This article is a continuation of my daily personal testimony about my Mormon baptism of which the immersion part occurred August 29, 2014 and the Holy Ghost part occurred on Sunday, August 31, 2014.
On Friday the baptism went very well. I got baptized and as I surfaced, experienced catharsis and almost cried. Then I swiftly recovered, and later changed back into my clothes from the baptismal garment. Then, when called up, I read the poem I wrote for this occasion.
On Sunday, church went great. I received the laying on hands for the baptism by Holy Ghost, and was requested to read my baptismal poem again. Tactfully, nobody complimented me on that because there is no point in it. This is church, not Toastmasters.
Everyone who knew me, congratulated me and welcomed me to their community.
Since the end of May I have been coming to church. and right now,
Every time I attend church and Tuesday instructions, I feel like I fit in. Whether I am at home or at work, I smile more. My mood has improve greatly over the past three months.
I actually look forward to any calling assigned to me. It is not in my best interest to lose faith and sit around home feeling lonely. For I belong.
Regarding any claim by anti-Mormons that the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saint is a cult, I consciously joined the Mormons with eyes open because I know what I am getting into. Nobody pulled the wool over my eyes, and I am not fooling myself.
Honestly, being a people pleasure led to positive feedback that motivated me to improve my personal hygiene, buy a white hoodie, new underwear and socks, and wear a white shirt for church. This is because I always liked to fit in, and my fellow church members make me feel at home.
Gee, the improvement in hygiene made me wonder who I was falling in love with — indeed, it's like I am in love with the Christ. It reminds me of a dim memory when a Christian asked me, "Did you know Jesus loves you?" Yes, and I love Him. Indeed, God loves me, wants me to be successful and His desire is to bless me.
Sometimes I hear my inner voice explaining that this is all self-justification, that soon I'll lose faith, feel out of place at church, and at future church events, but it always stops talking when I confront myself mentally and focus on my memories of Friday's immersion baptism and Sunday's baptism by Holy Ghost.
At the moment I feel thankful to God for His Mercy, and His guidance, especially when I picked Luke 15 which contains the trilogy of repentance consisting of the lost sheep parable, the lost coins parable and the lost son parable. It reminds me of that part in the Lord's Prayer that goes "Thy will be done."
When I ask myself How I shall make this love for God last until my death after a well-examined life, the answer is simple: through prayer and meditation.
At the moment, i am reading Sydney S. Reynolds' article "He Knows Us; He Loves Us" in the 173rd Semi-Annual Conference (October 2003) after searching for "God loves you." Once again, it is like God is guiding me to the material to complete my daily prayer and meditation.
It is almost like I let go and let God guide me, and I really am fine with that! Thanks to God, I am a Mormon.
Now, over 9 hours after the baptism by Holy Ghost and over 28 hours since baptism by immersion, I genuinely feel like I have been born again.
Showing posts with label baptism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baptism. Show all posts
20140831
20140829
My Baptism (poem)
When one sheep out of a hundred sheep is found,
It is cause for celebration.
When one coin out of ten silver coins is found,
It is time for rejoicing.
When a person who was once lost is found,
Let the world know of the good news.
Having been made aware of penitence
He who has found the Light
Will be cleansed of all past sins
As he arises out of the water,
And shall find his new life
To be a complete change from the old.
I am that sheep,
for I am reborn.
Many thanks to God
And all witnesses.
Amen.
It is cause for celebration.
When one coin out of ten silver coins is found,
It is time for rejoicing.
When a person who was once lost is found,
Let the world know of the good news.
Having been made aware of penitence
He who has found the Light
Will be cleansed of all past sins
As he arises out of the water,
And shall find his new life
To be a complete change from the old.
I am that sheep,
for I am reborn.
Many thanks to God
And all witnesses.
Amen.
20140820
A Jack Mormon Confession (satire)
Since June I personally have refrained from hot drinks, alcohol, illegal drugs and tobacco. As well, I am celibate.
Between myself and God, I am repenting my past sins in private. On Friday, August 29, I am to be baptized as a Mormon.
So all that talk of remaining a Jack Mormon is pure satire. My epiphany came when I read the anti-Mormon views on the interviews preceding baptism: they gave me the wrong impression.
