Mormons believe in being chased by Elephants

[Anonymous]

primarycolor wrote:

LaLaLove said:

Quote:

Literally thinking the saints, from ALL around the world nonetheless, would all need to go to one crummy state in the US .. Is silly.

Don’t take this in a demeaning way, but I assume that you may be quite a bit younger than myself. The gathering of Israel is an important part of the foundation of your religion, the Book of Mormon, Moses’s appearance, Elijah, missionary work, temple work… and, yes, locations were (and I assume still are) part of the paradigm of many prophecies from Isaiah, Daniel, Nephi, Joseph Smith, etc., and up to Spencer W. Kimball.

Re-read your Patriarchal blessing. Why are you told which tribe that you descend from?

Jewish friends used to joke that Mormons were the only religion that similarly saw other people as “Gentiles.”

As I’ve lurked and written on this site, one thing that is important to me, as an inactive, is to see fellow Mormons know and own up to their religion. I know that I’m only a part-owner now. Maybe George can identify with this, part of the things that I no longer own seem to have been discarded, dare I say casually, by the Church.

I am young .. Only 23, and do not have a PB. Yes I agree it is important and will happen.

I know almost nothing about MY religion. The more I learn the more openminded I get and the more I realize I have my own opinions -And conscience which sometimes does not allow me to follow and accept what the anwsers to everything of this world and eternity are according to The Church or even Mainstream Christianity..SURE some BUT no where near ALL! I know you are trying to explain what The Church believes in, to me – And I being a part should know .. And I’m saying I know(one example-Second Coming) what The Church thinks (barely) and I openly disagree. Maybe silly is demeaning and I apologize. I really do respect the people that sincerely have faith/belief in any idea even one that I disagree with. I just feel “silly” believing it myself-So I simply don’t!

I’m still in a state of mind where I feel like I “Know” nothing about “My” religion. I can not own up to things I do not know or openly disagree with. I am here b/c I obviously have some issues..and am trying to figure stuff out not get reminded that its nice to know or nice to own up to anything if you are a member. I converted into a beautiful Church four years ago .. followed and admired it – And felt as if my heart had been murdered by it a few months ago -I’m trying to love it/understand as much as I can but along the way everything has changed, redefined etc..including what I think about the second coming. Hope this does not feel like an attack just an explanation.

I think I need to stay away from “The Unknown” type threads .. As in what will happen when we die or when Jesus comes b/c I really don’t care (trying to focus on todays problems and not the afterlife)! I’m backing away … !

[Anonymous]

LaLaLove, you said:

Quote:

Please tell me if I’m off my rocker!

No, I don’t think you’re off your rocker. At your stage in life, you got to hold on, and don’t feel bad if you get thrown off once or twice. Dust yourself off and get back on.

It can be a safe place, being in “the covenant,” and brothers and sisters will be there for you (mind you I said covenant, not convent. There’s a difference) (and I’m joking).

What happened?

Quote:

And felt as if my heart had been murdered by it a few months ago

[Anonymous]

primarycolor wrote:

LaLaLove, you said:

Quote:

Please tell me if I’m off my rocker!

No, I don’t think you’re off your rocker. At your stage in life, you got to hold on, and don’t feel bad if you get thrown off once or twice. Dust yourself off and get back on.

It can be a safe place, being in “the covenant,” and brothers and sisters will be there for you (mind you I said covenant, not convent. There’s a difference) (and I’m joking).

What happened?

Quote:

And felt as if my heart had been murdered by it a few months ago

I edited my first post! Sounded too mean!

LOL .. Nothing major! Just learning about Dogma, Hundreds of Church History *Problems* , Current Church vs. Church of the 1800’s .. The list goes on and on.

Honestly it started in Dec. during tithing settlement when I asked why we pay tithing – Bishop answered ” Well we don’t ask you for yearly spiritual check-ups do we!? No,tithing is obviously very important to the Lord and that is why it is taken so seriously … Blah Blah. I hated, hated his answer – And what do you know Mormonthink came up when I googled tithing in the LDS Church! I was looking for better answers – Boy did I find my fair share of information .. Enough to last me a lifetime and some more..And it felt like I had been cheated, lied and tooled with for four of my best younger years-I was and still kind of am completely crushed by it .. With DH and DD now it has made my life/mind a living hell..But I am recovering! Fast imo.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, that answer was a doozy. I hope it was a poor attempt at humor. Heaven knows I’ve botched such attempts FAR too many times in my life.

