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LDS fascination

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
After they explain they believe their leaders are actual apostles, be sure to ask them what their opinion is of Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus with a kiss. What do they think of the apostles who could not stay awake even one hour, who denied Christ, who left him to die alone - the Apostles who could not walk on water, could not heal - ask if they believe the current Apostles are any better, and if not, if they are allowed to disagree, if they do not need to sustain all, if they are free to follow their own conscience.
I have no reason to ask that kind of questions. I am planing to listen and learn his true understanding of his belief.

I am not there to xhange him or find faults in is belief.
 

idea

Question Everything
I have no reason to ask that kind of questions. I am planing to listen and learn his true understanding of his belief.

I am not there to xhange him or find faults in is belief.

I was once where you are now. I read, and prayed, and worked for them and paid... now my children have eating disorders, they cut themselves, they will never have normal families, if I had not left they would be dead. One neice had surgery- she removed her breasts. Another they call "autistic", doesn't talk, wears winter coats in summer. Grooming initially looks like kindness. Flattery, telling you how special and chosen you are... some really believe it, believe they are chosen, believe they have 'real' authority, believe DC132, believe Joseph and BY were commanded to take child brides. Lured in with grandeur, it's not until later you learn the truth, that you listen closely to the words you repeat on secret ceremonies and realize...
"The majority will never be led astray", once that was told to me, how you could know a "true" prophet from a false one... the majority in that church are inactive, the majority leave.
Abuse, grooming, warped 'kindness' mixed with God- betrayal trauma is a special kind of hell.
 

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
I was once where you are now. I read, and prayed, and worked for them and paid... now my children have eating disorders, they cut themselves, they will never have normal families, if I had not left they would be dead. One neice had surgery- she removed her breasts. Another they call "autistic", doesn't talk, wears winter coats in summer. Grooming initially looks like kindness. Flattery, telling you how special and chosen you are... some really believe it, believe they are chosen, believe they have 'real' authority, believe DC132, believe Joseph and BY were commanded to take child brides. Lured in with grandeur, it's not until later you learn the truth, that you listen closely to the words you repeat on secret ceremonies and realize...
"The majority will never be led astray", once that was told to me, how you could know a "true" prophet from a false one... the majority in that church are inactive, the majority leave.
Abuse, grooming, warped 'kindness' mixed with God- betrayal trauma is a special kind of hell.
You know what, I will go meet my new friend and listen to him, and let him explain if i wonder about something.
I go in with open mind, and no I have no plan on becomming an LDS my self, but have no problem with being friend of them.
 

idea

Question Everything
You know what, I will go meet my new friend and listen to him, and let him explain if i wonder about something.
I go in with open mind, and no I have no plan on becomming an LDS my self, but have no problem with being friend of them.

There are quite a few kids who find out the truth on their mission, it's a rough place - their family, friends, entire community, everyone they really know are members.

It's a brainwashing technique - to send kids into hostile environment, with message guaranteed to get doors slammed in their face - make them dislike those not in their group, " you are only safe with us" - repeated rejection outside, and grooming within the group.

Elevation is real, but is not from God,
Elevation (emotion) - Wikipedia.
Watch this, and watch it again -
Elevation is NOT from god.

No one in a cult believes they are in a cult. It takes incredible courage and caring to help people - good people- out of that mess.
 

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
There are quite a few kids who find out the truth on their mission, it's a rough place - their family, friends, entire community, everyone they really know are members.

It's a brainwashing technique - to send kids into hostile environment, with message guaranteed to get doors slammed in their face - make them dislike those not in their group, " you are only safe with us" - repeated rejection outside, and grooming within the group.

Elevation is real, but is not from God,
Elevation (emotion) - Wikipedia.
Watch this, and watch it again -
Elevation is NOT from god.

No one in a cult believes they are in a cult. It takes incredible courage and caring to help people - good people- out of that mess.
As I said. I let my new friend speak for him self.
If he wish to be LDS he will be, if he one day chose to conver, i be there for him.

Stop trying to put thoughts in my head about LDS.
 

idea

Question Everything
As I said. I let my new friend speak for him self.
If he wish to be LDS he will be, if he one day chose to conver, i be there for him.

Stop trying to put thoughts in my head about LDS.

