rameumptom

Members
  • Posts

    6605
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    3

Everything posted by rameumptom

  1. I was taught that the the angel referenced by Paul was the Angel Moroni, and so the Mormons were accursed....at least that's what some of the evangelical friends tell me. ;-) I agree that we need to work within our own churches to keep the doctrine correct, and be careful not to allow those inside the circle to detract from faith.
  2. I think there are always a variety of groups, some secret combinations, some not, seeking to run government. The Gadiantons were probably only one of several groups among the Nephites, but became the most prominent, and so all others were lumped under them. Any group that seeks to get gain: power, wealth, fame, at the expense of the liberty and virtue of the people, is a secret combination. I'm certain King Noah thought he was doing wonderful thing for his people when he built pretty monuments for them to look at and enjoy, eased up on chastity laws, etc. I'm certain some people thought him to be very popular for doing those things. Just as King Hassan is still supported by many people in Syria today, King Noah undoubtedly was also. The kings most honored in the BoM are Benjamin and Mosiah II. Benjamin was honored for laboring with his own hands, seeking virtue, peace, and freedom of the people. Mosiah II sought to give greater governance directly to the people, giving up the reign of kings into the people's hands. I don't think that the Gadiantons felt they were evil people. I think they felt the ends justified their means in establishing what they thought would be a good government. Note the Gadianton governor's missive to Lachoneus: stating their secret society was good, or the secret combinations making their oaths in the name of God.
  3. I suggest you submit yourself to the Lord and his servants. Humility is a very hard thing to do, especially when we see we are in the right. Yet, the Lord places us in the hands of his imperfect, yet called, servants. Elder Vaughn J Featherstone went through an incident early in his life with his bishop. The bishop clearly did not like him and was placing undue burdens upon him and his family. Yet, he submitted. Later, the bishop was released and Featherstone was called to the 70 at about the same time. In his setting apart, he was told that because he submitted himself to God's chosen authority, the Lord knew he could be trusted in all things. Had he not humbled himself, he would not have been called as a General Authority. Whether the stake president or you were in the right, or neither was in the right, doesn't matter. Seek after the Lord's will and submit yourself to it. You will find peace of mind, and the blessings of the Lord will come to you.
  4. Make sure you specify what being a "god" actually is in the scriptures, and not the speculations that have gone around the Church since the days of Brigham Young. It means we will be part of the divine council of God. We will have eternal families. We will share a throne with Christ, and help him to rule. Almost all other things are suppositions (having our own worlds, etc).
  5. The counsel in the D&C is to first bring up such an incident quietly between you and the person. Let the person know that you felt the event was inappropriate for the Church building. Then let it rest, unless he does it again. If he does, then take it to the bishop.
  6. Focus on your testimony. What gave you your testimony? How did it feel during those very spiritual and uplifting moments? Can you try and relive those in your imagination? As for the empty feeling, be patient. Also be aware that you may be suffering from depression, which will cause you to feel empty, regardless of anything. Go see a doctor about it.
  7. If you choose marrying an atheist, it may indeed be your last chance. You will have to decide through prayer just what is most important to you. Is having a temporary relationship to avoid loneliness more imiportant than a longterm/eternal relationship with God and someone of your choosing? What happens if you marry the guy, and then a week later, your perfect return missionary comes into your life? How would you then feel about your decision?
  8. I work in a state prison in Indiana. I occasionally see LDS members go through the system. Have your bishop contact the bishop who has jurisdiction where the prison is located. They will be able to have services, or at least meetings weekly with you. There should be opportunities for you to be involved in programming, especially religious programming. Take advantage of it. Use this time as an opportunity to serve others in prison, just as Joseph of old served others in prison. It will be tough for you, but tougher for your family. Make sure you are a strength to your wife and children on visits and phone calls. Do not tell them of your tough times, but listen to them about their tough times. Even if there is nothing you can do to physically help them, it will help them that you are listening.
  9. One more point to consider. You may be suffering from depression. This is a very common thing to occur when someone has had a tragedy occur in life. Such an event can cause Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which affects many soldiers after they return from war. It may be you should discuss seeing a therapist with your bishop, who may be able to recommend one to you. We can often get lost in the trauma, unable to find our own way out of it. But with therapy and sometimes medication, we can find ourselves back on course over a period of time.
  10. We are to forgive 70 times 7 times. That said, tell the daughter that you forgive her, however there will have to be some new rules that you can all agree upon set up. You do not want to make a ton of rules, just 3 or 4 basic ones that establish respect, consideration for the other person, and possible consequences for breaking those rules. Everyone needs to agree to this, with the focus on developing a loving home without contention. Then, go and enjoy the birthday party.
  11. My condolences to you. My advice is: give yourself time to mourn. It is hard to find peace and joy, while still in mourning. It will gradually come. Remember, you have had a wonderful life experience with your wife, and she is not here now. You only feel like half a person. It will take time to develop a new normal - yes, it can take years. Second, remember that others may be just as broken, alone, and struggling as you are. Such cannot be seen from the outside, but as you know, is very real on the inside. Perhaps it will do both you and some of the others good, if you were to reach out to them in friendship. Invite some of them out to dinner, a sporting event, etc. Perhaps you can help others AND you to heal, a little at a time.
  12. Just because it isn't inspired of God, does not mean there is no value to it. It is a great piece of ancient prose.
