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Myth And False Traditions In The Church


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Posted

Under the "Myth" catagory, I would place nearly 99% of all the claimed choices and actions that we made in the pre-existence that has effected our situation here on earth.

Posted

Under the "Myth" catagory, I would place nearly 99% of all the claimed choices and actions that we made in the pre-existence that has effected our situation here on earth.

 

Why do we consider that myth?  Everything we do in our second estate influences our third.  Our choices in the first almost certainly influenced our second.

http://www.ldswomenofgod.com/the-origin-and-destiny-of-woman/

Posted

Someone once told me that the RLDS had two categories of donors, those who paid tithing, and those who paid "fifing", the latter being those who paid 20%.  Don't know if this is true or not.

 

Anyway, I do not tithe on either federal income tax or social security tax.  The first because I consider it a cost of doing business -- and thus it is not "increase".  The second because I expect to eventually receive all my SocSec contributions back again when I retire, and since I will receive more than I ever put in (assuming I live long enough), and I would find it a little difficult to pinpoint when that threshold was reached, I intend to tithe my social security retirement from the moment I start receiving it. 

 

Just a rhetorical question.  Do you tithe on your income tax refund?  I do not expect an answer just something to think about.

Posted

Under the "Myth" catagory, I would place nearly 99% of all the claimed choices and actions that we made in the pre-existence that has effected our situation here on earth.

 

I am not sure you would be correct on this.

Posted

Someone once told me that the RLDS had two categories of donors, those who paid tithing, and those who paid "fifing", the latter being those who paid 20%.  Don't know if this is true or not.

 

Anyway, I do not tithe on either federal income tax or social security tax.  The first because I consider it a cost of doing business -- and thus it is not "increase".  The second because I expect to eventually receive all my SocSec contributions back again when I retire, and since I will receive more than I ever put in (assuming I live long enough), and I would find it a little difficult to pinpoint when that threshold was reached, I intend to tithe my social security retirement from the moment I start receiving it. 

I do the same.  I also do not tith my 401K contributions but will pay tithing on my 401K when I start withdrawing from it. 

Posted

No certainty about it. It's all based on presumption.

 

No, it's based on the teachings of the Book of Abraham, the prophet John Taylor and more.  Not presumption, doctrine, whether official or not.

Posted

no photography in the chapel even outside sacrament meeting.  This was in the handbook last I knew

This can't be right. I've shot photos in chapels before and had them published in a Church-correlated publication. Two examples:

I shot Elder Ballard when he spoke at in the chapel of the Salt Lake LDS Institute and introduced the new University of Utah president to the LDS students there.

I shot Elder Marlin K. Jensen when he spoke in an LDS chapel for the Sunday devotional of the Mormon History Association Conference in Calgary, Alberta, a few years ago.

Posted (edited)

Someone once told me that the RLDS had two categories of donors, those who paid tithing, and those who paid "fifing", the latter being those who paid 20%.  Don't know if this is true or not.

 

Anyway, I do not tithe on either federal income tax or social security tax.  The first because I consider it a cost of doing business -- and thus it is not "increase".  The second because I expect to eventually receive all my SocSec contributions back again when I retire, and since I will receive more than I ever put in (assuming I live long enough), and I would find it a little difficult to pinpoint when that threshold was reached, I intend to tithe my social security retirement from the moment I start receiving it.

How you tithe is your affair.

But taxes are not merely a "cost of doing business." There is value received for payment of tax, even federal. A few of the services that come to mind are national defense, enforcement of federal laws, homeland security, federal highways and consumer protection.

Edited by Scott Lloyd
Posted

This can't be right. I've shot photos in chapels before and had them published in a Church-correlated publication. Two examples:

I shot Elder Ballard when he spoke at in the chapel of the Salt Lake LDS Institute and introduced the new University of Utah president to the LDS students there.

I shot Elder Marlin K. Jensen when he spoke in an LDS chapel for the Sunday devotional of the Mormon History Association Conference in Calgary, Alberta, a few years ago.

 

Handbook 2 is hosted on lds.org

 

21.2.10 Photographs, Video Recordings, and Broadcasts in Chapels

Taking photographs or making video recordings in chapels is not permitted. Meetings and other events that are held in the chapel may not be broadcast over the Internet or by any other means (see 18.3.1 for an exception).

 

21.1.6 Autographs and Photographs of General Authorities and Area Seventies

 

Church members should not seek the autographs of General Authorities or Area Seventies, including signing in their scriptures, hymnals, or programs. Do ing so detracts from their sacred callings and the spirit of meetings. It also could prevent them from greeting other members. Members should not take photographs of General Authorities or Area Seventies in chapels.

 

 

Were you directed by your employer to take the photographs?

Posted

Handbook 2 is hosted on lds.org

 

21.2.10 Photographs, Video Recordings, and Broadcasts in Chapels

Taking photographs or making video recordings in chapels is not permitted. Meetings and other events that are held in the chapel may not be broadcast over the Internet or by any other means (see 18.3.1 for an exception).

