Expert: Jaycie - 7/18/2009

Question
Hi, I am 13 years old and I like to think of myself as a devout Christian, a rare combination in my school. I have a few questions that might sound, innapropriete, but I don't have anyone else to ask (too many younger people in Sunday School, parents and siblings might get the wrong idea). I am not considering doing these things, I am honestly just curious. Obviously not all the questions are like this. Here it goes.

1. Are things like oral sex not allowed outside a loving marriage, what is the 'limit'?

2. I have been praying for something absolutely impossible for the past 7.5 months. It will help me (and a few others) become very, very gppd Christians but this is not the focus of the prayer. I know that God can make it happen, but has anything that impossible been granted and recorded (it involves rewriting history)?

3. About the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, is that open to interpretation? Like can 'gift' also mean present (like a birthday present)? Are there more possible gifts than the ones mentioned in the Bible?

4. I catch myself thinking about things a shoudn't, how can I stop thinking those things?

5. If animals don't go to heaven, do they go to a happier place than earth? Do they feel love and pain, if not to the extent that we do?

6. People my age often swear and use the Lord's Name in vain. They are not Christians, infact my one friend is Hindu. She doesn't know it offends me but how could I let her know it does? And the other's that do know, how could I ask them to stop?

7. I hate having to write this, but is cr*p a swear word?

8. Some of the bad things I think specificly only happen in a marriage, is it still bad to think them?

I am leaving these public in case someone else wants to read them, if they are not in a possision to ask. (You can answer as a mormon or from a basic Christian view (?), whatever you feel is best)

Thank you, God Bless

Answer
Just so you know, I am LDS, which means I might have a different view on some things than other Christians. I am Christian but there is more to my church than others. I can give you more information about that if you want as well. Just ask me for it.

I will answer your questions in order as much as I can so it's easier for you to read and understand.

1. Oral sex is allowed only in marriage. The limits are touching any part of the other gender in a sexual way. It's okay to kiss, hold hands, lay next to each other, and that kind of thing. But when you get to the point of sexual touching or any kind of sex, it's too far.

2. I don't fully understand what you are asking for but if you pray hard enough and with the right idea in mind, God will answer you. I promise. He has also promised you that. But God also has his own plans for us. We need to respect that and remember it. So you will get answered, but maybe it won't be what you are asking for. Maybe you could ask to have a better understanding of what happened and that you will be able to learn from what happened.

3. Gifts of the Spirit usually means personal gifts, such as gifts of tongues and healing. But an actual gift or present that you get for your brithday can also be a gift that God wants you to have. Maybe the person who gave you this gift was able to know that you needed it. That is his/her gift of the spirit. You were the one seeing the results of having a gift of the spirit. If this present was something you needed or really wanted, I'm sure God had some infuence over the person who gave it to you. But Gifts of the Spirit are usually not actual presents.

4. Everyone has some trouble thinking about things they shouldn't. Try to think of two good things at once, like two Christian songs. You can't think about the bad things when you do that. You can try to just remind yourself out loud to stop thinking about it and move onto other things. Make sure you are always in good places so you don't dwell on bad thoughts. It's not a sin to have the thoughts, only to keep them around.

5. Animals do go to Heaven. God loves them too. Everything that has ever lived will go to Heaven and you will see them again. You will still feel the same toward you pets as you do on Earth. I can tell you more about this later. There is something that I wanted to find for you but I can't right now. If you want to know more, ask me later.

6. Tell your friends that you don't like it. Tell them that it's against what you believe. If they don't stop, walk away.

7. I don't think it is. I can't be sure because you took out a vowel but if you're meaning what I'm thinking, it's not a swear word. If you replace the * with an 'a', it's not a swear word. I promise.

8. I think I know what you mean, but I'm not sure. If I have it wrong, ask me again. But I think that it becomes wrong when you actually see yourself doing it and it becomes a constant thought with you. I've had a hard time with this as well. But it's okay to wonder about how it will go and what you will feel and that kind of thing, but don't get any farther than that.

If you feel like you need to know more about something, just ask me. I can go into more detail with whatever you are comfortable with. Thanks for asking me.