Mormon mysticism

[SoonerCoug]

Originally Posted by Tex

I guess you showed him.

I didn't show him anything.

The point is that denial of reality sometimes places people's testimonies in precarious positions. And sometimes inflexible beliefs are harmful to others.

What happens to the young man who grows up believing that God will always protect him if he obeys the mission rules? When tragedy strikes this obedient missionary, how does he react? He must somehow reconcile the things he was taught with reality. Or maybe he will convince himself that he was a sinful missionary. When faced with a horrible challenge, an inflexible testimony sometimes transforms itself into "no testimony."

It's just like evolution denial. People deny reality because they have an inflexible interpretation of Genesis. As a result, a person's entire belief system can become a war between fact and fiction. Personally, I think it's better not to impose myths on the facts that surround us. Why not embrace facts and allow them to mold our views of supernatural things that have been revealed through prophets?

[SoonerCoug]

Originally Posted by SoonerCoug

The point is that denial of reality sometimes places people's testimonies in precarious positions. And sometimes inflexible beliefs are harmful to others.

Oh, and one more thing. The missionary who was stabbed and murdered--his companion was also stabbed, but survived.

His dad's comments to the media: "I'd rather my son come home in a wooden box than come home unworthy." (Slightly insensitive, as his son's companion actually did come home in a wooden box.)

A few months later, one of our missionaries was sent home because of mental health issues. His mother responded: "I'd rather my son come home in a wooden box."

Fanaticism is not in the interest of our Church.

[BlueK]

Originally Posted by SoonerCoug

Oh, and one more thing. The missionary who was stabbed and murdered--his companion was also stabbed, but survived.

His dad's comments to the media: "I'd rather my son come home in a wooden box than come home unworthy." (Slightly insensitive, as his son's companion actually did come home in a wooden box.)

A few months later, one of our missionaries was sent home because of mental health issues. His mother responded: "I'd rather my son come home in a wooden box."

Fanaticism is not in the interest of our Church.

Are you equating spiritual or mystical experiences some members report having had with fanaticism?

[SoonerCoug]

Originally Posted by BlueK

Are you equating spiritual or mystical experiences some members report having had with fanaticism?

It is a mystical belief that God protects missionaries who do not break rules. This particular mystical belief also happens to be fanatical, in my opinion. However, not all mystical beliefs are fanatical. Some are just weird, some are nice/sweet, and some are both weird and sweet. A few are fanatical and harmful.

[BlueK]

Originally Posted by SoonerCoug

It is a mystical belief that God protects missionaries who do not break rules. This particular mystical belief also happens to be fanatical, in my opinion. However, not all mystical beliefs are fanatical. Some are just weird, some are nice/sweet, and some are both weird and sweet. A few are fanatical and harmful.

I know of a man in my mission who was denied the Melchizedek Priesthood because he spoke too openly about some of his spiritual experiences. I don't know if he got it later. Frankly, to me, they weren't that weird or as weird as many I've heard. I felt bad for him. He kept going to church though. He was a fairly recent convert who had been an alcoholic before joining. He liked to talk about his experience because it got him to quit drinking and straighten out his life. Soon after that happened he joined the church. I don't know all the details but I don't know why the branch pres. and stake pres went hardline on him. I do know my mission pres didn't agree with it but couldn't do anything about it.

[Jim Swarthout]

I think a classic example is that Satan controls the water and, accordingly, missionaries can't going swimming.

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by Archaea

As have I, including one from my own, sensible sister. It is simple enough. She was doing baptisms for the dead, and after the baptizer thought he was finished, she believed she saw another personage, and encouraged the baptizer to continue, he then realized he'd skpped over a name and finished.

My sister is not one to be extremely mystical, but she has never deviated from that rendition. I have never had such a mystical experience and probably never will, though early on in my membership I had hoped for one.

Nor have I ever experienced anything like that. On a few occasions while embalming, I've had the feeling that I wasn't alone in the room and turned to look but saw nothing. It wasn't a bad feeling - more like someone was there watching what I was doing.

One time, my wife, who is more in tune to things like this, came to talk to me about something. She came into the prep room and saw the deceased and told me that she had seen this same gentleman standing in the chapel of the mortuary which is adjacent to the prep room. She then looked to the other end of the prep room and told me that he was standing there and looked as if he wanted to be reassured of something. I heard her say "It's ok - he'll take good care of your body." She said he smiled at her and looked relieved then was gone.

I was curious and asked if he was wearing anything. She told me that in the chapel, he was wearing a red flannel shirt, dark pants and work boots. When she saw him in the prep room, he was wearing white robes. I then pointed to the bag wear I had placed the clothes he had been wearing and inside was a red flannel shirt, dark pants and work boots.

I don't think I've ever told this experience with as much information as I have tonight. I've only told it a few times and it usually was very brief about my wife seeing the deceased. I just thought it would be appropriate in this thread.

[Archaea]

An interesting story Paddy.