[utah_county]

Thanks for the responses. I’ll try to answer everyone together.

1. This is new to you as you are reading my intro for the first time, but for me this has been going on for a long time. I appreciate the advice to go slow and not make knee jerk reactions. I’ve been analyzing decisions on how to proceed slowly for the past several years.

2. Orson’s question about spiritual truth vs literal truth. I really like the concept of relativity. And I can stretch things a lot. I’m probably OK with saying there is truth in Mormonism, especially in a relative sense, i.e. the teaching of need for temple marriage for salvation. I can stretch it and say that God placed me in Mormonism and so there may be something about temple marriage that’s vital or good for me. But Mormonism makes some very specific claims. And even though I may make some peace with this relativity concept, it’s still very difficult for me to sit through lessons, listen to talks, discuss doctrines, allow my kids to be indoctrinated, be required to make unnecessary sacrifices and so on with Mormons who have a very literal, very black and white view of truth.

3. On past spiritual experiences. This is a really interesting concept and deserves its own thread. This is one of the areas I have put a lot of thought into over the past several years. I’m a spiritual person and feel like I’ve had numerous experiences with the Spirit. Intellectually, I have to look at the mass volume of testimonies of personal spiritual experiences across the world and in history and wonder about them. Are they all valid? Are they all interpreted correctly? I took Moroni’s challenge as a missionary in the MTC and had a powerful spiritual witness. What did it mean?

–“Holy Ghost telling me this is God’s word, it was written by an actual prophet in MesoAmerica 2000 years ago on gold plates that were given to and translated by Joseph Smith and is a sign that you belong to God’s one true church and hold his one true priesthood, and you are one of a small number of official authorized representatives of Him to teach the gospel.”

–“Jesus Christ is the Son of God and this book’s teachings about him are true.”

–“God exists and he appreciates you seeking him so intently”

–My unconscious self created the sensation to preserve my mental health

What is it? At the time I was sure it was the first. Over time I’ve reevaluated a few times to the second and now probably to the third. Someday will I reevaluate and accept the last option? I hope not, but maybe. I think it’s important not to dismiss the actuality of receiving spiritual witnesses, but I also think it’s appropriate to reevaluate the meaning.

Thanks everyone for the responses.

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