05.14.08
Questions, anyone?
First off, let me apologize for being an absentee writer… not that anyone lost any sleep over it… *sigh*
If you only KNEW the week I’ve had.
Anyway, I got a shitload of questions after my last post, and I decided that answering them all could turn out to be an awesome introduction into my religion and my views. So, uh… here goes:
Q- I’m 16, and discarded my religious believes of the LDS church when I was 15 . Are you still religious? - the ever famous ‘anonymous’
A- Why yes, I sure am still religious. I went through a stint where I was like ‘eff religion’ but I was engaged to a controlling ass and kind of let myself focus on other things. But I soon came to my senses, called off the engagement, and decided to reassess my life. The God and the religion that I’d sort of forgotten about was something I wanted back. I’d seen myself living with my faith and belief in God and I’d seen myself trying to manage on my own. The truth is, I like myself better when I know there’s something more. When I know that I’m working toward something bigger and better than life and then death and then nothing. So the answer is yes, I am still a very active member of the LDS church.
Q- The new GIRL? Pics? -Sssssnake
A- Sssssnake, you know I’d never leave you hanging. So here. But really, good luck, because I look like I’m 6. Also, this really isn’t religion related at all, but whatev, it was still a question.
Q- Hi Lindsey, like your blog, but i’m very confused about the LDS thing; all i know of mormons is from books and t’internet (it’s not big in britain), and tbh it sounds like it just adds another layer of wtf to the already bizarre oddity of christianity. are you going to post about what being a mormon means to you? -Ash
I must agree with Ash; I too, am very interested in what being a LDS means to you. I’m always interested in people justifying their beliefs and I’ve never heard a LDS’s reasonings. -Tee
A- Ok, to answer both of those questions, yes, I’m definitely going to discuss what being LDS means to me, although I’m first going to define it in a really general sort of way, just so that everyone gets what mormonism even is. But I think that those definitely deserve a post of their own, so expect to read more about that in my next post.
Q- From the use of “would,” and “He’d be” I gather that you believe in a God, but one who is either no longer around, or lacks omniscience, as he has never heard of knock-knock jokes? - Autumnal Harvest
A- Ah, touche, Autumnal Harvest! I guess I just think that God has more important shit to do than sit around and listen to our total insanity, you know? Like he’s probably way more concerned about like, wars and poverty and that train wreck, Britney Spears. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure he loves us and cares about what’s going on in our lives, but it’s unlikely that he gives a flying f-bomb about keeping up to date on our slang words and our ‘that’s what she said’ jokes and our prayers about ‘please let me win the lottery.’ That God has bigger fish to fry, my friends.
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Jack McSmack said,
May 14, 2008 at 3:30 am
You’re cute! Plus, I bet you have magic underwear! I first heard of the magic underwear from Penn Jillette when he did a crackle video about Mitt Romney. I wondered about the underwear but never took the time to learn more. Maybe you could answer some questions.
What sort of magic do you get from them? I was thinking it was something like the Juggernaut’s helmet and that if the underwear is removed Professor X (the devil) can use his telepathy to corrupt the Mormon’s soul. Do all Mormons wear the magic undies? At what age do they start wearing them? Are their different types so that Mormons can wear magic boxers while others can wear magic briefs? Are they special ordered or do Wal-Marts in Utah sale them?
The Unbrainwashed said,
May 14, 2008 at 4:46 am
In regards to the last question you answered: your formulation of God seems to be at odds with the meddlesome and very personal deity espoused by basically every religion out there, including your Mormonism. I’m confused how you can profess belief in a specific religion but define the God in an characteristically un-Mormon fashion. Isn’t one of the main facets of God the ability to listen to and act upon our prayers? In your answer, you seem to dismiss this.
And LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE!!! SHE’S GOING THROUGH A HARD TIME RIGHT NOW! SHE MARRIED A JERK AND SHE HAS TWO KIDS! IF YOU WANT TO MESS WITH HER, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME!!
Linda said,
May 14, 2008 at 9:31 am
I did, Lindsey! Where the heck have you been?? Now I can sleep knowing that you haven’t left us!!
Joseph R. said,
May 14, 2008 at 9:41 am
Great post Lindsey. I am always eager to learn more about the people posting on this blog. I guess you could call me a lurker, but not in a skeevey way. I lurk more that I post. After this post, I will lurk some more. I hope that doesn’t sound too creepy.
Beth said,
May 14, 2008 at 9:52 am
I am reading Krakauer’s Under the Banner of Heaven right now, which paints a bleak portrait of FLDS in particular and LDS in general. I’d love to hear what you think about some of the bad press (Elizabeth Smart, the whole Jeffs compound debacle, etc.) LDS gets through FLDS.
