How Does One Explain Other Religions?


ThatLDSKiD
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My mind can't grasp this concept, and maybe man will never know. Heavenly Father's intentions are more often than not: very unclear.

How is it that people can have such strong burning testimonies of other churches? How can people feel the Holy Ghost in ways that convince them that their church is true (they experience some of the same feelings that Mormons do when we encounter the HG)? How do Buddhists and Hindus have experiences of enlightenment or visions or surety of truth, like Mormons do? How do prophets of other religions, like the Pope, stand up and say that they are the leader of the Church and have divine confirmation that they are truly the prophet? How could the Quran (a book that is truly elegantly written and possesses many mutual principles of Mormonism, and many non-mormon principles haha) by written purely by one person, Muhammad, despite the fact that he claims it was written by Allah (God) and he was just the scribe?

I have read accounts where people have had a "burning in the bosom" that the LDS faith is

false and that the RLDS faith is true.

I read accounts of someone "knowing" to join the Jehovah Witnesses once they began reading a pamphlet.

Are all of these people just liars and phonies? Are they purely misguided by their carnal flaws or by Satan? Does HF purposefully allow them to be deceived into false religions by actually allowing them to encounter certain feelings, experiences, visions, etc.?

What is going on???

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There was a discussion about this once in my Priesthood meeting and the general belief was that it was the work of the Devil. The Holy Ghost works to bring people towards the church but the Devil works towards seperate churchs.

Somebody may want a church that has a leader that gets revelation. As that person searches for the truth, somebody might find the Pope. Since the Pope meets the standard, that person accepts that as the true church. They were looking for the right thing, just the Devil worked towards making it difficult to find the truth.

It is important to stress that we must pray to God and Christ if the LDS religion is the true church. That is the only way we can gain a testimony of what the true church is. That is a big reason why that is one of the questions to be a member of the church, get a temple recommend, etc.

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I think there is truth in all religions. The Holy Ghost is going to confirm truth, regardless of which church that truth comes from. The LDS Church is distinct in that it claims priesthood authority directly from God (via angelic apostles). The message we carry is a restoration of truth and authority. But truth in doctrine and belief in Jesus Christ are not exclusive. Knowing that Jesus lives is not unique to us, nor is a concept of peace and love toward others. So those truths resonate within other churches too. And we should welcome and embrace that. Better one is getting closer to God through another church than not finding God at all. It is a step in progress. And hopefully they will find the truth sooner than later, and can accept the covenants that God has put forth through proper priesthood authority.

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You don't have to be a member of the LDS Church to be Christlike, and being a member doesn't automatically make you that way.

The Holy Ghost doesn't work exclusively for LDS, I imagine anytime someone is testifying that Christ is our Savior, the spirit is more than happy to confirm that. And say someone grows up in another church, follows Christ's example of how to love, is like a small child, forgives the worst of us, I believe the spirit would be drawn to that person and is only too happy to offer promptings, bring the love of our Father in Heaven to them, and testify of the truth to them that the gospel of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible is true (Just maybe not 100% accurate) that He lived a sinless life, atoned for our sins and is our advocate to the Father.

But if you never get a chance to go through the temple, have the Holy Ghost as your constant companion, feel the added measure of spirit that you can have in your life by joining His true church, but you've lived a Christlike life so faithfully that you will survive the second coming, why would you think you're missing anything? If you're serving those people who our Heavenly Father wants you to serve, but you just happen to be doing it in a different church, then that is His will. I absolutely believe that a person can be prompted to join another church. Some people have missions and purposes in their mortal probation that will not take them on a path to becoming a Latter-day Saint. Our time on this earth isn't about joining the church, we are promised that we will ALL have the opportunity the hear the true and restored gospel and make a choice. We aren't told when that will be.

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Alma 29:8 answers it. God gives to all nations, kindreds, tongues and people the amount of light and truth they are ready for. God bears witness to them of the truth in their religion. Sometimes this is as a stepping stone, until they are ready for greater truth. Other times, it is all they will ever want, and so God allows them faith in their level of truth and righteousness.

That some religions prepare people for a terrestrial glory is an important concept. This is what the Jews had for over a thousand years under the Law of Moses, until Christ came. Even now, most Jews have not accepted Christ, and so live the Law of Moses, which is enough for a terrestrial glory if lived in faith.

So it is with many other religions. They lift people up from a life of no meaning, of no faith, into a relationship with God. That counts for a lot.

