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Orson said on another thread Quote:I often quote Edward Kimball: “Certainty is a burden.” While some people value the warmth of the heavy cloaks of certainty, I find them difficult to haul down the trail as I journey through life. Especially in the periods when I climb.
That sort of struck me as somewhat profound. Certainty certainly can be a burden. As I look back on my life I can truly see how having to support my concept of certainty in the church truly became a burden. When there was conflict with my certainty the burden became so heavy and bitter. To be able to revel in uncertainty is exciting and mysterious at the same time. You get to see all possibilities. The universe begins to open up because you can accept new truths regardless of how they agree or disagree with your previous certainty. Yes I believe it is a heavy burden to try and bear certainty about anything that is unknowable.
John 8:32
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Cadence wrote:Orson said on another thread
Quote:I often quote Edward Kimball: “Certainty is a burden.” While some people value the warmth of the heavy cloaks of certainty, I find them difficult to haul down the trail as I journey through life. Especially in the periods when I climb.
To be able to revel in uncertainty is exciting and mysterious at the same time. You get to see all possibilities. The universe begins to open up because you can accept new truths regardless of how they agree or disagree with your previous certainty.
My thoughts too. I think Brian’s signature line in his posts about the mystery being the fascinating part about our religion touches on this way of thnking. It is liberating to feel you can grow, and experience the goodness of the Church without necessarily believing it’s true. (Granted, I still accept that may well be true and move on).
To adapt Winston Churchill “Mormonism is the worst of all religions, except for all the others”. In fact, I think I have now found my signature line for my posts.
Awesome break through Cadence. I love it! Love the quote and the post, Cadence. I’d much rather be open to new possibilities than certain of everything and, thus, closed off to growth.
Of course certainty can be very seductive. I see people hop from religious paradigms to those of Dawkins and Hitchens – often appearing “relieved” in a way to find their new standard of truth. I do feel we can be confident of some things – based on evidence even; but for me a claim “with certainty” to understand the basis or meaning of life [or lack of] in the universe is a step too far. The mysteries of God are most meaningful as mysteries. That’s my view. I tend to stop pondering things that I think I have figured out, and that lack of thought hits me as tragic.
I think I would state it as “maintaining the illusion of certainty is a burden.” Absolute certainty, if one could achieve it, would be kind of nice.
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