When I was a kid I used to think that everyone was just like me and that for the most part their lives were like mine–they had a warm, safe place to sleep, more than enough to eat, and that they felt safe and knew that their mom and dad loved them.  When I got to be a teenager, I realized that that wasn’t always the case, but I erroneously thought that it was their own fault if they weren’t happy, or if they had “problems”.  In the last few years, but in particular the last few months, I have seen and heard a lot of sad stories, heart wrenching really, that have truly changed my perspective  .

I see a lot of people who have been shot, stabbed, hit by a car on their bike, run over while waiting at the bus stop,  and in one case, a drunk woman hit a van with a woman and three or four kids, killing them all and yet she lived with a broken ankle.  Meanwhile there was a husband and child, who were lucky enough to not be in the van, whose lives were changed forever that night.

We are all quick to point our fingers at the drunk lady and say, “how could she do that– drink and drive.  She should be the one who is dead.”  But, I would almost guarantee that if you were to ask this woman about her life she would have a heart-wrenching story of her own to tell, which would probably turn your stomach in knots.  I would almost bet that her life was so bad that the only way that she could deal with it was to drink until it didn’t hurt anymore.

We all do it; we all judge each other.  Christ taught, “judge not, that ye be not judged” (St. Matthew 7:1)  He was speaking with a some experience, remember He was Mary’s son, who was pregnant before she and Joseph were  married.  I am sure the young couple was the talk of Nazareth for a while.

I have thought about those seven words a lot and the more I hear these sad stories and see the scars, either emotional or physical, that people carry, the more I realize that I have no room to think, “well, if you would just . . . then you wouldn’t be like this.”  If I had to go through what some people have, maybe I would drink myself to death too.  Or how can you not be violent to others, when all you have experienced was violence from those who you are supposed to trust?

I am not advocating that people should not be punished for their actions, or that sin as defined by God’s laws is excusable, but what I am saying is that we should all have a little more compassion.  We can hate the sin, but still love the sinner (as a contributor to this website put it). We should all view people as who they really are–sons and daughters of an Eternal Father in Heaven, who have divine and unlimited potential.  So when that guy flies by you on your way home tonight and then proceeds to slam on his brakes and cut you off to get in the turn lane, take a deep breath and say, “I bet he is on the way to the hospital to see his wife who is taking her last breaths.”

Not too long ago, Bus wrote an excellent post aimed at answering this very question.  Here is the link: The Origins of God.

We do have quotes from some contemporary prophets that in more words or less say that God was once like man is now.  However, whether he was born, where it all began,  and so on, we just don’t know everything yet.  Nevertheless, we do have the promise from God that in the future all things will be made known (D&C 101:32-34).

Thanks for your question.

Q: I have not met with any missionaries yet, but after researching the LDS faith then praying about it, I learned it was the truth.  It was such a moving spiritual experience, and I wept with joy when it was confirmed to be to be the truth.  I was overcome with peace and joy.  I purchased a copy of the BOM and have started to read it and listen to it (on my iPod).  I know I wish to be baptized.  I understand that I need to meet with the missionaries and attend church.  I just wondered, that as I already know the truth, and wish to be baptized, how quickly this would happen.  And thank you for your very helpful website.

A: This is absolutely wonderful!  I am so happy to hear that you have experienced that unexplainable joy that a person feels when Heavenly Father answers the sincere prayer to know if The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the truth.  And how wonderful to hear that you wish to be baptized, because you know the truth.

You are correct, you do need to meet with the missionaries and attend church.  Also they will teach you a handful of lessons about the fundamental teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  They will also ask you to do a few things: commit to live the Word of Wisdom, commit to pay tithing, commit to only having sexual relations with your spouse to whom you are lawfully married (live the law of chastity), and also attend church.

To answer your question specifically, as you already have received an answer to your prayers and desire to be baptized, together you will schedule a day for your baptism as soon as you are ready and meet the requirements in the previous paragraph.  It could be in four or five days (enough time to teach you the lessons), or it could be in a few weeks.  The missionaries will help you to make this decision.

