Pre-Cursor to My Next Post

For those that aren't aware, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints... in other words, I'm a Mormon. Some may be shocked to hear this, others may have known all along. I know there are some who may stop reading this blog now. It hurts my heart to know that. There are so many religions and faiths in this world, and there are so many false truths being spread about them. Before I go any further, let me clarify a few things regarding my faith.

- We are not a cult. 

- We are not polygamists.

- We do not believe in under-age marriage, nor do we believe in pre-marital sex. 

- We are encouraged to obstain from anything that may be habit forming ... yes, this does include soda, smoking, alcohol, drugs, etc. No we are not punished if we do consume these things. 

- We are not forced to do anything. Everything we believe in is up to the individual to incorporate into their own life. 

- Yes, we do have church for 3 hours every Sunday. 

- Yes, we do have Temples... and after they are opened, only those members who meet certain criteria can enter them. However, anyone can walk through them prior to them being opened in what is called an "Open House" that lasts several weeks. We also have "Visitors Centers" where anyone can come and see what our Temples are all about and ask whatever questions they may have. 

- Yes there are certain things that happen in our Temples that we do not discuss outside of it, just as many other religions do. This is not because we are "hiding" anything, but rather because there are certain things that are extremely spiritual and personal, and we believe they should stay that way.

- We believe in God, the Eternal Father. We believe in His son, Jesus Christ. And we believe in the Holy Ghost. 

- We believe Jesus Christ walked the earth, and where He was crucified and felt the pain of all our sins and heartbreaks. We also believe in His atonement, where sins can be forgiven.
- We believe that families can be together forever (yes, this means after their death).

Now, let me clarify a few things about me. 

- I believe in equal rights for all... yes that includes homosexuals, bisexuals, other races, etc. 

- I believe in the doctrine of the church, I don't necessarily agree with all the people in it. (Just as I'm sure anyone in an organized religion will say, their testimony is for the CHURCH itself, not it's members.)

- My husband and I were married in a Mormon Temple... we call it being "sealed" and we believe it's not just "til death do us part" but instead for "time and all eternity." Our marriage is legal and recognized by the US government. 

- No, I do not judge others' faiths or beliefs, or lack there of. Whatever is right for someone, as long as it's not hurting others, is fine by me and no I do not believe that the Mormon faith is right for everyone. 

I wanted to clarify these points because in my next post, I'm going to be referring to my faith quiet a bit and I wanted everyone to understand the basics of what I believe.