Do you think you are helping anyone? (Mormons, LDS, hell)

[Miss Hepburn]

Funny question, huh?
Maybe that is what you want ...maybe you never thought about it...I dunno.
I am almost cursed with an in-born nature to teach.
Hahahahha. ...not everyone appreciates that ...lemme tellya!

[RainMusic]

I know I am helping a number of people..., not by anything I say, but by some things I do for them that they cannot at this time do for themselves.

[gabfest]

I joined the forums to help myself. I wanted to ask questions and learn about various world religions. Unfortunately, there's very little diversity here as far as world religions. And most religions are labeled harmful. So instead of religious diversity, it seems the goal is more of a homogenous/cookie-cutter view; thus the desire for adults to teach other adults out of their worldviews.

So what if someone believes Hell is a literal place? Most of the people who believe Hell is a literal place are trying to avoid going, not wasting time hoping others will go. The only people I've ever heard wish others to Hell were in incidences of exes, serial killers, child molesters etc., but just because someone wishes one way or another that doesn't make it so.
Some posters may think suppressing conversations and/or shaming posters online is teaching but the ideology behind the post is still out there and it's a missed opportunity to learn. There was a poster here a while back named YeshuaSavedMe. She believed the sun was electric, Adam was white and Eve was black. She could articulate her views very well and was quite cordial; however, she was ridiculed unmercifully. The point being, one should expect various worldviews on a public forum and perhaps resist our ego's urge to hang a (expert/teach/psychiatric) shingle.

One of the reasons I'm open to diversity is because it is said after age 35 were pretty cemented into our ways and I don't want to be that guy.

[Free4you]

Little by little.

[Miss Hepburn]

Thanks guys.

[Meerkat2]

Originally Posted by gabfest

I joined the forums to help myself. I wanted to ask questions and learn about various world religions. Unfortunately, there's very little diversity here as far as world religions. And most religions are labeled harmful. So instead of religious diversity, it seems the goal is more of a homogenous/cookie-cutter view; thus the desire for adults to teach other adults out of their worldviews.

So what if someone believes Hell is a literal place? Most of the people who believe Hell is a literal place are trying to avoid going, not wasting time hoping others will go. The only people I've ever heard others wish to Hell were: exes, serial killers, child molesters etc., but just because someone wishes one way or another that doesn't make it so.
Some posters may think suppressing conversations and/or shaming posters online is teaching but the ideology behind the post is still there and it's a missed opportunity to learn. There was a poster here a while back named YeshuaSavedMe. She believed the sun was electric, Adam was white and Eve was black. She could articulate her views very well and was quite cordial; however, she ridiculed unmercifully. The point being, one should expect various worldviews on a public forum and perhaps resist our ego's urge to hang a (teach)shingle.

One of the reasons I'm open to diversity is because it is said after age 35 were pretty cemented into our ways and I don't want to be that guy.

This is the Christianity forum so any discussion needs to relate to the Old and new testaments as that’s where Christianity comes from.

You can still learn by researching the scriptures that people quote, I would suggest don’t pay attention and don’t react to things that don’t interest you. Take charge, ask the questions you want answers to.

I’ve learnt that most if not all people have a mix of beliefs based on truth, half truth and make believe (myself included)

[TroutDude]

I've helped and been helped by many people online. In the past 20 years online I've helped inexperienced writers get published. More experienced writers have helped me. Based on rep comments, DMs, and most importantly, lasting RL friendships that have developed over the years, I know words on a message board have a ripple effect that can travel far and affect many.

[Tzaphkiel]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Funny question, huh?
Maybe that is what you want ...maybe you never thought about it...I dunno.
I am almost cursed with an in-born nature to teach.
Hahahahha. ...not everyone appreciates that ...lemme tellya!

How is that "a curse" to "teach" ?

[RainMusic]

I think it is better, or more helpful to DO and not SAY the will of God, but of course on a discussion forum, we are here to talk about the things of God and hopefully to learn. There is nothing wrong with teaching things so long as you do not desire to be a personal guru (Jesus warned us about those types) and we have some of those confused gurus who post here,, not you, Miss Hepburn.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Funny question, huh?
Maybe that is what you want ...maybe you never thought about it...I dunno.
I am almost cursed with an in-born nature to teach.
Hahahahha. ...not everyone appreciates that ...lemme tellya!

