The Great Apostacy

Public forum to discuss questions about Mormon history and doctrine.
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canadiangirl
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Re: The Great Apostacy

Post by canadiangirl »

cwald,

My heart goes out to you. I have felt very similar emotions in similar situations.
Old-Timer
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Re: The Great Apostacy

Post by Old-Timer »

I was visiting another ward yesterday, and the HPG discussion about the Priesthood was GREAT. The instructor has a deep, voice-of-God voice - which helped 8-) - and he started by quoting Lord of the Rings about how man is focused on power. It got better from there. He shared later in the lesson that he sometimes leaves church and buys his wife lunch at the restaurant in town when she is particularly tired. Overall, a very good, very interesting lesson - with really good discussion.

Relief Society, however, was a bit of a disaster. My son's Catholic girlfriend was with us, and the lesson started with the statement that a deacon has more authority than the Pope. Awkward doesn't even begin to describe it. She admitted on the way home that she tuned out most of the rest of the lesson - and that the free-flowing structure of class participation was more than a little weird for her.
I see through my glass, darkly - as I play my saxophone in harmony with the other instruments in God's orchestra. (h/t Elder Joseph Wirthlin)

Even if people view many things differently, the core Gospel principles (LOVE; belief in the unseen but hoped; self-reflective change; symbolic cleansing; striving to recognize the will of the divine; never giving up) are universal.

"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." H. L. Mencken
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Heber13
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Re: The Great Apostacy

Post by Heber13 »

Wow, all great stories that benefit me.

Cwald...I like your courage and honesty. No one should be above hearing our opinions if we are sincere.

MH, thanks for sharing. I agree with you that apostasy is in the eye of the beholder. One of the beautiful teachings of our church is personal revelation and free agency.

Brian, I agree with your reservation to withild comments and sometimes not. Temperance is a virtue.

Nathan, great stories. Humor is a wonderful way to show you spirit smiles, even when discussing deep or serious topics.

Ray, I appreciate hearing how the experience can be great and disturbing in the same Sunday. I needed to be reminded of that.

I wish you all were in my ward.
Luke: "Why didn't you tell me? You told me Vader betrayed and murdered my father."
Obi-Wan: "Your father... was seduced by the dark side of the Force. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man who was your father was destroyed. So what I told you was true... from a certain point of view."
Luke: "A certain point of view?"
Obi-Wan: "Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to...depend greatly on our point of view."
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canadiangirl
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Joined: 16 Apr 2010, 23:15

Re: The Great Apostacy

Post by canadiangirl »

Heber13,

I wish that too!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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mormonheretic
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Re: The Great Apostacy

Post by mormonheretic »

Just think of Stay LDS as your Ward away from your Ward! :lol: Really, I love the interactions here, and I take away a lot more spiritual nourishment here than I do at church. It is a little bit odd having virtual ward members, but I really do think the kind of home/visiting teaching we do here is much more frequent than once/month and much more valuable!
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SamBee
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Re: The Great Apostacy

Post by SamBee »

Old-Timer wrote:I was visiting another ward yesterday, and the HPG discussion about the Priesthood was GREAT. The instructor has a deep, voice-of-God voice - which helped 8-) - and he started by quoting Lord of the Rings about how man is focused on power. It got better from there. He shared later in the lesson that he sometimes leaves church and buys his wife lunch at the restaurant in town when she is particularly tired. Overall, a very good, very interesting lesson - with really good discussion.
Nice, there are good lessons in such things. LOTR was written by an RC of course, and it is about greed and lust for power as you say.
DASH1730 "An Area Authority...[was] asked...who...would go to the Telestial kingdom. His answer: "murderers, adulterers and a lot of surprised Mormons!"'
1ST PRES 1978 "[LDS] believe...there is truth in many religions and philosophies...good and great religious leaders... have raised the spiritual, moral, and ethical awareness of their people. When we speak of The [LDS] as the only true church...it is...authorized to administer the ordinances...by Jesus Christ... we do not mean... it is the only teacher of truth."
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Heber13
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Re: The Great Apostacy

Post by Heber13 »

mormonheretic wrote:I take away a lot more spiritual nourishment here than I do at church.
MH: you said it perfectly. That is why I love being here and keep participating. I don't get much nourishment at church, but I take it as my responsibility for that nourishment, not the bishop's, so I need to look for it in multiple locations...including my brick and mortar ward, but also here at this website. I learn a lot by reading all of your thoughts. I need it in my life more than you probably all realize. Thanks for influencing my life. [group hug] :)
Luke: "Why didn't you tell me? You told me Vader betrayed and murdered my father."
Obi-Wan: "Your father... was seduced by the dark side of the Force. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man who was your father was destroyed. So what I told you was true... from a certain point of view."
Luke: "A certain point of view?"
Obi-Wan: "Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to...depend greatly on our point of view."
Old-Timer
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Re: The Great Apostacy

Post by Old-Timer »

I take away a lot more spiritual nourishment here than I do at church.


Please understand the spirit of what I am about to say:

I don't expect to take away a lot of spiritual nourishment from church, so anything I get is a gift. I attend church to provide whatever nourishment I can for others - and each person can eat only what that person can eat. Call it what you will, but I believe in inspiration / perception / discernment / empathetic understanding / etc. - so I attend church trying to tap into it.

The key for me is balance. I gain here and privately - and occasionally at church; I give at church and on my blog - and occasionally here. That works for me.
I see through my glass, darkly - as I play my saxophone in harmony with the other instruments in God's orchestra. (h/t Elder Joseph Wirthlin)

Even if people view many things differently, the core Gospel principles (LOVE; belief in the unseen but hoped; self-reflective change; symbolic cleansing; striving to recognize the will of the divine; never giving up) are universal.

"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." H. L. Mencken
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SamBee
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Joined: 14 Mar 2010, 04:55

Re: The Great Apostacy

Post by SamBee »

I'm not going to diss this site, I get a lot out of it, and it answers questions, queries and doubts which I can't voice otherwise.

However, it's no substitute for pleasant real life socializing.
DASH1730 "An Area Authority...[was] asked...who...would go to the Telestial kingdom. His answer: "murderers, adulterers and a lot of surprised Mormons!"'
1ST PRES 1978 "[LDS] believe...there is truth in many religions and philosophies...good and great religious leaders... have raised the spiritual, moral, and ethical awareness of their people. When we speak of The [LDS] as the only true church...it is...authorized to administer the ordinances...by Jesus Christ... we do not mean... it is the only teacher of truth."
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mormonheretic
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Re: The Great Apostacy

Post by mormonheretic »

Yes, I get it SamBee. Socializing is an important aspect. I love to razz all the BYU fans at church, but other than that, I don't relate much to all the farmers in the area.
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