ThunderFire

Community of Christ (RLDS)

I would like to try keeping this simple. For me, pride is the absence of humility. In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire

I wonder if we can honestly say we believe these things to be true and/or the right way if we do not live it? In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire

The Vision...by Rick Joyner

3. Porn is immoral I think we can all find enough scriptures that teach how activities like producing, participating in, and finding joy in "pornagraphy" is a grevious sin. For that matter, how are those participating in making these things doing anything less than prostitution and by watching it we promote it? But then mankind has a unique knack for justifying all kinds of things. In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire

Brother McMurray has Parkinsens disease and I visited with someone who saw him recently and stated that he is in pretty bad shape (almost unable to walk). I would hope that anyone who could not do the material duties of their job would step down instead of letting pride rule. In Chirst I Serve, Thundefire Not saying that is not true, but it is very hard to believe. He walked away from the church on his own two feet less than 6 months ago. Parkinson's doesn't progress that rapidly. It is s l o w l y degenerative. It would take years to get from where it was when he walked away to not being able to walk, if that ever occurred. I have never seen a person with Parkinson's disease not be able to walk, anyway. Use a cane, yes, but now walk, no. I am sure depression may be a large part of this also. The guys just got to be hurting bad and in need of prayer. Thunderfire

Brother McMurray has Parkinsens disease and I visited with someone who saw him recently and stated that he is in pretty bad shape (almost unable to walk). I would hope that anyone who could not do the material duties of their job would step down instead of letting pride rule.In Chirst I Serve, Thundefire

Yet is it my imagination that the Hedrickites own the temple lot and not one of the other factions?

According to whom? Seems much more likely that they were present and just took it. What possible evidence is there that God actively choose for them to take it? And in the end the endangered California Condor might learn the secrets of fire and make an oven-roasted pepper sauce to serve over artichoke hearts but there isn't much reason to believe that will be the case. I'm interested in reasoning or evidence. But is this the foolish pride and arrogance that kept the others factions from occupying this piece of land? The very thought that "our" group is more holy and righteous and that we DESERVE this is the very thing that will keep you from getting it. What I see here is covetedness and pride, and these things will never right us with God in order to build such a holy temple as this. How dare we think that God is not in control, being a mere bystander regarding who controls what is in his hand! If you really want evidence then believe that God is and that all things are in his care, custody, and control. In Christ I Serve, Thundefire

<span style='font-family:Arial'>We may even find that the Lord may empower the Hedrickite Church to bring forth a glorious temple unto God since they were the "care-takers" for so many years. It IS a very distinct possibility to consider. In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire Distinct Possiblity? What evidence is there to support such a distinction? I'm not a member of that church but it actually seems to be the most likely possibility since the Lord entrusted them with it as his caretakers. All the different factions think they are more holy and deserving than the rest and that God will someday give it to them. And in the end, the Hedrickites may be the ones truly humble enough to occupy then build Gods Temple on such choice ground simply because they now have it. In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire

<span style='font-family:Arial'>We may even find that the Lord may empower the Hedrickite Church to bring forth a glorious temple unto God since they were the "care-takers" for so many years. It IS a very distinct possibility to consider.In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire

How is an organization different than individuals? It seems you may have this backward because an organization cannot change a thing, only the individuals involved can make any change. But then, who is to say that since "you" didn't change you were then the one in apostasy because you didn't follow? Such a conundrum of sorts! Everyone accuses the other of being in apostasy, when they of course are notIn Christ I Serve, Thunderfire

Hello Jason,By all means YES! The mercy and redeeming nature of the Lord is beyond my minds ability to comprehend. He is to be our first love and it is his promise that we can "watch" him pull us from the fire of sin and out of apostasy, if we simply repent and ask. In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire

My username came from an experience I had with God. I had a dream where I heard the audible voice of the Lord call me by name stating that he was placing these things in my hands (pretty over the top dream). Shortly thereafter I was visiting with a Native American holy woman who said she had a dream about me that morning and "knew" that I was coming. In the dream she saw me preaching to a large audience when I raised my hand and the "fire" of the spirit came out, literally knocking down the people (again pretty over the top). Needless to say it got my attention! In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire

For me, I like to keep it simple. A group is in apostasy when their hearts long for other things besides the Lord... In Christ I Serve, Thundefire

