Sunday, January 24, 2016

351: FOLLOWING WITH EXACTNESS.... GOD OR A MAN?



 

 
Are they mutually exclusive?
 
Joseph Smith seemed to think so.
 
In The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 237-238 it reads"
 
“President Joseph Smith read the 14th chapter of Ezekiel – said the Lord had declared by the Prophet [Ezekiel], that the people should each stand for himself, and depend on no man or men in that state of corruption of the Jewish Church – that righteous persons could only deliver their own souls – applied it to the present state [1842] of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – said if the people departed from the Lord, they must fall – that they were depending on the Prophet, hence were darkened in their minds, in consequence of neglecting the duties devolving upon themselves...”
 
 ...
 
While the following quote has been attributed to Joseph Smith,
the apostle Samuel Richards who was the editor at the time is probable source of the quote.
Millennial Star, Vol. 14, Num. 38, pp.593-595 

“We have heard men who hold the Priesthood remark, that they would do any thing they were told to do by those who presided over them, if they knew it was wrong: but such obedience as this is worse than folly to us; it is slavery in the extreme; and the man who would thus willingly degrade himself, should not claim a rank among intelligent beings, unless he turns from his folly.

“When the Elders of Israel will so far indulge in these extreme notions of obedience, as to teach them to the people, it is generally because they have it in their hearts to do wrong themselves, and wish to pave the way to accomplish that wrong; or else because they have done wrong, and wish to use the cloak of their authority to cover it.”
 

8 comments:

BARE RECORD OF TRUTH said...

Thank you to the anonymous commenter regarding the Millennial Star quote. It was accidently deleted. I have corrected the information in the post.

Rebecca said...

Are they mutually exclusive?

Joseph Smith didn't seem to think so.

Did you mean to say "Joseph Smith seemed to think so"?
Because if they aren't mutually exclusive it would be saying you can BOTH "follow the prophet with exactness" and "follow Jesus Christ" at the same time...

BARE RECORD OF TRUTH said...

Yes. Fixed. Thank you. :)

Anonymous said...

Why would they be mutually exclusive. Obviously you don't believe the prophet is God's mouth piece on earth. Yet you claim to sustain him and maintain that falsely acquired temple recommend. You take the sacrament weekly through an ordinance performed by those priest, who you believe, don't have authority. Or do they. I'm not sure what side of the fence your prophet is on, it changes so often. You are such a hypocrite.

It would be one thing if you offered some insight as to how things should be. Or discussed doctrine in some detail. All you do is bitch and complain. Yet you show up on Sunday like all is well. Does your wife and bishop know what you are doing? Your weak. Time to get off the rag.

Anonymous said...

you stick people in the back with your comments while offering kind platitudes to the other ignorant that follow your blog. like these comments, do you see some inconsistency in your behavior.

BARE RECORD OF TRUTH said...

Anonymous 6:52 and 6:56
I assume you are the same person.
Thanks for expressing your heartfelt and passionate feelings. All the best to you.

AndEva said...

I've tried following the Prophet, but they wont give me a "Modest Stipend".

Jared almond said...

Anonymous.
Sorry, when I read your comment I couldn't help but see the irony in your statement. You said all he does is "bitch and complain" but your comment is simply doing that... plus a little name calling towards him and even his readers. Do you see the irony in calling him a hypocrite?

You also criticize him for not offering insight or discussing doctrine yet you don't or haven't either.

I don't say this to dig at you but with the hope that you open yourself up to what really makes you take offense.

It is so interesting to me how we are so fast to be offended instead of analyzing why you are offended. That response normally reflects our own ignorance on the subject to which we take offense.

I have found it very rewarding to look for and identify my knee jerk reaction to defend a belief or be offended. It usually exposes an "unbelief". Unbelief is the primary cause of God's people "dwindling"--more accurately they "dwindled in unbelief BECAUSE of the traditions of their fathers (Helaman 15:15)"

Unbelief refers to an incorrect belief, very different from "not believing" We are blind to many of our own unbeliefs and the scriptures refer to that as a "veil of unbelief" A veil blinds us from seeing hence why it is very difficult to self identify. Couple scriptures referencing this veil.
"15 Behold, when ye shall REND THAT veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you..Ether 4:15"

and

"6 Now, this was what Ammon desired, for he knew that king Lamoni was under the power of God; he knew that the dark veil of unbelief was being CAST AWAY from his mind. Alma 19:6"

It stands out to me that this veil needs to be "cast away" or "rent".