As for the same experiences, oh yes, you would have had similar experiences
regardless of the religion. Do you really think you are that different from
other religious people? Do you think Baptisits dont have visions or feel the
holy ghost? Do you not think Hindu's know the feeling of touching God?
Sodom
Johnny Rea wrote:
> Do you fear death? I do. And it wouldn't matter if God came to me and told
> me I would go straight to heaven. I still fear death.
> If I had never been exposed to the Book of Mormon I probably wouldn't
> belong to any religion. Or if I was catholic I probably would never have
> come back since I wouldn't have had the same experiences.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: sodom <Sodom@ma.ultranet.com>
> To: virus@lucifer.com <virus@lucifer.com>
> Date: Tuesday, June 16, 1998 12:28 PM
> Subject: Re: virus: Virus: Opinions?
>
> >That is perfectly typical case. you are most certainly infected with a meme
> >beyond your control. I would say that had you been a Catholic at first,
> then
> >left, you would have gone back to Catholocism. The religion doesn't matter.
> You
> >simply feel the need to belong, the desire for life to have meaning, to
> aleviate
> >the fear of death, to give yourself a sense of purpose.
> >
> >Had you never believed, you would have still had the burning desire, but it
> >would have been aimed differently. you would have aimed this "quest for
> purpose"
> >at knowledge, history, science and art. You would have developed your own
> sense
> >of worth based upon your own actions and dependent upon no-one else. You
> would
> >be content with your real purpose - Be born, live, reproduce, die - and you
> >would have created for yourself your own purpose.
> >
> >Sodom
> >
> >Johnny Rea wrote:
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: sodom <Sodom@ma.ultranet.com>
> >> To: virus@lucifer.com <virus@lucifer.com>
> >> Date: Tuesday, June 16, 1998 11:08 AM
> >> Subject: Re: virus: Virus: Opinions?
> >>
> >> >
> >> > Johnny, you seem like a good guy, but after reading this last
> paragraph I
> >> >understand a lot more about you now. Am I correct in assuming that you
> were
> >> >raised a Mormon? And if so, were you told your entire life about the
> Book
> >> of
> >> >Mormon, and how Joseph Smith was visited by God and found the tablets
> and
> >> such?
> >> >Be careful how you answer this, and be honest to us and yourself.
> >> >
> >> >Also, that saying, there are no Atheists in foxholes, is only uttered by
> >> >believers, all Atheists know how absurd that is. I have seen death first
> >> hand
> >> >and I have been afraid for my life. That statement is a emotional
> security
> >> >blanked for believers, it is a joke to Atheists.
> >> >
> >> >Sodom
> >> >
> >>
> >> I am a good guy! I was raised in the church from 6 until I was 18 at
> which
> >> time I became
> >> inactive. I remained inactive until last year when I decided that there
> was
> >> nothing
> >> else out there that meant anything to me. In all the 10 years I was
> >> inactive I
> >> never once lost my belief in Mormonism. The fact that I came back had
> >> nothing to
> >> do with anything I was told as a child and young man. I came back
> because I
> >> began reading the Book of Mormon again and testimonies of others and felt
> >> the
> >> burning in my 'bosom'. I knew I had to come back.
> >
> >
> >
> >