- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765581231/We-can-learn-from-sins-of-Nephites.html People who can’t understand, or that have doubts or questions at times, they are wicked “unwilling hearts” who haven’t tried hard enough. Worse yet, their mere existence and their eloquent words lead others to be wicked like them.
Quote:In other words, they hadn’t personally experienced Benjamin’s powerful abdication speech. And their parents had somehow failed to convey its power to them. -Daniel Peterson
OK … so I am not sure if he is implying there isn’t currently a prophet or apostle around with the power to make God’s words meaningful or make sense. That seems pretty problematic to his cause. But that being the case, it seems like he is also saying parents haven’t been any better at explaining it in a meaningful way either. Who’s fault is that?
Hint: Don’t blame the poor folks who are struggling, calling them slackers and wicked.
Instead of pushing them out the door, maybe we could talk about it? It would help if we stopped pretending there aren’t difficult issues to address, and that nobody should talk about them. We need to embrace our brothers and sisters who question. Questioning is not wrong! It’s essential to eternal progression. We need to work together, not alienate people.
Oh great. Lets heap some more guilt onto my parents for my apostasy. Quote:The real problem with these dissenters, however, wasn’t merely that they disbelieved. It was that they sought to lead others into disbelief, as well, and into lifestyles contrary to the commandments of God. “For it came to pass that they did deceive many with their flattering words, who were in the church, and did cause them to commit many sins”…. (26:6).
This wasn’t just a falling or a drifting away.
It was a knowing, conscious revolt.But it was also clandestine, surreptitious, sneaky. Alma “did go about secretly with the sons of Mosiah seeking to destroy the church” (27:10). It’s very doubtful, though, that they would have openly admitted that their goal was “to destroy the church.” Perhaps they wouldn’t even have admitted it to themselves. No doubt they felt that what they were doing was right. They may have rationalized the fact that their “flattering words” opened the door to “iniquities” forbidden by the faith of their fathers as merely a coincidental, liberating side benefit.
We know how the story of Alma and the sons of Mosiah ends. It finishes wonderfully, in redemptive divine grace.
Do we know, though, how to recognize their modern counterparts? And, please, don’t doubt that they exist.As President Ezra Taft Benson repeatedly insisted, the Book of Mormon was “written for our day.” Wow. Talk about hubris…and i’m not referrring to the Nephites.
This is a couple steps backwards. I’m not even sure we took ONE step forward recently either.
Well, that’s why I’m grateful for groups like this one. Yes, we’ve got questions. Yes, we’ve got concerns. But look at the name of our group – it’s called StayLDS. Our intention is to keep our members in the church, not to drive or pull them out. The only way you can accuse us of trying to pull people towards apostasy is if you hold to a narrow view of what it means to be a faithful member of the church, and if somehow the very fact that we’re asking these questions doesn’t fit that narrow view. Quote:But it was also clandestine, surreptitious, sneaky.
Wait, are we talking about dissension or polygamy? I’m confused.
I’m confused myself. Quotes like Quote:Beneficiaries, presumably, of the best education available
make it sound like he’s making a Rick Santorum-esque statement about education destroying faith.
Some things just are stupid. Brian Johnston wrote:Questioning is not wrong! It’s essential to eternal progression. We need to work together, not alienate people.
Beautifully true statement. I’m a little bothered, not by anything said in the scriptures, but by some leaders and members who have such a shrewd definition of apostasy. For example, I’m annoyed with anyone who would think that this forum borders on apostasy (which there are some, I’m sure). Seeking answers is the path to wisdom.
Teach your children to think outside the box, be courageous, and follow their dreams.
We shouldn’t teach our children that when they have questions about the controversies of the church, that Satan is getting in their mind and trying to deceive them. Does anyone here know how stupid that sounds to a non-member who has found happiness outside the church?? For goodness sake, its the 21st century.
alaskaboy19 wrote:For example, I’m annoyed with anyone who would think that this forum borders on apostasy (which there are some, I’m sure).
yes, people do think that, I’m dealing with it in my life right now. The direction I was given was…”Just stick to LDS.org, everything else is not worth reading.”. – pretty simplistic, in my opinion.
There is nothing on this forum that is like to Apostacy, IMO, or I don’t think many of us would be here.
alaskaboy19 wrote:Teach your children to think outside the box, be courageous, and follow their dreams.
We shouldn’t teach our children that when they have questions about the controversies of the church, that Satan is getting in their mind and trying to deceive them.
I agree, I want my kids to follow my example, where they question and challenge their faith, so it grows stronger. However, I must keep in mind their stage of development also, and realize they must be mature enough to truly seek truth, otherwise they may just be rebellious and use it as excuses, which I don’t want. But I have been told I may be leading my kids into Satan’s grasp. That would make me sad…if I believed it in some way. I don’t.
alaskaboy19 wrote:Does anyone here know how stupid that sounds to a non-member who has found happiness outside the church?? For goodness sake, its the 21st century.
yes, it sounds pretty narrow-minded to me.
So there’s other members in your life who have criticized you for your involvement in this website? If anyone told me that, I would tell them to check it out before they form an opinion. Ironic, isn’t that what our missionaries tell people regarding forming an opinion about the church itself??
Being born in the church = a very, very different life.
To be fair, my view of people who left the church probably wasn’t much different a year ago. But now after experiencing what I have, I think it shows a total lack of understanding of why people leave the church. I can’t speak for everyone, but my doubts did NOT come during a time when I was slacking off in my scripture study or not seeking to have a spiritual understanding of things. In fact, it was just the opposite. I was studying the scriptures and every promising book I could get my hands on to find understanding, and it slowly became apparent to me that some things just did not add up or make sense. Here’s a good article about people who leave the church – and how members of the church who stay relate to them. http://www.salon.com/2012/06/01/but_im_a_good_mormon_wife/ ” class=”bbcode_url”> http://www.salon.com/2012/06/01/but_im_a_good_mormon_wife/ TragedianActor wrote:Here’s a good article about people who leave the church – and how members of the church who stay relate to them.
http://www.salon.com/2012/06/01/but_im_a_good_mormon_wife/ ” class=”bbcode_url”> http://www.salon.com/2012/06/01/but_im_a_good_mormon_wife/
That’s a really good article.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.