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Showing posts with label #knowledge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #knowledge. Show all posts
Sunday, January 31, 2021
Ward Preacher Podcast Ep 110 - Labor More Than You Have Strength And Means
This week, our Come Follow Me reading brings us to D&C 11-12. We focus on diligence, prayer vs Satan, and obtaining the word. Study with me!
Sunday, February 9, 2020
Ward Preacher Podcast Ep 59 - The Side Effects of Knowledge
This week we study 2 Nephi 6-10 in our Come Follow Me curriculum. If the ignorant are saved, is ignorance better? Why learning is a two-edged sword... and a series of warnings. Study with me!
Soundcloud:
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https://soundcloud.com/user-961318159/ward-preacher-podcast-ep-59-the-side-effects-of-knowledge
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Tuesday, July 30, 2013
You have more than five senses: don't let Aristotle limit your perception!
Greek philosopher Aristotle is widely credited with being the first to define the five senses by which humanity perceives the world. The concept that the acquisition of knowledge is limited to sight, sound, odor, flavor, and touch is taught even today. This concept appears at first to be logical as each of these senses seem to correspond well to an obvious sensory organ: eyes provide vision, ears provides hearing, noses reveal odors, tongues detect flavors, and skin detects the many varieties of touch.
Unfortunately, this list is far from complete. Consider the sense of balance that most people possess. Tiny canals in the inner ear help us determine whether we are upright or upside down. These same canals also help provide humans with the ability to detect acceleration.
Additionally, pain is not only limited to things that touch our skin. Certainly anyone who has experienced a headache, stomachache, or other internal ache realizes that their body is capable of slowing them down dramatically when it detects some problem.
Consider the ability of humans to know when their bodies require more food or water through hunger or thirst. Anyone who has indulged at a buffet may also recognize the sensation of being full, particularly when they may have over-indulged. We also are able to detect when our bodies are reaching their use limits through the sense of fatigue. Additionally, expecting mothers are perhaps most familiar with food cravings that can help them obtain vitamins, minerals, and chemicals that they need.
Though no specific organ is associated with it, humans have the ability to determine the passage of time. Though it may seem longer when waiting for water to boil or during an uninteresting meeting, even closed away from the light of the sun, people can have a general sense of time passing.
Current scientific understanding will likely discover additional ways that human bodies are able to perceive information about their surroundings and circumstances. One sense that may not be detected so easily is the ability of humans to detect spiritual truth.
The sense that something is spiritually true is dismissed by some because there are diverse views on what is spiritually true. Also, falsehoods have in some cases been peddled as truth using appeals to this sense. That having been said, its use is well documented.
Consider the following conversation between Christ and his Apostles:
"He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:15-18)
Certainly Peter had seen miracles and evidences that contributed to his belief that Jesus was the Son of God, but Christ did not point to the use of his sight and observation as the source of his acquired knowledge. He clearly stated that "flesh and blood" had not been the cause of his revelation, but his Father in heaven. He further declared that the ability to obtain truth from our Father in heaven, or sense spiritual truth was the rock upon which his church would be built.
Consider the following from the disciples of Christ on the road to Emmaus:
" ¶And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" (Luke 24:13-32)
The method by which these disciples recognized the identity of the man with whom they walked as the risen Lord was not sight, even though they saw him. They had sensed spiritual truth as he spoke, and noted this with one another as they described how their "heart[s] burn[ed] within" them.
The Apostle John declared at the beginning of his gospel how Christ was "the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." (John 1:9)
Additionally, Christ himself taught "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." (John 10:14) Of course, the only way that he could be "known" by others is if they had some mechanism for recognizing who he was, just as Peter did.
Just as any other sense, there are limitations on our ability to discern spiritual truth. Optical illusions trick our sense of sight into seeing something that may not be. Spiritual illusions can fool people into trusting incorrect sources, or withholding trust from accurate sources. The children of Israel famously decided it was in their best interest to create a golden calf while Moses communed with God on Sinai. (Exodus 32) True prophets such as Jeremiah, Isaiah, and John the Baptist were killed by people who should have had spiritual sense to recognize them for who they truly were.
