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  • #209320
    Anonymous
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    At the end of the MSNBC interview that Nibbler posted in the History section, the interviewee Laurie mentioned that the church may be producing an essay about Women and the Priesthood. This resurrected a thought I have had on and off this month – what other essays would I like to see. I hadn’t considered Women and the Priesthood, but I am adding it now.

    Here is my present list – In no particular order

    1. Tithing and it’s history

    2. The Word of Wisdom,it’s history and practice.

    3. Temple Garments and their history (not the video)

    4. Women and the Priesthood

    5. The two Tree of Life visions – Nephi’s and Joseph Smith Seniors.

    What’s yours?

    #291730
    Anonymous
    Guest

    The Temple. It would be lonnnnng. But I think people on both “sides” of the discussion about the temple would benefit from seeing how it has changed over time.

    #291731
    Anonymous
    Guest

    I like your list, mom3.

    Word of Wisdom would be at the top of my list, so members can learn the evolution of it.

    Perhaps also:

    – Native American origins and the Book of Mormon

    – the Church vs the Gospel

    – cwald’s journey in the wilderness. ;)

    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    #291732
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Heber13 wrote:

    – the Church vs the Gospel


    I would read that!

    #291733
    Anonymous
    Guest

    I would like to see ones about

    – Native Americans and the church. (Not just the Lamanite thing)

    – Mormon popular culture.

    – Mormon “Zionism” and its abandonment.

    – Eliza Snow.

    #291734
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Emotion vs the spirit

    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    #291735
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Daeruin wrote:

    Emotion vs the spirit


    Hmmm. I don’t know about that one. I would have to pray about it and see if it feels right. :-)

    #291736
    Anonymous
    Guest

    mom3 wrote:

    At the end of the MSNBC interview that Nibbler posted in the History section, the interviewee Laurie mentioned that the church may be producing an essay about Women and the Priesthood. This resurrected a thought I have had on and off this month – what other essays would I like to see. I hadn’t considered Women and the Priesthood, but I am adding it now.

    Here is my present list – In no particular order

    1. Tithing and it’s history

    2. The Word of Wisdom,it’s history and practice.

    3. Temple Garments and their history (not the video)

    4. Women and the Priesthood

    5. The two Tree of Life visions – Nephi’s and Joseph Smith Seniors.

    What’s yours?

    #2. is already available, in the history section of the website:

    Quote:

    Nevertheless, it required time to wind down practices that were so deeply ingrained in family tradition and culture, especially when fermented beverages of all kinds were frequently used for medicinal purposes. The term “strong drink” certainly included distilled spirits like whiskey, which hereafter the Latter-day Saints generally shunned. They took a more moderate approach to milder alcoholic beverages like beer and “pure wine of the grape of the vine of your own make” (see D&C 89:6). For the next two generations, Latter-day Saint leaders taught the Word of Wisdom as a command from God, but they tolerated a variety of viewpoints on how strictly the commandment should be observed. This incubation period gave the Saints time to develop their own tradition of abstinence from habit-forming substances. By the early twentieth century, when scientific medicines were more widely available and temple attendance had become a more regular feature of Latter-day Saint worship, the Church was ready to accept a more exacting standard of observance that would eliminate problems like alcoholism from among the obedient. In 1921, the Lord inspired Church president Heber J. Grant to call on all Saints to live the Word of Wisdom to the letter by completely abstaining from all alcohol, coffee, tea, and tobacco. Today Church members are expected to live this higher standard.

    http://history.lds.org/article/doctrine-and-covenants-word-of-wisdom?lang=eng

    It also acknowledges the fact that WoW was introduced during the temperance movement.

    #291737
    Anonymous
    Guest

    In case you want a few more, there are some others in the history section.

    Word of Wisdom:

    Quote:

    “… it required time to wind down practices that were so deeply ingrained in family tradition and culture… The term “strong drink” certainly included distilled spirits like whiskey, which hereafter the Latter-day Saints generally shunned. They took a more moderate approach to milder alcoholic beverages like beer and “pure wine of the grape…”

    http://history.lds.org/article/doctrine-and-covenants-word-of-wisdom?lang=eng” class=”bbcode_url”>http://history.lds.org/article/doctrine-and-covenants-word-of-wisdom?lang=eng

    Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible

    Quote:

    “…Joseph’s translation was not carried out in the traditional sense… Historian Mark Lyman Staker characterized the translation as one of “ideas rather than language.””

    http://history.lds.org/article/revelations-in-context-doctrine-and-covenants-joseph-smith-translation-bible?lang=eng” class=”bbcode_url”>http://history.lds.org/article/revelations-in-context-doctrine-and-covenants-joseph-smith-translation-bible?lang=eng

    Three Witnesses

    Quote:

    ““It was in the latter part of June, 1829,” Whitmer wrote. “Joseph, Oliver Cowdery and myself were together, and the angel showed them [the plates] to us… Joseph Smith and Martin Harris had a similar experience…”

    http://history.lds.org/article/doctrine-and-covenants-three-witnesses?lang=eng” class=”bbcode_url”>http://history.lds.org/article/doctrine-and-covenants-three-witnesses?lang=eng

    Oliver Cowdery and the Divining Rod

    Quote:

    “Many Christians in Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery’s day similarly believed in divining rods as instruments for revelation. Cowdery was among those who believed in and used a divining rod… The Lord recognized Oliver’s ability to use a rod: “thou hast another gift which is the gift of working with the rod.” (Footnote 9).. The earliest manuscript of this revelation refers to Oliver Cowdery’s “gift of working with the sprout.” Sidney Rigdon changed “sprout” to “rod” in preparation for the revelation’s publication in the Book of Commandments in 1833. The 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants is the first source to call it “the gift of Aaron.””


