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Why Do You Come To This Discussion Board


teddyaware

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I've been participating on this board for just shy of a year now, and I'm fascinated by the fact that there are so many paticipants here who are either athiests, agnostics, non-LDS, anti-LDS, former LDS, disaffected LDS, waivering LDS, "middle way" LDS, "critical of the brethren" LDS, "unorthodox" LDS, "semi-orthodox" LDS, intellectual LDS, scholarly LDS, infromed and knowledgeable LDS, main-stream LDS, etc...

So I have a three-part questionnaire for those of you who wish to participate on this thread:

1 Simply and succinctly describe your religious beliefs or lack thereof.

2. Explain why you participate on this board.

3. Explain what you hope to gain or accomplish by your participation here, both interactively and personally.

I'll Start with myself:

1. I am a convert of 43 years who joined the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when I was almost 21 years old. My conversion was miraculous and I have never had a crisis of faith, nor doubted the Church is true for the duration. I am main stream, with a bit of a specualatve theologian/deep doctrine prober in the mix. I know by revelation God the Father lives and that Jesus is the Christ. In the same way I know the Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God; know the Book of Mormon is true, both doctrinally and historcally; know the true priesthood authority of God has been restored; know the standard works and established doctrine of the Chuch are true (while realizing official clarifications might come); know the Church is led today by living apostles and prophets; know that if I were to apostatize and become a bitter enemy of the Church, I would likely become something nigh unto a son of perdition because I really do know for a surety the Church is true.

2. I participate on here because I love discussing the gospel; love leaning more about the gospel; love defending the gospel

3. By my paricipation I hope to learn more about the true gospel; perhaps teach others of things they may not have before considered; learn about trends in false doctrine; analyize legitimate challenges to the Restored Gospel; broaden my spiritual horizons. help others come to a better understanding of the truths of the eternities.

So there you have it -- the floor is yours...

Do not ask posters to give personal information such as their religion please.

Edited by teddyaware
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1. Simply and succinctly describe your religious beliefs or lack thereof.

I am a Trinitarian, irreverent, doubting, faithful (still a work in progress) and moderate Christian with a twist of Mormon flavor.

2. Explain why you participate on this board.

I participate because I love and need Mormons in my life. Not to be disrespectful, but I can't find the type of Mormons here in the LDS wards I have attended. I love learning, exchanging and even arguing (Yeah! That means you ERayR, Wade Englund, etc.) with them. There is a communion that happens here that I haven't yet experienced within the LDS community at large and it is wonderful.

3. Explain what you hope to accomplish by your participation here, both interactively and personally.

What I hope to accomplish is a deeper understanding of where others are coming from and to also deepen the bonds of friendship with others.

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1. Simply and succinctly describe your religious beliefs or lack thereof.

I am a Trinitarian, irreverent, doubting, faithful (still a work in progress) and moderate Christian with a twist of Mormon flavor.

2. Explain why you participate on this board.

I participate because I love and need Mormons in my life. Not to be disrespectful, but I can't find the type of Mormons here in the LDS wards I have attended. I love learning, exchanging and even arguing (Yeah! That means you ERayR, Wade Englund, etc.) with them. There is a communion that happens here that I haven't yet experienced within the LDS community at large and it is wonderful.

3. Explain what you hope to accomplish by your participation here, both interactively and personally.

What I hope to accomplish is a deeper understanding of where others are coming from and to also deepen the bonds of friendship with others.

Excellent! You get an A+!

Edited by teddyaware
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I have been on this board for maybe 10? years now, under my current nickname and I posted under another one before. i go on here to learn and ask questions that I don't have the opportunity to otherwise. I am very active in the Church

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I've had lots of different experiences in searching for the true God. In my very biased opinion, I think that those who love Heavenly Father should see that reflected in their life. Was that too idealistic? My conversion was really spooky and compelling and when it was all going on, I was afraid to disobey the instructions I was getting from Holy Spirit. It was like, "This is your last chance. Obey these instructions or it is the lake of fire for you". Or, at least it felt that way. I'm very sure that the Book of Mormon is true, that Joseph Smith was a prophet, that Jesus Christ is for us, and that Heavenly Father loves us all.