Prior to your baptism you will have an interview with one of the missionaries who will ask you some specific questions about your decision to be baptized and your acceptance of Jesus Christ as your savior and your desire to be one of his disciples. In addition, you will be asked if you are living the commandments you have been asked to live.  You may also be asked to meet with the bishop or branch president of your local congregation before your baptism.

After this interview process, your baptism will occur.  Oftentimes, baptisms are held at a local church where there is a small pool (font) specifically for baptisms.  If you are in an area where there isn’t a font available, the baptism might be held at a local pool, in the ocean, or in a river.  The specific location isn’t terribly important, just as long as there is water deep enough for you to be completely immersed in the water. You and the man who will be baptizing you will be dressed in white.  It is important to note that the man baptizing you will have God’s approval to perform this important ordinance for you and since he has God’s approval to do this, God recognizes your baptism as being legitimate. After being welcomed, there will be a song, prayer, and then a talk given on baptism.  Your baptism will then occur.  After which, there is a talk about the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Then one of two things will happen, either everyone will go home and you will be confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the next Sunday, or this will occur directly after you are baptized.  This proceeds as follows: a handful of men who have God’s approval to do so, will put their hands on your head and confirm you a member of The Christ of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and bestow upon you the gift of the Holy Ghost.  They will stand around you as you sit on a chair.  One of the men will act as voice for the rest of the group.  I won’t repeat here the first part of this ordinance, as it should be held sacred, but the second part is a blessing that is specifically tailored for your needs and comes by revelation from God to the man acting as voice.

After receiving these two ordinances, baptism and being confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, your feet are planted solidly in the strait and narrow way that Christ spoke of that leads to eternal life.  There will be many people along your way to help you, but most importantly, you will have the gift of the Holy Ghost, who will be your constant companion as long as you are keeping Christ’s commandments the best that you can and relying upon Him in all that you do.   The Holy Ghost has many roles, but he will provide you with comfort, he will teach you, he testifies of Christ and truth, he warns you of danger, and much more.

I am so excited for you, please let us know when you are baptized.  Please let us know if you have any other questions.  May the Lord bless you!

Here are some links to other articles about baptism:

Repentance before baptism

What does baptism entail?

Baptism

What is a baptismal service like?

One of the lessons taught today in church was about honesty.  It came from the Gospel Principles book.  This book contains very succinct teachings, structured in lesson format, about the major doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  As I was listening to the lesson, there were several principles of honesty that stood out to me that I need to be better at, or had never thought about.

Most members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints strive to be honest in all things.  Occasionally I do hear stories of how some church members have been dishonest.  I apologize if you have been wronged or lied to by one of our church members.  No one is perfect, so please don’t let the actions of an imperfect person cloud your view of our church.

I would encourage you to read the lesson by clicking here, but here are some excerpts that really stood out to me.

Lying is intentionally deceiving others. Bearing false witness is one form of lying. The Lord gave this commandment to the children of Israel: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (Exodus 20:16). Jesus also taught this when He was on earth (see Matthew 19:18). There are many other forms of lying. When we speak untruths, we are guilty of lying. We can also intentionally deceive others by a gesture or a look, by silence, or by telling only part of the truth. Whenever we lead people in any way to believe something that is not true, we are not being honest. . .

Jesus taught, “Thou shalt not steal” (Matthew 19:18). Stealing is taking something that does not belong to us. When we take what belongs to someone else or to a store or to the community without permission, we are stealing. Taking merchandise or supplies from an employer is stealing. Copying music, movies, pictures, or written text without the permission of the copyright owners is dishonest and is a form of theft. Accepting more change or goods than one should is dishonest. Taking more than our share of anything is stealing.  .  .