    http://history.lds.org/article/doctrine-and-covenants-oliver-cowdery?lang=eng” class=”bbcode_url”>http://history.lds.org/article/doctrine-and-covenants-oliver-cowdery?lang=eng

    Thomas Marsh and the Twelve

    Quote:

    “Thomas B. Marsh. The first to serve as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles…

    …relationships among the Twelve Apostles had deteriorated significantly… disagreements about their role and purpose and the bounds of their authority caused disharmony. (Footnote 13) Discord and opposition reached such levels that nine of the original Twelve Apostles left the church at various times, and some never returned…

    He was among several Latter-day Saints who became disturbed by the increasingly violent relationship between Church members and their Missouri neighbors… He swore out an affidavit in October 1838 that detailed his concerns about acts of violence and destruction he believed were being planned or carried out by members of the Church against their neighbors in Caldwell and Daviess counties, as well as stating his fear that “all the Mormons who refused to take up arms, if necessary in difficulties with the citizens, should be shot or otherwise put to death,” and that “no Mormon dissenter should leave Caldwell county alive.”


    http://history.lds.org/article/revelations-in-context-doctrine-and-covenants-thomas-marsh?lang=eng” class=”bbcode_url”>http://history.lds.org/article/revelations-in-context-doctrine-and-covenants-thomas-marsh?lang=eng

    #291738
    Anonymous
    Guest

    mackay11 wrote:

    #2. is already available, in the history section of the website:

    Quote:

    Nevertheless, it required time to wind down practices that were so deeply ingrained in family tradition and culture, especially when fermented beverages of all kinds were frequently used for medicinal purposes. The term “strong drink” certainly included distilled spirits like whiskey, which hereafter the Latter-day Saints generally shunned. They took a more moderate approach to milder alcoholic beverages like beer and “pure wine of the grape of the vine of your own make” (see D&C 89:6). For the next two generations, Latter-day Saint leaders taught the Word of Wisdom as a command from God, but they tolerated a variety of viewpoints on how strictly the commandment should be observed. This incubation period gave the Saints time to develop their own tradition of abstinence from habit-forming substances. By the early twentieth century, when scientific medicines were more widely available and temple attendance had become a more regular feature of Latter-day Saint worship, the Church was ready to accept a more exacting standard of observance that would eliminate problems like alcoholism from among the obedient. In 1921, the Lord inspired Church president Heber J. Grant to call on all Saints to live the Word of Wisdom to the letter by completely abstaining from all alcohol, coffee, tea, and tobacco. Today Church members are expected to live this higher standard.

    http://history.lds.org/article/doctrine-and-covenants-word-of-wisdom?lang=eng

    It also acknowledges the fact that WoW was introduced during the temperance movement.


    That almost makes it sound like we should have a 1 generation grace period on WOW for converts. Anybody can join and only their kids born after they join are bound by the WOW. :-)

    #291739
    Anonymous
    Guest

    LookingHard wrote:

    That almost makes it sound like we should have a 1 generation grace period on WOW for converts. Anybody can join and only their kids born after they join are bound by the WOW. :-)

    I think (not sure) we’ve discussed that on here before. The saints got what, a 90 year grace period to toe the WOW line. Why not converts? If it takes a generation or two it takes a generation or two. What would the more orthodox member find more important? Someone not getting baptized and as a consequence all of their posterity not seizing on an opportunity to join the one true church… or someone getting baptized that may have WOW issues but over the course of a few generations (generations that will be members of the church BTW) finally coming around to a more perfect obedience to the principle? I mean, that’s how it works with most of the other commandments. There’s way too much emphasis on immediacy with the WOW. It must be obeyed RIGHT NOW, even at the cost of withholding a saving ordinance from generations of people. But it’s an outward manifestation of commitment level, so it is what it is.

    I believe women and the priesthood is coming.

    I wouldn’t mind an essay on the temple.

    This might not be the same as an essay but I’d love to see a “So, now what?” essay that focused on faith development theory and suggestions on how to use it in the context of the LDS religion. Something to validate the emotions people may have as things that challenge our faith arise (new information, death of a loved one, hardships, etc.). If using Fowler’s model, maybe something to ease the bitterness for someone in stage 4 or to help someone solidify their footing in stage 5 (assuming they need it at that point?). Maybe something like that is too specific to the needs of the individual and cannot be addressed at a high level. Still I think it would be nice to offer some kind of cushion for people, since the essays might have the effect of yanking the rug out from under some people. So something better than radio silence to help people deal with information in the essays. The perfect time to roll out a faith (or even happiness) recovery program IMO.

    I dunno, maybe the radio silence is a necessary part of the transition.

    #291740
    Anonymous
    Guest

    I can see a need for the “now what?”

    My stake president told his leaders to send people to these essays and not to comment on them. These essays “admit”, but they don’t do all that much with the “now what” – except for the “you have believe it and if you don’t then you need to increase your spirituality until you do.”

    #291741
    Anonymous
    Guest

    I’d like to see a few more essays but I’d also like a few more to see the essays.

    I want them in the Ensign and I want them read from the pulpit and referenced in conference.

    I want an acceptance of nuance, uncertainty and abandonment of dogmatism.

    #291742
    Anonymous
    Guest

    mackay11 wrote:

    I’d like to see a few more essays but I’d also like a few more to see the essays.

    That sounds like a Neil A Maxwell quote! 🙂

    #291743
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Mckay,

    My complaint with the Essays is that I find no listing of what is available, short of clicking 26 times on their alphabetic list. My cynical twin brother would say they are attempting to make it difficult for people to find embarrassing stuff But then this would not be the first time I’ve been told I must be blind. You said there was a history section. Where is it?

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