Comments on: Doubt Is Not a Principle of the Gospel

By: Bookslinger

Bookslinger — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 21:47:17 +0000

Doubt is a game

By: Adam Greenwood

Adam Greenwood — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 22:44:47 +0000

Matt Evans,
rather than just doubt MLM and snake-oil juice schemes, we should actively disbelieve in them, no?
Still, i tend to prefer (1) to believe in the inspiration of the messages in conference and (2) to believe in the benefits of a healthy skepticism, so I’ve appreciated the attempts of those here who’ve tried to reconcile them.

By: JH Greenwood

JH Greenwood — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:45:58 +0000

You shift the question of whether doubting God and revealed truth is harmful to one about trusting your fellow man.

On that topic I would say that there is a lot to say for trusting even if being suspicious of people would prevent you from being ripped off so easily. Giving people the benefit of the doubt makes you happier – and for a society that is better to live in. Of course that depends on how you weigh the costs – is a high trust society worth the scourge of multi level marketing (and other vulnerabilities)?

By: Matt Evans

Matt Evans — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 02:43:17 +0000

Utah is capital of the MLM and snake-oil juice drink worlds, and this may be why.

And this comment is true because it is comment 20, which is 40 (one of God’s preferred numbers) divided by 2, the number of humans God created from the dust. Don’t doubt me, be believing!

: )

By: SadieJane

SadieJane — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:49:03 +0000

If doubt of the LDS religion is doubt in yourself and your own abilities, than an LDS member could call everyone who chooses not to follow the LDS faith a person who simply lacks confidence in themselves and nothing more. I could be off track, but I find this to be small minded. If the LDS church teaches respect for all religions then why would they call non-believers self doubters? I have studied, I have prayed and many things still do not sit right with me. I believe in the basic principles, but I do not believe in many of their patriarchle practices. I’m not a man-hater, I had a very devout mormon for a grandmother and she taught me that men and women are equal in all things…so would this suggest that our Heavenly Mother deserves to be acknowledged as much as our Heavenly Father? Why can’t we celebrate her as we do him? Why can’t we worship this Heavenly family that has given us so much? That is one of the crucial parts that doesn’t sit well with me and I don’t think it makes me a self doubter, I think it makes me a LDS church doubter. Oh, also, I have been through the temple BTW; I went in with an open heart, open mind and faith…and yet I still doubt. And although I found my many experiences in the temple amazing, I have also found my own spiritual path and rituals amazing. I have found in my heart that I’m not getting everything I need spiritually from the church. Obeying the rules of the church does not make me christ-like or get me closer to him, it makes me a conformest who believes that I will perish if I do not follow their way. Now I’m ranting…sorry

By: Adam Greenwood

Adam Greenwood — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:46:35 +0000

Calling a General Authority stupid isn’t what this blog is about. Your oh-so intelligent response does raise doubts, but not of the sort you think.

By: jjackson

jjackson — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:13:23 +0000

This quote raises “doubts” about the intelligence and insightfullness of Kevin Pearson. It sounds as though he has put more energy into lining up behind current leadership than into actually evaluating the logical and theological validity of his talk.

By: BHodges

BHodges — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:49:22 +0000

When I heard this talk I disagreed with the statement and felt it needed more nuance than the speaker employed. (Should I go to this movie? It looks funny but perhaps it isn’t the best choice. I feel doubt about going…)

But more directly, what about experiencing doubt about the gospel or the church? Is doubt in general a sin?

Some argue that doubt is a virtue, others that doubt is a vice. I argue, following an interesting bit I read by Richard Bushman, that doubt is neither of those things necessarily, but it is a condition that can be positive or negative. I blogged about it a while ago here, forgive the self-promotion:

http://tinyurl.com/6y8k8o

http://tinyurl.com/n37bm8

By: Bookslinger

Bookslinger — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:30:44 +0000

I think it important to remember that faith is in the doing, not in the thinking. Whether you do something because you are absolutely sure of it, or merely with the least degree of confidence, the exercise of faith is having done it. An internal attitude may be reflected in the vigor of the action. The liveliness of the motions, and the individual's bearing, countenance and tone of voice may all betray the individual's degree of confidence. And those tell-tale signs may then have a bearing on the efficaciousness of the action. So there is a marriage between thought/attitude and deed. But regardless of the thoughts and attitudes, there is no faith until there is a deed. James 2:17-20.

By: Mary

Mary — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:34:57 +0000

I’d have to read the quote in context, but from the part you’ve printed it sounds to me like he’s talking about self-doubt, which is a whole different topic.