Nobody in the hierarchy asks you to confess your darkest sins to them, for that isn't supposed to be shared with another mortal soul.
While I am still going to be liberal and still write about Buddhism, politics and other topics that I am interested in, I am also going to write about Mormonism as objectively as I am able. Though the anti-Mormon propaganda will no longer be of interest to me, except perhaps to provide inspiration for commentary.
For now, this post will provide me with the opportunity to explain simply why I decided to be baptized as a Mormon.
With eyes open and an open heart, I attended all the instruction hours since the end of May until now and will continue to do so.
While I am convinced that Joseph Smith Jr was inspired by God to write the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, the Testimony of the Three Witnesses only convinces me of his inspiration. However, I will go along with the cover story that the angel Moroni took those brass plates back to wherever he went.
My own statement above is not a confession of doubt but is made because I have never been shown the original literature by the angel Moroni.
As well, the Egyptian hieroglyphics which inspired Joe Smith to write the Book of Abraham do not translate as that book. Even so, I would consider Mr Smith as inspired by God to write all the scriptures specific to Mormonism and consider him a Mormon prophet.
Nothing I have written so far will fully explain why I became a Mormon. I am sure that it's because I am a people pleaser.
Also, the fact that this local Mormon community is the least judgmental of all Christian denominations has also convinced me that my choice is the best one to make out of all the choices that I faced.
For I could have rejected Mormonism and dealt with being a Buddhist whose spirituality accepted that there is a God and even allowed for the Christ. On closely examining my sarcastic statement that "my Christ is the Buddha", I realize that the statement is considered a religious one by Christians of other denomination.
So my explanation for becoming a Mormon is actually summed up by the concept of the Buddha as my Christ, due to the religious pluralism that I have been quietly practising since 1990. This has been confirmed for me by the Mormon cosmology regarding the souls of pre-mortal times to today's current incarnation on Earth and to the Afterlife. Even Spirit World and Spirit Prison fit into my Buddhist worldview, though the Celestial, Terrestrial and Telestial Kingdoms would become similar to Buddhist heavens.
Of course, at first glance, the Mormon cosmology is in my eyes more like a rough draft of the more complex Buddhist cosmology. Though it is more likely that I am not going to revert to Buddhism because of this revelation.
Another reason why I became Mormon because I like the fact that the Mormon literature has had articles on Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism written without critique of each religion.
It is that religious pluralism which confirms my belief that Mormonism is going to be the most wonderful part of my spiritual journey.
Even so, everyone who thinks I have gotten sucked into a cult have no idea at all because they might keep forgetting that I have become Mormon with my eyes open and my heart open to the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints. That does not mean I am going to forget my roots as a Buddhist. Instead, Mormonism will take what I have learned about Buddhism to a new level.
Because this blog is semi-private, I will only refer to the Elders and the wonderful brothers and sisters of my local Mormon ward without specifically identifying anyone.
Thank you too to the brothers and sisters, and especially Elder M and Sister M who all served as hosts for dinner - three wonderful dinners that led from uncertainty to confusion and finally to understanding.
However, my thanks goes out to Elder L who invited me to church, Elder M who patiently instructed me, Elder F who knows his wushu very well, and Elder T, whose words impress me the most. Also thanks to Brother C for his sponsorship.
A poem on My Baptism (which I plan to read after baptism): http://gandhara.blogspot.com/2014/08/my-baptism-poem.html
Between myself and God, I am repenting my past sins in private. On Friday, August 29, I am to be baptized as a Mormon.
So all that talk of remaining a Jack Mormon is pure satire. My epiphany came when I read the anti-Mormon views on the interviews preceding baptism: they gave me the wrong impression.
Nobody in the hierarchy asks you to confess your darkest sins to them, for that isn't supposed to be shared with another mortal soul.
While I am still going to be liberal and still write about Buddhism, politics and other topics that I am interested in, I am also going to write about Mormonism as objectively as I am able. Though the anti-Mormon propaganda will no longer be of interest to me, except perhaps to provide inspiration for commentary.
For now, this post will provide me with the opportunity to explain simply why I decided to be baptized as a Mormon.
With eyes open and an open heart, I attended all the instruction hours since the end of May until now and will continue to do so.
