Time to Test My Knowledge

[Wingnut]

That's a scripture question but eh, I'll answer anyway. Most likely Habakkuk since he is not in the standard scriptures.

Wrong.  Habakkuk is in the Old Testament.  The correct answer to that question (I believe) would be Zephaniah.

 

Who was the only female to touch the plates ??

Oh, oh!  I know!!

 

Oh c'mon now. That's terminology/scripture related. lol

 

Uh... The only two things that come to mind are Kolob and celestial.

Okay, I'm confused.  You keep dodging questions by saying things like "that's scripture related."  What is the Gospel, if you exclude the Scriptures?

[The Folk Prophet]

We could try church history:

 

Which of the original LDS Apostles was temporarily excommunicated for insubordination due to a belief in his wife's claim that Joseph Smith had made improper advances towards her -- Joseph claiming in response that she was actually having an affair with another man?

[Awakened]

Here, perhaps I should give you guys some examples.

 

Why is Love such an important attribute of deity?

 

Why is Satan pushing against the family so hard?

 

How can having the priesthood benefit one versus just praying to God for help?

[Lakumi]

Here, perhaps I should give you guys some examples.

 

Why is Love such an important attribute of deity?

 

Why is Satan pushing against the family so hard?

 

How can having the priesthood benefit one versus just praying to God for help?

 

Those aren't knowledge things, those are more sharing of your beliefs, because for example-you and I have different ideas of why and such (and even if they agree with certain things-etc)

there's no opinion on who restored tithing, it's the person who did and nothing else.

[Awakened]

Those aren't knowledge things, those are more sharing of your beliefs, because for example-you and I have different ideas of why and such (and even if they agree with certain things-etc)

there's no opinion on who restored tithing, it's the person who did and nothing else.

Don't mean to single you or anyone else out but keep in mind, these questions are geared towards LDS and as such, LDS answers, so you may or may not agree with them.

[Wingnut]

Here, perhaps I should give you guys some examples.

 

Why is Love such an important attribute of deity?

 

Why is Satan pushing against the family so hard?

 

How can having the priesthood benefit one versus just praying to God for help?

 

Okay...these are all very subjective questions.  Therefore, it's inaccurate to use them to "test" you.  "Testing" you requires asking questions that have specific answers.  These are good discussion questions, though.

[Lakumi]

Don't mean to single you or anyone else out but keep in mind, these questions are geared towards LDS and as such, LDS answers, so you may or may not agree with them.

even LDS people may have different ideas and answers, people often come up with different ideas to the same end.

And it what does it matter if I agree with the question or not, it's you that is answering them. My opinion is pointless, my questions are only relivent right now.

My point was they weren't knowledge questions, but opinion questions.

[The Folk Prophet]

Okay, try this one on for size:

 

What is agency and why is it important to the plan of salvation?

[Awakened]

Okay, try this one on for size:

 

What is agency and why is it important to the plan of salvation?

Agency is the ability to choose for ourselves consequences. There are stringent rules that must be meant in order for agency to be in effect. I don't know if I can remember all of them but I'll do my best.

 

1. There must be at least two options.

 

2. The chooser must be aware of the consequences for each choice.

 

3. The consequences must, of course, exist for each choice and the consequences cannot be all the same.

 

Agency is important for the plan of salvation because it is necessary for our spiritual progression. In order to become gods ourselves, we must make choices for ourselves. It's like if you were in school and you were literally forced to study and get A's. There was absolutely no leeway. So when you actually did get those A's, would you feel any sense of satisfaction at all for getting them? Someone might as well have done school for you.

Okay...these are all very subjective questions. Therefore, it's inaccurate to use them to "test" you. "Testing" you requires asking questions that have specific answers. These are good discussion questions, though.

These do have specific answers. The gospel is so great BECUASE it provides one true answer for everything. Why would the Curch have to be restored if the gospel was subjective? Here's a great quote from Elder J. Kent Jolley.

Our own honest study of the gospel will show us how simple, pure, and universal its precepts are. James wrote, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17).

That does not sound like something that is subjective.

[The Folk Prophet]

Agency is the ability to choose for ourselves consequences. There are stringent rules that must be meant in order for agency to be in effect. I don't know if I can remember all of them but I'll do my best.

 

1. There must be at least two options.

 

2. The chooser must be aware of the consequences for each choice.

 

3. The consequences must, of course, exist for each choice and the consequences cannot be all the same.

 

Agency is important for the plan of salvation because it is necessary for our spiritual progression. In order to become gods ourselves, we must make choices for ourselves. It's like if you were in school and you were literally forced to study and get A's. There was absolutely no leeway. So when you actually did get those A's, would you feel any sense of satisfaction at all for getting them? Someone might as well have done school for you.

 

It sounds like you've read Greg Wright's book (or something similar). Mostly good ideas.

 

I always go with, agency is the right to choose between salvation and damnation.

[Awakened]

It sounds like you've read Greg Wright's book (or something similar). Mostly good ideas.

 

I always go with, agency is the right to choose between salvation and damnation.

Oh, you've read it too? Nice!

As to your second part, yes and no. Agency can be applied to more than just a choice between salvation and damnation even though salvation and damnation is obviously a very important choice.

[The Folk Prophet]

Agency can be applied to more than just a choice between salvation and damnation

 

Such as?

[Awakened]

Such as?

Choosing to eat a Big Mac even though you're on a diet.

[The Folk Prophet]

Choosing to eat a Big Mac even though you're on a diet.

 

We are clearly taught the purpose of our agency in the scriptures. For example 2 Nephi 2:27 and in other places. More specifically, the term commonly used by the leaders nowadays is "moral agency", which is very definitely specific to salvation or damnation. If the choice to eat a Big Mac is not a moral issue then it does not involve moral agency. If it does involved a moral choice, then it does play into the person's potential salvation and damnation.

