Joseph Smith-Questions and concerns

[searchingfortruth]

Originally Posted by john doe

So..... you're not LDS, yet you put that down as your religion? Why, may I ask, did you choose to do that? Did you think you would gain legitimacy in discussion by putting that in there?


Also as a warning, I gotta say, your last line there signals to me and others a lot about what your agenda here might be. It sends up all kinds of red flags to moderators when someone comes in and starts talking about bombs and flames and bashing and debating right from the start. Generally their time here does not end well or last long. I hope you prove me wrong, and you will get your chance to do so, but so far I am not impressed.

ok so my line about debating was me trying to be respectful. I have family that is ridiculously ultra-sensitive when it comes to someone asking about their religion. They immediately think you're coming against them or you're anti-mormon. So that, my friend, was meant with respect.

also...i just created my profile. I will change my religion promptly. did not realize that as an option. must have overlooked it.

it seems that a lot of people in LDS are a bit sensitive. i would think that if someone was searching for truth in the only true church...you would be a bit more welcoming instead of throwing out a warning to them.

ban me if you're "not impressed." i'll search for truth elsewhere if thats the case.

[searchingfortruth]

Originally Posted by slamjet

How long you been sober?

i've been sober for 6 years now. God is good!

[searchingfortruth]

Originally Posted by tubaloth

That leads to the next question. How is God and Jesus Christ a part of your life?

Let me answer that more from my point of view. The simple answer is through Revelation. Part of God's Plan (we call it the Plan of Salvation) is that God speaks to prophets. This is how scriptures come to be. Would God not keep speaking to his prophets? (Amos 3:7).

God wants to tell his children how to return to him. (Yes return). God knows the world doesn't stay the same. God knows that his Children need revelation to fit with how the world changes. This is why a prophet is necessary.

How do we know a prophet is a true prophet? How do we know that Moses, or Abraham, or Peter or Paul were prophets. We do it by following what they taught. We take our faith in God (that he love us, and sent us prophets) and we follow there teachings. The same holds true today. Joseph Smith brought forth the Book of Mormon. Is the Book of Mormon true?

Pres. Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today. If we listen and follow the prophet and apostles
October 2010 General Conference Sessions

We can know through the Holy Ghost that there words are true. We can know by the Holy Ghost that God does love us and sends prophets today, and keeps giving us guidance and revelation.

thanks so much for your response. a lot of that does make sense, big time!

here's my question though. NT people like Peter, Paul, etc are different when referring to OT prophets. Peter and Paul taught truth. They preached Jesus and his teachings. If that is what the LDS means as to a prophet...weren't there more than one prophet in the NT?

if there was more than one... (peter, paul, luke, john, etc.) why must there be just 1 today?

just a curious thought

[searchingfortruth]

(for the mods)

and FYI...check my profile. My religion is set to CHRISTIAN now, for those of you that were really concerned.

also I want to say this. I've stumbled upon a lot of information on this site. things like if you reveal certain things to me then my blood will be on your hands if I don't accept the church.

so you might wanna think twice before banning me!

can you tell the mod upset me a bit???

[beefche]

Well, this mod may upset you as well. This forum is here to answer sincere questions. The experience we have had as moderators is that some come in "sheep's clothing"--and these deceptive ones often appear alike in many ways. Your post was alike those type of people; hence the warning from john doe.

Be respectful and you will receive respect in return. But remember, the internet is hard to interpret tone--so what you might consider to be respectful sounds less so to others. Your post, while you may intended as respectful, did not come off that way.

And this most recent post of yours in borderline on respectful. Your blood is no more on my hands than mine is on yours for being disrespectful. Threats to moderators regarding banning someone isn't taken very well.

Continue posting with respect and if you have issue with a particular moderator or a post, then report it with that little red triangle in the corner---that is the proper way to report something.

[Just_A_Guy]

Originally Posted by Elphaba

JAG, I'm confused by this. Would you please explain it further?

Elph

I guess, to put it another way: I don't see the role of LDS apologetics (including, but not limited to, history) as being to "prove" Mormonism true. I see it as simply showing that Mormonism cannot be proved untrue, and thereby leaving the seeker open-minded enough to hear whatever God Himself has to say about Mormonism.

Does that make sense?

[Palerider]

My concern is this...that there seem to be a lot of things concerning Joseph Smith that doesn't exactly reflect his status as a prophet.


Question....what should or how should someone live that is a prophet???
guidlines????

[slamjet]

Originally Posted by searchingfortruth

i've been sober for 6 years now. God is good!

I ask because in my experience, those who are sober for a few years or under are very heavily into praising God out in the open. They're on a "sobriety high" for lack of a better word. They do this because they're overcoming such a strong pull with their addiction that they need this to balance out the overwhelming tempation that's out to ruin their sobriety.

After a few years, they tend to come down to a balance between God and life. In other words, they become more practical and balanced in their language and actions on the way they approach and interact with God and other people.

You don't seem to have that balance as of yet. So either you are still heavily struggling, or you are not sober as long as you say. Just my observation from experience.

[bytor2112]

Originally Posted by searchingfortruth

i've been sober for 6 years now. God is good!

Me too.

[bytor2112]

also I want to say this. I've stumbled upon a lot of information on this site. things like if you reveal certain things to me then my blood will be on your hands if I don't accept the church.

Huh?