Pegasus

Well, I'm not gonna push the point.

I know your a mod Pam, but shouldn't we be showing more respect to the Holy Ghost, who is a god?

Hmmm... This guy is obviously having us all on. Can't you guys see that? First of all, the Holy Spirt has confirmed this to me. Secondly, his profile says he is in Israel. When Prodigal says he is in the area and sounds like he wants to meet up, he says he is in Argentina. Third. So that he doesn't seem to be lying he gives a far too detailed reply about places in the area, as if to appear like he really is from the area. Fourthy, can you say "Too good to be true"? You guys are eating this up! Fifthly, if he had come in here and told us he had a dream with a Qur'an in it, would you be saying the Master of the Universe is trying to get in touch with him? No. You said it because it matches with what you believe. Why would he know about the LDS Talk website, if he didn't know a lot about the church. He comes in with these unbelievable stories to make monkeys out of us. Don't you guys feel the Spirit exposing this guy??

I've never encountered anything that I wasn't able to conquer just by listening to the still small voice of the Holy Ghost.

You are "pretty sure" that anticipating the cruelest death known to man would make him bleed from every pore? Hmm...That's a stretch latte lady. I really doubt that he bled from every pore not because he was in pain, but because he was thinking about what would happen. More importantly though, who paid for his dry cleaning? His clothes would have been literally saturated in blood.

Dravin: 1. So non-lds Christians can pray to their god and have their prayers answered, but other religions such as Hinduism and Islam do not get their prayers answered. To me that is not fair at all. If I was born in the heart of an Islamic society, then all I would know is Islam and I could never have a prayer answered. If I was the Pope however, although I am the leader of a church that is an abomination to the Lord, because it is a form of Christianity I will have my prayers answered. Never mind that the definitions of their gods, the way that they pray, and the way that they worship is completely removed from the true church. I would remind you that Grengor the magical sky unicorn is equally as real as any other god people have believed in, with the exception of Elohim. 2. I am not sure why you posted a definition of 'fair'. Everyone knows what 'fair' means. 3. I don't think using notes in an exam where notes are allowed is cheating. How can you compare that to being in an exam where everyone works on their own, but you get some kind of divine assistance? To me your example is a level playing field, my example is referring to one individual having an unfair advantage because of some kind of divine help, whatever form that comes in. 4. Please explain how my logic implies that the worship of God is immoral. My point is that cheating is cheating. If the extreme analogy that I gave was not clear enough I apologize. I offer another analogy for you. Any criminal act will do for this example. I will use stealing. It is illegal to steal. If you steal from your neighbor, it is illegal. If you steal from a stranger, it is illegal. If you steal from your grandmother it is illegal. It is the principle itself. They don't permit stealing from certain individuals, or certain social groups. They do not permit stealing from anyone with the name "Joshua". The principle is wrong, with no respecter of persons. So it doesn't matter where the unfair advantage comes from... I hope that clears things up.

I think that's a fair definition. I like to think of no respecter of persons meaning you won't get off the hook for something you did, just because of who you are. You know how celebrities seem to get off the hook sometimes for the things they do? It seems to be that our judicial system which should be impartial sometimes gives special treatment to certain classes of people. I think that is 'respecting persons'.

Misshalfway, Agreed on the point that they weren't invincible. I never said they were. On unfair advantage. Replace the word God with the devil and tell me if its moral. If the devil covenants with me that he will support my life in exchange for my obedience....and I am diligent and perform my labors in faith not relying on the arm of the flesh while others who know better may not be so diligent, how is that unfair? How is it cheating? Extreme example, but I'm talking about the principle. If the devil prospered you for doing his bidding. Your transaction with him is fair. But your advantage over others is unfair. On the priest of Ba'al. That's not the point I was making. It doesn't make sense to me, that is why I posed the question. It was in regards to Dravin's general statement that other people that are non-lds pray and have their prayers answered. The priest of Ba'al are non-lds. I raised the question because I thought the point was invalid, not because I personally think God should answer the priests of Ba'al's prayers to remain fair.

I'm just curious. I don't really expect anyone to have an answer to be honest. Unless Thomas S. Monson is lurking here... Just wondered if anyone can offer some insight?