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I posted this on Staylds.com in "Introductions" several months ago. Since then I feel in my heart I've changed, and now I'm trying to have faith that it's all true. So please disregard some things in the post. Also, as I've stated on this board before, I love MD&D because there are many on here that are true believing members and the thought that I can openly discuss the issues that landed me on my butt in the first place is a life saver in my life and helped me save lots of money for therapy! I hope to converse with others on the board but not hurt others testimonies in the process. But see that no matter what I say they are in the church for good and have a solid faith, and it's that faith that I'm leaning on for now.

Hi everyone, I feel as if I know you, but you don't know me. I've admired you for a very long time. Being on this faith journey road for nearly 6 yrs. It was Staylds.com that I stumbled on that got me to feel halfway normal. Of course it was the stumbling onto the website josephsmithswives.com that made me jerk out of my LDS mindset that I've lived for nearly all my life.

It didn't all come crashing down at first, at first I just took a step back and thought hmm, Joseph had other wives and some were that young and he married other men's wive's? The only thing I'd ever read about him practicing polygamy was in Gerald Lund's books "The Work and the Glory Series" . It mentioned that Joseph had been visited by an angel with a drawn sword to live polygamy. But didn't show where he did live it before he was killed.

Anyway, this information led me to the internet in search of Mormon history, which beforehand had not been of interest to me. But now it was all I could think about and spent a few years searching and yes, usually my only resources were the anti sights, but Staylds.com was the light or beacon to me, everything will be alright, just breath. And stay in the church. Because at that time only my husband knew of my situation. I'd call him during the day at work and ask "did you know about this?" He'd get so frustrated with me and show me where in the bible that we were the only church that actually lives what is taught in the bible. What could I say to that? Now my husband has opened his eyes to the disturbing things of the church and is somewhat on board but we both stay active and try to live the mormon life for our children that are still active.

The Bishop is aware of my disbelief and the concerns that I laid out to him were MMM & Blood Atonement, Joseph Smith's particular polygamy/polyandry. Just those few, but biggy's to me anyhow.

Things that have helped me are the Mormonstories, Mormonmatters and even the Mormon Expressions podcasts. I attended my first Mormonstories conference this past May, I believe. And stood within feet of John Dehlin and was afraid to say "hi", I'm shy that way. I even attended the Sunstone Symposium for the first time and attended the presentation that John Dehlin gave with one of my heros Carol Lynn Pearson. I came in late and sat at the back where I sat on the floor near Joanna Brooks and was shy to say something to her too, grrr.

Anyway back to why it took me so long to finally post, I got brave and became a member of the NOM board (under a different avatar) because I was a lttle too angry to be on Staylds, atleast I felt that way. And then believe it or not got the nerve to join the MD&D board (same avatar as here) only because they wouldn't allow me to be an observer anymore without registering. And the rest is history. I got brave and posted topics and it got me into some craziness like the latest one that I started with Dr. William Bradshaw which is centered this podcast, http://mormonstories.org/category/homosexuality/.

So finally, after many years, I feel I'm ready to join Staylds and be among you all, on my never ending faith journey!

Edit: BIC, TR, Mormon Roots

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1 Simply and succinctly describe your religious beliefs or lack thereof.

I am have been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ all my life, and was baptized at the age of eight by my older brother. I have a testimony that the Gospel, as the Church proclaims, is truly all that it claims to be. In order to be more succinct, I'll leave it at that. If one wants to know more, I'm open to private messages.

2. Explain why you participate on this board.

I participate on this board to seek greater light and understanding through the words of others. I have found this place to be a source of inspiration where the Holy Ghost can then prompt me upon what I ponder from this forum. I have been here for almost six years, and I'm more of a lurker now. I also participate to share the witness I have of the Savior, the reality of His life, and the happiness that comes from partaking of His grace.

3. Explain what you hope to accomplish by your participation here, both interactively and personallnd

Personally, I seek to strengthen my personal knowledge of the Gospel by the things I read here, and to better understand the positions of others, including what leads them to take said position. Interactively, I aspire to inspire others to call upon our Father in Heaven in the name of His Son Jesus Christ to seek for themselves the truth of all things. I have been given a testimony of the Savior so that I may share it, not keep it to myself, and I obey the commands of the Lord in bearing witness of Him.

