"Only error needs to fear freedom of expression

Very good quote!

Unfortunately I also feel that it is not being applied today. Just the opposite seems to be true. Members are afraid of dissent and opposing ideas – many are afraid to look at what critics are saying about the Church and are quick to brush them off as bitter, misinformed, or deceptive.

Why? Maybe it’s because as the Church became more and more mainstream throughout the late 20th Century, the Church made strides to protect its image and solidify its body. So it began to prefer its members to stay away from certain opposing ideas for fear that they would be weakened as an organization.

Very good quote!

Unfortunately I also feel that it is not being applied today. Just the opposite seems to be true. Members are afraid of dissent and opposing ideas – many are afraid to look at what critics are saying about the Church and are quick to brush them off as bitter, misinformed, or deceptive.

First, thanks for the response, ML. I agree with this. There are other quotes like this one made by early leaders, and we don’t really hear this sentiment much these days. My thoughts are that there really wasn’t much information to the members, and even most leaders, about the possible contradictions in real vs taught church history…so these kinds of absolute declarations of truth really were not conflicting in their minds. Today, there are mind-spinning mental gymnastics wrt how to reconcile the contradictions of history. And it is too bad, IMO, that the very possible real history is viewed by TBMs as bitter, misinformed, and even “anti-mormon,” when according to the quote above, there shouldn’t be a problem at all to search for the real truth!

Why? Maybe it’s because as the Church became more and more mainstream throughout the late 20th Century, the Church made strides to protect its image and solidify its body. So it began to prefer its members to stay away from certain opposing ideas for fear that they would be weakened as an organization.

I think you’re right. There’s been a lot of back-pedaling lately…and even assertive, passionate “truth” declarations (ala Elder Holland) that further polarizes the members into two camps — one with a foundation of an emotional testimony only, the other being challenged with internal conflicts of their perceived “spiritual witness” and what the evidence indicates. I think it’s a natural result, but it is a challenging time for many members…especially when we read quotes like above that say we SHOULD search for truth.

I found this while doing my morning blog search, and was actually surprised that it came from an earlier LDS leader (in 1958). I thought of many ways this can be applied, and ways I think it is NOT being applied today. But before I start babbling, I’d like YOUR thoughts:

1) Do you think this is universally accepted in the church;

2) If not, why not?

“Be unafraid of new ideas for they are the stepping stones to progress. But you will respect, of course, the opinions of others [but be unafraid to dissent if you are informed.]… Now I mention the freedom to express your thoughts, but I caution you that your thoughts and expressions must meet competition in the marketplace of thought, and in that competition truth must emerge triumphant. Only error needs to fear freedom of expression. Seek truth in all fields, and in that searching you’re going to need at least three virtues: courage, zest, and modesty. The ancients put that thought in [the] form of [a] prayer. They said, “From the cowardice that shrinks from new truth, from the laziness that is content with half truth, from the arrogance that thinks it has all the truth—O God of truth, deliver us.”

— Hugh B. Brown, Man and What He May Become, 29 March 1958

1) I honestly think it depends on who you talk to. it seems to me that the church is constantly trying to help people discover truths for themselves and think themselves.

2) If not, then fear is the reason. Or coziness of the comfort zone. It is my experience that this has more to do with the ideas of men mingled with scripture, more than scripture itself AND ALSO the culture that sometimes gets woven into worship services.

I love this quote Rix, one of my all time favorites!

I for one believe what it says, and believe that if church culture can get over its fear of change great strides may be made toward fearlessly following truth and God. Some of the more recent “not all truth is useful” quotes come to mind. I think it’s obvious, not all truth is useful to any particular agenda – but God is the source of all truth (from LDS.org). It’s the forbidden tree, knowledge; but I think we need to partake of it to get where God wants us to go. What’s the old… “the ____ shall set you…” ??

I once asked someone how they felt about “milk before meat”, and they replied: “Milk before meat is fine, but eventually members need to be fed solids and meat — and served with the bone and the fat!”

Sorry, I guess Lowell Bennion has lit a fire under me on this topic. I’ll add to the review of “Religion and the Pursuit of Truth” soon.

…this is not just a church problem. This is a problem with humanity. And, when viewed in that light, I tend to think it is also a blessing in disguise. Psychology shows time and time again that we seek truth about everything but ourselves, which we insist on seeing through rose-colored glasses. I think there’s a good reason for this. Religious certainty seems like an extension of this concept.

Thanks for this. I think there is something to it. Much to remember – humility – two sides to every story. I do understand that all truth is not appropriate all of the time — candor with kindness will not use every last detail.

I would add that certainty has a great need to fear freedom of expression. I think in many cases, the culture of the church gets stuck in these unquestioning paradigms because the certainty of rightness trumps all. Truth is totally irrelevant when the goal is certainty.

Do you mean the need to justify ones position?

swimordie wrote:I would add that certainty has a great need to fear freedom of expression. I think in many cases, the culture of the church gets stuck in these unquestioning paradigms because the certainty of rightness trumps all. Truth is totally irrelevant when the goal is certainty.

Do you mean the need to justify ones position?

I think that the kind of certainty that I’m talking about would need no justification by the individual who feels that certainty. “Because God said so”. That’s it. End of discussion. “I’m right because I KNOW I’m right”. If you’re willing to give your life while taking other lives as well, just to prove how right you are, guess what? You’re right!

@Ray:

I believe truth and Truth can both be relative, which is why certainty is so scary. To me.

The answer to all your questions:

It depends. 😳 😈