MustardSeed Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 (edited) Sorry, I should have capitalized God and Mormon. I heard a monologue yesterday that grabbed my attention. I wonder if others might feel the same way I do? I have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love my church, and there are also things I dislike. But I love it enough to embrace and participate fully. The more I travel, the more I see, the more people I come to know and appreciate, the more I come to think and feel that God is so much more than I understand. So much more than I was taught in primary and have never really strayed from that understanding of HIm. Such a limited view. As I experience and grow and learn, I come to believe that I don't have the first clue about God. But I am aware that He knows me inside and out, and that He is going to make all things right, both in my favor and against it, depending on me. So....have I always seen God as a member of "my" church? Do I still? I think now as I really am honest, I have a hard time with the idea of God being a member of the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It feels so very exclusive. I get it, everyone is invited - but is that realistic? Does it help us, in any way, to assume God is a Mormon? Also, I know the word Mormon is a curse word to some. I'm more reflecting on a time when I probably thought he was - like all through my 40s. Edited May 28, 2021 by MustardSeed 2 Link to comment
InCognitus Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 God comes to church with me every week, so if he's not already a member he certainly is a persistent investigator. 3 Link to comment
Popular Post ksfisher Posted May 28, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 28, 2021 55 minutes ago, MustardSeed said: So....have I always seen God as a member of "my" church? Do I still? I think now as I really am honest, I have a hard time with the idea of God being a member of the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It feels so very exclusive. I get it, everyone is invited - but is that realistic? Does it help us, in any way, to assume God is a Mormon? I've always considered myself a member of His church. 6 Link to comment
Jamie Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 I think the answer to this is akin to how we would say we are like God, created in his image, male and female, rather than how some people may think God is like us. Ort maybe it just depends on what you think a Mormon is. 1 Link to comment
Jamie Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 4 minutes ago, ksfisher said: I've always considered myself a member of His church. His son, I think you mean. It's the church of Jesus Christ. We don't call it or think of it as the church of God our Father in heaven. 1 Link to comment
AtlanticMike Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, MustardSeed said: I come to believe that I don't have the first clue about God. Thank you for saying this, I feel the same way, and I'm glad I do. I personally believe we don't know 1 percent of what is actually out there awaiting us after we die, so how can we actually understand who or what God is? 1 hour ago, MustardSeed said: 1 hour ago, MustardSeed said: So....have I always seen God as a member of "my" church? Do I still? I think now as I really am honest, I have a hard time with the idea of God being a member of the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It feels so very exclusive. I get it, everyone is invited - but is that realistic? Does it help us, in any way, to assume God is a Mormon? I see what you saying here, but I think most would say that the restored gospel is the universal law that even God works inside of, the universal law being priesthood power. 1 hour ago, MustardSeed said: Does it help us, in any way, to assume God is a Mormon? Most Mormons understand we're all children of God, no matter what religion. It's one of our key teachings, but I think what you're possibly getting at is you feel like we separate ourselves from our other brothers and sisters in different religions, is that correct? So to answer your question, In my opinion God's not a Mormon, but we're "Mormon, a nickname" because we have chosen to live a life style, defined by church doctrine, that we believe God also lives with Heavenly Mother. Edited May 28, 2021 by AtlanticMike 1 Link to comment
Scott Lloyd Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 That’s like asking if Jesus is a Christian. 3 Link to comment
CA Steve Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 It's like asking if the universe is part of earth. 2 Link to comment
Scott Lloyd Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 6 minutes ago, CA Steve said: It's like asking if the universe is part of earth. Reverse the two, and you would have it about right. 1 Link to comment
jkwilliams Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 8 minutes ago, CA Steve said: It's like asking if the universe is part of earth. As my wife always reminds me, God can and does work through people of all religions. To limit him to a relatively small sect seems kind of blasphemous. 1 Link to comment
Scott Lloyd Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 2 minutes ago, jkwilliams said: As my wife always reminds me, God can and does work through people of all religions. To limit him to a relatively small sect seems kind of blasphemous. To say or imply that He has not established a covenant people is every bit as false. 3 Link to comment
jkwilliams Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 Just now, Scott Lloyd said: To say or imply that He has not established a covenant people is every bit as false. That’s a different issue, isn’t it? 2 Link to comment
Scott Lloyd Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 2 minutes ago, jkwilliams said: That’s a different issue, isn’t it? That depends on what one means by saying or implying that members of the Church “limit [God] to a relatively small sect.” Link to comment