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Guest mormonmusic

Here is my perspective:

You are God. You have a young man (16), good-hearted, praying to know the truth of whether he exists in a little town. There is one priesthood holder in the two, who attends a Ward in another city. The missionaries rarely ever go there. You know this young man will not run into the missionaries for a long time. For whatever reason, you are not going to intervene as heavenly father. Perhaps you know his parents are staunch born-agains and would turn him against hte LDS Church for now, whatever.

He attends a local Christian denomination with the full support of his family. For the first time, he is sincerely praying to know God exists, having been encouraged to do so by his minister.

What would you do? Withhold the message or spiritual confirmation because he has not found the LDS Church yet? Or look at his circumstances with your foreknowledge and know that giving him a confirmation of your existence and the need for Christ will help him live a better life?

I would suspect the latter. So, this young man has a huge spiritual confirmation of the existence of God and Christ, and dedicates him to the logical place that has chanced into his life -- his existing Church. As he lives true principles he has more commitment and spiritual experiences in that Church, becoming more and more committed.

Realizing his chances of finding the LDS Church are slim given the area he lives in, as well as the chances of him engaging with it are also slim given his staunch family, you realize that it's OK for him to stay in that Church. You have a master plan that will bring all people into the tent of truth someday. You are patient....it can happen on your own timetable, knowing that in the end, the unfolding of events will be what is best for this young man.

This is my belief. God let's us believe the truth within our own microcosms. If there is net good from beleiving in a certain Church, although not LDS, he allows this. There is a plan in the end, although we know not what it is. It may end in the LDS people modifying their beliefs. It may end in the whole of Christianity embracing Mormonism. I don't know, but I know that these spiritual impressions people have are real, valid, and point them to greater good, and often deep commitment to the Church in which they had real spiritual experiences.

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The OP's question reminds me of an incident I experienced quite awhile ago. I was at an economic conference that brought together seminary (graduate theological) students from across denominational lines (there were a couple from BYU, I recall). During one of the breaks, a female student was recounting an experience she had at the University of Washington. She was headed somewhere, and felt prompted by the Holy spirit to go to the student union building instead. There she happened to meet a friend, and they shared a spiritually encouraging conversation. She concluded that she was thankful to God for leading her in that way, just when she needed it.

To me, this account was so normal, and I smiled, nodding a silent amen. One of the guys responded with genuine alarm. "You actually heard God speak to you??? You believe God literally told you to change direction and go somewhere else??? That's the most bizarre thing I've ever heard!!!"

I do not question that fellow's Christian faith. He loved God, prayed to him, read his scriptures, and tried to obey Christ's commands. However, he had never been taught how to tarry before God, and to expect spiritual communion that could literally be sensed. To him Christianity was something you heard about, read about, and did--not something to be experienced in an emotional way.

Having said all that, one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is the discerning of spirits. There are demonic, lying spirits too. So, not all religion is created equal.

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My mind can't grasp this concept, and maybe man will never know. Heavenly Father's intentions are more often than not: very unclear.

How is it that people can have such strong burning testimonies of other churches? How can people feel the Holy Ghost in ways that convince them that their church is true (they experience some of the same feelings that Mormons do when we encounter the HG)? How do Buddhists and Hindus have experiences of enlightenment or visions or surety of truth, like Mormons do? How do prophets of other religions, like the Pope, stand up and say that they are the leader of the Church and have divine confirmation that they are truly the prophet? How could the Quran (a book that is truly elegantly written and possesses many mutual principles of Mormonism, and many non-mormon principles haha) by written purely by one person, Muhammad, despite the fact that he claims it was written by Allah (God) and he was just the scribe?

I have read accounts where people have had a "burning in the bosom" that the LDS faith is

false and that the RLDS faith is true.

I read accounts of someone "knowing" to join the Jehovah Witnesses once they began reading a pamphlet.

Are all of these people just liars and phonies? Are they purely misguided by their carnal flaws or by Satan? Does HF purposefully allow them to be deceived into false religions by actually allowing them to encounter certain feelings, experiences, visions, etc.?

What is going on???

there are multiple things at work-

People trying to reattain communion with God since being driven from the Garden,

others want power and riches, and sometimes the easiest way to attain them is through relgion.

Further, true principles work whether inside or outside the church.

then on top of that we have influences from the sources such as spirits and devils.. however far their influence goes.

another thing compounding it is the abilyt to recognise something as being from God and then properly acting on it.

ANd there are also folk who need to be lead through other experiences other than the LDS church before they will be prepared to accept the LDS church.

so when we throw all those together for everyone on the planet, we get the whole spectrum, from the honest and pure in heart to the most vile, and every reason under the sun of why this or that exists and why people believe they've had some answer or revelation in regards to something.

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