Looking for a good LDS website!

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amgid:
That is not quite true. Our position is not the same as the sola scriptura of Protestantism.

Absolutely so. My assertions does not in any way question or cast doubt on the validity of that authority. If you are unclear about what I meant, I refer you to posts #17 and #32 of the thread called “Can even a ‘true’ prophet have false revelations?” That subject was discussed in other threads as well.

Certainly not! I am a member of the regular LDS Church.

In your original post you had made this statement:

So you are looking for a website that provides you with the following three things:
  1. Answers the tough questions.
  2. Provides current LDS doctrine in a manner that appeals to faith and reason.
  3. doesn’t dismiss problematic past doctrine.
Let me briefly respond to each of these points.
  1. I would like to know what you mean by “tough questions”. There is an official LDS website called www.mormon.org, which is designed specifically for investigators. Its aim is to provide answers to the basic questions that an investigator might have about the Church and its beliefs. But I don’t think that that is what you are looking for. That website does not answer any “tough” questions! I don’t want to disappoint you, but in reality there isn’t such a thing as “tough questions”. There are certain things that God has revealed, and many more things that He hasn’t. That which is revealed is in the standard works. There are many parts of the standards works that are ambiguous or difficult to understand. The book of Isaiah, for example, is difficult for most people to understand. But it is not the policy of the authorities of the Church to provide a detailed, running commentary on every scriptural ambiguity. The General Authorities counsel Church members to study the scriptures for themselves, and obtain the Spirit of the Lord for themselves to understand its deeper meanings. Just out of curiosity, I would like to know what your “tough questions” are. There are several LDS on this board who are well informed, and they can probably provide a satisfactory answer to most of your questions.
  2. Next, you are looking for something that “provides current LDS doctrine in a manner that appeals to faith and reason”. Again, the above official LDS website is designed basically to do that. If you want a bigger resource, the Church publishes a book called Gospel Principles which is designed to teach the gospel to investigators. You can obtain a copy from your LDS friends and missionaries, or order it direct from the LDS distribution centre. But somehow I don’t think that is what you are looking for. Ultimately there is only one resource that can answer that requirement—it is called the Book of Mormon! If you ignore that, you are looking beyond the mark.
  3. And lastly, you are looking for something that “does not dismiss problematic past doctrine”. That is itself a “problematic” statement. All doctrine, be it past or present, is true LDS doctrine if it can be affirmed by LDS scripture, is speculation if it cannot, and is false if it contradicts it. That is the bottom line for resolving “problematic past doctrine”. Now, just out of curiosity, I like to know what are the “problematic past doctrines” that you are concerned about.
amgid
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amgid,

Wow! I didn’t even realize that this thread was still active.

You know what I mean, I think by “problematic past doctrines” - they’re frequently discussed here but I don’t mean even the ‘big things’ like BY “Adam-God” thing but even small things, such as the LDS position, which differs (or did - someone told me otherwise yesterday) from the RLDS, on the JSI Bible. Some place like… this! Yes, that would be terrific - a website run by faithful LDS that serves LDS apologetics and is tolerant of other religions to the point where the “rules” are similar to the rules here.

You know (by now) how frustrated I am about no short ‘single source’ book of doctrine for LDS - so perhaps a “LDS Answers” website would be just the thing. Wouldn’t it be a good place for LDS to not only learn about the history and doctrine of the LDS church but where one could speculate, educate we apostates, etc.? FARMS isn’t the answer, FAIR isn’t the answer, the two official LDS sites (mormon.org and lds.org) are much too ‘lite’.

As this board is an apostolate, so could this sort of LDS website - not every message officially sanctioned by the church, just individuals getting together pooling knowledge, engaging in controversies (in the good sense of the word), etc.

As I understand the way tithing works in the LDS church, as a matter of fact, someone with an average income could tithe to support such an operation and others may be called to acted as moderators. Seems as if it’s at least an idea worth mentioning to a bishop, don’t you think? I think it would be terrific!
 
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flameburns623:
Apologetics organizations seldom have fully"official" standing but there are a number of websites available to peruse. Have you seen all of these?

deseretbook.com/

lds.org/

lds.org/gospellibrary/0,5082,4-1,00.html

mormon.org/

lightplanet.com/response/answers/contents.htm

fairlds.org/

lightplanet.com/response/index.shtml

mormon-defense-books.com/

whyprophets.com/index.htm

signaturebooks.com/

dialoguejournal.com/

sunstoneonline.com/

meridianmagazine.com/

pub26.ezboard.com/bpacumenispages

shields-research.org/

farms.byu.edu/

And of course a few RLDS/Community of Christ resources:

cofchrist.org/

tempforum.cybercongregation.net/

That oughta hold you awhile, y’think?
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flame-

I’ve visited most but there are a few there that I’ve not - but will. It is often unable for me to discern what is and what is not looked upon as ‘heretical’ by LDS (for instance, unless you’re a Nibley or a Gee, do not publish in Dialogue! And if you want to remain a member at all, do not submit your manuscript to Signature!) but I am beginning to get the ‘hang’ of it!

Thanks,
 
A sort of “definite” work published recently by the First Presidency is called True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference. You can find it in HTML format here. I also do think it would be great to have an official LDS web board for things like this.
 
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isaac.madsen:
If you want a good website, go to the official ones:

mormon.org
This website is for those seeking answers to what Mormonism is about.

AND

lds.org
Very in-depth topics (mostly for members).

The best way to understand a religion is to research that religion’s doctrine, not another religion’s doctrine on the religion. For example, research Mormonism, not what the Catholic church believes about Mormons.

