Jane_Doe

No. Being a keeper of peace and being a doormat are to VERY different things.

Scary! Get well @NeuroTypical! Tastes can be trained and you can swap your diet all round-- my husband and I had to do that when he suddenly got really bad diabetes and went legally blind because of it. It is possible. For us, we both made going out of our way to figure out new recipes and experimenting to be a "love letter" to each other-- I'm spending this time and energy doing this because I love you. Now this type of food is just "normal" to us, as is my *enjoying* exercise for the first time in my life (it was always just a chore before then).

Hi @Bella, welcome to the forum! You being concerned about the Law of Chasity and your boyfriend's disrespectful to go on a mission are both great things. So I'm going to be really straight with you here: Similar to how riding around on a motorcycle without a helmet and with a passenger sitting on the handlebars shows a lack of many things. non-sexual sleeping with your boyfriend is a REALLY stupid thing to be do. It shows a lack of commitment to God and your covenants with Him, a lack of understanding of those covenants, and leaves the door wide open to a whole web of sin. I would make it a priority to study things more, and deepen your testimony. That is something the Bishop and/or your youth leaders and very much help with too.

Look up "sleep training".

@Juniorm I'm in an inter-faith marriage myself. You're... frankly I think that you're being very silly here, but I'm also feeling like you're not really listening to anything anyone says, so I won't bother anymore here.

And you're ok with being muzzled and forbidden from teaching your child about God?

See- talking to her is a good thin, and not the end of the world Good job. However, I think we can take this one step further. This phrase: "as long as she is well enough to look after the baby, I told her of course I won't leave her to go to church if she is unwell". How about we change it to be "if she is unwell, I'll take the baby to church, so she can get some needed rest." That way you're 1) being a great husband by letting your wife get the rest she needs, 2) being a great dad by caring for kiddo and having some Gospel time, and 3) being a better disciple of Christ and person overall by really committing to going to church and ditching the "well, if she's not feeling good..." excuse. PS- you can of course take the baby to church when she's feeling well too.

Texan, thank you for my laugh of the day-- picturing a newly wed bride and groom shrink-wrapped together @Just_A_Guy did a pretty good explanation of this earlier, but to add the the chorus-- During baptism, we covenant with God- formally giving ourself to Him and He embracing us. Being a disciples of Christ brings joys and help in this life, and will much more in the world to come. Likewise with other ordinances-- we're giving ourselves to Christ, but until very last ordinance: the sealing. During a sealing, we give our relationships to Christ and He embracing them. Having Christ embraced in our relationships (both marriage and parent/child) brings joys and help in this life, and will much more in the world to come. Even the best people/relationship are barely scratching the surface of the huge joy Christ will bring. Two important things to remember about sealing in the eternities: 1) It's not the current sinful you that's going to be dancing around with Christ in the eternities. It's the PERFECT you-- the one that has been completely washed clean, over-bounding with love and goodness equal to Christ Himself. That PERFECT you is the one we're talking about. And likewise you PERFECT mom, dad, and other family members. 2) If perfected you doesn't want to be involved with a perfected <insert spouse name>, that's alright: you don't have to be. God doesn't force anyone to do anything, and that includes staying in a relationship you don't want.

A temple, by definition, is a house of the Lord. But it doesn't need to be a brick/stone/wood house, like we build in modern times. Anywhere can be a temple that the Lord declares to be so-- for example on Mt Sinai with the Lord conversing with Moses.

Another two big thing to mention here-- 1) LDS Christians don't really have the phrase "in communion with" -- we acknowledge other Christians as being Christian, but object to another-denomination Christian leading Sacrament Meeting and acknowledge differences in doctrine as being important with a correct/incorrect answer. An LDS Christian is a special Christian-- an 'upgraded' type, so to say. Catholics are fairly similar in that regard. But if you're coming from a Protestant standpoint (especially a non-liturgical one or "just a Christian" one), they don't have that sub-set mindset. To be acknowledged as a Christian is commonly to be in communion with-- theoretically your answers are just as valid and you could just as well lead Sunday Services and teach your beliefs from the pulpit. And that's terrifying! Because LDS Christians aren't Baptist Christians. Or Methodist Christians, etc. It's a MUCH scarier step for them to open that door than us. 2) Also from an LDS Christian standpoint, the word "Christian" doesn't equate that person being automatically saved (or not, given post-mortal missionary work). Other denominations will link the two directly, hence putting more pressure on them to be picky on who's called what.

