I'm LDS....let's learn from eachother.....

[LaMar]

There’s that lack of Mormon orthodoxy again…get that fixed yet TOmNossor? Seems every Mormon is making up their own religion on the spot, inside the office of their ecclesiastical leaders.

Mormonism is, at its best, a very wide tent, and nobody really knows where the walls are.

We need more thinkers in our church, we need more intellectuals, and we need more people who can criticize and take criticism.

What we don’t need is more true believers, people who think they are the possessors of the “one true way”, or people who imagine themselves to be better than people of other faiths.

 

[LaMar]

I am a little familiar with Habermas and I know of what you speak.
I am also quite aware that in the pews with me are folks who believe in very different ways than I do. This is also fine with me.
I believe there is truth and there is error and it is not all subjective. I suspect I am significantly closer to the “simple minded” apologist in your book. This does not preclude me from seeing beauty in the Catholic Church. And whatever your view of Whyme is, he sees so much beauty in Catholicism he partakes of aspects that I as a LDS do not think I should. And yet I applaud Whyme in his exploration even if he ultimately is some kind of life-long straddler. We must all be true to the light God shines into our hearts.
So while I am a big tent fellow, I do believe that one should not pee in ones tent. Todd Compton’s book IMO is not peeing in the tent. Some of your stuff is IMO. That being said, you are the experienced member and I am the convert so I cannot fathom you will place a lot of stock in my thoughts.
Charity, TOm

Of course I appreciate your opinions.

Whyme has no opinions that s/he has come to on his/her own. This character represents a huge and very vocal minority in the LDS church, who prefer to get their latest opinions from those who tell him or her what to think and do.

While I don’t know Whyme personally, every Mormon knows the type well enough, and they present a real problem to the church. We can’t just let them go, because sometimes they cause trouble when they run around loose. It’s better to keep them in, pacify them with some harmless dogma, and let them crusade against all the perceived enemies of the church on our watch. If whyme wasn’t here, s/he might latch on to her local racist group or some dangerous cult and cause us all trouble.

Do us all a favor and don’t join that crew. We need intelligent people, people with good ethics (their own internal liahonas) who can act as individuals, not more members of the mindless hive. They’re a dime a dozen, and never in demand.

 

[RebeccaJ]

Mormonism is, at its best, a very wide tent, and nobody really knows where the walls are.

We need more thinkers in our church, we need more intellectuals, and we need more people who can criticize and take criticism.

What we don’t need is more true believers, people who think they are the possessors of the “one true way”, or people who imagine themselves to be better than people of other faiths.

How long are you going to believe this fantasy of a “better Mormonism”? It is never going to happen.

The thinkers and intellectuals are all at BYU, devoting their lives to an effort at debunking Christianity.

Human classifications of in-group and out-group will exist, forever and always. It is basic human nature, Sociology 101. That is never going away.

 

[majick275]

I think “new order mormons” are the superminority within the LDs church BUT… they seem to be growing. most of them seem to side with LaMar on doctrine, authority, etc.

I do believe that I saw in my time (as a BIC) a difference in how converts were treated and acted vs. BIC. There is IMO an even bigger difference between utah/mormon corridor mormons and those “in the mission field”. (i mean the US mission field, there’s an even bigger difference in the foreign church) I have also seen mormon “royalty” but that is usually such a small number as to have little impact.

while we are dealing with “mocking” and such. I would like an LDS to explain how the nicene and apostles creeds are abominations in the sight of God.

 

[TOmNossor]

Mormonism is, at its best, a very wide tent, and nobody really knows where the walls are.

We need more thinkers in our church, we need more intellectuals, and we need more people who can criticize and take criticism.

What we don’t need is more true believers, people who think they are the possessors of the “one true way”, or people who imagine themselves to be better than people of other faiths.
Good golly, we agreed on a tent thing!!!

