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Re: BYU is Stephenie a Mormon?

Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:14 am
by awesomejen1
I think it's cool that there are some non-mormons on this thread!
I'm from Utah and was raised LDS, but I am no longer a member (much to my parents dismay)

I just wanted to pop in here and see whats going on. Even though I am not a member now, I am pretty well versed in the ways of the church. On the last day of Seminary my senior year, my teacher pulled me aside and asked for me to pray to find the faith to believe what I knew...he said that I was blessed with a great mind to understand all the teachings, my response was that I just wasn't given the heart for it.
It's a good church as a whole, but I think growing up in Utah does taint it some because there are a lot of people who are completely jack here but are so judgemental...which I feel like is just as bad as the actual "sin".
I know people who blame their lack of faith on the people from thier ward...not me, but others.

Anyway, there was a reason for me coming on here. I have a friend who isn't interested in the church to become a member, but is rather just interested in the idea of religion (does that make sense) so I suggested he talk to the missionaries, but he didn't want to because they can be really overbearing if you show the slightest bit of interest...so I told I would answer his questions, I know just as much as some of those 19 year olds anyway. But there was one thing I couldn't answer for him, and maybe some of you could...He asked me why do people believe all of it. I don't really know because I never really did. I feel like the practice of baptizing 8 year old kids into a church they don't understand is wrong (I feel that way about all churches that baptize kids/babies). I didn't know what I was doing, and I never really believed it. I know this is a personal question, and feel free to ignore it, it won't offend me...and people of other faiths, feel free to chime in as well. I think the idea of faith is pretty interesting because it's just not how my brain works..

Anyway, thanks in advance! :D

Re: BYU is Stephenie a Mormon?

Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:33 pm
by Variety
Why do people believe all of it?

Well, that's going to be a personal thing to everyone. I believe because I've had so many witnesses to the truth of it all. I believe because it guides my life and makes me a better person. I believe because it brings me so much comfort to know "who I am," "where I'm going," and "what this life means." With your example of baptizing, we baptize 8 yr olds not because they can understand it all, but because they are old enough to understand right and wrong, and old enough to start to take responsibility for their own actions. That is why we (LDS) don't baptize babies. We don't hold them accountable for their "sins."

Faith is an interesting idea, and difficult for many people to understand. But faith isn't just about religion. It's simple being able to believe in something without proof. We all (or most ,if not critically hardened) believe in the concept of love. Whether or not you have "found love" or not, love still exists. But no one can see it, or quantify it in any way. It just is. You have to feel it with your heart and soul. That's faith. Now, I extend that feeling to my knowledge of the gospel (or religion). That is why I believe- I feel it deep down in my heart and soul.

Re: BYU is Stephenie a Mormon?

Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:45 pm
by debussygirl
awesomejen1 wrote:But there was one thing I couldn't answer for him, and maybe some of you could...He asked me why do people believe all of it. I don't really know because I never really did. I feel like the practice of baptizing 8 year old kids into a church they don't understand is wrong (I feel that way about all churches that baptize kids/babies).
I believe because I feel it is right. I get all of those feelings, the burning of the bosom and tears in the eyes. I feel the Savior's love and I just know. It's like what Jamie says in A Walk To Remember, "It's like the wind. I can't see it, but I can feel it." And since I feel it I know it is true and real.
Also, to answer the question on baptizing at eight (my old stake president answered this question to an investigator we were having over at my house, and I hope I can put it as wonderfully as he did). There was actually a scientific study that at 8 years old your brain is fully developed, and I doubt Joseph Smith could have known that (but of course Heavenly Father did). Also, baptism is a step in the gospel. At 8, I think most kids do get what they learn in church, and so they can start learning more and more, having baptism helps them accomplish this. So that wasn't as good as my old stake president, but I hope it helps :)

Re: BYU is Stephenie a Mormon?

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:35 am
by nissanmama
There's a really interesting book that was published in 2001 titled Why I Believe. It's a collection of the thoughts by prominent LDS members from Gladys Knight to Bill Marriott. I thought it was a facinating read.
debussygirl wrote:There was actually a scientific study that at 8 years old your brain is fully developed
I remember being stunned one day in one of my college classes at San Fransico State Univeristy. The professor (it was a behavior persuasion class or something like that) was quoting that same study. I don't think "fully developed" was the right terminology becuase we know that teenagers (I live with two of them) still have developing brains. I think it had to do with the ability to process information and be cognative about right and wrong.

Re: BYU is Stephenie a Mormon?

