Scripture as Literature of Faith Crisis

[Anonymous]

Jason K wrote an interesting post on By Common Consent about how our scriptures, in many instances, are the record of people’s struggle to understand and rebuild their faith in light of events that shattered their previous assumptions and expectations. It seems obvious when presented as he does, but it’s not something I’ve considered deeply in the past. It was a thought-provoking post, and I recommend it to everyone here.

The link is:

http://bycommonconsent.com/2014/07/07/scripture-as-literature-of-faith-crisis/

As always, please share any thoughts about the article here in the comment thread.

[Anonymous]

I skimmed this to get the general idea. I think that not only the scriptures describe faith crises, so does history.

I’m reminded of the great Plague that wiped out 1/3 of Europe years ago. It was devastating to everyone, and they turned to the Catholic Church for answers and a solution. None came, so people started doubting the Catholic church. In short, the failure of the Catholic Church to provide meaning to the mass decease of the population caused formerly loyal followers to embark on a faith crisis.

This led to personal deconstruction of the Catholic faith, and gave rise to new faiths (which the Catholic church came down hard upon). But it showed that a lot of different kinds of calamities, and personal experiences can rock the foundations of people’s faith. It seems as though there is an optimal amount of opposition and smooth-riding to sustain faith over the long term. If it gets too easy, the prosperity cycle kicks in, and if it’s too hard for too long, then the average person starts doubting God, and potentially, their religion.

[Anonymous]

I am still in the middle of a faith crisis right now. I have found it very difficult to read the scriptures lately, especially the Book of Mormon. Just the sight of it makes me sick to my stomach. My thoughts toward scripture in general have been very negative lately, but perhaps the perspective in this article will help me overcome that. I used to love reading the Book of Mormon, but I have wondered if it is worth my time now. This article gives me some hope that I can learn something valuable from the Book of Mormon by interpreting it and applying in different ways than I have before. Thanks for sharing, Ray! I especially liked this sentence:

Quote:

Scripture is not just a collection of platitudes with which to plaster our spiritual sores; it is a collection of potent materials for the events of our lives to organize and re-organize as we undertake our own difficult journeys of faith.

[Anonymous]

Leap – I hear you loud and clear. Prior to my faith crisis/transition I was a very Mormon loving Book of Mormon reading gal. As the transition began to move quickly into crisis – my connection or desire and definitely affection toward the Book of Mormon collapsed. I put the book away. My heart was broken, my dreams and imaginings crushed and I wanted nothing to do with it. Today – 6 years later – it still spends more time on the shelf than it once did – however I am no longer angry with it. More importantly I am no longer angry with myself about my relationship with it, either presently or in the past. I hope you come to that some day, too.

Here are a few of the reasons I am no longer angry with it or myself.

1- The Book of Mormon, for all of our present touting of it, has not always been the center of Mormon/LDS work and effort. Joseph Smith, to my present knowledge, never referenced it in any address he gave. He never said, “Nephi said….”. In fact it was more nebulous than that. Yes, I know Hyrum read to him from it on the way to Carthage – but reading scripture for comfort is different than anchoring life around it, as we profess to do now. More to the point none of the early leaders drew much from it. Now a days it’s our fall back book for things. But not originally. This means I don’t have to be bound to the present zeal of it. I have read it plenty I know the stories, I know our interpretation, and I can/do find good in it.

2 – Moving the Book of Mormon off center stage has helped me to study deeper and learn more from the Bible. I had read the bible multiple times over the course of my life. In fact I probably read both sets of LDS scripture fairly equally, but I didn’t dive in to the bible as much until I shelved the other one. The Bible has been my anchor in this storm. The analogies, the life stories, the ugly sordid details, the hand of God or goodness that finds its way in it has been a beacon. I judge life differently because of the shift in books. The scriptural heroes of my life are presently all Bible-buddies. Yet strangely – it was reading the Bible that invited me back to read 3rd Nephi. I hold Mormonism accountable by 3rd Nephi. It may not be fair, but it is my truth right now.

