Preface: A friend of mine started an interesting facebook discussion the other day, and it got me thinking about this. It is not my intention to offend or criticize anyone's beliefs. More often then not - about 98% of the time- religious discussions with my friends outside of my faith reveal several misconceptions about "Mormonism." That in mind, I recognize that the following may be misguided or inaccurate ideas I have about Christian faiths outside of my own. The information/ knowledge I have of the Doctrines taught by other Christian faiths is a conglomerate of many, many religious discussions with many, many people over my life.
#1. The Trinity. They say that God the Father, His Son, and The Holy Ghost are one in the same being. Jesus came to earth, was given a body, and makes references to His Father in Heaven. To my mind that indicates a second being, separate from Him. Later, He was resurrected. He took His body up again. He had his followers "handle me and see" He declared it "Flesh and bone." He ate. Later, He ascended into Heaven, still in His body. I just don't understand how the idea that The Trinity is one being, one spiritual being at that makes any sense.
#2. The being Saved thing confuses me. As it has been explained to me, all a person really has to do is verbally accept Jesus as their Savior and then they are good to go. That somehow saying it is all that is really necessary for Salvation. Never mind repentance, continued repentance, followed by obedience and devotion and a Christ-like life.
#3. That people who were not baptized while they lived are heading to Hell. There have been billions of people on this Earth, and probably more of them that not never had the opportunity to even know about Christ. How is that fair that they should be eternally damned because of the time or place they were born? Also, I just don't understand how babies and children taken from this Earth without baptism would be sent to Hell. I just can't wrap my head around such an unjust, unmerciful God. They were His children too, how could he do that? It makes no sense to me. None at all.
#4. The "Till death do you part." thing. For me to be married to a man I love, and raise a family with him, and spend a lifetime together, only to have all of that joy -all of that work- taken from me when I die, equally makes no sense to me. I would feel cheated and robbed. It would be cruel, and I don't believe God to be cruel.
So, there you go. If I wasn't a Mormon -those would be the main points of mainstream Christian Doctrines to which I'd be saying: Yeah. I don't believe it. Thanks, but no thanks. Have a nice life.
Please feel free to make comments, but let's all remember that we can politely agree to disagree.
5 comments:
My grandpa was Jehovah Witness, his sister died and he just couldn't accept that he would never see her again, or that they weren't going to be a family forever. When he found the LDS church, that was the part that he was looking for.
I agree on the whole "grace" is all you need (#2), it doesn't make sense to me. So a serial killer can believe Christ is their Savior, and get into heaven? What about "Faith without works is dead"? What do people say about that?
I really don't understand why people don't make a bigger deal about the "til death do you part", I would think that would be really upsetting. Although, I do think people probably feel like in heaven they *will* be together, otherwise it wouldn't be heaven right?
Anyway, I hope I don't sound offensive or judgmental, just some thoughts I've had as well. :)
I wonder if the "til death do we part" thing is a factor in why traditional marriage is so unpopular these days. I mean, obviously it's an incredibly selfish gesture to not get married and provide a home for children, but the way you put that comment made me wonder if people who aren't LDS are turned off by that phrase and don't want to commit...
I've always thought 'till death do you part' made a marriage - the best thing in the World (and sometimes hard) - sound like a prison sentence. Or is that just me? Haha.
I honestly believe that people don't think that far ahead into their own lives, let alone an eternity. In Scotland it always seems to be a major turning point when people learn that families can be together for an eternity - and a lot of people just haven't thought that far ahead. I think I would feel cheated not to spend my after life with my spouse.
I agree with all that you have said. I can remember early in my life probably teen-age years when some of us start to question things we have been taught, I wondered why some religions always teach that God is someone to be afraid of. I was always taught he is a loving God. So to always live in fear would be paralyzing to me. Also knowing about repentance has always been a comfort to me. Faith without works is dead. I think people don't know what that means or chose to ignore it. Thanks for giving us food for thought. I always enjoy your posts.
All of those points are ones that have left me scratching my head as well. An argument that my husband gives (re: #2) is, Satan believes in Christ and knows that He is the savior of the world. Yet, he will not be saved. Some food for thought for those out there who believe that all you have to do is believe.
Another argument that I've posed to friends of different faiths is, "what are your views on prophets?" I mean, God gave us the Old Testament before Christ came to the earth. There were prophets then. Christ came, gave His gospel & the prophets taught that gospel. what about now? Is God so uncaring that He wouldn't give us latter-day prophets and guidance? what made those former generations so special and us so unspecial that we wouldn't be allowed prophets? (I'm just glad we DO have them.)
I've said a lot - and I Blurk a lot on your blog. But this one is a passionate topic for me, so here I am - showing myself to you. :)
Love the blog.
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