When I was growing up, it was common for children to be given a “Book of Remembrance.” I was proud of mine. My mother had done a ton of family history research. She found pictures of many ancestors, copied their faces and pasted the photos in the family tree section. It was fascinating to ruminate on those images of my grandparents up the line.
Book of Remembrance templates were sold by the church. Right at the beginning of each book was a graphic representation of the Plan of Salvation. I loved its clear and plain presentation. From an early age, I knew that apostates were evil and destined for a nightmarish future. The picture above is very similar to the page included in my Book of Remembrance.
In addition, Spencer W. Kimball taught in his book “The Miracle of Forgiveness” that excommunication is worse than death.
Dear Mormon Friends & Family,
Your prophets teach that apostates end up in outer darkness at worst or the Telestial Kingdom at best. Both are places of eternal separation from family.
Do you, my dear Mormon friends & family, follow your prophets on this one? Do you believe that I will be forever consigned to a dwelling with no light and no glory? Or maybe a step above, where I’ll spend eternity with murderers and rapists?
Just so you know, sometimes it is hard on me to be around believing Mormons. Often, the thought creeps in that you support and sustain the prophet in condemning me to a fate “worse than death.” That you believe I am not worthy to ever see my wife or my children after I die. You may say that you don’t condemn me. But, don’t you in actuality condemn me if you sustain the fact that your prophet has condemned me?
Contemplating what you may believe can play interesting tricks on my mind.
I am hoping that eventually, this mental drama will fade away. Especially, since I no longer believe in a God who would make such an inane judgment. The trauma playing out in my mind has nothing to do with MY worries for the after life. It’s all about standing in front of someone knowing they might believe what their prophets have taught them about my eternal damnation.
Maybe I’m wrong. Perhaps God’s morals are different from mine and he’s going to support the prophet’s decision sending me to Mormon hell. If that were to be the case, I would still stand up to protect children and to help heal the wounded. I would rather sacrifice my eternal reward than to compromise my integrity and moral compass. After all, what the heck is salvation worth if I have turn a blind eye to children’s suffering.
Warm regards, Sam
Tocubit Is Invisible's Cubit 
I wonder if we’re walking, talking spiritual zombies! After all, we’re still thinking, fully active beings after being spiritually assassinated.
And we care about our children!
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I have come to the same conclusion as you have Sam. A loving God doesn’t line up with Mormon teachings of the afterlife. It is hard to be around TBM’s and not say what I really think. They don’t want to hear it, they don’t want to listen. I try to be patient. I try to not say things that would destroy their faith, when they are not ready to open their eyes. I have a daughter and her husband who have left the church and family members do not understand. They think it is a terrible tragedy. How sad. They(my daughter and s-i-l) are good people with love in their hearts. It is hard to not judge the ones who judge. I don’t want to judge though, so it is a test back on me! Keep up your spirits, keep your sense of humor, really it is kindof funny in a way. We can make it! Things are changing, it just takes time. Sending love! SMILE! You’re amazing, you really are, and I know you are not going to outer darkness! : )
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Sam, over time I’ve given these things a lot of thought. And I truly, truly believe that it’s all a bunch of BS. The church was founded on BS, we know this now. And I don’t believe these “men in high places” have any more wisdom, any more insights, any more knowledge, any more guidance, than you or me. I am so sick and tired watching those who remain in the church looking at them with such adoration and awe. Acting like they are some kind of gods and have all the answers. They don’t. Recently I saw a clip of Holland standing before three seated young women in a meeting. The looks on the young women’s faces were filled with such awe that it made me want to vomit. And yes, Holland was eating it up. It still gives me the creeps thinking about it. I believe that there will be a “rude awakening” some day, and that these men will be shown to be ordinary men, nothing more. Keep doing what you’re doing, Sam. If one child is saved it’s worth it. You are one of the good guys. I know I sound angry, and I am. Angry and very sad.
