A Mormon new to the website

  • Thread starter Thread starter joeyjjam
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

joeyjjam

Guest
Hey guys, I’m new to your website. It’s interesting. It’s always fun to share ideas, beliefs, etc…

I think it is wonderful anytime someone tries to follow the teachings of our Lord, Jesus Christ—regardless of religion. I believe that after birth our purpose is to learn of Him and follow Him. “[He is] the way, the truth, and the light” If everyone in this world would just follow His ways, then wouldn’t life be so much greater?

Being an ‘active Mormon’, I’m embarrased to read the responses of some of my fellow Mormons. I hate to see so much bickering.

Personally, I follow the LDS faith because it helps me draw closer to the Lord. We all have a spiritual relationship with our Heavenly Father. We are all His children, regardless of what we believe. He wants the best for all of us because He loves us with a perfect love. He cares about our progression here on earth. I believe He wants all of us to return to Him after this life. Therefore, He urges us along. I think He inspires us to do what is right and to follow the example that His Son lived while on earth. All of us can build this relationship with Him. Like the rest of you, I have felt when God speaks to me. I know what it feels like to feel the truth. I have felt this feeling in a Baptist Church, a Catholic Church, and a LDS Church. I believe that this communication with God can be felt anytime the truth is present— there is much truth in pretty much all religions. It is up to us to recognize truth when it is before us.

Now with that said, I believe that the way we strengthen our individual relationship with God is by following those feelings we feel while learning of Him. I believe that our response to those feelings is what we are judged by in the end. God knows what He has shared with us individually. He knows when we recognize His Spirit speaking to our spirit. And most of us know what is feels like when we feel urged by Him to do something.

So do I believe that the Book of Mormon is a true book of God? Yes. Just as I believe that the Bible is a true of God. I don’t have to be ‘Mormon’ or ‘Catholic’ to know this. I feel like I know this because of the confirmations, thousands of them, that I have felt while studying them. Now, if I were of another faith and 2 Mormon missionaries presented these teachings to me, and I did not feel any need whatsoever to study these teachings, then I am doing what is right for me at that time. But if there is part of me that is intriged to learn more, I better be sure that it is only curiosity that I am feeling and not the Lord urging me to learn from these missionaries before I decline such teachings.

I believe that the LDS teachings are true. I believe that it was God’s way to call Joseph Smith to be a prophet in the 1800’s. I believe in the words of Paul when he said ‘by their fruits’ you will know them’ when describing how to stay clear of false prophets. What are the fruits of the LDS church? Well, I can go on and on to answer that question.

Check yourself. Just as I will check myself. Do I understand when God speaks to me? And do I follow those feelings? To me, that is what it is all about.

If you got this far on my blog, thank you for letting me share my take to you. God Bless all of us as we try to follow Him.

Joe Clements
 
40.png
joeyjjam:
Hey guys, I’m new to your website. It’s interesting. It’s always fun to share ideas, beliefs, etc…

I think it is wonderful anytime someone tries to follow the teachings of our Lord, Jesus Christ—regardless of religion. I believe that after birth our purpose is to learn of Him and follow Him. “[He is] the way, the truth, and the light” If everyone in this world would just follow His ways, then wouldn’t life be so much greater?

Being an ‘active Mormon’, I’m embarrased to read the responses of some of my fellow Mormons. I hate to see so much bickering.

Personally, I follow the LDS faith because it helps me draw closer to the Lord. We all have a spiritual relationship with our Heavenly Father. We are all His children, regardless of what we believe. He wants the best for all of us because He loves us with a perfect love. He cares about our progression here on earth. I believe He wants all of us to return to Him after this life. Therefore, He urges us along. I think He inspires us to do what is right and to follow the example that His Son lived while on earth. All of us can build this relationship with Him. Like the rest of you, I have felt when God speaks to me. I know what it feels like to feel the truth. I have felt this feeling in a Baptist Church, a Catholic Church, and a LDS Church. I believe that this communication with God can be felt anytime the truth is present— there is much truth in pretty much all religions. It is up to us to recognize truth when it is before us.

