Familys can be together forever- for Mormons

[PattyPryor]

I always assumed I would see my family in heaven even if I was Mormon or not.

I am not putting down your belief, but Why does one have to be sealed in order to see their family. Why would God limit who other people see. I guess I just don’t understand why there has to be levels to heaven. Even as a Mormon I could never really believe it. In fact it really bothered me I may never see my family again.

 

[Z_Ninja]

I remember in CCD way back when, the question of being with family in heaven was asked. Our instructor told us that of course God would want us to be with all our loved ones in heaven. This was 3rd or 4th grade.

 

[zaffiroborant]

I always assumed I would see my family in heaven even if I was Mormon or not.

I am not putting down your belief, but Why does one have to be sealed in order to see their family. Why would God limit who other people see. I guess I just don’t understand why there has to be levels to heaven. Even as a Mormon I could never really believe it. In fact it really bothered me I may never see my family again.

I always found the Mormon “families can be together forever” thing both completely unworkable and utterly cruel. I can not for the life of me understand why, if you spend just a little bit of time thinking this “doctrine” through to it’s logical conclusion that it has any appeal at all. I spent some time at Faces East reading the posts from faithful TBM’s whose spouses’ had left or even just doubted the LDS church. It is dreadful, truly these women and men live in dread of the future and utter heartbreak now. Their misery is the fruit of this “doctrine”.

 

[Isca]

My late parents weren’t Catholic (I am a very recent middle-aged convert), but I firmly believe that I will see them again. They were kind and selfless people who were devoted to my sister and myself. I listen to our priest talking about his mother who passed away a couple of years ago, and he talks as if she is still alive - it’s just that she is living in Heaven now, so they are separated for a little while.

Love doesn’t die when a person dies, as anyone who has lost a parent or loved one will know. I think the way our priest describes it is a wonderful way to show the ties that bind us to those we will always love, who brought us into this world and who cared for us.

I therefore don’t think the Mormons have it right at all!

 

[lutheran_farmer]

Their doctrine is upside down. Our souls long for God. He is our all in all. Seeing our family in heaven is just a bonus.

 

[PattyPryor]

I remember in CCD way back when, the question of being with family in heaven was asked. Our instructor told us that of course God would want us to be with all our loved ones in heaven. This was 3rd or 4th grade.

This is how I was taught too

 

[CarolNoel]

I always found the Mormon “families can be together forever” thing both completely unworkable and utterly cruel. I can not for the life of me understand why, if you spend just a little bit of time thinking this “doctrine” through to it’s logical conclusion that it has any appeal at all. I spent some time at Faces East reading the posts from faithful TBM’s whose spouses’ had left or even just doubted the LDS church. It is dreadful, truly these women and men live in dread of the future and utter heartbreak now. Their misery is the fruit of this “doctrine”.

I have a very dear 85 year old LDS friend. She married a non LDS who has passed away. She worries all the time about what part of heaven she will be in, and not being recognized. SAD.

 

[JamesCollins]

I always assumed I would see my family in heaven even if I was Mormon or not.

I am not putting down your belief, but Why does one have to be sealed in order to see their family. Why would God limit who other people see. I guess I just don’t understand why there has to be levels to heaven. Even as a Mormon I could never really believe it. In fact it really bothered me I may never see my family again.

Having your family sealed together in the temple and doing temple work is a wonderful business for the LDS Church. You can’t enter the temple to be sealed to your family without giving them 10 percent of your money. If they took the tithing requirement away from temple attendance, their donations would drop like a rock.

Having said that, if you aren’t sealed together as a family Mormons teach there is no guarantee you will be able to live with your family in eternity. You will live single and separately – part of their hell seems to be that you will be all alone forever. Completely alone.

 

[Miriam1947]

When I really think about the Mormon heaven I’m ever so grateful that it isn’t true.

Think about it.

Celestial Kingdom, if you do everything right here on earth you get to be with your family forever.

Really? You have kids and grandkids, you’re sealed in the temple, you die. If you are a woman your husband has to bring you through the veil, and don’t forget your new name because God won’t know who you are. So, your kids are grown and have their own families, kids and grandkids, what’s happening with them?

Are they with you or do they have their own place? And how many wives will my priesthood holder have in the CK? And what about the new planet that you’re working on? Oh and let us not forget all the kids that I as a woman will be giving birth to for eternity.

I don’t know about you but, having kids forever, not my idea of heaven.

And that’s the highest kingdom. Think lower for happiness.

 

[Telstar]

When I really think about the Mormon heaven I’m ever so grateful that it isn’t true.