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Chloe Patten, I am with you! I left the Church in 2015 many reasons, before the new LGBTQ policies came out, before Sam’s amazing work to protect children. If I hadn’t left before, those issues would have sealed the deal. To my knowledge, it IS all based on BS, from the very beginning. So glad I left! Sam, hopefully time and some distance will soothe your mind about all this. I know, for me, this has been the case with loved ones who are still believing, valiant-in-living-the-gospel people.
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That is why I left Sam. The outcomes of Christianity of every sect is a walking contradiction. I could not hold my integrity and still be a part of it. If this life were truly a test it would be this: To see if you have the courage against overwhelming odds, the loss of friends and family, to call things for what they really are in the face of millions, billions of believers. “Straight is the gate and narrow is the way, and few there be that find it”. I am now part of the few. 2.4billion is not few. I will not defend the atrocities of a prophet, a Christian culture, testaments that preach and teach immorality from an archaic and violent time. The drip fed moral advances and Jim Crow laws of the gospel is the ultimate act of immorality and I won’t defend it…even if I believed it.
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Amen. I grew up in an inactive family, and always wanted my family to be sealed in the temple. My brother and I did their temple work in 2013, after they passed away. I never understood why members thought my Dad was not worthy of the celestial kingdom, only because he did not believe in organized religion. He was always ready to repair the church furnace, shovel snow, mow the church lawn, help a neighbor, and all without pay, except for what the church hired him for. My Dad was the salt of the earth, and my Mom had a beautiful, tender heart filled with music and love. I agree with you that with the billions of people that currently live on the earth and all of the people that have ever lived, it makes no sense that everyone has to have temple work done to live with their families and with God again.
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I should also say that I no longer think it is necessary to do temple work and that I am wading through piles of books and trying to find my way with my 11 children. About half are on the same page with me and the others think I am an apostate or do not know that I in a faith crisis. Somehow in the crisis of it all, I feel calm.
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When I left I felt a great calm. I realized I’d been doing this alone my whole life already—I got this. Self empowered people can do quite well carving out their own life.
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If I may add, my guilt that was hounding me in my attempted fifty years of faithful living (I never quite measured up) was gone and I truly loved people in my own words, without the underlying judgement for the first time in my life. My thoughts had been hijacked for decades, but none of that was the real me. The things we say to toe the line could make an apologist blush. It may sound strange to a believer, but the key to understanding the mysteries is unbelief.
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My knowledge of GOD is based on 65 years of experience, observation and personal interaction with Him. I voluntarily left the Church many years ago because I could not resolve the conflict between what I know the Creator of the Universe is like, and the venomous and sometimes hate-filled teachings from LDS leaders regarding black people and LGBTQ individuals. Science has since proved the Spencer Kimball book “The Miracle of Forgiveness” is laced with misinformation, false conclusions, an outright LIES about the people he condemns. Today, the Church Leaders continue to push their personal agenda of exclusion and discrimination by weaving just enough truth into their web of lies to make it believable to those who don’t have analytical minds, and don’t have a strong enough personal relationship with their Father in Heaven. As you know, they discourage members from reading of books and resources not sanctioned by the Church, and not sold by Deseret Books.
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You are a good man, please don’t let a false prophet or those who follow him get you to believe otherwise.
https://seekingyhwh.com/2018/09/02/in-honor-of-sam-young/
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Sam, I believe God and Jesus Christ are going to be the final judge of where we end up in the eternal realm. The brethren known like you and me that none of us are perfect, including the leadership. We were sent here to become Christlike individuals and obey the doctrine he set forth. God the Father and His Son know your heart. They know the good and the bad. The plan of salvation is His plan. How you chose to live it is your test. I do not believe that you will be religated to live in outer darkness or with rapists and murderers. By your actions you will be judged and you will be sent to the place that you will be most comfortable for eternity. The same goes for anyone born on this earth. It has always been my belief that those members of ones family that are assigned a higher kingdom will be allowed to visit those in lower kingdoms. I don’t know where I heard or read that and you can correct me if I am wrong.
