Atheists go to Heaven too

[PeterPriesthood]

Hey priest!
How do you react to the claims that Joseph Smith was a known conman?

I agree that he was convicted as such. Was Moses a known murderer? Yes, but he was still God's prophet at that time.

Also how do you account for his translation of the Book of Mormon from the tablets? He translated it in the 19th century but used 17th century English?

He did that, didn't he? I suppose he wanted it to be more relatable to the KJV, so that the people of the time could see that it was another Testament of Jesus Christ.

Do you honestly believe the whole story that he was visited by an angel who was a white Native American, then he found the tablets in a hill, then he translated them by looking into a hat, then he lost the translations and had to do it again but held a blanket inbetween him and the scribe. Doesn't that seem a little farfetched?

It's farfetched. Sure. God's work has never been an easy matter. When those initial 116 pages of the Book of Mormon were lost, Joseph was informed that he could not retranslate them in case the lost pages resurfaced and were altered by evil men. An altered manuscript would cast doubt on Joseph's ability to translate, and his credibility in the eyes of those who believed him would be lost.

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I'm ok hanging out in the Telestial level for awhile, but only under two conditions:
1. Free unlimited supply of beer
2. You proper Mormons promise to stay upstairs in the Celestial level and not bother us.

I don't think you would go to the Telestial Kingdom...unless you're a murderer or a Rapist. Everyone who commits such sins must forgo living in the presence of Christ in the Terrestrial Kingdom.

I'll come visit you there and share a beer with you...would that be okay?

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He, like all Mormons, preach Free Will, or Free Agency, but the secret is that this so-called agency isn't free at all. According to his religion, God's plan is in place, and we have no choice in any of the matters.

I never said our Agency was Free. We have agency, but this is something God has gifted us with, and this is only within the bounds of his glory. You cannot attain that which God does not allow.

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Do you guys really believe that you get your own planet in the afterlife?

I think I'm going to see if I can wrangle up a whole slew of planets.

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1. I believe we have a living prophet on earth.

I'd never heard of this living prophet thing before. So that's your elected president? Kinda pope substitute?

Surely direct contact with actual God trumps a 3rd party?

Papalcies are an evil device put in place by the Catholic Church to control people by giving them man-made, immutable dogma to follow. Indeed, I agree with the Book of Mormon that this religion is the Whore of the Earth.

No, the Prophet is fallible, like any man, but we believe that he is the only one that can receive revelation for the entire Church. If everyone thought they were receiving lines of advice from God for other people, the entire Church would crumble from inconsistent doctrines and practices! 3rd party is where it's at!

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That settles it. Do not, I repeat, do not baptize me after I'm dead. One lifetime with my family is all that anyone should be asked to endure, especially my older brother and father. My older brother has actually become a Mormon. There is no damned way I'll join his overbearing ass on Kolob or Krypton or any where else. Not in this life time nor any other.

Hear hear! I just had a family reunion, and it was not a pleasant experience. Never again. I'm serious about that.

I'm sorry that your family makes you feel the way that you do. It sounds like they aren't very understanding of your position, and that can put up so many barriers. I hope I can convince you that I'm not that kind of person; I always try to break down barriers and find some common ground, no matter what we believe or, in your case, don't believe.

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You seem like a pretty personable Mormon with your booze, coffee and cheap whores but I don't fancy your signature, mormonbuddy.

Learn what we should learn.
Do what we should do.
Be what we should be.
-Thomas S. Monson

Why be a sheeple? Do what you think you should do and most especially be what you in fact are. This is what you should learn.

I learned that I was a child of God, and this helped me understand who I was. Now I can be who I was always meant to be. I love this quote! I'm not saying it strips me of personality...I mean...I love beers and wines, what can I say?

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I could do that. I would still receive a degree of glory. However, I wish to attain the highest degree of glory, and within that Kingdom I want to receive exaltation on high. To walk in the presence of our Heavenly Father is the greatest gift he can one day give us, and he's given us a way to prepare for that. Earth is a test for mortals, after all.

Looks like we finally found something to disagree on. Turns out earth is heaven. Religion was invented by the devil to tempt you away from our divine mother earth. You have been deceived. Repent and learn to love this place, this time and this earth before you miss out forever.

LOL. Looks like you delved into some of the online tellings of the Temple Endowment ceremony. I like the phrase, "Milk before meat". Giving a person all the "meat" up front tends to give them an upset stomach, but if a child begins with "milk", then the meat will not be so harsh once it is introduced.

That being said, I don't mind talking about the meat, but there are some things pertaining to the Endowment Ceremony that I have sworn an oath to stay silent about, lest I am within the walls of a Temple. I'll do my best in helping you understand what these things mean, though by your jesting tone, it seems you understand the implications of what you have discovered, no?

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...if there is a commandment passed down from on high that we are never in the wrong for following it. If the Prophet leads us astray, then the burden of guilt is with him, and not us sheeple.

This line of reasoning is similar to how Nazi underlings defended themselves at the Nurenburg Trials. Allowing for the fact J. Smith wasn't Hitler, how do you reconcile blind obedience with zero culpability?

It's a toughie. It's also why personal revelation is so important. If we feel like the Prophet is telling us something wrong, then we can ask God ourselves for guidance. I did this with alcoholic beverages and coffee and tea. Since my discovery that God is a little bit lenient on the Mormon ban against these things, I've also found many other members that partake from time to time as well.