Having answered your initial questions, I will opt to provide just a little more background for the interested reader. I'm preparing to serve a full-time mission for the Lord, and in doing so have had to overcome many things, including feelings of same sex attraction. I'm not perfect, but in mercy the Savior has given me an understanding of His Atonement, and how to successfully apply it. So here I am...striving to keep His commandments in all things, that I may be worthy of the great blessings He has promised me: freedom from all that besets me, if I serve Him.

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1 Simply and succinctly describe your religious beliefs or lack thereof.

AUB Mormon Fundamentalist. I was born and raised with these beliefs and still hold them to be true. I believe in God, Jesus, the Spirit, Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, the LDS Church, and most other things your typical LDS member believes in, along with some other things that I believe are supposed to be being lived still.

2. Explain why you participate on this board.

A couple years ago, an LDS friend of mine told me I should come here to talk apologetics, since I used to be really into it. Though I'm not so much into Mormon apologetics like I used to be, I still enjoy coming here and seeing the questions people ask. It also shows a lot of Mormon evolution and its interesting to see how Mormon ideology changes over time.

3. Explain what you hope to accomplish by your participation here, both interactively and personally

Honestly, I don't plan on accomplishing anything really, aside from leisure side entertainment lol and the occasional uplifting talk :)

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Question 1:

I was raised a TBM. My fourth great grandfather on my direct paternal line, whom I'm named after, was a pioneer and a polygamist. My Great Grandfather and Grandfather on the same line were the first branch president and bishop respectively of the town where I grew up. Now, none of this means I know anything more about the gospel or am "better" in any way. (I have no doubt I'm as much of a sinner as anyone here and my level of knowledge is average for this board at best.)

At present, I consider myself both 100% LDS and 100% pagan since I don't see any real conflict in the official doctrine or the scriptures and neither system asks me to do anything that the other would disapprove of. I am a monarchial monotheist. I believe that the LDS godhead is/are omnipotent over everything that could be reached in ten or eleven dimensions, but I also believe that other, significantly lesser divine beings have been delegated a limited amount of authority within this world who can be ethically given the same kind of respect that I would give a teacher or a bishop.

I also believe that laughter is one of the most powerful tools for healing, connecting, etc. available to the human mind.

Edit to add: I'm a Druid Candidate, hoping to make Apprentice by the end of this year, in the Ancient Order of Druids in America and an associate member of the Gaelic Druid Order. I served honorably in the Arkansas Little Rock Mission and was sealed in the Cardston temple.

Question 2:

I come here to learn, to interact with some of the most brilliant, knowledgeable and wise people I know of, to clarify my thinking on spiritual matters, to share my point of view with those who might find it helpful, and to make people laugh.

Question 3:

I hope to learn from the community here, to be a part of a wonderful community, and I hope that I make a net contribution to the community.

Edited by Nathair
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1. Simply and succinctly describe your religious beliefs or lack thereof.

Non-affiliated in my beliefs. I associate actively with the LDS community including going to church weekly and attending the temple when my family members are going on missions or getting married. I believe in "God", the Supreme uncaused Cause of Existence: that "God" is Infinite and wholly incomprehensible, yet manifests to each of us in finite ways that we can comprehend: this is "the condescension of God" to me: I believe that "God" wants and enjoys soul-mate intimacy with each one of us, and that that relationship gets more meaningful and profound the longer we live (and that's a long time, because we are immortal).

2. Explain why you participate on this board.

I don't know. Something to do with curiosity and boredom and hope and an interest in how people think and express themselves. But it does get old, sooner or later, and I go away looking for some other "place" to grab my attention. I've only been "back" a short time after being "gone" for months, maybe years.

3. Explain what you hope to accomplish by your participation here, both interactively and personally.

Nothing. I might inject an interesting idea once in a while. Interesting to me at least....

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1. Simply and succinctly describe your religious beliefs or lack thereof.

Non-affiliated in my beliefs. I associate actively with the LDS community including going to church weekly and attending the temple when my family members are going on missions or getting married. I believe in "God", the Supreme uncaused Cause of Existence: that "God" is Infinite and wholly incomprehensible, yet manifests to each of us in finite ways that we can comprehend: this is "the condescension of God" to me: I believe that "God" wants and enjoys soul-mate intimacy with each one of us, and that that relationship gets more meaningful and profound the longer we live (and that's a long time, because we are immortal).