I was talking to a frien who after 30 years of marriage and 6 amazing kids , decided he wanted to live the gay lifestyle that he had denied himself. He left the marriage and married his husband. He told me that he believed the church was true as did his husband. But they made a decision to be happy in this life. If that was the Telestial kingdom, then so be it. I was impressed with his honesty, but sad for all he has lost. He, like you, is a fine individual and the Lod will judge with justice and mercy.
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I like you point of view, my friend.
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Hi, Janice,
Thank you for your compassionate sharing of your friend’s story:
“I was talking to a friend who after 30 years of marriage and 6 amazing kids, decided he wanted to live the gay lifestyle that he had denied himself. He left the marriage and married his husband. He told me that he believed the church was true as did his husband. But they made a decision to be happy in this life. If that was the Telestial kingdom, then so be it. I was impressed with his honesty, but sad for all he has lost. He, like you, is a fine individual and the Lod will judge with justice and mercy.”
I am impressed, Janice, that you wrote the following:
“But they made a decision to be happy in this life.”
Your friend had a choice before him:
☼. Obey The Brethren
-or-
☼. Be happy in this life.
Obedience vs Happiness
Perhaps something is amiss here.
Is that the ultimatum of a Loving God?
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Oh you mean, “Eat, Drink and be Merry”?, Good luck with that.
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Hi Sam. To me, Excommunication DOES NOT EQUAL outer darkness. You will be judged by the Savior according to the thoughts and desires of our hearts, as will each of us. It’s reassuring to me that the Judge will really know me and all the factors that went into all of my thoughts and actions and I will not be judged by some incomplete account. As such, I don’t judge you, 1. Not my job. 2. Your story isn’t done yet. – a believing but inactive LDS
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Hi Garrett, So nice to hear from you, my non-judgmental friend. I hope all is well for you.
Love, Sam
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To be honest, I think any church/prophet that would teach that your family can only be together forever is if everyone is “righteous” according to their standards is one of the grossest, most evil things ever. To hold your family ransom from you because you or they “fell short”? One of the hardest things for myself growing up gay and in the church was that even through the struggle of trying to be perfect and acceptable to god, I knew it was me who was going to be tearing my family’s eternal bonds apart because 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 year old me was as bad as murderers and pedophiles simply because I like girls. I’ve since left the church (had my name removed) but the wounds are still there. You are absolutely right – if god really operated in that way of thinking that the prophets do concerning this, I don’t want anything to do with him either. I’d rather be slumming it up with like-minded folk wherever I end up.
I hope you have peace, Sam. You and your family. The world needs more people like you.
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Dear Sam,
I presume you DO realize you’ll be missing the Kolob Sex Orgy.
Well … it’s only an orgy for The Brethren, of course. The sisters spend all of their time preggers.
Somehow nobody ever bothered to explain how women with physical bodies give birth to spirit children. What is the gestation period? Does the abdomen expand as the spirit fetus develops? When it’s time for the spirit baby to be born, does it just suddenly appear outside Mom’s body with no need for a physical trip down the birth canal? Does the spirit baby need to nurse if it doesn’t have a physical mouth for suckling or a stomach to digest Mom’s milk? How does Mom cuddle her spirit baby if it’s a spirit and she can’t even see it or touch it?
All you gotta do is think for 5 minutes and ask a few questions to realize it’s all a giant steaming pile of gospel doctrine.
The only problem with Outer Darkness, Sam, is that it’s NOT FAR ENOUGH AWAY from all the crazy people who are brainwashed to automatically believe whatever the Spiritual Dwarf Geezers tell them.
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LOL. Don’t you know the men don’t need the sisters to create life? Males made the heaven and the earth without women. For goodness sake, men made Adam without a woman. And then, with Adam’s help, they made Eve. I’m sure it’s the same with spirit babies. We women will just be a part of our husband’s harem and then, in our spare time, we’ll staff the nursery.
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Ari,
We actually do not have to rely on con-artist brain farts for “information” on what life is like in the Spirit Realm.
