Questions of faith/truth

[Daermon]

Please forgive me if I unknowingly post something that is considered taboo, or some kind of question that nobody asks because it's considered inappropriate, I mean no disrespect of any kind, and only wish to find some answers. I have not had contact with anyone from the church in a couple years, but some of the things I learned/discovered last time I did, still intrigue me, and I don't think I will ever be satisfied, or be able to move on until I find some decent answers. Please correct me if I am blatantly wrong, or don't have the complete truth, I ask based upon what I know, believe, or have been told. I don't know if there are any rules regarding who can know what, or anything like that, so if I do something wrong, please delete this thread and at least let me know what I did wrong. If any of this seems a bit far fetched, I apologize, I just need some answers, or some direction.

I was beginning to attend church again, and was spending some time asking questions to my bishop, and some of the things he and I discussed seem almost, contradictory, or even blasphemous to some of the main teachings and whatnot.

I asked him several questions relating to our main purpose in life, and why we were being 'tested' or 'prepared'. I told him, I wasn't going to accept that all those who 'pass' are going to live for eternity in bliss, and that God only wanted to spend eternity with the righteous of us. I don't believe that God would spend the time, energy, resources, effort on testing us, just to hang out with us at the end. Could he be preparing us for an even greater task? If so, why the need to overcome evil, desire, sin, unless there is that same, if not greater evils in the next task?

I asked him, why in my scriptures is there a copy of some papyrus showing something called Kolob, something about a governing body. Why would there be a need for a governing body? What the primary function of a government is?

I asked him why the devil, satan, adversary continues to go against God? I told him I wasn't going to accept a scripted 'misery loves company' answer, and that any being surviving thousands of years has by now amassed enough knowledge to understand that he has no power over God, and is destined to failure.

I asked him if God had parents.

Bare in mind, that it has been a couple years, so some of the things I remember him saying may be out of context. He told me, that not many people are going to end up in "outer darkness", and that who is to say another being won't use satan in the same regard that our God did. As per the reason of life questions, I remember what he said quite clearly, "isn't that a scary thought, that there could be a being of power similar or equal to that of our God, that is evil?"

Some of the things we discussed, while not confusing for me, seemed rather, well, like something I was maybe not yet ready for. I ceased going to church, and asking questions to him and the institute teacher, because I was afraid I was coming back to the church for the wrong reason. I didn't want to come back if I was only doing it for entertainment, as in, I find this sort of thing fascinating.

There is much more I would learn, but I want to do it for the right reasons, and no matter how much I pray to find out if God even exists, I get no answers that I can understand. Can anyone assist me?

[glow_inthe_dark_girl]

You have the right to ask whatever you want, but if you really are looking for answers in religion, you must first answer a basic question: do you have faith? if you don't none of the answers given to you will satisfy you.
First, we don´t know all purposes of our Heavenly Father, there are some things that havent been revealed, in Isaiah, the Lord is talking to him saying that his ways are not our ways, that means that sometimes we have another vision of things...
There might be some other purposes of our eternal life, but if we want to find out we must live righteous to be worthy of it.

If G-d has parents,.. No offense, but I dont think nobody will answer that, if you are in the line of atheism, there is a question they allways do.: prove me that Gods exist, well, I have faith and I say: I Will prove you that if you prove me that He doesn't exist. Is a question similar to the one: which came first the egg or the chicken? so we cant answer How G-d was created...

[Misshalfway]

Let me ask you a question. What kind of answers do you want? Ones that satisfy intellectual curiousity OR spiritual answers that give peace and direction to ones life?

[DigitalShadow]

Originally Posted by Misshalfway

Let me ask you a question. What kind of answers do you want? Ones that satisfy intellectual curiousity OR spiritual answers that give peace and direction to ones life?

Shouldn't a "correct" answer do both?

[Hemidakota]

I asked him several questions relating to our main purpose in life, and why we were being 'tested' or 'prepared'. I told him, I wasn't going to accept that all those who 'pass' are going to live for eternity in bliss, and that God only wanted to spend eternity with the righteous of us. I don't believe that God would spend the time, energy, resources, effort on testing us, just to hang out with us at the end. Could he be preparing us for an even greater task? If so, why the need to overcome evil, desire, sin, unless there is that same, if not greater evils in the next task?

