Comments on: Why we need to be careful with the scriptures. http://www.newcoolthang.com/index.php/2009/04/why-we-need-to-be-careful-with-the-scriptures/930/ Mormon Musings by yer ol' pals Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:02:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bill B. http://www.newcoolthang.com/index.php/2009/04/why-we-need-to-be-careful-with-the-scriptures/930/comment-page-1/#comment-391201 Bill B. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:06:00 +0000 http://www.newcoolthang.com/?p=930#comment-391201 Matt, I understand. In my comment above, I was not championing any point of view regarding the scriptures. I was making a suggestion that you ask yourself whether on this issue you have swallowed the blue pill or the red pill. The reason for my suggestion is that I have noticed that up to this point in my life being willing to search for the answers to the frightening questions has always led to a dissipation of fear, while not examining them has perpetuated it. If you are experiencing fear, you may have swallowed the wrong pill. Good luck. I mean that sincerely. Matt,
I understand. In my comment above, I was not championing any point of view regarding the scriptures. I was making a suggestion that you ask yourself whether on this issue you have swallowed the blue pill or the red pill. The reason for my suggestion is that I have noticed that up to this point in my life being willing to search for the answers to the frightening questions has always led to a dissipation of fear, while not examining them has perpetuated it. If you are experiencing fear, you may have swallowed the wrong pill. Good luck. I mean that sincerely.

]]> By: Matt W. http://www.newcoolthang.com/index.php/2009/04/why-we-need-to-be-careful-with-the-scriptures/930/comment-page-1/#comment-391084 Matt W. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:35:56 +0000 http://www.newcoolthang.com/?p=930#comment-391084 Bill B.- Sadly, like star wars's prequals ruined the joy for me, so did the sequals for the Matrix. Anyway, I'll stick with saying I just think we need to be careful in declaring any ultimacy to truths. There are truths which dictate my life and my testimony of the LDS faith, but there are many details where my reasoning and experience which I bring to the scriptures with me leads me to different points of you than you may receive. Bill B.- Sadly, like star wars’s prequals ruined the joy for me, so did the sequals for the Matrix. Anyway, I’ll stick with saying I just think we need to be careful in declaring any ultimacy to truths. There are truths which dictate my life and my testimony of the LDS faith, but there are many details where my reasoning and experience which I bring to the scriptures with me leads me to different points of you than you may receive.

]]> By: Bill B. http://www.newcoolthang.com/index.php/2009/04/why-we-need-to-be-careful-with-the-scriptures/930/comment-page-1/#comment-391064 Bill B. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:02:40 +0000 http://www.newcoolthang.com/?p=930#comment-391064 Geoff and Matt, In your comments in #22 and 23, you both expressed your fears of calling “into question the reliability of canonized revelations”. If it is overly forward of me so say this, I apologize in advance, but I feel it may be worthwhile to remind you both that voluntarily facing fears, when we are ready, brings spiritual growth. If we are willing to dig deep to answer the fearful questions, we grow as a result. If we stop with a superficial answer, we do not. My feeling is that in the long run it is always better to believe a truth, even if it is a painful truth that we would prefer not to exist, than to believe an untruth. The reason may be that subconsciously we already “know” the truth and realize we are living a lie. I think this subconscious knowledge causes our lives to lose meaning if we consciously ignore the truth for too long. But the decision of whether to swallow the red pill or the blue pill is up to each of us. Digging deep requires humility and not throwing the baby out with the bath water—as Matt correctly recommended. It also requires the courage to continue digging, even at the risk of uncovering the discovery that everything we currently believe is false. So, blue pill or red pill gentlemen? Geoff and Matt,
In your comments in #22 and 23, you both expressed your fears of calling “into question the reliability of canonized revelations”. If it is overly forward of me so say this, I apologize in advance, but I feel it may be worthwhile to remind you both that voluntarily facing fears, when we are ready, brings spiritual growth. If we are willing to dig deep to answer the fearful questions, we grow as a result. If we stop with a superficial answer, we do not. My feeling is that in the long run it is always better to believe a truth, even if it is a painful truth that we would prefer not to exist, than to believe an untruth. The reason may be that subconsciously we already “know” the truth and realize we are living a lie. I think this subconscious knowledge causes our lives to lose meaning if we consciously ignore the truth for too long. But the decision of whether to swallow the red pill or the blue pill is up to each of us. Digging deep requires humility and not throwing the baby out with the bath water—as Matt correctly recommended. It also requires the courage to continue digging, even at the risk of uncovering the discovery that everything we currently believe is false. So, blue pill or red pill gentlemen?

