Not a good post, Colo. No, no.
It is a wonderful post.
It shines light on what Christians are trying so hard to get across to Mormons: that they are loved by us and that we care about their eternal destiny.
Though you may struggle with certain Mormons, always remember the ones who read here unannounced, as you never know whom you may be reaching.
We are to be His hands, ears, eyes, mouth, and heart. You just did a fantastic job of it and, again, you may never know until He calls you home who all you reached with your post.
My Best to You,
Thank you for your kind words of blessing.
Claire, I so concur with the words I highlighted above from your comment; Lds, we DO care about your eternal destiny.
Lds, your leaders have told you that "eternal life"=becoming a god in the highest place of heaven. Yet Jesus Christ defines eternal life as knowing Him -- and the only true God. (John 17:3) That's it!
When you relate to your earthly father, does he...
...make his gifts dependent upon conditions?
...make you run a gauntlet of legalistic rituals so that you can claim to be related to him?
...Or if you've offended him, does he make you do legalistic rituals just to receive his forgiveness?
No. The Mormon god is a lower-level generational god not worth knowing.
You want the Ultimate God. The God who has always been God, and didn't treat divinity as a simple entrepreneurial enterprise that he got by submitting a spiritual resume' to a "council of gods" for the Kolob-Earth deity district.
What's more: I encourage you...read the Gospel of John and 1 John. Note especially passages like...
* John 3:36: Whoever believes in the Son HAS eternal life... [present tense]
* John 6:47: Very truly I tell you, the one who believes HAS eternal life. [present tense]
You're not going to wear blinders, too about how Mormon (and even many Christian) leaders have 100% futurized the start of eternal life, are you?
Not convinced about Jesus' words? First John's testimony highlighting God's testimony, then Jesus again:
* 1 John 5:9-12: We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God HAS GIVEN us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son HAS life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. [Present & past tense]
* John 5:24: “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me HAS eternal life and will not be judged but HAS CROSSED OVER from death to life. [First present tense; then even past tense -- we've ALREADY cross over from death to life]
The Mormon version of the gospel can provide no such present or past tense assurances. It's all an aca-spiritual grade you get for trying to "do all you can do." (2 Nephi 25:23) It's all up in the air. The emphasis is on testifying to a mere man (Smith) and to a mere church organization -- NOT to Jesus Christ and relating to Him and our Father. All on top of a spiritual treadmill you can never get off.
The Mormon church can't even list all of the laws they've told you to adhere to...I've gone through Lds.org re: EVERY mention of the word "law." It's an incredible list when you total them all up. Yet the Mormon church hasn't even put 20% or more of those laws to be obeyed in one central list!!! What does that tell you?
Do you really think that Jesus, having in a prayer to His Father, defined eternal life as knowing His Father (as well as Himself) would mislead people? The Mormon "gospel" contradicts John 17:3 -- because it says only temple married Mormons who get accepted into the godhood divinity school get to live with Heavenly Father forever. Nobody else. Why would Jesus promise experientially knowing the Father NOW to be eternal life -- only for the Father to reject most of mankind and even most Mormons from living with Him forever?
John 5:24 says we have already crossed over from death to life. Our death -- our death in sin (Eph. 2:1) -- has been buried in the cross and burial of Jesus Christ. I testify that we are new creatures with a new life because we know the very Resurrection Himself, Jesus Christ. (See John 11:25,43). We have already been spiritually resurrected, born from above as re-created creatures in Christ, and we will be physically resurrected in the continued life to come.
Your Mormon leaders will tell you that yes, all are to be so resurrected. But they neglect the spiritual resurrection that takes place ON THIS EARTH by being born from above -- and they also neglect to show you verses like this one: 29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
May I remind Mormons that a "resurrection of damnation" is NOT a degree of glory -- and that "damnation" in the history of the church NEVER meant "damned up"???!!!