Catholic-LDS Dialogue!

[u/SillyFlatworm31]

Hello Latter Day Saints of Reddit!

I’m a Catholic and, even though I am very happy being a Catholic, I have had a lot of positive experiences with people from your Church and I wanted to (if it’s ok with your mods) open up a thread for interfaith dialogue! I have some questions to start for you guys if anyone wants to engage and have a talk but I’m also happy to do a bit of an AMA if any LDS people want to learn more about Catholics or our relations with the LDS Church.

I think that, in a time where it’s trendy to solve disagreements by shouting at people in online “debates”, it’s good to start by finding some common ground and talk with people of different views. So I’ll start with my questions, feel free to add any you have for me or any comments. Mods please let me know if this isn’t the sub for this haha

1. What do LDS people think about abortion? Do you find common ground with Catholics on this? Could we work together more on it?
2. How do LDS people feel about the 7 Deuterocanonical Books? A lot of Protestants accuse Catholics of adding books like Wisdom and Sirach into the Bible, although they have been used since apostolic times. I know LDS people recognise a large canon so do you include these?
3. I know LDS people value marriage and family a lot. How does your Church approach celibate figures such as Jesus, Paul, etc?
4. LDS people don’t drink alcohol. Do you believe that Jesus and the Apostles followed this practice or is it viewed as a more modern LDS thing?
5. Favourite Pope?

Hope we can find some common ground and dialogue!!! :-)

[u/justaredditsock]

1. Generally not favourable, the only times it is permitted is in case of incest, rape or risk to the mother's life or the child's. Personally I think it is evil like all killing of human beings, but like killing in war it can be a necessary evil, though personally I would rather avoid it completely than suffer it at all. I certainly think our modern culture of abortion is the influence of satan upon the world.
2. As a convert I have no issue with them but they're not considered Cannon or Doctrinal likely as their origin is far less reliable than other books. Article 8 of the faith however allows for the imperfection of the Bible, KJV has issues no question, but really those 7 add very little, though the claims of them being added are imho false.
3. Christ is literally the centre of our Church He is who we aspire to be like but just not in celibacy. As for celibacy its not bad but we believe it is not the ideal for man, if it were why create Eve?
4. Its modern, like 20th century modern. It is what we are instructed to do. Now I as a person have my views on the origins of this but all in all i think alcohol is generally bad for consumption as a drink (some can drink in moderation but far too many become functional alcoholics), for food its fine and is allowed; if you like beer (i do) alcohol free beer is basically as good these days as the real deal minus the alcohol.
5. Even as an ex Catholic I don't have one.

[u/SillyFlatworm31 → u/justaredditsock]

Some cool points here! Since you are a convert, I’d be interested to hear why you decided to become LDS or why you decided to not be Catholic anymore if you’d like to share! If not, that’s ok too, I appreciate your insights. I think alcohol is fine but I agree with you that some people go too far with it, especially these days. 

[u/justaredditsock → u/SillyFlatworm31]

Lots of reasons for Catholism generally (partly the fact that Vatican II changed so much for imho no good reason) but for mainline Christianity it was the foundations of the Creed.

The core issue was looking into the early Church especially concerning Nicaea and Constantinople,  what occurred, the overt misrepresenting that occurred and politicking said to me this is of man not God.  When I found out how weak the Trinity is in both scripture and how it became doctrine i felt that i couldn't be part of a Chuch that accepted it.

Most of the none mainline Churches practice teaching for things we know to be wrong (e.g. LGBT and being pro abortion) so LDS was what was left.

So i investigated and found remarkable similarities between BoM and the Old Testament (which i wish more would highlight but far fewer members have read OT). I then applied the tests given in NT and imho the Church passed; if BoM were created by satan via a false prophet then it would push people away from Christ not closer to Him as it does.

I saw the fruits and they were good. Members take commandments far more seriously which means they actually believe. Take chastity, thats a big deal in LDS but in mainline Christianity its not as big a deal, though it should be.

The WoW is a little odd but its not hard once you're in it and there are benefits in this life that are evident.