Posted by thor on July 14, 1998 at 04:02:48:
In Reply to: Definitely not. posted by blue on July 13, 1998 at 22:25:33:
:
: :
: : I really get tired of hearing the dogmatic whine about how some exMormons have thrown the baby out with the bath water. I've the same experience as rpcman--I left the myths of Christianity rather than specifically leaving Mormonism. I hadn't even seen any "anti-mormon" information until after I became ex-xian (unless you count general skepticism sources as being "anti-mormon").
: I'd be interested to know which "myths of Christianity" you left. Bring it up as a new post, if you care. I'm curious if the same points caused the same problems for different people.
: : I even recall a mindset I had for a short time after dumping Christianity where I felt that even though I couldn't subscribe to Christianity anymore, if I had to be Christian, I'd be a Mormon. At that time I knew all Christianity was moldy baloney, but I felt Mormonism was the "best" of the fiction-based systems.
: : Blue, I know you accept that some people look at the 'false religion' of mormonism and find their way out... but the reality is that the same 'escape' often happens for some from YOUR religion--deal with it.
Blue, in the interest of clarification...which angle are
you coming from? were you ever a mormon? i get the
feeling you weren't. that's ok; great in fact. however
like i've directed to you before, the idea of being
truly taught what is in the bible is subjective...
in fact i would bet that your particular angle
on the bible is opposed by a lot of the same
people who would call themselves true christians.
i understand and appreciate where you are going, but
honestly, the bible has soooo many problems, and
its teachings are subjective, are they not? of course
peter says that the scriptures are not for private
interpretation, (what else would he say...) but if
that is the case then we, as uneducated mormons,
need to rely on 'your' interpretation. i've given
up on relying on intermediaries.
respectfully,
thor
: There is a subtle point here that you may be overlooking. The Bible is quite clear in its teaching that God chooses who will be saved. It isn't my choice, it's God's. It is also quite clear that "once saved always saved." No one will become a true Christian and then "lose" their Christianity. Your testimony reveals, in a small way, that Mormonism has departed in its teachings from true Christianity.
: I want to put this in gentle terms, but I sense you have been sold a bill of goods in the Mormon representation of Christianity. Once you are a true Christian, you always will be. If you've been taught anything different, you've been taught a lie, and you were wise to leave the lie. But you've also revealed that you haven't been taught Christianity as taught in the Bible as a whole.
: Here's a thought for you: do you suppose if you had lived my exact life, had my experiences, learned what I learned, etc., etc. would you be ex-xian also? If not, why?
: Absolutely not. Because God does the saving. God chooses whom He will regardless of circumstance. Look at the different responses to Paul's Gospel in Acts chapter 17. All heard the same message. All had similar (Athenian) backgrounds. Some were saved. I didn't choose God. God chose me. That is fundamental.