jkwilliams Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 Just now, Scott Lloyd said: That depends on what one means by saying or implying that members of the Church “limit [God] to a relatively small sect.” It means what I said. The bit about covenant people is something you added, not me. Link to comment
Scott Lloyd Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 (edited) 9 minutes ago, jkwilliams said: It means what I said. The bit about covenant people is something you added, not me. So you don’t believe the doctrine of a covenant people limits God to one sect, then? I’m very glad for that. https://abn.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-15-the-lords-covenant-people?lang=eng Edited May 28, 2021 by Scott Lloyd Link to comment
jkwilliams Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 1 minute ago, Scott Lloyd said: So you don’t believe the doctrine of a covenant people limits God to one sect, then? I’m very glad for that. What I think about the doctrine of covenant people is irrelevant. But my wife would say the doctrine doesn’t limit God to one sect. Again, not sure why that matters. Link to comment
Scott Lloyd Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 (edited) 5 minutes ago, jkwilliams said: What I think about the doctrine of covenant people is irrelevant. But my wife would say the doctrine doesn’t limit God to one sect. Again, not sure why that matters. If, by that remark, you don’t mean to denigrate the doctrine of a covenant people (see the link I provided) then I have no argument with you. I fear, however, that some people would intend to do just that. If so, I cannot agree with them. And it matters as surely as discerning truth from error matters. Edited May 28, 2021 by Scott Lloyd Link to comment
jkwilliams Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 Just now, Scott Lloyd said: If, by that remark, you don’t mean to denigrate the doctrine of a covenant people (see the link I provided) then I have no argument with you. I fear, however, that some people would intend to do just that. If so, I cannot agree with them. It’s kind of hard to denigrate a doctrine I didn’t even mention. Link to comment
Jamie Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 1 hour ago, MustardSeed said: So....have I always seen God as a member of "my" church? Do I still? I think now as I really am honest, I have a hard time with the idea of God being a member of the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It feels so very exclusive. I get it, everyone is invited - but is that realistic? Does it help us, in any way, to assume God is a Mormon? God our Father isn't a member of the church of Jesus Christ. And Jesus Christ isn't a member of his church, either. So you can relax now. You are on the right track. The church of Jesus Christ is the church of Jesus Christ but he is not a member of it. Think of the church as if it were a sports team. He is the owner of the team but he is not a player on the team, or the manager of the team. He just owns it and tells his managers what he wants them to do, including what he wants them to tell the players and other members of the team what to do. Link to comment
Scott Lloyd Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 2 minutes ago, jkwilliams said: It’s kind of hard to denigrate a doctrine I didn’t even mention. I’m not saying you did denigrate it. If you say you didn’t, I’m prepared to believe you. But denigrating something by means of insinuation or innuendo without explicitly mentioning the thing is not only possible, it’s quite common. Link to comment
jkwilliams Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 Just now, Scott Lloyd said: I’m not saying you did denigrate it. If you say you didn’t, I’m prepared to believe you. But denigrating something by means of insinuation or innuendo without explicitly mentioning the thing is not only possible, it’s quite common. I wasn’t even thinking about it, hence my not mentioning it. Link to comment
Scott Lloyd Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 4 minutes ago, jkwilliams said: I wasn’t even thinking about it, hence my not mentioning it. Good. Link to comment
Scott Lloyd Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 I think the question posed in the OP illustrates why President Nelson has urged us not to refer to ourselves as “Mormons”. In the minds of some the nickname tends to distance from God those whom He has designated as His covenant people, a thing that would cause Satan to rejoice. 1 Link to comment
jkwilliams Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 2 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said: I think the question posed in the OP illustrates why President Nelson has urged us not to refer to ourselves as “Mormons”. In the minds of some the nickname tends to distance from God those whom He has designated as His covenant people, a thing that would cause Satan to rejoice. What's in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet. Link to comment
AtlanticMike Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 (edited) 22 minutes ago, Jamie said: The church of Jesus Christ is the church of Jesus Christ but he is not a member of it. Think of the church as if it were a sports team. He is the owner of the team but he is not a player on the team, or the manager of the team. He just owns it and tells his managers what he wants them to do, including what he wants them to tell the players and other members of the team what to do. To follow your sports team anology, isn't the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints just one team in a league of numerous teams, the league being the priesthood. If God has populated other world's, who's to say the Savior of that world isn't called Mark. We're team Jesus, they're team Mark 😁 Edited May 28, 2021 by AtlanticMike Link to comment
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