Some questions from a Catholic.

[bytebear]

We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. - Article of Faith #4

These are the first steps to living the gospel. Membership is just a way for the elders of the church to keep track of who has had the ordinances performed and who is eligible for higher blessings (like church callings, and eventually temple blessings).

[mcrow]

Well, I setup a time to meet with an Elder at the local meeting house. I have to say that after reading the Book of Mormon some and listening to the audio version on my phone that I'm feeling like I've been missing something all these years.

It's like I've been denied part of the bible or soemthing.

After a few weeks of just being curious, now I'm into full exploration mode as I feel like I've discoverd something great. :) A personal discovery for sure but a discovery none the less.

I think giving up my morning coffee will be the most difficult thing to give up. I don't drink or smoke or really have any other bad habits that would be an issue but I'm a daily drinker of coffee. I think I'm going to be grumpy for a while if I decide to join the church but it's going to be due to caffeine withdrawl.

Edited August 28, 2012 by mcrow

[Guest]

Hot chocolate is a good enough substitute, I think.

[mcrow]

Hot chocolate is a good enough substitute, I think.

I will explore my options but I don't think it will be a huge problem. I will probably have headaches the first few days and then I'll be fine. I will just get some flavored water or something like that, maybe some hot chocolate as you suggest.

[mcrow]

I'm becoming rapidly aware that I have been believing in the trinity for all these years and there is so much evidence against it. Not only does it look like God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost are three distinct beings but Jesus actually created earth under the direction of God.

Wow.....this, I'm sure, is old news to most people here but totally earthshaking to me.

[dahlia]

It's like I've been denied part of the bible or soemthing. (

That's how I felt. Not just with the BoM, but with all the Bible verses the missionaries and members of the Chursh were able to bring to the conversation - from memory. Certainly when I was a Catholic, we were not encouraged to read the Bible (that's what the Protestants did). When the missionaries would answer my questions with quotes from the Bible, I was just floored because I didn't know all that was in there. Yes, I knew Bible stories, but not the Bible itself.

It is all rather eye-opening, mcrow.

[Blackmarch]

I'm becoming rapidly aware that I have been believing in the trinity for all these years and there is so much evidence against it. Not only does it look like God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost are three distinct beings but Jesus actually created earth under the direction of God.

Wow.....this, I'm sure, is old news to most people here but totally earthshaking to me.

Know how you feel.. still happens from time to time even after you get baptised ^.^

[Chrissy3818]

Hello, Brothers and Sisters.

I'm Catholic but have been looking into LDS and have a few questions. I'm a naturally curious person and have been looking into the Church for while but didn't find a few answers:

#1- Can you be part of the church if your spouse has no interest in joining?

#2- What do you do if you don't have a Chuch/Meeting house near where you live? I believe we have one near our house but we travel quite a bit to places I don't think ahve one.

#3- If I were to join the church would I have to be baptized eventhough I've been baptized in the Catholic church?

Thanks in advance,

Mike

1. Yes

2. you can look on Lds.org for a building finder and if they don't have one just do what you think god wants you to do for that sunday (read the book of mormon, study articles on lds.org, etc.)

3. Eventually, but not right away. Not until you know God wants you to be baptized into this church. Pray and fast for when you should be baptized into the LDS church.

[Guest]

That's how I felt. Not just with the BoM, but with all the Bible verses the missionaries and members of the Chursh were able to bring to the conversation - from memory. Certainly when I was a Catholic, we were not encouraged to read the Bible (that's what the Protestants did). When the missionaries would answer my questions with quotes from the Bible, I was just floored because I didn't know all that was in there. Yes, I knew Bible stories, but not the Bible itself.

It is all rather eye-opening, mcrow.

I was post Vatican II Catholic. I don't know how it is before that, but I've never heard of the Church not encouraging Catholics to read the Bible. I mean - we read it at least every single Holy Day of obligation - 1st Reading - Old Testament, 2nd Reading - Acts and Paul's Letters, Responsorial Psalm - from Psalms - and Gospel - from the first 4 NT books. That's 4 readings every single week at least.

And, having gone to Catholic School, I better have studied those readings because come Monday, I'm going to have to write a report about them.

[SteveVH]

I was post Vatican II Catholic. I don't know how it is before that, but I've never heard of the Church not encouraging Catholics to read the Bible. I mean - we read it at least every single Holy Day of obligation - 1st Reading - Old Testament, 2nd Reading - Acts and Paul's Letters, Responsorial Psalm - from Psalms - and Gospel - from the first 4 NT books. That's 4 readings every single week at least.

And, having gone to Catholic School, I better have studied those readings because come Monday, I'm going to have to write a report about them.

Thank you for that. I have been a Catholic all of my life and have always been ecouraged to read the Bible. Maybe its been awhile since you were Catholic, but the Bible is read every day at daily Mass, not just holy days of obligation. In fact, if one attends Mass each day (and many do) you will have heard the entire Bible within three years. The Mass is divided into two parts; 1) The liturgy of the Word (scripture) and 2) the liturgy of the Eucharist (communion). The sriptures are an intregal part of Catholic worship.