Is it really ALL or NOTHING

[miss taken]

Another thread spoke of Hinkleys quote, that you either accept all of the church as true, or it is false. No middle way.

I was reading a response to the Grant Palmer Book (which I have not read yet), where a poster had said the same applies to Jesus.

Either you accept him as God, or as a Good teacher, but you can't have it both ways.

I can think of many scriptures that indicate that the most important thing that Jesus (Joshua to Jeff!) wanted us to remember was to follow his ethics, in so far as we can tell now what they are from the scriptoral record.

What think you??
Mary

[dogzilla]

I think that's one of the things that bugged the crap out of me as a mormon. I had this discussion with a coworker who is some brand of evangelical Christian (she was raised in India where her 70-year-old parents are still missionaries). She said she believes there's a given standard and you either fall within that standard or outside the standard.

I refuse to believe there's only one set of rules for all people who ever lived in the planet ever. That just doesn't make sense to me. I read too much Kant in college. And Nietsche, however the hell you spell his name.

I watched the movie, Rabbit Proof Fence, again recently (I love that movie!) and was struck by how different the aboriginal culture is just from the British culture. The Brits were trying to breed the aborigine right out of the kids, by kidnapping them and sending them to "education camps". Three got away and used their native-taught survivial skills to walk 1200 miles across the Australian outback to their homes. What I learned is that aborigines don't even necessarily use words to communicate. There's a lot of eye contact, hand gestures, and body postures that communicate for them.

You really think, since those aborigines may not have had access to Jesus, and maybe even wouldn't accept Jesus even if they did know about him... you really think those people are damned? I think they're more in tune with their world than we are -- more "right" with the "spirit" than any mormon will ever be. And probably most would live a more Christ-like life than if they ever heard of him.

[miss taken]

I think that's one of the things that bugged the crap out of me as a mormon. I had this discussion with a coworker who is some brand of evangelical Christian (she was raised in India where her 70-year-old parents are still missionaries). She said she believes there's a given standard and you either fall within that standard or outside the standard.

I refuse to believe there's only one set of rules for all people who ever lived in the planet ever. That just doesn't make sense to me. I read too much Kant in college. And Nietsche, however the hell you spell his name.

I watched the movie, Rabbit Proof Fence, again recently (I love that movie!) and was struck by how different the aboriginal culture is just from the British culture. The Brits were trying to breed the aborigine right out of the kids, by kidnapping them and sending them to "education camps". Three got away and used their native-taught survivial skills to walk 1200 miles across the Australian outback to their homes. What I learned is that aborigines don't even necessarily use words to communicate. There's a lot of eye contact, hand gestures, and body postures that communicate for them.

You really think, since those aborigines may not have had access to Jesus, and maybe even wouldn't accept Jesus even if they did know about him... you really think those people are damned? I think they're more in tune with their world than we are -- more "right" with the "spirit" than any mormon will ever be. And probably most would live a more Christ-like life than if they ever heard of him.

Here, here Dogzilla. I havn't watched the film. Must take a look at it. I agree with you, and I think in many ways the same thing can apply to most indigenous populations of any given country. Many seem much more in tune with the planet, than we who live in the so-called 'superior' western industrial nations. I always thought that Brigham Y? (I think it was him) sounded like a pompous old 'twat' when he sounded off about the 'hotentots' etc!

Mary

[dogzilla]

It's an outstanding movie; I think you'd enjoy it quite a bit.

I've learned later that we did exactly the same thing in this country to our native peoples. I guess if I'd thought about the Cherokee Trail of Tears and other similar atrocities (Wounded Knee, Crazy Horse, etc.), I'd have made the connection. It's hard, sometimes, to poke your own bruises just to make sure they still hurt. Ya know?