Hala401

I am sickened by all this. And when I went to talk to some Muslims I know, it made me feel even more sad. I am like so totally, absolutely, completely, irrevocably done with Islam. I had been using Hijab when I see them to not offend. I am done with it. Shockingly, Mormons I know are much more loving and forgiving toward them than I am right now.

Reluctantly, I am for the wrong side. I cancelled both FB accounts because of it. And, you know what, I still live. It just makes me sad that people do not sit down and do solid research into the issues.

Oh, I've had that happen. A lot happens in 65 years.

Most people do not realise what the church rescued me from, how full of despair I felt, how close I was to the unthinkable. Middle Eastern culture had me so messed up and so programmed to see myself as a lesser being. Encountering kind, literate, and non abusive men who treated me as a princess, left me totally astonished. So now, If there is a chance to kneel in adoration of Heavenly Father, I take it.

When I was being taught by the Missionaries, we kneeled until they started bringing shaperones that were too old to do so.

I well remember the events surrounding my meeting the Sister Missionaries in Kirtland, Ohio. After what I experienced at the Temple there, I believe anything like that.

I do not see it as a paradox at all, rather as a matter of personal opinion. I endured over 30 years of being forced to walk exactly in the foot steps of doctrinal opinion as visioned by someone who thought they could force me, or call me a heretic. Not again. After taking a breath, respectfully I submit that it is not a matter of unbelief, but Heavenly Father rescued me from such emptiness and hell, that I just can not fathom ever being his equal.

This is mostly coming from memory, so may be somewhat faulty. In 2 Kings 2:1-12 we have Elijah taken up into heaven, and I always thought that was interesting. Something I have never forgotten is that one of my Bible teachers, when I was initially Christian said that the Priest of Melchizedek was a "type of Christ". Now the meaning of "type" in that context has never been clear to me. One teacher even told me that it was his personal opinion that he was Jesus Christ. Interestingly, I did not find reference to John still being alive today, so it must be an LDS doctrine. I have no issue with that.

Without a doubt things have happened to me in the LDS church that never happened to me in over 40 years of religious experience. There is something special about this church and I hope that I never forget it.

I'm reading in 3 Nephi 28 where they mention The Three Nephites. I had not heard of this before and find it interesting. The previous chapter felt like a paraphrase of the book of Matthew, and that is not a problem to me because it follows that Jesus Christ would have similar things to say to his church in the Americas as he said in the Middle East. In the case of The Three Nephites, this is not the first time I have heard this concept. The Shia Muslims believe that the 12th Imam, The Mahdi is still alive on the earth. I am just providing the previous as a point of interest and it is not intended to in any way detract from LDS doctrine. So, are the three ever referred to again, or are they simply ministering quietly? I must say that 3 Nephi, for some reason has been a trudge for me and I have learned a lot from it.

Oh, I most certainly agree. I was NON LDS christian for over 30 years, and heard lots of anti Mormon hate talk. Then I was Muslim for seven years. Muslims are absolutely adamant that there is God (Allah SWT) and there is no one above him. Do, since I converted, I now know that this is Jesus Christ's church, but still find myself really sensitive to any talk about being equal with Heavenly Father.

It's a one way thing for me. Heavenly Father can say I am equal, but I will always have the same respect and adoration for him.

I knew that, but also hope that we own it again soon. When I was there, the tour guide alluded to the idea that the LDS church had helped a lot in the restoration of it, and it was easy to see what was original and what was not, though the restoration work was very well done. His explanation around the financing and building of the Temple was not complementary, but it did cause me to do substantial research. In the end, I concluded that despite his negative view point of the development of events was not called for as there were extenuating circumstances in my opinion. I've recieved a lot of condemnation and rejection in my life, so know what that feels like. It is doubly wounding when the various factions will not allow the accused to defend themself.

Perhaps the Kirtland Temple, which we hope to own again soon, is not seen in the same context as the rest of the temples. I did pay $3 to tour that temple and felt as if I were some where special. It is impossible to be in that Temple and not catch the vision that our Prophet had, in my opinion. I do remember, I think going to the second floor but It seems as if the basic design of a temple has changed since the 1830's. It's odd because I usually have my tiny Canon camera set to not flash, click or make any rude noises so I can take pictures without disturbing anyone or when I'm not supposed to. :) It would be no surprise to some of you that for some reason, I did not take pictures that day. I was still Muslim then and they allowed me in. :) I've experienced a lot of things in my life that at first seemed silly, but it later became clear that they were not. I've had "things" happen to me as an Investigator and as a new member.

The issue with my getting caught in the buff in my own house at my own pool would not be one of lust but of "Ick, someone hide that!"