Now back to the disagreements!
Actually, I would recommend to you the book Stages of Faith by Fowler.
I think it is important for successful churches to have “true believers.” Relative to you and in the minds of most folks here, I would think I am a “true believer.” That being said, I feel no need to postulate that prophets never make mistakes even when talking about important stuff. I think the priesthood ban was most likely a mistake instituted by a racists Brigham Young (who I have tremendous respect for in other areas of his thought and actions).
I am also of the opinion that even sincere seekers do not always expediently get directed by God to become LDS. Such folks will not find themselves in a lesser kingdom as a product of their non-LDS-hood. Still, there is a “one true church” that the Bible directs us to. This church has greater truth and less error and many folks will find that progressing toward God in this truest church is somehow “better” than progressing towards God in good but less true churches. And I have no problem admitting that Mother Theresa including (probably) or despite (perhaps) her “dark night of the soul” was closer to God when she died than I am. She “got it” better than I do even though there are doctrinal problems within Catholicism.

Charity, TOm

 

[LaMar]

I think “new order mormons” are the superminority within the LDs church BUT… they seem to be growing. most of them seem to side with LaMar on doctrine, authority, etc.

If you get away from Utah it’s easy to find a ward full of us. It’s when I go visit my relatives in podunk, Utah that I end up disgusted.

There are a couple of true-believer families from Utah in my ward, who drive us all batty, but for the most part we have a nice group. It’s actually a great way to give back. We do service projects pretty often (and none of us wear the self-important t-shirts) and it keeps me out of trouble. We have family home evening in my house where we have lessons on thinking independently and coming to our own conclusions. It’s pretty easy to do this with a Joseph Smith theme. “I teach them principles and let them govern themselves…” and all that.

In answer to my ex-Mormon sister’s question, I’ll probably wander away when my mother and grandmother pass on. My kids don’t take it too seriously and they probably won’t be active after they leave the house.

I’m pretty happy where I’m at and don’t feel any motivation to change anything. If things don’t change for the better (and you might be right) I’ll find some other way to spend my time, eventually. I dig the Episcopalians and the Unitarians, and the United Way, and the AIDS foundation…

 

[zerinus]

thank you also for the information about your general conference, i doubt I could allow myself to attend a mormon church for any reason but will ask my pastor if there is any canonical realson I should not, but even so i very much doubt that i could tolerate a mormon church, after all i cannot tolerate a baptist or methodist chruch either. not that i am intolerant of the fine people there but that i am so thoroughly catholic down to the marrow of my bones that anything which preaches against my faith gives me a rash.

Baptists and Methodists preach against Catholicism; we don’t. Allow me to quote you a bit of good advice from the Bible and the Book of Mormon:

John 7:

24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Moroni 7:

18 And now my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge, ye shall also be judged.

Mormon 8:

19 For behold, the same that judgeth rashly, shall be judged rashly again; for according to his works shall his wages be. Therefore, he that smiteth shall be smitten again, of the Lord.

i remember some talk here on this board from a recent general conference where the late president Hinkley said he was confused by the christian creed and could not understand it. i always wondered why anyone would be particularly confused by the creed since it is designed to be easily digestible by anyone with a will to digest it but i can understand that Pres Hinckly perhaps had reasons knonw only to himself that made understanding inconvenient.

I agree with him. I too don’t understand it; and that is not intended as a disrespect to the Catholic Church.

it is things like this that make me fear that spending a weekend watching such a package would be time wasted that could better be spent praying the rosary or on my knees before the Blessed Sacrament. time is very precious to me and i an loathe to waste it on listening to sales pitches. i am far more likely to invite my friends to come to Mass with ME and hear aobout Jesus in the ancient liturgy.

If you think that your time is better spent doing that, by all means; who am I to try to stop you. But then do yourself the favor (at least) of not making false and ridiculous accusations about us when you are not prepared to take the smallest steps required to learn the truth about who we are, what we teach and what we believe.

zerinus

 

[TOmNossor]

Of course I appreciate your opinions.