The only light at the end of some tunnels, is the hope you can keep others from making the same mistakes. It's the organization, not most people in it. It's a lesson for many groups out there - so many different groups who are genuinely convinced their group is the only one with real authority, the only 'true' group. I converted to LDS after being raised in a different group who were equally convinced of their authority, have family in various different groups.

As much as I want to belong somewhere, as much as I would like my own tribe, the responsible honest choice is to be self-reliant and independent. I'm a teacher, work with low-income / refugees, that is my purpose and meaning now.

To point the finger at anyone is to make yourself look judgemental, to make yourself look bitter and angry - I know. Some things need to be reported though. Mandated reporting is a good thing.

Best wishes to you, I'm off to work.
 

Clear

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
@Seeker of White Light said : "Stop trying to put thoughts in my head about LDS."

I think Seeker is proposing an important principle regarding any religion.

If we want to know about Jesus, we cannot get a balanced view if we asked Judas or another disgruntled source about Jesus and who he is or what he is like.

This is not just a principle that applies to religion (e.g. I cannot honestly seek out an excommunicated catholic to find out about what it is like). But it is true in many areas of investigation.

For example, If I want to know what a medical office is like, i cannot simply take the words of the disgruntled patient that the five of five stars the medical office is given is a "fluke" or "inaccurate".

Bad outcomes will happen in medicine (my profession) even to extraordinary surgeons and to the best of car mechanics and to the best of sculptors, etc.

Kuddos to people who understand this principle and live by it.

Clear
ειτζακσιω
 
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Sand Dancer

Currently catless
It's a brainwashing technique - to send kids into hostile environment, with message guaranteed to get doors slammed in their face - make them dislike those not in their group, " you are only safe with us" - repeated rejection outside, and grooming within the group.

/QUOTE]

I never thought of that before.
 

idea

Question Everything
@Seeker of White Light said : "Stop trying to put thoughts in my head about LDS."

I think Seeker is proposing an important principle regarding any religion.

If we want to know about Jesus, we cannot get a balanced view if we asked Judas or another disgruntled source about Jesus and who he is or what he is like.

This is not just a principle that applies to religion (e.g. I cannot honestly seek out an excommunicated catholic to find out about what it is like). But it is true in many areas of investigation.

For example, If I want to know what a medical office is like, i cannot simply take the words of the disgruntled patient that the five of five stars the medical office is given is a "fluke" or "inaccurate".

Bad outcomes will happen in medicine (my profession) even to extraordinary surgeons and to the best of car mechanics and to the best of sculptors, etc.

Kuddos to people who understand this principle and live by it.

Clear
ειτζακσιω

Most people read the 1 star reviews, want to know if there are excessive malpractice issues, will not eat at a restaurant that gave customers food poisoning...

and would not choose a church where majority of members are inactive and leave... It's not just a few bad apples. Look through the ward list - the majority of the members are inactive, the majority have left because of institutional abuse, racism, polygamy, dishonesty.. Warren Jeffs and other offshoots know and follow lds church history well - it's not just the offshoots, by their fruit....
 

Watchmen

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Dear Watchman I’m very much aware of what is going on and the panted lies you are spreading on a form where doing so violates the rules. Please refrain.
There’s no lies, brother. Idea’s family was victimized. I’m just asking you to please not victim shame. Let’s keep it civil. Thank you.
 

Clear

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Most people read the 1 star reviews, want to know if there are excessive malpractice issues, will not eat at a restaurant that gave customers food poisoning...

and would not choose a church where majority of members are inactive and leave... It's not just a few bad apples. Look through the ward list - the majority of the members are inactive, the majority have left because of institutional abuse, racism, polygamy, dishonesty.. Warren Jeffs and other offshoots know and follow lds church history well - it's not just the offshoots, by their fruit....

Hi @idea

It may be that a minority of bad reviews will have an effect greater than the majority of good reviews.
But nonspecific and incorrect moral generalizations and condemnation of what is actually good is another way to victimize and harm good people that you lump into your claim.

For example, the labeling of Christianity as a "bad thing" simply because some bad people try it on for size and find it doesn't fit does not mean that Jesus was not the Christ nor does it mean that his gospel cannot do a great deal of good for individuals who actually are faithful to Jesus and the principles he taught.

If someone bad in an organization harmed you, it does no good to try to inflict revenge upon all the other good people of the organization.

There are plenty of good and honest and kind individuals who believe in Christ and are trying to do good in Christianity in it's various movements.