It is also important to note that like other senses, spiritual perception can be dulled. A person that first encounters the odor of rotting flesh will be repulsed immediately, but if they spend long enough around it, the odor becomes far easier to tolerate to the point that it may not be noticeable. The same thing is true of moral questions. King David went from seeing a woman bathing to arranging the death of her husband to cover his sins over a period of time. Additionally, senses that are not properly used, or are abused, will not be as missed when they are gone. People who as youth listened to loud music too often may not be able to distinguish sounds when they are older. People who intentionally ignore their spiritual senses are most likely to conclude later that they never had any to begin with.
There are those who might say that because spiritual sensitivity can lead people to different conclusions, it cannot be trusted. Of course, if that is true, then the same should be true of all other senses, which also tend to lead people to different conclusions. What inspires one observer of modern art to call a piece "moving" and "skillful" while another observer calls it "a heap of crap" and "something my kid could do blindfolded"? What is it that inspires one listener to enjoy the rhythm of a song, and another to complain of its "repetitive noise"? What causes one person to relish the flavor of a sushi roll, and another to spit it out in disgust? What causes the masochist to enjoy pain while others perceive it so negatively?
Ultimately, everyone embraces an incorrect view or perspective from time to time. The point of life is not to shut off your perception... A person is wiser when using all their senses to perceive the world around them. It is also wise to question the motivation of individuals that would have others disregard or avoid perceptions of any particular sense or group of senses.
If you are new to exercising spiritual senses, or if you have not used them in some time, do not let discouragement prevent you from persisting. Prayer and scripture study have aided people in developing their spiritual senses for thousands of years. Humility, diligence, faith, and penitence are as vital to recognizing spiritual truths as opening the eyelids or unstopping the ears are to improving vision and hearing.
In the end, whatever conflicts or discrepancies may arise with various perceptions will be overcome, and we will all understand the truth. "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." (1 Corinthians 13:12) Ultimately, we will all know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that his gospel offers solutions to every problem humanity faces. The sooner we use our perceptions to see him, the sooner his power will help to save us all.
Unfortunately, this list is far from complete. Consider the sense of balance that most people possess. Tiny canals in the inner ear help us determine whether we are upright or upside down. These same canals also help provide humans with the ability to detect acceleration.
Additionally, pain is not only limited to things that touch our skin. Certainly anyone who has experienced a headache, stomachache, or other internal ache realizes that their body is capable of slowing them down dramatically when it detects some problem.
Consider the ability of humans to know when their bodies require more food or water through hunger or thirst. Anyone who has indulged at a buffet may also recognize the sensation of being full, particularly when they may have over-indulged. We also are able to detect when our bodies are reaching their use limits through the sense of fatigue. Additionally, expecting mothers are perhaps most familiar with food cravings that can help them obtain vitamins, minerals, and chemicals that they need.
Though no specific organ is associated with it, humans have the ability to determine the passage of time. Though it may seem longer when waiting for water to boil or during an uninteresting meeting, even closed away from the light of the sun, people can have a general sense of time passing.
Current scientific understanding will likely discover additional ways that human bodies are able to perceive information about their surroundings and circumstances. One sense that may not be detected so easily is the ability of humans to detect spiritual truth.
The sense that something is spiritually true is dismissed by some because there are diverse views on what is spiritually true. Also, falsehoods have in some cases been peddled as truth using appeals to this sense. That having been said, its use is well documented.
Consider the following conversation between Christ and his Apostles:
"He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:15-18)
Certainly Peter had seen miracles and evidences that contributed to his belief that Jesus was the Son of God, but Christ did not point to the use of his sight and observation as the source of his acquired knowledge. He clearly stated that "flesh and blood" had not been the cause of his revelation, but his Father in heaven. He further declared that the ability to obtain truth from our Father in heaven, or sense spiritual truth was the rock upon which his church would be built.
Consider the following from the disciples of Christ on the road to Emmaus:
" ¶And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" (Luke 24:13-32)
The method by which these disciples recognized the identity of the man with whom they walked as the risen Lord was not sight, even though they saw him. They had sensed spiritual truth as he spoke, and noted this with one another as they described how their "heart[s] burn[ed] within" them.
The Apostle John declared at the beginning of his gospel how Christ was "the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." (John 1:9)
Additionally, Christ himself taught "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." (John 10:14) Of course, the only way that he could be "known" by others is if they had some mechanism for recognizing who he was, just as Peter did.
