Mormons Make Great FBI Recruits

I've seen a lot of good things in this thread, but also a lot of innocent misconceptions.

I'm a practicing and believing member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. AMA, I guess, to see if I can clear up some misconceptions.

I do have some non-mainstream beliefs for a member of the Church, but I am quite orthopraxic as far as members go.

(TIL what orthopraxy means; thank you to the two commenters who defined it!)

Just so you know, my stance is that anyone can do what they wish so long as it doesn't hurt anyone else, but don't force me to say that what you're doing is ideal.

Yes, I said "ideal," not "okay." That's where my beliefs are not quite mainstream.

"my stance is that anyone can do what they wish so long as it doesn't hurt anyone else" sounds straightforward at first, but: how does one define "hurt"? Honest and curious question.

I would expect a lot of people to share that general stance, but differ widely on what it means to hurt or get hurt, and when to stay clear and when to intervene even if it's not you that gets hurt, or when some action merely has the potential to hurt.

I grew up a practicing Catholic but have always been especially fascinated with other Christian denominations. Forgive my elementary question.

Wikipedia frames the Mormon belief with Joseph Smith as being seen at a similar level to Elijah or Moses. Prophetic, but still human and imperfect. Would you say that’s roughly accurate?

That's a great question.

That's not just roughly accurate, that's exactly accurate.

I don't see Elijah or Moses as perfect either.

Jehovah chastised Moses at the burning bush for saying that he was not a good speaker and not having faith that the Lord could make him a great speaker.

He also corrects Elijah in 1 Kings 19 when Elijah says that only he is left. The Lord says that there are more. He also teaches Elijah about Himself, so obviously Elijah didn't know everything.

Also, Elijah was prone to outbursts, kind of like how Peter the Apostle was impulsive.

No, prophets are not perfect. But we listen to them anyway. Or should.

That's a good point.

I don't know how others define it, and I'm not sure I could pin down my own feelings about it.

Here's a starting point: don't push something on someone without helping them understand the consequences.

As an example, when I become a parent, I want my child to be baptized a member of the Church. But I sure will not allow that child to be baptized until he/she understands the covenants that come along with baptism, understands what must be done to keep the covenants, and wants to be baptized.

It would be a great hurt if I did not do otherwise. I feel like many parents who are members hurt their children by pushing them into baptism without properly teaching them why and letting the child make their own decision.