Perhaps @Seeker of White Light had this in mind in his request that you not try to put thoughts into his head, but instead allow him to make his own judgments about his LDS friends that seemed to be good people.


Clear
ειεισιακω
 

idea

Question Everything
Hi @idea

It may be that a minority of bad reviews will have an effect greater than the majority of good reviews.
But nonspecific and incorrect moral generalizations and condemnation of what is actually good is another way to victimize and harm good people that you lump into your claim.

For example, the labeling of Christianity as a "bad thing" simply because some bad people try it on for size and find it doesn't fit does not mean that Jesus was not the Christ nor does it mean that his gospel cannot do a great deal of good for individuals who actually are faithful to Jesus and the principles he taught.

If someone bad in an organization harmed you, it does no good to try to inflict revenge upon all the other good people of the organization.

There are plenty of good and honest and kind individuals who believe in Christ and are trying to do good in Christianity in it's various movements.

Perhaps @Seeker of White Light had this in mind in his request that you not try to put thoughts into his head, but instead allow him to make his own judgments about his LDS friends that seemed to be good people.


Clear
ειεισιακω

Hate the organization, love (most) of the people in it. I hate the LDS organization, for good reason, and will warn people about it. There is rampant child abuse in it. It is founded on a pedophile - Joseph Smith had child brides, and many current members abuse children. Out of love for those poor kids, I will not remain silent about it.
 

Saint Frankenstein

Here for the ride
Premium Member
For some reason, I am fascinated with Latter Day Saints. I like parts of the religion, but don't like others. The thing I really like if they seem very family-oriented, moral and modest. Just clean-living folks. That appeals to me. But I can't agree with some of the doctrine and rules. I don't know why I keep looking into it. Help me sort this out.
You should look into their history of white supremacist racism in their doctrines and how they've never really refuted or denounced them. I did some reading about that a few months ago, mostly just on Wikipedia, and was disgusted. It's a very "white" religion in the US for a reason. They could make the SBC blush. They also make an idol out of the heterosexual nuclear family and I've read about how they basically harass single members to get married. It's a very strange religion. Also, look into the rather sordid history of their "prophet", Joseph Smith. Just some food for thought.
 

paarsurrey

Veteran Member
The problem people have with the doctrine is it's all or nothing. Either the LDS church is the only true church on earth or it isn't. I know of no other religious group that claims this. If you have problems with whether it's true I recommend bookofmormoncentral.org or evidencecentral.org.

As for the rules if you want to know if one is true you are supposed to try it.

And thank you for admiring us
" or it isn't. "

I agree with one's later expression colored in magenta above, please.
In the basic creeds of Christianity, isn't LDS as wrong as any other 45000+ Hellenist Pauline denomination is including the JWs, one gets to know, please? Right?
Don't they follow Hellenist Paul rather than following Yeshua- the Israelite Messiah, his teachings and his acts, please? Right?

Regards
 
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Clear

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Post one of Two

1) OVERGENERALIZATION OF ANGER AND OVER BROAD LABELING OF "EVIL" DOES HARM


Clear said : “… nonspecific and incorrect moral generalizations and condemnation of a group of people that are actually good is another way to victimize and harm good people that you lump into your claim.

For example, the labeling of Christianity as a "bad thing" simply because some bad people try it on for size and find it doesn't fit does not mean that Jesus was not the Christ nor does it mean that his gospel cannot do a great deal of good for individuals who actually are faithful to Jesus and the principles he taught.

If someone bad in an organization harmed you, it does no good to try to inflict revenge upon all the other good people of the organization.

There are plenty of good and honest and kind individuals who believe in Christ and are trying to do good in Christianity in it's various movements.” (post #111)



Idea responded : “Hate the organization, love (most) of the people in it.” (post #112)

While I understand the concept of overgeneralized anger and overgeneralized hate, the less decriminating overgeneralization of hate and it's irrational over-generalization that an entire organization is the object of your hate then victimizes those who are good people who make up the greater portion of the organization you hate and generalize as being bad.

It makes much more sense for example to be angry at a specific person or persons and describe them as bad people rather than label the entire organization as evil simply because of one or two bad apples.


You claim “There is rampant child abuse in it." and you say you “Hate the organization” because of this claim.

“rampant”. Really? Is that REALLY what the LDS church teaches its members and allows its members to engage in?