We cheat when we give less than we owe, or when we get something we do not deserve. Some employees cheat their employers by not working their full time; yet they accept full pay. Some employers are not fair to their employees; they pay them less than they should. Satan says, “Take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor” (2 Nephi 28:8). Taking unfair advantage is a form of dishonesty. Providing inferior service or merchandise is cheating.  .  .

People use many excuses for being dishonest. People lie to protect themselves and to have others think well of them. Some excuse themselves for stealing, thinking they deserve what they took, intend to return it, or need it more than the owner. Some cheat to get better grades in school or because “everyone else does it” or to get even. . .

These excuses and many more are given as reasons for dishonesty. To the Lord, there are no acceptable reasons. When we excuse ourselves, we cheat ourselves and the Spirit of God ceases to be with us.

Thanks for your question.  I will preface by saying that this is a common question that we receive on this website.   I understand that there are different opinions and beliefs about this topic  and we needn’t proceed to a large debate about how Mormon beliefs don’t fit in perfectly with other Christian denominations beliefs.

Mormons believe that all people can be  saved  through the Atonement of Jesus Christ by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Article of Faith 3 ).  And the basic laws  and ordinances that bring about salvation through Jesus Christ are:  first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Second, repentance of our sins.  Third, baptism by immersion in water.  Fourth, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands (Article of Faith 4).

So, we are saved by the Atonement of Jesus Christ and we gain access to it by faith in Him and by obedience to his commandments.

Here are some other articles dealing with this topic.

The Saved Little Toaster

Works and Grace

Salvation (There is a pretty in-depth conversation on this post  in the comments)

Q: How do Mormons feel about plastic surgery?

I am unaware of any church statement on using cosmetic plastic surgery simply to “improve” one’s appearance.  I am certain, that there are a multitude of opinions from Mormons for and against cosmetic plastic surgery, but let it be understood that these are simply their own opinions.  However, I don’t know if undergoing a breast enlargement, or having a face lift simply to attract more people’s attention is the most appropriate thing to do.

We do not shun the use of modern medical technologies, including plastic surgery.  There are definitely circumstance where plastic surgery is appropriate.  Elder Neal A. Maxwell, a now deceased leader of our church, used the example of a young man undergoing nine plastic surgeries on his disfigured lips “so that others can hear the gospel from his lips, undistracted.”  Obviously, Elder Maxwell,  thought this was an appropriate use of plastic surgery.

In addition, there are  plastic surgeons who are Mormon.  At one time in medical school, I was contemplating a career in plastic surgery myself, but for whatever reason, I didn’t feel it was the right thing for me.  Plastic surgery is a enormous blessing for some people–those that have been disfigured due to disease, cancer, and all form of accidents.  It can restore their confidence in themselves and reduces the “stare” that they often receive while in public.   I know that I would definitely want to be making a visit to a plastic surgeon if I found myself in such a situation.

Thanks for your question!

]]> http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/02/question-box-plastic-surgery/feed/ 4 http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/01/question-box-do-mormons-hunt/ http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/01/question-box-do-mormons-hunt/#comments Mon, 17 Jan 2011 03:48:32 +0000 Ben http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/?p=2921

Q: Do Mormons hunt?

Yes, but there is nothing in Mormon belief that says a person has to hunt, or should not hunt.

My dad’s side of the family hunted to sustain themselves and if they got a nice buck deer that was a bonus.  And I think that philosophy is in line with what has been taught by God.  Speaking to Noah, He said “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things” (Genesis 9:3).  Personally, I don’t see any difference between hunting and killing a deer to feed my family and buying hamburger at the store.  Animals died either way and to me there is something a little more noble about a deer giving its life to sustain me.

However, I think that there is something wrong with hunting simply to kill.  God taught this concept to Joseph Smith when he said, “wo be unto man that sheddeth blood of that wasteth flesh and hath no need” (D&C 49:21).

