What would it take to shake my faith?

[MarginOfError]

Sure - I agree but we have lots of people here on this forum who claim that they don't merely have faith (a belief) but rather they have absolute and certain knowledge. What's the point of faith for those people if they have pure knowledge?

Possible answers:

1. They don't really have pure knowledge. They merely have faith and are really really convinced, or

2. They had to exercise faith first before they arrived at pure knowledge.

I discount the 2nd option for the vast majority of people. Some may actually and truly "know" but if so, not many... if at all.

I think the number of people with the "sure knowledge" is small, but I also imagine that it's larger than we might think. I only can confirm one person in my life who has this knowledge. The reason I can only confirm one: the experiences from which we gain a sure knowledge are so sacred that the people that have them very rarely discuss them.

[john doe]

What does Bank of America have to do with any of this?

Because Bank of America is in a little bit of trouble these days.

[prisonchaplain]

You want to live financially stable? Make sure you buy a house and pay it off by retirement. Also, fund your retirement well. Invest in the stock market...over time it averages 10%.

The last year has shaken our faith. My sense is that over the long-haul, such is still conservative, sound counsel. The fact that threw scheming and, temporarily, through government intervention, some, who gambled, spent foolishly, and who were not responsible, are nevertheless prsopering will not change the long term truthfulness of being responsible stewards.

Likewise, spiritual storms and anomolies may come, but Truth will prevail.

[Justice]

...my eyes being opened.

You know, if people were to decide the most important thing a religion has to offer, I think many would pick love or charity.

I say it's truth.

At work, a manager and I have been sitting in my office reading Hebrews. It is not my desire to shake his faith. In fact, I have been mostly quiet, while he has been doing a lot of commenting. However, I have raised some questions, not questions I have, but questions that I sense he might have, not being founded in truth. Even after a few questions of truth, I think he is becoming aware of truth and it's great significance when reading the Bible.

It's OK to question things. The problem is many people don't know how to find answers on their own. They turn to other's comments and opinions.

People really lack the know-how of finding truth for themselves. If members of the LDS Church are paying attention, this is something the Church emphasizes and teaches on a much greater scale than any other Church. Most other Churches seem to not want their members to find the truth, because it may mean they will no longer believe the way they do, and will stop attending their Church. Some Churches get around this by teaching it's OK to believe differently about other things, as long as you believe Christ is the Son of God.

The confidence that we have the truth is so strong that the leaders can teach us how to find it for ourselves, knowing it will lead people TO the Church and not away from it.

Most people don't have even a concept of what truth really is. Too many think everyone's opinion is truth, even as how they see it. They think if a person believes something that makes it true.

Not so.

God reveals truth. We receive guaranteed truth from no other source.

Either God revealed the Book of Mormon or He didn't.

As for me, I know He did. I know that's the truth.

The amazing thing is all you have to do is be genuinely curious to know if it is, and believe it is possible for God to do it. Both of which are very simple and easy. Then, read it with the honest desire to know. No tricks. No fakery in your heart. No alterior motives. Just seek the truth.

Yet, so many can't see past the nose on their face.

Thank you for your honest, heart-felt story anatess.

Edited August 16, 2009 by Justice

[Justice]

Many people have read the Book of Mormon and knew it was true before they learned where it came from or how it was authored.