Reality is God’s way of saying ‘not yet.’
Here.
The prophets are fallible. For this statement to be true, J. Max Wilson points out, we must assume not just that the fallibility part is true, but that the prophets part is true.
The infallible trump cards prophet-questioners have borrowed from secular progressivism or political religions of all stripes turn out to be made of pasteboard.
I am quite taken with this article over at the Old Country. (more…)
I can see that the statement of one-ness of being between God, Christ and Man may lead, further down the inferential chain, to consequences which are apparently heretical or otherwise unacceptable – yet such ‘third-level incoherence’ is always the case for any theology concrete and simple enough to be relevant and useful in life.
***
Better a deep level of possible theological incoherence, than a superficial level of theological irrelevance – which looks very much like evasion.
Thus Bruce Charlton.
These are selected notes from General Conference. All quotations guaranteed to be aphoristic, if not accurate. The unquoted parts are my own additions.
One bee delivers 1/12th teaspoon honey. Daily acts have cumulative effects.
-Elder Ballard.
Quick and dirty online research shows estimates range from 1/12th teaspoon to 1-2 teaspoons. I wonder if the low range estimates might be net production and the high range estimates gross production. Fortunately, our own daily acts don’t have to have the benefits to ourselves subtracted out before they can benefit others.
Brother Echohawk: What would the Sergeant Instructor yell at Mormon recruits if he knew how short we fall of our promise?
Is a nickel worth your soul?
-Brother Gay
Doctrine is what is taught by the 15 brethren. It is frequent and plain.
-Elder Anderson
Not giving birth to children abuses them.
Easy divorce is an evil.
Children need married parents with united goals.
-Elder Oaks
Elder Christofferson: Manning Up sounds interesting.
The sexes are not in competition.
Society is negative on men, but negativity is no excuse for men.
Don’t waste your strength in porn or your life in cyberspace, ironically being of the world but not in it.*
[*Probably the bon mot of the conference.]
-Elder Christofferson
Satan is real and we’re prone to wander.
Genuine love is at the heart of conversion
-Brother Perkins. As with Brother Gay’s talk, this one made me think of the Screwtape Letters. The ‘prone to wander’ line is from “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”
Let our works perfect our faith.
-Elder Uchtdorf. Profound. I like the added implication, if my notes are accurate, that we can prevent our works perfecting our faith if we choose.
Eternal life is to live in unity in families.
-Brother Eyring.
People can change.
Men need to be needed.
-President Monson
Self pity was as debilitating as anger.
This life is not the end.
We aren’t healed until we have our bodies back.
-Brother Bowen
Men must serve [missions], women may.
-Elder Nelson
Avoid first-class devotion to secondary causes.
Repentance and commitment closely intertwine.
-Elder Cook
“I’ll let you stay at Rick’s College.”
[Quoting God's answer to a prayer whether he could take up a great job offer or should stay at Rick's College.]
The Lord’s delays can last a lifetime, but his delays bless and his promises are sure.
Service on your own terms isn’t.
-Eldery Eyring
“I need disciples forever.”
[Paraphrasing Jesus to Peter]
-Elder Holland
Technology lets us do the work of harvest with mighty combines.
-Elder Scott
Faith and reason are the two wings of flight.
-Brother Nash. I wonder if he’s read Novak.
Elder Bednar: This talk was most interesting because he recounted the parable of the ten virgins and treated the virgins as if they were real, explaining that they were guided by the Spirit to act in ways that would otherwise be inexplicable if it weren’t for the parabolic meaning. Am I sometimes living out a parable? That would explain much.
Do you see it? (more…)
Lehi had a revelatory dream, Nephi interpreted it by revelation, and their experience teaches us important truths about revelation. (more…)