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:59 am
by awesomejen1
Even if an 8 year old understands right from wrong, can they really understand what they are getting themselves into when they join a church. As someone who has had to go through the VERY rigourous and overly-complicated process of getting my name removed from the church records, I wish I would have been presented the choice to join such an organization at an age where I actually understood the consequences of my actions. For me, I know baptism has no meaning to me because you have to believe it in to make it "work" (That isn't the best word for it, but I can't think of anything else). But when I was eight, even though I knew right from wrong, I don't really think I believed the church. I thought I did because that was all I knew, that was what I was told my whole life, but that doesn't make you know something for yourself.
Maybe the founders of the church didn't intend the process of leaving it to be so difficult, but in today's world, it truly is. I know this because I am not the only person I know to have their records removed from the church.
I guess all along I just needed to put a calendar out with half-naked missionaries...that would have done the trick quickly.

Re: BYU is Stephenie a Mormon?

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:41 pm
by ~twilight_princess~
dandyvampgirl_13 wrote:Favorite LDS movie?
Psh, SO Johnny Lingo!
*grins* He's hot.
And it made me laugh.
Haha! I LOVE the old Johnny Lingo!!! That movie rocks!!! "Mahonna, you ugly!" Lol. :-) I forgot about that one. Turn Around is pretty good too.

Has anyone read any of Jack Weyland's books? I've only read Lean On Me, and I really really liked it even though it was cheesy at some parts... lol.

Re: BYU is Stephenie a Mormon?

Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 8:22 pm
by debussygirl
After conference today on the BYU channel The Other Side of Heaven was on. That's a really good movie, I recommend it to everyone.

Re: BYU is Stephenie a Mormon?

Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 12:54 am
by awesomejen1
~twilight_princess~ wrote:
Has anyone read any of Jack Weyland's books? I've only read Lean On Me, and I really really liked it even though it was cheesy at some parts... lol.
The movie adaptation of Charley is my favorite "mormon" movie. It's not a lot like the book, but it is really sweet if you can find it. Even though I am not a member anymore, the movie is still one of my favorite...you'll need a whole box of tissues for sure!

Re: BYU is Stephenie a Mormon?

Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 1:54 am
by Valentina
I'm finding this thread really fascinating! I don't know a whole about the LDS faith, except that guys in suits come to our door occasionally! And the ones in Kindersley were hot, and I was always in my pajamas, lol.

About the abortion thing and talking to a church leader... I think its less like asking for permission and more like asking for guidance. Like I would talk to my priest if I needed help with something like that, because the leaders in any church are there for that reason. I believe my priest was led by God to that position, and thus, they are given the gifts they need to be able to counsel me. And they know more about the Bible and living like Christ than I do. So I see it as less asking for permission, and more like asking for help from someone you would trust to be able to help you the best out of anyone here on Earth.

I'm Anglican and we baptise infants, but its really not the kid doing anything, its the parents making a vow to God (with the church as witnesses), that they will raise their kid in the church and teach them about God and the Bible and stuff. Then when they're 13 or 14, after they've taken a class with the other kids at the church, they stand up in front of the congregation and say that they accept what they have been taught and then they promise to follow God. If they don't agree with what they've been taught in confirmation class or don't want to be an Anglican, then they don't get confirmed. So baptism for us isn't really about the kid saying they understand... its like the parents dedicating their child to God. Of course, my parents are Baptist so we occasionally squabble over this. However, every denomination feels slightly different about baptism but since I don't disagree with infant baptism, I certainly can't disagree with baptising 8 year olds.

Lets see, what else did I want to say? Oh yeah, stake dances! That sounds fun. I'm jealous actually. My youth group didn't have very many people in it and I wasn't one of their group so I got left out... and I never really got to meet any other Christian kids from my area. And come on, dances are fun. XP

And a ward would be like a diocese, right? Like I'm part of the Regina Qu'Appelle diocese... its just a group of Anglican churches that associate with each other cuz they're located close to each other. You just have a different word for it.

Oh and the Twilight thing. I like how the characters have morals like Edward won't have sex with Bella til they're married and Bella won't get an abortion, but they aren't "crazy religious people." That's refreshing.

Re: BYU is Stephenie a Mormon?

Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 4:00 pm
by dandyvampgirl_13
Valentina wrote:And a ward would be like a diocese, right? Like I'm part of the Regina Qu'Appelle diocese... its just a group of Anglican churches that associate with each other cuz they're located close to each other. You just have a different word for it.
A ward is acutally more like an individual congregation, really. There's about 200 in each (I think mine might have more...) A stake is more like your diocese, there are about 14 wards in each, which would be the congregations associating with each other, right?

Mmm, stake dances are pretty fun. I missed the last one because it was after the Best of EFY which I didn't attend :(

Oh, is there anyone else planning on attending EFY, or has attended? A friend and I are planning on doing it next summer, so I'd just like to hear other peoples opinions.