Whyme has no opinions that s/he has come to on his/her own. This character represents a huge and very vocal minority in the LDS church, who prefer to get their latest opinions from those who tell him or her what to think and do.

While I don’t know Whyme personally, every Mormon knows the type well enough, and they present a real problem to the church. We can’t just let them go, because sometimes they cause trouble when they run around loose. It’s better to keep them in, pacify them with some harmless dogma, and let them crusade against all the perceived enemies of the church on our watch. If whyme wasn’t here, s/he might latch on to her local racist group or some dangerous cult and cause us all trouble.

Do us all a favor and don’t join that crew. We need intelligent people, people with good ethics (their own internal liahonas) who can act as individuals, not more members of the mindless hive. They’re a dime a dozen, and never in demand.

I never thought I would be defending Whyme, but you do not know him. He spends much of his time here defending Mormonism from ridiculous attacks, but he spend a lot of time elsewhere touting the good within Catholicism. He is no ordinary LDS.
Still, it seems to me that he would rather lift up Mormonism and Catholicism where possible than tear either down.
I am a little different. As I just mentioned, I am a true believer. I hold open that God (through spiritual and intellectual means) could call me back to Catholicism, but I find this unlikely. I offer reasons why I see an apostasy in the early church and reasons why the restoration is in fact what LDS claim it to be.
I do not know which “crew” that puts me on. My “internal” liahona is very tilted towards following reason (which I believe is a gift from God).

I am a theist because I know God. I have met Him on a few occasions and I cannot fathom any piece of data that could convince me that God does not love me. From this point, I am a theist. I also find intellectual reasons to believe there is a God. Some are a product of presuppositional apologetics, others are more fine-tuning argument and abiogenesis (these are from a philosophy position not a scientific one in my book). Still reason directs me to be a theist (though in this area, Spiritual manifestation is the strongest for sure).
I then find that my concept of my sinfulness my not being among the “people with good ethics” demands a few things. First, I need Christ to atone for my sins. And second, during some of the meetings with God though I saw no nail prints, I understand that the rescue and salvation was a product of Christ. Finally, I disagree with you and I instead think that the existence of a resurrected man Jesus Christ best explains the events of the 1st century church. Thus I have spiritual and intellectual reasons to be a Christian.
I then must determine what church best represents Christ. Where is He the head. I find that reason is sufficient to direct me to the CoJCoLDS, but I have spiritual and intellectual reasons for being a LDS. I was a LDS for intellectual reasons for a number of years before I received anything close to the typical “testimony.” That being said, Catholicism is second way above any form or Protestatism.

So perhaps I am not the thinking fellow you are encouraging me to be, but I am who I am; and I recognize it is God that made me the thickhead that I am. I once felt that those who just knew things had a huge advantage over me, but I now believe that we just approach these issues in our own way, God loves us as we are.
Charity, TOm

 

[Dymphna2008]

Never mind beer. We have to teach these people how make a good mug of coffee. Then again, St. Pat’s day is on its way.

 

[LaMar]

I now believe that we just approach these issues in our own way, God loves us as we are.

And on that, we stand together.

 

[TOmNossor]

while we are dealing with “mocking” and such. I would like an LDS to explain how the nicene and apostles creeds are abominations in the sight of God.

I could embrace the Nicene Creed (and I think the Apostle’s Creed) as long as the term homoousian meant what the majority at Nicea thought it ment and not what Athanasius thought it meant.
Creeds are an abomination because their purpose is to divide the right believers from the wrong believers.
I believe the original church was a covenantal nomism (like Judaism) where members were adopted children of Christ and He was their Father. Members covenanted with God and God covenanted in return. We became His people. Atonement addresses the failures we all experience as we do not live up to our covenants, but God is unchanging in that He always lives up to His covenants.
When those with “general” authority were gone, and other developments concerning the interaction of God with His church and His people occurred; the unity of the church became one of orthodoxy. Creeds were a means of defining who was orthodox and who was hetrodox. This is why “Creeds are an abomination.”
BTW, the AoF are semi-creedal. And the CoJCoLDS has not always succeeded in recognizing that our religion is about relationship with God first and foremost. Still, I think our history is far better than the Catholic history in this regard.