Does a Hindu claim to be a Christian and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior? No. Neither does the Muslim. I would say "problem solved" but there wasn't any problem to being with to solve. Admittedly, I have been annoyed by "anti-cultists" who use the "well if we doin't make being a Christian nothing about following Christ and all about passing theology test and hailing Creeds half of our congregation hasn't even heard about, then by golly all Muslims could claim to be Christians and it's be the end of the world! So boundaries, flaming, lying and all sort un-Christ-like behavior all to maintain these boundaries!" (To state the beyond obvious, you're not remotely numbered among the above people, @prisonchaplain. It's just what that argument makes me flash too PTSD style, having seen it SO twisted so badly. )

A remember that paradigm shift for me. When I was a child, I looked to so many of the adults in my life with blind willingness to follow and blind idolization-- they could do no wrong. At age 9, I decided to read the Bible cover to cover myself. By the time I got to Genesis 9, that picture of was thoroughly shattered. Naked Noah, Lot sleeping with his kids, and all of the other messed up stuff that "my Primary teacher didn't tell me about THAT!". Come Exodus, the people of Israel... on one hand I was like "can you please stop whining-- God just saved you 1 chapter ago! And now you're whinging AGAIN. Got literally sends you food from Heaven...and then you whine that you don't like it? Quit being such babies!" But then also...I ..I whine a lot. I understand the fear of an empty belly, fear not knowing what's going on, fear of incoming danger... I get that. The going-into-the-wilderness theme repeats again and again in scripture. Adam leaving Edem, Lot leaving Sodom, Moses leaving Egypt, Isrealites being scattered, latter-day Saints across the US. Every time there is GREAT uncertainty of what's going to happen, pain, hungry bellies, death, and shattering outer turmoil. Leaders during that time are lead by God, but they also are human and make mistakes. Likewise are the humans that follow them, some growing strong through the fire, and some breaking and deserting. We're not any different today either.

Doctrine is important (no arguments there- it's super important), it's just not the defining factor of who a Christian is (that's having a relationship with Christ). A Christian who has a poor grasp of theology is a... a Christian with a poor grasp of theology-- still a Christian. A Christian who deeply struggles with a certain area of discipleship... is still a Christian.

For me, all of those views are different views, and yes I do believe that only one is correct. But that doesn't make any of them less of a disciple of Christ (a Christian) in my mind.

(Cue another long response) What is required is a testimony of Christ and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is His Church led by Him. That testimony, and the sincere desire to commit and love Him more. It's not required that you break everything now like a mathematical theorem-- that's usually not the best way to approach faith. Faith is about a relationship with your Father, not deconstructing Him down like He was a bunch of equations and you're suddenly smart enough to understand everything. The question before baptism are listed below. They fall under the themes of accepting Christ & His Church (#1-2), repenting of sins (3-4), and willing to follow Him (5-6). Do you believe that God is our Eternal Father? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior and Redeemer of the world? Do you believe that the Church and gospel of Jesus Christ have been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith? Do you believe that [current Church President] is a prophet of God? What does this mean to you? What does it mean to you to repent? Do you feel that you have repented of your past transgressions? Have you ever committed a serious crime? If so, are you now on probation or parole? Have you ever participated in an abortion? Have you ever committed a homosexual transgression? {Jane note: if you have, you can still be baptized. Just going to make sure about repentance first} You have been taught that membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints includes living gospel standards. What do you understand about the following standards? Are you willing to obey them? The law of chastity, which prohibits any sexual relationship outside the bonds of a legal marriage between one man and one woman. The law of tithing. The Word of Wisdom. The Sabbath day, including partaking of the sacrament weekly and rendering service to others. When you are baptized, you covenant with God that you are willing to take upon yourself the name of Christ and keep His commandments throughout your life. Are you ready to make this covenant and strive to be faithful to it?

