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Old 11-17-2015, 04:00 PM   #1
MikeWaters
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Default God as mafia kingpin

There's this idea out there, that God may require the ultimate test of loyalty. It's even explicitly stated. That each of us will be required to make a sacrifice like unto Abraham.

Of course you know the story that Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son Issac. Kill him. He was obedient and just at the last moment an angel stopped him.

Murder your own son as a loyalty test to God? Now in the church, we like to explain this away. We aren't the only ones who do this. We say that it was a willing sacrifice, that Isaac agreed to it. Which is still pretty awful. But what if Isaac didn't agree to it? What do we think of this kind of loyalty test? And the idea that it will required of each of us?

And that for example, you might be asked to do something pretty awful in the church, but that's just the price of loyalty and getting to heaven? For example, you might be a Bishop and not agree with canceling a baptism because Jimmy's mother is gay, but so be it. Gotta do it. Eggs get broken to make the omelet.

Lest we think this is the only similar case in Mormon lore, we can turn to 1 Nephi. And the account of the murder of Laban.

It kind of reminds me of the mafia. Or a gang. To be fully accepted into the gang, you may be required to do something awful. Like kill someone. And once you have done that as per command, you are initiated and accepted. You are made. You have adopted the moral standing of your leader.

We have Mormons now talking that God isn't as nice as we might thing. God doesn't love everyone. God can be angry. God is jealous. Who is this God? Who is the Mormon God? There are competing visions. The God who weeps and loves all his children, and we are engaged in a kind of universal salvation (of degrees). Or the God who loves but a few, the ones who are obedient. The ones who prove ultimately to be loyal, no matter what. No matter the moral code, no matter the ethics or philosophy.

It's sad that I even have to discuss this.
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Old 11-18-2015, 06:18 PM   #2
ChinoCoug
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The character of God is revealed in Jesus.

Luke 14:26
Quote:
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
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