2) WHAT THE LDS MEMBERS ARE ACTUALLY TAUGHT BY ITS ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERS

Gordon B. Hinkley, The prior president of the LDS church taught “
No man who engages in such evil and unbecoming behavior is worthy of the priesthood of God. No man who so conducts himself is worthy of the privileges of the house of the Lord. I regret that there are some men undeserving of the love of their wives and children. There are children who fear their fathers, and wives who fear their husbands. If there be any such men within the hearing of my voice, as a servant of the Lord I rebuke you and call you to repentance. Discipline yourselves. Master your temper. Most of the things that make you angry are of very small consequence. And what a terrible price you are paying for your anger. Ask the Lord to forgive you. Ask your wife to forgive you. Apologize to your children.”

In another speech he taught : “It was the Master himself who said, “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6). How could he have spoken in stronger terms?
“If there be any within the sound of my voice who may be guilty of such practice, I urge you with all of the capacity of which I am capable to stop it, to run from it, to get help, to plead with the Lord for forgiveness and make amends to those whom you have offended. God will not be mocked concerning the abuse of his little ones.”


Boyd K Packer of the 12 apostles taught :
“Among the strongest warnings and the severest penalties in the revelations are those relating to little children.”

Howard W. Hunter of the 12 warned :
“No man who has been ordained to the priesthood of God can with impunity abuse his wife or child. Sexual abuse of children has long been a cause for excommunication from the Church.”


Spencer W. Kimball, a church president warned : “We are much concerned that there would be a single parent that would inflict damages on a child. The Lord loved little children, and he said: ‘Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.’ (Matt. 19:14.)
Let no Latter-day Saint parent ever be guilty of the heinous crime of abusing one of Christ’s little ones!

Gordon B. Hinkley, a prior church president warned : “As you know, we have recently issued a booklet on child abuse. We deplore this terrible thing which seems to be growing in the world. Of course, it is not new. It has gone on for generations. It is serious, and we so regard it. Sexual abuse of children on the part of fathers, or anyone else, has long been a cause for excommunication from the Church. No man who has been ordained to the priesthood of God can with impunity indulge in either spouse or child abuse. Such activity becomes an immediate repudiation of his right to hold and exercise the priesthood and to retain membership in the Church.

I am glad that there is a growing public awareness of this insidious evil. The exploitation of children, or the abuse of one’s spouse, for the satisfaction of sadistic desires is sin of the darkest hue.”

Thomas S. Monson, a Prior church president taught : “A physician revealed to me the large number of children who are brought to the emergency rooms of local hospitals in your city and mine. In many cases guilty parents provide fanciful accounts of the child falling from his high chair or stumbling over a toy and striking his head. Altogether too frequently it is discovered that the parent was the abuser and the innocent child the victim. Shame on the perpetrators of such vile deeds. God will hold such strictly accountable for their actions.”


Gordon B. Hinkley, a prior church president taught : “We are doing everything we know how to reduce it. We are teaching our people. We are talking about it. We have set up a course of instruction for our bishops all across the nation. All last year we carried on an educational program. We have set up a help-line for them where they can get professional counseling and help with these problems. We have issued a journal dealing with child abuse, spouse abuse, abuse of the elderly, the whole problem of abuse. We are concerned about it. I am deeply concerned about the victims. My heart reaches out to them. I want to do everything we can to ease the pain, to preclude the happening of this evil and wicked thing. … I know of no other organization in this world that has taken more exhaustive measures, tried harder, done more to tackle this problem, to work with it, to do something to make a change. We recognize the terrible nature of it, and we want to help our people, reach out to them, assist them.”


Thomas S. Monson, a prior church president taught : “Local hospitals everywhere receive these little ones, bruised and battered, accompanied by bald-faced lies that the child “ran into the door” or “fell down the stairs.” Liars, bullies who abuse children, they will one day reap the whirlwind of their foul deeds. The quiet, the hurt, the offended child victim of abuse, and at times incest, must receive help.

A district judge, in a letter to me, declared, “Sexual abuse of children is one of the most depraved, destructive, and demoralizing crimes in civilized society. There is an alarming increase of reported physical, psychological, and sexual abuse of children. Our courts are becoming inundated with this repulsive behavior.”

