I was asked why my list of essential books included The Second Comforter: Conversing With the Lord Through the Veil, but omitted my other books. I responded:
If someone understands the message of The Second Comforter, they will be able to get for themselves everything else contained in all the other books. The Second Comforter is not about me, it is about the reader. You should apply that book to yourself, which will lead you inevitably back to the presence of the Lord. The Lord will then instruct you in all things needed to be prepared to be presented to the Father.
Beloved Enos is a description of the results of that audience. If you understand and apply The Second Comforter you will receive those results.
Come, Let Us Adore Him is my testimony of Christ. But my testimony is not as important as your own. It may help you to develop your own, but without your own testimony borrowing from another can never be the end of the journey.
I wouldn't write a book unless I believed it to be important and to contain truth coming from a higher source. Nevertheless, it is what you know, not what I as an author may know, that will save you. It is the salvation of others, not the attention of others, that concerns me. If I can help point them to the Lord, then I have some limited use. Beyond that, I have no purpose.
Since all that we hope to receive from the Lord flows from the discussion in The Second Comforter, it is that book which I believe to be most important.
In your recent post about being a "student of the Lord", you wrote:
ReplyDelete"Our obligation is to conform our opinions to the Lord's instruction. That requires us to be careful about how we listen, how hard our hearts are, how much we want to let in, and how loyal we choose to be to traditions."
In my 35 years of membership in the Church, I have noticed that a good many preach and teach doctrine based on the traditions of men, without consulting the scriptures to even validate what is being taught is even true. So, when someone like you or a Hugh Nibley or a Bruce Porter, or another who teach from scriptures comes along, a wall of resistance appears in the mindset of an audience...whether or not that audience is a Gospel Doctrine Class, Priesthood lesson, or even a casual discussion around a dinner table with family members...for me at least, frustration levels are high most of the time when my attempts to insert a higher level of Gospel truths into the discussion is thwarted. It seems like most members in my circle of (non) influence are content to remain in ignorance or to hold on to "traditions" that just are not true!!
I've read in your book, "The Second Comforter", the confronting statement on p.14: "You have no right to impose upon unprepared souls higher information than they are able to bear."
Your blog is confronting to many, and to others it is a source of welcomed words, thoughts and concepts that have been thought about but never expressed except in well chosen circles, and maybe even then, with a great deal of caution.
Any advice or counsel would be welcomed.
There are some "justified" ways to teach. Christ used the little children to teach them directly what their parents were not able to take in, except indirectly. His message was abbreviated to the parents. Then His tongue was loosed as He taught their children. The parents were able to "eavesdrop" and hear what was lawful for Him to give the innocent children, but not permitted to be given directly to them. So He did a 'workaround' that was in keeping with the limitations which are imposed on the most sacred things. That is the first principle. You cannot reveal to the unworthy; but you can minister to those who are prepared and others can eavesdrop who may then become able to take it in.
ReplyDeleteThe second principle is that you cannot force information upon someone. You can answer questions, when asked. But you cannot impose. If you notice, this blog is almost entirely composed of answers to questions others asked me. I respond. The questions are asked by those who are ready to hear an answer in almost every case. The forum, however, has a lot of others who are "eavesdropping" and may be benefited by the answer.
This pattern is taken from the Lord's own example. I did not invent it. I am following it. It is a pattern which will work, if followed.
You cannot reveal something to the unprepared and have them receive it. Cannot happen. When they are ready, it will open to their view. Until then, you can speak a truth, but they will not comprehend it. Worse still, if you do a poor job you may cause someone to reject a truth which will condemn them. So the pace must be controlled by the questioner. Without a question (or constraint by the Lord), I remain silent. With a question to answer, however, I am free to respond.
Look at Christ's ministry among both those at Jerusalem and in the Americas. You will find this pattern in both.
Can anyone post here?
ReplyDeleteYou often refer to false or incorrect tradions that you see members following. Can you give me a few specifics?