If it were real, which it isn't, you'd have to have perfect knowledge of God and willingly fight against Him. It would take someone like Joseph Smith, who'd actually seen him, to actively fight against Him. Like Lucifer, who actually knew he was fighting against God.
But as mentioned, none of it is real anyway, so no worries.
This would be so much easier to understand if they could actually use the word 'KNOW' how it's supposed to be used.
D&C 76 - seems to support the idea that I must LITERALLY see God/Christ before I can be damned. However, it is loosely worded, and open to interpretation (did you know/see through the Holy Spirit? Since we all know that seeing the Gold plates with your "spiritual eyes" is a perfectly acceptable witness.) - http://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/76.30-44?lang=eng#29
Supposedly you go to outer darkness if you commit the unpardonable sin. And what is that? According to a lesson from one of the handbooks: "If any people on earth are capable of committing the unpardonable sin, you will find them among those who have, or will, come to a knowledge of the truth. … You and I have received the light. We have received the Holy Priesthood. We have received the testimony of the Holy Spirit, and have been brought from death unto life. Therefore, we are now on very safe or on dangerous ground,—dangerous if we are trifling with these sacred things that have been committed to our care. Hence I warn you, my brethren and sisters, especially my brethren, against trifling with your [priesthood]. … If you do, as God lives He will withdraw His Spirit from you, and the time will come when you will be found kicking against the light and knowledge which you have received, and you may become sons of perdition. Therefore, you had better beware lest the second death shall be passed upon you."
So, basically, if you have been a leader in the church, then everything you've learned has been through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. So, if you walk away from it then the church says you're calling the Holy Ghost a liar. If you call the Holy Ghost a liar you are committing the unpardonable sin. If you commit the unpardonable sin then you are a son of perdition.
I find this to be the ultimate in hypocrisy. We have walked away from a lie. We have not learned it through the inspiration of the spirit. We will not be punished for denying a lie.
The church's position on apostates and outer darkness is one of the most contemptible, despicable lies that have ever been dreamed up.
so, exbishfromportland, according to that quote, it seems that anybody that has held the priesthood can become a son of perdition (like AngelCowgirl previously said), and not just ecclesiastical leaders.
I agree: this is a disgusting doctrine. It's the church holding us by fear. The fear of 'what if they're right?' It's them telling the members that ex-mos are led by satan and should be avoided.
So do only priesthood holders have the option of getting tossed into Outer Darkness? Because I'm female, and in my life as an apostate I've always been a little proud that I wasn't going to get shoved into a Mormon heaven.
As some people believe , we have always existed in some form or another ,then why in all of eternity are we just now getting around to mortality . Maybe if a supreme intelligence is responsible for our journey here , maybe his role is in fact that of our jailer . Gives a new meaning to being saved.
Outer darkness would be the most preferrable of all outcomes.
Yes, I know it is not true! Humor me.
There won't be any mormons or their accompanying god to bother you. Most apostates I have met seem pretty cool and don't get into other people's shit. Not sure what the deal is with females though. Can they qualify for OD?
If not then it's just a sausage party and that would suck unless you are gay then it would be cool.
I have a bright light at the end of my driveway. After that, it's a densely wooded area. If you walk down the road at night about a city block you'll be in complete darkness if there isn't a moon shinning.
That's outer darkness. Not very scary though. You can hear the owls hooting back and forth, and the little nocturnal creatures scurrying through the undergrowth. It has a kind of magical feel to it. The sweet smell of the woods at night, endless stars through the tree canopy. The frogs singing their songs in a choir. I think outer darkness is quite beautiful.
The only time I get a bit freaked out is if a deer comes crashing through the woods when you don't expect it. That's scary!
I am more confused now than I was before I read this post. How can you get sent to outer darkness after receiving the second anointing and having your "calling and election made sure"? Is the second anointing a kind of "double or nothing" deal?
I tried to study this in depth 20+ years ago, so I may not be 100% accurate, but as I recall
it's not for the rank and file, like you and I. It was only for those who had proved themselves 100% worthy of exaltation. There was a knowledge requirement--one had to have a "perfect knowledge" I'm almost certain that this "perfect knowledge" equated with have one's Calling and Election Made Sure. Having your Calling and Election is linked in some way to the Second Anointing. The 2nd Anointing either is the C&E, or is a necessary condition for the C&E. Then after receiving a "perfect knowledge/2nd Anointing/Calling and Election, only then--if one would turn against the church in some grievous way, then he would qualify for outer darkness.
If Anointed One is online, perhaps he could possibly enlighten us on the link between 2nd Anointing and Calling and Election.
Yes, I was told the Second Anointing was having my "calling and election made sure".
This was very clearly stated by Elder Ballard and confirmed by Elder Hillam after I had read, at his suggestion, the writings of Bruce R. McConkie on the subject.
It is left intentionally obtuse as a fear tactic. Several people will state one way or the other that you have to have done such and such.
The fact is, it's not real. It is all about control. Leaving the church is made to be as scary as possible, with huge eternal consequences. Since Mormon's don't believe in an implicit "Hell" they have to have something for the worst of the worst, hence "Outer Darkness", with an ambiguous path to get there that sounds suspiciously like leaving the church.
That this is even a question that is frequently asked shows how effective that scare tactic is.