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dash1730 wrote:
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?
I agree the webmasters do not seem to make the essays easy to find. However, in the Mormon Newsroom release this week (
http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/church-provides-context-gospel-topics-pages ” class=”bbcode_url”> http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/church-provides-context-gospel-topics-pages And I agree with Mac – I’d love to see them printed in the Ensign.
dash1730 wrote: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?
The links I listed above are from this subsection:
http://history.lds.org/section/revelations?lang=eng I’ve been told that eventually they will be linked to from the curriculum.
Also, if you search “polygamy” on the church website, three essays show up. Even “polyandry” delivers a couple of results.
josephsmithpapers.org is also included in the LDS.org search results.
This one is as likely to appear as one on “The Church and the Gospel”, but I would like to see on on “Personal Revelation and Obedience to Leaders”. I really would like to see them be more public with members encouraged to read them. This doesn’t have to be an all out blitz, but maybe an article in the Church magazines and at least one GA talking about them in General Conference.
. Sorry for this long winded response, but I it is one of my hot buttons: . A topic which IMO, should be front and center in gospel study is Epistemology. While I have never heard a GA utter the word, several have made references to it, as does canonized scripture. Epistemology is the study of how we know what we know, or as Google defines it, epistemology is “the theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope. Epistemology is the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion.”
. Mormonism dances all around it, for example Moroni 10:4-5, Alma 32. Additionally there are these relevant references to it:
Articles of Faith
. 13 We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we fhope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
D&C 88:77-80
. 77 And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.
. 78 Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;
. 79 Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—
. 80 That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you.
James E Faust, Ensign, March 2002, – 2-7
. “The great religious leaders of the world such as Mohammed, Confucius, and the Reformers, as well as philosophers including Socrates, Plato, and others, received a portion of God’s light. Moral truths were given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals. … We believe that God has given and will give to all peoples sufficient knowledge to help them on their way to eternal salvation”
D&C 93:24
. Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come.
Doctrine and Covenants 9:7-8
. Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.
D&C 90:15
. Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.” (Moroni 7:8 )
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 316
. “We should gather all the good and true principles in the world and treasure them up, or we shall not come out true Mormons.”
Joseph Smith (HC v5p215).
. “The Latter Day Saints have no creed, but are ready to believe all true principles existing, as they are made manifest from time to time.”
Joseph Smith in a letterto Isaac Galland, Mar. 22, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri, published in Times and Seasons, Feb. 1840, pp. 53–54. Quoted in Teachings of the Presidents (priesthood manual):
http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?h … 82620aRCRD. “Mormonism is truth; and every man who embraces it feels himself at liberty to embrace every truth: consequently the shackles of superstition, bigotry, ignorance, and priestcraft, fall at once from his neck; and his eyes are opened to see the truth, and truth greatly prevails over priestcraft. …
Quoted in Teachings of the Presidents: Joseph Smith
http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?h … 82620aRCRD. “… Mormonism is truth, in other words the doctrine of the Latter-day Saints, is truth. … The first and fundamental principle of our holy religion is, that we believe that we have a right to embrace all, and every item of truth, without limitation or without being circumscribed or prohibited by the creeds or superstitious notions of men, or by the dominations of one another, when that truth is clearly demonstrated to our minds, and we have the highest degree of evidence of the same.”
Letter from Joseph Smith to Isaac Galland, Mar. 22, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri, published in Times and Seasons, Feb. 1840, pp. 53–54 President George Albert Smith.
http://www.fairlds.org/Misc/When_the_Prophet_Speaks_is_the_Thinking_Done.html . “The Prophet Joseph Smith once said: “I want liberty of thinking and believing as I please.” This liberty he and his successors in the leadership of the Church have granted to every other member thereof.
Elder Uchtdorf
http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/ces-devotionals/2013/01/what-is-truth?lang=eng . “We seek for truth wherever we may find it. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “Mormonism is truth. … The first and fundamental principle of our holy religion is, that we believe that we have a right to embrace all, and every item of truth, without limitation or … being … prohibited by the creeds or superstitious notions of men.”
. Yes, we do have the fullness of the everlasting gospel, but that does not mean that we know everything. In fact, one principle of the restored gospel is our belief that God “will yet reveal many great and important things.”
. … So we continually seek truth from all good books and other wholesome sources. “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” In this manner we can resist the deceit of the evil one. In this manner we learn the truth “precept upon precept; line upon line.” And we will learn that intelligence cleaves unto intelligence, and wisdom receives wisdom, and truth embraces truth.”
hey mom, put a few more words and submit it to see if they will publish it! 
Kirtland banking scandal – I’d like an essay that explains why a lot of people were justifiably upset, and how the scandal contributed to leaving Kirtland amertune wrote:Kirtland banking scandal – I’d like an essay that explains why a lot of people were justifiably upset, and how the scandal contributed to leaving Kirtland
That would be a good one! It also shows that prophets are not always perfect in handling business decisions, yet God seems to allow them to try. It is an important lesson for us as church members.
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