Many of you, whether LDS Christians or non-LDS Christians have expressed a desire to receive answers to questions regarding the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or a desire to discuss the answers you have received. Given the limited time which I have to respond to your queries I have begun this thread which I will limit myself to (unless time provides megreater opportunity). I will not range from discussion to discussion addressing issues raised therein for I have not the time to spread myself so thin (at present). This is where I will hang my hat and I am happy to converse with any and all posters who should desire such. I will also abandon any other threads I have been posting in as well (for the time being).
So, I leave it to you to ask what you will and I will reply as I have time. Queries will be answered in the order received.
For those of your reticent to post because you consider my replies to condescending or insulting I assure you I will make every effort to reply in a considerate and charitable manner and will ardently avoid ad hominem, insult, and disdain although I cannot guarantee that there will not be a bit of sarcasm.
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"And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith." (D&C 88:118)
I'm curious about your answer to this question that was on another thread:
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Moose asked:
How do you feel about the mormon elder that told lizzie that if God told him to kill her, he would? Based on this mormon belief is it safe to say that Someday God might tell your president that all the mormons must kill all the non or anti-mormons, if your president did bring this out and make it known to you would you do your part?
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"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
Whichever "mormon elder" relayed this information to your friend was obviously one of those who is less informed in regards to LDS belief. We are encouraged to test all things and use the canon (originally a word used to describe a rod for testing straightness) to verify the acceptability of any revelation, including those from the prophet and president of the Church.
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"And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith." (D&C 88:118)
Mr. Porter, on some of your posts (I'm not sure which thread) you ask about the source of our information. I would like to mention something I was told by a mormon elder that greatly disturbed me. I was with some friends one time when a couple of elders dropped by. We got to talking about the differences in our beliefs. It was our understanding that the mormon church continually adds "new revelations" to your teachings while we accept the Holy Bible as the complete and only word of God. When we asked the elder about this, do you know what he responded? To my horror, he agreed that new revelations were still recieved and said, "if the Holy Spirit tells me right now to kill you I will." Needless to say, my friends never accepted those elders into their house again!
Porter: I cannot say what this particular Elder had in mind when he said this. May I apologize to you for him. I mean, that was really a ridiculous comment to make! Honestly, I hope his companion gave him an earful after a comment like that. Honestly. I think this would be a pretty isolated case, but I share in you horror! I hope the answers to your questions about adding new relations have been answered here. Hopefully I have not said anything "horrific." If I have, please let me know.
God Bless,
Porter.
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"The Lord commands us to be peacemakers. This is more than peace keeping. Peacemaking is an active thing that requires much greater effort at making peace happen rather than just keeping ones peace."
Thanks MM, for your reply. I appreciate your frankness. I don't mind your manner of speaking at all, as a matter of fact I'd rather you put emphasis in your posts so that I can better see where your coming from. I have to give it to you . . .you don't mind putting out lengthy replies. I don't read much of your stuff as I'm usually just too lazy to read much that I'm not really interested in.
However, given the overall disapproval of the majority of christians here for your religion, I'm glad that you admit to believing that they are an abomination to God. It keeps me from having pity on you guys when they point out that they really feel the same way (as I do) about what Mormons teach.
One other thing tho . . . .and excuse me if I'm wrong as I'm admittedly not an expert on J Smith. From my understanding Mr Smith claimed to get some kind of message from some spirit by using a peep stone? You don't call this consulting a familiar spirit? You don't think that a familiar spirit would be in the words that he drew from this?
Anyway, I don't require an answer, you seem to have a lot of folk waiting for theirs and like I said, I'm not really into trying to kick you guys around. If you say that the bible is not enough in itself, I cease to see the use in comparing scripture with you.
God bless you and give you all wisdom.