I would tell them to believe in Jesus Christ, believe that he lives, and believe that he has all power in both heaven and earth. You must believe in the importance of faith, repentance, baptism, and then do them. And if you believe and do these things you will go to heaven.In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire

It is only semantics for those who desire to be seen as "equal" with others. I never saw the LDS as being monotheistic anyway with the belief in exaltation (or becoming gods ourselves and creating a new planet with its own race of people). So then LDS beliefs introduce the concept of multitheism or rather having an exalted being who becomes a new creator God for each planet that is inhabited. LDS and others may apply the same attributes to God as you suggest (creation), but they are light years apart in most other regards.So again it is not semantics when "our" God (per LDS belief) was at one time a created being who became a god over this planet, when other Christians believe that no other god stands before the one true God who has no beginning or end. In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire

You need to be careful here, the Muslims believe there was a "historical" Jesus who was a mighty prophet, the LDS believe he is the son of an exalted being from Kolab, and other denominational Christians believe that Jesus is without beginning or end. So while all three believe in a "historical" Jesus they do not see him in the same light. We can agree that all believe in the existence of a God, but it is inappropriate to state that Jews and LDS believe in the "same" God.In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire

Are we so sure about this? The Jews do not believe (or teach) that God is an exalted being from Kolab which is basic LDS belief. It is appropriate then to say that both Jew and LDS believe there is a God, but when we look at foundational beliefs, Jews and LDS can argue that they do not believe in the "same" God. This may appear nitpicky, but to the Jews this would be a major train wreck in finding commonality of belief in the "same" God when they do not view God as an exalted being. B) In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire

Interesting theory, they could also be leaving denominational religions because they see the "saved" as being far more lost and even worse sinners then themselves! We are all sinners to the extent that we deny the Eternal Christ and I believe that the ONLY authority the church has is in pointing people to him. So what is the "one true church"? In the summer of 1828 Joseph Smith wrote what he believed to be the mind and will of God saying, "Behold, this is my doctrine: Whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church; whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore, he is not of my church". I believe that Joseph Smith was right on with this counsel and that the "One True Church" is larger than any one denomination, yet I also believe that mankind seeks to promote their one true "denomination" and the minute they do that their lips may be close to him, yet their hearts are far away. In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire

What I "get" from the scriptures is that my salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone and not a church. I often wonder if this is why people leave, they become disenchanted when they find that the "glory", honor, and praise is being given to an institution instead of the risen Lord.In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire

Dear sister,Your post touched my heart deeply and I "see" the hand of God in all that your mother is trying to do. To love those whom society deems as "unlovable" becomes the foundation to the ministry of Jesus Christ. You implied that the "ideal" family for this boy may be something else, yet it is the one ordained by God for you to experience his "fullness" within because he brought you together. I believe the miracle began the moment your mother decided to take upon herself the responsibility of tending after the needs of another, even one who was cast off. Isn't this then the spiritual "essence" of sealing? To bring two or more together in the name of the Lord so his spirit will bind us together with him in this world as well as the world to come. In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire

I believe you are correct in saying that Mormon doctrine (in many ways) does not contradict what is contained in these "creeds", but that is not the issue as many see it. The real issue is in requiring people to submit to creeds. Looking at Joseph's grove experience we find God telling him that their "creeds" are an abomination before him and that while their lips were close to him their hearts are far away. So I do not believe that "creeds" are necessarily bad, but what is bad is requiring people to submit to them in order to show faith. It becomes similar to the "mark of the beast" in Revelation that must be taken upon ones self in order to associate with the group.In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire

I have had opportunities to participate in a couple of "Pentecostal" type services and they were a little too over the top for my taste. They babble in tongues then interpret what was said which I believe to be against scripture. I have seen them "smack" people in the head and say "BE HEALED", and I agree that none of it appears humble.But then Romans 8:26 tells us that the spirit of God prays "intercession" for us in groans that human words cannot utter, and I believe that Melchisedec authority allows us to "listen" to that still small spirit and "hear" enough so we can at least pray for these wondrous blessings to unfold. If God simply says ask and that we will receive, I believe we just need to listen and learn how to ask for the things we can “see” in his hands. In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire

I find that the term "officially" becomes a relative term when we equate this between God and man. Samuel "officially" had authority to represent God and the Nephites didn't recognize it, so since the Nephites didn't recognize his authority was it any less "official" in the eyes of God?In Christ I Serve, Thunderfire