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I find myself wanting or needing to substitute “Love”, “the ability to love”, and “the willingness to love” when I hear “righteousness”, “worthiness”, and “obedience.” I think it helps me to focus on the core purpose of becoming a “true son of God.” Maybe it has something to do with my current language and understanding, but don’t you think its fair to adopt or focus on certain words if they work better for you personally? I guess this topic of “substitution” or “translation” has been a big focus of mine over the last year or so. Do any of you have alternate versions or something related that you have found helpful?
Quote:don’t you think its fair to adopt or focus on certain words if they work better for you personally?
Absolutely. English words, especially, always have multiple meanings, and there always are multiple words that can convey the same general meaning – or a slightly nuanced meaning.I am a passionate parser, so I appreciate the ability to pick and choose which words I want to employ to provide meaning to my vision of religious concepts. If “love” gives you a way to focus on people rather than things or programs, that’s wonderful.
It’s like my avoidance of “missionary work” in favor of “sharing the Gospel” or “talking about my life”. The first just rubs me the wrong way, for lots of reasons, while the latter two are similar to what you mention – focused on casting my bread on the water and seeing who rises to the surface to consume it.
I use the term “the process of the Restoration” a lot, rather than just “the Restoration”.
I also use words like “grace” and “Spirit-directed” and “my walk with God” and “witness” a lot more than most Mormons, specifically because I want to be able to talk in a way that those outside the LDS tradition understand.
This is a great topic, and I just want to reiterate that any unique way of phrasing something that brings clarity and inspired focus in wonderful.
I like the phrase “sacrificial love”. I’ve been researching hippydom, because I have flippantly taken to calling myself a hippy. But I am dismayed that in that movement there is not a general sense of responsibility, mature understanding of the Golden Rule, and aspiration to Sacrificial Love. I’ll have to be more circumspect in my self identification. They don’t seem “comfortable” with the “uncomfortable” part of discipleship. “Righteousness” does succeed in conveying that idea pretty well. I do this, too. I always prefer to say “I’m grateful for” rather than “I know” (I believe and I hope are also OK, but I still prefer “I’m grateful for”). I also prefer “considering the prophet’s counsel” or “considering our leaders’ counsel” to “follow the prophet.” I prefer “learning to take responsibility for our own growth” to “obey the commandments with exactitude.” Those are just a couple that come to mind right away.
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