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Is Mormonism Unlucky?


Dion

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Posted

There was another poster in your situation (cancer of some sort) who lasted quite sometime longer than expected after he announced it to the board.  Sadly he did pass away not long ago, but we really enjoyed his company while we had him.  

 

Maybe we can work some good vibes your way as well.  :)

Posted

Wow...Broker. Do you do things only to get blessings or do them because it's the right thing to do? Maybe I'm trying to read between the lines here but I think you're setting yourself up for a fall. If I may be so bold or rude to say. I wonder what it'd be like in your shoes. I can only imagine. Personally, I like the analogy of going by the first two commandments, if you follow those, everything falls into place.

 

I do the "right" things because I expect to get something in return, mainly blessings. What purpose is there in doing something just because you think it's the right thing to do ? 

Posted

I do the "right" things because I expect to get something in return, mainly blessings. What purpose is there in doing something just because you think it's the right thing to do ?

You must be kidding right?
Posted

You must be kidding right?

No. The highest commandment is to love God. But we only love Him because we believe He made it possible for us to have a nice post-mortal existence. But a nice post-mortal existence is based on our works. So we do good works in hopes of having a nice post-mortal existence. We also want others to have a nice post-mortal existence with us, so we help them do good works too.

Posted

Calmoriah

Thanks

God can cure me.  That doesn't mean he will tho'.  And I have to die someday anyway. 

 

Broker

I don't believe you either.  I love to do good things when no one is watching.  When no one knows, no one sees it.  Anonymous donations, you may have heard of it.  And I'm hardly the only one.  Believe it or not there are people who donate thru' an attorney, so they can find out who the attorney is but the attorney by law must keep the donor's identity secret.

That's what a gift is.  Something given with no expectation of any return whatsoever.  Otherwise it's just mutual backslapping.

Maybe you are just a different type of person than some of us.

I know God knows what we do.  But again, I would still do the same things even if I thought or believed he wouldn't or couldn't know.

c

Posted

Maybe broker sees good feelings about what one does as part of the blessing giving.

 

I won't describe it that way, but I know many do.

Posted

Calmoriah

Thanks

God can cure me.  That doesn't mean he will tho'.  And I have to die someday anyway. 

 

Broker

I don't believe you either.  I love to do good things when no one is watching.  When no one knows, no one sees it.  Anonymous donations, you may have heard of it.  And I'm hardly the only one.  Believe it or not there are people who donate thru' an attorney, so they can find out who the attorney is but the attorney by law must keep the donor's identity secret.

That's what a gift is.  Something given with no expectation of any return whatsoever.  Otherwise it's just mutual backslapping.

Maybe you are just a different type of person than some of us.

I know God knows what we do.  But again, I would still do the same things even if I thought or believed he wouldn't or couldn't know.

c

You make a good point. People, including myself, do things for others because it makes us feel good. I would argue that the toughest things in life we have to face are only bearable because we believe there is a reward for enduring well.

Posted (edited)

For me so far in my life, the toughest things I have had to bear are bearable because I know I need to be there for someone, because it would be unbearable for them.  It doesn't even occur to me that in doing so I am going to get an eternal reward for being a good mother or wife or friend.  I generally only think of that when I am really, really bored with what I am doing.

Edited by calmoriah
Posted

No. The highest commandment is to love God. But we only love Him because we believe He made it possible for us to have a nice post-mortal existence.

 

Speak for yourself only.

Posted

I do the "right" things because I expect to get something in return, mainly blessings. What purpose is there in doing something just because you think it's the right thing to do ? 

I'm afraid I have to disagree to an extent, at least concerning our sojourn here in mortality.  I do believe we will receive blessings for our obedience in the long run (in the life to come, if not here), but we are not spared tribulation here simply for keeping the commandments.  "God sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust, and He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good." As I said, God isn't Santa Claus.  As Job said, "Till I die, I will not remove my integrity from me."  We need to develop the kind of faith that enables us to keep the commandments no matter what.  As Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin (and his mother) said, "Come what may, and love it."

Posted (edited)

You make a good point. People, including myself, do things for others because it makes us feel good. I would argue that the toughest things in life we have to face are only bearable because we believe there is a reward for enduring well. [Emphasis added by Kenngo1969.]

Now, that I agree with ... 1,000%! :good::)

 

P.S.: And I see my good Catholic friend, Rory/3DOP beat me to the "rain-and-sun-on-both-the-just-and-on-the-unjust" analogy/scripture.  Good call! :good:

Edited by Kenngo1969
Posted

I was baptized and joined the church in April of this year.

Then in May found some medical issues that now look like bone or blood cancer.  So it looks like I may have at most a year to go, or less.

...

Remember the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard: Even those who labored for only the last hour were paid the same as those who labored the whole day.  Whatever happens to you now, you're on the path.  I wish you well. :)

Posted

Yea, I think my initial statement wasn't well thought through. We tend to emphasize being a covenant keeping people and covenants seen to be all about if you do this then you get that.

Posted

Yea, I think my initial statement wasn't well thought through. We tend to emphasize being a covenant keeping people and covenants seen to be all about if you do this then you get that.

True, I knew you didn't exactly mean what I thought you meant. ;)
Posted

 

1 John 4:19
 
19 We love him, because he first loved us.

 

 

Returning love is not the same as arguing that our love is entirely self-interested in what we can get out of it.

 

For all of us there is self-interest to a degree. We need God but I do not approach God on prayer every night telling him I love him only because he can do things for me. If that were the case I would have ceased long ago to love my down's syndrome and dementia-afflicted uncle who can do nothing for me but for some reason I still love him.

 

Go figure......

Posted

Perhaps Heavenly Father inspired you to join the church and get active again because He knew the hard times were coming and wanted you to get help when you most needed it. Maybe if you stick around long enough you will see the good things swing back while you are active...

This is actually brilliant. I never saw it this way before. Interesting...

 

I also realize that I have made bad choices that resulted in "bad luck." The idea that Heavenly Father still cares enough to inspire me to get active again is a real plus.

 

I was afraid people would think this topic was just plain stupid. Glad I was wrong.

Posted

Returning love is not the same as arguing that our love is entirely self-interested in what we can get out of it.

 

For all of us there is self-interest to a degree. We need God but I do not approach God on prayer every night telling him I love him only because he can do things for me. If that were the case I would have ceased long ago to love my down's syndrome and dementia-afflicted uncle who can do nothing for me but for some reason I still love him.

 

Go figure......

I understand your point.

Why do you think you love your uncle ? It's a serious and probably deep philosophical question. Where do those feelings come from when we can't point to a specific reason why we should love someone ?

I don't know the answer.

Posted

We love those we serve.

We don't love God because of what we get from him, though that can make us grateful. We love him because he showed us how to love first. When we learn that and serve others our love for everyone/him grows.

Posted

I understand your point.

Why do you think you love your uncle ? It's a serious and probably deep philosophical question. Where do those feelings come from when we can't point to a specific reason why we should love someone ?

I don't know the answer.

I believe it is a gift from God. Charity, one leg of that three legged stool along with faith and hope.

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