The Official "Ask A Mormon" Thread

[cowhide]

My parents are both Mormon also. I've been in wards (congregations) where most of the members' parents were also Mormon, and I've been in wards where the majority of the members were 1st generation converts to the church. So it just depends.

I think geography has something to do with this. In high populated mormon states you have more of a generation thing whereas in less populated states it is more likely members are converts.

 

[♪alt13]

It all depends on who you believe God is. I believe in the a Heaven Father married to a Heavenly Mother. I am one of their spirit children. Part of temple marriage is that is a step to trying to be more like God. So how can something help bring you closer to God if it fundamentally different-- Father Mother vs same sex marriage.

I don't believe in god but my brother is LDS. The rationale that he gives for the AA priesthood thing is that god was always cool with blacks but the priesthood and the people in the church were not listening. That is they had not opened their hearts or souls or minds or whatever so that they could hear the "truth". I find it hard to believe that if the priesthood declared homosexuality ok that mormons would lose their faith en mass. I think that most would pray about it and have a similar view as they do now about the churches past positions on race.

 

[moevillini]

People who want to believe in something can always find a rationale that allows them to keep believing what they want to believe.

 

[Nightmare]

People who want to believe in something can always find a rationale that allows them to keep believing what they want to believe.

I am torn on this. Sometimes I think that people just lie to themselves knowingly but really don't believe in it. An example is people who get mad at others for not following their religion or breaking a rule in their religion. If the person who drew a picture of Muhammad was so in the wrong isn't eternity in hell enough? If giving money to religious institutions will bless your money with 10 fold money back what an investment! I can become a multi millionaire in no time.

 

[TroutBum]

People who want to believe in something can always find a rationale that allows them to keep believing what they want to believe.

Ain't that the truth. All the proof you need is in youtube "conspiracy" videos. (I freaking love those things, tbh)

I am torn on this. Sometimes I think that people just lie to themselves knowingly but really don't believe in it. An example is people who get mad at others for not following their religion or breaking a rule in their religion. If the person who drew a picture of Muhammad was so in the wrong isn't eternity in hell enough? If giving money to religious institutions will bless your money with 10 fold money back what an investment! I can become a multi millionaire in no time.

Anything is possible. On the flip side, I keep trying to figure out ways to get out of church because it's boring, I hate paying tithing, I hate teaching, I hate this, that, and the other thing. I love to lie to myself about how I don't need church or how the idea of it just doesn't jive with what my brain tells me should be true. The only problem is, every other time I try to get out, something happens where I say, "Damn, that makes a lot of sense" and the idea of getting out is preposterous. I have no beef with people who leave the LDS church, nor do I have beef with any other religion. It ain't for everyone.

 

[scootsy]

I don't believe in god but my brother is LDS. The rationale that he gives for the AA priesthood thing is that god was always cool with blacks but the priesthood and the people in the church were not listening. That is they had not opened their hearts or souls or minds or whatever so that they could hear the "truth". I find it hard to believe that if the priesthood declared homosexuality ok that mormons would lose their faith en mass. I think that most would pray about it and have a similar view as they do now about the churches past positions on race.

IMO Brigham Young was just racist and taking the Priesthood away from blacks was actually wrong/not spiritually justified.

 

[scootsy]

Ooops. Was that evil-speaking of an anointed one? But I forgot, a living prophet always supersedes a dead one.

 

[Gameface]

I think the responses show a HUGE shift in thinking. I chose Elder Christofferson because he has a brother who is an amazing LDS church goer. Homosexuality is his only sin that keeps him from temple blessings.

Once upon a time, it was taught as doctrine that AA would never receive the priesthood (even though now the church denies it was taught as doctrine). Times changed, liberal ideals crept into the youth of the church. That youth grew up, became the leaders, received revelation to grant the priesthood to AA's. Then future leaders were liberalized enough to go back, rewrite history, and say former leaders were not inspired and taught incorrect doctrine.

What makes anyone think that won't happen again, as our future leaders become more and more accepting of the LGBT lifestyle?

And I don't buy the "homosexuality is a sin in the bible so it will never happen" argument.

The Bible says people with darker skins are cursed because of their sins and our church taught because of those sins that warranted the curse, they would not receive the priesthood either.

I know I'm being an ***. Sorry

But this is an example of how man creates God.

Humanity establishes its own morality. Always has, always will.

I'll step out now and feel bad for being a jerk.

 

[Gameface]

IMO Brigham Young was just racist and taking the Priesthood away from blacks was actually wrong/not spiritually justified.

Brigham Young is my father...

 

[scootsy]

Brigham Young is my father...

 

[One Brow]

I can't answer all questions but yes your soul and everyone's soul has a gender.

Since this is a religious discussion, I'll try to say as little as possible.

