The other day I was reading on PostMormon.org (my daily scriptures) and I saw a post by my friend hiker r. We were discussing our moral code and how it hasn't changed much since we left the church, and he gave me permission to share his new articles of faith. Thanks again hiker r!!!! You are a pal. I loved these...
My Articles of Faith or Lack Thereof
1. I believe in that it is not possible to have an absolute knowledge of the existence of God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, or in the Holy Ghost; that ceremonies such as baptisms and endowments are meaningless to God, if he/she exists.
2. I believe that that my life is valuable for the people I love and the people that love me; that sexism, racism, and homophobia are affronts to humanity.
3. I believe that it may not be possible to be saved from death so I had best make the best of my earthly existence.
4. I believe that if God exists, he/she will forgive an atheist that lived a good life. God is not petty.
5. I believe that men and women are equal and that authority and respect should be derived from wisdom, love, and service to our others.
6. I believe that apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth do not have authority unless people bestow it upon them.
7. I believe guilt is a tool to control people and get them to conform.
8. I believe the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, magical healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth are tools in the hands of con artists.
9. I believe that God, if he/she exists, does not choose perverts, sexists, homophobes, and racists as prophets.
10. I believe in the obvious; there is one Israel and it is not and never will be in America, that anybody that is not Jewish is a gentile (including Mormons), that Native Americans are not Jews, that the Ten Tribes never existed, that the earth does not need to be restored to its paradisiacal glory because paradisiacal glory is Nature undefiled, and that it is our responsibility to protect the biological integrity of the earth.
11. I claim the privilege of worshipping God or Nature according to the dictates of my own conscience, and allow all men/women the same privilege, let them worship or not worship how, where, or what they may.
12. I believe in being honest, true, nonjudgmental, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men and women; indeed, I value integrity but believe that proselyting religious dogma is basically rude unless the sermon was solicited.
13. I believe that a testimony is a sign of a closed mind; thus I do not want to listen to anybody to bear their testimony one more time.