  13. Jerome, your thought may make a difference on what God actually knows of the future, and what he can anticipate of the future. Does he know the future in detail, and if so, how far into the future? I've noticed that in several prophecies in the scriptures, they are rather specific in events soon to occur, but get vague the further out they get (D&C 87). Is that intentional by God, or is it because he does not know the future as perfectly as we think sometimes? Bensalem, If God perfectly knows the future, then all of our decisions are already set in stone. We cannot change the future, because it is already decided. God cannot change how he will respond to our situations, because he already knows ahead of time what it is that he will do. God cannot forgive us, if he has already seen in the future that he will not do so. For there to be a change, means the future is still open, and God does not know the future. Our future is predetermined, and so Calvin's predestination comes into play: we have no free will, because everything is already decided before we make any choices. This is the short version, of which you really need to read the longer version to get all of the details and nuances.
  14. It is a very philosophical discussion that goes way beyond what most on this list can easily do in just very short posts. I suggest you read Blake Ostler's first book on the Attributes of God. It discusses the concepts in depth, which include the concept of, if God knows everything, then there is no libertarian free will, but there is a Calvinist predestination. There is a compelling case for a God that does not know everything. Then, there are in between concepts, such as semi-compatibilism, or the concept that man's free will is only partially free. To have a good discussion on it, would first require everyone to do a lot of homework, such as reading Blake's first volume on God's attributes. That said, I'm agnostic. I don't know how much God really knows. Nor do any of us really know. We just know he knows more than we do. And until it is revealed, we'll be just guessing as to free will and omniscience.
  15. Bishops aren't perfect. God calls them, but they are imperfect men doing the best they can. The key here is if you are still feeling huge amounts of guilt for the sin, it is possible you have not fully worked it out and received a full forgiveness from the Lord. Your stake president and mission president want to ensure you are spiritually well prior to sending you out to do the Lord's work. If you were deathly ill of some disease, you would not question why you were sent home until you fully recovered from it. This is a spiritual disease (sin) that still has not healed. You won't be able to fully serve God, while still having unfinished repentance to do in your life. Once you have an inner peace via repentance and preparation, you will then be ready to go out on the mission again.
  16. One's wife does not "know" you will put your shoes on the table for a certainty. She can only anticipate it from previous experience. In a free will case, God could not perfectly know the future, but only anticipate it, and interact when necessary to ensure his will comes to pass in the end. There's an interesting new book by Adam S. Miller, Speculative Grace, which suggests God is not all omniscient and all powerful as some believe, but instead is also involved in the process of being. It does tie in with Open Theism nicely, I believe.
  17. In a scientific sense, all things are made of matter, which is just a form of energy (E = mc2). Nothing can be created nor destroyed, only converted into another form. Our spirits would be refined matter or energy. Of course, Mormons also believe that we are made of the same stuff that God is made of, except he is of the most purified matter/energy.
  18. Many of those who serve missions also complete college. In fact, Mormons have a higher rate of college graduation than the average American. I did serve a mission and went on to get 3 degrees.
  19. Look at the long run, not the short term. If staying an extra year in college will help you meet your long term goals better, then that is the road you should take. If it is a wash, then stay as an econ major.
  20. Many times we may receive a personal revelation, where we interpret it differently than the Lord would have us understand. It may very well be that the Lord was telling you that it is okay to marry this man, not necessarily that this was THE only man you could marry. There are times when the Lord inspires us, but the agency of others still is something to deal with. The scriptures have many examples where the Lord commands, and someone disobeys, and so other plans have to be made. That's just how some things work. As it is, it is better to have this young man back off now, rather than marry you and then back off later. BTW, many years ago when I was ward clerk in a single's ward, the bishop mentioned to me that he had 5 young women come to him separately, each saying that the Lord told her she was to marry a particular man. So, we had 5 girls each believing she was to marry the one man (who was not interested in any of them, BTW). The bishop explained to these sisters that they were misinterpreting the revelation they were receiving. The Lord was simply telling them that this was a good man and each would be happy in a relationship with him, if both the girl and he were inclined to marry. So, review this inspiration you've received, to see exactly what the Lord was trying to say to you. Perhaps you are reading more into it than is necessary.
  21. If there's a need, go ahead and borrow the money. That said, make sure you borrow for a basic, modest car, that easily fits into your budget. Then, pay it off as fast as you can.
  22. I think it could only be more powerful if most of the book was a compilation of talks given by Elders Holland and Uchtdorf....
  23. If your bishop (an untrained person) has problems dealing with this, then you have the option to go to your stake president or her bishop directly. We are to ensure we do not allow sin into the doors of the Church.
  24. A couple things come to mind. First, the Lord does not give us personal revelation that conflicts with prophetic revelation concerning commandments. Second, the Lord really does not care to whom we are married. He cares that we are faithful in that marriage and make it work. Third, the Lord stated that a man who lusts after another woman has already committed adultery in his heart. That being the case, can a woman or man who are unfaithful in the relationship be capable of receiving revelation from the Lord? This woman probably is receiving revelations, but they are not from the Lord.
  25. Here is the exact terminology of the ERA: The Church had no problem with women having equality of rights. However, the terminology allows anything and everything to do with sex to be equal. This would have opened the door fully to gay marriage, sexual atrocities accepted as norm, unisex restrooms, etc.