Just as any other sense, there are limitations on our ability to discern spiritual truth. Optical illusions trick our sense of sight into seeing something that may not be. Spiritual illusions can fool people into trusting incorrect sources, or withholding trust from accurate sources. The children of Israel famously decided it was in their best interest to create a golden calf while Moses communed with God on Sinai. (Exodus 32) True prophets such as Jeremiah, Isaiah, and John the Baptist were killed by people who should have had spiritual sense to recognize them for who they truly were.
It is also important to note that like other senses, spiritual perception can be dulled. A person that first encounters the odor of rotting flesh will be repulsed immediately, but if they spend long enough around it, the odor becomes far easier to tolerate to the point that it may not be noticeable. The same thing is true of moral questions. King David went from seeing a woman bathing to arranging the death of her husband to cover his sins over a period of time. Additionally, senses that are not properly used, or are abused, will not be as missed when they are gone. People who as youth listened to loud music too often may not be able to distinguish sounds when they are older. People who intentionally ignore their spiritual senses are most likely to conclude later that they never had any to begin with.
There are those who might say that because spiritual sensitivity can lead people to different conclusions, it cannot be trusted. Of course, if that is true, then the same should be true of all other senses, which also tend to lead people to different conclusions. What inspires one observer of modern art to call a piece "moving" and "skillful" while another observer calls it "a heap of crap" and "something my kid could do blindfolded"? What is it that inspires one listener to enjoy the rhythm of a song, and another to complain of its "repetitive noise"? What causes one person to relish the flavor of a sushi roll, and another to spit it out in disgust? What causes the masochist to enjoy pain while others perceive it so negatively?
Ultimately, everyone embraces an incorrect view or perspective from time to time. The point of life is not to shut off your perception... A person is wiser when using all their senses to perceive the world around them. It is also wise to question the motivation of individuals that would have others disregard or avoid perceptions of any particular sense or group of senses.
If you are new to exercising spiritual senses, or if you have not used them in some time, do not let discouragement prevent you from persisting. Prayer and scripture study have aided people in developing their spiritual senses for thousands of years. Humility, diligence, faith, and penitence are as vital to recognizing spiritual truths as opening the eyelids or unstopping the ears are to improving vision and hearing.
In the end, whatever conflicts or discrepancies may arise with various perceptions will be overcome, and we will all understand the truth. "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." (1 Corinthians 13:12) Ultimately, we will all know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that his gospel offers solutions to every problem humanity faces. The sooner we use our perceptions to see him, the sooner his power will help to save us all.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Is God a Tyrannical Dictator?
For anyone that has followed this blog for any degree of time, it should be evident that I love to emphasize the power of God over the love of God.
I have often felt that throughout Christianity, and even in my own church, God is portrayed like a feel-good pill rather than a King. Of course this is not always the case, and Christians from many sects will from time to time express their confidence in God's abilities instead of only his compassion, but discussion of God seems unbalanced in favor of kindness.
When Christians study and invest only in the one attribute, it is easy for them to be surprised, shocked, or even shaken when their beliefs are challenged; especially so when attacks are derived from sources they accept and treasure such as the Bible. Being confronted with a version of God that kills every man woman child and beast except for those in the protection of Noah's ark seems to portray God as a cruel murderer that made a mistake.
God spoke through the prophet Samuel to King Saul giving him a cruel directive: "Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." (1 Samuel 15:3) When Saul spared Agag, the King of the Amalekites, and also took animals alive, the Lord said to Samuel: "It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments." (1 Samuel 15:11) After being reproved by the prophet of God, Saul sought forgiveness of the Lord. Samuel did not respond with the compassion one might expect from one speaking on behalf of a merciful God: "thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel." (1 Samuel 15:26) Additionally, the prophet made the situation right in the eyes of God when he personally killed Agag. (1 Samuel 15:33) How can God be so loving if he ordered his people to enact genocide on a people?
There are those in the world of Christianity that dismiss these things as "old testament" even to the point of imagining that there was a "God of the old testament" in ancient times that was different from Christ in the new testament. Of course, those that embrace these excuses may be challenged as well. Ananias and Sapphira were members of the Church of Jesus Christ in the stewardship of the early Apostles. At that time, Christians gave all of their possessions to the Apostles, and were given back according to their needs. This husband and wife claimed to the Apostles that they were giving all of the money they had received from a portion of land, but in truth, they conspired to lie about the amount and keep some of the money themselves. As a reward, they were stuck dead by God. (Acts 5:1-11)
There exist Christians that are shocked and surprised when they learn these things exist in the Bible. If they know only the mercy and compassion of God that is so emphasized in contemporary Christianity, then they may even question their faith.