I don’t know what road you will walk or where you will go, but if it helps, feel no guilt for putting the Book of Mormon on a shelf for a while. There is tons of spiritual literature to draw from. It may be that literature that helps you most. Remember our cannon scripture encourages reading and studying our of the Best of Books. I would just invite you to make sure you find one spiritual book – fiction or non-fiction – to nourish your aching heart.

[Anonymous]

Fwiw, the primary stated purpose of the Book of Mormon is to bring people to Christ – and the two primary ways outlined in the book itself for that to happen are:

1) Testifying of the centrality of the Bible;

2) Testifying of God’s mercy and that God is aware of and will answer personal prayers.

If you are interested, I wrote the following posts on my personal blog about how we misuse the Book of Mormon – meaning we use it in ways that are inconsistent with its own statements about what it is and how it should be used:

“Mis-Using the Book of Mormon” (http://thingsofmysoul.blogspot.com/2014/07/mis-using-book-of-mormon.html)

“The Bible, NOT the Book of Mormon, Is Mormonism’s Primary Scriptural Record” (http://thingsofmysoul.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-bible-not-book-of-mormon-is.html)

“How Did Joseph View the Book of Mormon?” (http://thingsofmysoul.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-did-joesph-view-book-of-mormon.html)

[Anonymous]

Thanks, mom3. Reading your experience and the ways you have been able to overcome your anger gives me hope that I can follow a similar path.

Thanks, Ray. I did the suggested reading 🙂. I’m glad you talked about Moroni 10:3. Even when I was a TBM it always bothered me when that verse got skipped. I enjoyed reading your interpretation of these verses. I’ve also been thinking about verses 5 and 6:

Quote:

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is.

As a TBM I always thought “true” and “truth” in verses 3-5 referred to the historical veracity of the Book of Mormon, but verses 6 and 7 seem to paint a different picture. Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Leap asked

Quote:

As a TBM I always thought “true” and “truth” in verses 3-5 referred to the historical veracity of the Book of Mormon, but verses 6 and 7 seem to paint a different picture. Thoughts?

Yes I have thoughts and this is one of my favorite topics. My answer flies in the face of traditional orthodoxy, but in my heart can’t read it any other way.

For me Moroni 10: 3-…. Is a testament to “that (we) ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in you hearts.”

In verse 4 – I see God inviting us to ask him, in the name of Christ, if “The Lord has been merciful unto the children of men, through out all time, including now in your present life or the present time you live in.”

That is the truth I believe scriptural accounts are trying to produce. For me if the accounts from Adam onward to my life today are any support for God’s mercy unto us as mortals – then yes the Book of Mormon stands as a supportive witness to that. The tale could even be a lengthy parable from God, but the message of mercy towards mortals, by mortals, and through mortals appears valid.

That is my take on it, when I read it word for word as it is written with no one interpreting them for me. My bishop might not agree, or many in the congregation and if I ever choose to present it to that audience I will need to be very clear with my presentation and willing to accept their disagreement. I can’t make other people see what I see. I can only present it with love and respect for them. That’s all I can do.

[Anonymous]

mom3 wrote:

I can’t make other people see what I see. I can only present it with love and respect for them. That’s all I can do.

And you are doing it well on these boards. Thanks 🙂. I have been handed the “correct” interpretations of scripture all my life, I’ve gotten pretty good at regurgitating them. Trying to find my own interpretations for scripture is both liberating and confusing: liberating because I am beginning to think for myself, confusing because it is hard to sift my own thoughts from “standard programming.” I suppose it will take me a long time to work through this mess.

[Anonymous]

Leap, one reason I am “good” at finding and accepting my own interpretations of scripture is that I recognized my interpretations were different than almost everyone around me (small, rural, central Utah town – 2,000 people with 4 large wards) at a very young age. I’ve been at this (finding and accepting uniquely personal interpretations) for roughly 40 years – and it took probably 20 years (and taking a few classes at a fairly prestigious divinity school in college) for me to be totally comfortable in my own heterodox skin. I wasn’t in the middle of a traditional faith crisis, but the practical effect (studying to understand in a different way that resonated with me in a long-term “conflict”) was the same.

It was worth the perseverance.

[Author]

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