Posted by
Anderpool1 on Saturday, January 26, 2008 3:14:15 PM
Heresey and Blasphemy
Those are such fun words. I always shake my head when they are thrown out there. As a Mormon I read constantly that my ideas are heretical and blasphemous. So if you don't agree with what I believe you can invoke those two little words and I am wrong?
Who is right?
How do you know that you are right I am wrong. Religion is not a mathematical equation that can be proven. It is about faith. I have faith in my beliefs and you have faith in yours. I do not spend time trying to prove yours wrong so why do you spend time trying to prove mine wrong.
Upstate New York in 1820.
What I think is funny is that if you read Joseph Smiths own account of the religious revival going on in upstate New York in the early 1800's he mentions that the Methodists, Presbyterian and Baptist were bitter religious contenders. They strove to prove each other wrong and invoked the words "hersey and blasphemy" about each other at that time. Today they have a united goal of proving the "Mormons" wrong.
My Mormon mission
Yes I did serve a mission and I went around looking for people to listen to my message. My intent was to share what I believed about my faith, if they wanted to share what they believed I would gladly listen and often did. What I would not listen to is when they tried to tell me what I believed. I would invite people to visit my religious meetings and even attended religious meetings of other faiths if I was invited. A mission is about sharing. I never felt like I was going to be polluted by hearing someone else’s beliefs but I often felt like others thought that about my belief even before I told them anything.
Other peoples opinion of my faith
I have read a lot about my beliefs from outsiders and even from people that have quit my church and not one have gotten it right on what I believe. I have a huge family and some have left the church. I am sad to see that but when they tell me what I believe even they get it wrong.
Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior
I believe that Jesus Christ is my personal lord and Savior. There is no other way I can get to heaven. I fall short. I have no power of my own to raise myself up and force my way into Gods kingdom. That was the reason for the Atonement and I am eternally grateful and indebted for it. I am personally insulted every time someone tries to tell me I am not a "Christian" man. I love Jesus the Christ. I spend time every day thinking about him, learning all I can about him and trying to become more like what he wants me to become. When I hear people belittle my relationship with Jesus Christ I just have to tell myself "they do not know me. They do not know my heart."
Pearls before Swine
I am very hesitant to put my thoughts on this blogs because in a way I feel like I am throwing my pearls before swine. You can belittle how I feel but you can not destroy what I have with my Savior.
A Mormon temple
About the temple, you can come in. The Temple is a place of worship, learning and the Lords house. We don't mingle and loiter in the Temple. It is not a place to visit and sight see. If that is your purpose of wanting to go there than there would be no place for you. We go there with a purpose. If you are willing to go there with that same purpose come along. It is a pretty building and often temples have open houses when they are built or major reconstruction is done to them and people of all faiths visit, but the beauty of the temple is not for pleasant sight seeing. These are working buildings.
Other types of working buildings
Where I work we have guards. I have a chipped badge that lets me in. They don't let anybody come in and just gawk. You have to have a purpose to enter. Bashes grocery stores sometimes have child care centers where you have to be registered and have a child to enter. Restaurants often have signs that say "No shirt no service." I had a neighboor that required you to take your shoes off to enter his home. If you did not want to take your shoes off you did not have to come into his home. There are many places that have guidelines to enter. I have never in my life heard anybody complain that they could not stand between a couple getting married and say the same words just for fun but not actually be willing to make the committment that those words mean. I consider it to be the same with a Temple.
There are no secrets
If you want to know what goes on inside a temple I know there are written accounts of people that have gone and then left the church. However, I will never tell you what goes on there even if I had to give my life for it. That is not because it is secret but sacred to me.
Millions of Mormons
We have about 13 million members. I would guess we have had several million members go through the temple. Do you think if something untoward happened there we could somehow keep it a secret? People not of my religion have told me that I do not know all that goes on in the Temples. Hog wash. We have had people in the highest offices of the church leave and even fight against us. If things were happening there that is so odd would they not reveal them?
You are invited into the Temple!
Come to the Temple. That is an invitation to the entire world. When you are ready to make the same commitments that I have made and keep them you are more than welcome inside. I can tell you it is a place of beauty and peace.
What I have is mine
I chuckle to myself when people mock what I have. My faith gives me an incredible joy and peace. I could not imagine my life without the love and peace I feel on a weekly basis thinking about jesus Christ and remembering his sacrafice he made for me on the cross and throughout his life. The time I contemplate my relationship with my Lord and the time I spend in the temple is the sweetest and most peaceful in my life. I treasure what I have. You may belittle and mock but you cannot take that away from me.