[babydawn]

I have to say that my husband and I have been reading the Book of Mormon together doing President Hinckley's challenge. Even though I have read it before, I am finding it much more captivating this go around. I think because I am reading several chapters at a time (We don't always read the 2 chapters every night, sometimes we skip a day or two and catch up later). We are just getting ready to wrap up the book of Alma here is a couple of days time. WOW!!! I can't even begin to imagine being a war time like that. And I have never noticed the details. My husband and I have been talking about how they must have felt. It is crazy. I would love to have a discussion with anyone who is also currently reading the Book of Mormon. What faith they had in those times!

[babydawn]

I don't think you know anything about the Book of Mormon. It is all about Christ. It is another testament of him and we use it hand in hand with the Holy Bible. We do believe in the Bible, very much so, as well as Jesus Christ. He is the very center of what we believe. If you have any other questions about my faith, please ask and not make assumptions, I will be more than happy to answer them to the best of my ability, so that you have the right view of who we really are.

[babydawn]

I am very sorry you feel that way. But I believe with all of my heart that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I have read the Book of Mormon and prayed about it and I feel nothing but peace and joy in my soul when I do, that doesn't sound like the work of Satan to me. As for proof that these families ever existed, most of the Biblical families have never been proven to have existed. Some things we just have to take on faith. I understand that you do not believe in what we believe, and you have every right to do so, but I have every right to believe as I will and with the spiritual experiences and the comfort, love, peace and joy that I feel on a regular basis as study into these scriptures and study of the life of Christ is something that I can not and will not deny. I am sorry that your husband had such a bad experience with the church, but I was raised in it and I know nothing but love, compassion, true service and love for my Savior, Jesus Christ. Satan never taught such things. I appreciate your concern, but I do not need it.

[babydawn]

I don't know if we read the same version of the bible, (we read the King James version), but Romans 10:4 reads: "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." It says nothing, in the King James version, about not having another testament of him. In Matthew 7:16-18 reads: "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." Have you ever read the Book of Mormon and asked your Heavenly Father if it is an evil book or if it is a good book? If you read it and understood its message of Christ, you could not call it evil, for there is no evil in it.

[cocotbo]

Originally Posted by shanaynay32

I see commercials on the book of mormon a lot, but I wonder why they just cannot be free with Christ alone?! The book Holy Bible alone, should bring you and your husband much more freedom and faith. It shows one man's quest for forgiviness and freedom through God. How one man died for us! There is no other faith than that. Put your book down now! It is not what God intended for us! His word was the final word.

I think you are way off base here. What you are demanding of people is the same as me telling you that you have to take Interstate 95 to get to Washington DC, whether you live in Florida, Montana or Ohio. You are missing the point here.

Babydawn believes in the Holy Bible just as strongly as you do. The fact that she adds the Book of Mormon to her religious studies is no cause for you to basically say that her eternal soul is ****** to hell.

I don't know what kind of Christianity you are trying to sell, but what I'm seeing here sure isn't making me want to join you. You're lucky I'm already a Christian or I'd never become one with somebody like you as the poster child.

Anybody can quote the Bible to suit their own ends.
Stop proclaiming your "Christianity" and start being a Christian.

[cocotbo]

Originally Posted by shanaynay32

If you believe in Jesus Christ so faithfully then why do you need to listen to moroni? Christ died and rose for us, we do not need to go further than that. He is our redeemer. Not Joseph Smith. An opinion and a prayer.

The point of this thread was not a debate about the Church of Latter Day Saints or how to worship God properly. Nor was it whose church has a higher depression or molestation rate. The fact of the matter is that you jumped into this thread, started by Babydawn to openly discuss with other Latter Day Saints their readings in the Book of Mormon. I quote: "I would love to have a discussion with anyone who is also currently reading the Book of Mormon."

To jump in here and tell somebody their religion is wrong is just bad form.

I find it absolutely laughable that you would question someone's faith simply because there is no proof. Have you any idea how ridiculous that is?

If you are going to read the Book of Mormon and have an adult conversation about the lessons in that book then, by all means come back to this thread.

If you want to make accusations about somebody's church and spout your so called statistics, I suggest you take your statistics and start a new forum thread.

If you want a debate, bring it to the Debates section of the Forums. I'm sure people will love your style there.