Indeed, it is easy to portray our Heavenly Father as a Heavenly tyrant. He sits on his throne in the high heavens and commands people to do as he says or be condemned to the torment of hell. To those who would worship him and have no other God before him, he promises rich rewards of mansions in his kingdom. He imposes his definition of good and evil on all individuals, regardless of their culture, understanding, or upbringing.
How do Christians deal with the cruel and jealous version of God portrayed in the holy scriptures?
The worst technique is to ignore it. Pretending that the flood in the ancient world, the plagues of Egypt, or the violent invasion and conquests in Israel were symbolic of something is foolish. Doubting them, or claiming that these things are "fulfilled" because Christ gave a new law provides grounds for dismissing large sections of valid scripture, and perhaps leading to selective Christianity or new-age Christianity where Jesus is not the authoritative son of God, but simply a good philosopher.
Another incorrect technique is to swing the pendulum too far the other way. I do, as all Christians should, maintain that God is never wrong. When he sent the flood or slew the Amalekites or sent famines and diseases and curses, he was right to do so. He made the correct decision. This does not mean that we may derive authority to make a posse and slay the wicked in the name of God, as may have been practiced in the dark ages.
The approach to finding the answer is important. When confronted by uncomfortable facts about God, a bad strategy is to pray to God demanding that he explain himself. If he is truly the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, then he does not owe anyone an an explanation. In fact, he has gone to a lot of effort to put humanity in a situation where the eternal consequences to decisions do not occur immediately. He has invested in the creation of an environment to prove the faith of individuals. That means that not answering such demands is in his interest. The frequent emphasis on faith throughout the scriptures is not just a good idea, it is fundamental to accomplishing God's plan for humanity.
Those who insist that God "prove himself" can use the following two step process to uncover the proof they seek:
1. Wait
2. If God has not revealed himself, repeat step 1.
In the end, God will appear, and every knee will bow before him. It is just a lot better to accept him before this happens. Those that persist in demanding proof 'right now' will either not receive it, or they will receive it and it will be unpleasant so as to remind others that patience is in fact a virtue. (Jacob 7, Alma 30)
That having been said, there is a faith-based approach for recognizing the benevolence of God. In fact, I submit that this is a fundamental reason that there exists a Godhead. Almost all Christianity believes in some form of the trinity, and regardless of the interpretation, the following statements should ring true:
1. We know that God the Father is good because of the goodness of his son Jesus Christ. (John 14:6-7)
2. We know that the accounts of Christ's goodness and power in the Bible are accurate because of the witness of the Holy Ghost. (John 14:26)
While this may not seem to specifically address the examples that seemed to portray God as cruel and unforgiving, this approach does something more important. The witness of the Holy Ghost establishes something beyond the reading comprehension that is generally available by opening the scriptures; this is a mechanism for personal interaction with God. Knowing who God is personally allows an individual to make their own judgement about his character, and according to Christ, it is the definition of eternal life. (John 17:3)
It is one thing for me to point to the compassion of Christ as he fed 5000 people in Galilee and say he is kind. (John 6:1-13) It is another when I describe the peace he has given me when I plead for help with my doubts, questions, and mistakes. Frequently using prayer, scripture study, and worship in a diligent effort to find God is a slow path. It is strait and narrow. As Lehi saw in vision, those that walk it can be confused by clouds of darkness, or the attacks of those in spacious buildings. (1 Nephi 8) Ultimately, those that press forward with faith that God will answer them will find the truth. They will find the love of God.
While this may not be an enumerated list of explanations regarding all the dealings God has had with men from the days of Adam, it will provide confidence in the truth that God is never wrong. Not only is he real, but he is omniscient, omnipotent, and his influence is omnipresent. Those that press forward in faithful effort to know God do more than escape the damnation of hell, or earn the rewards of heaven... they become new.
This is the fundamental purpose of Christianity: the power to make bad men good, and good men better. Sometimes helping a person become better requires letting bad things happen to them. Sometimes it requires that they get sick, or that they lose a loved one. Sometimes it requires wars and conquests, and other times it requires peace and quiet. Sometimes it requires famines and starvation, and other times it requires feasting and plenty.
