I got my answer, but will it be accepted.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think it will be accepted by most people. A few free-thinkers might think it’s reasonable, but this will be the exception and not the rule. I too would wonder how you arrived at the conclusion. An analytical person would ask you this question “Prove It — show me the facts”. I’m interested in knowing what the facts are, even if it’s just an intellectual exercise.

[Anonymous]

I echo the other posts here, it may be futile to seek “acceptance” in the LDS culture for your answer. While I relate to the desire to have “an answer”, experience tells me the perception of any answer will likely change color over time. You may interpret your present understanding a little differently in the future. I see that as a good thing, I think personal growth often changes perceptions.

Anymore I don’t look at answers as destinations where you drive in stakes and set up camp, but they are more like signposts along the road. I ditto Brian’s comment:

Brian Johnston wrote:

…it really seems to me like the questioning, the wondering, the struggling, those are what enlarge my soul — not being certain about the answers. Being certain, that makes me feel stagnant.

It’s just how I am.

I often quote Edward Kimball: “Certainty is a burden.” While some people value the warmth of the heavy cloaks of certainty, I find them difficult to haul down the trail as I journey through life. Especially in the periods when I climb.

[Anonymous]

I posted this link in another thread but I thought it fit here as well. I love that the author found that she was asking the wrong question. She was not given a certainty regarding the gospel just a “this is where you belong” kind of answer. That has been my feeling too. I haven’t spent time praying over the matter though. Prayer has a negative feel to me at the moment. My concept of God is confusing and so I don’t know who I am praying to but the sense I’m getting from all of my study is that God had me born a mormon and that is where I will learn best how to be a compassionate person.

Here is the link:

http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/Latter-Day-Saints/2005/09/Becoming-A-True-Believer.aspx

CG

[Anonymous]

Cadence wrote:

…. Basically it has been confirmed as much as anything can be confirmed that religions in general are constructs of man and serve to do some good and some bad. To say any one individual or organization has the remotest claim to an exclusive divine mandate is in error.

…Does this mean I leave the church?

I have wrestled with this thread because I’m just not sure if I really wanted to post what I’m about to write, but here goes…

As i stated in my first response. I have also received and confirmation very similar to what Spock has. It happened this way. A couple of weeks after October GC, I took a business trip to Indianapolis over the weekend, just so I wouldn’t have to go to church. While I was there, I decided to attend church at a Catholic Cathedral. I sat on the front row, and even though I did not participate in the mass and prayers etc, it was really good, and I really felt and had some spiritual communication.

I asked the “power” that was talking to and visiting with me, if the church was not true and just a man made organization, and if we were wrong about the “magical” authority of the Mormon priesthood? The answer was a resounding “yes” to my mind. The spirits that communicate with me – gave me an answer, just as clear as they did 22 years ago when I got an answer about the BoM being true. So perhaps 22 year ago it was “okay for me to believe it all.” Today that same spirit has led me to believe it really is not what I was taught to believe it is.

NOW — to continue my story. Since I just received an answer to my question, I asked the most logical follow-up. “If it’s not “true”, than should I leave it?” The answer was a resounding “NO.” The impressions that i received were that no church is the the right one, yet the LDS church is a great pathway to help raise kids and achieve spiritual enlightenment and find god. After all – it has got me this far, and I am still using it’s pure teachings to find answers.

I had a few tears i’m embarrassed to admit. First – because I felt a power, and it gave me an answer – even if it’s just a personal thing, it at least makes me at peace with my conclusions regarding the LDS faith and allows me to really feel good about where I am going and headed on this spiritual journey. Second, I was a bit frustrated, because the LDS church REALLY frustrates me, and I would like “the power” to give me permission to walk away – and that did not happen.

So, here is my testimony. I have very little faith in the LDS church. I have received spiritual witness that the church is not all it claims to be, but I have also received a spiritual witness that I need to remain and be a part of it as much as can and help the persons in this area, and that I can continue to find god even if I don’t believe in the LDS claims.

I don’t expect others to accept my answer. I will try to keep my head down and just exist for as long as I can before they kick me out, and hope to get my kids to adulthood with some of the of the advantages the LDS church has to offer youth. That’s all

[Anonymous]

Thanks for sharing that experience, cwald. Mysterious ways . . .

[Anonymous]

Quote:

I asked the “power” that was talking to and visiting with me, if the church was not true and just a man made organization, and if we were wrong about the “magical” authority of the Mormon priesthood? The answer was a resounding “yes” to my mind. The spirits that communicate with me – gave me an answer, just as clear as they did 22 years ago when I got an answer about the BoM being true. So perhaps 22 year ago it was “okay for me to believe it all.” Today that same spirit has led me to believe it really is not what I was taught to believe it is.

NOW — to continue my story. Since I just received an answer to my question, I asked the most logical follow-up. “If it’s not “true”, than should I leave it?” The answer was a resounding “NO.” The impressions that i received were that no church is the the right one, yet the LDS church is a great pathway to help raise kids and achieve spiritual enlightenment and find god. After all – it has got me this far, and I am still using it’s pure teachings to find answers.

I had a few tears i’m embarrassed to admit.

