An Interesting Approach to Book of Abraham Challenges

[Anonymous]

Old-Timer wrote:

Some aren’t trying to cover it up – many, in fact. Many are certain. They are being completely sincere, and they are being completely honest. For them, their certainty equals knowledge, as they define it.

We don’t have to agree with the way others see anything, but we ought to be able to understand and not disparage their realities – especially if we ask or demand that they understand and not disparage ours.

I agree with this. I know 6 months ago I opened up my first seminary class this year with “I know without a doubt that the church is true”. I really did sincerely believe that I knew, and I am actually happy for people when they say this. I hope they can stay there, because the FC hurts a lot and I sometimes wish I could just go back there and be that person again. I was happy there, in my complete and utter innocence. I wrestle with my annoyances at church and my jealousy of their innocence, or of their getting through a FC and “knowing” again. haha Usually more annoyance though

[Anonymous]

Roy wrote:

Quote:

When we know all there is to know about Egyptology along with how other ancient cultures used that language, and we know all there is to know about God’s intentions and methods with the Book of Abraham, there will be no conflict.

Granted that all fields of human understanding are evolving but to say that when these fields are fully evolved and fully known then they will confirm your position seems preety foolish.

What is the point of new information if we only use it to confirm what we already knew?

If we really do know it, new information will always confirm it. What new information helps with is the assumptions we attach to that original nugget of knowledge. Because of conditioning from our life experience, we make many unconscious assumptions about things we know that are not actually part of it. We put those in the box with that knowledge thinking they belong in that box under all circumstances. We hesitate to consider using the nugget of actual knowledge without those assumptions or to look outside of the box for other workable assumptions in different situations. Awareness of this tendency will allow us to separate actual knowledge from the assumptions.

The other problem we get ourselves into is forgetting that since we are good with a hammer, we want to make every problem a nail. Someone who is gifted in spiritual discernment and not in academics, may be lazy in using analytical thinking in spiritual matters, which could cause them to misapply or misunderstand the spiritual idea. On the other hand, someone very proficient in academics may ignore his spiritual side and lose the wisdom that allows him to use his academic knowledge wisely.

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