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DarkJedi wrote:rcronk wrote:
Luckily (or unluckily) for salvation-related things, I’ve figured out a lot of what’s right and wrong on my own.
I think that’s the way it’s supposed to be.
Well, not entirely on my own. I got most of the truth through prophets and then I got most of the falsehoods through my own stupidity and belligerence, and therefore it proved the prophets true. But yes, I am to learn as much from others as I can (that’s more efficient) and then find out things for myself through experience. It’s not magical – I learned from my parents and older sister all about right and wrong things like touching a hot stove, etc. Some of it I had to learn on my own because I didn’t believe them. It’s really the same thing with prophets for me.
The part that gets tricky is when prophets are wrong. Balancing how we learn from others while remaining agents unto ourselves, as the Book of Mormon says, is not a simple concept – but I think it is a central aspect of what we call eternal progression.
Old-Timer wrote:The part that gets tricky is when prophets are wrong.
Balancing how we learn from others while remaining agents unto ourselves, as the Book of Mormon says, is not a simple concept – but I think it is a central aspect of what we call eternal progression.
Its potentially even more tricky when what the prophets say is mixed, and culture swirls around in a way to polarize you. You may learn right from wrong (for your own situation), but you do learn to be candid and not share too much with those who may not be safe or sympathetic.
rcronk wrote:DarkJedi wrote:rcronk wrote:Luckily (or unluckily) for salvation-related things, I’ve figured out a lot of what’s right and wrong on my own.
I think that’s the way it’s supposed to be.
Well, not entirely on my own. I got most of the truth through prophets and then I got most of the falsehoods through my own stupidity and belligerence, and therefore it proved the prophets true. But yes, I am to learn as much from others as I can (that’s more efficient) and then find out things for myself through experience. It’s not magical – I learned from my parents and older sister all about right and wrong things like touching a hot stove, etc. Some of it I had to learn on my own because I didn’t believe them. It’s really the same thing with prophets for me.
Yeah, I’d say I got more from scripture than from prophets even when I was more believing/orthodox. While I don’t discount the testimonies of the apostles and prophets, they mostly parrot and the things I really need a testimony of on my own are contained in the scriptures. Likewise, any testimony I have comes from the Holy Ghost which can testify either way (reading or hearing). I am more of a visual learner than an auditory learner, so others’ mileage will vary. I actually feel for those who are kinesthetic learners when it comes to the gospel because there are few tactile opportunities for this kind of stuff.
I look at just about everything the apostles and GA’s say as opinion. Talented men still have limited perspectives. Case in point — I have a mentor who was a president of a publicly traded company with about 2000 employees. He was a partner at a major company you would know in their global consulting group. He retired in his early fifties, from the sound of it very well off. He rose quickly in his career. Talented guy.
He mentored me on a problem I had that involved interfacing with public officials. I acted on his advice and I’m still feeling the negative effects from it.
I realized he was talented — but his perspective was that of a business person, not a politician. And acting on his advice was the wrong thing. I will go to him for business advice, but for political advice, ask a politician.
These apostles are cardiologists, educators, judges, neurosurgeons etcetera — within that realm they would be stellar coaches. In the areas of church policy and administration — probably fabulous coaches. But for my specific life, I must be the final judge.
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