow we don’t have other gods before God (looking for love in all the wrong places) & are somewhat al-one enough to experience God. As we get deeper in exploring the kingdom of God within us, we must confront every obstacle, so it can be a partly hellish & partly heavenly journey to the depths of our souls.

Focusing on the grim reality & trying to get through this life on the belief of self-determinism is lonely, uninspiring & even discouraging.

We cannot help but think in subjectively limited (illusional) ways, we might as well have our illusions/thoughts work for us, rather than against us, especially considering the power of our subconscious, which seems to be accessed best by belief in a higher power.

Yet, there is a delicate balance between focusing on what inspires us & embracing reality, to be able to respond in the most beneficial way.

We need “functional illusions.”

It doesn’t matter so much what illusions we embrace, as long as they are functional by honoring and loving (striving for what’s best for) others as well as ourselves.

That sounds so simple, but it isn’t!

Most of us want to cling to something or someone we find inspiring, when really, the most functional illusion (God), IMO, is an ever-changing process, because it is in responding “best” to each evolving circumstancial moment. This is why some type of belief in a higher power is important, however, even such belief needs to be open to expanding to new truth.

Joseph Smith said that “One of the grand fundamental principles of ‘Mormonism’ is to receive truth, let it come from whence it may”, that “We should gather all the good and true principles in the world and treasure them up, or we shall not come out as true ‘Mormons’”, and that “If by the principles of truth we succeed in uniting men of all denominations in the bonds of love, shall we not have attained a good object?” The purpose of the Church being to unite all mankind in Truth and Love, the Church has nothing to fear from other faiths, other sciences, or any other honest inquiry. The Church must incorporate every truth, be it moral, philosophical, scientific, or theological, and shed every falsehood, no matter how cherished. It is a glorious process. Add to that the fellowship of the Saints, and that is why I am Mormon.

Gosh, I love this quote by JS. It makes me very emotional as this sounds more like the church I grew up in and is so different from that in the last 20-30 years. There was a time in the early 90’s that I left the lds church and investigated the 7th Day Adventist church for two years because the Spirit actually told me to in an lds fast and testimony meeting. 3 times the spirit spoke to me in that meeting after praying and said, “Why don’t you go visit that 7th day adventist church around the corner. I learned some powerful truths there that were answers to prayers. They had something called “Love Circles’ there which met once a week where the sisters shared each others problems and really prayed for each other. When I came back to the lds church after two years because the Lord told me to go back, I was sharing with our stake president about how wonderful these prayer circles were and how we should incorporate them into the wards. He looked at me so angry and said in a hateful voice, “I don’t ever want to hear anything about the 7th day adventist church or any other church again. We have the full truth and they don’t.” After teaching gospel doctrine class and the investigator class for 4 years each, I was told I could no longer use any outside information in my teaching. Only the standard works and Ensign. I told them that the GA’s quote Mother Theresa and Billy Graham all the time besides others. I mentioned the 13th article of faith about anything praise worthy or of good report. They just told me that this is how it was going to be and I was not a GA who was inspired. I felt so muzzled and told them I could no longer teach then. This was so crazy to me as I had doubled the classes I taught with in actives coming back for the first time because I made the lessons come alive in their lives. I felt the spirit so strong when I taught. This is why this quote makes me realize my thinking was right and somethings have been lost in the lds church.

I remember when I worked with the United Inner faith as a ward PR person and took a sister from the ward with me to visit another church to pass out flyers. We stayed to listen to the pastors sermon for a bit. It was a wonderful sermon, yet this sister said to me, “Well, they don’t have any of the truth…only we do.” Unfortunately, this is how so many lds members think. If only they could read this quote by JS. Thanks for sharing this.

That’s an interesting profile. But there are only so many hours in the day! I know, I’ve followed way too many paths in my time.

Mackay, I like your profile. If you or anyone is interested, here’s mine: http://mormon.org/me/8WDX

It’s not my personal profile. Just one I found and liked.

Thanks for sharing yours.