Would we have shunned Christ?
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
365: SUBSTITUTE FOR MODERN-DAY REVELATION?
The above book written by Lewis Carroll must be an important book to read since our Prophet quoted from it instead of any scripture in the last General Conference.
President Monson spoke for a total of 4 minutes during the four General Sessions of Conference. (not including the Priesthood Session). Below is his formal message to the members of the Church and to the world in general. No longer do we really quote scriptures especially from past prophets who actually saw our day and had warnings for us including Isaiah, Jeremiah, Mormoni, even Joseph Smith.. but now prefer to quote from fictional children book authors or current church leaders. The highlighted portion which is one third of his talk is about Alice in Wonderland.
Here is the entirely of his talk:
- Now, brothers and sisters, I wish to express my gratitude for the opportunity to share a few thoughts with you this morning. I have been thinking recently about choices. It has been said that the door of history turns on small hinges, and so do people’s lives. The choices we make determine our destiny.When we left our premortal existence and entered mortality, we brought with us the gift of agency. Our goal is to obtain celestial glory, and the choices we make will, in large part, determine whether or not we reach our goal. Most of you are familiar with Alice in Lewis Carroll’s classic novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. You will remember that she comes to a crossroads with two paths before her, each stretching onward but in opposite directions. As she contemplates which way to turn, she is confronted by the Cheshire Cat, of whom Alice asks, “Which path shall I follow?”The cat answers, “That depends where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter which path you take.” Unlike Alice, we know where we want to go, and it does matter which way we go, for the path we follow in this life leads to our destination in the next life. May we choose to build up within ourselves a great and powerful faith which will be our most effective defense against the designs of the adversary—a real faith, the kind of faith which will sustain us and will bolster our desire to choose the right. Without such faith, we go nowhere. With it, we can accomplish our goals. Although it is imperative that we choose wisely, there are times when we will make foolish choices. The gift of repentance, provided by our Savior, enables us to correct our course settings, that we might return to the path which will lead us to that celestial glory we seek. May we maintain the courage to defy the consensus. May we ever choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong. As we contemplate the decisions we make in our lives each day—whether to make this choice or that choice—if we choose Christ, we will have made the correct choice. That this may ever be so is my heartfelt and humble prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, amen.
Now, don't get me wrong, I think the message is interesting. Yes, it is even wise because if you don't know where we want to go, than it doesn't matter which path you follow. I often wonder what path we are headed down collectively as a Church. But that is a different blogpost altogether.
But what I wanted to point out that I found it interesting is that this message is not new from President Monson. He has actually used almost the same words in seven previous conference talks. Here is the rundown of past conference talks he quotes Lewis Carroll. It is almost as if it was a copy and paste from talk to talk.
April 1995:
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1995/04/a-time-to-choose?lang=eng
In Lewis Carroll’s delightful classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Alice finds herself coming to a crossroads with two paths before her, each stretching onward but in opposite directions. She is confronted by the Cheshire cat, of whom Alice asks, “Which path should I take?”
The cat answers, “That depends where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t really matter which path you take.”
Unlike Alice, each of you knows where you want to go. It does matter which way we go, for the path we follow in this life surely leads to the path we shall follow in the next. Choose carefully.
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https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1995/10/who-honors-god-god-honors?lang=eng
As Lewis Carroll tells us, Alice was following a path through a forest in Wonderland when it divided into two directions. Standing irresolute, she inquired of the Cheshire Cat, which had suddenly appeared in a nearby tree, which path she should take. “Where do you want to go?” asked the cat.
“I don’t know,” said Alice.
“Then,” said the cat, “it really doesn’t matter, does it?”
...........................................................................................................................................................April 1999:
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1999/04/your-celestial-journey?lang=eng
As Lewis Carroll tells us in his well-known Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Alice was following a path through a forest in Wonderland when it divided in two directions. Standing irresolute, she inquired of the Cheshire cat, which had suddenly appeared in a nearby tree, which path she should take. “Where do you want to go?” asked the cat.
“I don’t know,” said Alice.
“Then,” said the cat, “it really doesn’t matter, does it?”
We know where we want to go. Do we have the resolution—even the faith—to get there?
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April 2002:
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2002/04/pathways-to-perfection?lang=eng
In Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Alice finds herself coming to a crossroads with two paths before her, each stretching onward but in opposite directions. She is confronted by the Cheshire Cat, of whom she asks, “Which path shall I take?”
The cat answers: “That depends where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t really matter which path you take!”
Unlike Alice, each of you knows where you want to go. It does matter which way you go, for the path you follow in this life leads to the path you will follow in the next.
...........................................................................................................................................................
October 2004:
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2004/10/choose-you-this-day?lang=eng
Let us not find ourselves as indecisive as is Alice in Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. You will remember that she comes to a crossroads with two paths before her, each stretching onward but in opposite directions. She is confronted by the Cheshire cat, of whom Alice asks, “Which path shall I follow?”
The cat answers: “That depends where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter which path you take.”
Unlike Alice, we all know where we want to go, and it does matter which way we go, for the path we follow in this life surely leads to the path we will follow in the next.
...........................................................................................................................................................
October 2010:
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/the-three-rs-of-choice?lang=eng
Let us not find ourselves as indecisive as is Alice in Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. You will remember that she comes to a crossroads with two paths before her, each stretching onward but in opposite directions. She is confronted by the Cheshire cat, of whom Alice asks, “Which path shall I follow?”
The cat answers, “That depends where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter which path you take.”
Unlike Alice, we all know where we want to go, and it does matter which way we go, for by choosing our path, we choose our destination.
...........................................................................................................................................................
April 2016:
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/choices?lang=eng
Most of you are familiar with Alice in Lewis Carroll’s classic novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. You will remember that she comes to a crossroads with two paths before her, each stretching onward but in opposite directions. As she contemplates which way to turn, she is confronted by the Cheshire Cat, of whom Alice asks, “Which path shall I follow?”
The cat answers, “That depends where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter which path you take.”
Unlike Alice, we know where we want to go, and it does matter which way we go, for the path we follow in this life leads to our destination in the next life.
...........................................................................................................................................................
That is over 7 Conference talks...
Here is a quote from the previous President of the Church Gordon B Hinckley from the following statement:
“How wonderful it is that we believe in modern revelation. I cannot get over the feeling that if revelation were needed anciently, when life was simple, that revelation is also needed today, when life is complex. There never was a time in the history of the earth when men needed revelation more than they need it now.” (President Gordon B Hinkley May 29, 2004)
What a great statement. I completely agree..
"There never was a time in the history of the earth
when men needed revelation more than they need it now.”
and is this what is considered "continuous revelation"?
or maybe it is just that... a continuous repeat of the same story.