Though God uses various means at various times with various people, and though sometimes it may not make sense, or even seem incorrect, those that know God have confidence that he is not a tyrannical dictator. He is a benevolent father... and he has a plan to save us all.
I have often felt that throughout Christianity, and even in my own church, God is portrayed like a feel-good pill rather than a King. Of course this is not always the case, and Christians from many sects will from time to time express their confidence in God's abilities instead of only his compassion, but discussion of God seems unbalanced in favor of kindness.
When Christians study and invest only in the one attribute, it is easy for them to be surprised, shocked, or even shaken when their beliefs are challenged; especially so when attacks are derived from sources they accept and treasure such as the Bible. Being confronted with a version of God that kills every man woman child and beast except for those in the protection of Noah's ark seems to portray God as a cruel murderer that made a mistake.
God spoke through the prophet Samuel to King Saul giving him a cruel directive: "Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." (1 Samuel 15:3) When Saul spared Agag, the King of the Amalekites, and also took animals alive, the Lord said to Samuel: "It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments." (1 Samuel 15:11) After being reproved by the prophet of God, Saul sought forgiveness of the Lord. Samuel did not respond with the compassion one might expect from one speaking on behalf of a merciful God: "thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel." (1 Samuel 15:26) Additionally, the prophet made the situation right in the eyes of God when he personally killed Agag. (1 Samuel 15:33) How can God be so loving if he ordered his people to enact genocide on a people?
There are those in the world of Christianity that dismiss these things as "old testament" even to the point of imagining that there was a "God of the old testament" in ancient times that was different from Christ in the new testament. Of course, those that embrace these excuses may be challenged as well. Ananias and Sapphira were members of the Church of Jesus Christ in the stewardship of the early Apostles. At that time, Christians gave all of their possessions to the Apostles, and were given back according to their needs. This husband and wife claimed to the Apostles that they were giving all of the money they had received from a portion of land, but in truth, they conspired to lie about the amount and keep some of the money themselves. As a reward, they were stuck dead by God. (Acts 5:1-11)
There exist Christians that are shocked and surprised when they learn these things exist in the Bible. If they know only the mercy and compassion of God that is so emphasized in contemporary Christianity, then they may even question their faith.
Indeed, it is easy to portray our Heavenly Father as a Heavenly tyrant. He sits on his throne in the high heavens and commands people to do as he says or be condemned to the torment of hell. To those who would worship him and have no other God before him, he promises rich rewards of mansions in his kingdom. He imposes his definition of good and evil on all individuals, regardless of their culture, understanding, or upbringing.
How do Christians deal with the cruel and jealous version of God portrayed in the holy scriptures?
The worst technique is to ignore it. Pretending that the flood in the ancient world, the plagues of Egypt, or the violent invasion and conquests in Israel were symbolic of something is foolish. Doubting them, or claiming that these things are "fulfilled" because Christ gave a new law provides grounds for dismissing large sections of valid scripture, and perhaps leading to selective Christianity or new-age Christianity where Jesus is not the authoritative son of God, but simply a good philosopher.
Another incorrect technique is to swing the pendulum too far the other way. I do, as all Christians should, maintain that God is never wrong. When he sent the flood or slew the Amalekites or sent famines and diseases and curses, he was right to do so. He made the correct decision. This does not mean that we may derive authority to make a posse and slay the wicked in the name of God, as may have been practiced in the dark ages.
The approach to finding the answer is important. When confronted by uncomfortable facts about God, a bad strategy is to pray to God demanding that he explain himself. If he is truly the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, then he does not owe anyone an an explanation. In fact, he has gone to a lot of effort to put humanity in a situation where the eternal consequences to decisions do not occur immediately. He has invested in the creation of an environment to prove the faith of individuals. That means that not answering such demands is in his interest. The frequent emphasis on faith throughout the scriptures is not just a good idea, it is fundamental to accomplishing God's plan for humanity.
