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Question about LDS Church after Smith's death.

NAOS said:
What this thread demonstrates to me (as if I needed it demonstrated again) is that monotheisms have the most suffocating theories of truth possible. There is ONE TRUTH and you're either for it or against it. Wickedly frustrating to see humans spin their wheels on this bad question when the world demonstrates -- to anyone with an open mind, of course -- that there are multiple truths. The second you start proselytizing for one capital-T Truth, is the second you become "legalistic" by default. Bleh. I wish I hadn't even typed this. ****ing waste of time.
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Srs response here:

I think the tendency to only consider one truth as possible is more of a indication of the cultural backdrop in which the faiths are practiced, moreso than the faiths themselves. Christianity has not had one form since its conception, and it often is moulded based on the extant society that wishes to undertake it. For example, Christianity has been morphed by Western culture to be a beacon of individuality, which certainly wasn't always the case-- Christianity used to be much more communal, and more concerned with the plight of the poor as opposed to the success of the rich.

I think some of the polytheistic faiths that you mention are found in regions where there really isn't this 'protestant work ethic'-esque cultural drive, along with the existence of multiple other faiths in general in those given regions. The Indian subcontinent is home to several very different faiths, and has essentially forced their citizens to adapt and seek common ground for millennia. Europe has only really drawn some parallels between Judaism and Christianity, and spent millennia consolidating other faiths as enemies since the times of the Crusades, and the Inquisition.

I don't know. TL;DR I think it's just too simplistic to say that monotheistic faiths are more rigid to one truth than polytheistic ones. You'll find adherents of the Muslim faith in many polytheistic-dominant regions whose interpretations aren't rigid-- which of course begets a chicken-egg argument in its own right.
 
Dr. Jones said:
dude, I got me, my wifey, and 5 kids. I need.
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If you were cool, you'd grab one of these:

syncro02_660.jpg


Also next time don't have 5 kids. Moron.
 
dalamon said:
Srs response here:

I think the tendency to only consider one truth as possible is more of a indication of the cultural backdrop in which the faiths are practiced, moreso than the faiths themselves. Christianity has not had one form since its conception, and it often is moulded based on the extant society that wishes to undertake it. For example, Christianity has been morphed by Western culture to be a beacon of individuality, which certainly wasn't always the case-- Christianity used to be much more communal, and more concerned with the plight of the poor as opposed to the success of the rich.

I think some of the polytheistic faiths that you mention are found in regions where there really isn't this 'protestant work ethic'-esque cultural drive, along with the existence of multiple other faiths in general in those given regions. The Indian subcontinent is home to several very different faiths, and has essentially forced their citizens to adapt and seek common ground for millennia. Europe has only really drawn some parallels between Judaism and Christianity, and spent millennia consolidating other faiths as enemies since the times of the Crusades, and the Inquisition.

I don't know. TL;DR I think it's just too simplistic to say that monotheistic faiths are more rigid to one truth than polytheistic ones. You'll find adherents of the Muslim faith in many polytheistic-dominant regions whose interpretations aren't rigid-- which of course begets a chicken-egg argument in its own right.
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This is a false dichotomy. Whatever "structure" you want to give society (or cultural backdrops) is that which sediments from a mass of practice (religious, economic, philosophic, etc)

Monotheisms aren't the only drivers toward suffocating models of capital-T Truth, but history suggests that they are the most forceful drivers in that direction.

Also, I had three personal messages from posters inviting me back to GD. So, I'll take the friendly words over the cacophony of the #Queens.
 
Dr. Jones said:
I love'm all. Great kids and a blessing. Just like you and your bro are to your mum and pops.
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Fully believe it-- completely just teasin. There's nothing quite like road-tripping with a big family. The 5 of us (parents, two brothers) drove about 7000km in a Peugeot station wagon last summer in Europe, and it'll probably be one of my fondest memories until the day my life ceases. Big families are always fun families, especially if they're loud (like we are).
 
dalamon said:
Fully believe it-- completely just teasin. There's nothing quite like road-tripping with a big family. The 5 of us (parents, two brothers) drove about 7000km in a Peugeot station wagon last summer in Europe, and it'll probably be one of my fondest memories until the day my life ceases. Big families are always fun families, especially if they're loud (like we are).
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I know this about you and your fam. It's awesome and why I decided to depart from my internet-persona-norm so we could get real. Y'all r good peeps. my peeps, I hope.
 
NAOS said:
This is a false dichotomy. Whatever "structure" you want to give society (or cultural backdrops) is that which sediments from a mass of practice (religious, economic, philosophic, etc)
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False. While religions do immerse themselves into existing cultures and come out as something novel, it is very possible to trace culture-defining characteristics that would exist regardless of the choice of faith (whether polytheistic, or monotheistic).

Here's an example that I can relate to-- compare the Muslims of Kosovo and Bosnia to the Muslims of Saudi Arabia. There are very fundamental characteristics of Albanian culture that have been introduced by the advent of Islam, however there are characteristics in which that we practice our faith that are characteristics that are cornerstones to the culture of my ancestry long before the Ottomans made their way over into the Balkan peninsula. Long story short, the Islam of southeast europe is far, far different from the Islam of the Middle East. Pretty much all of that is due to the cultural backdrop of the region prior to the introduction of Islam.

Monotheisms aren't the only drivers toward suffocating models of capital-T Truth, but history suggests that they are the most forceful drivers in that direction.
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It's because modern history has been dominated by nations that have just happened to be practicers of Monotheism. It's a skewed perception.

Also, I had three personal messages from posters inviting me back to GD. So, I'll take the friendly words over the cacophony of the #Queens.
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Do as you wish.
 
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Dr. Jones said:
I know this about you and your fam. It's awesome and why I decided to depart from my internet-persona-norm so we could get real. Y'all r good peeps. my peeps, I hope.
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Y'all too obvs. By the way if all goes to plan over the next month (prayers) I should be free from April pretty much onwards. I'm basically 95% certain I'm gonna visit Utah in May if we make the playoffs.
 
dalamon said:
Y'all too obvs. By the way if all goes to plan over the next month (prayers) I should be free from April pretty much onwards. I'm basically 95% certain I'm gonna visit Utah in May if we make the playoffs.
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best reason ever for us to make the playoffs??

lol, I'll take it.
 
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