Pahoran Posted February 6, 2012 Posted February 6, 2012 What!? Bishop A.......put a stop to an activity that gave him an opportunity to eat food? The Universe must be in complete chaos. (please dont tell him I said that)As Seti I said: he doesn't look any leaner. I don't think he's missed too many meals.Regards,Pahoran
Pahoran Posted February 6, 2012 Posted February 6, 2012 (edited) That's great! As you continue to grow you may be led even further, beyond the LDS faith.Or he could follow your path and decline beneath the LDS faith.We're all familiar with the tired old apostate mantra about how some suppose they have "grown beyond" the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We also know that it doesn't really happen; people just like to adopt this pose of superiority in order to dissemble their (rather more accurate) feelings of inadequacy.In any event, Palerider, we all know that you'll humbly consent to return to the Church only after it has remade itself in your image. Since the Church isn't going to devolve so radically, does that mean you've got nothing left but these drive-by one-liners?Regards,Pahoran Edited February 6, 2012 by Nemesis Name correction, please don't change peoples monikers to get a dig in. 2
Lightbearer Posted February 7, 2012 Posted February 7, 2012 Are beliefs voluntary? If I really wanted to, could I, at this very moment, choose to sincerely believe that the Book of Mormon is a historical document, or that Jesus is the son of God? Sure, mere belief is voluntary, if we had no choice then how could we be damned for unbelief? Or blessed for our faithfulness? Now faith is a greater manifestation of belief, and it is dependant on many factors. First real faith must be based on truth, and faith must be followed by action or it is not by definition-faith. If we do not nourish the seed of faith it will wither away. Not because the basis of faith is false but because the ground is barren. So faith is a living thing (hence it's comparison to a seed) and unless it is growing through our nourishment then it will die from neglect, that sounds voluntary to me. Faith takes effort, it does not come from just asking, but requires acting upon it. "And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given. Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." (2 Nephi 2:26 - 27) By claiming faith is not voluntary then we essentially would be saying that we are not accountable for our unbelief. This may be a rather uncomfortable idea for many, but this is what the scriptures teach, we are accountable for what we believe and do.
Loran Blood Posted February 7, 2012 Posted February 7, 2012 Actually, it's the exact opposite. You wont get anyone to stay.You apparently don't know the apostates I know.
Damien the Leper Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 It's an interesting historical question to which I don't believe there is a simple, sound-bite answer. The important and relevant point is that the ban has been lifted, and because of the ongoing work for the dead, the lifting of the ban is retroactive.While I don't know for sure, and I've seen arguments to the contrary, I still suspect that slavery had something to do with the origin of the ban.Regards,PahoranI think you're right about this.The issues of race at the time could not have been discounted from the Mormon experience.
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