If something about the church sounds strange to you, ask more than one member because then you will have a more rounded understanding of what they believe. All of this ought to be common sense. It’s just the same as researching any other topic. We go to the source.
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Those were, at first, my primary sources but I found them very limited (just as an example, a search for “cross” and “crucifixion” on mormon.org yielded no results - but several members here led me to an article which quotes President Hinkley on the cross).

I would become a member of lds.org - but it seems a bit more difficult than becoming a member of the Catholic Answers forum!
 
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Zakuska:
LDS Archelogical site:

nephiproject.com
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Um, I’d really rather read about the 1,000 year archeology in the America’s of the Nephites than the 8 year time in the wilderness of Lehi & Ishmael & family in the Middle East (I would be interested to know, I suppose, how so much archeological evidence for an eight year period with 18 adults and their children could produce voluminous works, I suppose - just not willing to PAY for that info).
 
Silly, You can do that any time you want. Just pick up the BOM and read till your hearts content.

Heres some pictures of some of their discoveries:
nephiproject.com/nephi_project_major_discoveries.htm

The most compelling things for me where the Mountian ranges around the sea port being named: Morian Chumar Mountians ranges.

👍

Ether 2: 13
13 And now I proceed with my record; for behold, it came to pass that the Lord did bring Jared and his brethren forth even to that great sea which divideth the lands. And as they came to the sea they pitched their tents; and they called the name of the place Moriancumer; and they dwelt in tents, and dwelt in tents upon the seashore for the space of four years.

Also the Altars of NHM exactly where Lehi said they would be!

Whats important about these discoveries is they could provide some links through DNA testing to the new world. Such as Bees, grains, artifacts, etc. We have to figure out exactly what we are looking for in the new world so we can recognize it when we see it.

He’s also got a Video on there about the Real Mt. Sianai Jabel el Lawz in Arabia as Paul tells us (Gal 4:25) I need to get that one!
 
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ben_dy:
Those were, at first, my primary sources but I found them very limited (just as an example, a search for “cross” and “crucifixion” on mormon.org yielded no results - but several members here led me to an article which quotes President Hinkley on the cross).

I would become a member of lds.org - but it seems a bit more difficult than becoming a member of the Catholic Answers forum!
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I don’t think lds.org offers memberships (unless you’re talking about membership in the church - but that doesn’t happen through a website). There are Ward & Branch websites, but those are mainly for members. I don’t really know what goes on there because I’ve never found it important to sign up, seeing as I move so often, I’d have to keep changing my membership information.

Mormon.org is just for an introduction to Mormonism. It doesn’t surprise me that the cross and the crucifixion aren’t mentioned because we don’t focus on the crucifixion. We focus on the resurrection and the atonement, which we believe primarily took place in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Christ prayed to the father, saying, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matt. 26: 39).
 
issac

Can you comment on these passages?

catholic-rcia.com/pages/Cross_scripture.html

Did not Christ take the sins of the world to His death before He rose?

Were they then not nailed to the Cross? Have you been taught the correlation between the tree in the garden and the Cross? The tree of Life? The wood of the Cross? Satan will side step the cross always as it is a reminder of His defeat. As Christians we are crucified with Christ in order to be risen in Him. When you get in touch with the suffering Christ, you come in contact with your very own sin. This is where one finds His Church, forgiveness and reconciliation. You can not look towards your reward in heaven unless you understand the Cost. A good and just man did not die for you Issac, God did, the only God that there ever will be or has ever been. Your Creator died for His creation to have life. It is not about going up, its all about going down. When you realize these things you will see the Cross as the porthole home, you will become the lost lamb upon His back (The Cross)
 
Oh, I recognize the importance of the crucifixion. Christ’s death and resurrection are extremely important, for in them are we all given life after death. We believe that all men will be resurrected in the end, though not everyone shall be given the same glory. We attain a degree of glory equivalent to the desire of our hearts.

The cross is important to us, but it is not the symbol of our religion. Living a christ-like life is the symbol of a Latter-day Saint, and hopefully we are true to it, though I can guarantee that every member has his/her imperfections.

Also, we do believe that Christ is our God, who created the earth under the direction of our Father in Heaven. We see Christ as our brother in spirit, but the father of our souls. Our Father in Heaven is the father of our spirits. Christ was no ordinary man. He was born of Mary, being mortal, and of the Holy Ghost, giving him immortality. His mortal abilities gave him the power to die, and to atone for our sins. His immortal abilities gave him perfection, and the ability to give himself life.

God, in my opinion, does not mean just one being. God is perfection. To become perfect is to attain that glory. To have no desire to sin is what makes a man perfect when he is resurrected. It is possible to attain that desire in this life. In fact, that is the entire purpose of this life. It’s not even about what you believe. It’s about how you live, or how you try to live. How I wish I had all the time in the world to explain this, but I don’t. I have things to do, places to go. If you don’t get anything else from what I’m saying, understand this: it doesn’t matter what you believe; what matters is that you have faith that what you believe is true, and that you live it to the best of your ability. If we do that, God is on our side, and eventually, we’ll all be led to the same home.

Truly,

Isaac T. Madsen
 
Ok I will post a couple websites ive known about:

ldsliving.net/

ldsaudio.com/

scriptures.lds.org/helps/contents

I have found it kinda tough not seeing anything like a Catechism of the Mormon Church type of book, and alot has to be done to dig through alot of stuff.
I had an interesting experience a few saturdays ago, and I was very aware of the pending visit by the missionaries that day even though I had no appointment, and had not see them in a long time, and they did come within an hour of this experience. After they came by, I dropped open the Book of mormon, to a random page, and in 10 minutes or so, and came apon this verse:

**
**Book of Mormon: Jacob 1:19
**19 And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day.
I had started in 2 Nephi chapter 33 first.

The quote above seems to sum up the whole reason for the great Missionary effort by the LDS church.**
 
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