Paul Cardall denounces Mormonism?

[pogi]

10 minutes ago, Nofear said:

Oh, I don't know. Likening the Church to Saul's Judaism and suggesting that he must leave Mormonism behind in order to come to Christ -- to somebody like me who believes the opposite on both points -- sounds like a denouncement.

I didn't read it that way.  

If you read his responses to the comments in his post, he is very encouraging and supportive of Latter-day Saints staying Latter-day Saints.  I was actually very impressed with how he handled some of the comments.  That is not how someone who denounces Mormonism would respond.   If he denounces it, why would he encourage people to stay and support their decisions?

[Tacenda]

11 hours ago, JamesBYoung said:

The Dixie Sun Bowl in St George Utah was used for both events.  I played lineman in it and watch friends rodeo in its.

 

I attended Dixie High in 1979 for a short stint when my dad moved us to Santa Clara for the climate because of his chronic back pain from an accident. Very soon my mom and I wanted out of that small town and back to the city near SLC, so we won out and moved back to my roots. But while there I remember going to HS football games and a rodeo, they now are fond memories, living in that communtiy, despite them all being quite rude to newcomers. Did you grow up in St. George? 

[Nofear]

19 hours ago, pogi said:

I didn't read it that way.  

If you read his responses to the comments in his post, he is very encouraging and supportive of Latter-day Saints staying Latter-day Saints.  I was actually very impressed with how he handled some of the comments.  That is not how someone who denounces Mormonism would respond.   If he denounces it, why would he encourage people to stay and support their decisions?

Fair point. I didn't try to wade through the facebook comments. Thank you for pointing it out. So his position is more "Mormonism kept *me* from coming to Christ with its pharasaical not-so-Christian approach, but if it helps you, that's good."

[JamesBYoung]

On 10/25/2020 at 4:34 PM, Nofear said:

Anybody know more about this Oct. 7, 2020 post?

https://www.facebook.com/PaulCardallMusic/posts/10157626705621497

I’m usually very private about my faith because I respect each of you from a variety of Christian denominations, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, and even some of my Atheist and Agnostic friends. I respect your journey as you’ve respected mine. With so many beautiful flowers it makes no sense to fight over which flower is the best.

As a Christian, there comes a time in our lives when we can no longer deny a spiritual transformation that occurs in our lives as we honestly, humbly, and submissively seek answers and healing from God.

Over the past decade, my life has dramatically shifted away from Mormonism towards Christ. Growing up I believed in Him and knew Him because I relied on Him desperately with every illness. I give God the credit for guiding my medical team on raising me from the dead, temporarily like Lazarus, and fixing me though organ donation. Jesus changed my heart literally and began changing my heart spiritually these past few years.

The law of Moses was fulfilled and yet for 45 years I’ve continued to read the law and participate in rituals with a symbolic veil over my eyes (2 Corinthians 3:15). Like Saul, I was ambitious in declaring boldly that I knew it all...but that’s a whole other conversation. Needless to say, like Saul I, too, was blind and I apologize.

On my road back from Damascus I discovered this poem from Carol Lynn Pearson and though I don’t expect the majority of you to understand, this poem speaks to me.

I love you all so much.

If you are interested in pursuing a life filled with sincere healing—free from judgement in a world where Jesus asked the woman caught in the very act of adultery, “Where are thine accusers?” “None, Lord.” “Then neither do I condemn thee” come with me. Where Jesus waited to mentor a woman at the well He knew was living with a man who was’t her husband, whoever was forever changed by that one by one encounter, then come. And to many more misfits, outcasts, moths, who were rejected by the Church of His day, that He encountered and healed, come let’s follow this Jesus. He is my God and He wants to be your God. All are welcome to the table. Come with me, let’s go follow Him and encounter all those in need of healing, compassion, mercy, and love. None are rejected. Know the truth and this truth, which is Jesus, will set you Free... I testify of this—I am free.

The whole FB exchange among the responders to Paul's post is very revealing of the various personalities.  Best fortune to Paul, all those who responded there as well as those who do here.

[smac97]

I wish him all the best.  Seems like he had a good experience in 2016 with collaborating with Elder Bednar on a song.

Thanks,

-Smac

[Tacenda]

Thought some of you might like to hear his story. I had no idea of his health issues. I've only been able to listen to the first part.