Hi @Texan, great questions, which I'm going to answer with my own ramblings . A little bit of background on me, I'm an LDS Christian lady married to an Evangelical/Baptist dude. Vast majority of my friends and loved ones aren't LDS Christians, but I love to talk faith with everyone, including visiting all sorts of churches to better understand the beliefs and people therein-- it's my nerdy passion. I find that this reaction is pretty common from Evangelicals/Baptists, whom really stress the binary "are you saved or damned" world-view. LDS Christian theology is set up much more on a spectrum (degreeS of glory, etc), intrinsically acknowledging of others right to believe as they do (11th Article of Faith), and see all Goodness coming from God (wherever it is found). Yes-LDS Christians each see their beliefs as being the most correct --- as does every other person with whatever beliefs they hold-- that's why each person holds those particular beliefs! But LDS Christians don't have that binary "we're 100 right, you're 100% wrong" mindset. I completely acknowledge that my husband is a Christian- that's a complete "no duh". I celebrate the many wonderful things his faith has blessed his & my life for, thank God for the youth leader who taught my (now husband) how to be a man of God, enjoy my time as Baptist church, and so many other good things there. But I don't find the Baptist Church organization to be God's True Church because 1) I do have important theological disagreements on some issues and 2) I don't believe that that church organization is personally lead by God with His Priesthood authority. I realize that the 2nd is commonly a hard concept for a Protestant to grasp, whereas a Catholic has an easier time with it. How about "having God's Priesthood Authority, to teach the most correct Truth and continually receive revelation from Him?" I've seen both of those. The "4th Abrahamic religion" seems very odd.... 1) because it makes me think "did you just forget about Baha'i?" and 2) LDS Christians do very much consider themselves to be Christian. The 4 slices of the Christian pie chart is totally fine and I regularly use similar explanations myself. Yep, Tasting the fruit and seeing that it is Good.

You are acting like she is literally chaining you and would literally rip your head off for suggesting that you have a need. Stop insulting her, yourself, and God this way. Treat her like she's a real person that you can talk to. Quit the excuses.

Then quit acting like she's an abuser who locks you up and will rip your head off for asking to meet your own needs. And start acting she's actually loving wife and you're actually a disciple of Christ.

Or this is a weakness you need to overcome. God didn't make anybody to be a whipping boy or an abused doormat. The Lord counsels against abuse and women who roar like lions at their husband-- and you @Junior act like she roars and abuses horribly (whether or not she actually does, you completely act like it). That's not how God designed men and women. Rather, each is supposed to be partner, helping and respecting the others. That is what it is to be a man and woman of God.

Again: Part of loving and respecting a person is wanting to see their emotional and spiritual needs be met. Even if it involved that person not being at your side 24/7 or any activity that's not your favorite. My husband and I have different faiths, but he wants me to go to my church because he knows me, and vise versa. When you truly love & respect your spouse, you want to see their needs met.

Part of loving and respecting a person is wanting to see their emotional and spiritual needs be met. Even if it involved that person not being at your side 24/7 or any activity that's not your favorite.

@dougfir, in my experience, somebody with out-of-control spending issues is that they are usually buying stuff for an emotional pick-me-up, frequently to cover up some other pain. I don't know if that applies to your wife, but either way it has to be something SHE wants to change and work on. Which makes your positions all the harder, and my heart goes out to you. There's not a magical solution here.

It's the shorthand term I personally like. It shows yes, I am a Christian (cause I am of course), but also can specify at the same time (because LDS Christians don't always agree with Baptist Christians or Catholic Christians, etc). If it's a conversation with somebody new, I will use the full long name for starting out to establish things, and after that's established use shorthand. Side note: I personally really don't like the term "just a Christian" as the only in depth descriptor, as I've heard some other folks use (frequently non-denominationals).

From theological and cultural reasons, LDS Christians generally strive to avoid heckling situations-- they drive away the Spirit and just spawn angst on all sides. My guess is that in the case with the Seminary there was previously established good will between the LDS Christians and the Christians that ran the Seminary. Good will they weren't going to let be ruined just due to one wayward student.

I have a good Methodist friend. We speak often of faith, such as this last weekend where we talked about my sister's recent sealing and my Methodist friend asked me for a copy of "The Friend" to read to her little girl. We also spoke about the funeral she's helping out at her church today, how the youth group she's teaching is doing, etc. We both respect each other, and love the same.