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Post by glrogers67 on Oct 17, 2016 6:55:42 GMT
Welcome!! Welcome!! You have entered a space where all people are invited to gather to discuss matters of Spirituality, in mutual respect and friendliness: "Considering...Spirituality." Here, the focus is on personal spirituality and not dogma. We welcome with open arms people from any, all, and no religious/faith backgrounds, and those who practice spirituality on their own, to join us for a discussion centered on a higher consciousness. Each day there will be a quote, question, or discussion prompt presented for all to ponder and respond to.
**In maintaining an atmosphere of comfort and trust, we do not allow proselytizing (the effort of trying to convert others) or the denigrating of the religions and viewpoints of others. We also avoid bringing up topics such as politics, hot button social issues, or anything that can be considered divisive**
As this was a WW board, we also discuss our personal wellness, including our weight management program. We share our struggles and our triumphs regarding such as well as discuss things like family, friends, jobs, hobbies, outside interests, etc... We strive to build each other up with loving support in a positive manner. Let us not ever tear one another down in any way, shape or form.
Regular thread starters for the time being are:
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday: Gary / Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Holly
Yet if anyone is so inclined, please feel free to start a new thread by beginning with the title: "Considering....(topic -q/q)", post this introduction (by way of copy & paste) then follow that with a post putting forth a question and/or quote (with or without some explanation) for us to ponder today. The topic can be inspired by your personal faith, but please do remember that anyone from other spiritual paths should be able to answer it.
Shalom, Love & Light, Blessed Be, Namaste...
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Post by glrogers67 on Oct 17, 2016 7:10:42 GMT
Today was our annual Primary children's program today in church. The Primary consists of children aged 3 - 11 and they prepare a special program presented to the entire ward in our sacrament meeting. All of the children have a spoken part (even if they have to be prompted by an adult) and all sing a series of songs which fit the theme of their program. Even though I didn't know many of the children myself, I was moved by their presentation today.
Christ said, "suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God" (Matthew 19:14, Mark 10:14, Luke 18:16).
We are taught that little children prior to the age of accountability (age 8) are free of sin and have no need of baptism:
Book or Mormon, Moroni 8:8
8 Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is done away in me.
Today's q/q: What role do little children have in your faith practices? Do you view children as innocent before God? Why or why not?
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Post by hollygail on Oct 17, 2016 19:30:35 GMT
Christians introduced the concept (idea?) of original sin. Judaism teaches nothing like that. So everyone is born "pure," or, to use your word, innocent. Parents are responsible for fulfilling their children's needs and requirements (that is, children's needs, and the requirements on all Jews to do certain "good deeds" for lack of a better translation) until the child becomes of age (13). After age 13, the child is expected to fulfill the Jewish requirements for himself/herself. (Becoming bar or bat mitzvah carries with it both honors and responsibilities.) And each person is responsible for his/her own "sins" (the Hebrew word which is often translated as "sin" is used for bow-and-arrow practice, for when you release the string of the bow but the arrow doesn't hit the target; specifically, it "misses the mark" and that's the word we use for anything we've done that caused pain to someone, etc.).
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Post by glrogers67 on Oct 17, 2016 21:18:07 GMT
Exactly one of the big differences between the LDS church and mainstream Christianity and why we needed a restoration of original truth and original scripture. One of the restored books of scripture is the Book of Moses found in our Pearl of Great Price. Moses said in chapter 6:
53 And our father Adam spake unto the Lord, and said: Why is it that men must repent and be baptized in water? And the Lord said unto Adam: Behold I have forgiven thee thy transgression in the Garden of Eden.
54 Hence came the saying abroad among the people, that the Son of God hath atoned for original guilt, wherein the sins of the parents cannot be answered upon the heads of the children, for they are whole from the foundation of the world.
Yet another similarity between the LDS church and the Jewish faith. The primary difference is the so-called "age of accountability". The age of accountability is the age at which children are considered to be responsible for their actions and capable of committing sin and repenting. In the LDS church that age has been set at 8 years of age:
From Doctrine & Covenants section 88:
27 And their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands.
That doesn't mean children 8 and older are considered to be adults. They continue to grow in the gospel until they are legally an adult (usually 18 to 21 years old depending on the state), but that certainly isn't the end of their growth. We believe in lifetime learning.
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Post by hollygail on Oct 18, 2016 3:17:25 GMT
The Talmud tells us at what age it is appropriate for a person to do certain things. You'll have to forgive me; I cannot put my hands on the pages I need to say at what age what is to happen... (example: age 3, begin to study "X" and at age 16 one does "Y" and so on)...
At age 13, a person is considered mature enough to take on the responsibility to follow the mitzvot for himself/herself. It does NOT mean, for example, that at age 13, a person is mature enough to drive, or to get married, or to become a soldier, etc.........
That's why it's called bar (son of the) or bat (daughter of the) mitzvah; one takes on the responsibility of following each mitzvah (that can be followed), and is considered an "adult" for the purpose of being counted as part of a prayer quorum (minyan, the requirement to have 10 "adult" Jews to say certain prayers, including the mourners sanctification).
I hope this casts more light on the subject...
AND: we too believe in lifelong learning. I teach, and I study too, sometimes on my own, sometimes on the internet, and often in classes (where I'm not the teacher).
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