God Speaks to Other Religions
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (others call the “Mormon” Church) sent a representative, Elder Pieper, to Third Congress of Traditional and World Religions which convened at Astana, Kazakhstan, 1-2 July 2009. He presented a paper to the congress that emphasised a collective effort and focus that would result in blessings for all mankind (you can read the entire news article >>here).
Elder Pieper offered three principles which the world religions can follow,
- The right to choose ones worship
- Friendship to all denominations and
- A unified approach to the world’s challenges where possible.
After reading this article, I immediately felt impressed that God was speaking to worldly religions and groups. The principles depicted are of God and when given to the diverse religious groups at this conference, it cannot be anything less and nothing else but God speaking throug Elder Pieper.
Peace is the central message. Principles given are designed for peace. There is no special interest in Elder Pieper’s message, it was given to all people at the conference to glorify God and bless all mankind. The message did not condemn anyone or their beliefs, but gave clear grounds and principles by which even they, the worldly religions, can please God. For it pleases God to see peace as the foremost goal in every man and womans heart and to live and practice that peace.
The message given by Elder Pieper also speaks against religious intolerance. The freedom to choose which religion to follow is one of the paramount principles listed. This means each person has the right and freedom to accept or reject Christianuty and take up any other religion and the principles allow for that freedom. This means that those who take up bashing religions or another religion is working against God and no person can claim the right to do that by the Bible.
As Elder Pieper gave the basic principles of peace, how many will accept those principles for the benefit of peace and to bless others? The results, of course will be seen in the fruits of their works.
You write about “worldly religions”. As opposed to what? Your true relgion? You say that “even worldly religions can please God”. In light of your subsequent condemnation of those who bash other religions don’t you think this is condescending and demonstrates a double standard? Even in your attempt to sound tolerant you betray your superior attitude.
Given that the Mormon missionaries tell the story of JS in which they teach all the creeds of other churches are abominable and all those who believe them are corrupt isn’t this speech hypocritical? Wouldn’t it be better if we started with honesty instead of instead of tolerance? Then we might have a base on which people can unite.
Thanks for your comment, Mike Thomas.
There is no hypocrisy in what I have said, neither is there such in the actions of the Church to send a representative to the conference.
Corruption, caused by sin and false doctrines, is in all people in varying degrees, even in members of the Church. To carry this is part of being mortal, inherited because of the flesh and influences from the world and is cause that God commands us to repent.
Yet no person is perfect, hence to say that many other churches carry false doctrines is not hypocritical in the face of God telling them to be better, as what Elder Pieper is clearly doing.
For the imperfect, even the other churches that carry false doctrines, to do something that pleases God is not a hard concept to accept, since God loves peace and all that is truly good.
Now those who bash religions, who make it their “ministry” or “mission” in life to do so, is clearly against God’s principles of peace and it is not condescending to say this.
To claim that God was speaking through Elder Pieper is not a superior attitude. If you believe God no longer speaks to anyone, then within that belief, anyone who speaks God’s word has a superior attitude because they are trying to speak for God by preaching his word.
But if you believe that God still chooses his faithful to speak through, then the idea that Elder Pieper spoke for God to the conference is clearly not a superior attitude and neither would it be by believing it.
Be aware Mike, that to be tolerant of other religions does not mean a person has to accept or condone false beliefs and doctrines that God never gave. Tolerance is patience and respect and to love one another and this in no way means that we have to accept that which is not true.
If there is something I said that you need clarification, let me know.
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