lizzy12 Posted October 24, 2010 Report Share Posted October 24, 2010 I'm confused about The Tower of Babel and confounding the languages. If i'm getting this...God confounded the langauges and scattered the people....so is this the 12 tribes? And, what benefit did this scattering have on the people? Was it because of the scattering that we reached the promise land? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dravin Posted October 24, 2010 Report Share Posted October 24, 2010 (edited) If i'm getting this...God confounded the langauges and scattered the people....so is this the 12 tribes?No. The Twelve Tribes are the decedents of Jacob/Israel. And, what benefit did this scattering have on the people?It wasn't a benefit. It was a punishment for building the Tower of Babel.Was it because of the scattering that we reached the promise land?I suppose one could say one of the results of the scattering was the Jaredites ended up in the Americas. Is that what you are talking about? Edited October 24, 2010 by Dravin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizzy12 Posted October 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2010 well..i'm doubling my seminary so I can graduate High school and seminary early and in the book it asks "What benefit was the scattering and corruption of language to the people?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dravin Posted October 24, 2010 Report Share Posted October 24, 2010 (edited) well..i'm doubling my seminary so I can graduate High school and seminary early and in the book it asks"What benefit was the scattering and corruption of language to the people?"Curious question. I suppose being chastised ultimately has the benefit of being a call to repentance. I suppose if they weren't scattered and confounded they may have continued living in the society that decided the Tower of Babel was a good idea. Still not sure I'd be inclined to call it a benefit though.Or it may be referring to the Jaredites as previously mentioned. Edited October 24, 2010 by Dravin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizzy12 Posted October 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2010 thanks Dravin`! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beefche Posted October 24, 2010 Report Share Posted October 24, 2010 Curious question. I suppose being chastised ultimately has the benefit of being a call to repentance. I suppose if they weren't scattered and confounded they may have continued living in the society that decided the Tower of Babel was a good idea. Still not sure I'd be inclined to call it a benefit though.Or it may be referring to the Jaredites as previously mentioned.Why not it's a blessing because it provides opportunities for growth? Just like we view the events of the Garden of Eden as a blessing, why can't we view this as one as well? Scattering the people and confounding the language allowed for miracles, gifts, and blessings. Think of the gift of language--that wouldn't be possible if there weren't other languages. Granted, it wouldn't be necessary if the language hadn't been confounded--but, then would we have the Book of Mormon? Remember all things are for our good and experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dravin Posted October 24, 2010 Report Share Posted October 24, 2010 (edited) Why not it's a blessing because it provides opportunities for growth? Just like we view the events of the Garden of Eden as a blessing, why can't we view this as one as well? One can of course always silver cloud hunt if one wants. Getting cancer can lead to greater reliance on the Lord as one is faced by and humbled by the prospect of one's death. I'm not about to declare the benefits of cancer though.Scattering the people and confounding the language allowed for miracles, gifts, and blessings.Such things aren't possible in a linguistically monolithic society?Think of the gift of language--that wouldn't be possible if there weren't other languages.True, and if there wasn't sickness we wouldn't have the gift of healing. Still not gonna call cancer a blessing. Not from my outlook.Remember all things are for our good and experience.Maybe in the macro. I'm not in a rush to call every calamity a benefit. I have ancestors who died at Haun's Mill. I'm thinking they would have been quite happy to have done without the blessing of being murdered. Edited October 24, 2010 by Dravin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beefche Posted October 24, 2010 Report Share Posted October 24, 2010 So, Dravin, are you saying the Lord when talking to Joseph and describing all his trials and then declaring that all these things will be for his experience and good is merely silver lining the cloud? Of course, we don't WISH for bad things to happen. But they do. The prophets tried to prevent the people from building the tower and even tried to call them to repentance from the primary desire of that action, but they chose differently. I believe that the Lord can use tragic circumstances for our benefit. The only thing in our control is our choice. Sometimes the only choice we have is our attitude. Viktor Frankl wrote a book about his choice to be happy while in Auschwitz. Talk about a calamity or tragedy or how about a living hell? I'm sure if he could have a real choice, he would have chosen to not experience that. But, unfortunately, that choice was taken from him. So, he chose to find a better way. My point is that there are benefits to tragedy or illnesses or other calamities. That doesn't negate that we should try to avoid those things. Seek good health--do what you can to avoid cancer. But, if that happens, then I don't think the Lord expects us to walk around with our head hanging down, crying out "Woe is me!" He expects us to use these experiences for our good and the good of others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizzy12 Posted October 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2010 hahah Dravin! I love when you do those little responses :) I also noted culture as an eventual outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dravin Posted October 24, 2010 Report Share Posted October 24, 2010 So, Dravin, are you saying the Lord when talking to Joseph and describing all his trials and then declaring that all these things will be for his experience and good is merely silver lining the cloud?Things _will_ ultimately be for our benefit, I even conceded such.. That is the silver cloud to our calamities. That being a starving child may ultimately be a chance to develop humility or allow others to serve or simply allow others to exercise agency doesn't change that I'm not inclined to think of being a starving child as having benefits. It may be short sighted and not ultimately true but it is what it is.Of course, we don't WISH for bad things to happen. But they do. The prophets tried to prevent the people from building the tower and even tried to call them to repentance from the primary desire of that action, but they chose differently. I believe that the Lord can use tragic circumstances for our benefit.Of course he can. I even stated that chastising is ultimately a call to repentance and has that good old silver lining. Still not inclined to talk about the benefits of having your language confounded or any other number of struggles that happen. That doesn't mean that there isn't a silver lining. I'm just not inclined to think about talking of the benefits of cancer.My point is that there are benefits to tragedy or illnesses or other calamities. That doesn't negate that we should try to avoid those things. Seek good health--do what you can to avoid cancer. But, if that happens, then I don't think the Lord expects us to walk around with our head hanging down, crying out "Woe is me!" He expects us to use these experiences for our good and the good of others.I don't think he does either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intrigued Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 (edited) It's just a primitive story and it didn't really happen (or an allegory?). Meant to inspire faith or explain away a previously unexplainable phenomena. Learn from the lesson it teaches.. it's much like that of Icarus, who ignored instructions and flew to high and the sun melted his wings made from wax. Edited October 26, 2010 by Intrigued Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackmarch Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 well..i'm doubling my seminary so I can graduate High school and seminary early and in the book it asks"What benefit was the scattering and corruption of language to the people?"It prevented a people from going further into a sin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.