Those who insist that God "prove himself" can use the following two step process to uncover the proof they seek:
1. Wait
2. If God has not revealed himself, repeat step 1.
In the end, God will appear, and every knee will bow before him. It is just a lot better to accept him before this happens. Those that persist in demanding proof 'right now' will either not receive it, or they will receive it and it will be unpleasant so as to remind others that patience is in fact a virtue. (Jacob 7, Alma 30)
That having been said, there is a faith-based approach for recognizing the benevolence of God. In fact, I submit that this is a fundamental reason that there exists a Godhead. Almost all Christianity believes in some form of the trinity, and regardless of the interpretation, the following statements should ring true:
1. We know that God the Father is good because of the goodness of his son Jesus Christ. (John 14:6-7)
2. We know that the accounts of Christ's goodness and power in the Bible are accurate because of the witness of the Holy Ghost. (John 14:26)
While this may not seem to specifically address the examples that seemed to portray God as cruel and unforgiving, this approach does something more important. The witness of the Holy Ghost establishes something beyond the reading comprehension that is generally available by opening the scriptures; this is a mechanism for personal interaction with God. Knowing who God is personally allows an individual to make their own judgement about his character, and according to Christ, it is the definition of eternal life. (John 17:3)
It is one thing for me to point to the compassion of Christ as he fed 5000 people in Galilee and say he is kind. (John 6:1-13) It is another when I describe the peace he has given me when I plead for help with my doubts, questions, and mistakes. Frequently using prayer, scripture study, and worship in a diligent effort to find God is a slow path. It is strait and narrow. As Lehi saw in vision, those that walk it can be confused by clouds of darkness, or the attacks of those in spacious buildings. (1 Nephi 8) Ultimately, those that press forward with faith that God will answer them will find the truth. They will find the love of God.
While this may not be an enumerated list of explanations regarding all the dealings God has had with men from the days of Adam, it will provide confidence in the truth that God is never wrong. Not only is he real, but he is omniscient, omnipotent, and his influence is omnipresent. Those that press forward in faithful effort to know God do more than escape the damnation of hell, or earn the rewards of heaven... they become new.
This is the fundamental purpose of Christianity: the power to make bad men good, and good men better. Sometimes helping a person become better requires letting bad things happen to them. Sometimes it requires that they get sick, or that they lose a loved one. Sometimes it requires wars and conquests, and other times it requires peace and quiet. Sometimes it requires famines and starvation, and other times it requires feasting and plenty.
Though God uses various means at various times with various people, and though sometimes it may not make sense, or even seem incorrect, those that know God have confidence that he is not a tyrannical dictator. He is a benevolent father... and he has a plan to save us all.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Why Mormons Say Their Church Is 'True'
A friend of mine recently described his dislike of a practice among many Mormons: the practice of describing their church as 'true'. It seems an odd term for describing a church. It seems equally confusing for describing many other things. Can a stone be 'true'? Or perhaps it can only be 'true' if it is a literal stone and not a figurative one? The term can be confusing.
The most common time when hearing the affirmation "I know this church is true" in an LDS meeting is during a testimony. On the first Sunday of each month (with some exceptions for conferences or other special occasions), in place of calling upon members to speak (which can be its own problem), members of the congregation are invited to come to the pulpit and share a brief testimony of what they know to be true regarding the gospel of Jesus Christ. While there are people that do not follow this council, many people stand and declare that they know that Jesus is real, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, that the Book of Mormon is true, that God answers prayers, and a variety of other topics. Almost without exception, individuals include in their testimony that they 'know this church is true'.
The phrase is so often used that it seems more a cultural practice than a statement of actual testimony. In many cases, "I know this church is true" amounts to vain repetition. (see Matthew 6:7)
For those that do not operate under the assumptions that Jesus Christ is real and the Bible is correct, the concept can be even more confusing. This is probably due to the inclusion of the term "know." An agnostic or atheist would point out that knowledge when used by a Christian is not actual knowledge. A Mormon might mean that they have strong faith, or they have been convinced of the reality of something rather than actually knowing it.
This is not entirely inaccurate, but only when accepting that humanity is not capable of knowledge.
Even in a scientific sense, proof relies on trusting tangible sources of information. A secularist trusts the information they see, hear, touch, taste, or smell, and assume that their senses are giving them the truth. More complicated scientific evidence is generally accepted if the tools used in gathering the evidence are trusted. Even mathematical formulae are based fundamentally on assumptions. Trust is often placed in instruments and senses when experiments are able to be duplicated, although in truth, duplication can only be shown to be precise. Accuracy involves either knowing the truth, or showing respect to established assumptions.
