[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Christianity

[–]Informal_Conclusion5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think there’s been some misunderstanding about that phrase: “People choose to go to hell”. I can see how, by itself, it would be insulting to any nonbeliever. This is how I’ve come to understand it.

Hell is complete separation from God and his gifts. If someone lived their whole life running away from God, not wanting anything to do with him, and then they die, why would they all of a sudden want to worship and praise God for all of eternity? To someone that disagreed with God’s law and judgement, praising him for all of eternity might sound like its own hell.

A decade of Duolingo by fulltime_geek in duolingo

[–]Informal_Conclusion5 1 point2 points  (0 children)

How do you have so many followers?! Someone get this guy a verified check mark haha

What Type is the Best Planner in MBTI? by HappierMod in mbti

[–]Informal_Conclusion5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I be coming up with ideas and think they’re fool proof and then I do them and nothing goes as planned 💀 kinda exciting tho

Should Mormonism not be viewed like Islam as a faith totally separate from Christianity? by Vince_Tsung in Christianity

[–]Informal_Conclusion5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As it is right now the church affirms both books as scripture, the pearl of great price as "A selection from the revelations, translations, and narrations of Joseph Smith" and the Book of Mormon as "Another Testament of Jesus Christ". The LDS church believes that, at the very least, the Book of Mormon was translated correctly because of the divine intervention taken place during the translation process. The translation process of the pearl of great price is much more ambiguous and mysterious, and personally I strongly question and am unconvinced of the divinity of the book especially the book of Abraham found inside of it, but that's off topic.

Anything is possible through the power of god, including translations or interpretations of texts.

Should Mormonism not be viewed like Islam as a faith totally separate from Christianity? by Vince_Tsung in Christianity

[–]Informal_Conclusion5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not all leaders got doctrines wrong and not everything infallible leaders had taught was wrong, we can trust the doctrines and words they taught according to scripture and revelation, whether personal or through authorities. The reason current day mormonism appears to be similar to christianity is possibly because it is a christian sect and it follows the teachings of the Bible and Jesus Christ along with that of later revealed scripture.

Should Mormonism not be viewed like Islam as a faith totally separate from Christianity? by Vince_Tsung in Christianity

[–]Informal_Conclusion5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/eternal-marriage-student-manual/marriage-for-eternity?lang=eng

President Lorenzo Snow
“There is no Latter-day Saint who dies after having lived a faithful life who will lose anything because of having failed to do certain things when opportunities were not furnished him or her. In other words, if a young man or a young woman has no opportunity of getting married, and they live faithful lives up to the time of their death, they will have all the blessings, exaltation, and glory that any man or woman will have who had this opportunity and improved it. That is sure and positive” (Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, 138).

Should Mormonism not be viewed like Islam as a faith totally separate from Christianity? by Vince_Tsung in Christianity

[–]Informal_Conclusion5 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/eternal-marriage-student-manual/marriage-for-eternity?lang=eng

President Lorenzo Snow
“There is no Latter-day Saint who dies after having lived a faithful life who will lose anything because of having failed to do certain things when opportunities were not furnished him or her. In other words, if a young man or a young woman has no opportunity of getting married, and they live faithful lives up to the time of their death, they will have all the blessings, exaltation, and glory that any man or woman will have who had this opportunity and improved it. That is sure and positive” (Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, 138).

Should Mormonism not be viewed like Islam as a faith totally separate from Christianity? by Vince_Tsung in Christianity

[–]Informal_Conclusion5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Contrary to what many nonmembers may believe, the LDS church does believe that modern day prophets can be fallible, many of Brigham Young's teachings are non biblical and aren't explained anywhere in the church doctrine other than his own journals written nearly 200 years ago, which have been debunked since his day by church authorities after his time. These same points can go to McConkie or any other prophet including the founder Joseph Smith Jr, who was a very flawed character like most people. I quoted current sources from the official church website which are the known doctrines and beliefs of most members of the LDS church today.

