Gifts Of The Spirit.

[pogi]

If someone doesn't accept the Gospel and Ordinances as presented by LDS missionaries because God led them to another church and that church taught them Mormonism was evil, will they be held accountable for not accepting the Gospel?

We will all be held accountable for the light which we have been given. It is not up to us to decide at which point a person will be held accountable, that is part of the injunction to not judge.

[cinepro]

We will all be held accountable for the light which we have been given. It is not up to us to decide at which point a person will be held accountable, that is part of the injunction to not judge.

[cinepro]

When it comes to olde time religion, Teryls Givens notes these unusual practices among some early Ohio LDS in his biography of Parley Pratt:

In the case of the more spiritually extravagant Ohio Mormons, "some would fancy to themsevles that they had the sword of Laban, and would wield it as expert as a light dragoon, some would act like an Indian in the act of scalping, some would slide or scoot on the floor, with the rapiditiy of a serpent, which the[y] termed sailing in the boat to the Lamanites." p51

Edited December 11, 2012 by cinepro

[boblloyd91]

In regards to that, it was condemned by the leaders (including Pratt) and was attributed to Satan. I know that the book you refer to mentions this. Interestingly, this is occasionally seen in some of the more extreme Pentecostal churches today

[boblloyd91]

This was condemned by early Church leaders, and this level of "spiritual extravagance" hasn't really happened to that level since. Interestingly, I have read that some more extreme Pentecostal churches engage in behavior similar to this. If you get a chance look up the "Toronto Blessing". Interesting stuff.

Edited December 11, 2012 by boblloyd91

[boblloyd91]

oops, posted twice...I accidentally pressed the back button and thought my first entry was deleted

[BookofMormonLuvr]

If someone doesn't accept the Gospel and Ordinances as presented by LDS missionaries because God led them to another church and that church taught them Mormonism was evil, will they be held accountable for not accepting the Gospel?

I would agree with "pogi" on this. I will leave the judgement up to HF and Jesus. They alone know how to properly judge each individual's walk with Them while in this life.

[halconero]

All fathers, regardless of religion, have the right to give patriarchal blessings to their children.

I've heard of this, and actually believe it myself, but I was wondering if I could CFR just for interest's sake.

[Avatar4321]

Those who assert this are either ignorant of the fact that Satan was also in the Grove, or they wish others to be ignorant of that fact because it advances whatever nefarious purpose they may have. Christ (you do trust Him, don't you?

) said that a house divided against itself cannot stand. In order to dismiss Joseph Smith's Sacred Grove experience, one must either conclude that: (a) the spirit which appeared in thick darkness which gathered around Joseph and "had such an astonishing influence" over Joseph "so as to bind [his] tongue" was actually a benevolent spirit, while the two beings who appeared to him bathed in light which was brighter than the noonday sun (and whose presence banished that of the influence which had bound his tongue) were actually malevolent spirits; or (b), Joseph Smith lied about the whole experience.

Bottom line, the question remains: If Joseph Smith wasn't a liar but one has concluded that he was deceived, what was Satan doing in the Grove?

I would also point out the time the Devil appeared to him and oliver and Michael appeared and exposed them. It's not very clear when this happened, but i think it happened not long before or after the Restoration of the Melchesidek Priesthood. In fact, it may have been the event that immediately preceded it from some things I've read.