The Church does not condone such heinous and vile conduct. Rather, we condemn in the harshest of terms such treatment of God’s precious children. Let the child be rescued, nurtured, loved, and healed. Let the offender be brought to justice, to accountability, for his actions and receive professional treatment to curtail such wicked and devilish conduct. When you and I know of such conduct and fail to take action to eradicate it, we become part of the problem. We share part of the guilt. We experience part of the punishment.”


Gordon B. Hinkley, a church president taught : “Now I wish to mention another form of abuse that has been much publicized in the media. It is the sordid and evil abuse of children by adults, usually men. Such abuse is not new. There is evidence to indicate that it goes back through the ages. It is a most despicable and tragic and terrible thing. I regret to say that there has been some very limited expression of this monstrous evil among us. It is something that cannot be countenanced or tolerated. The Lord Himself said, “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6).”


The church president also taught : “There appears to be a plague of child abuse spreading across the world. Perhaps it has always been with us but has not received the attention it presently receives. I am glad there is a hue and cry going up against this terrible evil, too much of which is found among our own. Fathers, you cannot abuse your little ones without offending God. Any man involved in an incestuous relationship is unworthy to hold the priesthood. He is unworthy to hold membership in the Church and should be dealt with accordingly. Any man who beats or in other ways abuses his children will be held accountable before the great judge of us all. If there be any within the sound of my voice who are guilty of such practices, let them repent forthwith, make amends where possible, develop within themselves that discipline which can curb such evil practices, plead with the Lord for forgiveness, and resolve within their hearts henceforth to walk with clean hands.”


Multiple, prior organizational leaders of the LDS organization and current leaders teach plainly that it is evil and that one should be excommunicated from the church if any such evil is found in any church member.

This clear teaching of the organization AGAINST such abuse is inconsistent with your claim that child abuse is unchecked (and spreading and flourishing) in the LDS community (e.g. your claim that it is “rampant”). The organization actually teaches that those who are guilty of such abuse should be excommunicated since their practices are NOT that expected of members.


3) IS CHILD ABUSE "RAMPANT" OR "RARE" IN THE LDS ORGANIZATION AND MEMBERSHIP
Idea said : said that “…. many current members abuse children.”

Does the word "many" mean a "majority" or is such abuse actually a small "minority" of members?
Even if a small minority of individuals who claim membership in the church are not following the Church teachings, the important point is that if they abuse children, they are not following the teachings of the LDS church which teaches that such things are evil and warn that such members are to be excommunicated from church membership.

POST TWO OF TWO FOLLOWS
 

Clear

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
POST TWO OF TWO


4) THE JUSTIFICATION OF AND THE MISGUIDANCE CREATED BY OVERGENERALIZATION

“ Out of love for those poor kids, I will not remain silent about it.” - Idea (post #112)

“Out of love” for poor kids?
While you may justify overgeneralizing "out of love" for one group of kids, your over-generalization of moral evil creates victims of another group of "poor kids".

Let me explain:

While your anger may serve to illuminate a specific evil, it’s generalization and application to an entire organization comprised of mostly good individuals, victimizes many good people whom such generalizations affect. Many of those victimized by such moral overgeneralizations are also children. GOOD children who are then labeled and treated as though they are "evil" because they are members of an organization you describe as evil.

This is the problem with generalized anger and generalized labeling of an entire genre of very good people as being evil. It’s lumps the good with the bad.


This principle is true whether one is describing the “evil Catholic Church”, or the “evil bahai’s” or those “evil Christians”, or those “evil athiests”.

Unfocused or irrational manifestions of Anger often produces irrational lashing out which produces it’s own (unintended) victims. It is the over-generalization that is the problem.


If your bishop abused a child then he did an evil thing, not the organization that taught he should NOT abuse a child.

Hopefully readers see the difference and are able to apply this point to any organization or group of people whether religious or secular.

Overgeneralizations are not helpful and can be harmful.

Clear
 

Watchmen

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
More than words would be nice. The organization has allowed abuse to happen and has covered it up and/or failed to remedy the situation, thereby ratifying the abuse.
 

paarsurrey

Veteran Member
" or it isn't. "

I agree with one's later expression colored in magenta above, please.
In the basic creeds of Christianity, isn't LDS as wrong as any other 45000+ Hellenist Pauline denomination is including the JWs, one gets to know, please? Right?
Don't they follow Hellenist Paul rather than following Yeshua- the Israelite Messiah, his teachings and his acts, please? Right?

Any body else, please.

Regards
 
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