Now, thanks to you, I am going to go find that Book of Mormon that was given to me by a very good friend, several years ago, (I am not a member of the LDS) and READ IT!

Babydawn, what chapter are you reading now?

[babydawn]

I too was trying to challenge your thinking. You say you do not pass judgement and yet you tell me that what I believe is a deception of Satan. Have you read the Book of Mormon? How do you know it is false if you have never truely read it for yourself (not take your husbands word on it) and asked your loving Heavenly Father if it is true? There is no proof of the Bible. None what so ever except that it was written a really long time ago. You say you state facts, but you seem to get your facts from people who dislike our religion. You don't go and ask a KKK member about the type of people black people are if you want the truth. They will only point out the negative. You state that there is a higher rate of depression among the women, my opinion, on the surface yes, because we do not believe in drinking alcohol. How many women when they are feeling down go have a drink to calm their nerves, or help them sleep...how many women of other faiths become alcoholics because they suffer from depression and are afraid to confront it. Once again, that is purely my opinion on that matter. The child molestation thing I have never heard of and personally I think it is a crock. Are there LDS people who molest their children, yes, but they are not living by what we teach and certainly our faith shouldn't be judged by what some sicko perverts do....all faiths have people who do wrong....serious wrongs in them, that doesn't mean that it is a result of them being a member of that faith. We do not believe in polygamy. I think that that is one of the most misunderstood things of our faith. Yes, Joseph Smith and Brigham Young had several wives, yes we believe them to be prophets, I also believe Abraham to be a prophet and he had several wives as well. It was done away with shortly after Joseph Smith died and it wasn't a free for all for the men to go and pick up a bunch of women to sleep with. They were all women whos husbands had died and needed cared for or women who probably wouldn't have the chance to get married. I am not going to lie, I don't know exactly why they didn't allow blacks into the temple until the 1900's, but I know black members of my faith who have zero issues with it and I am sure they have searched that out diligently. As for the mormon faith being based on fact....well somethings we just have to take on faith, the Bible you have to take on faith as well. I did assume that your husband had a bad experience with someone in the church because I don't know where all of this disdain comes from. I do not argue with you one bit about Christ dying and rising for us. He is our redeemer, I never once said that Josesh Smith was our redeemer, meerly a prophet, as of old. Moses, Abraham....they were both prophets. They both had visions, they both were wonderful men of faith who did not faulter for what they KNEW to be true. Tell me, why would a loving Heavenly Father leave his children without guidance? Why would he give his ancient people a prophet and not give his children now a prophet. I understand that you do not believe what I have to say as much as I believe it. I started this post to have a peaceful discussion with others who were actively reading the Book of Mormon. I did not in any way start it so that I would have to defend what I believe. I believe what I believe and you believe what you believe, you will never convince me otherwise.

[cocotbo]

So...for anyone interested in discussing the Book of Mormon,
we are currently reading the Book of Helaman
and you don't need to be a Mormon, just be open to learning something new and having a civil conversation.

[babydawn]

Trust me, I have questioned it, I was not active in the LDS church several years ago. I am not going to go into detail about the whole experience, but I will say that yes, there was a time when I questioned wether or not it is what I believe. Now that I have decided for myself that it is true, I will stick to that through thick and thin, and to be quite frank, this isn't why I started this thread. I don't like feeling like I have to defend what I believe. We live in the United States of America....freedom to worship as we please. I believe this with all of my heart, nothing you can say will change that.

Oh, and by the way, the people who are still practicing polygamy are NOT members of the LDS faith. Members who practice polygamy are excommunicated. So it doesn't really matter what they say their faith is, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints does NOT participate in polygamy.

[cocotbo]

OK, Babydawn, I got through chapters 1-4 last night before I finally had to get some sleep.
They read like an action/adventure!

I particularly enjoyed 3:33-34 which discussed the pride of those who belonged to the church and how "they were lifted up in pride even to the persecution of many of their brethren".

This is true today of so many people. I've seen so many people who are so "proud" of their religion that they strut around, waving it like a banner and proclaiming that they know what is best for everyone. This really seems to me to be more about their own pride than wanting to be good Christians. Christ never did such things, did he? He was calm and secure and converted people with love not with pride and overbearing. Of course that is just my take on it. What do you think?