Think about it.

Celestial Kingdom, if you do everything right here on earth you get to be with your family forever.

Really? You have kids and grandkids, you’re sealed in the temple, you die. If you are a woman your husband has to bring you through the veil, and don’t forget your new name because God won’t know who you are. So, your kids are grown and have their own families, kids and grandkids, what’s happening with them?

Are they with you or do they have their own place? And how many wives will my priesthood holder have in the CK? And what about the new planet that you’re working on? Oh and let us not forget all the kids that I as a woman will be giving birth to for eternity.

I don’t know about you but, having kids forever, not my idea of heaven.

And that’s the highest kingdom. Think lower for happiness.

The whole Mormon idea of Heaven is as bizarre as you can get, but the part in bold red is by far the most absolutely absurd part of it all. God created each and every one of us. Why would anyone ever believe that you had to tell Him your ‘secret name’ so He’d remember who you were? Is the LDS version of ‘god’ senile, or does he just have too many kids to remember who’s who? That just makes God look stupid, and makes no sense to me, whatsoever.

 

[TexanKnight]

To be fair, the “eternal family” is one of the teachings I actually loved. I love my wife more than I ever thought thought I was capable of loving. I want that to last for eternity.

 

[iepuras]

To be fair, the “eternal family” is one of the teachings I actually loved. I love my wife more than I ever thought thought I was capable of loving. I want that to last for eternity.

Admittedly, the “plan of salvation” and the “eternal family” were the most difficult things to give up mentally when I left Mormonism. It’s a nice narrative.

 

[iepuras]

The whole Mormon idea of Heaven is as bizarre as you can get, but the part in bold red is by far the most absolutely absurd part of it all. God created each and every one of us. Why would anyone ever believe that you had to tell Him your ‘secret name’ so He’d remember who you were? Is the LDS version of ‘god’ senile, or does he just have too many kids to remember who’s who? That just makes God look stupid, and makes no sense to me, whatsoever.

When you really think it through, it gets more and more bizarre. Since we all have kids, will we all live in one giant house in the celestial kingdom?

The whole thing about the husband calling his wife by her new name to resurrect her and bring her into heaven worried me. My husband can’t even remember my birthday much less my new name. How was I going to get into the celestial kingdom?

Even with the sealing, there is no guarantee of an eternal family. To have an eternal family, all family members must be good Mormons (either on this side of the veil or the other). Basically, if I do not choose to be a good Mormon, I am rejecting my family. I am, in essence, telling them that I don’t want to be part of the family for eternity. This is the source of my problems with my family. I leave the LDS church and suddenly, in their minds, I don’t want to be a part of the family anymore. I can be a part of the eternal family, so long as I am a good Mormon who tows the line.

 

[Telstar]

To be fair, the “eternal family” is one of the teachings I actually loved. I love my wife more than I ever thought thought I was capable of loving. I want that to last for eternity.

I think that’s one premise that has been promoted from early on for the sole purpose of keeping people in the church. It’s a basic control mechanism. By connecting that kind of loyalty to family with the church’s teachings on heaven, it’s less likely that family members would ever want to leave. Just knowing that leaving the church is like abandoning your family, it makes it easier for the leadership to keep members from wanting to leave, even if they don’t really believe in it. As a result, the church constantly increases it’s membership as the families grow. When you connect the ‘temple ordinances’ regarding ‘special blessings’ for families in good standing, and the requirement for everyone to follow the rules for the ‘temple recommend’ in order to obtain any of those ‘blessings’, then the church has a guaranteed influx of cash from every member’s 10% tithe.

I really feel sorry for LDS that find themselves no longer believing in the ‘theology’ of Mormonism, but feel obligated to stay in the church because of what their leaving would do to their whole family. IMHO, it’s an insidious scheme that was instituted by the early LDS leaders to keep members in line with the church, so they could profit from it. It certainly doesn’t reflect the kinds of things that God would ever ask of anyone. We can never buy our way into Heaven, but that’s exactly what Mormonism seems to promote through this whole ‘temple recommend’ and ordinances required to gain ‘eternal family blessings’ in the ‘celestial kingdom’. It’s like a Ponzi scheme of the absolutely worst kind. It’s self sustaining through the membership’s need to keep a strong connection with their own family, as opposed to having any real connection to the church, or it’s beliefs.

