Taoist Mormon ??? does it work? (Jesus, moral, punishment, Earth)

[Somkid]

Originally Posted by idea

"Us" guys instead of "you" guys - am I being invited to be part of "us"? JK - in any event, I do not like invitations. Wonderful thing about the masons - do you know how you become a mason? No one asks you to join, you have to barge on in and join of your own free will and choice. They don't want you there becuase you were "invited" and so felt obligated to come, they want you there of your own free will and choice - hense the "free" in free masons.

So I am OK on both the LDS and Tao fronts for calling Taoism a "philosophy" and not a religion - good.

I would say that we do not see God as a "supernatural being" that He is a flesh and blood human being just like we are, well not just like we are, but I dislike the term "supernatural"...I do not think there is anything that is supernatural - the word is not in any of our scriptures... There is "spiritual" vs "natural". form falls under natural, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness I think are all spiritual, but then that is just a semantics game...

Do you see humans as having unlimited potential?

As for my perception of God...His existence, our existence...
If it exists, then one speck of dust exists.
If it doesn't exist, then the whole cosmos doesn't...
..all dharmas are marked with emptiness.
They are neither produced nor destroyed...
please read through some of this link

Well, I'm a Ch'an Buddhist call it a philosophy or a religion we don't really care either way. "God", "god", "gods", "goddesses", etc. are irrelevant they have no control over us nor do they interfere, if you don't believe that try praying for something they would be the ones ignoring you if they do exist. As far as humans having unlimited potential yes I agree but the advancement comes with knowledge and by shedding ignorance and superstition. In order to become a Buddhist or a Taoist all you have to do is say that you are; who would have the right to say you are not?

[idea]

Originally Posted by Somkid

Well, I'm a Ch'an Buddhist call it a philosophy or a religion we don't really care either way. "God", "god", "gods", "goddesses", etc. are irrelevant they have no control over us nor do they interfere,

We have free will, for us God opens up possibilities of a higher existence that would otherwise not be possible, but we are the ones who determine our own path. God will not interfere unless invited to.

if you don't believe that try praying for something they would be the ones ignoring you if they do exist.

They do not ignore you, They will not give you any information you are not yet able to handle though, for what you know you are responsible for acting on... ignorance is merciful to those who are unable to act... They are real, a big LDS thing - personal revelation. The Holy Spirit is real - I know He is real, I have talked with Him - 2 way conversation. I suspect a few others on here have as well... I know, that sounds crazy to those who have not yet done this... He is real for us though.

As far as humans having unlimited potential yes I agree but the advancement comes with knowledge and by shedding ignorance and superstition. In order to become a Buddhist or a Taoist all you have to do is say that you are; who would have the right to say you are not?

Free agency is huge in LDS thought - God did not force us into being - as per previous link - He did not dictate to us our "being". We exist of our own accord.

Agree - advance through knowledge, knowledge through experience - through works - some do not like the idea of "saved through works" and that is not really it either, words will only go so far, it is not about sitting back and being an observer - but penetrate it...

"Penetration means to enter something, not just to stand outside of it. When we want to understand something, we cannot just stand outside and observe it. We have to enter deeply into it and be one with it in order to really understand. If we want to understand a person, we have to feel their feelings, suffer their sufferings, and enjoy their joy (atonement). Penetration is an excellent word. The word "comprehend" is made up of the Latin roots com, which means "together in mind" and prehendere, which means "to grasp it or pick it up". To comprehend something means to pick it up and be one with it. There is no other way of understanding something."

hense the works part rather than the just sit around and observe it theology...

atonement - at one ment. being at one through not just suffering, but experiencing everything everyone else has.

together in mind, spirit, body...
1 Cor 12:
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

[idea]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

Idea, it's really too bad you didn't get to know BeckySoup (Bishka) when she was here. The two of you have a lot in common. She has described herself as an "eclectic Mormon."

sorry I missed her.

[Katzpur]

[quote=idea;1156686I would say that we do not see God as a "supernatural being" that He is a flesh and blood human being just like we are, well not just like we are, but I dislike the term "supernatural"...I do not think there is anything that is supernatural - the word is not in any of our scriptures... There is "spiritual" vs "natural". form falls under natural, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness I think are all spiritual, but then that is just a semantics game...[/quote]Not to get picky (well, okay... to get picky ), we believe that God has a body of flesh and bones, not flesh and blood. There is a difference; apparently it's something to do with the "blood" part denoting mortality. I wish I had a reference for you, but I couldn't find what I was looking for.

By the way, I've been thinking about your OP, and it seems to me that any philosophy that brings a person closer to God, if not in conflict with the teachings of the Church, would be okay for a Latter-day Saint to subscribe to. In reading up on the similarities between Mormonism and Taoism, I learned a few new things -- some of which you've already touched on and some of which you probably know but have not mentioned. Apparently Taoists do not believe in an ex nihilo creation, but believe, as do the Latter-day Saints, that it was shaped out of primordial chaos. They also believe in several different heavens, which of course resembles our belief in a multi-tiered heaven.

[Somkid]

Originally Posted by idea

We have free will, for us God opens up possibilities of a higher existence that would otherwise not be possible, but we are the ones who determine our own path. God will not interfere unless invited to.



They do not ignore you, They will not give you any information you are not yet able to handle though, for what you know you are responsible for acting on... ignorance is merciful to those who are unable to act... They are real, a big LDS thing - personal revelation. The Holy Spirit is real - I know He is real, I have talked with Him - 2 way conversation. I suspect a few others on here have as well... I know, that sounds crazy to those who have not yet done this... He is real for us though.



Free agency is huge in LDS thought - God did not force us into being - as per previous link - He did not dictate to us our "being". We exist of our own accord.

Agree - advance through knowledge, knowledge through experience - through works - some do not like the idea of "saved through works" and that is not really it either, words will only go so far, it is not about sitting back and being an observer - but penetrate it...

"Penetration means to enter something, not just to stand outside of it. When we want to understand something, we cannot just stand outside and observe it. We have to enter deeply into it and be one with it in order to really understand. If we want to understand a person, we have to feel their feelings, suffer their sufferings, and enjoy their joy (atonement). Penetration is an excellent word. The word "comprehend" is made up of the Latin roots com, which means "together in mind" and prehendere, which means "to grasp it or pick it up". To comprehend something means to pick it up and be one with it. There is no other way of understanding something."

hense the works part rather than the just sit around and observe it theology... atonement - at one ment. being at one through not just suffering, but experiencing everything everyone else has.

My point was.... there is no God in Buddhism or Taoism but do as you wish with it mix it with what you like as there is no contradiction, well, no big ones anyway...

[Sola'lor]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

Idea, it's really too bad you didn't get to know BeckySoup (Bishka) when she was here. The two of you have a lot in common. She has described herself as an "eclectic Mormon."

Bishka is BeckySoup?!

[madhatter85]

Originally Posted by Sola'lor

Bishka is BeckySoup?!

you didn't know that????

[Master Vigil]

The only problem I see is that continue practice of Taoism may cause you to see religion as unnecessary. But if you are not afraid of that, and are strong in your faith. Taoism would do more good than harm for you.