Why Latter-day Saints Love their Bodies
Jasmin from ScripturePlus shared this beautiful message:
I love that as Latter-day Saints, part of our theology is to love our bodies.
Something that distinguishes Latter-day Saints from many other traditions is how we honor the body.
Some religions see the body as a prison to overcome, a confining container for an expansive soul.
Other people see worship the body as something to satisfy to the point of hedonism.
But Latter-day Saints have this incredible belief in the divinity of the body, paired with the spirit as one whole.
And I’ve definitely struggled with this concept, as I’ve tried to wrap my mind around it, because I can see the body’s limitations. I can see what my body cannot do, or why it doesn’t look a certain way.
But when I think about the last time I felt the spirit, what was I actually feeling? In addition to the witness of the Holy Ghost, I was experiencing a physical, biological reaction.
It’s the combination of spirit and body interactions that can result in what Jesus Christ called a fullness of joy when he was resurrected (3 Nephi 17:20).
Because of our bodies, we can feel the emotions of the presence of the spirit, we can feel the warmth and connection of a hug, but it also means we can feel pain.
Physical pain from aging and injury, but also emotional pain, mental illness are a complex combination of spiritual and bodily interactions.
And while pain is a difficult part of mortality for most people, it’s what gives us hope in the resurrection.
One day our physical, mental, and emotional pains will be healed through the resurrection and the atonement of Jesus Christ through repenting and we can once again experience a fullness of joy.
@scriptureplus I love that as Latter-day Saints, part of our theology is to love our bodies. . Something that distinguishes Latter-day Saints from many other traditions is how we honor the body. . Some religions see the body as a prison to overcome, a confining container for an expansive soul. . Other people see worship the body as something to satisfy to the point of hedonism. . But Latter-day Saints have this incredible belief in the divinity of the body, paired with the spirit as one whole. . And I’ve definitely struggled with this concept, as I’ve tried to wrap my mind around it, because I can see the body’s limitations. I can see what my body cannot do, or why it doesn’t look a certain way. . But when I think about the last time I felt the spirit, what was I actually feeling? In addition to the witness of the Holy Ghost, I was experiencing a physical, biological reaction. . It’s the combination of spirit and body interactions that can result in what Jesus Christ called a fullness of joy when he was resurrected (3 Nephi 17:20). . Because of our bodies, we can feel the emotions of the presence of the spirit, we can feel the warmth and connection of a hug, but it also means we can feel pain. . Physical pain from aging and injury, but also emotional pain, mental illness are a complex combination of spiritual and bodily interactions. . And while pain is a difficult part of mortality for most people, it’s what gives us hope in the resurrection. . One day our physical, mental, and emotional pains will be healed through the resurrection and the atonement of Jesus Christ through repenting and we can once again experience a fullness of joy. . #lds #prolds #churchofjesuschristoflatterdaysaints #ldstheology #ldsdoctrine
