On Mon, 30 Sep 2002 00:23:18 -0400 "David Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
writes:
> Blainer wrote:
> > I choose to follow the possibility that the BoM was inspired,
> > that it is exactly as it is said to be--a book translated from
> > ancient records by inspired means. I have prayed more than
> > once, as is indicated we may do in Moroni 10:4:
> >
> > "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that
> you
> > would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these
> things
> > are not true. And if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, WITH REAL
> > INTENT, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it
> unto you
> > by the power of the Holy Ghost."
> >
> > I have received an answer of peace that it is all true. I was
> imbued
> > with a fiery testimony it was true, and immediately wanted to go
> out and
> > share that testimony. I felt as if I had a fire in my bones, and
> could
> > not restrain myself from telling those whom the Holy Ghost
> indicated what
> > I knew to be true. These were the words I recently spoke to a
> friend
> > while under this influence: "I am sure the Book of Mormon was
> written
> > for our day, and that it is from God, who in his mercy saw fit to
> give it
> > to us."
> >
> > I assure you it is everythig it says it is.
>
> I mean no offense, but this sounds like demonic activity to me.
> Spiritual,
> yes, but not from God. I have seen this attitude in other Mormons
> too, and
> they close their ears to all knowledge and instead go with the
> feeling of
> fire they have in their belly.
Blainer) The "fire" in one's bones is ultimately a SUBJECTIVE
experience, one which can only be experienced subjectively. To label it
as being demonic is seeking to OBJECTIFY it, which you cannot really do
One can try to repeat the experience subjectively, but spiritual
experiences always end up being basically subjective--and different--for
each individual. Objectifying them is "put'near" impossible, I'd say, so
I have to reject your OPINION that my experience was demonic, since I
know within myself it was no such thing. Nice try, though. (:>)
> The Scriptures place an emphasis on knowledge and on the past
> Scriptures.
Blainer) Just as law places an emphasis on legal precedent, so the
scriptures do place an emphasis on what has been previously written. I
can see this point as being true.
> It exhorts us to study to show ourselves approved, and it clearly
> places
> Scripture and the knowledge conveyed by it as a higher authority
> than any
> feelings a person might have, or even above what voices or visions
> they
> might experience.
Blainer) I respectfully disagree ( I am picking up DavidH's niceties, I
believe (:>). I see the emphasis clearly on the spiritual--the emphasis
in the scriptures is on faith and being able to see with spiritual eyes,
not natural. Study is part of this, so I agree with that. But the
crux of my point is best illustrated by the incident wherein Jesus told
Thomas he was BLESSED for having believed after having physical evidence
shown him (Jesus' wounds in his hands, feet and side), but would have
been even MORE BLESSED if he had believed WITHOUT SEEING THE EVIDENCE.
Natural understanding is good, but is not always the ultimate in seeking
the truth. As the scripture says, "the natural man is an enemy to God."
When Adam fell, that men might be, MAN became carnal and devilish BY
NATURE. We all have that nature to contend with as long as we are
mortal. To see with our spiritual side, THEREFORE, we see more
clearly. As we strive to do that, sometimes we succeed and sometimes we
fail. But in the process, we ALWAYS learn to tell the difference. I
witness to you I know the difference between revelation from God and
revelation from other sources, and that my experience was of God, not
otherwise.
Any teaching that exhorts believers to go with
> their
> personal experience of revelation over the knowledge of Scripture is
> clearly
> false.
Blainer) I do not agree with this, as I indicated above.
>
> Peace be with you.
> David Miller.
>
> ----------
> "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you
> may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6)
> http://www.InnGlory.org
>
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----------
"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you
ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org
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