Christians: Get your LDS Questions answered here!!

[dojilynn]

The reason I asked my original question about the atonement of Jesus being sufficient for the forgiveness of all sins was due to a friend's personal experience. She is LDS and was recently divorced and then she slept with her neighbor. She told her Bishop and he gave her a book to read (not sure of the content of the book), and it seems there was a certain amount of time that had to pass before she could partake of sacrament again. My other LDS friend told me that Jesus' sacrifice was not enough to cover all sins and other things are required (like what the Bishop was having the other friend do).

Are they portraying LDS teaching correctly, or did I misunderstand what they were trying to explain to me?

[SergeantL]

Originally Posted by dojilynn

The reason I asked my original question about the atonement of Jesus being sufficient for the forgiveness of all sins was due to a friend's personal experience. She is LDS and was recently divorced and then she slept with her neighbor. She told her Bishop and he gave her a book to read (not sure of the content of the book), and it seems there was a certain amount of time that had to pass before she could partake of sacrament again. My other LDS friend told me that Jesus' sacrifice was not enough to cover all sins and other things are required (like what the Bishop was having the other friend do).

Are they portraying LDS teaching correctly, or did I misunderstand what they were trying to explain to me?

I would like to first discuss murder. Murder—defined as the premeditated, willful, and malicious killing of another—is one of those sins in LDS doctrine that may or may not be forgivable. I am not talking about executions, warfare, or killing in defense of life or liberty. If it is not forgivable, persons who commit murder will have to personally pay for their sin in Hell. To clarify, Hell is not a permanent place, according LDS doctrine, and it is not a place where the flesh is burned by brimstone but not consumed; however, it is a place where one suffers horrible mental anguish, which as we know can cause physical symptoms.

Next, forgiveness of any sin is not unconditional. One must be sorry for what they have done, ask for forgiveness, and avoid committing the sin again. Yes, people have relapses, and yes, those too can be forgiven. Some sins are of such a serious nature, such as adultery and fornication, that the process of forgiveness involves a Bishop or higher ecclesiastical authority. No, neither person has the power to forgive the transgressor, but they are obligated to lead the transgressor through an appropriate process of repentance. No, there is no standard process; it all depends on the transgressor.

Depending on various conditions, some transgressors can be disfellowshiped or excommunicated from the Church. This always involves a serious transgression and the transgressor, because of his or her status in the Church, should have absolutely known better. Disfellowshiped means the transgressor losses Church privileges, but is still a member of the Church until such time as all rights and privileges are restored by an ecclesiastical leader. Again, the leader is NOT forgiving the transgressor; only Christ has the power to forgive. Excommunication is where the transgressor losses both his or her membership in the Church as well as all rights and privileges. Excommunicated members can be restored to full membership after a period of repentance.

I would now like to address the Thief on the Cross. The thief that Christ promised would be in Paradise did in fact go to Paradise, but Paradise according to LDS doctrine is not Heaven. Paradise is a temporary place before the final judgment and resurrection.

Finally, I would suspect that the book your friend was given to read was the Miracle of Forgiveness, by Spencer W. Kimball, the 12th President of the LDS Church.

[dojilynn]

Thank you for explaining, Sarge. It was always something I wondered about and you shed some light on it.

Thanks.

[imbobbbb]

what'church privledges' do the disfellowshiped lose?do they still attend?tithe?

[SergeantL]

Originally Posted by imbobbbb

what'church privledges' do the disfellowshiped lose?do they still attend?tithe?

They may not hold a Church calling of any kind, offer public prayer, attend the Temple, or partake of the Sacrament. They may pay tithe and offerings. Any member, whether disfellowshiped or excommunicated, is encouraged to attend all church meetings; it is part of the repentance process.

[akm4]

SO, as a visiting Methodist, I was correct to pass on taking communion?

[coolcats]

Originally Posted by akm4

SO, as a visiting Methodist, I was correct to pass on taking communion?

Yes. The sacrament (communion) is a renewal of the promises members made when they were baptized into the Church. If you haven’t been baptized, there is nothing to renew. No one would stop you or be shocked if you did take it, however.