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Can a Murderer be Forgiven
Can there be a worse sin that a person may commit than the sin of taking someone’s life? By taking another’s life, the family is robbed of all of the life’s blessings brought by the presence of the person who is no longer here but passed on to the spirit world.
Ask the mother of the deceased person if she can forgive the murderer.
Ask the spouse or children of the deceased person if they can forgive the murderer.
Ask close friends of the person who has passed on if they can forgive the murderer.
There are very few individuals that exist in this world who have the amount of love existing in them that would grant them the ability to forgive the individual who took away from them the life of a close one by means of murder. I would say that such a forgiving heart can only be obtained in conjunction with the true application of the Savior’s atonement being used in the healing process.
John 3:15 - “and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.”
Joseph Smith touched on the subject of murder in speaking of King David who was guilty of aldultery and the murder of Uriah.
A murderer, for instance, one that sheds innocent blood, cannot have forgiveness. David sought repentance at the hand of God carefully with tears, for the murder of Uriah; but he could only get it through hell: he got a promise that his soul should not be left in hell.
For clarity of the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is taught that individuals who suffer in hell after this life will eventually pay for the price of their own sins and be delivered up at the time of the final judgement. They will then be resurrected and given a place in the Telestial Kingdom, a kingdom of God with the glory of the stars as compared to a kingdom with the glory of the sun or the moon which is given to more righteous individuals.
The Church and the Murderer
Occasionally, people who have murdered have come to the church requesting baptism.
The late President Spencer W. Kimball answers to this request as follows:
Peter referred to the same subject on the day of Pentecost, but the multitude did not get the endowment that Peter had; but several days after the people asked, “What shall we do?” Peter says, “I would ye had done it ignorantly,” speaking of crucifying the Lord, etc. He did not say to them, “Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins”; but he said, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”
This is the case with murderers. They could not be baptized for the remission of sins, for they had shed innocent blood.”
Even unpardonable sins such as murder should be repented of. The murderer does not have eternal life abiding in him, but a merciful God will grant to every soul adequate rewards for every good deed he does. Even the murderer is justified in repenting and mending his ways and building up a credit balance in his favor.
This post is mostly taken from the book entitled The Miracle of Forgiveness by Spencer W. Kimball, pages 130 and 131.
What is the Law of Chastity?
The use of the term of the “Law of Chastity” seems to be kind of a Mormon thing. I really don’t know that I have ever heard anybody else call it that. The Law of Being Chaste. The dictionary defines chaste as being pure, modest, and virtuous. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we refer to it as the law of keeping yourself clean of sexual sin. This may include keeping your dress modest, keeping your speech clean of inappropriate sexual talk, keeping your thoughts pure from contemplating inappropriate sexual acts - including refraining from indulging in pornography, keeping your hands clean of acts such as masturbation, and keeping your body clean by refraining from fornication or adultery. Fornication is defined as sexual acts outside of the bonds of marriage. Adultery is defined as a married individual performing sexual acts with someone other than their spouse. These definitions of fornication and adultery extend to prohibiting sexual acts with individuals of the same sex.
The seriousness of each of these sins varies. The repentance process for each depends on the severity of the sin. Also taken into consideration for the repentance process is the level of commitment the individual has made in the church. While such a concept may sound foreign to people not familiar to the church, it makes total sense to those who are well aware of the churches teachings. An example is that a high school student that engages in premarital sex will likely be disfellowshipped from the church meaning that they are given a period of time to repent while being denied the opportunity to partake of the sacrament or say prayers in church meetings. Whereas someone who has attended the temple who engages in premarital sex will likely be excommunicated and be required to be rebaptized after a more extended period of time. If a priesthood holder has been excommunicated and desires to once again hold the priesthood, the reinstatement may even require approval from the general authorities of the church - the 12 apostles. This is not something taken lightly and often takes several years for approval.
Modest Dress
While it may be fashionable to look sexy in the way you present yourself, men and women who respect the Lord’s teachings will dress in ways that will not draw attention to themselves in inappropriate ways. Dressing sharp and well is appropriate especially when done in good taste.
For the Strength of Youth states as follows:
Immodest clothing includes short shorts and skirts, tight clothing, shirts that do not cover the stomach, and other revealing attire. Young women should wear clothing that covers the shoulder and avoid clothing that is low-cut in the front or the back or revealing in any other manner. Young men should also maintain modesty in their appearance. All should avoid extremes in clothing, appearance, and hairstyle. Always be neat and clean and avoid being sloppy or inappropriately casual in dress, grooming, and manners. Ask yourself, “Would I feel comfortable with my appearance if I were in the Lord’s presence?”