 

[jadamo]

I’ve always heard of the doctrine, “forever families” and being “sealed” in the Temple, but I’ve never really thought about what they believe other Christians believe about heaven. So for those who are LDS or former LDS, what exactly are/were you taught about traditional Christianity in regards to heaven? Do the LDS believe that other Christians believe that we won’t remember our loved ones in heaven? That we won’t be together? How can being “sealed” be any different than being w/loved ones in heaven in traditional Christianity? How is this doctrine such a hook for converts when Christians believe we can still be with out loved ones in heaven?

 

[Telstar]

When you really think it through, it gets more and more bizarre. Since we all have kids, will we all live in one giant house in the celestial kingdom?

The whole thing about the husband calling his wife by her new name to resurrect her and bring her into heaven worried me. My husband can’t even remember my birthday much less my new name. How was I going to get into the celestial kingdom?

Even with the sealing, there is no guarantee of an eternal family. To have an eternal family, all family members must be good Mormons (either on this side of the veil or the other). Basically, if I do not choose to be a good Mormon, I am rejecting my family. I am, in essence, telling them that I don’t want to be part of the family for eternity. This is the source of my problems with my family. I leave the LDS church and suddenly, in their minds, I don’t want to be a part of the family anymore. I can be a part of the eternal family, so long as I am a good Mormon who tows the line.

Exactly! Like I said in my post, above, it’s a control mechanism that was employed by the church leaders, early on, to keep everyone in line. I hate to say it, but I really believe it’s a downright diabolical plan that could never have come from God. It’s very sad to hear so many stories of how those of you that have left are treated by your own families, that should always love you, unconditionally. The only thing I can see from that, is that Mormonism promotes hatred within its own families.

Whenever a Catholic falls away from the faith, or leaves the Church for another, his/her family lovingly prays for them to come back. But, they are never shunned as if they didn’t exist. I just can’t fathom how anyone could ever do something like that to any family member. That’s a sign of a complete lack of love, coming from people that are supposed to be ‘all about the family’! It’s just not logical. It’s certainly not what you would expect from people that believe in a loving God.

 

[TexanKnight]

I think that’s one premise that has been promoted from early on for the sole purpose of keeping people in the church. It’s a basic control mechanism. By connecting that kind of loyalty to family with the church’s teachings on heaven, it’s less likely that family members would ever want to leave. Just knowing that leaving the church is like abandoning your family, it makes it easier for the leadership to keep members from wanting to leave, even if they don’t really believe in it. As a result, the church constantly increases it’s membership as the families grow. When you connect the ‘temple ordinances’ regarding ‘special blessings’ for families in good standing, and the requirement for everyone to follow the rules for the ‘temple recommend’ in order to obtain any of those ‘blessings’, then the church has a guaranteed influx of cash from every member’s 10% tithe.

I really feel sorry for LDS that find themselves no longer believing in the ‘theology’ of Mormonism, but feel obligated to stay in the church because of what their leaving would do to their whole family. IMHO, it’s an insidious scheme that was instituted by the early LDS leaders to keep members in line with the church, so they could profit from it. It certainly doesn’t reflect the kinds of things that God would ever ask of anyone. We can never buy our way into Heaven, but that’s exactly what Mormonism seems to promote through this whole ‘temple recommend’ and ordinances required to gain ‘eternal family blessings’ in the ‘celestial kingdom’. It’s like a Ponzi scheme of the absolutely worst kind. It’s self sustaining through the membership’s need to keep a strong connection with their own family, as opposed to having any real connection to the church, or it’s beliefs.

As LDS, I never had that fear or felt bad. I just knew that God gave me a gift…my wife. And it never occurred to me that God would, after letting me love and be loved by her, take her away from me.

 

[Telstar]

As LDS, I never had that fear or felt bad. I just knew that God gave me a gift…my wife. And it never occurred to me that God would, after letting me love and be loved by her, take her away from me.

Maybe your being a convert had something to do with your lack of fear, or it might have just been your complete trust that God would never allow that to happen. I would think people that are born into the church, with their whole family being members, might have more fear of that kind of thing happening, and a much more difficult time leaving because of that. I’m glad it wasn’t as much of an issue for you, anyway.

 

[PattyPryor]

I have heard stories of people who were fearful of leaving since their family line was in line with very famous Mormons who knew Brigham Young and Joseph Smith.

 

[Chris-WA]

If a Mormon asks me if I believe that families can be together forever, I would say “Yes, of course, but not for the reasons you believe and not in the way you believe.” I would explain that God is our true Father, and heaven is our true home, and because we all have the same Father every human being in heaven is therefore my brother or sister, even more so than my own family here on Earth. There are no divisions of families in heaven as there are here. There is only one family–God’s family. And I don’t need to be ‘sealed’ to be with any of them, because there is no such thing as sealing to begin with.