]]> By: Matt W. http://www.newcoolthang.com/index.php/2009/04/why-we-need-to-be-careful-with-the-scriptures/930/comment-page-1/#comment-368709 Matt W. Mon, 24 Aug 2009 02:48:24 +0000 http://www.newcoolthang.com/?p=930#comment-368709 I just wanted to add that the idea I expressed here from SWK did not apparently originate with him, see Lorenzo Snow: <blockquote>Lorenzo Snow (1814–1901) taught, “If a young man or a young woman has no opportunity of getting married, and they live faithful lives up to the time of their death, they will have all the blessings, exaltation, and glory that any man or woman will have who had this opportunity and improved it.”</blockquote> The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, ed. Clyde J. Williams (1996), 138 I just wanted to add that the idea I expressed here from SWK did not apparently originate with him, see Lorenzo Snow:

Lorenzo Snow (1814–1901) taught, “If a young man or a young woman has no opportunity of getting married, and they live faithful lives up to the time of their death, they will have all the blessings, exaltation, and glory that any man or woman will have who had this opportunity and improved it.”

The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, ed. Clyde J. Williams (1996), 138

]]> By: Matt W. http://www.newcoolthang.com/index.php/2009/04/why-we-need-to-be-careful-with-the-scriptures/930/comment-page-1/#comment-339173 Matt W. Sun, 03 May 2009 06:21:22 +0000 http://www.newcoolthang.com/?p=930#comment-339173 Bhodges, usually you see looks at 137 referencing 76 rather than vice versa, like <a href="http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Doctrine_and_Covenants#Doctrine_and_Covenants:_Sections_137-138" rel="nofollow">here.</a> Bhodges, usually you see looks at 137 referencing 76 rather than vice versa, like here.

]]> By: Jacob J http://www.newcoolthang.com/index.php/2009/04/why-we-need-to-be-careful-with-the-scriptures/930/comment-page-1/#comment-338838 Jacob J Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:29:13 +0000 http://www.newcoolthang.com/?p=930#comment-338838 Nope, but if you find one, pass it on. Nope, but if you find one, pass it on.

]]> By: BHodges http://www.newcoolthang.com/index.php/2009/04/why-we-need-to-be-careful-with-the-scriptures/930/comment-page-1/#comment-338833 BHodges Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:44:03 +0000 http://www.newcoolthang.com/?p=930#comment-338833 Can one of you cats point me to any scholarly look at section 76 in light of section 137? Can one of you cats point me to any scholarly look at section 76 in light of section 137?

]]> By: Chas Hathaway http://www.newcoolthang.com/index.php/2009/04/why-we-need-to-be-careful-with-the-scriptures/930/comment-page-1/#comment-338259 Chas Hathaway Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:14:32 +0000 http://www.newcoolthang.com/?p=930#comment-338259 Too true! While on my mission, someone once asked me a question about whether children are punished for their parents sins, and I quickly found a scripture in the index, turned to it, and read it: Alma 30:25 25 Ye say that this people is a guilty and a fallen people, because of the transgression of a parent. Behold, I say that a child is not guilty because of its parents. After reading it, I noticed that it was Korihor that said it... oops. Gratefully they didn't mark the verse or read on! Context is very important! - Chas http://popcorn.willowrise.com Too true! While on my mission, someone once asked me a question about whether children are punished for their parents sins, and I quickly found a scripture in the index, turned to it, and read it:

Alma 30:25

25 Ye say that this people is a guilty and a fallen people, because of the transgression of a parent. Behold, I say that a child is not guilty because of its parents.

After reading it, I noticed that it was Korihor that said it… oops. Gratefully they didn’t mark the verse or read on!

Context is very important!

- Chas
http://popcorn.willowrise.com

]]> By: Matt W. http://www.newcoolthang.com/index.php/2009/04/why-we-need-to-be-careful-with-the-scriptures/930/comment-page-1/#comment-338229 Matt W. Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:16:05 +0000 http://www.newcoolthang.com/?p=930#comment-338229 JTJ: I'm sorry, that doesn't compute for me. SWK, JS, Matthew and Paul are all inputs into my religion. I can't take each on his own merits seperately. It isn't a matter of harmonizing them, it's a matter of negotiating them in my paradigm of reality. JTJ: I’m sorry, that doesn’t compute for me. SWK, JS, Matthew and Paul are all inputs into my religion. I can’t take each on his own merits seperately. It isn’t a matter of harmonizing them, it’s a matter of negotiating them in my paradigm of reality.

]]> By: JTJ http://www.newcoolthang.com/index.php/2009/04/why-we-need-to-be-careful-with-the-scriptures/930/comment-page-1/#comment-338166 JTJ Mon, 27 Apr 2009 02:49:30 +0000 http://www.newcoolthang.com/?p=930#comment-338166 There's no evidence to suggest that any gospel writer is writing anything in preparation for someone to come in and edit their story. Harmonizing is the least probable of truths. Don't mix your JS version of religion with SWK's version, just as you shouldn't mix Matthew with Paul. Each writer stands on their own, otherwise you end up with your own gospel and your own religion. There’s no evidence to suggest that any gospel writer is writing anything in preparation for someone to come in and edit their story. Harmonizing is the least probable of truths. Don’t mix your JS version of religion with SWK’s version, just as you shouldn’t mix Matthew with Paul. Each writer stands on their own, otherwise you end up with your own gospel and your own religion.

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