Clean Speech
Clean speech can range from the use of profanity to the use of telling inappropriate jokes that are sexual in nature. Our speech is a reflection of the heart. When we use profanity, we demean ourselves and we desensitize the feelings of those around us who are striving to live their lives pure in the site of God. When we tell or even engage in the laughter of jokes that are sexual in nature, we offend those who do not wish to hear them and we offend God. The Holy Ghost immediately withdraws. We find ourselves in need of repentance.
Masterbation
Masterbation is a sin.
Outside of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you can find discussion forum and after discussion forum of individuals rationalizing the act of masterbation saying that it is not a sin. The guidance from the leaders of the church do not see it this way. All young men desiring to serve a mission must attain self mastery and overcome this self defeating act prior to receiving their mission call. Individuals who find themselves engaging in this act are recommended to consult with their bishop to receive guidance on overcoming this sin.
If you are engaging in masturbation, you should not partake of the sacrament and should not attend the temple. You should first repent of the sin prior to once again engaging in these sacred ordinances.
Pornography
Pornography is one of the greatest challenges facing the church today. With pornography being found right at the fingertips of a Google search, Bishops all over the world are bombarded with members coming to them confessing their sins of either having a pornography addiction or simply having one instance of indulging in the viewing of Satan’s greatest tool. Pornography destroys marriages, deceives people into thinking they can have that which is forbidden, and touches a man’s senses in a way that controls them and drags them down to hell. Pornography must not be touched in any way if one wishes to feel the sweet presence of the Holy Ghost. Confession to your bishop may be the only way to obtain repentance and once again feel the sweetness of the Spirit of God dwelling with you.
And don’t even think about attending a so-called Gentleman’s Club. I really don’t know what the church’s disciplinary policy is on this topic. Needless to say, I would not expect it to be well. Would it be seen as the same thing as fornication or adultery? I doubt it. But I expect it would be worse than the viewing of porn pages on the internet.
Proper Conduct while Dating
I don’t believe that I can cover this topic any better that what is already spelled out in the “For the Strength of Youth” pamphlet published by the church.
Before marriage, do not do anything to arouse the powerful emotions that must be expressed only in marriage. Do not participate in passionate kissing, lie on top of another person, or touch the private, sacred parts of another person’s body, with or without clothing. Do not allow anyone to do that with you. Do not arouse those emotions in your own body.
In cultures where dating or courting is acceptable, always treat your date with respect, never as an object to be used for your lustful desires. Stay in areas of safety where you can easily control your physical feelings. Do not participate in talk or activities that arouse sexual feelings.
Fornication and Adultery
1 Corinthians 6:9
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Sex outside of marriage is practiced so heavily outside of the church, it is easy to wonder if it is even a sin. For faithful members of the church, we know that it happens as well. We also know that disciplinary action is taken on the individuals who engage in it. Today, if a young man engages in it while in their youth, it is very difficult to ever be allowed to serve on a mission. Once again, approval from a general authority is required. For those who have made temple covenants and then engage in fornication, the result is most always excommunication from the church.
Outside of blasphemy to the Holy Ghost, adultery is next to murder as being of the most treacherous sins a person could engage in. Adultery rips families apart. It breaks the tender hearts of the innocent, destroys families, creates hardships on spouses and children affected by the selfishness. It is deceptive. It is hurtful. A man or a woman who has engaged in adultery will not stand before God without shame unless a serious and sincere repentance is made. True repentance includes restitution. How do you bring back the trust and love that once existed prior to this serious act of betrayal?
Let the Spirit of God Guide You
While black and white principles may be a guiding factor for many people, what is really important is the relationship that you have with our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ. If you strive to obey their commandments and live your life according to the principles taught by the savior, he will guide you in your decisions and bless you with his spirit. You will recognize his spirit as it whispers peace to your soul. The closer you come to him, the stronger and more common will that peace be felt. It is a very personal thing. If you are guilty of sexual sin, you may need to see the Bishop to be placed on a path to repentance. If you are having difficulty feeling the closeness to the spirit, then stop and listen again. He may send a prompting to you reminding you of exactly the reason for the void. He will help guide you as you sincerely seek the path to return to him.
Why Mormons Don’t Drink or Smoke
I was having lunch with my boss the other day and she asked me straight up - why is it that Mormons don’t drink. Jesus drank. It says so in the Bible.
