Power of Suggestion or God is calling me?

[Gab84]

Foremost I hope nobody will feel offended by what I'm going to say, second I hope this is the right section of the forum (if it isn't Mods are going to move the discussion somewhere else like every other forum:D)

I am absolutely not here to question your beliefs, your faith or your doctrine, I'm here so we can all question me.

I've always tried to live by the teachings you find in the Bible, I think that if we all lived by those teachings then we would all live in a much better world. I find the Bible extremely inspirational.

But I've always been a "rationalist", I've never considered the concept of God as a supernatural being, let's say I've always rejected the concept of creationism(even if on different occasions there are things of our world that makes me wonder if there's been someone putting all this stuff together in perfect balance), judgment, punishment, afterlife(I think that when someone dies everything just ends there).

However I strongly believe that Jesus did exist, but for me Jesus is a Master, an extremely intelligent man who helped a lot of people, who taught the whole world many many precious things. Religion for me is not 'believing in God' but is more like a lifestyle, a philosophy which I've decided to live by, a Savior because he said so many wise things that we could really have a great life listening to him.

I've always considered the Bible as metaphors, for me there's no God punishing you or blessing you, but the punishment is the consequence of a bad action, the bad action is going against the teachings you find in the Bible, example: if you smoke 40 cigarettes every day, I don't think there's God punishing you with lung cancer, but you're harming your body, you're going against the teachings, and the cancer is just a consequence of your bad actions.

Same goes for blessings, if you work hard you get praises and a nice job, you're following the teachings, but I don't think there's God giving you a "price" by letting you get a better salary.

A basic simple scheme:

Jesus' teachings ====> good things ===> good actions ===> good consequences

Satan (which for me is the metaphor that stands for 'anything against Jesus' teachings') ===> bad things(sins) ===> bad actions ===> even worse consequences

But, there must be a 'but' unless all this would just be a theoretical philosophy class, in the last year, more or less, I found myself more and more thinking about the fact that we have to die, dead people, death, afterlife and every night I went to bed scared by my own thoughts, scared of what? ghosts? evil ghosts? demons? I mean, scared to the point that I had to fall asleep with TV and lights on, because I felt alone and exposed to those thoughts becoming reality and I needed something to keep my mind busy so I wouldn't be able to think about other things so that I could fall asleep.

Lately, a matter of a couple of weeks, I steadily kept on thinking about God, the existence of a benevolent being that cares about me, that protects me, that wants me to succeed in life and live happily, while I still thought about death, but, I don't know if that's just the power of suggestion, I wasn't scared, I wasn't scared at all, I slept well, with no TV or lights on. I even enjoy staying in my bed with no noise and no lights, I now find it relaxing.

Now, is there a God or is just the power a suggestion? I know you will tell me that there's a God, which I hope, but being the 'rationalist' that I am, I still can't help to think that my mind needs a proof in order to believe.

Then why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints? Because I was raised Catholic, I don't believe at all in the Catholic Church and its humans invested with God-like powers of judging and forgiving, and I can't forget Vatican's history and how they keep on trying to influence life in my country.

I think that Latter Day Saints are the last Christians who are actually Christians because they believe in what they're doing and are not Christians just because someone told them they're Christians, and I think that they, or better, you, are the last Christians who actually try to live your lives by the teachings of Jesus and you're not there just to tell other people how they should live their lives.

As for Joseph Smith, well, if we believe that God give mankind the Bible, why can't we believe that God gave testimony also in the Book of Mormon? However I am not that well-educated regarding your history and doctrine so I will not discuss it.

[bytebear]

Have you read the Book of Mormon? Toward the end is a promise of how to find truth. It sounds like you should try it. It's a good place to start.

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

Moroni 10

[Gab84]

I read some parts of the Book of Mormon, the part posted makes me think, that I've questioned, I've been doing that all my life, and God answered me, like I'm scared, I think about Him and he answers in His way and I suddenly can fall asleep without fear.

Can this be an explanation?

PS: Unbelievable how inspirational and revealing (revealing? is it correct?) those few lines can be.

