Who or What is God?

I just read in a novel about a character who believes he has to believe that God is so big and mysterious that he is unknowable or else he couldn't believe in him.

Interesting.

It made me wonder what the author believes. I know I've heard people say the same thing at different times.

For me it is just the opposite. If I didn't believe in a God who has a body, whose image and likeness we were created after, everything else would be just a bunch of gibberish.

For me, a father, especially a Heavenly Father, must be someone I can understand. Not that I understand all he knows and understands, just that I can know I came from him.

Do I believe in a wrathful God of destruction? No, I do believe in a God who knows me, understands me, knows what I go through day to day, and wants me to be happy.

Do I believe in a God who makes everything happen so I have to live a certain way?
No. I believe that God guides our lives if we choose to follow. I believe that I have a choice to follow or not follow. I believe I really can choose right or wrong, light or darkness, and he will let me.

If I choose wrong I believe I will reap the consequences, because I believe there is a right and wrong. Sometimes choosing which is which is difficult since sometimes there doesn't seem to be an easy or right choice. But, I believe if we keep trying to always take the best path, keep trying to be good, try to do right, that we'll get back to be with him.

We'll see him as a man, with arms and legs, a body, a face, a mouth that can smile.

I believe he'll smile when he sees us again. I believe he loves us and wants us to do good, be good, good enough to return and live with him again.

He loves us. He loves me.

He loves you. Find out more at mormon.org.

Tatoos - What does that have to do with religion

Tats. Tattoos.

Some get a tiny flower, some seem to feel that billboard-size tats are for them.
Some cover their face, their heads, their feet and everywhere in between.

Personally I just don't get it.
Aesthetically I just don't get it.
Artistically I just don't get it.
Any way you look at it I just don't get it.
I must be clueless.

I see these people with a tat they think is cool and wonder how they will feel about having that same dumb cartoon or image on them 40 years from now.

I would think that the only tat that makes sense long term would be a snake. At least with a snake, as your skin gets old and wrinkly it would make the snake look more lifelike.
Dumb, I know, but then all of it is.

Now I hear people are putting tattoos in the white parts of their eyes. That has got to be... what... I don't even know enough synonyms for the word dumb or idiotic to express how truly crazy that is.

So, what does all this have to do with what I believe?

Simple. Our bodies are described in the scriptures as temples and we should treat them as such. That means what we put into them is important.

We don't drink alcohol. We don't smoke. We don't use drugs.

As with any group as large as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is, I'm sure there are some that do all the things we don't believe in, even tattooing themselves. That doesn't mean they are following the teachings. In fact, they are going against the teachings.

So, if our bodies are temples, what does that make tattoos? Graffiti?

Tattoos disfigure our bodies. Period.

"But I like having a beautiful image on my body" you might say.

Fine. It is still graffiti. Convince yourself that it is beautiful. Just like someone who smokes has no clue that they stink of smoke wherever they go and they have no idea.

It is still showing disrespect to yourself and your body.

As a Mormon, we are taught not to tattoo our bodies. Period.

Much of life is about respect. Respect for God. Respect for Jesus Christ. Respect for their teachings. Respect for ourselves.

No tattoo is good - just like smoking and drinking, zero is best.

None is good for you. Want to learn more about Mormons? Check out mormon.org