Charity, TOm

 

[majick275]

I think you contradict yourself. I think you see it two with the AoF.

What is so wrong with separating right believers from wrong believers based on professed beliefs? isn’t this what the temple recommend process does?

as an aside that was inspired by your posts with LaMar I wanted to make sure you had seen the old (but very popular) mormon joke here:

bare.users.netlink.co.uk//5kinds.html

 

[majick275]

Never mind beer. We have to teach these people how make a good mug of coffee. Then again, St. Pat’s day is on its way.

irish coffee then? a good slug of jameson’s in it.

 

[Dymphna2008]

Almost. I thrive on Irish Cream. $14lb but worth every penny of it; especially when I have the raw (turbinado) sugar to go with it. But I could go for a small, small mind, smidge of Irish Cream liquer added to it.

 

[Irish_Kathy]

I could embrace the Nicene Creed (and I think the Apostle’s Creed) as long as the term homoousian meant what the majority at Nicea thought it ment and not what Athanasius thought it meant.
Creeds are an abomination because their purpose is to divide the right believers from the wrong believers.
I believe the original church was a covenantal nomism (like Judaism) where members were adopted children of Christ and He was their Father. Members covenanted with God and God covenanted in return. We became His people. Atonement addresses the failures we all experience as we do not live up to our covenants, but God is unchanging in that He always lives up to His covenants.
When those with “general” authority were gone, and other developments concerning the interaction of God with His church and His people occurred; the unity of the church became one of orthodoxy. Creeds were a means of defining who was orthodox and who was hetrodox. This is why “Creeds are an abomination.”
BTW, the AoF are semi-creedal. And the CoJCoLDS has not always succeeded in recognizing that our religion is about relationship with God first and foremost. Still, I think our history is far better than the Catholic history in this regard.

Charity, TOm

In that case, I would highly suggest you read the following book. Scott Hahn is a somewhat famous convert to the Catholic Church who has done an extensive study of just this topic. In fact, it’s this very subject that lead him and his wife Kimberly into the Catholic Church. BTW, he use to be someone who was very anti-Catholic. I like him and I think you will too.

A Father Who Keeps His Promises
God’s Covenant Love in Scripture
by Scott Hahn
One of this century’s most powerful Catholic apologists reflects upon God’s unchanging, covenant love

The eloquent teachings of Scott Hahn have moved thousands of Catholic Christians to a more vital expression of their faith. In “A Father Who Keeps His Promises,” the popular Catholic apologist explores the “covenant love” God reveals to us through the Scriptures, and explains how God patiently reaches out to us-despite our faults and shortcomings-to restore us into relationship with his divine Family.

Join Hahn as he follows the high adventure of God’s plan for the ages, beginning with Adam and Eve and continuing down through the generations to the coming of Christ and the birth of the Church. You’ll discover how the patient love of the Father revealed in the Bible is the same persistent love he has for you.

“For years Scott Hahn as told audiences about God’s covenant love and its implications to their lives, and for years his friends have nagged him to reduce his remarks to writing… Now we have that book, and now we can see clearly why Hahn affirms that the only tragedy in life is not being a saint.” - Karl Keating, President of Catholic Answers.

300 pages, paperback.

Kathy

 

[RC_Matt]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your (expectedly venomous, and passive agressive) response.

For the second time, Paul DuPre hasn’t mocked anything.