Enough people have “been to” the Spirit Dimension and returned and reported … to paint a fairly consistent picture of how it all really works. If you read Michael Newton and Garnet Schulhauser, you might almost feel like you’ve been there yourself.
Here are some of my takeaways from what I have read (and very much enjoyed reading):
☼ Reincarnation happens. This is a no-brainer. This concept was surgically removed from Christianity early on. Why? If you believe you only get one lifetime to secure your place in heaven, you are way easier to control … by your church leaders… who are literally selling Tickets to Heaven.
☼ Gender can and does change from one lifetime to another. Our Spirit Entity is not gender-specific. We incarnate as male sometimes and female other times. And probably straight, gay, trans, etc. other times. This makes total sense if the goal is to learn and grow to the maximum. Experiencing life as both genders is extremely educational.
☼ Are families forever? Well, reincarnation redefines what we mean by family. The info I have read suggests we are each part of an enduring Soul Group in the Spirit Realm. This is a relatively small grooup (10-20 Souls) who have been interacting with each other during many, many incarnation with mix and match relationships. The close people in your life may be members of your soul group. This could play out with swapping roles as mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister, wife, husband, lover, business partner, best friend, worst enemy, etc. When members of a soul group experience a variety of different relationship with each other during Earth incarnations, one would expect that you get to know your Soul Group (Spirit Family) way stronger and deeper than experiencing just one lifetime in just one relationship.
☼ Judgment? After we die, our soul entity goes before a Council of Elders aka advanced souls who are wiser and more spiritually mature. We get a chance to review our freshly-completed lifetime and pretty much make our own evaluation of how we did … positive and/or not so impressive. It’s all in an atmosphere of love and acceptance … as opposed to criticism and reward/punishment. There is a Plan of Eternal Progression, but the real one is way kinder and gentler than the Santa Claus reward system … heaven and hell model.
☼ The Spirit Realm is a beautiful, wonderful, awe-inspiring environment. Although it’s non-physical, everything looks and feels like the most beautiful places on Earth with similar interactions with other spirit beings who can assume whatever form and appearance that suits them … or just remain as an intelligent cloud of energy and consciousness … not limited by any particularly form or appearance. Garnet Schulhauser’s descriptions of his Astral visits to the Spirit Realm with his guide, Albert, is an exciting adventure. Even if it’s all BS, it’s positive BS that makes your outlook on life way healthier and encouraging.
There is a problem when you allow this information into your psyche. You soon realize that LAST thing you need in your life is some goddamned church shackling a ball and chain around both of your ankles … and then offering to SELL you the key to unlock your shackles..
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Sam
Here is what I’ve always held onto as taught since the early days of the church’s foundation. Per Joseph Smith “There is never a time when the spirit is too old to approach God. All are within the reach of pardoning mercy, who have not committed the unpardonable sin.” It provides hope to me and direction to when i feel distant. It teaches me to never treat others for less than they are, if God can forgive them at some point, shouldn’t I as well? Above all God is just and merciful, this is the Lord’s teaching in his church despite of how we may interpret others sayings or their perspective of the severity of being separated from His church. Love you Sam, above all God and your family loves you.
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This is the best graphic representation of multi-level marketing I have ever seen (And we all know how they all turn out for the average joes).
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I know it’s difficult Sam, but try to rest easy, (I know that’s easy to say, I do so well most of the time, but then occasionally I get a wee bit maudlin about leaving the one major constant in my life and what I’ve chosen to “give up” when I left) . You are of good heart and with pure intentions. I do not for one minute believe that a loving heavenly Father would banish you to the outer edges of darkness for picking up the gauntlet for such a noble cause, to speak for those who have no voice. But, let’s say you are banished to outer darkness….. I’d be proud to stand beside you, because that’s where a lot of us will be for wanting to see positive changes made from within the church. Continue to breathe fire Sam! Yours is a righteous endeavor!