What is the goal any child when operating a family run business? The child takes over the family run business and operates it in the same fashion. There is no other clear message than we are tested for that very reason – to step into our Heavenly Parents shoes and be given the same opportunity as they did from there parents. In order to do so, this position has enormous responsibility since creation is at your finger tips and by mere words, the Intelligences will obey thy command. Have you noticed these Intelligences give ‘honor’ to GOD? Why? There is no allowance any sin or disposition of evil within HIS resurrected body. HE must also be ‘all knowing” or have the capacity of knowledge for that sphere. Now, what do you think happens to the FATHER after we begin our journey like HIM? Does not GOD have a FATHER also?

I asked him, why in my scriptures is there a copy of some papyrus showing something called Kolob, something about a governing body. Why would there be a need for a governing body? What the primary function of a government is?

Why not? Everything in this universe is governed. There are laws apply everywhere you go. If not, there is chaos. All Intelligences are governed from the lesser to the highest order. Apply the principle of non-government to our own nation and tell me what will happen within a few short years…  GOD is not the author of Celestial laws since they were before HIS spiritual birth but there is something above HIM that governs our own FATHER.

I asked him why the devil, satan, adversary continues to go against God? I told him I wasn't going to accept a scripted 'misery loves company' answer, and that any being surviving thousands of years has by now amassed enough knowledge to understand that he has no power over God, and is destined to failure.

Arrogance and jealously is the key… Something we have seen in this world. Nothing changes. How many times have you witnessed this in the Book of Mormon where the Nephites rebelled openly and after being refused fought against the servants of GOD?

I asked him if God had parents.

Yes! Now that being said, you have the opportunity to seek a first hand experience if you are spiritual mature enough to accept it.

Bare in mind, that it has been a couple years, so some of the things I remember him saying may be out of context. He told me, that not many people are going to end up in "outer darkness", and that who is to say another being won't use satan in the same regard that our God did. As per the reason of life questions, I remember what he said quite clearly, "isn't that a scary thought, that there could be a being of power similar or equal to that of our God, that is evil?"

That is incorrect statement. Being casted out into chaos or outer-darkness is the end means of any individual after their fate is complete. What transpire after that is not to be discussed since most of the world is not ready to receive it. In the end, there is no reuse of a direct spirit called Lucifer or any Satan[s] of any world for another earth.

Some of the things we discussed, while not confusing for me, seemed rather, well, like something I was maybe not yet ready for. I ceased going to church, and asking questions to him and the institute teacher, because I was afraid I was coming back to the church for the wrong reason. I didn't want to come back if I was only doing it for entertainment, as in, I find this sort of thing fascinating.

This is what I find disturbing. If a Bishop did not answer your questions and you decided to not go and attend your meetings, do you really expect GOD to answer any of those questions – directly to you? I think you know the answer to this one. You have not even ‘scratched the surface’ of those mysteries that are hid from the world and the church as a collected. Only those who are accepted as members of the Church of the First Born are privilege to this knowledge. Even Abraham only touched it very lightly of the order within our own galaxy and seen a lot more than what was given in the Pearl of Great Price. Imagine in seeing a world being born! Or looking upon the Intelligences and their previous life form previously before given a human created spirit body.

There is much more I would learn, but I want to do it for the right reasons, and no matter how much I pray to find out if God even exists, I get no answers that I can understand. Can anyone assist me?

How often have you sincerely prayed for a vocal answer whether or not, GOD organized this church as HIS very own and chosen Joseph Smith as his dispensational prophet? How often you prayed daily with questions, tears of gratitude, or have you even walked down the same path as those who received such enlightenment? Are so committed that your will is the FATHER’s will? If you are not receiving what those others had, there is something wrong in your life that is not in harmony with the Godhead. I had witnessed even GA’s, Stake Presidents, Bishops, who have yet, reached the point of receiving the Second Comforter for one reason or another. All men are given this opportunity but only a few will receive it.

[Daermon]

So I need to practice faith, in order to receive it? I'll not allow myself to fall into a trap, and let myself believe in something my emotions tell me should be. I would prefer to have all knowledge to what I am pledging myself, so that I may make informed decisions, instead of realizing only after I have committed myself that there were unintended promises, or decisions made.

Please understand, there is much I question about everything, not just the church and the faith of it's members. I am not trying to deny anything, but I need more than I have received.