Wow cwald — what a powerful story. And you know, I’m totally with you on the LDS Church being a great pathway to help raise kids and achieve enlightenment etc. That’s where I have come to rest. It sounds like you might agree that it doesn’t necessarily have to be true to be good to commit oneself to. People who commit to other churches don’t even claim they are true, and commit themselves to them all the time. I think we can do this in the LDS Church, relying more on the “this is where I belong” sentiment born out of spiritual experiences like you had, rather than the “I’m going to white knuckle my way to the celestial kingdom in spite of all the angst because this is the only true Church on the face of the earth and I have to give total obedience”. The difference we share, however, is that I’m somewhat “agnostic” about the truth of the Church. I believe it might be true, but also feel comfortable with the fact that it might not be. You on the other hand, believe it isn’t true. However — the end result is the same — commitment to it for similar reasons.

Thanks for posting this, I really appreciate it.

[Anonymous]

Quote:

So after some 35 years of praying, studying and straining to get any kind of spiritual insight I have finally got an answer to the nature of the church and God…..

Cadence, to save space I didn’t quote your entire post. I agree whole heartedly—preach on!!!!!

f4h1

[Anonymous]

Old-Timer wrote:

Will it be accepted? In a nutshell, that depends largely on you.

Of course, there are MAJOR differences in congregations (like cwald’s and mine, for example), but, as a general rule, “We love him, because he first loved us.” It’s hard for most people to reject someone if they feel that someone truly loves them – and is willing to help them in whatever way possible without being a butthead about differences.

I don’t feel like I add much to these posts at this point, I appreciate the wisdom that I find here, nice post Ray! :thumbup:

f4h1

[Anonymous]

Cadence

I wish more people would ask the questions you have. I think it is hard to know how accepting a member will be. But I think Ray is right that if they feel that you love them then they won’t reject you outright, with some exceptions. I believe there are more non TBM’s out there that have questions and don’t know where to turn, that was me less than 2 months ago. I think it is possible that this is our “path”. You have all certainly helped me! IMO you are all masters of the “force” and you know enough about the “dark side” to help me and others from falling into the path of self destruction. (pardon the Star Wars reference) We have all seen the person who looses faith and spirals out of control, never to recover.

I hope my wife would agree, but it seems to me that since finding John Dehlin, which lead me to StayLDS.org I have let go of so much anger. I hated to go to church, I wanted to call BS in SS every week. My wife would see me clinching my fists and grinding my teeth.

Back when this all started for me, I was praying everyday to have stronger faith and a stronger testamony of the truth, thats exactly what I got, it just wasn’t the answer I was expecting.

cwald thanks for sharing, when a sincere person asks a question and recieves an answer I like to learn with them.

f4h1

PS Cadence off the subject but I’ve been wondering, if you put the USS Enterprise against an Imperial Battle Cruiser who has the advantage? IMO the Federation ships seem to have much better shielding than the Empire has to offer and photon torpedos against a poorly shielded ship means game over!?

[Anonymous]

cwald,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. I found it very heart-warming. So now that we have chosen a path, how do we accomplish our purpose? Is loving others the key? Loving them even when their words, beliefs, black and white thinking make us CRAZY? Accepting where others are on their path and helping them when called upon?

Buckle up boys and girls we’re in for a rough ride!!!

CG

[Anonymous]

Take comfort in the assurance that it gets less rough over time. I’ve been on this path for so long that I rarely hit the potholes and speed bumps anymore. Now, it’s just how I roll – so to speak.

[Anonymous]

Brian Johnston wrote:

I have a testimony of the questions, not so much the answers …

I like that. I need to file that away somewhere.

[Anonymous]

cwald wrote:

So, here is my testimony.

It sounds like double congratulations are in order, CW. Man hugs and blubbering tears all around for you and Cadence.

[Anonymous]

Old-Timer wrote:

Take comfort in the assurance that it gets less rough over time. I’ve been on this path for so long that I rarely hit the potholes and speed bumps anymore. Now, it’s just how I roll – so to speak.

My experience is different. I find that challenges do often crop up. I’ve had three major trials of faith so far in the Church.

I think one has to look at experiences like cwald’s with thanksgiving and peace, but recognize there may well be other challenges in the future. I suggest writing down the uplifting experiences and the attendant feelings that go with it, and then leaning on it as the future unfolds for a spirituality boost. I do that with my missionary journal. My missionary journal activated me after my second trial of faith — after poring over all the spiritual experiences and attitudes I held at that time, that mindset returned and I grew receptive to TBM approaches to Church again, and then ended up in a leadership calling. I would consider it a CBT therapy technique called anchoring where reflection on times of encouragement causes those feelings of strength to take over.

Of course, I didn’t even try the approach after my last trial of faith — I should take my own advice.

[Anonymous]

cwald wrote:

So, here is my testimony. I have very little faith in the LDS church. I have received spiritual witness that the church is not all it claims to be, but I have also received a spiritual witness that I need to remain and be a part of it as much as can and help the persons in this area, and that I can continue to find god even if I don’t believe in the LDS claims.

I don’t expect others to accept my answer. I will try to keep my head down and just exist for as long as I can before they kick me out, and hope to get my kids to adulthood with some of the of the advantages the LDS church has to offer youth. That’s all

We walk the same exact path. I still think the current church is not all bad and I even can contribute to it to some degree, but I am much more at peace knowing it is not so true as it claims or at a minimum has no claim to being the one true church as it claims.

[Author]

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