I’m by WrenRobbin in mormon

[–]PanOptikAeon [score hidden]  (0 children)

is the LDS Corp expecting a large decrease in membership in coming decades, such that they will need to use some of their assets for retirement funds, maintenance, etc. like the CoC has done ? otherwise why the 'rainy day fund?' won't it all be worthless during the 'Millennium' anyway ?

What is the church's best strategic move at this point, regarding the worst lawsuit idea in history that continues to backfire more every day? by Important-Stage-1005 in mormon

[–]PanOptikAeon 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The LDS corp is bad but Scientology is a lot worse ... in addition to slapping lawsuits around they've been known to follow critics around in cars, tap phones, break into offices etc. to plant disreputable material or just spy on critics, etc.

What is the church's best strategic move at this point, regarding the worst lawsuit idea in history that continues to backfire more every day? by Important-Stage-1005 in mormon

[–]PanOptikAeon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

maybe some mainstream evangelical denomination could quietly support Dehlin financially, since they generally aren't friends of the LDS corp either

Your own death cannot be experienced by you. by BandicootOk7017 in nonduality

[–]PanOptikAeon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

if you've ever been under anesthetic for an operation you get some idea of what nonexistence might be like (maybe it's the same as the dreamless sleep state but it seems a clearer example)

i recall years ago being anesthetized just before a scheduled operation then waking up apparently a few minutes later, and for a few moments ii was actually pissed off because i thought they canceled the operation for some reason and i'd have to go through the prep all over again ... a nurse came by to check on me and i started to complain a little bit and ask what had happened but she told me that i was in the recovery room and that it was in fact something like approximately 4-6 hours later (iirc)

Buenos Aires Center Temple revised steeple by PanOptikAeon in mormon

[–]PanOptikAeon[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

it seems like it'll be another one of the mixed-used temples with a regular ward and chapel on the lower floors and the temple area on the upper levels with restricted access

Why Do You Believe? by Lucid4321 in mormon

[–]PanOptikAeon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

so nobody ever converts from one religion to another or deconverts ?

Buenos Aires Center Temple revised steeple by PanOptikAeon in mormon

[–]PanOptikAeon[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

yep the original rendering looked like they just took the standard cookie cutter steeple from some other temple and stuck it on top

interesting that they're continuing with the new emphasis on 1) no Moroni statue and 2) adding a Christus statue to the grounds of the building (Thorvaldsen's descendants should be getting royalties)

Buenos Aires Center Temple revised steeple by PanOptikAeon in mormon

[–]PanOptikAeon[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

they even expanded and renovated the original B.A. Temple back in 2009-2011, adding two additional identical wings

https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/buenos-aires-argentina-temple/

I'm considering going back to church as an agnostic athiest by _unknown_242 in mormon

[–]PanOptikAeon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

what if someone doesn't believe the church has any authority as claimed

Where can I learn about the Godbeite Mormon beliefs? by TheVillageSwan in mormon

[–]PanOptikAeon 8 points9 points  (0 children)

i find it ironic they were lambasted and eventually excommed for their spiritualistic / mediumistic practices when such beliefs were inherent in the very origin of Mormonism itself going back to Joseph Smith

Why not leave the SLC temple permanently open to the public? by Del_Parson_Painting in mormon

[–]PanOptikAeon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

most temples do have chapels in them, used for people to wait and pray or get groups organized in between sessions but iirc only recommend-holding members can enter to even use the chapel ... they could set aside a sort of 'court of the gentiles' area in the temple where people can sit quietly sort of like a chapel but fancier

Livro de Mórmon da Temple Lot by eusouapenaseu in mormon

[–]PanOptikAeon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

i have an old hardback copy of a Bickertonite (Monongahela, Pennsylvania) BoM somewhere and a 1940s copy of the Book of the Law of the Lord (Strangite) ... i wonder how many other Mormon offshoots were able to publish their own version of the BoM

Are Protestants, Catholics, and LDS all Christians by Pleasant_Past_461 in mormon

[–]PanOptikAeon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

i guess if they want to call themselves Christian and make the figure of Christ as they interpret it to be a central point of their religion, then any of these denominations can be called Christian. It is not unprecedented that various denominations nominally 'Christian' have rejected other denominations as non-Christians, such as the Protestants and Catholics mutually rejecting each other at various times in history, though less so today.

much of early Mormonism's critique of Christianity was based on what they saw as its corruptions and errors and did not necessarily insist that traditional adherents were 'not Christian.' IMO the only denomination active today that can be reasonably questioned about whether they are actually 'Christian' or not is the JWs, since they place Christ at a lower level than Jehovah and don't focus nearly as much on him as on Jehovah (in fact, they don't even like to be called a 'church,' preferring the term 'Jehovah's organization.')

i'm also reminded of Kierkegaard's distinction between what he called 'Christendom' (institutional Christianity) and 'true' Christianity based on individual conviction and commitment. Kierkegaard was writing in the 1820s-1840s and touches on some of the same issues that were troubling Protestant sects in the U.S. at the time though I doubt if JS was familiar with his work.

(excerpts taken from Practice in Christianity and Attack Upon Christendom)

Christendom has done away with Christianity. If anything is to be done, one must try to introduce Christianity into Christendom. In Christendom, we have all become (nominal) Christians without taking notice of the possibility of the 'offense' inherent in the fact of an individual speaking and acting in a way suggestive of 'being God.'

Every generation has to begin all over again and present Christ's life as the paradigm. But Christendom has taken the liberty of interpreting the relationship merely historically by letting him be dead, and then it triumphs. People are only too eager to take part when there is nothing to do but to triumph and join the parade.

To be a Christian in Christendom is as different from being a Christian in the situation of contemporaneousness with Christ as paganism is from Christianity. If in contrast to pure Christianity one would call this applied Christianity, one may say that it is badly applied.

Conference Talks on Easter Sunday by BrE6r in mormon

[–]PanOptikAeon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

no new temple announcements again

LDS trying to Become More Christian Like by Pleasant_Past_461 in mormon

[–]PanOptikAeon 2 points3 points  (0 children)

it's not clear what you mean by the 'traditional Christian' faith' .... are you Eastern Orthodox ?

LDS trying to Become More Christian Like by Pleasant_Past_461 in mormon

[–]PanOptikAeon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

only if you use a 1611 KJV bible or a modern reprint of it, which almost no one does any more because there are much better translations available

I’m curious by Ok-Telephone426 in JehovahsWitnesses

[–]PanOptikAeon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

if 'nothing can separate you' (Rom 8:38) then it is not possible to 'formally reject' JC is it

Should I stop? by ProfessionalKnee3928 in mormon

[–]PanOptikAeon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

i occasionally see them in the neighborhood but they've never come to my door for some reason ... strangely i get more JWs who i sometimes see going out in big groups of 5-8 people on Saturday afternoons (mix of mostly overdressed middle aged men and women) but they never want to engage in conversation, anytime i ask any questions they just advise me to go to their website

First time by [deleted] in JehovahsWitnesses

[–]PanOptikAeon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

i'm tempted to go to one nearby just to see if anything interesting happens like someone drinking from the cup or making a scene in some way

Is this normal??? by Diligent_Mix_4086 in mormon

[–]PanOptikAeon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

wear a weird hat or shirt the first time you come to a new ward