On 1/11/2016 11:05 AM, Muggles wrote:
On 1/11/2016 6:19 AM, Stormin Mormon wrote:

The LDS teaching materials direct people to read
the Bible (and other scriptures) themselves. The
teaching materials provide some background and
context, which is very helpful.

Before there was an internet the only tools I had to study the bible
were books, and bible lessons that someone else put together.

SM: And what changed? You now have the Bible itself, and bible
lessons that someone else put together.

I did all
sorts of organized exegesis of the bible by chapter (verse by verse),
and by topic (comparing the all verses on particular subjects). Then
home pcs and the internet came on the scene and someone put the bible on
a disc as a desktop application, and after that the bible and every
study tool known was put on web sites. Now, every topic, scripture,
lesson can be researched in depth online, in addition to research,
commentaries, dictionaries and lexicons.

SM: Same thing, but more is available.


I've never just done someone elses bible study materials alone because
many bible studies are put together to lead a person down some
particular road to a specific agenda.

SM: I'd say that about ALL bible study materials.


A generic study tool like the blueletterbible.org doesn't promote any
denominational agenda,

SM: They have their own agenda, may or not agree
with an existing church. But, I'm sure they do
have a set of beliefs.


therefore, a person can study and find out for
themselves what the text really says vs. what someone else wants to lead
you to so you'll be programmed to believe what they tell you to believe.
I decide what I will believe based on research on any given topic, and
that includes the bible. It's another reason why I can't and don't
promote any particular denomination because they all have an agenda.
I'm not saying they're bad because of it, but religion can turn people
into mindless drones who can only do and believe what they're told.

SM: I do believe that all churches have an "acceptable"
doctrine.



You know the truth of the message because the Holy
Ghost testifies of the truth. Which I've never found
in any other church or denomination.

The Holy Ghost is supposed to be the fulfillment of a promise Christ
made that when he left this Earth a helper would come to us, and we'd be
filled with the Holy Spirit. The HS isn't about denomination, although,
some denominations emphasize the HS more than others.


SM: And, so, that's what your belief system says about
the Holy Ghost / Holy Spirit.