- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
I want to share something that the High Councilor who spoke today said in a talk about the Atonement. First, however, I want to mention that he said a couple of things before what I am about to quote with which I didn’t agree, including the idea that we are so blessed we shouldn’t have any bad days. I really cringed at that one, but if I had obsessed over it or tuned him out, I would have missed what he said later that was absolutely wonderful. He said we need to serve in the Church in some kind of calling, and then he said that we need to use “common sense” in how we dedicate time to our callings, since “
the Church can take all of our time if we let it” – and that we can’t neglect our family in performing our callings, since “ the family is #1 in our lives, not the Church“. I loved that he said it so clearly and directly, and I am happy I listened to the whole talk (since what I quoted was near the end) and didn’t tune him out when he said things with which I disagreed.
Thanks for posting this, Curtis. I do believe there is more good in the Church than bad, but my sensors for bad seem to have the gain turned up way too much most of the time. I also heard a simple, direct statement made in church this past Sunday made by a person teaching gospel principles. The church isn’t here to tell you what to do. The church is here to help you make a connection with the spirit. Once you make the connection it’s up to you to decide what you want to do with it.
I liked it anyway.
I’m glad you shared this Curtis. It is good to try to take away the good parts of their messages when we can. Unfortunately, the High Councilor speaker in my ward said in direct terms that people on the Internet now are trying to argue the bible is not a literal history, which goes directly against the teachings of the church. He spent about 5 minutes talking about the dangers or philosophizing and twisting scripture to support personal interpretations, that we just need to stick to the truth, and know that God wouldn’t have put it in the bible if it didn’t happen.
Oh well.
I can’t help but give some of my personal translation on your example Heber: Heber13 wrote:…we just need to stick to the truth
Amen, amen, AMEN. …If only it was that easy to sift through all the interpretations of men (even mortal prophets) and come out with pure truth.
Heber13 wrote:…and know that God wouldn’t have put it in the bible if it didn’t happen.
I believe that, and I wish God could have written the bible himself! But because He had to work through his mortal servants there are all kinds of things in the Bible that reflect mortal understanding.
What I like about Curtis’ approach is that he acknowledges there are some parts of their talks he doesn’t agree with, and he can dismiss it and still focus on and find the parts of their talks that are really uplifting to him. Its important to acknowledge that, I believe.
Its what I strive to do as well. I have more work to be better at it. Sometimes I tune out and use the smartphone as my preacher.
Heber13 wrote:What I like about Curtis’ approach is that he acknowledges there are some parts of their talks he doesn’t agree with, and he can dismiss it and still focus on and find the parts of their talks that are really uplifting to him.
Its important to acknowledge that, I believe.
Its what I strive to do as well. I have more work to be better at it. Sometimes I tune out and use the smartphone as my preacher.
This is all any of us can do. I would even daresay that most/many “TBMs” do this as well. When it’s your neighbor/friend/fellow imperfect being giving a SM talk, it’s hard to take it as “gospel truth” (a term I’m growing to love the irony of, btw). When you apply Pres. Uchtdorf’s “church leaders make mistakes” axiom to General Conference talks, you can’t really accept everything therein as “gospel truth” either. We all have to take the uplifting and leave the depressing, especially for those that want to “stayLDS”.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.