2. Explain why you participate on this board.

I don't know. Something to do with curiosity and boredom and hope and an interest in how people think and express themselves. But it does get old, sooner or later, and I go away looking for some other "place" to grab my attention. I've only been "back" a short time after being "gone" for months, maybe years.

3. Explain what you hope to accomplish by your participation here, both interactively and personally.

Nothing. I might inject an interesting idea once in a while. Interesting to me at least....

I love the way you use the Greek word "katabaino" in your answer.

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I cannot put anything succinctly about my spiritual journey.

I was baptized when I was eight and have participated in the church more or less consistently over the years (I raise my kids in the church). But this doesn't really cover anything about the dynamics of my family and the communities I have lived in and what, when and how the gospel was presented to me within that family and community and how I also responded to those dynamics due to my unique soul. So to say that first sentence sort of says nothing about me and about my spiritual journey.

These days I consider my religion to be being human and being alive. And I believe that this is what I have been taught by my heavenly Father through his church, gospel, personal revelation, and my experiences of life. I think that this is the meaning of everything--not to have a religion, but to be alive. So I consider the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be my religious tradition, which is an important distinction to me from 'religion', at least at this point in my life.

I experience my reality as one big conversation and classroom with my Father in heaven as my teacher and my lover, and me the wounded daughter, student and, yes, lover. While I love information, the real knowledge I seek is love and the bonds of covenant and the knowledge of patience, forgiveness, redemption, cleanness, integrity, celebration, on and on. And I don't do well on these lessons! But I do find life and people to be utterly precious. My covenant is vital within me and it creates me into who I am truly meant to be; right now I am in the process of descending below all things, as we all are here on this planet in the mortal realm.

Why I participate on this board to be completely honest is entertainment. I feed on the drama. I need something to do. I do love hearing about people's insights and I get great ideas about how to solve my own "thinking" problems about doctrine or life--scriptures, temple, history as it relates to scripture, etc. I don't do that work on my own too often, so I come here for the digest version (Volgadon is my highlight). There have been a couple of 'wow' moments of insights from reading other people's ideas that then really open my own mind and everything on a given subject that was puzzling suddenly falls into place; love that. I also love the opportunity to "think out loud" so to speak, when I express myself about where I'm at in my thinking, and to get feedback (confirmation and correction). It helps me.

I absolutely don't think the Church needs my defense. And the way I look at the world, I don't cast people as "wrong" for their type of thinking (my sense of what is wrong is on another level); so I don't feel the need to correct others ESPECIALLY when they approach their criticism (of the Church or etc) with disingenouity, disrespect and the very judgment that they often accuse others of. I don't feel the need to respond in kind, because I don't give negative people that kind of power over me to control what response I make. But I do love sharing ideas with people who bring something a lot different than where I'm coming from, to the table. I WANT to talk with different people. But I don't need to defend or win an argument (I've already won ;) ).

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Many thanks to all those who've paticipated on this thread thus far! It's intensely intersting to learn about you and what makes you tick, religiously speaking. Wouldn't it be great to get similar input from many of the non-members, former members, disaffected members and 'antis' to learn why they come here and what they hope to gain or accomplish by doing so?

Edited by teddyaware
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My two main reasons are work escape (the same reason the internet explorer gets clicked most of the time) and to find out what is up in the world of Mormonsim. Sometimes I'm amused, outraged or simply apply palm to forehead but its always an interesting bit of escapism to see what people are discussing. Now that I'm working full time again my visits are fewer and less frequent but it is fun to check in once in a while.

TBM with a convert twist on the cultural side.

Edited by KevinG
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The missionaries found my family just before my 8th birthday so I was baptized when 8 years of old. I fully accept the teachings of the church and look at the teachings and doctrines in the same way I look at science. This is what we know now, but there is yet many wonderful truths to be revealed that may allow us to change or even abandon current teachings. line upon line.

I come here to be entertained and on occasion to be educated. I tend to be rather intolerant and pig headed but it is all in fun - come and rumble.

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