 

I would contend that the usage of the word agency in the church (or, as sometimes used "free-agency") is exclusive to moral agency and has nothing to do with meaningless choices. I think that is clearly inherent in the myriad of teachings on agency.

 

Finally, and more importantly, agency may not be taken away from us. We only lose our agency by giving it up through wrong choices. The choice to eat a Big Mac or not can, actually, be taken away from us by other men through a variety of means. This, in and of itself, tells me that such a choice has nothing to do with agency.

 

Here's a great article on agency by Dallin H. Oaks. Note the first point under part II. Application.

[Awakened]

We are clearly taught the purpose of our agency in the scriptures. For example 2 Nephi 2:27 and in other places. More specifically, the term commonly used by the leaders nowadays is "moral agency", which is very definitely specific to salvation or damnation. If the choice to eat a Big Mac is not a moral issue then it does not involve moral agency. If it does involved a moral choice, then it does play into the person's potential salvation and damnation.

 

I would contend that the usage of the word agency in the church (or, as sometimes used "free-agency") is exclusive to moral agency and has nothing to do with meaningless choices. I think that is clearly inherent in the myriad of teachings on agency.

 

Finally, and more importantly, agency may not be taken away from us. We only lose our agency by giving it up through wrong choices. The choice to eat a Big Mac or not can, actually, be taken away from us by other men through a variety of means. This, in and of itself, tells me that such a choice has nothing to do with agency.

 

Here's a great article on agency by Dallin H. Oaks. Note the first point under part II. Application.

Well, you didn't say moral agency, you just said agency. But yeah.

 

Anyway. Does anyone have any more questions like that?

[Seminarysnoozer]

I do a lot reading on a whole lot of gospel topics. I'm just now wondering how much I really know.

 

That's where you all come in! ITT try to trip me up by asking me any gospel related questions you want. If I had to guess as to the outcome of this, I bet you guys will get me. A lot of you look more experienced than I am in these matters.

 

Thanks in advance for humoring me.

What value does the body give to a soul that finds herself in the Telestial Kingdom that could not be obtained by being a spirit without a physical body?   (I am not asking if a person has to obtain a body, we know that is true, but why and what value does it offer as part of the character of the soul that the spirit did not have by itself for the person who will not have the opportunity to procreate - i.e. Telestial being.)

[Awakened]

What value does the body give to a soul that finds herself in the Telestial Kingdom that could not be obtained by being a spirit without a physical body?   (I am not asking if a person has to obtain a body, we know that is true, but why and what value does it offer as part of the character of the soul that the spirit did not have by itself for the person who will not have the opportunity to procreate - i.e. Telestial being.)

That is a good question but one that I don't think we know the answer to exactly yet. There are a lot of other uses for the body besides just procreation. I think personally that a body infused with the spirit allows the spirit to change and grow much easier and much faster.

[pam]

Here, perhaps I should give you guys some examples.

 

 

 

Why is Satan pushing against the family so hard?

 

 

 

This particular question I don't find subjective.  We know exactly why Satan is pushing against the family so hard.

[The Folk Prophet]

This particular question I don't find subjective.  We know exactly why Satan is pushing against the family so hard.

 

It's not subjective. But it is not really a good question for testing the depth of someone's knowledge. It's pretty entry level. A great question for a new member. Per the OP, they have stated they are fairly well read and want to be tested in that. So we jumped directly to our best effort at difficult questions.

 

That being said, there are concepts within this question that are a bit more complicated that might work better to the original intent of the OP as I understand it: Why is the family the core unit of the gospel? Wherein can we only have fullness of joy through family? Etc.

[Seminarysnoozer]

That is a good question but one that I don't think we know the answer to exactly yet. There are a lot of other uses for the body besides just procreation. I think personally that a body infused with the spirit allows the spirit to change and grow much easier and much faster.

Great answer.  I personally think there is one other aspect of the body that is very important to the plan and that is the feature that we sometimes call "instinct".  How is it that a baby knows how to suckle on day number one or to cry?  There are certain things a body can do that can be hard-wired, so-to-speak.  If, when we are resurrected we are to receive an inheritance, this occurs simultaneously with receiving a glorified body pertaining to the Kingdom in which we are assigned.  There is one body for the Celestial Kingdom, one for the Terrestrial and various ones for the Telestial as one star differs from another.  Within each of those bodies can be a set of 'hard-wired' inheritances, knowledge that is received.  As it pertains to the Celestial body, this may be how one will become one with everything in the past, to inherit all that God has as if we were there and did it ourselves. The experience could be shared and inherited. I think there is a strong possibility for this being the reason for the body.  This life is to determine which of the three bodies we could handle.

[Traveler]

That is a good question but one that I don't think we know the answer to exactly yet. There are a lot of other uses for the body besides just procreation. I think personally that a body infused with the spirit allows the spirit to change and grow much easier and much faster.

We are told that in the resurrection that the body will be restored to a proper and perfect frame.  I am inclined to wonder if the primary difference between the Celestial and other kingdoms is actually something that our individual spirit brings with it to the resurrection.

 

It makes sense to me that there is symmetry to that which is spiritual and that which is physical and that because of the symmetry both are affected by each other.

[Seminarysnoozer]

We are told that in the resurrection that the body will be restored to a proper and perfect frame.  I am inclined to wonder if the primary difference between the Celestial and other kingdoms is actually something that our individual spirit brings with it to the resurrection.

 

It makes sense to me that there is symmetry to that which is spiritual and that which is physical and that because of the symmetry both are affected by each other.

If the body affects the spirit, specifically, what is it affecting that couldn't be achieved by the spirit alone, while in a Kingdom of glory (not while here in mortality)?