Aaron said,
May 14, 2008 at 9:57 am
Welcome again
I admit, I’m really looking forward to hearing from an LDS poster. I think if I had one question right off the bat, it would be this:
What beliefs do you have that you think differentiates you from, say, someone who claims to be an Evangelical Christian? I know the general beliefs of the LDS, but “general beliefs” don’t usually translate to what a someone really thinks. So, what do you believe that you don’t think an Evangelical Christian would?
(Gah, I cringe every time I write the phrase “Evangelical Christian”.)
Drew said,
May 14, 2008 at 10:30 am
…but he’s not now, and never has, succeeded in frying them.
And if he has to choose the size of the fish he wants to go after, he’s not very omnipotent.
Morgan55 said,
May 14, 2008 at 11:52 am
Big fan of Hermant’s, so welcome to the blog.
Always been fascinated by the LDS, probably our proximity to Joseph Smith’s house (uncle joe’s). So if you’re ever in Palmyra for the Pageant, or any other reason, let me know. My neighbors’ Mormon rants around the firepit are starting to lack creativity. Some fresh perspective would be nice.
Old Beezle said,
May 14, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I am also confused as the Unbrainwashed is:
You don’t sound like any Mormons I know and I wonder if that is because you choose to not toe the true-blue Mormon line or if you don’t realize that you are not.
Herb said,
May 14, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Hi Lindsey, (a comment then a question)
I’m a little irked by this super-simple description of human existence, which is not simple at all! In the above sentence, the word “life” is an abbreviation for some pretty big and amazing things, e.g. love, joy, sadness, loss, war and peace, the rise and fall of civilizations, billions of years of evolution, galaxies colliding, Beethoven’s 5th symphony, the Mona Lisa, Hamlet, the Great Wall of China, friendships, families, quantum physics, space travel… People all over the globe interact with each other like never before - maybe we will witness in our lifetime the world coming together to solve global crises such as hunger or climate change.
And although there might be “nothing” after we die, billions of people will certainly live on after us and experience lives that are affected by our choices.
So I can certainly understand a yearning for something “bigger and better” than yourself. But to find such a thing you need not look further than our own Universe, which happens to be filled with things that are both wonderful and horrible and profound. And if everything that makes up what we call “life” isn’t bigger and better enough, I’d be interested to know what else you’re looking for.
Herb said,
May 14, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Oh and I just checked out your Flickr page - it looks like you have a fun group of friends. Inspired by your photos, to my list of “random things that exist in life” I’d like to add sunsets, humor and compassion.
Spacesocks said,
May 14, 2008 at 5:22 pm
“The truth is, I like myself better when I know there’s something more. When I know that I’m working toward something bigger and better than life and then death and then nothing.”
I agree with Herb’s comment on your quote here, Lindsey. I can kind of understand why people want the hope of an afterlife, but it honestly never mattered much to me. Atheists generally believe in “life BEFORE death.” The fact that life is short doesn’t take away the wonder of it. It makes it all the more precious. Whether or not we believe that our personalities somehow survive after death, we shouldn’t let our mortality be the defining feature of our existence. There are a lot of “higher things” to live for in this life, like love and kindness and learning and art and humor—all transient things, like life itself, but all the more meaningful because of it. Life is a gift to be cherished, whether you believe that God gave it to you or that you’ve won it in the cosmic lottery.
The fact that you don’t treat God like your personal cosmic wishing-well shows that you’re a lot more mature of a religious believer than a lot of people out there. Don’t worry about the previous commenters who are needling you for not upholding the more ridiculous tenets of Christianity. Too many atheists assume that fundamentalists represent the “true” form of religion. Keep up the whole “thinking-for-yourself” thing.
Siamang said,
May 14, 2008 at 5:36 pm
You know, I had an opposite view.
I liked other people LESS when I thought that there was a heaven. I was always seeing them as people fucked up and on their way to hell. Now I see them as normal humans with the same weaknesses we all have.
Mike Clawson said,
May 14, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Speaking as a Christian, I agree with Herb and Spacesocks. I believe in “life after death”, but I don’t think this is the only thing that makes life meaningful.
I agree with Lindsey too though, I think life is better lived when one is living it for something “more” beyond oneself.
Drew said,
May 14, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Mike, you missed the point entirely. Almost insultingly so.
The entire point is: we ALL live life for something “more” outside ourselves, we just don’t look for it in something “more” than all of natural existence.
No one on this board lives their life for themselves only, or not very many. I hope this was carelessness, and not something you actually think about atheists.
David Crespo said,
May 14, 2008 at 6:22 pm
I’ll be very interested to read your definition of Mormonism. I don’t know nearly enough about it.