Gender is far too fluid of a concept to say that an immaterial soul can have a binary gender. There are at least four different ways to define the gender of a person, no two of which have to agree.

 

[TroutBum]

I know I'm being an ***. Sorry

But this is an example of how man creates God.

Humanity establishes its own morality. Always has, always will.

I'll step out now and feel bad for being a jerk.

I didn't think you were being an ***. Of all the religion bashing that goes on around here, you are one of the few who does it in a mostly respectable way. In fact, most people here are pretty respectful with a few minor exceptions. I think it is these types of lively debates that produce the best kind of church-goers, thinkers, and people in general. Knowledge is never a bad thing, imo.

 

[TroutBum]

Since this is a religious discussion, I'll try to say as little as possible.

Gender is far too fluid of a concept to say that an immaterial soul can have a binary gender. There are at least four different ways to define the gender of a person, no two of which have to agree.

Painfully, I have to agree with UniBlow on this one.

 

[green]

I know I'm being an ***. Sorry

But this is an example of how man creates God.

Humanity establishes its own morality. Always has, always will.

I'll step out now and feel bad for being a jerk.

I didn't think that at all.

 

[jimmy eat jazz]

As a non mormon, I don't see how going away, learning how to work, study, and be responsible is handicapping them at all. I know quite a few people who would love to have their freshman year over again.

I left the Mormon church after about 40 years in it. I really dislike intensely everything about the church, including doctrine and culture (people are great on the whole, though), BUT I don't regret for one second serving my two year sentence. On balance, I had a great experience and came back a much more mature young man more focused and motivated, which contributed greatly to the later success I've had in school and in my career. The downside was that it took THAT much longer for me to break programming. The indoctrination one experiences during the mission is intense and unrelenting. If I had it to do all over again, no way in hell I'd do it, but having done it, I don't regret it.

 

[LogGrad98]

Since this is a religious discussion, I'll try to say as little as possible.

Gender is far too fluid of a concept to say that an immaterial soul can have a binary gender. There are at least four different ways to define the gender of a person, no two of which have to agree.

Painfully, I have to agree with UniBlow on this one.

I'm going to have to go ahead and disagree with you both. I can pretend I am not a caucasian male, I can claim that I relate much better as a black female, I can claim that everything I feel tells me I am a black female. But in no way does that mean I am really a black female. These concepts are only "fluid" in the sense that people want to be treated differently than the societal norms for their unalterable physical traits. It does not mean that the absolutes of gender are truly fluid.

 

[jimmy eat jazz]

I'm going to have to go ahead and disagree with you both. I can pretend I am not a caucasian male, I can claim that I relate much better as a black female, I can claim that everything I feel tells me I am a black female. But in no way does that mean I am really a black female. These concepts are only "fluid" in the sense that people want to be treated differently than the societal norms for their unalterable physical traits. It does not mean that the absolutes of gender are truly fluid.

There's a rich scientific literature on this topic arguing/demonstrating the gender is far from a binary concept, in theory and in practice. Yet one more of the many, many ways that religious dogma is failing to keep up with scientific advancement.

 

[moevillini]

Since this is a religious discussion, I'll try to say as little as possible.

Gender is far too fluid of a concept to say that an immaterial soul can have a binary gender. There are at least four different ways to define the gender of a person, no two of which have to agree.

Painfully, I have to agree with UniBlow on this one.

I'm going to have to go ahead and disagree with you both. I can pretend I am not a caucasian male, I can claim that I relate much better as a black female, I can claim that everything I feel tells me I am a black female. But in no way does that mean I am really a black female. These concepts are only "fluid" in the sense that people want to be treated differently than the societal norms for their unalterable physical traits. It does not mean that the absolutes of gender are truly fluid.

And now for the CORRECT answer...



I'm not quite sure what OB means by "fluid" - is it that the definition of "gender" is changing or that a person's self-identity is fluid? Or both - or something else!

If you believe that humans have souls then you can believe that the soul can have a gender if that is how you feel comfortable thinking about it. Perhaps the gender of the soul is the opposite of the gender of the living person. Who really knows?

And is gender really so binary as One Brow seems to think? Why automatically reject the possibility that there could be more than two? There are people whose physical traits are somewhat ambiguous, even at the genetic level.

 

[LogGrad98]

I left the Mormon church after about 40 years in it. I really dislike intensely everything about the church, including doctrine and culture (people are great on the whole, though), BUT I don't regret for one second serving my two year sentence. On balance, I had a great experience and came back a much more mature young man more focused and motivated, which contributed greatly to the later success I've had in school and in my career. The downside was that it took THAT much longer for me to break programming. The indoctrination one experiences during the mission is intense and unrelenting. If I had it to do all over again, no way in hell I'd do it, but having done it, I don't regret it.

