My thoughts on Mormons specific, and religion in general

OK, for those of you who havent read some of my posts, ill start with a quick overview of My basic beliefs.

I was raised Mormon, taught Catholicism(sic), and studied other religious beliefs, to include Satanism, VooDoo, Hindo, Judiasm, and many others. i think they all boil down to one common thread, treat others well. Odd, but even the Satanic religions have the same basic theme, at least thats my understanding having talked to a few, which suprised me.

In the end, or at least where I am now, I believe that the pure form of Mormonism is the Closest to what God Himself would want us to follow. In its truist form, it is what Christ Taught, minus some of the Jewish aspects. What I believe is all things in moderation, cautiousness in some things no matter what, and while this may contradict the first, some things not at all. These things I belive are teh things that are body controls such as hard drugs, i.e. Cocaine, Meth, anything man made basically, but if it was here by Gods creation, then moderation at least. Obviously this is a brief explanation.

The mormons are basically good people, and I personally feel are better overall than some religions. i went to a Catholic church, talked to the priest, told him I was raised Mormon, but was looking into something else, because i felt there were faults with it. He basically threw me out like I was Lucifer himself, many of the congregation who heard, after that treated me as inferior, not deserving of Gods wonders. But when i went to a different mormon church, and said I was not mormon, conveniently left out the not anymorte at least part) they all still treated me as an equal. There are other churches that treated me equally as well, but i didnt get the peaceful feelig that i usually get in a mormon church. the down side is I have seen first hand the hipocracy of some of the people in that church. My grandfather was excommunicated for cheating on my grandmother, funny thing was, she wasnt, and she had had affairs with some of the local Church Elders, and since they are the ones that reccommend excommunication, well, you get the idea.

All religions are good at the core, its the people that corrupt them. In a few other threads it may have seemed i was defending the Mormons, I was, but I would do the same for any religion that I knew enough about. mrwupy always says something similar to "love and light to all"at the end of his posts,personally I think that in the end, if God does exist, whoever lives by those words, will go to heaven, whether theres heaven and hell, or three heavens like Mormons believe. If we get reincarnated, then whoever lives by those words will have it better next time. if nothing else, at least you can die knowing you did what you could to make others and yourself happy.

added aftr the fact
Im rather worn out tonight, Ill poat more tomorrow when im not so worn out

[edit on 1/11/2005 by question_reality]

I mean my question sincerely. Why is it necessary to have an intermediary between you and god? Shouldn't each person have a personal relationship with their god unhampered by man's rules or laws? It just seems to me that if there is an afterlife - we will be judged by our actions and not by what religion we followed or didn't follow.

Why does there have to be one true religion or belief system?

B