One thing I’ll be waiting for you to discuss involves the fact that to an omnipotent god, “caring” shouldn’t exist, because that implies prioritization. An omnipotent god doesn’t have to schedule his appointments. He can observe everything.
Herb said,
May 14, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Drew - I think Mike was just emphasizing that although Lindsey’s words have drawn a little criticism, there is something to agree with there. I think he means just what you said.
Laurie Soule said,
May 14, 2008 at 6:30 pm
I agree with Drew. I think atheists generally do live life for something beyond ourselves. Just not anything supernatural.
Glad you’re back, Lindsey! I love your blog!
Spacesocks said,
May 14, 2008 at 6:31 pm
David Crespo,
Even if Mormon theology claims God is omnipotent (I have no idea whether it does), it seems that Lindsey, like a lot of Western theists, believes in a more anthropomorphic God. The traditional “omnis” are more like inflated praise than ideas that actually make sense, as demonstrated by the failure of theologians to adequately defend them.
Jeff said,
May 14, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Lindsey, I had a good friend in high school who was Mormon and who had a great sense of humor. He would joke that he was humble and proud of it!!! He would also joke about looking forward to polygamy (as would any 17 or 18 year old male). I’ve always had a positive attitude of Mormons because of knowing him…
Although, I must admit, I really don’t have a good understanding of what Mormons actually believe (except for a very strong notion of family where the family structure is perpetuated eternally in an afterlife… Father or husband eternally in charge)… Perhaps you could fill us all in on the true story… Teach us all about Mormonism. Perhaps you could convert a few of us
Or at least help us to understand your faith better.
Drew said,
May 14, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Herb said
In context… he is agreeing with a statement by Lindsey, and Lindsey was using this statement to explain why she believed in God.
If he is agreeing with me, then he is emphatically disagreeing with Lindsey that “living for something outside of yourself” is a reason to be religious. If that’s what he’s doing, then he hasn’t been very clear in his wording. It’s not an argument for religion if it is something everyone believes.
Another way to put it is: if all he was trying to say is “if you are incredibly selfish and shallow then life isn’t as much fun,” then was that information really important enough to convey? I have to imagine he meant something slightly more, or at least that he didn’t realize that Lindsey meant something more.
PS- I can’t say your name without thinking, “We pronounce it Herb…. because there’s a FUCKING H IN IT!!”
Herb said,
May 14, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Drew - I’m actually going to see Eddie Izzard this week!!
Herb said,
May 14, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Maybe Mike will clear it up for us, but sometimes saying something that everyone agrees with is a nice way to validate the person speaking/blogging… a longer version of “Here here” or “So say we all” (/geek).
And to you I say that the internets are chock full of information that’s really not important enough to convey.
Justin said,
May 15, 2008 at 10:05 am
Lindsay,
I, too, am looking forward to your “brief” explanation of mormonism, but I hope that it isn’t TOO brief. Please be sure to include the really juicy bits that most people don’t hear about and that most Mormons don’t care to comment on. Mitt Romney TOTALLY copped out by referring people to the LDS website. I mean COME ON!! For being a “priest” in his church he seems reluctant to discuss issues that he should have been more than willing to come up with. Sorry if I am coming across as confrontational, I have nothing against the LDS, half my family attends ‘the church.’ I only hope that you fully explain the differences for those that really aren’t aware as it is a fascinating religion.
And it’s nice to see you here! I hope it doesn’t cut down on your own blogging though…
Drew said,
May 15, 2008 at 3:43 pm
First… /geek? Yeah right.
Second… No fair! And I’ve only watched him on YouTube.
Finally.. as to your quote above…fine whatever. Jerk.
Old Beezle said,
May 15, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Herb, you are truly a blessed son of the Almighty Jeezy-Creezy!
I covet (in the strongest Biblical sense) your Eddie Izzard tickets.
Old Beezle said,
May 15, 2008 at 6:09 pm
To get former Mormons’ perspective on the Mormon church go to www.exmormon.org.
Between the vitriole and the mockery there are some real gems that serve to highlight the inconsistencies and cult-like behavior of the majority of the Mormon church.
Herb said,
May 17, 2008 at 8:07 am
By the way, for anyone still watching this thread, Eddie Izzard was great. And he did a very long bit that was based on the absurdity of creationism and intelligent design.
Zachary B. said,
May 18, 2008 at 12:34 am
So do Mormons believe in a god that is all powerful and all loving? If so, how would things such as train wrecks or cyclones occur that destroy countless lives? By your explanation of god as someone who doesn’t have time to deal with petty personal problems, it seems he is either one or the other, or neither. And if he is either than he really messes up big time all the time.
These are the same questions that have never been answered by other Christians, as they are common to most theistic belief systems. If you or anyone else could offer an explanation that would be great.