In the eyes of many of our fellow Saints, I could spend all day smoking dope and consorting with prostitutes, and I would be more LDS than you can ever hope to be. That’s unfair, isn’t it? True though, and we both know it. Converts are often tolerated but not particularly well accepted. My hat’s off to you for managing to stay in the church despite the prevailing hostility. As I understand things, there’s a 12-15 percent retention rate in North America. The same attitude holds that our friend Paul will never really shed his Mormonism, no matter how many times he goes to mass. Catholicism doesn’t hold any water.

This is the sort of attitude that Mormons need to grow out of.

Mormons often laugh at what passes for “sacred not secret” among themselves, but they’ll become offended if the same behavior is performed in front of outsiders (as I’m doing here). Just another double standard, and another thing Mormons need to grow out of. Many Mormons see no harm in our missionaries defacing a Catholic shrine, but they get all offended when a fellow (like me) says “Pe Le El” on a Catholic forum. Good gawd almighty. Let’s grow a thicker skin already.

TOm, you silly converso, I KNOW that they think like I do. I spent my whole life with them. Mormons tend to be above average in intelligence, education and general worldliness. You don’t think too many of us take any of those temple tokens literally, do you? LOL! LOL! LOL!

And why should we take this stuff seriously? I can accept it as being a metaphor, which teaches me greater lessons.

You’re right that I know little about the eucharist/communion or transsubstantiation. Never claimed to. I have my traditions, and Catholics have theirs. That’s as it should be. My main contention is one of respect and tolerance, rather than literal belief. Most of the Catholics on this forum (not all, but most) have shown themselves to be loving, forgiving people. Most of the Mormons here (not all, but most) have proven themselves to be ignorant nitwits who think it’s perfectly cool to damage statues, but will whine and cry when I do nothing more than chuckle at our own superstitions. How do you explain this?

Take Care,

LaMar

You sound like a pretty cool guy, I’ve got some close Mormon friends who have pretty much the same attitude (though they usually won’t admit it to me, LOL). In any case, I do know that it’s very possible to be a church-going Mormon and a regular guy too - and be welcomed in any crowd. Unfortunately, at least in my experience, the other variety appear to be the vast majority; which is not to say that I don’t know some obnoxiously obsessive zealot Catholics too.

You mentioned some interesting points that I’ve been told, but haven’t seen raised here before. The bit about converts being looked-down on as second class citizens is one, and the poor convert retention rate is another. I’ve also been told that it’s rare to see “golden converts” these days and that most investigators that make it to baptism are somewhat below the standard desired. I guess the internet has a lot to do with this. Reasonably well grounded and intelligent people can easily check stuff out for themselves, and that would tend to negate the “milk-before-meat” thing, which leaves the remainder at the baptismal font. I understand that any growth is occurring in third world countries, where the retention rate is even worse than it is here.

In any case, I hope you hang-out here for awhile. Your humor and candor are appreciated and you provide a healthy balance to some of the other Mormon folks here.

 

[Irish_Kathy]

irish coffee then? a good slug of jameson’s in it.

The only problem with Irish Coffee for me is that it tends to keep me awake at night. BTW, something else you can add to Irish Coffee is some good creamy Bailey’s.

Kathy

 

[tommyberryhill]

I think that that is a question that you should ask them.

It is easy to get all “Jesusy” and talk about nothing else but Jesus. That is what many Christian activists who like wearing their “faith” on their sleeves like to do. But that is not a true measure of one’s commitment to Jesus. The true measure is to what extent one is willing to keep His commandments. As Jesus said: “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). And again: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). LDS like to demonstrate their commitment to Jesus Christ with how they live their lives, not with the show of their mouths.

