I understand that you are immediately going to say that you get to choose whether you do right or wrong. But the point is, you have to do exactly what the LDS church says if you want to go to the Temple, and to the Celestial Kingdom. How is that free agency.
2007-08-21 17:19:19 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Jack you did not answer the question.
2007-08-21 17:28:14 · update #1
Jumping off a cliff is not the same as blind faith. Gravity is a scientific principle. Rocks are physical items known to be painful at high velocities. You sound just like the Mormons.
2007-08-21 17:33:35 · update #2
To get permission to enter someone's house, we have to be willing to follow their rules.
If I were to come to your house caked in pig crap with the intent of telling you how special you are to me, would you invite me in? I think you'd expect me to get cleaned up before I entered. You might let me hang out in the doorway and say what you have to say, but that's about it.
That's how it goes with temples and the varying levels of glory in the resurrection. You must be physically and spiritually clean to enter. Otherwise, you can still worship, but you'll be kept from the cool places until you hose off.
2007-08-23 20:05:23 · answer #1 · answered by Sir Network 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't understand the comparison between the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Golden Plates. The scrolls are still not the originals. You could compare them better with the first, second or third printings of the Book of Mormon. All the Biblical archeological discoveries prove is that the places actually existed. There is no proof of Jonah's fish problem, Elijah's heavenly chariot ride, etc. If the world is around in a thousand years, would the Doctrine and Covenants be 'proved' because it talks about New York, Ohio and Missouri?
2016-05-19 05:25:42 · answer #2 · answered by reiko 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You posit that you do not have free agency because of an undesirable consequence to actions deemed inappropriate. If we do not assume any judgement of actions we are still left with consequences of actions. For example, it'd be fun to jump off a cliff but I don't want to deal with the consequence of splatting at the bottom. By your logic I, an atheist, do not have the free agency to jump off a cliff. Which is patently false, I can choose to jump off a cliff if I wish and face the consequences just as a Mormon is free to perform "sinful" acts and face the consequences of denial of entrance to the Temple and Celestial Kingdom.
EDIT:
The cause of the consequences has nothing to do with whether or not one has free agency. Merely the fact that there are consequences. So my argument still stands.
I understand you just have a hate on for Mormonism (if that's the proper word for it) so you'll hate everything about it and be blind to any argument against your baseless arguments. Just by arguing against you doesn't mean that I am endorsing Mormonism.
2007-08-21 17:29:07 · answer #3 · answered by Tim 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The same way anything is- are you to say that the government does not allow us our free agency as well? If you commit a crime, you go to jail. The government didn't make you- you chose- you knew the consequence of your actions and you chose to do it anyway. THAT is free agency. It doesn't mean you live in world without consequence or reward. It means that you have choices to make, good or bad, with consequence or reward, and you have the FREE AGENCY to make those choices. The Celestial Kingdom is reward for good choices. And for the record- everyone has free agency regardless of religion.
2007-08-22 10:31:21 · answer #4 · answered by pono7 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well Free Agency is afforded to all -- everyone has it -- even slaves have free agency.
You have to understand that Free agency is the right to choose BUT not the right to circumstances and consequences.
We all have free agency and can control our choices but not control our circumstances and not control our consequences.
As good LDS we choose to bend our choices to the will of God; who in turn blesses us with freedom from addicting drugs, painful infidelity, etc. as well as eternal gifts such as eternal families, and to be joint heirs with Christ, (as well as forgiveness).
So I do not deny that I follow Christ rather than my own -- more flawed ideas. It has served me well and I have a better life when I do follow Christ.
On the occasions where I have chosen sin over Christ -- my life was miserable -- so I choose a happy life
Following rules actually opens up choices. For example:
I choose to rob a bank -- I am rich for 2 months until I am caught and go to jail -- I get out of jail and go "straight" but find it difficult to get a good job.
I choose not to rob a bank -- I am poor for 10 years until I get better employment and promotions -- I am rich at 50 and have a family a nice house, a boat, and my kids know the value of hard work.
Why shouldn't I feel free to rob a bank?
Choosing sin is NOT freedom
D
2007-08-22 07:16:30 · answer #5 · answered by Dionysus 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Please...
When question are asked as to whether one is worthy to enter [the temple] or not, they are questions of faith not "do you do what the church tells you to do?"
The church is actually very liberal all through members are conservatives (in political terms). There are basic 'black and white' beliefs just like any religion, But there are many topics that are left for members to decide for themselves.
For example, when questioned for a temple recommend members are asked "do you obey the 'word of wisdom?" this is according to your own faith. They don't ask do you drink coke, or Pepsi, or mountain dew, etc. Just like any faith, members do their best to live their life they way they think they ought to. No one is controlled, but everyone has a choice.
2007-08-21 17:36:02 · answer #6 · answered by Coool 4 · 5⤊ 0⤋
"I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it." This life is a test. It isn't supposed to be a walk in the park. We do have agency though. You can choose your actions but you can't choose the consequenses. It wouldn't really make sense to send people who are sinning and have full knowledge of it to the celestial kingdom would it? Yeah, sometimes it is hard to resist things and to stay good, but it truly makes you happier.
2007-08-21 17:30:40 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Well it is just the same as civil laws. You have the right to choose whether or not you want to stop at a red light, but if you don't then you have to suffer the consequences of running the red light. They are guidelines they are not set rules and if we choose to not live by them then we will suffer the consequences.
2007-08-21 17:38:13 · answer #8 · answered by Erica M 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You said it yourself. If I WANT to go to the temple, then I must choose a certain way. EVERYTHING is a choice. Every choice has consequences. I can choose to do what the church tells me, IF I choose that I want to go to the temple. I can choose to go to the temple anyway, and lie to my bishop, but then, someday, I must answer to God for that.
2007-08-22 22:53:56 · answer #9 · answered by mormon_4_jesus 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually we are allowed to do much more than we are not allowed to do.
I did answer the question. We are allowed to do many things and we have the free agency to choose to do them or to do the things not allowed in the church. As with any law if we choose to follow it we will get the benefits. If we choose not to follow it we will get the consequences.
With your logic we do not live in a free country because we have laws that we have to obey.
The laws are there to protect us and help us not to restrict us.
This was such a sophomoric question.
2007-08-21 17:24:01 · answer #10 · answered by J T 6 · 6⤊ 1⤋