How To Read This Blog
Please start with the month of February 2007 and read backwards. This is the most effective way to understand, in order, why I say what I do.
Handmaidens Creed
1.I believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit as one God without beginning or end.
2.I believe the Bible to be the Holy Inspired word of God with full truth and righteousness. No other writing is.
3.I believe that the work of the Lord comes first. Before any temporal thing or person.
4.I believe that grace is a gift and Christ gives that gift freely to all who believe.
5.I believe that the beauty of a woman is contained inside of her and not by what she looks like on the outside.
6.I believe that marriage is sacred and represents the Godhead on earth; two are one just as three are one.
7.I believe that love is more powerful than any other power. Remember, God is love.
8.I believe that tithing is not a part of God's new covenant, free will offerings are. And that doesn't mean just money.
9.I believe that the Aaronic, Levitical, and Melchizedek priesthoods are abolished and Christs Holy Priesthood whom Christ is the "Great High Priest" is eternal.
10.I believe that every believer is a priest in the "Priesthood of Believers".
11.I believe that when two are one, nobody is to separate the one.
12.I believe that Christ is the only way to heaven.
13.I believe that our bodies are temples, not man made buildings.
14.I believe that liars make fools out of others and the liar hates the fool.
15.I believe that all believers are in authority to preach the gospel.
16.I believe that the word 'organization' to describe Christs body is evil and has no place with God.
17.I believe the Americas are not the land of Zion and Christ will return to His origonal land-Israel in the Middle East.
18.I believe that God has set out correct ways of worshiping Him, not man.
19.I believe in holding to the truths of the Bible and not mans understanding of it.
20.I believe that the world is full of evil and Satan can easily gain control over the minds of those who do not profess Christ of the Bible to be their only Messiah.
21.I believe that Saints are those who know the real Savior, Jesus Christ, of whom the Bible speaks of; not the jesus of a cult.
9 comments:
I believe in Doctrine and Covenants it is speaking about the Lord's servants such as the prophet and the twelve apostles, and even other leaders in our stake and ward levels, but I am shocked that your dad would tell you never to get married and very sorry that he felt that was wise counsel to give you. Hopefully you prayed about it to find out if that was what was right for you. After all, as we learn from your post below about the Holy Ghost, it should be for everyone to receive personal revelation and never for "anyone" to claim that what they say is God's will just because they feel like it. We beleive that our Prophet is sustained as a servant of the Lord and holds the keys of the priesthood for our well being and guidance as a church.
The D&C introduction of section 68 says, "Utterances of men ordained to the Holy Priesthood when they speak as moved upon by the Holy Ghost designated as scripture."
It doesn’t say it’s up for our determination that the leaders said something because they “felt like it”. It seems on the one hand, if their words are personally palatable to us they are “scripture”, and yet on the other hand, if their words are not something we agree with, we can disregard them as their personal opinions for us to pray about.
I know you're never going to see it the way and that's fine. I am curious though, I have read a lot of your posts and what is it exactly that has made you want to devote a lot of your time and this whole blog to tearing apart the LDS church and parts of your childhood that you aren't happy with? I understand you feel like blogging about it is "healing" but what made you feel this way in the first place?
Steph,
Your youth is shinning through. You need to study the D&C more clearly. You will see the errors and the clashes within its own writings. Don't go blindly through life believing everything the Mormon church tells you. I did. For years. Tearing apart the LDS church? How about exposing the truth. That is more correct. Being brought up in a strict cult is all that is needed to know.
God Bless you in your search for the truth.
handmaiden
I don't see how youth would have anything to do with knowledge or maturity. I don't follow blindly and I'm sad that you think I would. What I meant to ask was: What pointed to the mormon church being a cult? I have been to the temple and married for 4 years, and I have yet to see anything that points to "cult". ?
Age has nothing to do with maturity. Please study for yourself what the founders of the Mormon church established within the parameters of the laws of the Mormon doctrine. Temple marriage has changed through the years, yet Joseph Smith set the standards and now too, they have changed. The blood oath is one oath that I personally remember as part of the ceremony. Now it is gone. Think about the words the next time you go to the temple. The taking of ones own life is no longer there. The changes of Adam and Eve, the changes in the secular church, the changes in being a submissive wife, and so on. Too many changes. Even in the washing procedure and words have changed. You can dismiss all of the changes as modern revelation, but don't forget about the roots of the whole religion. The Book of Mormon has had over 3,000 changes and Joseph Smith stated that it was the most correct book on earth. Please study. Please go the God for the truth so Christ can fill your heart with the knowledge that surpasses all understanding without the aid of any man on earth. Your walk with God is not contingent on laws and ordinances, or permission. You simply cannot work your way to heaven. Salvation is a gift as soon as you confess with your mouth that you are a sinner and Christ is the only one to eternal life. Baptism does not do this. Joseph Smith does not sit at the throne of God and let spirits into heaven. That is solely Christs and His alone. Feelings of good are not an indication of truth. Study the Word and only the Word. You will be blessed.
I have found a good article at this link:
http://www.howcultswork.com/
It helps dispell common myths about "cults". I think when people are involved in an organization it's sometimes difficult to gain a clear perspective. I pray this will be enlightening for those open to the truth.
Thanks Jer!
I've thought for a few days now about what I wanted to say in response to your statements. I wanted to make sure that whatever I say doesn't come across sounding contrary to what I want it to. I guess I should preface by saying that it wasn't and isn't my intention to read your posts and your blog and shoot you down or make you feel bad or make you think that I think you're wrong for choosing the path that you have. I do respect your decisions and your beliefs no matter how different they might be from mine. I guess i was just genuinely interested in why you believe what you do, because no matter how many ways I've looked at it, I can't see anything wrong with the LDS church. Maybe again that statement will just be attributed to my apparent youth, but I believe that maturity has more to do with the types of experiences you've had, and what you've learned from them, and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated. I know that you did say that age doesn't have anything to do with it, but you did point out my youth and feel that I have not studied out my beliefs.
I do have to agree with another commenter from one of your other posts who said that it seems like you are pouring salt in open wounds though. I really would like to see what changed your mind about religion and how you feel better for it now. Not just attempts at pointing out scripture disagreements or "false doctrines" and how you think that the practicing LDS people have it all wrong. I know you said this blog was for healing, but I suspect that you do want people to read it, or you wouldn't have it out there. What do you hope to make from your blog? What do you hope to accomplish? And how do you feel that your life is benefiting from the changes you have made in it since your youth? Best wishes in all your endeavors and practices.
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