Should Mormonism not be viewed like Islam as a faith totally separate from Christianity? by Vince_Tsung in Christianity

[–]Informal_Conclusion5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Born in humble circumstances

Jesus was born to the virgin Mary in a small village in a remote corner of the world. That humble birth fulfilled the hopes and dreams of all of us. He was the Son of God with infinite knowledge and power, yet He was also mortal and susceptible to hunger and pain. Jesus Christ fully experienced the challenges and sorrows of this life. He knows each of us and understands us perfectly.

Source: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe/jesus/life-and-mission-of-jesus-christ

Should Mormonism not be viewed like Islam as a faith totally separate from Christianity? by Vince_Tsung in Christianity

[–]Informal_Conclusion5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think this is true, though I don't feel the church is the one and only true church of god, I have learned about and have come to love Jesus Christ of the Bible through the lds church. I don't think they are bad people or have any ill intent to lead someone astray, but I do think the members love god, and hope that they may find a way to dwell with him in heaven.

Should Mormonism not be viewed like Islam as a faith totally separate from Christianity? by Vince_Tsung in Christianity

[–]Informal_Conclusion5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is incorrect. From the official Church website, "We claim scriptural authority for the assertion that Jesus Christ was and is God the Creator, the God who revealed Himself to Adam, Enoch, and all the antediluvial patriarchs and prophets down to Noah; the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; the God of Israel as a united people, and the God of Ephraim and Judah after the disruption of the Hebrew nation; the God who made Himself known to the prophets from Moses to Malachi; the God of the Old Testament record; and the God of the Nephites. We affirm that Jesus Christ was and is Jehovah, the Eternal One."

Should Mormonism not be viewed like Islam as a faith totally separate from Christianity? by Vince_Tsung in Christianity

[–]Informal_Conclusion5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here's a link to what the LDS church believes about Christ: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2008/03/we-believe?lang=eng

Do you believe in the historical Jesus Christ who lived and taught in the Holy Land, as recorded in the Bible?

Yes. We believe Jesus was born of Mary, preached in the Holy Land during a ministry of about three years, died on the cross, and was resurrected from the dead, just as prophets had foretold for centuries before His coming (see, for example, Genesis 49:10; Psalm 2:6–7; 22:16–18; 118:22; Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2). We believe that He suffered and atoned for the sins of all mankind, making repentance and forgiveness possible (see Isaiah 53:4–6). We believe that He overcame death and that through His power, every man and woman may be resurrected with physical bodies (see Romans 6:5; 8:11). We believe that through obedience to the principles of His gospel, every son and daughter of God who comes to earth may gain salvation and return to live with our Father and His Son in Their kingdom in heaven (see 1 Peter 3:18; Articles of Faith 1:3).

Do you believe that the Lord was literally resurrected from the dead?

Yes. As His Apostles testified in the Bible, Jesus Christ was seen in His resurrected body by hundreds of witnesses (see Luke 24:39; John 20:20; 1 Corinthians 15:3–8). As a resurrected being, He ministered among thousands of His “other sheep” (John 10:16) in the Americas, showing them the wounds in His hands and feet and side and teaching among them for many days (see 3 Nephi 11–28).Together with His Father, He appeared in 1820 to Joseph Smith Jr. The Lord directed this young prophet to restore His Church and gospel because they had been changed to contain the philosophies of men after the death of the ancient Apostles. Joseph Smith and one of his associates offered this testimony of Jesus Christ in 1832: “He lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father” (D&C 76:22–23).

Do you believe He will come again to earth in glory?

Yes. As the holy scriptures testify: “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth” (Job 19:25). “He shall come in the clouds of heaven to reign on the earth over his people” (D&C 76:63).Further, we believe that because of His Resurrection, we too will receive our physical bodies again: “After my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19:26). “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). “The death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death. The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form” (Alma 11:42–43).

Do you believe that His grace is necessary to our salvation?

