Feelings

[inquiringmind]

Once again, a "peaceful feeling" is not necessarily from God. If it is, you'll know it. If you have to ask, then it's probably not.

Thank you.

[why me]

One of the missionaries was recently trying to explain the difference between feeling The Spirit, and our emotions.

Are all such feelings "of God"?

Please reply.

I think that I can tell you the difference. When I prayed about the boof of mormon asking heavenly father if it were true, I had such a strong emotion that it was true that I can tell you right now that it wasn't a feeling. And that strong emotion that I felt has kept my foot in the door ever since. And that difference between the spiritual confirmation and feeling makes all the difference. Let me put it this way: Do you believe that the witnesses to the book of mormon plates had a feeling or a strong spiritual experience? If they had a feeling, they would have ended up leaving the church, denying their claim but because they had such a strong spritual experience and emotion, they continued to remain faitful to their testimony even confirming it on their deathbeds. See the difference?

Edited February 3, 2012 by why me

[why me]

What I find amazing is how the critics who once were members equate all they experienced and the emotions that they expeienced a warm fuzzy. I suppose that this is how they can rationalize the emotion by comparing it to a feeling at a basketball game as an example. I also believe that one reason that the critics can be so hostile toward the church is because of that emotion that they experienced. I think that they have a hard time dealing with it.

Edited February 3, 2012 by why me

[zerinus]

I haven't done much reading or studying today, as I spent most of the day in the E.R.

And I've been thinking about the question I raised here.

It's my understanding that if I die where I'm at right now, I'm pretty much guaranteed at least a telestial heaven.

And I think Joseph once said that if we could see what that was like, we'd want to kill ourselves to get there.

So if every day of my life here is painful (or just numb), and I get a warm peaceful feeling when I think of killing myself, is that feeling coming from God?

And btw: I don't really think there's anyone here (anymore) who'd really be all that worse off without me--so if all good feelings come from God, it does (sometimes) seem possible that He'd be telling me it's ok.

Also, this isn't the kind of question I could ask anyone at a suicide prevention hotline (if I wanted an answer.)

I know.

I've taken the courses, I've done the bio/social psyc interviews, and I one considered doing an internship at a suicide prevention hotline.

The people working them may be trained to listen for such questions.

They may be trained to react to them.

But they're not trained to answer them.

I am getting worried about you im. Experience has shown that people who talk about suicide are in danger of committing them. Your bringing this subject up (for the second time I think) is a cry for help. Seek professional advice. If one avenue doesn't help, try another. You can try the LDS network. I think the Church provides these kinds of services, and they are usually very good. Attend your local LDS Church for a few weeks, get to know the people there and especially the bishop, and then talk to him privately and ask his advice.

Looking at the spiritual aspect of the issue, I don't believe that ending one's life on earth will solve whatever problem one is experiencing in this life. You will wake up in the spirit world experiencing the same unhappiness there, except that many remedial options that are available to you here may no longer be available there. Don't do something that you cannot undo. As the Lord said in a revelation to Joseph Smith: "Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers" (D&C 112:10).

Edited February 3, 2012 by zerinus

[Calm]

As I said

Since you had mentioned the other, I was thinking more along the lines of looking for help with chronic pain management and that aspect. I may have misunderstood that this was an issue for you.

also:

And I think Joseph once said that if we could see what that was like, we'd want to kill ourselves to get there.

My memory says that it has never been able to be tracked back to Joseph himself and may even have been something someone else said that was misattributed to him.

And whether or not we might want to kill ourselves to get there, that isn't our immediate destination...rather it is likely for those ending up in the Telestial Kingdom that they will have quite an extended stay in Spirit Prison prior to the Judgment (IIRC, they are the last to come before the Lord in Judgment after the Millennium to receive their resurrection), possibly never spending time in paradise with the Saints but having to work through all of the problems they had experienced on earth before being able to be ready for any kingdom of glory. Like zerinus said, suicide is not a way out of one's problems, you end up dealing with the same stuff in the next life, most likely suffering as much there as you would here....though perhaps not in the same way, perhaps even more because of greater knowledge and understanding and therefore greater remorse for what might have been. Perhaps you won't be saddled with a body, but it is likely in my view that the spirit is aligned with our bodies in such a way that while we may not experience physical pain due to health issues as spirits waiting for resurrection, we may have to deal with the equivalent spiritually if we usurp the role of the Lord in life and death instead of placing ourselves and our lives fully in the Lord's hands.

Edited February 3, 2012 by calmoriah