While I am convinced that Joseph Smith Jr was inspired by God to write the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, the Testimony of the Three Witnesses only convinces me of his inspiration. However, I will go along with the cover story that the angel Moroni took those brass plates back to wherever he went.
My own statement above is not a confession of doubt but is made because I have never been shown the original literature by the angel Moroni.
As well, the Egyptian hieroglyphics which inspired Joe Smith to write the Book of Abraham do not translate as that book. Even so, I would consider Mr Smith as inspired by God to write all the scriptures specific to Mormonism and consider him a Mormon prophet.
Nothing I have written so far will fully explain why I became a Mormon. I am sure that it's because I am a people pleaser.
Also, the fact that this local Mormon community is the least judgmental of all Christian denominations has also convinced me that my choice is the best one to make out of all the choices that I faced.
For I could have rejected Mormonism and dealt with being a Buddhist whose spirituality accepted that there is a God and even allowed for the Christ. On closely examining my sarcastic statement that "my Christ is the Buddha", I realize that the statement is considered a religious one by Christians of other denomination.
So my explanation for becoming a Mormon is actually summed up by the concept of the Buddha as my Christ, due to the religious pluralism that I have been quietly practising since 1990. This has been confirmed for me by the Mormon cosmology regarding the souls of pre-mortal times to today's current incarnation on Earth and to the Afterlife. Even Spirit World and Spirit Prison fit into my Buddhist worldview, though the Celestial, Terrestrial and Telestial Kingdoms would become similar to Buddhist heavens.
Of course, at first glance, the Mormon cosmology is in my eyes more like a rough draft of the more complex Buddhist cosmology. Though it is more likely that I am not going to revert to Buddhism because of this revelation.
Another reason why I became Mormon because I like the fact that the Mormon literature has had articles on Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism written without critique of each religion.
It is that religious pluralism which confirms my belief that Mormonism is going to be the most wonderful part of my spiritual journey.
Even so, everyone who thinks I have gotten sucked into a cult have no idea at all because they might keep forgetting that I have become Mormon with my eyes open and my heart open to the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints. That does not mean I am going to forget my roots as a Buddhist. Instead, Mormonism will take what I have learned about Buddhism to a new level.
Because this blog is semi-private, I will only refer to the Elders and the wonderful brothers and sisters of my local Mormon ward without specifically identifying anyone.
Thank you too to the brothers and sisters, and especially Elder M and Sister M who all served as hosts for dinner - three wonderful dinners that led from uncertainty to confusion and finally to understanding.
However, my thanks goes out to Elder L who invited me to church, Elder M who patiently instructed me, Elder F who knows his wushu very well, and Elder T, whose words impress me the most. Also thanks to Brother C for his sponsorship.
A poem on My Baptism (which I plan to read after baptism): http://gandhara.blogspot.com/2014/08/my-baptism-poem.html
20140625
Without a Soul to Save, Only the Good Life Awaits (satire)
I'm pretty sure the fact that The Book of Mormon is in the English of King James version makes it a difficult read for me.
What if, instead of the Celestial Kingdom, I'm fine with rebirth in the Terrestrial Kingdom?
I'm not sure if a Mormon can understand that. In Buddhism, the reason why there is no baptism is because the metaphors about water refer to how the multitude of Buddhists are a part of mighty ocean of wisdom and love.
However, the goal of an earnest Buddhist is not to be reborn in the Six Realms of Desire but to escape rebirth itself through meditation and related acts of mindfulness.
I suppose meditation is mysterious to a Mormon who equates baptism and giving up worldliness with achieving the Celestial Kingdom in the Afterlife.
Nobody in America can really fathom how sitting on your ass achieving calmness of mind is supposed to lead to nirvana, let alone Enlightenment, except perhaps a Buddhist.
Yet that calm mind leads to the clarity of mind to realize almost the same thing that a Christian knows to be true: seeking fame and glory does not lead to a truly good life and neither does seeking riches.
In this way is Buddhism almost on the same page as Christianity. For, even without baptism, I can avoid the delusions that chasing fame may lead to, and also avoid the pitfalls of financial success.
After all, the Buddhist principle of no-self implies that there is no soul to save. Instead, there is only a good life to make my own.
What if, instead of the Celestial Kingdom, I'm fine with rebirth in the Terrestrial Kingdom?
