I have often wondered how it feels to be an outcast, like you don't belong. Those who are LGTBQ, those who are of indigenous backgrounds or other races that feel like outcasts. I am not part of the Charismatic movement as I do feel like things can get carried too far in the other direction, but lately perhaps I have felt a little bit of how these minority groups feel. I don't agree with everything that these minority groups say or believe in but I never want anyone to feel discriminated against and I should speak out more in order to help them! I love them.
I have been feeling judged and belittled because I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I never felt this way when I lived in Calgary but for some reason I feel it now. Champion seems to be a very Christian town. I have been introduced to Christian literature and have been self led further to youtube videos and websites. It is fascinating how people like to dedicate so much of their time to proving us wrong (I see that on youtube)! I am told one must believe in certain beliefs to be a true Christian. One being sola scripture and another being grace alone. Christians will not call LDS people Christians. We do not fit their definition of what a Christian is. I always thought I was Christian. After all, I believe in Christ, I have accepted his atonement and I try to follow him. I totally understand it if people are confused about the LDS religion. It is different. It is a lot to take in. But we believe in a God who loves everyone and a Savior who has atoned for the sins of everyone. We are not perfect but we have accepted the atonement of Christ. We see the Bible differently than others but we believe it is the word of God. We believe in further revelation. We believe in Temple worship. We believe in Eternal Families. Etc.
But it appears that according to some Christians, we are not good enough to be saved because we have not accepted Christ in the way they think we should. That being said, the only other option for us is to be cast into Hell where we can not feel any of the love of God for all eternity. We may feel his love everyday on this earth, but we will not feel his love when we are cast down to hell. We may feel the Spirit testify of truth every day in our life, but that will be taken away from us when we are cast down to eternal torment and suffering. That is super confusing to me.
From what I have been told, some Christians believe that our sole purpose is to worship God. All God wants from us is to sing praises to him and make his name known all day and everyday for eternity? And he even gets glory by casting his creations to hell where they will never again feel of his love just because he did not choose them to be saved, just because they did not understand exactly who God is or what the Savior has done for them while they were alive. I really don't know what that means or what kind of God that is who's sole desire is to create people to feed his ego for eternity. That doesn't make sense to me. It sounds more like Satan than God.
As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, We believe that God's work and Glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of Man. We believe that in bringing to pass the eternal life of man, God wants everyone to return to live with him again and to give all that he can to them. That is how he gets his Glory. Some people will be sinful and stubborn and will not accept all he has to offer and it is true that we have to be like God in order to live with him, but he still loves them and will give to them all that he can under the circumstances even if it is not all that he has to offer. He wants his children to grow up and become like him just like we want that of our children. We would not have our children stay little forever. That is how we glorify him and make his name known, by becoming like him. We are literally his spirit children. We have divine nature. We are all sons and daughters of a King!
I feel the Spirit testify of truth as I ponder these things and the Spirit draws me closer to the Savior. But I feel Satan put contentious thoughts into my mind when I feel segregated from Christians. I feel like I am not good enough for them because I am who I am and I believe what I believe. I do not feel like my beliefs are a sin. On the contrary, they help me draw closer to Christ. I suppose other minority groups feel the same way when they are told they can not be like others or have what others have. They probably feel like they are not good enough. I don't want them to feel that way. I feel for them. Jesus was loving of everyone, I can be too. I do not know exactly how things will work out in the eternities. I do know that our sin leads us away from the Spirit and away from Christ. I do know that following the Savior's example leads us closer to the Spirit and as we have the Spirit, we feel of God's love and we come closer to Christ. And I do know that in the world to come, we will ALL feel of God's fairness, his judgement, his grace, his mercy and most of all, his love!