I quite like the guy, very talented. 

 

 

Edited November 30, 2020 by Tacenda

[Rain]

On 11/30/2020 at 12:32 PM, Tacenda said:

Thought some of you might like to hear his story. I had no idea of his health issues. I've only been able to listen to the first part.

I quite like the guy, very talented. 

 

 

No desire to watch that so I don't know what it says.   I do know that at one time he was a very special case because he was at Primary Children's Hospital as an adult - the hospital had taken care of him as a child and they knew more about his condition than anyone else so they took him as adult. 

[Tacenda]

12 minutes ago, Rain said:

No desire to watch that so I don't know what it says.   I do know that at one time he was a very special case because he was at Primary Children's Hospital as an adult - the hospital had taken care of him as a child and they knew more about his condition than anyone else so they took him as adult. 

I haven't watched the whole thing because the youtube takes up all of my battery. What I watched was good. Haven't gotten to the part where he says why he's venturing to other ways of belief. 

Thanks for the tidbit on the hospital stay at Primary Children's! Apparently he's lucky to be alive. 

[teddyaware]

On 10/29/2020 at 9:01 AM, Nofear said:

Fair point. I didn't try to wade through the facebook comments. Thank you for pointing it out. So his position is more "Mormonism kept *me* from coming to Christ with its pharasaical not-so-Christian approach, but if it helps you, that's good."

Isn’t it also just as possible that a cunning apostate would, as part of a plot of strategic deception, seem to encourage others to remain Latter-Day Saints in order to make himself appear less treacherous and threatening? I’m amazed at how some (not you) seem to accept things at face value, not realizing that the adversary can always be counted on to employ subtlety and feigned good will as hallmarks of his ancient craft.

Edited December 7, 2020 by teddyaware

[mnn727]

Anyone who says something like this: "my life has dramatically shifted away from Mormonism towards Christ" has absolutely no clue what the LDS faith is about.

[HiJolly]

I listened to half of the 3+ hours. I think he's stepping away from the authoritarian, only-true-church point of view. 

 

[Kenngo1969]

1 hour ago, HiJolly said:

I listened to half of the 3+ hours. I think he's stepping away from the authoritarian, only-true-church point of view. 

 

HiJolly!  Long time no see!! 

Hope you are well, my friend.

[OGHoosier]

On 12/7/2020 at 12:58 AM, teddyaware said:

Isn’t it also just as possible that a cunning apostate would, as part of a plot of strategic deception, seem to encourage others to remain Latter-Day Saints in order to make himself appear less treacherous and threatening? I’m amazed at how some (not you) seem to accept things at face value, not realizing that the adversary can always be counted on to employ subtlety and feigned good will as hallmarks of his ancient craft.

General charity would ask us to take his words at face value but at the same time what you are talking about is an observable phenomenon, at least if you take r/exmo posters at their words. 

Quite an unfortunate situation. "May God judge between me and thee" appears to be the only safe recourse. 

[Tacenda]

On 12/7/2020 at 12:20 PM, mnn727 said:

Anyone who says something like this: "my life has dramatically shifted away from Mormonism towards Christ" has absolutely no clue what the LDS faith is about.

May I ask a question, if you don't want to answer, no problem. If you found out the church wasn't true would you still be a believer in God/Jesus?

I know there was a member on this board that said, they would become Atheist. So it's a good thing that he is still a believer, I'm thinking. And some don't get enough Jesus when in this church, everyone's experiences vary. 

Edited December 11, 2020 by Tacenda

[Calm]

There are several ways that the Church might not be true.  It would depend on what the reason I believed it wasn’t true, whether or not I would still believe in Christ and the Father. 

[Tacenda]

3 hours ago, Calm said:

There are several ways that the Church might not be true.  It would depend on what the reason I believed it wasn’t true, whether or not I would still believe in Christ and the Father. 

Thanks for your honesty. You're not alone, which makes me wonder how tied in Jesus is with the church. So if the church isn't true, then Jesus isn't either.

[Calm]

30 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

Thanks for your honesty. You're not alone, which makes me wonder how tied in Jesus is with the church. So if the church isn't true, then Jesus isn't either.

I don’t think you understood me. If the Church isn’t true because Jesus never existed, chances are I wouldn’t stay Christian. 
If I found out that Joseph lied about the plates and seeing God, I have enough spiritual experiences that I  don’t see a loss of fath in the Church would also mean a loss of faith in God. 