The reality is that she is absolutely correct. Jesus’ first miracle in the New Testament was to turn water into wine at a marriage feast. So if Jesus thought it was okay to drink wine is his day, then why do the Mormons, who profess to be the restored church of Jesus Christ on the earth today, teach that it is not okay to drink alcohol?
My answer is that is has nothing whatsoever to do with any teaching that is found in the Bible. This strictly came as guidance for us in this day in age.
I recently heard one of our church leaders - Richard G. Scott - speak at our Stake Conference and he quoted “if these people will show that they love me, then I will bless them by giving them more commandments.” If anyone knows where this quote came from, then please let me know. Nevertheless, the “Word of Wisdom” is an example of this principle. Commandments are given to us as we humble ourselves and submit ourselves to his will. He gives us commandments to bless us and enrich our lives.
Surprisingly, the commandment to not smoke or drink was not originally given as a commandment, it was given as a guideline - as a “Word of Wisdom”. It is found in the Doctrine and Covenants in Section 89 dated February 27, 1833. The first 8 verses of the revelation are given as follows:
1. A Word of Wisdom, for the benefit of the council of high priests, assembled in Kirtland, and of the church, and also the saints in Zion –
2. To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the word of wisdom, showing forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days–
3. Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints.
4. Behold verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation –
5. That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him.
6. And, behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make.
7. And again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies.
8. And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill.
There were actually events that led up to Joseph Smith receiving this revelation. Joseph Smith use to conduct training sessions to the other church leaders in a setting known as the School of the Prophets. This first School of the Prophets took place in a small room situated over Joseph Smiths’ kitchen in a house which belonged to Newel K. Whitney. Brigham Young described the setting as follows:
When they [the brethren] assembled together in this room after breakfast, the first they did was to light their pipes, and, while smoking, talk about the great things of the kingdom, and spit all over the room, and as soon as the pipe was out of their mouths a large chew of tobacco would then be taken. Often when the Prophet entered the room to give the school instructions, he would find himself in a cloud of tobacco smoke. This, and the complaints of his wife at having to clean so filthy a floor, made the prophet think upon the matter, and he inquired of the Lord relating to the conduct of the Elders in using tobacco, and the revelation known as the Word of Wisdom was the result of his inquiry.
In the early days of the church, any person serving in leadership positions were required to comply with the Word of Wisdom. In 1913, Joseph F. Smith - the existing prophet and nephew of Joseph Smith - wrote: “The reason undoubtedly why the Word of Wisdom was given - as not by commandment or restraint was that at the time, at least if it had been given as a commandment, it would have brought every man addicted to the use of these noxious things under condemnation; so the Lord was merciful and gave them a chance to overcome, before he brought them under the law.” A few years later in the early 20th century, when Heber J. Grant was the living prophet, this law was made binding on all of the members of the church. Today, if you desire to have the privilege of entering the temple or to participate in Priesthood ordinances, you must be complying with the Word of Wisdom.
Of course there are many members of the church who do drink alcohol and smoke tobacco (or other items as well). Often, those who are caught in this snare of addiction stop attending church because they feel unworthy or inadequate. However, the church does not discourage them from attending. We very much want to see them at the place of worship. They are, however, requested not to partake of the sacrament.
Personally, my heart saddens when I hear of people who cease their activities in the church because they feel unworthy. I believe that our Heavenly Father gives all of us weaknesses. Part of our challenge in life is to overcome our weaknesses and gain self control over the body. I do have my weaknesses which have posed great challenges of worthiness to myself. However, for me, the Word of Wisdom has not been one of them.
I grew up as a member of the church. From the time I was young, I was taught not to smoke, drink alcohol, drink coffee, drink tea, or to take illegal and harmful drugs. I fortunately listened to my parents as they taught this to me. I have never in my life drank an alcoholic beverage, smoked nor chewed on tobacco, nor drank a cup of coffee or tea. And because I have never partaken them, I do not know firsthand the effects that they would have on me. It is quite possible that if I had a beer, I would really like the way it felt. But since I do not know what I am missing, it is not a temptation. That does make it a lot easier for me.
I have a good friend from work who really struggles with an alcohol addiction. He knows that drinking not only has harmful health effects, he also knows that his actions when drinking are not desirable. He is much more easily irritated and tends to fight with his girlfriend - especially when she has been drinking as well.
I have an uncle who was an alcoholic. The alcohol destroyed his life. It led to divorce. It affected his work. His health declined. He eventually died a bitter drunk man.