I'm not sure if a Mormon can understand that. In Buddhism, the reason why there is no baptism is because the metaphors about water refer to how the multitude of Buddhists are a part of mighty ocean of wisdom and love.
However, the goal of an earnest Buddhist is not to be reborn in the Six Realms of Desire but to escape rebirth itself through meditation and related acts of mindfulness.
I suppose meditation is mysterious to a Mormon who equates baptism and giving up worldliness with achieving the Celestial Kingdom in the Afterlife.
Nobody in America can really fathom how sitting on your ass achieving calmness of mind is supposed to lead to nirvana, let alone Enlightenment, except perhaps a Buddhist.
Yet that calm mind leads to the clarity of mind to realize almost the same thing that a Christian knows to be true: seeking fame and glory does not lead to a truly good life and neither does seeking riches.
In this way is Buddhism almost on the same page as Christianity. For, even without baptism, I can avoid the delusions that chasing fame may lead to, and also avoid the pitfalls of financial success.
After all, the Buddhist principle of no-self implies that there is no soul to save. Instead, there is only a good life to make my own.
20140622
Looks Like I'm Going to be a Dry Mormon (satire)
My desire to become a baptized Mormon died when I was told I couldn't be baptized because my roommates are "living in sin" aka in a common law relationship. That didn't make me want to take up smoking though.
Of course, I let the Mormons know I put my roommates before the Mormon church. Hopefully they'll respect that devotion to my roommates.
However, while waiting for church to start today, I happened on the Rational Wiki which had a hilarious spin on Mormons, though no True Believer Mormons would be laughing at it as much as I am.
After reading about dry Mormons, which are people who attended Mormon meetings on Sunday but aren't baptized due to complications like mine, I found the concept amusing as I did Jack Mormons, who are apostate Mormons who try to outdo the secular decadent hedonists in south Utah.
I know for myself that I don't self-identify as a cafe Christian, who is just on the edges of being a Christian. He'd give up coffee & tea, cigarettes, alcohol, and dangerous drugs, but he might come up with excuses not to attend Sunday meetings at the Mormon meetinghouse.
Just for the record, I am not disappointed at not being able to be baptized soon. However, I'm going to go out of my way to be virulently anti-Mormon, because of that one Buddhist precept that says a believer should never disrespect the Buddha. Even though a Christian prophet is nothing like a Buddha, both of them are spiritually alike.
It would be foolish of me to disrespect the Mormons in any way, and the mention of the Rational Wiki's take on Mormonism is not an attack on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint. Rather, it is an amusing spin on an American folk religion that evolved into another part of the Christian mosaic in the USA.
Oh, also I'm invited to a dinner with a Mormon family later on this week. We'll see how that goes when it happens.
Mormonism - Rational Wiki: http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Mormonism
Of course, I let the Mormons know I put my roommates before the Mormon church. Hopefully they'll respect that devotion to my roommates.
However, while waiting for church to start today, I happened on the Rational Wiki which had a hilarious spin on Mormons, though no True Believer Mormons would be laughing at it as much as I am.
After reading about dry Mormons, which are people who attended Mormon meetings on Sunday but aren't baptized due to complications like mine, I found the concept amusing as I did Jack Mormons, who are apostate Mormons who try to outdo the secular decadent hedonists in south Utah.
I know for myself that I don't self-identify as a cafe Christian, who is just on the edges of being a Christian. He'd give up coffee & tea, cigarettes, alcohol, and dangerous drugs, but he might come up with excuses not to attend Sunday meetings at the Mormon meetinghouse.
Just for the record, I am not disappointed at not being able to be baptized soon. However, I'm going to go out of my way to be virulently anti-Mormon, because of that one Buddhist precept that says a believer should never disrespect the Buddha. Even though a Christian prophet is nothing like a Buddha, both of them are spiritually alike.
It would be foolish of me to disrespect the Mormons in any way, and the mention of the Rational Wiki's take on Mormonism is not an attack on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint. Rather, it is an amusing spin on an American folk religion that evolved into another part of the Christian mosaic in the USA.
Oh, also I'm invited to a dinner with a Mormon family later on this week. We'll see how that goes when it happens.
Mormonism - Rational Wiki: http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Mormonism
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