I’ll be honest, for me hunting is a little bit of an adrenaline rush.  There is nothing quite like listening to a big bull elk bugling on a cool fall morning.  But, on a more personal level hunting has taught me a lot about life. I learned at a very early age that life is precious and can be gone in an instant.  I saw that food didn’t just come from a store and that it was a precious commodity.  I learned how to take care of the animal–cleaning, cutting it up, and getting it ready for storage.  I was taught never to kill more than I could eat. I was taught to be an excellent shot with my rifle so that the animals die quickly and not suffer.  In addition I got to spend a lot of quality time with my dad and observe him in situations other than work and home.  He taught me how to be a man in the mountains and I am grateful for that.

Thanks for asking about hunting, I hope that answers your question.

I am sympathetic to those who personally deal with this extremely addicting and destructive vice. I can only imagine how hard it must be to break the shackles. I am sure that such people feel that they can never escape, or that they have come so far down, that they can’t escape. But there is always a way out and that way is through the atonement of Jesus Christ. I am not saying that addiction to pornography is easily overcome, but what I am saying is that it is possible with sustained, diligent effort. Our church has put together a website (combatingpornography.org) to help those who are struggling in any way with pornography. It is also a great resource to educate oneself about the effects of pornography on the individual, family, and society.

But what about those that dabble here and there? Is it really that bad? Christ said, “That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). It is clear, God views these types of activities as sin. Under the law of Moses adultery was punishable by death by stoning. That should indicate to us the seriousness that God places on breaking commandments that deal with virtue.

And for those of you who are married, (and even if you are not) I urge you think twice about viewing pornography in any form. You are better than that. Your dignity and integrity aren’t worth it. You owe it to yourself, your spouse, and your kids to keep your mind clean from this filth. If you have fallen into this trap, there is a way out. A starting point would be to click on the combatingpornography.org link I listed above. Here are some links to articles or talks by a few of the leaders of our church:

• A Tragic Evil Among Us, President Gordon B. Hinckley, General Conference, October 2004
• Pornography, Dallin H. Oaks, General Conference, April 2005
• Pornography, Gospel Topics, www.lds.org

I advise everyone who reads this to treat the issue with as much care and consideration as you would if you were living amidst an outbreak of the Black Plague. Guard yourselves. Protect your families. Pornography is an addictive, destructive and draining habit. Even viewing it one time can be enough to start an addiction. Teach your children and avoid it yourselves.

This past Sunday during our worship meeting (called sacrament meeting), the speakers taught us about keeping the Sabbath day holy.  Their talks were a reminder to me of the sacredness of Sunday and what a blessing it is to keep this commandment.  I was reminded of this beautiful scripture from Isaiah 58:13-14

13 If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Verse 13 has been a guide for me in striving to keep the Sabbath day holy.  As I have consistently sought to keep this commandment and follow Isaiah’s prescription on how to do it, I have found renewed strength, blessings too innumerable to count, even so many, that I don’t have room to receive them all, and above all, I have found peace.  I feel strongly that because I strive to keep the Sabbath day holy, I have been able to enjoy academic success in medical school while being a husband and father of three children.  I am not the smartest person in my class by a long shot, but my abilities to understand and retain information has been undoubtedly increased.  This is just one example, but there are many more–my marriage is stronger to name one specifically.  In fact, I would go so far as to say that I cannot afford to not keep the Sabbath day holy.  But, it is not just the increased understanding or my marriage that drives me, it is the assurance, peace, and joy that I feel in my life that God is truly guiding my life.  I know that I have found the strait and narrow way that leads to eternal life.

The commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy is still in effect today, just as it was in Isaiah’s day.  I urge you to think about your doings on Sunday, change if necessary, and follow Isaiah’s counsel.  Take God at his word.  Put this commandment to the test.  There will come into your life blessings that you never imagined.  The promises of the Lord and his servants are true, but it is up to you to claim them.

I am assuming that you are asking if Mormons believe that they will become gods someday.  For an article addressing this question, please see:  What Do Mormons Believe? – Becoming Gods and Ruling Planets Thank you.