I’ve been wrestling with the idea of becoming LDS for a long time now. I grew up without religion or God in my liflife or household. So I am having a difficult time Iin my mind working through how drastically my life would change. I have learned to enjoy things in life the church is against. I guess my question is whether it is okmind to be a bad mormon by drinking tea and alcohol every once in a while?
conversion
Tim from Pennsylvania,
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One Response to “I’ve been wrestling with the idea of becoming LDS for a…”
Francisco Rios
2012-07-08 21:57:28
Hi Tim. I'm happy you're investigating the church. When I look back on my own life, on the good times and the bad, I'm so grateful for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This church provided me with excellent moral principles when I was a child. It's helped me develop my personal relationship with Christ, which has been a great comfort as I've faced life's challenges. It's helped me understand my relationship with God, a relationship that is independent of anyone else's opinion of me. My membership in this church is my greatest treasure. I hope that you find the same blessings I and millions of others have encountered in the LDS church.
The church is just like anything else that is good in life; the more you put into it, the more you'll get out of it. If you pick and choose which of God's Commandments you'll follow, you can still get a lot out of the church, including a wonderful social support system and inspiring sermons on Sundays. No one will throw you out of the church because you're not 100% dedicated.
However, this is a very superficial way to live one's faith. If you want this gospel to be able to really transform you into a true disciple of Christ--if you want to really be challenged and molded into a better person through Jesus--dedication, humility, and a willingness to follow God wherever He might lead are essential. An occasional cup of black tea (herbal teas are okay) or beer probably won't damage your body, but, because the use of these beverages is symbolic of an only partial dedication to God, these could well do great damage to your spiritual health. It is definitely not worth it, Tim. It's too high a price to pay.
The church is just like anything else that is good in life; the more you put into it, the more you'll get out of it. If you pick and choose which of God's Commandments you'll follow, you can still get a lot out of the church, including a wonderful social support system and inspiring sermons on Sundays. No one will throw you out of the church because you're not 100% dedicated.
However, this is a very superficial way to live one's faith. If you want this gospel to be able to really transform you into a true disciple of Christ--if you want to really be challenged and molded into a better person through Jesus--dedication, humility, and a willingness to follow God wherever He might lead are essential. An occasional cup of black tea (herbal teas are okay) or beer probably won't damage your body, but, because the use of these beverages is symbolic of an only partial dedication to God, these could well do great damage to your spiritual health. It is definitely not worth it, Tim. It's too high a price to pay.