Many people told me "it's faith, you just have to believe! there's no such thing like sample or proof, just faith!", instead in the Book of Mormon it tells me "Ask God and he will answer". That's so different from what I usually heard.

[bytebear]

I would also recommend reading Alma 32. The aspects of faith begin around verse 21.

Alma 32

Good luck in your spiritual journey.

[Dravin]

I think that Latter Day Saints are the last Christians who are actually Christians because they believe in what they're doing and are not Christians just because someone told them they're Christians, and I think that they, or better, you, are the last Christians who actually try to live your lives by the teachings of Jesus and you're not there just to tell other people how they should live their lives.

We aren't. Now there are plenty of social Christians (LDS included), but there are plenty of folks like PrisonChaplin and the like around (at least I hope there are), they're probably more noticeable (if such is indeed the case) because there are more of them (talking about sheer numbers I'm not trying to go into per capita and the like).

I know this may seem like shooting 'ourselves' in the foot to point this out, and practicing what you preach is going to be a principle of of any true Christian religion, I just want to give fair warning there are members who drink and party it up on Friday night and go to Church on Sunday. And there are plenty of Christians of other denominations that do in fact practice what they preach.

For what its worth, bytbear gives good advice. Revelation is the only means of knowing in any kind of sure way, but it does come right smack dab into the middle of your conundrum. Is it God communicating with you, or is it as Korihor said in Alma 30:16, "the effect of a frenzied mind"? Actually, reading Alma 30 wouldn't be a bad thing to do, you can see Alma's argument on the matter.

Edited June 5, 2009 by Dravin
Tidied up wording and the like, I'm compulsive like that.

[Gab84]

We aren't. Now there are plenty of social Christians (LDS included), but there are plenty of folks like PrisonChaplin and the like around (at least I hope there are), they're probably more noticeable (if such is indeed the case) because they are more of them (talking about sheer numbers I'm not trying to go into per capita and the like).

I know this may seem like shooting 'ourselves' in the foot to point this out, and practicing what you preach is going to be a principle of of any true Christian religion, I just want to give fair warning there are members who drink and party it up on Friday night and go to Church on Sunday. And there are plenty of Christians of other denominations that do in fact practice what they preach.

For what its worth, bytbear gives good advice. Revelation is the only means of knowing in any kind of sure way, but it does come right smack dab into the middle of your conundrum. Is it God communicating with you, or is it as Korihor said in Alma 30:16, "it is the effect of a frenzied mind" Actually, reading Alma 30 wouldn't be a bad thing to do, you can see the Alma's argument on the matter.

Well, I live in Italy, the only members I see here are the Missionaries, but I can tell you, the reality of Catholicism is no better.

Thanks for the advice on the scriptures.

[Gab84]

I would also recommend reading Alma 32. The aspects of faith begin around verse 21.

Alma 32

Good luck in your spiritual journey.

Thanks

[Dravin]

Well, I live in Italy, the only members I see here are the Missionaries, but I can tell you, the reality of Catholicism is no better.

Thanks for the advice on the scriptures.

Well, the number of missionaries who run off to get drunk on Friday night is gonna be ridiculously small (if not non-existent).

[Gab84]

Well, the number of missionaries who run off to get drunk on Friday night is gonna be ridiculously small (if not non-existent).

Because they're good people.

Talking about the Scriptures you guys advised me to read, I'm reading them and they're opening my mind much more than I thought they would, I don't know if I'm overreacting but it's just the way I feel, like my head is empty, fresh and relaxed.

Thank you!

This one, in particular "we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell. "

Edited June 5, 2009 by Gab84

[dazed-and-confused]

Gab........I've had similar thoughts and questions concerning the same things at times in my life, and sometimes still do. Being a rationalist such as yourself, i decided on a path that i hoped would give me some rational experiences from which to grow.......and i found them.......maybe your being led by whatever force you feel comfortable calling it, your own sub-conscious, the universal mind, your higher self.....HF.......why not just check out where it leads.......you might get some answers.