Comments on: What Good is Prophecy? http://www.nine-moons.com/?p=672 Tue, 23 Apr 2013 04:57:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Gunner http://www.nine-moons.com/?p=672&cpage=1#comment-25100 Gunner Fri, 05 Oct 2007 22:42:08 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2007/10/04/what-good-is-prophecy/#comment-25100 Mystery is a word that we use negatively, usually for things that don't matter and are presently beyond our ken. Such mysteries we are counseled to avoid. In contrast, "the mysteries of godliness" are, we know from modern scholarship, the ordinances of godliness. "O, I beseech you," says Joseph Smith, "go forward and search deeper and deeper into the mysteries of godliness." It is a commandment. Where are we to search? In the house of God. Why there? Because the temple is dedicated to that purpose, because there we make covenants to be true to what we understand, not just learning out of curiosity but absorbing into our souls what we most need to understand. And there we covenant to keep these sacred things sacred. Joseph Smith wrote from Liberty Jail, "The things of God are of deep import and time and experience and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find them out. Thy mind O man if thou wilt lead a soul into salvation must search into and contemplate the darkest abyss and the broad expanse of eternity, thou must commune with God." This previous quote comes from a Truman G. Madsen talk "The Temple and the Atonement" The ordinances, including temple ordinances, are the mysteries of godliness and their deepest symbolic meanings. Otherwise I can't help but quote D&C 130 18 "Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. 19 And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come." So yeah the basics will get us through (saved) but so will a mark of 50% on a test, but I'd still rather have a mark of 100%. The one with 100% is more prepared to apply the knowledge where the other may have to brush up. No one will reach 100% in life but we can try our best, and then D&C 130 will apply. "Enduring to the end" is far too broad a subject for clear interpretation. To me it means everything we can do past the basics, which puts into question if the basics really are sufficient enough, which I believe is the question in the original post, to which I feel may be almost impossible to answer. So what good is prophecy? I think it lies in the broad description of enduring to the end. Mystery is a word that we use negatively, usually for things that don’t matter and are presently beyond our ken. Such mysteries we are counseled to avoid. In contrast, “the mysteries of godliness” are, we know from modern scholarship, the ordinances of godliness. “O, I beseech you,” says Joseph Smith, “go forward and search deeper and deeper into the mysteries of godliness.” It is a commandment. Where are we to search? In the house of God. Why there? Because the temple is dedicated to that purpose, because there we make covenants to be true to what we understand, not just learning out of curiosity but absorbing into our souls what we most need to understand. And there we covenant to keep these sacred things sacred.
Joseph Smith wrote from Liberty Jail, “The things of God are of deep import and time and experience and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find them out. Thy mind O man if thou wilt lead a soul into salvation must search into and contemplate the darkest abyss and the broad expanse of eternity, thou must commune with God.”

This previous quote comes from a Truman G. Madsen talk “The Temple and the Atonement”

The ordinances, including temple ordinances, are the mysteries of godliness and their deepest symbolic meanings.

Otherwise I can’t help but quote D&C 130
18 “Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.
19 And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.”

So yeah the basics will get us through (saved) but so will a mark of 50% on a test, but I’d still rather have a mark of 100%. The one with 100% is more prepared to apply the knowledge where the other may have to brush up. No one will reach 100% in life but we can try our best, and then D&C 130 will apply.

“Enduring to the end” is far too broad a subject for clear interpretation. To me it means everything we can do past the basics, which puts into question if the basics really are sufficient enough, which I believe is the question in the original post, to which I feel may be almost impossible to answer. So what good is prophecy? I think it lies in the broad description of enduring to the end.

]]> By: Mark Hansen http://www.nine-moons.com/?p=672&cpage=1#comment-25060 Mark Hansen Fri, 05 Oct 2007 13:01:01 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2007/10/04/what-good-is-prophecy/#comment-25060 I think the basic four (Faith, repentance, baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost) ARE the "Mysteries of Godliness". If we truly understood them, we would be Gods. Hmmmm... Maybe I'll blog about that... MRKH I think the basic four (Faith, repentance, baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost) ARE the “Mysteries of Godliness”. If we truly understood them, we would be Gods.

Hmmmm… Maybe I’ll blog about that…

MRKH

]]> By: Cheryl http://www.nine-moons.com/?p=672&cpage=1#comment-25004 Cheryl Thu, 04 Oct 2007 20:17:49 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2007/10/04/what-good-is-prophecy/#comment-25004 <blockquote>I think finding those truths in prophecy, studying and getting those “ah ha” experiences builds faith. But on the other hand they’re not necessary. They won’t save me.</blockquote> To some, perhaps those "ah-ha" moments <em>are</em> necessary for their faith. I honestly don't think there is such as thing as "fluff" in the Gospel. Not everything makes sense, sure, but that doesn't mean it's not necessary.

I think finding those truths in prophecy, studying and getting those “ah ha” experiences builds faith. But on the other hand they’re not necessary. They won’t save me.

To some, perhaps those “ah-ha” moments are necessary for their faith. I honestly don’t think there is such as thing as “fluff” in the Gospel. Not everything makes sense, sure, but that doesn’t mean it’s not necessary.

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