What Is Doctrine?

[guitarwizard]

I received this question from a friend last night as "one to sleep on."

I quickly answered "Well, all the scriptures of course. And all the words of the prop…well i guess everything the apos…well, what 70s sa…" and then i realized, that is a tough one.

What is doctrine?

So, i turned back and said "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" To which he replied "So just revelations that say 'Thus Saith the Lord?'"

So that is my question to you. What is doctrine. What can we count on as solid, 100% facts?

Of course, my friend was playing the devil's advocate in this, just trying to make me think. He did.

Edited August 13, 2008 by guitarwizard

[MorningStar]

I think anything that's a part of our canon is doctrine.

[HiJolly]

Read this whole article: Approaching Mormon Doctrine - LDS Newsroom

That's the real deal. But just to muddy the waters, let me ask this: What do you think Nephi would answer, when he knew things that were not utterable, he thought of writing things that he was not permitted to write? Uh!

There are truths that cannot be spoken or written. Are THEY doctrine?

HiJolly

[Traveler]

True doctrine is not so much that is being taught as it is that which is understood in a true light. Regardless of the source nothing can become doctrine until it changes how the hearer lives and behaves. This is why Jesus said, “he that has eyes will see and he that has ears will hear.”

The test of life is not in the ability to stumble across truth as it is to be able to intelligently utilize whatever truth we encounter to become more like G-d. To me intelligence is the ability to learn and change behavior based on what has been learned.

The Traveler