Religion is a difficult thing for me to open up to, for a few reasons.
1. I have lived in the United States my entire life, and my parent's raised me attending the church. If you go to a store, you'll find many items with a cross on it, or spiritual post cards, or bibles. If you open your wallet, your money will say "In God We Trust" on it. Everywhere you look you'll find reference to a singular deity, an all knowing God. Our entire lives we have had the idea of a single God blasted upon us, and it causes me to wonder if that is the truth. I rarely take anything anybody says as truth unless I can verify it by other means, why would I do so with religion?
2. With religion, and especially in the LDS church, you are supposed to feel the spirit guiding you. You pray, and the spirit tells you. You're about to do something wrong, the spirit warns you. You need direction, the spirit guides you. NOBODY has ever told me, how exactly the spirit affects you. Is it a certain muscle in the stomach that lets you know you've been contacted? Is it, an overly devine voice in your head that is clearly not your own? Is it a shaking, trembling experience? What am I supposed to feel? If you tell me I will know when it happens, I'll not take that as a correct answer. The reason being, if you want anything enough, and the only way you'll know it's happened is by an unexpected emotion, or feeling, then you are going to get it no matter what. I'll not suddenly have a testimony because my stomach cramped while I was praying, or that I feel like I did something wrong when I sin.
3. History shows us how the masses have been swayed to do almost anything based solely upon religious command. What that tells me, is that people are easily convinced of anything, and most are incapable of original ideas, or clearly individual thinking.

I don't need a vocal response from God, I need an understanding however. If I need to find this, by learning everything ahead of time, how is that any less effective, or sincere than blindly following the word of another person?

[Hemidakota]

The term religion is only a word that the world describes us but for me, it is the way of life.

Why not ask for a vocal response?

[Daermon]

Does anyone receive a vocal response?

[winterstar]

Originally Posted by Daermon

Does anyone receive a vocal response?

Yes. I know it has happened, and the person was allowed to share that he received his answer by visit of an angel, and a few things. But some things he was commanded to not share.

And you know what, but doing what he was counseled, a mighty miracle unfolded. And I am sure to this day, still unfolding.

This happened in my own family.

[winterstar]

Originally Posted by Daermon

So I need to practice faith, in order to receive it? I'll not allow myself to fall into a trap, and let myself believe in something my emotions tell me should be. I would prefer to have all knowledge to what I am pledging myself, so that I may make informed decisions, instead of realizing only after I have committed myself that there were unintended promises, or decisions made.

Please understand, there is much I question about everything, not just the church and the faith of it's members. I am not trying to deny anything, but I need more than I have received.

Religion is a difficult thing for me to open up to, for a few reasons.
1. I have lived in the United States my entire life, and my parent's raised me attending the church. If you go to a store, you'll find many items with a cross on it, or spiritual post cards, or bibles. If you open your wallet, your money will say "In God We Trust" on it. Everywhere you look you'll find reference to a singular deity, an all knowing God. Our entire lives we have had the idea of a single God blasted upon us, and it causes me to wonder if that is the truth. I rarely take anything anybody says as truth unless I can verify it by other means, why would I do so with religion?
2. With religion, and especially in the LDS church, you are supposed to feel the spirit guiding you. You pray, and the spirit tells you. You're about to do something wrong, the spirit warns you. You need direction, the spirit guides you. NOBODY has ever told me, how exactly the spirit affects you. Is it a certain muscle in the stomach that lets you know you've been contacted? Is it, an overly devine voice in your head that is clearly not your own? Is it a shaking, trembling experience? What am I supposed to feel? If you tell me I will know when it happens, I'll not take that as a correct answer. The reason being, if you want anything enough, and the only way you'll know it's happened is by an unexpected emotion, or feeling, then you are going to get it no matter what. I'll not suddenly have a testimony because my stomach cramped while I was praying, or that I feel like I did something wrong when I sin.
3. History shows us how the masses have been swayed to do almost anything based solely upon religious command. What that tells me, is that people are easily convinced of anything, and most are incapable of original ideas, or clearly individual thinking.

I don't need a vocal response from God, I need an understanding however. If I need to find this, by learning everything ahead of time, how is that any less effective, or sincere than blindly following the word of another person?

There's a scripture that after the test of faith, you'll come to know. (Can anybody help with that one?)

How you feel the spirit prompting you is different from person to person, and event to event. It can be soo small that you might not know what it was.

History also shows how evil can teach the masses (by way of the children) and corrupt generations. (Think of Germany, and the rise of Hitler.)

It seems to me, that you want to find a reason to NOT believe.