Comments on: A Meandering Thought on Inoculation

By: Matt W.

Matt W. — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:53:46 +0000

Thanks.

By: BHodges

BHodges — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:55:52 +0000

I should be more specific and say that theodicy as experienced in actual lives needs inoculating for as well, including in some cases a better grasp on the idea of sorrow.

Your post was a great read, thanks.

By: Matt W.

Matt W. — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 03:38:22 +0000

No worries, I don’t have a problem of expanding the idea to grief, but the post is really about how we talk to members about issues in church doctrine. I think it is important that we own where we were wrong, and move forward with a reminder to not do wrong again. If you want to include a loved one dying accidentally, that scar has power too, and through the atonement we can hold to the good and bad and honor the one while rejecting and learning from the other.

By: BHodges

BHodges — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:55:00 +0000

This was a very excellent discussion. I hope you’ll forgive my awful self-promotion in extending the discussion to include not only guilt and the effects of sin, but also the pain and grief and sorrow we experience in general even when we have not necessarily brought it on ourselves. A loved one dies, for example. I would extend the post to include these accidentals.

http://www.lifeongoldplates.com/2008/10/sacred-sorrow.html

By: Hal

Hal — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 21:29:59 +0000

Got it.

By: Matt W.

Matt W. — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 21:26:22 +0000

Kent pretty much is right. I am saying the sexism associated with Polygamy was wrong,disgusting, and we will have no part of it. We should only look at it to see what not to do. I am not expert enough to make a judgment on the practice of polygamy itself. In any case I do believe Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that polygamy was to God’s purposes.

By: Kent (MC)

Kent (MC) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 20:36:21 +0000

Hal, he was referring to the sexism that was part of some polygamous relationships. I personally believe that God instituted polygamy in the church, but that doesn’t mean that everyone practiced it well. The idea I get from Matt is that we can look at the evil perpetuated by some of the church’s members and learn from it. Sexism, racism, xenophobia, etc.

By: Hal

Hal — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 17:02:02 +0000

Matt,
Enjoyed most of your thoughts. Your comment that polygamy was “wrong, they are disgusting, and that we will have no part of them. We need to never forget them, so that we can ensure that they will never happen again” seems to have been swallowed whole by your readers. I don’t swallow that whole, but would love read other discussions about it. Can you link me to some?

By: Matt W.

Matt W. — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 19:23:29 +0000

Thanks Blake and Clean Cut. Blake, I agree with what you said.

By: Clean Cut

Clean Cut — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 14:57:37 +0000

Thanks for the great thoughts, Matt.