Faith, Hope, and Lunar Landings
Is it just me, or are the aggressively anti-Mormon people out there sounding a lot like all the other conspiracy theorists? I’m not saying there’s no basis for the questions being asked, but it sure seems like a lot of mad people use the formula, “Well, if ____, then why ___?” Like, “If Joseph Smith really saw God and Jesus, why are there so many different accounts of that so-called First Vision?” Or, “If Neil Armstrong was really the first person to walk on the moon, then who took the picture?”
I guess what I’m saying is, maybe we really don’t have all the answers. Maybe there are people out there that really do know more that we do, really have more experience, and aren’t just trying to subjugate the masses. Maybe if we learned a little bit more about the moon landing, we would find out there was a long arm with a camera on it, coming right off the lunar module.
Maybe God really is there. Maybe he really did talk to Mr. Smith. Maybe someone made up all the different accounts of the First Vision, with malicious intent. Maybe people don’t remember things like they happened. Maybe what was important to one person was an un-memorable event to another. Maybe people’s words don’t come out the way they intend. Maybe some people understand words of others in a way that is the opposite of what other people hear. Maybe our brains pick and choose what they want to hold onto, and what they want to toss in the trash. Maybe some people do it on purpose.
Is that what faith is to other people? The ability to suspend disbelief, with the hope of one day understanding what seems improbable, or even impossible?
Is it just a hope?
Where can I turn for Peace? 
Hey girlfriend! You’re really sorting it out!
I think the truth is somewhere in between. I personally believe that JS had some amazing transendental experiences. I also believe that he believed his revelations and had the best intentions to live what he believed and lead others to a better place. So much of it survived and evolved into a lot of good which we find in the church today. For that I am grateful.
I also know a lot more know now. My conclusions draw me to question Joseph’s mental stability, and his interpretations of his own revelations. I doubt where the book of mormon came from. In my opinion, Joseph cheated on Emma and deceived her. (I don’t question that he thought it was the right thing to do… but it wasn’t!) I question his morality.
At this point, I’m not willing to blindly follow advice from a culture and religion that doesn’t embrace the truth of what happened. I trust in my own ability to commune with God. I have enough doubts to question everything about the LDS faith, but enough perspective to continue to stay active and embrace the good things there.
It is a big adventure! I try to question everything now and keep it as simple as I can. I’m learning to trust my own intuition and not be led by a group of people outside myself.
I really enjoy reading your posts and offer tons of support as we go through this process together.
Peace and love…
Hey, Sattva, I think I’m in line to agree with your analysis of JS. I’m sure he did believe it, and I’m also disturbed by the church’s cover-up approach. I wish they would just own up to the whole weird history and put it behind them, move on. As it is, it wreaks such havoc when people find out things they weren’t already taught.
I do, however, like my best friend’s approach. She has been through her own struggle, and has come to the conclusion that most of it just doesn’t matter. What makes her a better person is what is taught in the church now. I know that’s true. I know they really do teach kindness, tolerance, and love, even if the ward-to-ward interpretations are different, and the people are far from kind, tolerant, or loving. For her, it’s totally personal. Each person’s relationship with God is personal, and if we focus on the things that bug us, we can’t be focusing of having a relationship with God.
I wish I could be in the same place she is. I wish I could even remember what it felt like to not have to question everything. Ignorance = bliss, right?
Yes…most of it doesn’t matter and if we keep it simple, it is simple. If we spend a lot of our time making justifications (like the anti-mo’s out there) then we stall our spiritual progression. We can’t move forward if we’re looking back.
I can’t help but feel though, that if I let everything half-true or untrue pass by saying “it doesn’t matter”, then my silence allows a culture of half-truths and non-truths to perpetuate. There are lots of places and communities that teach kindness, tolerance, and love. It helps me remember that the LDS church is the place I choose to be, not necessarily the only place of truth.
You’re hitting on something important here with ignorance=bliss. I think all suffering can be traced back to simply not living with what is true.I think the frustrations we’re feeling now are just us figuring out what is true.
Does that make sense?
It’s a long process…
I just wish all Mormons could understand that they don’t have a monopoly on truth. I’m really tired of that “only true church” bit. If it weren’t for my family, I might try to find another place with truth. Like the Unitarians. They don’t go around professing be the only source of all the truth, do they? They recognize that truth is found everywhere, and they seek it everywhere. That’s what I want to do.
I agree so much! I have always struggled with the “only true” church thing. I have met so many people from so many faiths that are so much more dedicated than what I am, or what those around me are.
For me, I have had to make it personal as well. The history of religion in general is messed up, awful if you ask me. So I just bring it all back to my relationship with God, and that is how I go day to day.