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Cleansing The Temple
by Malcolm Guite
Come to your Temple here with liberation
And overturn these tables of exchange
Restore in me my lost imagination
Begin in me for good, the pure change.
Come as you came, an infant with your mother,
That innocence may cleanse and claim this ground
Come as you came, a boy who sought his father
With questions asked and certain answers found,
Come as you came this day, a man in anger
Unleash the lash that drives a pathway through
Face down for me the fear the shame the danger
Teach me again to whom my love is due.
Break down in me the barricades of death
And tear the veil in two with your last breath.
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And remember, as I told you already, the real reason why Joan of Arc was put to death by her own church.
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Sam,
Well said, sir! Where I am now, the good news is that you don’t have to worry about any of this since it is all made up! As part of my journey, I have truly been able to find peace and solace in that the only thing in the world that is really important is in doing good to and for all humanity that lives now, today, and not rely on some idea that my life continues beyond the grave. I know that many may not think that a person can truly not believe in god, and not fear death. But I am confident and happy in my life now, and that I can make small but meaningful differences that can lift and bring goodness to others. My life is now lived with a strong desire to live better and be better, not because a god or a church threatened me, but because I am just one of billions on this planet, and for us to survive, I need to be acting in a way to facilitate all of our success. When I take my last breath, I will be glad for all that I had and lived through, and will truly be able to rest in peace.
So Sam, that is why I admire you, you are doing the right thing, right now and for the right reasons. Revel in the fact that you ARE making a positive difference, regardless of some group saying, no, you’re forever out. Continue with this quest, as it can help potentially millions of young people to not have to endure the pain and stain of abuse.
If there is a god or higher power, and if he/she/it/them are capable of knowing and understanding all, I trust that approval will be given you based on your work.
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Reblogged this on CFS-ME-River's-Edge and commented:
This is why the Mormon Church is harmful. One of the many reasons.
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Sam,
I am aware of you and your cause as I follow events surrounding Mormonism. I resigned years ago because I studied numerous books by respected authors that convinced me that Mormonism, regardless of the good it may do, isn’t the true church as it claims and at least for me, the truth matters. During my exit process I discovered that neither my bishop nor stake president had any real knowledge of the problems surrounding the church’s truth claims. I only bring this up because I don’t know what you current state of belief/non-belief is. Leaving is much easier once one realizes it isn’t the one and only true church it claims to be. If you are currently struggling with these things I recommend that you familiarize yourself about the problems with the foundational claims. A good place to begin is CES LETTER or listen to John Dehlins “Mormon Stories” interview with Jeremy Runnells.
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Sam, I’m not sure where you get the idea that your excommunication will be your undoing unto eternal damnation. Remember, you weren’t excommunicated for your passion to protect children, it was for your public outcry and distaste for church leaders.
If we define your character in your standing with the Lord it’s hard to say, only you and the Lord know that. That said, it doesn’t help your cause to make light of the Lord’s annointed. In the end it’s whose side you end up on. Right now, according to my view, you are fence sitting between the adversary and the Lord. Choose wisely.
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They anointed themselves, Robert. They anoint each other.
Making light of doofuses who anoint themselves is a good idea … seems to me.
Sam was excommunicated for disobedience … for not asking “How high?”
He was also excommunicated for shining a light in dark places.
Ignores orders; shines bright light on our hiding places. Makes us look bad on TV. Not good. He’s gotta go.
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Sam was excommunicated because of his dislike and complete disregard for church leadership. His pride now prevents him from an easy road to repentance and may end up being a thorn that ferments and corrupts the whole soul.
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TBM here. But here’s what I believe.
Spencer W Kimball was God’s chosen Prophet, 33 + YEARS ago. I have never and will never sustain him as a prophet, seer, and revelator. One of the advantages to being a Millennial.
His words about it being better to die than be excommunicated, I believe very strongly that he was speaking personally, and so would I if I said so myself. But I don’t know the quote or all the contexts.