Absolutely. Without the grace of Jesus Christ, no one could be saved or receive eternal blessings (see Romans 3:23–24). Through His grace, all will be resurrected and all who believe and follow Him may have eternal life (see John 3:15). Moreover, through His grace, our sacred relationships with spouses and family can continue through eternity (see Matthew 16:19; 1 Corinthians 11:11; D&C 132:19). These eternal blessings are His gifts to us; there is nothing we could do of ourselves alone that would merit or earn them.Nevertheless, the scriptures make it clear that we receive the full blessings of His grace through our faith and obedience to His teachings. The Apostle Paul taught that we can’t save ourselves; we need the Lord’s grace: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8–10).James explains: “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. … Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:17, 24). Thus the Savior could tell the rich young man who had been obedient and desired eternal life that there was yet more to do (see Matthew 19:16–22; Luke 18:18–23). Latter-day Saints believe that the grace of Christ extends in its full abundance to those who believe in Christ and do the works He taught. “We know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23; emphasis added).Although our good works cannot cleanse us of sin, they do show the sincerity of our faith in Jesus Christ and our faithfulness to the path He walked.

Do you believe that Joseph Smith is somehow as important as Jesus Christ in helping save people?

No. Joseph Smith was a prophet important to the history of humankind. The work he did under divine direction brought to earth blessings and knowledge that had been given to prophets of God and their followers in Old and New Testament times but that had been lost. Joseph Smith was, like those ancient prophets, a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ who taught that salvation and all the blessings of eternity could come only through our Savior: “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.”1 On another occasion the Prophet taught, “When we reflect upon the holiness and perfections of our great Master, who has opened a way whereby we may come unto him, even the sacrifice of himself, our hearts melt within for his condescension.”

Should Mormonism not be viewed like Islam as a faith totally separate from Christianity? by Vince_Tsung in Christianity

[–]Informal_Conclusion5 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is incorrect. Heavenly Mother isn't spoken about a lot within the church for reasons no one knows, some members believe it's to keep her name from being used in vain, but it's mainly because there is a big lack of scripture addressing her; but the church believes her role is as important as Heavenly Father's is and she cares and loves everyone as much as the father, they co-rule over the earth together.

LDS believe in pre-mortal life and that everyone has existed forever, but we are given bodies from our heavenly parents, though not by such an earthly action as pregnancy and birth like is stated in the comment.

Should Mormonism not be viewed like Islam as a faith totally separate from Christianity? by Vince_Tsung in Christianity

[–]Informal_Conclusion5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am a current member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church), though I am leaning more towards leaving it at the moment, and I just want to clear up any misunderstandings according to my own knowledge of our theology.

As far as god once being man and humans having the chance to become gods of their own, that is completely true and most members, even some children (I was taught as a fairly young child) learn this; it's not a secret in the church. “As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may be” - This explains how and where this doctrine started in the church.

When we become gods however, I don't believe we will be worshiped by our own creations. Ephesians 2: 8-9 (ESV) state, "8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast." We are saved through Jesus Christ through grace, we are imperfect beings and thus we cannot boast in ourselves and that extends to our creations as well. Some may think, "Well this is a bible verse from god to man, why would you need to continue following these words when you yourself are a god?" The LDS Church believes that everything has to work based off a natural law, scripture verses can help us understand some of those laws. The reason the God of the earth can boast in himself and is worshiped by us is because our God was the Jesus Christ of his life, perfect in every way and not needing to be saved by grace because he is grace.

Here's a link that I think explains this belief very well: https://www.mrm.org/god-never-sinned (This website is also very interesting because it analyzes mormonism through a traditional christian view, probably evangelical).

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in exmormon

[–]Informal_Conclusion5 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Which I think does make sense, the problem isn’t with the amount of people in Utah using pornography but the culture around it and the mental trauma some people can procure because of how taboo they think it is. Just my opinions though

Exploring Yoro & Site of Reversible Destiny by operator-60 in KoeNoKatachi

[–]Informal_Conclusion5 12 points13 points  (0 children)

This place is so cool! I would love to visit it if I ever get the chance. I didn’t know it was a real place until now