 

21.1.6 Autographs and Photographs of General Authorities and Area Seventies

 

Church members should not seek the autographs of General Authorities or Area Seventies, including signing in their scriptures, hymnals, or programs. Do ing so detracts from their sacred callings and the spirit of meetings. It also could prevent them from greeting other members. Members should not take photographs of General Authorities or Area Seventies in chapels.

 

 

Were you directed by your employer to take the photographs?

Thoughts scott
Posted

No, it's based on the teachings of the Book of Abraham, the prophet John Taylor and more.  Not presumption, doctrine, whether official or not.

 

....and there you have the 1%

Posted

Be nice - if this turns into a doctrine and practice bash I'll close it.

 

However,

 

I was thinking of some myths that have been built up as Saints have been over eager to enforce rules generally that apply specifically to certain circumstances.

 

For example: when someone takes the prohibition on certain instruments (drums, guitar, brass) in Sacrament, and assumes we cannot use drums, brass or guitars in the cultural hall and chapel during special events.  My old Stake Center used to perform Handel's Messiah with full orchestra every Christmas season, so I know that one is a false tradition.

 

Another is the use of face cards.  One of my favorite stories is when I was playing go fish with an autistic boy, and a busy body sister told me "Brother Brigham said we shouldn't play with face cards".  I replied "Brother Brigham also said we would be damned if we didn't accept polygamy".  She never tried to correct me after that.  She rarely spoke to me either.

 

There are some examples of things that are not doctrine, but are practices.  For example we wear white shirts out of reverence, even though it isn't doctrinally required.  I'm not looking for these.  Just the silliest stuff we perpetuate that doesn't really have a basis in reverence or doctrine.

 

What are some of your favorite cultural false traditions in the church?

The apparent prohibition against beer

Only using water for sacrament, never wine or anything else

Not eating meat sparingly

Blessing foods that are inherently not nourishing and weakening to the body to magically become both nourishing and strengthening

Treating our scriptures as practically infallible

Giving preference to manuals and handbooks over scriptures

Treating any text/multimedia with the imprimatur of the church as indisputably sincere, official, correct, forthright, and "true"

Standing when the president of the church enters the room

Building large, fully equipped kitchens in meetinghouses and then posting "not to be used for cooking"

Posted

"Building large, fully equipped kitchens in meetinghouses and then posting "not to be used for cooking" "

They are not fully equipped for a commercial kitchen which is one of the reasons cooking cannot occur.

Posted

Blessing foods that are inherently not nourishing and weakening to the body to magically become both nourishing and strengthening

 

Indeed!  Or blessing foods that are nourishing and strengthening for the body to be nourishing and strengthening for the body, as if they wouldn't be without the blessing  :rolleyes:

 

I always thought this a peculiar practice. 

Posted

"Building large, fully equipped kitchens in meetinghouses and then posting "not to be used for cooking" "

They are not fully equipped for a commercial kitchen which is one of the reasons cooking cannot occur.

 

Plus the fact that if they were "kitchens" then they would need to be inspected by local health departments.

Posted

Indeed!  Or blessing foods that are nourishing and strengthening for the body to be nourishing and strengthening for the body, as if they wouldn't be without the blessing  :rolleyes:

 

I always thought this a peculiar practice.

We should probably be blessing our bodies that they will make maximum use of the nutrients in the food and to protect them from harmful substances.

Posted

Plus the fact that if they were "kitchens" then they would need to be inspected by local health departments.

Yep.

Posted

Indeed!  Or blessing foods that are nourishing and strengthening for the body to be nourishing and strengthening for the body, as if they wouldn't be without the blessing  :rolleyes:

 

I always thought this a peculiar practice. 

 

I always wondered where this practice came from.  There scriptural precedent for giving thanks for our food, but I think the only reference to "blessing food" is the sacrament.

Anybody know the history on blessing food (as opposed to giving thanks)?

Posted (edited)

Just a rhetorical question.  Do you tithe on your income tax refund?  I do not expect an answer just something to think about.

I'll give you one anyway. The answer is Yes. If I have one. I usually manage to adjust withholding sufficiently well that I either have only a small amount to pay, or a small amount to get back. By "small" I mean less than $200.

My income is sufficiently consistent that this is easy.

Or at least it was until this past year when I started a business. Things might be more complicated this tax season.

Edited by Stargazer
Posted

How you tithe is your affair.

But taxes are not merely a "cost of doing business." There is value received for payment of tax, even federal. A few of the services that come to mind are national defense, enforcement of federal laws and homeland security and federal highways.

So what if there is value received for an expense? There better be!

If I had a business (which I do), then I deduct my expenses in that business from my receipts. The remainder is taxable, and tithable. And those expenses are what makes my business possible. I receive value from those expenses, too. If I didn't, then why would I incur them?

The fact that I receive value from my taxes is irrelevant.

I treat my salaried employment as if it were a business, and things like income taxes, union dues, and costs of tools and licenses are legitimate business expenses. If I do not pay these things I cannot have gainful employment. I suggest trying to avoid paying your income tax. The IRS will soon demonstrate to you that it is not optional.

Posted

If they were used for cooking or known to be used for cooking it would require a different caliber of inspections and approvals by the local building permit entities.

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