__________________ And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Mr. Porter, apology accepted. No, you have never said anything horrific. Your responses to anything I have seen on this forum have been spoken like a gentlemen. They sure do differ though from Moriancumer. I'm not sure if it's because of his style of grammar or what. (His correct English makes it seem like he is from England or very upper class, except for the lack of the "gentleman" manners, which you so adeptly display.) His answer to my question did nothing to indicate that what was said was wrong, only that the elder was "less informed" and that he should have heeded the church's "encouragement" to "test all things." In my eyes this statement could still also end up with the same outcome. From your post however, it seems like it was an incorrect statement.
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"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
I'm glad that you admit to believing that they are an abomination to God.
Pardon me, but was this remark directed at me?
If so, I never said that LDS belief is an "abomination to God."
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It keeps me from having pity on you guys when they point out that they really feel the same way (as I do) about what Mormons teach.
Oh, I assure you that I share absolutely nothing in common with you regarding your opinions on what Mormons actually teach.
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One other thing tho . . . .and excuse me if I'm wrong as I'm admittedly not an expert on J Smith. From my understanding Mr Smith claimed to get some kind of message from some spirit by using a peep stone?
This is true, Joseph Smith did make use of a seer stone in his translation of the Book of Mormon.
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You don't call this consulting a familiar spirit?
No, I do not, for there was no familiar involved. The stone, as well as the Urim and the Thummim, were merely tools provided him through which he received the text of the Book of Mormon. There was no demonic or magical aspect to it. The Bible makes it clear that Old Testament prophets received revelation or instruction through inanimate objects (Numbers 27:21; 1 Samuel 28:6) such as the "Urim," therefore I see no reason to censure Joseph Smith for doing likewise.
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You don't think that a familiar spirit would be in the words that he drew from this?
I provided a detailed exposition on your argument and there is not relationship between the "familiar spirits" condemned in the Bible and the "familiar spirit" of the Book of Mormon.
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Anyway, I don't require an answer, you seem to have a lot of folk waiting for theirs and like I said, I'm not really into trying to kick you guys around.
I believe I already provided an answer. I appreciate the fact that you are not overly concerned with kicking us around.
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If you say that the bible is not enough in itself, I cease to see the use in comparing scripture with you.
As you will. I believe that we do share a common belief in the Bible and as I accept the Bible as authoritative and inspired I see not reason why we could not discuss our beliefs using the Bible as the basis of our judgments.
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"And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith." (D&C 88:118)
I'm not sure if it's because of his style of grammar or what. (His correct English makes it seem like he is from England or very upper class, except for the lack of the "gentleman" manners, which you so adeptly display.)
I apologized for my lack of consideration and condescension and I will do so again. If you have been offended by any of my statements then I apologize for their abrasive quality. I am striving to rectify this.
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His answer to my question did nothing to indicate that what was said was wrong, only that the elder was "less informed" and that he should have heeded the church's "encouragement" to "test all things." In my eyes this statement could still also end up with the same outcome.
Well I apologize for the ambiguity you feel was present. In clarification, I wholeheartedly disapprove of the actions of that individual and consider him ignorant and mistaken. He was wrong in what he related to your friend and if not censured for such certainly should have been. I would parrot Porter in apologizing for it.
I do not believe that my statement would lend itself to establishing the same outcome this rather uninformed individual reached. Again, I noted that we are encouraged, in the words of Paul, to "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." (AV 1 Thessalonians 5:21) One source upon which we are encouraged to rely in determining what is "good" is the canon, or the books of holy writings we consider authoritative, inspired, and binding upon LDS Christians as a whole. These include the Holy Bible (we use the KJV also called the AV), the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. None of these condone arbitrary execution; it is certainly evil.
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"And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith." (D&C 88:118)
1. "MORMONS WON'T TELL YOU that they believe your Church is wrong"
False. Mormons will indeed tell you thatvery thing.
2. "MORMONS WON'T TELL YOU that" your Christian creeds are abomination to God"
False. Again, Mormons will indeed tell you such.
Of course you were not refering to your own denom.Imeant that I was glad to know that you considered our beliefs as an abomination in that we are at least informed by yourself as to where we are at one with the other.
__________________ And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Ask Moriancumer or Moriancumer"s place.