With this understanding, a person cannot know that the earth is round. A person can however trust that satellites, airplanes, ships, explorers, and the evidence collected by them via measurements, photographs, logs, or other sources enough to be convinced that the earth is round.
For those that do not trust the Bible or spiritual sources of information, it is not likely that the rest of this post will be fulfilling. I do trust the Bible and prophets as sources of correct information. I can only emphasize that if these sources are correct, then the knowledge derived from these sources is more important than any other knowledge. They should be carefully and seriously considered by everyone.
For those that do trust the Bible and spiritual sources of information, the term true can still be confusing, particularly with its use among Mormons. Its use did not begin as vain repetition. In the introductory section of the Doctrine and Covenants, Jesus Christ declares "And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased..." (D&C 1:30)
This reveals an important implication of the term 'true'. It implies that other churches are not 'true'. While is is bold, and may even seem presumptuous, it is consistent with the origin of the church.
Before Joseph Smith became a prophet, he lived in an area and in a time of great religious revival. Different churches competed one with another for membership, and many people were concerned what church God would want them to join. Joseph searched the Holy Bible for answers when he came across a verse that represented the key to finding the truth. The verse is in James 1:5: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
Joseph Smith went to a quiet grove of trees and prayed to God that he might know what church was right. Our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ appeared in answer to his prayer. Joseph explains what Jesus said by saying "I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong" (JSH 1:19)
While this may seem harsh to call all other churches wrong in the age of modern political correctness, churches traditionally have been very exclusive. Protestants were not only excommunicated from the Catholic church, but in many cases were labeled heretics and killed. Protestants could be equally cruel in their treatment of others.
While the efforts of individuals to purify the religion of their fellow men are easily labeled as simplistic and barbaric today, these efforts were in some cases honest and based on a pattern laid by God himself. Consider the example of Korah in the Old Testament. He gathered several men of renown and peacefully came to Moses telling him he should share his power and not lift himself over the congregation of Israel. In modern times, this might have seemed a sensible and legitimate request, but God disagreed. He caused the earth to open up and swallow up these men and their families and their belongings. (Numbers 16)
Even in New Testament times, God recognized only those that legitimately had power given of him, not those that claimed it of themselves. Consider the story of the seven sons of Sceva who tried to emulate the Apostle Paul. Paul had cast out devils in the name of Jesus Christ. These sons of Sceva found a man possessed of an evil spirit and said "We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth." (Acts 19:13) The evil spirit was not compelled by them, and answered saying "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?" (Acts 19:15) They were then stripped and beaten by the possessed man.
Jesus himself warned of false prophets. (Matthew 7:15, 24:11) Those that follow his true Apostles and prophets follow him. (Matthew 28:19-20)
This forms the basis for calling a church 'true'. The concept might more clearly be expressed. Instead of saying "I know this church is true," perhaps Mormons should say what they actually believe. We are saying that Jesus Christ himself leads the church. We are saying that his true priesthood is in the church. We are saying that his true prophets and apostles guide the church.
It is bold statement, but it should not be so strange to Christians. If Jesus Christ is real, and the Bible is true, would he be accepting of a conglomeration of bickering sects that doctrinally contradict one another? Or would it be as his Apostle Paul taught, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Ephesians 4:5) If a person believes that he is the way, the truth, and the life, would it not be prudent to find out what he wants and if he has a church? (John 14:6)
Ultimately, everyone ought to be on a quest to find the truth. Everyone ought to be searching for trustworthy sources of information. I truly believe that all truth will eventually lead to an accepting of Jesus Christ, and his true church.
The most common time when hearing the affirmation "I know this church is true" in an LDS meeting is during a testimony. On the first Sunday of each month (with some exceptions for conferences or other special occasions), in place of calling upon members to speak (which can be its own problem), members of the congregation are invited to come to the pulpit and share a brief testimony of what they know to be true regarding the gospel of Jesus Christ. While there are people that do not follow this council, many people stand and declare that they know that Jesus is real, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, that the Book of Mormon is true, that God answers prayers, and a variety of other topics. Almost without exception, individuals include in their testimony that they 'know this church is true'.
The phrase is so often used that it seems more a cultural practice than a statement of actual testimony. In many cases, "I know this church is true" amounts to vain repetition. (see Matthew 6:7)
For those that do not operate under the assumptions that Jesus Christ is real and the Bible is correct, the concept can be even more confusing. This is probably due to the inclusion of the term "know." An agnostic or atheist would point out that knowledge when used by a Christian is not actual knowledge. A Mormon might mean that they have strong faith, or they have been convinced of the reality of something rather than actually knowing it.