I would very much like to publish anonymous articles from contributors who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who have struggled with addictions of alcohol and / or tobacco. If you or a friend of yours has struggled with addictions of these; please share your stories. I would especially be interested in success stories of individuals who have successfully overcome their addictions. If you have a story to share, please send it to admin@mormonsanonymous.org and I will anonymously post your letter for all to read.
Thank you.
YouTube Movie on Overcoming Alcoholism and Pornography
Dianne has been making movie after movie inspiring thousands who have watched her channels on YouTube. In this particular movie, she quotes from the experts and gives personal examples on the hazards of addictions to pornography and alcohol. There is a way out, and your loving spouse will work with you if you honestly confront the problems head on and work to overcome them. Dianne is an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has her own YouTube channel called Book of Mormon Reader.
Honor the Sabbath Day and Keep it Holy
One of the Ten Commandments that was held in very strict regard for nearly two mellinium was the concept of the Sabbath Day. In the book of Exodus, Chapter 20 verses 8-11 it says:
8. Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.
9. But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
10. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
It was very evident that in the Days of Christ, the Jewish leaders were very strict on the adherance of the sabbath day. For Jesus was criticized for doing something as simple as plucking corn on the sabbath day and was accused of breaking the sabbath for such an act (Matthew 12). Jesus response in verses 5 and 6 are as follows:
5. Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days, the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless.
6. But I say unto you, that in this place is one greater than the temple.
….
8. For the son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
In Mark 2:27, the same incident records that Jesus also said at this time:
And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath.
The savior did not take the sabath day lightly. Nor did he do away with it with the coming of the new covenant which did away with the Law of Moses. Did he lighten up the strictness that was being upheld by the Jewish leaders of the time? Yes, I think that would be a valid statement.
I have wondered since I was a child, why it is that many Christians exit their churches on Sunday and head straight to the restaraunts. Sure, they are not working themselves, but by promoting this practice, they are undoubtedly going against the concept of:
in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor they stranger that is within thy gates.
For I have heard statements from individuals who wanted to keep the sabbath day holy; however, out of financial distress, choose to take work in those restaraunts feeding those individuals who half heartedly practice thier religion by attending church then immediately break the Lords commandments within ten minutes of exiting their walls.
Why is it that so many Christians take this commandment so lightly. Do they not believe that they have to obey all of the Lords commandments? Do they really believe that if they say a prayer at one time accepting Jesus into thier hearts then they are exempt from the law?
Or do people justify breaking the sabbath by taking the Saviour’s latest quote as saying “the Sabbath is made for man and not man for the Sabbath” so as to mean that we can now do whatever we want on this day? I don’t buy it. When you go to a restaraunt on the Sabbath Day, or go to the store on this day, you are making your servant work.
No one is exempt from the law. Why push the law to the edge hoping that you will not be punished in the end. If this is your attitude, then have you really accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior? I really question it.
So what did the Savior mean when he said “Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.” He meant that this is a day to do his work. This is the day to visit the sick, care for the hungry and naked, comfort those who stand in need of comfort, and find beneficial ways to promote the Kingdom of God on this earth. That is what he meant by doing well. He healed a man who could not walk immediately after making that quote.
Today, I had to work on Sunday. I end up doing it periodically. I do not make it a habit. If the job required it every Sunday of me, it probably would not be long before I would begin looking for another job that does not require it. So why do I justify doing it from time to time?
Matthew 12:
11. And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
12. How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
Sometimes it is necessary. What justifies necessary is an individual personal decision. You keep your heart and mind single to the glory of God, strive in every way to keep his commandments, and follow the guidance of the spirit. If it is wrong, he will whisper it in your heart.
As individuals, we make decisions daily. If our heart is single to his glory, our actions will consistently improve and bring us closer to him. We will strive to obey all of his commandments. When we choose to break his commandments, the spirit will leave us until we decide to change or repent. We will be left alone and we will have to bear our own burdens…he will not be able to step in and make our burdens light.
I have a testimony of the importance of the Sabbath Day. It is a day to recover from the things of this world. It is a day to sit back and ponder on the events of the week and help us to once again focus on what is really important–strengthening our relationship with our Savior and with our family.
As you strive to obey his commandments, all of them, may the spirit of God rest upon you more and more abundantly guiding you and teaching you, bringing you closer and closer to the truth. And may this continue until you are standing before him on the final day of judgement with your hands clean and your heart pure. And if this is the case, all will be well with you an that final day of judgement.