Yes, Justice. I pray for other things too. I was looking for someone to actually address my question. Thank you Misshalfway for your answer and also to Dravin for addressing the actual question. Misshalfway: I also had in mind the stories in the scriptures of God helping those who prayed to him, like the stripling warriors of the Book of Mormon who were virtually invincible. Dravin: If non-lds pray and have their prayers answered, then why does it matter who we pray to or how we pray? As an example, if a muslim prays to Allah in the way that a muslim is taught to pray, why would our God answer the prayer similarly? To take it a step further, if the believers or the priests of Ba'al prayed to Ba'al, would God answer their prayers similarly? As far as definitions go of what help God gives people in these circumstances, I don't refer to any specific type of help, but any type at all. In the case of the exam, even if God doesn't give you the answer, but helps you remember stuff, I would still say it is an unfair advantage. I personally think that for it to considered cheating or not does not depend on who you get the help from. The principle is the same. Ah...my head hurts...

Not including any spirit children he begat once he became a god, does God live with an eternal family? There is a Heavenly Mother for sure, and I assume that they gave birth to some children during their probationary time while getting a body and being tested on another planet. I also assume that they had physical parents and went through the same things that we are going through here on this planet. When he died and was resurrected, his eternal family continued. Does that mean that he lives with his father and mother and sisters and brothers and children in the Celestial Kingdom?

Yeah I know that prayers aren't all addressed like that. Otherwise I could just pray for a new Nissan 370Z to just appear in my driveway. In this situation though, what do you think? Does God give people an advantage if they pray to him, and if he does, is that fair?

I know that Moksha...but how does hope help you in a game of basketball? Also, please correct me if I'm wrong, but are you suggesting that in these situations that God doesn't actually help at all? It's all just psychological?

Well if that was the case then why even pray? If God doesn't actually help out and its just my faith allowing me to excel. Saying that having faith in God pushes you a bit more is arguable, since knowing that there is no God and having to do it all yourself could serve as inspiration to push yourself more. If God doesn't actually help then I don't see how my faith in him makes me play better basketball, or helps me in a science exam.

First of all, I will say first up that this thread is not exclusively for church basketball, but I am using the example to ask a question. I would like to hear people's opinions. I remember growing up praying before basketball games for help to play well. Similarly asking for help to do well in tests in school, etc etc. My question is - Is God fair if he helps me during a game of basketball to play well, while the other non-lds players have to do it on their own? Is it fair that God would give me special help during school exams while the other kids have to do the exam with only their own power? God is omniscient, so it is like the guy who has all the answers helping you during the exam, while everyone else does it on their own. Or God who is all powerful giving you greater capacity to perform during a basketball game. From God's point of view, is it fair to give someone an advantage when they pray to him?

If we're able to repent in the afterlife it flies in the face of everything I've ever been taught and cheapens our time of probation here on planet Earth. If you died, went to the Telestial Kingdom for being a murderer and a rapist etc, then could still progress up to the top level of the Celestial Kingdom, what is the point of having a JUDGEMENT after this life? I know it would be nice to think that we will all make it one day, but the third of HF's children who got cast out will never make it, and neither will a lot of others. When HF talks about the topic, he doesn't apologize for it. He doesn't say... "I'm sorry, but...". As far as traffic between kingdoms go, Heavenly Father doesn't visit the Terrestrial and Telestial worlds, and Jesus doesn't visit the Telestial world. The HG does visit the Telestial world. So I guess the answer to is there traffic between the kingdoms is yes there is. Any guesses why HF would not visit his children in lower kingdoms, but Jesus will?

There's a place for physical beauty and for inner beauty. You can have one and not the other, both, or neither of the two. I would dare to say that someone who is physically and spritually beautiful would be quite a catch. One that has one and not the other would be able to find a suitor. While someone who is ugly physically and spiritually would not be well accepted.

Oh is that what it looked like? Oops Yeah the site looks great to me.

Well it may seem terrible, but if anything it is fair.

I think the best way to preach Christianity is to just live it. Jesus himself never went around converting anyone. He just practiced what he preached. The natural response for those who saw him as the Christ was to want to follow him.

Thanks I just had a look at your website ldsplace

Ben I think you were thinking of this one "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may."

Yeah I've always been taught that he allows it, because we need to be tested.