Now with that said, I believe that the way we strengthen our individual relationship with God is by following those feelings we feel while learning of Him. I believe that our response to those feelings is what we are judged by in the end. God knows what He has shared with us individually. He knows when we recognize His Spirit speaking to our spirit. And most of us know what is feels like when we feel urged by Him to do something.

So do I believe that the Book of Mormon is a true book of God? Yes. Just as I believe that the Bible is a true of God. I don’t have to be ‘Mormon’ or ‘Catholic’ to know this. I feel like I know this because of the confirmations, thousands of them, that I have felt while studying them. Now, if I were of another faith and 2 Mormon missionaries presented these teachings to me, and I did not feel any need whatsoever to study these teachings, then I am doing what is right for me at that time. But if there is part of me that is intriged to learn more, I better be sure that it is only curiosity that I am feeling and not the Lord urging me to learn from these missionaries before I decline such teachings.

I believe that the LDS teachings are true. I believe that it was God’s way to call Joseph Smith to be a prophet in the 1800’s. I believe in the words of Paul when he said ‘by their fruits’ you will know them’ when describing how to stay clear of false prophets. What are the fruits of the LDS church? Well, I can go on and on to answer that question.

Check yourself. Just as I will check myself. Do I understand when God speaks to me? And do I follow those feelings? To me, that is what it is all about.

If you got this far on my blog, thank you for letting me share my take to you. God Bless all of us as we try to follow Him.

Joe Clements
Click to expand...
Joe, thanks for the nice post, and welcome to the forums. I agree that we need to follow Christ. I know that because you are LDS the concept of following “feelings” has been stressed to you as long as you’ve been Mormon. This is not a universally accepted way of confirming truth, however, and I would caution you not to rely too much on feelings. For me, it has to be the complete package. Faith and reason, my heart and my intellect. It all needs to fit together. You see, feelings can arise for many reasons, and from many sources, and we always need to measure them against what scripture and the church teaches. Many people have “felt” their way into untruth, and gotten into serious trouble.
 
40.png
Chris-WA:
Many people have “felt” their way into untruth, and gotten into serious trouble.
Click to expand...
I agree. While there are many testimonies of feeling (mine included) there still has to be active intellect to discern. I, too have found a strong emphasis in LDS on feelings. I am a feeler myself so I can understand the draw to it. There are many who are deep intellects, yet will still fall back on feeling as the final discernment step. I have found in my path in Catholicism that my feelings led me somewhere but my intellect decided, not the other way around.

Welcome to the boards joeyjam! I hope we get to share a lot.
 
Welcome to the CAF! An exchange of ideas of different beliefs is always beneficial. Hope you can learn more about your faith here, along with the Catholic Faith, and have an open mind and open heart when you participate in the discussions. Some of the things here will probably be challenging to you, but we try our hardest to respond with charity and understanding.

Peace!
Tonks40 🙂

BTW - I’m very emotional, too, when it comes to my faith - found myself crying during the Liturgy of the Eucharist again!
 
Welcome Joey,

I trust you’ll find a pleasant welcome here. Of late, there’s been a bit of testiness on both sides of the divide, somewhat enabled by the fact that my computer has had a few problems and kept me off-line a lot this past week.

But, I’m back now and will be looking for a lot more charity and civility than has been the case of late. So, hopefully, you’ll be one of the recipients of the goodwill that I’m determined to see spread about in here.

Joe
 
Hmmmnnn. Interesting. :tiphat: Welcome.
Of late, there’s been a bit of testiness on both sides of the divide
Click to expand...
I’m probably one of the testiest of the Catholics, but I have reason. I do try hard to spread
charity and civility
Click to expand...
but there are times when it gets difficult.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top