TOmNossor said:
If you are not a member of the CoJCoLDS, you cannot participate in a sealing ceremony.
This I know. My question is why? Where do I find any scriptures requiring a sealing.
Would you like for me to perform the marriage ceremony from you daughter and her new husband? I am not a Bishop or sealer and I am not recognized by the any church to be able to perform this ceremony.
I have asked you before which religion you support. I still wonder what the answer is to that. If you will tell me, we can know for sure if your religion recognizes me as one who can participate in a marriage ceremony.
None of this is relevant to my questions. I would just like to know why I am excluded from what should be such a joyous occasion of love and happiness. If it helps you answer, consider me non-denominational.
Since it is a religious ceremony participants must embrace the religion in which it is a ceremony.
Tom, where do you come up with this stuff. This must be unique to mormonism. I can't begin to count the number of weddings I've been to where many of the participants were not of the faith that the two being married.
No Catholic would allow me to act as the priest in their wedding. I couldn't be a Godparent either. The fact that I could sit at the back of the church just means that I have no religious mandate as this type of participant.
Ok, what if you don't want to be the priest or the godparent. What if you just want to witness one of the most joyous occasions in the life between a parent/child or relative or friend.
In any other church, you would be as welcome as any one participating in the actual ceremony. That's because the message of Christ was for all to hear, sinners and saints alike. He never excluded.
A sealing ceremony is different. All the witnesses are required to embrace the faith and live the faith.
Is this a "Christian" requirement or merely a requirement of the mormon church. If it is a christian requirement, could you provide the underlying scripture?
I recognize that I might not feel as upset about not being a Godparent for my Catholic relatives as you do about not being a witness for your LDS relatives, but the reasons are the same reasons.
What? And where does the Catholic church exclude people from joyous occasions?
Active and faithful membership yes. For you as a non-member there are no qualifying questions so in no sense can you consider exclusion a comment on your worthiness.
Tom, be serious here. There are no questions because I could never be worthy unless I'm a mormon under your church standards. I am as unworthy as the non-tithing members who was excluded as well.
Tell me, how do you determine worthiness and what are we to be worthy of. This is where the lds posters on the board always abandone the conversation!
It is in LDS Christian scriptures
Where, could you provide a cite?
And since it is a LDS ceremony, it should be governed by LDS scriptures which include more than the Bible.
Again, what scriptures?
Temple is an esoteric, sacred ordinance. There is a good amount of evidence that the EarlyChurch had esoteric rights too, but due to their nature they are not listed openly in the Bible. Would you expect them to be?
John 18:
19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.
20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.
21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.
Does that answer your question? Like I've said before - go with the original!