From what I have always heard, it is nearly impossible to get to Outer Darkness. You basically have to “look at the sun at noon day and say that there is no sun”. Would have to know with 100 percent certainty of the truthfulness of the gospel, including personal visitation from the Savior Himself, and basically crucify the Savior all over again in your heart. I believe at best there are only thousands of people on the Earth today that even qualify. And no I am NOT just talking about members of the Church here.
Sam, remember this, Prophet does not = God. Nowhere close. Much less for Bishops and Stake Presidents. I think that as long as your heart is pure/in the right place, things will be well for you. Especially if you keep your focus on Jesus Christ and do what He would have you do.
I also am well aware of challenges as an active and faithful member of the Church. The Gospel is perfect, the Church is not. There is a process involved in promoting change, you’re doing it in your own way. I’m doing it in mine. I think both methods are ultimately needed though.
Also, the scriptures I mentioned the other day were really eye opening to me. It’s interesting, after being a baptized member now for almost 27 years, how the scriptures can just suddenly click and make sense.
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Sam, I understand you better now that I’ve had the opportunity to hear you explain yourself on Mormon Stories interview. I support the law of “common consent” because it helps to restore a degree of agency to the individual. I also applaud your advocacy of frank and open communication on controversial matters. I appreciate you for your courage to speak up and establish a new precedence that should have been practiced from the beginning,
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Thanks my friend!
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The god I was raised to believe in loves all of his children. He couldn’t cast you away, you are a champion of our earthly children.
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It’s almost like you are quoting straight from the Book of Mormon:
Alma 1:4 “And he also testified unto the people that all mankind should be saved at the last day, and that they need not fear nor tremble, but that they might lift up their heads and rejoice; for the Lord had created all men, and had also redeemed all men; and, in the end, all men should have eternal life.”
Too bad this wasn’t something taught by Christ or his prophets but by a false prophet Nehor…..
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I guess it’s probably OK to quote the Book of Mormon … and also OK to quote Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland, Dr. Seuss and Star Wars.
And Porky Pig and Deputy Dawg and Wily Coyote.
And me … it’s OK to quote me as well.
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Porky Pig. Ha!
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Bicketta Bicketta … That’s All Folks!
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Question for BruceR or HughN:
What is the difference between a false prophet who never existed and a true prophet who never existed?
PS – There’s nobody left standing who is willing to answer the tough questions without flinching.
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“if we go to hell, we will turn the devils out of doors and make a heaven of it. Where this people are, there is good society.”
The key to make a heaven is, that we walk with God and the light of Christ (our conscience), rather than with the human who do not walk with God nor the light of Christ.
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My new religion (since 2005) teaches me that we are judged by our “actions” not our beliefs. So, ultimately, in the eternal round of things, it does NOT MATTER one iota if Joseph Smith was a true Prophet, false prophet, etc. We all have God (spirit) within us, and Satan (ego) within us. Every choice every moment of every day, we “choose” between God (spirit/conscience) or Satan (ego/self). Does not matter if we are Mormon, Muslim, Christian, Atheist, Agnostic, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, or we worship a yellow dog. Makes no difference. Each time we choose to follow God (spirit) we reject Satan (ego) and vice-versa. We are “judged” by those daily choices. “IF” the Church helps you be a better person (i.e. make more God choices rather than Satan choices), then that’s a GOOD thing. I’ve known very good people, and very bad people, as active Mormons, and everything in between. For some people, the Church helps them be good. For others, the Church does NOT good at all for them, because they keep choosing the follow their Ego instead of their Spirit. For some, Church does a lot of good. For others, the Church doesn’t seem to do them any good, because they are very wicked and choose “ego” most of the time.
Again, ultimately, if my new religion is true, then it does not really matter. Certainly, I’ve known “good” people who smoked and were inactive, and WICKED/EVIL people who went to Church every Sunday and to the Temple often. Ultimately, we are all “judged” by our KARMA, nothing else. If Joseph Smith says “Do good to others” and you follow that, you’ll be rewarded. Joseph Smith will be rewarded for his good deeds (and he did have them), and punished for his bad deeds: as will we all. Equally.