I have areas of disagreement with the church, and my belief in God has been wavering for a decade or more now, despite my mission and all that. I would say at this point I am more or less agnostic or at least agnostic-leaning. I am still more or less active in the church, but I simply do not feel anything from it like I did when I was younger or like others claim to do.

I feel good when I get emails from my daughter talking about her mission, and for father's day this year she wrote me a poem that really brought tears to my eyes, but I don't view that as the workings of the "spirit".

After quite a long hiatus (a few years really) my wife and I went back to the temple to be able to escort our daughter through, and then attended several times with her, and I have made a real effort this year in particular to reconnect and see what might be there for me in this religion. But in the temple I really just felt kind of ridiculous. I get that it is all symbolism and I studied it enough earlier in my life that I know what that symbolism for the most part is supposed to be, but in the temple with the clothes on, etc. I just kind of felt silly, and none of it resonated.

I felt like I was there with an open heart, as I had been preparing to help my daughter have a good experience there, which included reading the BoM for the first time in maybe a decade. But all I felt was silly. And frankly I was disappointed that I didn't have the same spiritual experience my wife and daughter obviously did.

Maybe I am just not on the same spiritual plane, or, as the thought that occurred to me in the celestial room in the Salt Lake temple, maybe this is all window-dressing and really is just silly. I honestly don't know, which is why I feel I relate more as an agnostic than anything else right now.

I have had experiences in my life that I cannot explain, and fit religious explanations better than anything else I can imagine. Experiences connected to my cancer, things to do with my kids, and other things that are just too perfect to have been coincidence, including a near-death experience I have spoken of here before. And it is these experiences that I feel I cannot deny, that when I try to deny them I feel just, well, wrong inside, that keep me from leaving it entirely at this point.

Don't know why I went on that ramble, but it feels good getting it out in the open. I cannot talk to my wife about this, or my parents, or my children. I have few friends that get it, and I have broached the subject with a few and all I get is either "yeah get out of that brain-washing thing" or "you just need to pray about it harder" as the standard responses in one form or another.

 

[jimmy eat jazz]

I have areas of disagreement with the church, and my belief in God has been wavering for a decade or more now, despite my mission and all that. I would say at this point I am more or less agnostic or at least agnostic-leaning. I am still more or less active in the church, but I simply do not feel anything from it like I did when I was younger or like others claim to do.

I feel good when I get emails from my daughter talking about her mission, and for father's day this year she wrote me a poem that really brought tears to my eyes, but I don't view that as the workings of the "spirit".

After quite a long hiatus (a few years really) my wife and I went back to the temple to be able to escort our daughter through, and then attended several times with her, and I have made a real effort this year in particular to reconnect and see what might be there for me in this religion. But in the temple I really just felt kind of ridiculous. I get that it is all symbolism and I studied it enough earlier in my life that I know what that symbolism for the most part is supposed to be, but in the temple with the clothes on, etc. I just kind of felt silly, and none of it resonated.

I felt like I was there with an open heart, as I had been preparing to help my daughter have a good experience there, which included reading the BoM for the first time in maybe a decade. But all I felt was silly. And frankly I was disappointed that I didn't have the same spiritual experience my wife and daughter obviously did.

Maybe I am just not on the same spiritual plane, or, as the thought that occurred to me in the celestial room in the Salt Lake temple, maybe this is all window-dressing and really is just silly. I honestly don't know, which is why I feel I relate more as an agnostic than anything else right now.

I have had experiences in my life that I cannot explain, and fit religious explanations better than anything else I can imagine. Experiences connected to my cancer, things to do with my kids, and other things that are just too perfect to have been coincidence, including a near-death experience I have spoken of here before. And it is these experiences that I feel I cannot deny, that when I try to deny them I feel just, well, wrong inside, that keep me from leaving it entirely at this point.

Don't know why I went on that ramble, but it feels good getting it out in the open. I cannot talk to my wife about this, or my parents, or my children. I have few friends that get it, and I have broached the subject with a few and all I get is either "yeah get out of that brain-washing thing" or "you just need to pray about it harder" as the standard responses in one form or another.

Thanks for sharing this. I have profound respect for how different people experience these things differently and for those who find happiness, solace, fulfillment etc. from religion. (Provided, that is, they don't expect others to feel the same way. Once they cross this line, I lose my respect.)

Even when I was a devout believer, I always felt uncomfortable in the temple. If there is anything cult like in the LDS Church, this is certainly it, and when I was in the midst of a ceremony, I felt like a cultist (I really did this is not hindsight). I recall one day I went to the temple hoping to find inspiration to settle my growing doubts about the Church and . . . nothing. There was no inspiration, because, I realized, there was no inspiration to get, it was just a dumb cultish ceremony, nothing more. (That's how I felt, I realize others feel differently, and I'm not suggesting everyone should feel the same.) I never went back.