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(2 Nephi 5:21-23)
"And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticting unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them. And thus saith the Lord God: I will cause that they shall be loathsome unto thy people, save they shall repent of their iniquities. And cursed shall be the seed of him that mixeth with their seed; for they shall be cursed even with the same cursing. And the Lord spake it and it was done."
Originally posted by Agent47
True but one cant help but look at how the book of morman came about , and how if you masturbate you won't attain the highest level of heaven and realize it has the great trappings of a cult.
Originally posted by EmbryonicEssence
I'd say that when you have about 50-100 million followers, maybe the rest of the world will start calling it a religion, lol.
Originally posted by petey_pongo23
Also, it beats the heck out of a paid clergy. Should mankind have a paid salary to spread the Word of God? Also, should there be a public giving of money where the congregation battles over who gives more, because you know people are looking at what you give. In tithing it is done moreless in privacy, and in the LDS Church their is no paid clergy. Even the prophet Gordon B. Hinckley is not paid with a monetary salary.
Originally posted by Arkaleus
However, because my eyes were open, I saw my people for the first time.
I understood that the book of mormon was a book revealed by angels, and a fiction received to express a spritual truth and a mystery. The wonderful thing is that these revelations in the book of mormon ARE true, or at least the spiritual truths are. The names are inventions, along with the details. But Smith was a genuine prophet, one that I particularly love. his genius was in understanding how to build a faction and a religion for his beloved nation.
There are pleny of detractors out there challenging the words of the BOM. Of course! The work is a fictional analogy. The names and places are made up. Yet the Spritual truth is a wonderful revelation. No one knew back in the 1820's of the connections between the old world and the pre-columbian nations. Yet here they are today. Smith was channeling! He was America's first prophet.
I love my people, even if they cast me out and hate me, and judge me harshly. Yet I will remain faithful.