[sheilauk]

On 12/11/2020 at 9:06 PM, Tacenda said:

May I ask a question, if you don't want to answer, no problem. If you found out the church wasn't true would you still be a believer in God/Jesus?

I know there was a member on this board that said, they would become Atheist. So it's a good thing that he is still a believer, I'm thinking. And some don't get enough Jesus when in this church, everyone's experiences vary. 

I didn't join the Church because of Joseph Smith or the plates.  Or because it's "true".  I joined it because God told me to.  If the Church is not true,  if Joseph lied in some way,  I would rely on what God told me about what to do and where to go.   I had revelation long before thinking about churches to join that, to this day, lead me to know (I use that word deliberately, it's more than a belief ) Christ lives.   I don't need the Church for that.   So yes, I'd still be a believer.  The Church is where I worship and I'm open to that changing again if necessary.   I'll add that I find more than enough Jesus in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,  certainly more than in other churches I've been to.

Edited December 13, 2020 by sheilauk

[Stargazer]

23 hours ago, sheilauk said:

I didn't join the Church because of Joseph Smith or the plates.  Or because it's "true".  I joined it because God told me to. 

That's kind of where I came from. I was definitely shepherded into the Church by God directing me to it. I had read about the church, so I knew something about it, but the first time I actually met an LDS member it was in a circumstance which would never have happened without divine intervention. And when he told me he was a Mormon, and I asked him about it, I seemed to recognize instantly that what he was telling me was true. It took me a year to join the Church (I was 14 at the time I came into contact with the member, who was going to the same school I was), but I was a "dry Mormon" for most of that year. 

23 hours ago, sheilauk said:

If the Church is not true,  if Joseph lied in some way,  I would rely on what God told me about what to do and where to go.   I had revelation long before thinking about churches to join that, to this day, lead me to know (I use that word deliberately, it's more than a belief ) Christ lives.   I don't need the Church for that.   So yes, I'd still be a believer.  The Church is where I worship and I'm open to that changing again if necessary.   I'll add that I find more than enough Jesus in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,  certainly more than in other churches I've been to.

I've had too much personal revelation pointing me towards the divine nature of the Church to imagine that I would ever have need to go elsewhere. But, like you, my testimony of Jesus Christ does not depend upon the Church.

[Tacenda]

2 hours ago, Stargazer said:

That's kind of where I came from. I was definitely shepherded into the Church by God directing me to it. I had read about the church, so I knew something about it, but the first time I actually met an LDS member it was in a circumstance which would never have happened without divine intervention. And when he told me he was a Mormon, and I asked him about it, I seemed to recognize instantly that what he was telling me was true. It took me a year to join the Church (I was 14 at the time I came into contact with the member, who was going to the same school I was), but I was a "dry Mormon" for most of that year. 

I've had too much personal revelation pointing me towards the divine nature of the Church to imagine that I would ever have need to go elsewhere. But, like you, my testimony of Jesus Christ does not depend upon the Church.

Yes, I can see it!

[Tacenda]

New, Cardall and Archuletta..sounds good!

 

[Nevo]

On 12/11/2020 at 8:14 PM, Calm said:

If the Church isn’t true because Jesus never existed, chances are I wouldn’t stay Christian. 

I've thought about this too, but I think I would be tempted to side with Dostoevsky:

"I will tell you that I am a child of the century, a child of disbelief and doubt. I am that today and (I know it) will remain so until the grave. How much terrible torture this thirst for faith has cost me and costs me more even now, which is all the stronger in my soul the more arguments I can find against it.

And yet, God sends me sometimes instants when I am completely calm; at those instants I love and feel loved by others, and it is at these instants that I have shaped for myself a Credo where everything is clear and sacred for me.

This Credo is very simple, here it is: to believe that nothing is more beautiful, profound, sympathetic, reasonable, manly, and more perfect than Christ. . . . Even more, if someone proved to me that Christ is outside the truth, and that in reality the truth were outside of Christ, then I should prefer to remain with Christ rather than with the truth."

— Letter to Mme. Fonvizina, quoted in Joseph Frank, Dostoevsky: A Writer in His Time (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2010), 220.

 

Edited December 19, 2020 by Nevo