Comments on: A Short Message to the Smug http://www.jrganymede.com/2010/12/23/a-short-message-to-the-smug/ We endeavor to give satisfaction Mon, 21 May 2012 20:57:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Vader http://www.jrganymede.com/2010/12/23/a-short-message-to-the-smug/comment-page-1/#comment-24201 Vader Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:06:05 +0000 http://www.jrganymede.com/2010/12/23/a-short-message-to-the-smug/#comment-24201 So, literalism is a gutless way of engaging in idolatrous divination? Sorry, don't actually disagree. Just could not resist. So, literalism is a gutless way of engaging in idolatrous divination?

Sorry, don’t actually disagree. Just could not resist.

]]> By: Zen, the failed literalist http://www.jrganymede.com/2010/12/23/a-short-message-to-the-smug/comment-page-1/#comment-24197 Zen, the failed literalist Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:42:33 +0000 http://www.jrganymede.com/2010/12/23/a-short-message-to-the-smug/#comment-24197 But literalism makes things so much simpler. One one hand, we do have instances like Samuel the Lamanite prophecying of a certain number of years, and Lehi being told that in 600 years Christ would come. On the other hand, there are suggestions even in Holy Writ that we take neither the 7000 year (or day) creation as literal, nor the 6000 year history of earth as literal. This suggests that certain things are not yet written in stone, and depend on us. It may well be that other things like the Millennium are not limited to 1000 literal years. Naive literalism is a soft idolatry that demands nothing of us but pretends to tell us everything. I consider it even below reading entrails, because that at least demands effort and suggests humility in our ability to discern the shape and position of a intestine. All this said, my daughter was sick yesterday, and when I prayed, I felt she would be better today and so it was. So when is God literal? Best idea I have is to ask him, but I expect that absolving us of intellectual inquiry and effort is not high on His list of priorities. But literalism makes things so much simpler.

One one hand, we do have instances like Samuel the Lamanite prophecying of a certain number of years, and Lehi being told that in 600 years Christ would come.

On the other hand, there are suggestions even in Holy Writ that we take neither the 7000 year (or day) creation as literal, nor the 6000 year history of earth as literal. This suggests that certain things are not yet written in stone, and depend on us. It may well be that other things like the Millennium are not limited to 1000 literal years.

Naive literalism is a soft idolatry that demands nothing of us but pretends to tell us everything. I consider it even below reading entrails, because that at least demands effort and suggests humility in our ability to discern the shape and position of a intestine.

All this said, my daughter was sick yesterday, and when I prayed, I felt she would be better today and so it was. So when is God literal? Best idea I have is to ask him, but I expect that absolving us of intellectual inquiry and effort is not high on His list of priorities.

]]> By: Vader http://www.jrganymede.com/2010/12/23/a-short-message-to-the-smug/comment-page-1/#comment-24137 Vader Tue, 18 Jan 2011 19:48:58 +0000 http://www.jrganymede.com/2010/12/23/a-short-message-to-the-smug/#comment-24137 If Elder McConkie felt entitled to take a less than literal interpretation of the 6 April 1 A.D. date, then I feel entitled to note take it seriously at all. If Elder McConkie felt entitled to take a less than literal interpretation of the 6 April 1 A.D. date, then I feel entitled to note take it seriously at all.

]]> By: Adam Greenwood http://www.jrganymede.com/2010/12/23/a-short-message-to-the-smug/comment-page-1/#comment-24131 Adam Greenwood Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:33:14 +0000 http://www.jrganymede.com/2010/12/23/a-short-message-to-the-smug/#comment-24131 According to this Deseret News article, the revelation that makes folks think Christ was born on April 6, 1 BC, was actually given on April 10th, and the first verse with the date reference was added by a compiler. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700094707/What-was-the-real-date-of-Jesus-birth.html According to this Deseret News article, the revelation that makes folks think Christ was born on April 6, 1 BC, was actually given on April 10th, and the first verse with the date reference was added by a compiler.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700094707/What-was-the-real-date-of-Jesus-birth.html

]]> By: Bookslinger http://www.jrganymede.com/2010/12/23/a-short-message-to-the-smug/comment-page-1/#comment-22597 Bookslinger Sun, 26 Dec 2010 01:51:48 +0000 http://www.jrganymede.com/2010/12/23/a-short-message-to-the-smug/#comment-22597 Or as one Sunday School teacher put it: "Jesus is coming when you die." Or as one Sunday School teacher put it: “Jesus is coming when you die.”

]]> By: Vader http://www.jrganymede.com/2010/12/23/a-short-message-to-the-smug/comment-page-1/#comment-22509 Vader Fri, 24 Dec 2010 16:46:41 +0000 http://www.jrganymede.com/2010/12/23/a-short-message-to-the-smug/#comment-22509 The first two would seem to be right out. My jocular guess is that it's 2000 years from His death, and a good many LDS will be caught flatfooted on Passover, 2029. Given the state of my health and the limitations of even the finest powered body suits, I probably won't still be around for it. But I try to stay prepared anyway. Or at least as prepared as someone with my record can hope to be. Which is not to say that it wasn't all Tarkin's fault. The man was insane. The first two would seem to be right out.

My jocular guess is that it’s 2000 years from His death, and a good many LDS will be caught flatfooted on Passover, 2029.

Given the state of my health and the limitations of even the finest powered body suits, I probably won’t still be around for it. But I try to stay prepared anyway. Or at least as prepared as someone with my record can hope to be.

Which is not to say that it wasn’t all Tarkin’s fault. The man was insane.

]]> By: Bookslinger http://www.jrganymede.com/2010/12/23/a-short-message-to-the-smug/comment-page-1/#comment-22506 Bookslinger Fri, 24 Dec 2010 16:12:44 +0000 http://www.jrganymede.com/2010/12/23/a-short-message-to-the-smug/#comment-22506 It's still a piddly discussion. The big BIG question is whether the 2000-year 2nd Coming timer started ticking in 1 A.D., 4 B.C. or 33 A.D. "No man knows the hour or the day." But do you want to place any bets on the year? It’s still a piddly discussion. The big BIG question is whether the 2000-year 2nd Coming timer started ticking in 1 A.D., 4 B.C. or 33 A.D.

“No man knows the hour or the day.” But do you want to place any bets on the year?

]]> By: Vader http://www.jrganymede.com/2010/12/23/a-short-message-to-the-smug/comment-page-1/#comment-22447 Vader Thu, 23 Dec 2010 20:39:25 +0000 http://www.jrganymede.com/2010/12/23/a-short-message-to-the-smug/#comment-22447 My best guess is around Passover in 4 B.C. based on what seems the best Mormon scholarship. But I don't really know. Anyway, if you're getting your Christmas theology from a Dark Lord of the Sith, you have other problems. If I'm smug about anything, it's my willingness as an otherwise orthodox LDS to believe it might not have been April 6, 1 A.D. My best guess is around Passover in 4 B.C. based on what seems the best Mormon scholarship. But I don’t really know. Anyway, if you’re getting your Christmas theology from a Dark Lord of the Sith, you have other problems.

If I’m smug about anything, it’s my willingness as an otherwise orthodox LDS to believe it might not have been April 6, 1 A.D.

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