I hope you continue to heal.

[Anonymous]

Old-Timer wrote:

Yeah, that answer was a doozy. I hope it was a poor attempt at humor. Heaven knows I’ve botched such attempts FAR too many times in my life.

I hope you continue to heal.

The worst part is it wasn’t! He was 100% serious. He really is a nice guy though BUT maybe a little too honest or possibly just bad with words..or sick of answering that question w/e – As in what The Church really cares about(money not people-Not what I think but you get the point!) .. Thank you! This site helps the healing big time! Now I will stop messing this thread up .. My bad.

[Anonymous]

Valoel wrote:

Well … when Joseph Smith wrote the Articles of Faith, there wasn’t a political state of Israel, a homeland for the Jews as a gathering place. Now there is such a place. So can anyone really say there isn’t a literal gathering of Israel going on? I feel pretty comfortable with that being literal, and I am pretty non-literal in my approach to the Church these days.

I think the earth will be a paradise, when we finally evolve and make it into such a place. Jesus might come down and fix it all for us … who am I to say it won’t happen that way. I personally gave up on waiting for miracles after being disappointed too many times, so I am not waiting. I am going to work on making the world a paradise now.

I’m in this camp.

Valoel wrote:

On the subject of age, the people that run the site are all in their 40’s. I think the average age of participants here is probably higher than you are thinking.

Well, now I’m afraid to admit this. I’m probably one of the youngest here (28). What on earth does that mean?

[Anonymous]

Valoel wrote:

The saints in Joseph’s day were VERY much into millenialism. So was the whole country for that matter. Mormons were not unique in that aspect, which is probably why that message resonated with so many people.

After reading a lot of early Church history, I am of the opinion they thought the second coming was going to come any moment. It did not happen like JS thought. *shrug* that doesn’t bother me too much though.

I don’t think much has changed. Anyone seen the movie “Knowing” with Nicholas Cage? There are still plenty of people obsessed with the idea. I’m glad we have come back down to earth a bit on this one.

[Anonymous]

Valoel wrote:

hawkgrrrl wrote:

I’m not big on this, mostly because Missouri just doesn’t seem like a place I want to live someday (really anywhere in the midwest). It’s too darn cold!

Cold … yeah, that’s what I think of too.

Wusses. I served my mission in Ekaterinburg, Russia. That’s in Siberia for you all geography whizzes. We had to walk to our appointments in 1 foot of snow, covering 2 ft of ice, in -40 degree weather (not too mention the high risk of being stabbed to death (anyone remember this?)). And it was uphill both ways too. I tell you what, when I was waiting for the trams sometimes my eyebrows would freeze (along with everything else).

Missouri – “cold,” I tell ya what, you young whipper snappers don’t know the meaning of the word “cold.”

[Anonymous]

jmb275 wrote:

Valoel wrote:

On the subject of age, the people that run the site are all in their 40’s. I think the average age of participants here is probably higher than you are thinking.

Well, now I’m afraid to admit this. I’m probably one of the youngest here (28). What on earth does that mean?

Nah .. 23 .. I think I win. That means…umm idk what it means.

[Anonymous]

primarycolor wrote:

As I’ve lurked and written on this site, one thing that is important to me, as an inactive, is to see fellow Mormons know and own up to their religion. I know that I’m only a part-owner now. Maybe George can identify with this, part of the things that I no longer own seem to have been discarded, dare I say casually, by the Church.

If anything, I, like many others who arrive at a disaffected state, got here by owning up too much to my religion. I took it very seriously, read many books, took many seminary, and institute courses, and diligently read church material.

However, I think you bring up a good point. I am young, 28, and really concerned myself with Joseph Smith, and current teachings of the church. Hence, if it wasn’t emphasized in the current church manuals when I read them (late 90’s, early 2000’s) then it didn’t make it on my radar unless Joseph Smith preached a lot about it. I didn’t learn about things like Journal of Discourses, Comprehensive Church History, BH Roberts, David O. McKay biography etc. until recently. In fact, the only temple ceremony I ever knew about was post 1990 (until recently).

The point I’m making is that I think it has changed since you started an in depth study of it. You and I are Mormons, but may have fundamentally different ideas due to the emphasis. Occasionally I run into this with my mom. She will mention something and I’m like “huh, you take that literally, I never even gave it much thought”?

[Anonymous]

Quote:

Well, now I’m afraid to admit this. I’m probably one of the youngest here (28). What on earth does that mean?

You still have all your hair?

[Author]

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