I don’t accept that Mormons don’t talk about Jesus. The Book of Mormon is called “Another Testament of Jesus Christ” for a good reason. It contains more references to Jesus Christ than the Bible does. It testifies of Jesus Christ as much as the Bible does. But Mormons like to talk about the symbols of the Restoration—such as the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, or prophets and Apostles—because they are excited about the Restoration of the gospel in the last days. It is a sign to them that God still lives, is an unchangeable Being, and still communicates to man through his prophets as He did in ancient times. He is “the same yesterday, today, and forever”. The heavens are still open. God has not forgotten about us, but still communicates with man in our day in the same way that He did in ancient times. That is what they are excited about, and so that is what they want to talk about most. But the underlying foundation of their faith is Jesus Christ, the restoration of Whose gospel they like to celebrate. Their talk about the symbols of the Restoration is demonstration of their faith in Him whose gospel has been restored.

I don’t know who those young people are whom you are referring to. Are they related to you? Do you know them as friends? Are you their schoolteacher? What are their ages? But whatever the connection, if you intend to question about that, I suggest that you adopt a positive line of questioning than a negative one. Instead of asking them, “Why don’t you never talk about Jesus?” you might ask: “Does you religion teach you about Jesus? Tell me some of things that it teaches. Do you have a commitment to Jesus? What is your commitment to Him? How do you demonstrate that commitment? If you adopt that line of questioning, you are likely to learn a lot more about them, what they know about Jesus, and how committed they are to Him; than if you asked them: “Why don’t you ever talk about Jesus;” to which they may well reply, “What do you want us to say about Him?” End of the conversation! If you approach them correctly, you may be surprised to find that they have greater commitment to Jesus than those Christian activists do who like to wear their faith on their sleeves.

zerinus

Well, it’s obvious to me that you have strong faith. I want to apologize to you for saying rude things to you, I only said them because you seemed to be attacking others so harshly. I wish to ask some questions, if you would like to answer them…

1. Does the person in charge of your church, Gordon B.Hinckley is his name I think, hold absolute authority in your church?
2. I read a book called “The God Makers” and “The God Makers Two.” Why are people who leave your church experiencing intense hostility toward their former beliefs? Is it the same reason that Ex Adventists are so hostile toward their religion, because they feel as if they have been “Burnt” by it and want to lash out because of that?
3. When a person is “Baptized for the Dead” how does it happen? Is it by immersion or by sprinkling?
4. Is there any archaelogical evidence to support that the Jews landed in America and where is it? Is there any support from Native American History that suggests that they saw Jesus?
5. Why did it take so long for a restoration to occur- almost eighteen centuries to be exact?
6. I heard unverified reports that Mitt Romney believes in Abortion. Why would a Mormon believe in something that is so contrary to God’s law?
7. Why do you believe the Book of Mormon to be true? Does the message inspire you?
8. Why did Mormons formally allow for many wives, but than changed after the Feds started cracking down on them?
9. Do you believe in the ressurrection from the dead? If so, why, and if not, why not?
10. Why do you believe that men have within themselves an ability to become a God? How could a mere human being ever hope to bridge the gap so that he could be worthy and perfect enough to have veneration and worship?

Just curious. Don’t worry, I’m not trying to attack you…

Tommy

 

[zerinus]

Well, it’s obvious to me that you have strong faith. I want to apologize to you for saying rude things to you, I only said them because you seemed to be attacking others so harshly. I wish to ask some questions, if you would like to answer them…

You are very welcome.

1. Does the person in charge of your church, Gordon B. Hinckley is his name I think, hold absolute authority in your church?

Gordon B. Hinckley died on the 27th of January aged 97. The president of the Church currently is Thomas S. Monson, who before was his first counselor in the First Presidency. But in answer to your question, the answer is no, he does not hold absolute authority in the Church.

1. I read a book called “The God Makers” and “The God Makers Two.” Why are people who leave your church experiencing intense hostility toward their former beliefs? Is it the same reason that Ex Adventists are so hostile toward their religion, because they feel as if they have been “Burnt” by it and want to lash out because of that?

They are apostates from our religion. I think that you will find that apostates from all religions tend to behave predictably in the same way, including those from the Catholic religion.

