Originally posted by Regret
Mormons view "Heaven" as just the next step in an eternal progression. Man will always progress. Mormons believe that man may become a God. By the time we reach that point, God will be at a point relative to his current from our position, although, at this point I am unsure of how such could be if he is what we believe him to be. But, this life is a small period in the maturation of man.
It's a very interesting, but not totally original concept. A nice one though...Certain forms of Buddhism also beleive in becoming one with the creation force through a series of cycles, progressing to become one with the unifying force....
I can definately buy, however, your assertion that this life is a "small period in the maturation of man"...because this life is too short, any way you look at it. There has to be SOME POINT....atleast I thnk there does.
Now, as for your idea of us becoming a "God" or "one with God"....it this is true, then I beleive God embodies ALL, the way Lil Bitchiness believes it...
I thnk we are all God, aspects of him(or her) who must unite to become complete...I honestly think the ONLY thing keeping us away from this supreme being is DISUNITY, not the myth of "sin"
Doing anything good or bad, that aims at disunifying people, whether it be propaganda, lies, rumors, gossip, murder, rape, insults, offenses, cliques, discrimination, etc.....are the things taht keep us away from this "God"
I think once we learn to Love and ACCEPT eachother, then we become united, and then we become one with each other, and one with creation....call me idealistic, but to make that makes the most sense.
To me, in terms of morality, anything that aims to unite us all is good, and anything that aims to separate us is bad.
Originally posted by Regret
Then we can see this concept from each others perspective. I would say that realization comes from experience, while it seems you would attribute it to "intuition."
I think it could be both....even when you are young and naive, you don't have to have proir moral experience to know that your father beating up your mother is "wrong"...somehow you just know it is.
Originally posted by Regret
I do not believe that knowledge without context is often useful. Given this, without the remembrance the "lessons" may be misinterpreted. But then, perhaps this would explain the atrocities that occur.
Knowledge without context can be more useful than an entire textbook....there are many people who claim thier "gut instinct" or "intuition" has solved problems that thier logic could not handle....
I believe we need to rely on BOTH logic AND emotion, not just one or the other...
You who beleives so much in the Bible, yet you must realize how little logic the Bible contains.....yet you dont really NEED that logic to have Faith, now do you ???? Doesn't something inside you already trust the Bible without needing logical proof of it ? (i know this sounds ironic for me to state that, but think about it....)
Originally posted by Regret
I wasn't referencing monogamy, but I understand your position here. I do not believe man capable of maintaining that many relational ties, over time they would become of less value. Value is determined by supply and demand, and many laws of economics apply to psychology, this is one of them.
IT depends...some people can value another person forever, while most of the time we outgrow each other.....
Originally posted by Regret
It is an interesting concept, some form of entire familial linking is required to pass into true enlightenment. Mormons believe that the entire genealogy of Adam must be linked, this will be the main purpose of the thousand years following Christ's return. I believe the concept is similar, although not the same, as your idea.
Sounds cool, but what if we truly evolved from apes ? Does that lessen our connection or origin ? It shouldn't...since when are we so much more important than Apes ? Why would it be an insult to have come from them ?
I don't think Human Beings are separate from the Animal Kingdom....we all inhabit this world, from the tiny insects, to human beings, to giant whales, etc. We all belong to this world, and we are ALL related....
Originally posted by Regret
I do not know what type of "getting to know" people occurs in the Mormon view of Heaven, so I can't comment on this, although if you desire such, I am sure it is in some way possible.
I don't truly desire it, but if that's the way it is, then I guess I have to deal with it....
If Heaven and Hell are our final destinations, then what a waste i think....how do we get to know everyone else in life ?
Originally posted by Regret
Makes sense, although, I believe that men should love one another because one wants to love one another. I believe that having a mandate/motivation/reason for loving others demeans that love. I find Heaven and the promise of it, and Hell and the escape from it, to be the wrong motivation, due to the selfish nature of such. I believe a person should love another because he loves them, not for any other purpose. I don't fit this, but it is the goal I have for my existence, I just may never reach it.
I beleive Love happens on its own...I agree that love should not require a reason....but then I assume you agree with me that Love happens on its own...
I do not beleive you can choose to love someone...I thnk it happens by itself...now, if you have made yourself love someone, then you need to teach me how to do that.....
There are a lot of women (and some men) who are attracted to me, that I have no desire to be with, nor have any romantic/sexual attraction too...if you can tell me as to how I can make myself like these people (so that im not lonely) please tell me....thanks.
Oh, and another question.....can you make someone love you ? lol
Originally posted by Regret
If you love people for the sake of loving them, you do not need to know them to achieve this, imo.
Even still...you shouldn't need a reason to love, even if its for the sake of love....pure love has no reason...it just does..it just loves....no conditions, no reasons, no questions.
True Love is not jealous and does not judge...that is why I do not beleive in the Christian God...the Christian God is jealous and judgemental.....
Originally posted by Regret
It makes sense, but I cannot get over the forgetting aspect of the idea of reincarnation, that seems too limiting to me.
I understand, but reincarnation seems to be less limitted than the concepts of Heaven or Hell.