Honestly, until I started teaching out at the Salt Lake City metropolitan jail, I'd have had to say, "Not really." It was getting so that I dreaded Sundays. I was continuing to attend church, but mostly so that my husband wouldn't have to go alone, (and maybe a little bit because I felt like that's where I should be on Sundays -- though I didn't really think God would care all that much if I didn't go). I often taught in the women's auxiliary (it's called the Relief Society); the main purpose of that organization is supposed to be one of service. I never really felt that I fit in, though. I thought I gave good lessons, but very often I suspected that some of my ideas were too left-wing for a lot of the other ladies. I taught crazy stuff like the importance of loving everyone -- people who have made bad life choices, people of different faiths, people of different cultures, and our LGBT brothers and sisters. Don't get me wrong. In theory, my church has always taught this as a ideal. But I think maybe it's just that it's hard for some people to step outside their comfort zone and actually put our money where our mouths are. I pushed for that a lot, and sometimes I felt a really awkward, strained feeling in the room, like I was pushing the boundaries. In short, I was still a believer, but was struggling greatly to continue in church activity.

Finally, I started praying about it. For months and months, I'd ask God every day to help me find a place in my church where I could make a different, where I could find peace with how I felt as a Latter-day Saint in a church where I so often felt like a square peg whose edges had been blunted by trying so hard to fit in a round hole. And finally God answered my prayers: He sent me to jail!!!!

Today was out sixth week there. It was our second week on our own. The subject of the lesson (which we taught twice, to two different groups of men) was the Atonement. We had previously been told that we'd be teaching in maximum security today. In max, we just go cell to cell and meet with anyone who wants to listen to a couple of elderly Mormons talk. There are no bars, just a tempered glass door. There is enough space between the door and the wall that we can converse with the inmate. Since we anticipate visiting perhaps a half dozen men in an hour, we just prepare a very abbreviated lesson. We mostly just chat with them about whatever they want to talk about and then leave a brief spiritual message with them. Since we knew we weren't going to have to "teach" in the conventional sense for fifty minutes or so, we were pretty lax about preparing anything.

Well, we got there today and were told that our assignments had changed. We'd be teaching once in medium security and once in minimum. Both times, we'd be in a classroom session, with as many men as wanted to meet with us. When the warden announced that LDS services were about to begin, just two men in medium security joined us. I was kind of bummed out at the lack of interest, but we sat down with them and offered them a message of hope. One of the two inmates gave an opening prayer and the other gave a closing prayer at the end of our visit. We talked about the Atonement of Jesus Christ for forty-five minutes. Both of them shared their thoughts on what the Atonement meant to them, and I hope we left them with some new thoughts to mull over in their minds. By the end of the lesson, both of them were wiping tears from their eyes and the one was having trouble talking without becoming too emotional (which I suspect is not the cool thing to do when in jail). My husband offered at the end of the lesson to give each of them a priesthood blessing, which he did. They were both clearly touched.

We had about ten men in our second class, including some who did not have an LDS background. Several of them asked questions, and we let those who wanted to offer advice to the others have the opportunity to do so. Near the end of our lesson, one of the inmates thanked us profusely for having given of our time. Several others also told us how much our visit had meant to them. The thing is, their thanks was genuine. There was no perfunctory, "Great lesson" like I would occasionally hear when I'd teach in Relief Society. They were sincerely grateful and I can only hope that they felt it was time out of their day that was well-spent.

As for whether I'm helping anyone on the City-Data religion or Christianity forums, well... that's another matter entirely. But one way or the other, they're not even going to try to get rid of me at the jail for another three years, and if I end up leaving City-Data, it won't be by my own choice. It will be because I've lost my cool one too many times and said something to get myself banned. Barring that, you'll all be hearing me preach LDS Christianity for a long time to come, whether it does any good or not!