The Church does NOT emphasize truly “good deeds” like it should. The Church emphasizes rituals, and meetings, and paying money to the Church, which the Church uses to “invest” mostly, in the stock market, and buildings. But NOT orphanages, and homes for widows in poor countries (where the government does not care for orphans and widows). The Church uses tithing mostly to INVEST to make more money, so that it can INVEST that to make more money, so that it can INVEST that to make more money, and build glorious temples, with Italian crystal and marble, and expensive woods, with expensive rugs and furniture, and the blood-relatives of top Church leaders are the suppliers of these expensive items. Very little, painfully little, goes to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, educated poor Bolivian children who can’t go to school because their poor Mormon parents can’t afford the expensive books and uniforms.
Logical: Joseph Smith was a fraud, but that does not mean all who claim prophecy are frauds.
Illogical: Joseph smith was a fraud, so all who claim to be prophets must also be frauds.
Logical: the God of the Old Testament is cruel, so, Jehovah can be cruel when He wants to be (i.e. karma is a universal principle that negative actions will eventually bring upon us as a person, nation, or race, equally negative reactions).
Illogical: the God of the Old Testament is cruel, so, he cannot exist because we all know that no “cruel” God or gods can exist.
Logical: Because Mormonism is false, it DOES NOT mean all religions are false.
Illogical: Mormonism is a lie, so all religions must also be a lie.
Choose God (spirit/conscience) over Satan (ego/self).
Choose logic over illogic.
WHY I LEFT THE MORMON CHURCH: http://daheshism.webs.com/000MISSION.htm
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Dear Darirck (not a typo?),
Thanks for a thoughtful post … and for mentioning Logical Fallacies … upon which Mormonism is founded, btw.
It’s popular to bash “ego” as all bad … but therein lies another logical fallacy … All or Nothing Thinking.
Ego is not intrinsically bad news. As humans, we each need our egos including a critical mass of self-interest to survive, if not thrive.
Taking care of self is a prerequisite to caring for others.
“Put on your own oxygen mask before helping others put on their mask.”
Of course … (and what you meant) … is that focusing excessively on ego interests to the exclusion of loving and caring for others is … not much of a worthy pursuit.
When it comes to CVTLB Core Values To Live By, it’s hard to top the Golden Rule. I like to restate it thusly:
Treat and respect others as you would appreciate being treated and respected if your roles were reversed.
The other core value that’s universally ignored … especially by Mormons and Christians … has become the national pastime of Mormons and Christians:
Judge not.
Mormons and Christians go to church to sharpen up on a long list of judgment fodder … and most are not afraid to put it to good use.
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“If God is wiser that we His judgement must differ from ours on many things, and not least on good and evil. What seems to us good may therefore not be good in His eyes, and what seems to us evil may not be evil.”
CS Lewis
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Nathan,
Thanks for posting the wisdom of CSL. I think sexual behavior is one area where religions have gone totally overboard on guilting and shaming … obviously low-hanging fruit as a very effective mind control measure.
As long as partipants (love my honest typo there … hilarious!) are mature enough to defend against undue influence (aka sexual predators) … then consenting “adults” should be at liberty to do whatever with whomever as long as nobody is harmed against their will.
Cheating on one’s spouse or committed partner will usually flunk the Golden Rule test and very likely trigger some apparently-needed Karmic re-education at some point.
IMO, we humans are here on the planet to learn and grow from our experiences of pleasure, pain, happy, sad, rich, poor, good, bad. If we had it together enough to never make a suboptimal behavior choice, then why go to the bother of incarnating?
Children need both guidance and protection with sexual behaviors …. to avoid fucking up their lives before they have a clue.
TBMs of all ages are children … not yet grown up and released on their own recognizance … always dependent on Tabernacle Training Wheels for the big decisions with someone in a nice suit living on a modest stipend running your life for you … not to mention monitoring your underpants 24/7.
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