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What I like...They are very good at multilevel marketing...
Yeah, but nobody makes any money off of the deal -- not even those at the top.
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What I don't like...No coffee or cola!
Personally, I can't stand coffee, so that part doesn't bother me. Colas aren't forbidden, by the way. I almost single-handedly keep the Coca-Cola Company in business.
Bobbb, I generally agree with you. The Book of Mormon is not any crazier than the other literature you mentioned. You're on the right track about me, although 'atheist' would be a little strong. I would really like to know one thing, however: have Mormon theologians figured out exactly where in Arkansas the Garden of Eden was located?
Well then it sounds like you ARE being consistent.
I've found that the most strident atheists are often former fundamentalist literalists who actually READ the bible,couldn't reconcile parts of it with science or common sense or figure out a way to make contridictions not be, and 'threw the baby out with the bathwater'.I'm not saying this applies to you,but i'm trying to make a point about me.
I was never a biblical literalist,and rejected much of fundamentalist belief while still a kid attending a fundamentalist baptist school.I was never an atheist but I never attended any church much as an adult before joining the lds in my mid 40s.I wasn't 'sucked in' by missionaries either,after years of somewhat casually learning about them I just went to a service one sunday and have been there most sundays since.
Having said that i'm still not a literalist.There are parts of lds theology that make great sense to me...iIf God exists it makes sense to me if we are made in his image he would look like us.While its rarely discussed in the church,it would make sense he has a wife.If he was a 'spirit' there would be no need for a seperate 'holy spirit'.The trinity concept always seemed silly to me.Joseph Smiths story is no weirder than anything that other christians believe.I never thought it would make sense that a loving God would send us here and then condemn 90% of his 'children' to eternal hellfire just because they didn't get the message right in this life....in the lds view you will get the chance to 'get it right' when its a little clearer and almost no one will be cast out.I can see this life being a test.The eternal progression concept makes sense to me.I could go on....
I don't fit a lot of peoples concept of what a mormon is.My ward seems quite happy to have me though.I seem to get along fine with other lds on this board.On a couple lds oriented boards a few 'worthier than thou' get into it with me but thats ok,every group has their jerks.Despite some peoples ideas to the contrary;every speech,comment,thought,or postcard ever concieved by a church leader isnt doctrine,much is speculation.The church president can be wrong about some things.We are encouraged to think for ourselves.You don't have to be a literalist,but some are.Evolution needn't be inconsistent with Gods existence.Mormons can be a lot more varied in belief then some give us credit for.
As to your question about the garden of eden.....I believe its 'supposed' to be in missouri and as I recall Joseph Smith identified where he thought it was,they built a town there before being run out of the state.I don't concern myself much with such superfulous issues......either do most lds
Personally, I can't stand coffee, so that part doesn't bother me. Colas aren't forbidden, by the way. I almost single-handedly keep the Coca-Cola Company in business.
Despite some peoples ideas to the contrary;every speech,comment,thought,or postcard ever concieved by a church leader isnt doctrine,much is speculation.The church president can be wrong about some things.We are encouraged to think for ourselves.
Along these lines, I once heard something that really cracked me up: In Catholicism, the Pope's infallible, but nobody believes it. In Mormonism, the Prophet's fallible, but nobody believes it.
Along these lines, I once heard something that really cracked me up: In Catholicism, the Pope's infallible, but nobody believes it. In Mormonism, the Prophet's fallible, but nobody believes it.
Another thing I like about mormons.....most have a pretty great sense of humor!
Yeah, but nobody makes any money off of the deal -- not even those at the top.
[/mod] deleted [/mod] There is nothing modest about the salaries the folks at the top get and the share of the money each of them get from the businesses owned by corporation of the president of the church.
To begin to learn a little more about that, read the thoroughly researched and well cited work by, former history professor at BYU, D. Michael Quinn, "The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power".
Moderator cut: Orphaned There is nothing modest about the salaries the folks at the top get and the share of the money each of them get from the businesses owned by corporation of the president of the church.
To begin to learn a little more about that, read the thoroughly researched and well cited work by, former history professor at BYU, D. Michael Quinn, "The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power".
Much as you'd like to think so, Hueff, Michael Quinn is not privy to the salaries or other income of the General Authorities. He simply isn't. Nobody knows what the General Authorities are worth. Michael Quinn is no exception. Most of the General Authorities were very successful in their careers and astute investors before being called to the Church heirarchy. I mean you've got a renouned heart surgeon, a supreme court justice, a university president, etc. They weren't exactly poverty-stricken, uneducated men. Heck, I've even lived in the same neighborhoods as a couple of them, and I can assure you my husband and I aren't filthy rich by any stretch of the imagination. Most of them are well off, but they were well off before becoming General Authorities, and their incomes certainly can't be even remotely compared to some of those TV evangelists who get rich off of the people who contribute to their churches.
Take Boyd K. Packer. He has been a church employee most of his adult life, starting a seminary teacher, and as you know they don't make a lot of money, yet, he lives in this extravagant home.
And, if you are so sure that no one knows whether the head honchos make a lot of money from their church, then you can't claim what you did to Irish, "Yeah, but nobody makes any money off of the deal -- not even those at the top."
Please do not post if you cannot respond to both questions. Let's see if we can keep this thread open for more than a couple of hours.
1. Name one thing you like about Mormons or admire about their religion.
2. Name one thing you dislike about Mormons or object to concerning their religion.
1. All of the Mormons I've ever met (and I don't know a whole lot of them) have been genuinely nice, peaceful people.
2. They believe that theirs is the only true form of Christianity, which is, of course, not peculiar to the LDS church.
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