1. When a person is “Baptized for the Dead” how does it happen? Is it by immersion or by sprinkling?

All baptisms are done by immersion. Baptisms for the dead are only performed in the temples. The formula used is the same, except that a phrase is added to indicate that the person is being baptized on behalf of the dead.

1. Is there any archaelogical evidence to support that the Jews landed in America and where is it? Is there any support from Native American History that suggests that they saw Jesus?

That depends on whom you ask. Let’s say that there is not enough evidence to convince LDS critics.

1. Why did it take so long for a restoration to occur- almost eighteen centuries to be exact?

God’s timing is not our timing. God does things in His own time and way. He has His reasons for doing things as He does, which He is not obliged to always share with us.

1. I heard unverified reports that Mitt Romney believes in Abortion. Why would a Mormon believe in something that is so contrary to God’s law?

I can’t comment on Romney’s personal beliefs. You would have to talk to him about that.

1. Why do you believe the Book of Mormon to be true? Does the message inspire you?

Because the Spirit of the Lord witnesses to me that it is true.

1. Why did Mormons formally allow for many wives, but than changed after the Feds started cracking down on them?

It was permitted because the Lord revealed to the Church that it was a legitimate practice. The practice was discontinued after it was made illegal because one of the tenets of our religion is that we will abide by the laws of the land.

1. Do you believe in the ressurrection from the dead? If so, why, and if not, why not?

Yes, we believe in the resurrection because it is revealed to us in the scriptures.

1. Why do you believe that men have within themselves an ability to become a God? How could a mere human being ever hope to bridge the gap so that he could be worthy and perfect enough to have veneration and worship?

That requires a lengthy explanation which I have provided in a couple of my blog posts, which you can read here:

zerinus.blogspot.com/2007/07/deification-of-man-and-plurality-of.html
zerinus.blogspot.com/2007/07/more-on-deification-in-early.html

Just curious. Don’t worry, I’m not trying to attack you…

I wouldn’t be worried if you were!

zerinus

 

[tommyberryhill]

You are very welcome.

Gordon B. Hinckley died on the 27th of January aged 97. The president of the Church currently is Thomas S. Monson, who before was his first counselor in the First Presidency. But in answer to your question, the answer is no, he does not hold absolute authority in the Church.

They are apostates from our religion. I think that you will find that apostates from all religions tend to behave predictably in the same way, including those from the Catholic religion.

All baptisms are done by immersion. Baptisms for the dead are only performed in the temples. The formula used is the same, except that a phrase is added to indicate that the person is being baptized on behalf of the dead.

That depends on whom you ask. Let’s say that there is not enough evidence to convince LDS critics.

God’s timing is not our timing. God does things in His own time and way. He has His reasons for doing things as He does, which He is not obliged to always share with us.

I can’t comment on Romney’s personal beliefs. You would have to talk to him about that.

Because the Spirit of the Lord witnesses to me that it is true.

It was permitted because the Lord revealed to the Church that it was a legitimate practice. The practice was discontinued after it was made illegal because one of the tenets of our religion is that we will abide by the laws of the land.

Yes, we believe in the resurrection because it is revealed to us in the scriptures.

That requires a lengthy explanation which I have provided in a couple of my blog posts, which you can read here:

zerinus.blogspot.com/2007/07/deification-of-man-and-plurality-of.html
zerinus.blogspot.com/2007/07/more-on-deification-in-early.html

I wouldn’t be worried if you were!

zerinus

Thank you very much for your answer. What are services like in your church? What goes on there? And does a Mormon have to get rebaptized if he has already been baptized in many churches? If so, why? Why do Mormons believe that drinking Tea or Coffee is wrong? Would they say dipping is bad (I know they say smoking is, but the reason I ask is because I am a dipper!!! ) What is involved in Repentance? What is the gift of the Holy Spirit? How would you know if you had recieved it? Are you a person of authority in your church? And is Heavy Metal Evil (I hope not, because I love it !!!) Anyway, take care for now…

Tommy