What if the LDS church is true? This question is one that many of us that leave the church are faced with when we talk with loving family and friends. It is a variation on Pascal’s Wager. In this episode, we’ll discuss this question and Pascal’s wager to see what responses we as doubters or non-believers might say in response to it.
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I listened today and appreciated your thoughts and discussion very much! I deal with hearing loss and can’t always understand some words. You kept saying something about a smoothie?? (Oh please don’t let this be my Mr. Magoo moment). It sounded like some kind of smoothie or movie. You mentioned if we hadn’t heard the term we should look it up for a fun rabbit hole. Could you reply to me what you said so I can look it up? Please and thank you.
Sorry, if I wasn’t enunciating clearly. I was saying TK Smoothie. It stands for Telestial Kingdom Smoothie and is in reference to Doctrines of Salvation. vol. 2, pg. 287-288.
“PROCREATION LIMITED TO CELESTIAL BODIES. Some will gain celestial bodies with all the powers of exaltation and eternal increase. These bodies will shine like the sun as our Savior’s does, as described by John. Those who enter the terrestrial kingdom will have terrestrial bodies, and they will not shine like the sun, but they will be more glorious than the bodies of those who receive the telestial glory.
In both of these kingdoms there will be changes in the bodies and limitations. They will not have the power of increase, neither the power or nature to live as husbands and wives, for this will be denied them and they cannot increase.
Those who receive the exaltation in the celestial kingdom will have the “continuation of the seeds forever. They will live in the family relationship. In the terrestrial and in the telestial kingdoms there will be no marriage. Those who enter there will remain “separately and singly” forever.
Some of the functions in the celestial body will not appear in the terrestrial body, neither in the telestial body, and the power of procreation will be removed. I take it that men and women will, in these kingdoms, be just what the so-called Christian world expects us all to be — neither man nor woman, merely immortal beings having received the resurrection. “
I listened to your episode and have some comments. First you seem to obfuscate around the topic of your episode. Your episode is what if the LDS church is true it is not what if God exist. When it comes to the after life there are very few variables to the LDS church doctrine on the afterlife. It is eternal damnation in the two lowers kingdoms and eternal progression in the highest kingdom. Those are your two options. If I believed my two options were existence ends at death and or eternal damnation, I would obfuscate the topic as well. The answer is a no brainer.
When it comes to polygamy has been practiced for thousands of years. Some people like polygamy and some don’t. Is polygamy practiced in the afterlife yes according to scripture it is. Church view is that those who want to practice polygamy in the afterlife will and those who want to practice marriage between one and one women will also do the same in the afterlife. If a person does not want practice polygamy they don’t have to. When it comes to verses about skin color many antagonists generally share their view in the worst possible way instead of looking at options that are not antagonistic. For example, when Nephi mentions skin color he uses it in a old testament way that refers to spiritual countenance not physical skin color. 10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
Daniel 12:10
7 Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:
8 Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.
Lamentations 4:7-8
Song of Solomon 1:5
5 I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
Job 30:30
30 My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.
21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.
Jeremiah 8:20-21
Lamentations 5:10
10 Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine.
Joel 2:6
6 Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.
2 Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
Jeremiah 14:2
6 Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.
Joel 2:6
10 She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.
Nahum 2:10
Great episode, as always. My now-ex-husband asked this question after I told him I didn’t believe in one true church. He was trying to get me to keep wearing garments. My response was that I believed in a loving, empathetic god who knows how much I struggled, researched, and prayed before coming to this conclusion. I believed in a god who knows I didn’t just randomly lose my testimony because I am a “lazy learner”, or just wanted to sin. If, indeed, the church is true and a god exists, then that god would know me so intimately that he/she/they would cut me some slack in any final judgment.
The podcast episode Rameumptom Ruminations: 101: What if the LDS Church is True? raises an intriguing question faced by those who have left the LDS Church. The idea of Pascal’s Wager comes into play, exploring what responses doubters or non-believers might have. The episode discusses the concept of the Telestial Kingdom Smoothie, referencing Doctrines of Salvation. vol. 2, pg. 287-288. The comments from listeners also add valuable insights to the conversation. Overall, it’s an engaging and thought-provoking discussion on the afterlife and beliefs.
Such kind words. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on my episode.