This is not entirely inaccurate, but only when accepting that humanity is not capable of knowledge.
Even in a scientific sense, proof relies on trusting tangible sources of information. A secularist trusts the information they see, hear, touch, taste, or smell, and assume that their senses are giving them the truth. More complicated scientific evidence is generally accepted if the tools used in gathering the evidence are trusted. Even mathematical formulae are based fundamentally on assumptions. Trust is often placed in instruments and senses when experiments are able to be duplicated, although in truth, duplication can only be shown to be precise. Accuracy involves either knowing the truth, or showing respect to established assumptions.
With this understanding, a person cannot know that the earth is round. A person can however trust that satellites, airplanes, ships, explorers, and the evidence collected by them via measurements, photographs, logs, or other sources enough to be convinced that the earth is round.
For those that do not trust the Bible or spiritual sources of information, it is not likely that the rest of this post will be fulfilling. I do trust the Bible and prophets as sources of correct information. I can only emphasize that if these sources are correct, then the knowledge derived from these sources is more important than any other knowledge. They should be carefully and seriously considered by everyone.
For those that do trust the Bible and spiritual sources of information, the term true can still be confusing, particularly with its use among Mormons. Its use did not begin as vain repetition. In the introductory section of the Doctrine and Covenants, Jesus Christ declares "And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased..." (D&C 1:30)
This reveals an important implication of the term 'true'. It implies that other churches are not 'true'. While is is bold, and may even seem presumptuous, it is consistent with the origin of the church.
Before Joseph Smith became a prophet, he lived in an area and in a time of great religious revival. Different churches competed one with another for membership, and many people were concerned what church God would want them to join. Joseph searched the Holy Bible for answers when he came across a verse that represented the key to finding the truth. The verse is in James 1:5: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
Joseph Smith went to a quiet grove of trees and prayed to God that he might know what church was right. Our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ appeared in answer to his prayer. Joseph explains what Jesus said by saying "I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong" (JSH 1:19)
While this may seem harsh to call all other churches wrong in the age of modern political correctness, churches traditionally have been very exclusive. Protestants were not only excommunicated from the Catholic church, but in many cases were labeled heretics and killed. Protestants could be equally cruel in their treatment of others.
While the efforts of individuals to purify the religion of their fellow men are easily labeled as simplistic and barbaric today, these efforts were in some cases honest and based on a pattern laid by God himself. Consider the example of Korah in the Old Testament. He gathered several men of renown and peacefully came to Moses telling him he should share his power and not lift himself over the congregation of Israel. In modern times, this might have seemed a sensible and legitimate request, but God disagreed. He caused the earth to open up and swallow up these men and their families and their belongings. (Numbers 16)
Even in New Testament times, God recognized only those that legitimately had power given of him, not those that claimed it of themselves. Consider the story of the seven sons of Sceva who tried to emulate the Apostle Paul. Paul had cast out devils in the name of Jesus Christ. These sons of Sceva found a man possessed of an evil spirit and said "We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth." (Acts 19:13) The evil spirit was not compelled by them, and answered saying "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?" (Acts 19:15) They were then stripped and beaten by the possessed man.
Jesus himself warned of false prophets. (Matthew 7:15, 24:11) Those that follow his true Apostles and prophets follow him. (Matthew 28:19-20)
This forms the basis for calling a church 'true'. The concept might more clearly be expressed. Instead of saying "I know this church is true," perhaps Mormons should say what they actually believe. We are saying that Jesus Christ himself leads the church. We are saying that his true priesthood is in the church. We are saying that his true prophets and apostles guide the church.
It is bold statement, but it should not be so strange to Christians. If Jesus Christ is real, and the Bible is true, would he be accepting of a conglomeration of bickering sects that doctrinally contradict one another? Or would it be as his Apostle Paul taught, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Ephesians 4:5) If a person believes that he is the way, the truth, and the life, would it not be prudent to find out what he wants and if he has a church? (John 14:6)
Ultimately, everyone ought to be on a quest to find the truth. Everyone ought to be searching for trustworthy sources of information. I truly believe that all truth will eventually lead to an accepting of Jesus Christ, and his true church.
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