tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24885302.post7034239724680717932..comments2023-10-26T07:46:22.735-05:00Comments on ToddElkins.Net: Seekers on the JourneyToddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12635999894007624272noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24885302.post-50970369519794293272010-04-20T12:33:56.920-05:002010-04-20T12:33:56.920-05:00Ok John - yes, I was going down the wrong path. I...Ok John - yes, I was going down the wrong path. I was thinking of more liberal LDS who may be open to GLBT, but still longed for the one-true-church; BOM literalism.<br /><br />As you clarify, I am more aligned with your analysis of the fruitful ground. Maybe even more fruitful after 2012 as the US moves closer to inclusion of homosexuals.bewarethechickenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04844611254317267665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24885302.post-80860875360783324552010-04-20T11:11:43.940-05:002010-04-20T11:11:43.940-05:00Todd --- I think Jac was right and I'm sorry h...Todd --- I think Jac was right and I'm sorry he was dissuaded. We would be a lot more prepared had the church got going back then. <br /><br />To address Chicken's concerns, I'm not talking about people stuck in literalism. Mormons stuck in literalism already have a church, the LDS Church. The seekers I'm talking about already understand that (a) exclusivity claims are baseless, (b) the Book of Mormon is not an ancient document, (c) that the particular LDS endowment derives from Masonry, and (d) etc. (where "etc." very clearly includes that sexism and discrimination against gay people are wrong). The fact that they share those views is why they are disaffected and are not at home in the LDS Church. <br /><br />In North America, there are over a million people who have left the LDS Church over issues like these. Some of them are done with religion; some of them are done the Restoration; however, some of them long for a spiritual home, where they can continue to discuss and share this historical and theological heritage in an open, honest way --- the way people do in the Community of Christ.John Hamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17386474993001347914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24885302.post-6282671222765508902010-04-20T10:55:09.850-05:002010-04-20T10:55:09.850-05:00Sometimes "family" is an over-rated conc...Sometimes "family" is an over-rated concept, especially when you're talking about distant cousins many times removed.<br /><br />While we in the Community of Christ share some vocabulary in common with our LDS "distant cousins" (temple, priesthood, zion, endowment, prophet, revelation, etc.) they have completely different meanings for the two churches. <br /><br />As somebody asked the other day, "Will the Community of Christ accept LDS baptism as a Christian baptism?" I think the answer to that could be yes only if the definition of Christian baptism is a very basic one in which the Triune name of God (Father, Son, & Holy Spirit) is used.Rich Brownhttp://www.isaacspress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24885302.post-46740318610241413922010-04-20T10:08:21.114-05:002010-04-20T10:08:21.114-05:00I like the diversity within the Community of Chris...I like the diversity within the Community of Christ, but the remnants of our old LDS ways are often at the heart of our most vitriolic and insidious disagreement. I think it would be a mistake to pursue LDS seekers on the notion that, as Rich so rightly puts it, we have merely taken another fork in the road.<br /><br />The Church cannot handle taking on new membership who are sold on the false premise upon which so many of our current disgruntled members rest their faith: (a) one true church (b) historicity of the Book of Mormon (c) endowment (d) etc.<br /><br />For it is in a very real way these souls that are currently holding up progress - through no fault of their own. To invite others into this pseudo-restorationsit fold of the Community of Christ would only invite more upheaval.bewarethechickenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04844611254317267665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24885302.post-73610516551959904062010-04-20T10:03:09.911-05:002010-04-20T10:03:09.911-05:00I don't know how important the Temple rituals ...I don't know how important the Temple rituals and rites are to most LDS, but we clearly have nothing to compare that to.<br /><br />But we are family. And sometimes we need some sort of family.Toddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10874123392586212084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24885302.post-66833332883167575232010-04-20T09:56:02.577-05:002010-04-20T09:56:02.577-05:00Todd:
I think the divergent paths taken by the Com...Todd:<br />I think the divergent paths taken by the Community of Christ and LDS Church have now gone beyond just a "fork in the road" to quite different trails entirely. Yes, these two groups will always share a history of founding experiences, but even there we view and understand them in radically different ways. Those trends will only continue, I think. Probably much more of the movement has been undertaken by Community of Christ, so while some disaffected CofC members (Restorationists, etc.) might find a more comfortable home with the LDS (and even that's by no means certain), I doubt if there would really be many moving the other way. Theology, culture, and worldview in the two faith communities have fewer commonalities each year.Rich Brownhttp://www.isaacspress.comnoreply@blogger.com