Good Gifts and Their Counterfeits

[JimmiGerman]

Let's try again - 

 

good gift: temple ordinances

counterfeit: (I have an idea but would like to hear yours)

 

good gift: priesthood 

counterfeit: (again, I have an idea but what do you think?)

 

Hmmm...

Edited November 13, 2014 by JimmiGerman

[JimmiGerman]

good gift: priesthood 

counterfeit: (again, I have an idea but what do you think?)

 

Maybe priesthood and false priesthood as its counterfeit...?

Edited November 13, 2014 by JimmiGerman

[The Folk Prophet]

Maybe priesthood and false priesthood as its counterfeit...?

 

Priesthood and witchcraft?

[Windseeker]

Priesthood and witchcraft?

 

In our day and age I would say Priesthood and Academic degrees. 

 

Robes of the Priesthood?

 

[Guest]

But Academic Degrees is not of Satan.

[paulsifer42]

Since when? I accept many, many things that I don't agree with in any regard.

 

Obama as President comes to mind, for one.

 

I think you're the one confusing things. Acceptance does not mean the embracing of.

 

The only difference between tolerance and acceptance is that tolerance, by definition, requires disagreement whereas acceptance does not. Tolerance is, literally, accepting something that you disagree with. With acceptance you may or may not agree. If you do not, it is tolerance.

 

In other words, acceptance is not always tolerance, but tolerance is always acceptance.

 

We should make a blog centering around our differing opinions of definitions.

[applepansy]

I was reading something recently that mentioned that for every good gift Heavenly Father has given us, Satan has a counterfeit.  I've known that but haven't really ever thought of them specifically.  I have a few ideas but wanted to hear yours.  For example - 

 

Good gift: natural foods, herbs, etc

Counterfeit: pharmaceuticals

 

Good gift: personal revelation

Counterfeit: psychics and horoscopes

I don't think all Pharmaceuticals are the counterfeit.  I do think that processed foods would be a better fit as the counterfeit to Natural foods, herbs, etc.

[prisonchaplain]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned the most obvious couple:

 

Good gift:     love

Counterfeit:  lust

[JimmiGerman]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned the most obvious couple:

 

Good gift:     love

Counterfeit:  lust

 

There I would agree.

[Windseeker]

But Academic Degrees is not of Satan.

 

Will there be Academic Degrees in the next life. Probably not. 

 

Pursing education is a good thing and should be considered a commandment. 

 

But certainly the world could care less about whether or not someone is a worthy Priesthood holder and puts everything on what degree someone has and from what college he has graduated. 

 

I don't think Academic Degrees are (in and of themselves) evil but I would say they are a more relevant counterfeit to the Priesthood authority then Sorcery nowdays...lol

 

I'm married to a PhD and work on software in the Education field btw. 

 

I'm a big Mike Rowe fan and feel he's spot on when it comes to Higher Education. It's becoming a racket with more kids spending years and years and a ton of money on a worthless piece of paper.

[Guest]

I'm a big Mike Rowe fan and feel he's spot on when it comes to Higher Education. It's becoming a racket with more kids spending years and years and a ton of money on a worthless piece of paper.

 

Sure, it seems like a racket if your purpose for attaining Higher Education is ONLY to find a job.

 

There's a reason my uncle, who is 76 years old and a very accomplished lawyer and politician, took online courses at Yale.

 

Yes, you do take your Academic Degree to eternity.  Knowledge is eternal.  Your brain doesn't all of a sudden forget what you learned when you die - at least that's what we believe.  And, if nothing else, those Academic Degrees teach you the Theory of Knowledge - something that strengthens your faith and find the answer when you don't know what you don't know.  Let me repeat that... when you DON'T know what you DON'T know.  So that, even if you don't know exactly what you don't know about, say, Joseph Smith's polyandry, you can still stand firm with what you do know to strengthen your faith in such a manner that when you do find out what you don't know later on, it will not shake you.

 

But, even Educational Institutions are subject to the law of Economics.  When a large portion of the population are jobless, the demand for college courses increases, hence, the cost rises.  America is simply starting to slip into the Philippine level of economy - where there are so many people vying for jobs that job recruiters require a Bachelor's Degree to work the cash registers and drive-thru windows at McDonald's.

Edited November 14, 2014 by anatess

[Windseeker]

Your assuming everything you "learn" in college is worth while, or even that it's "truth". It's not. 

 

 

“When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves” ~ 2 Ne. 9:28

 

“But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God” - 2 Ne. 9:29

 

Pursuit of education can be stumbling block for many and thus a counterfeit for for the Priesthood.

 

I don't see people in great numbers pursing sorcery or black magic.. all though... Harry Potter certainly has had a sway in my family...

 

mmmmhh....food for thought 

[Guest]

 

Your assuming everything you "learn" in college is worth while, or even that it's "truth". It's not. 

 

 

“When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves” ~ 2 Ne. 9:28

 

“But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God” - 2 Ne. 9:29

 

Pursuit of education can be stumbling block for many and thus a counterfeit for for the Priesthood.

 

I don't see people in great numbers pursing sorcery or black magic.. all though... Harry Potter certainly has had a sway in my family...

 

mmmmhh....food for thought 

 

 

Dunno what college you've been to... my college education is quite useful - yes, I got my Bachelor's from a Catholic University in the Philippines but I did get my Masters from UCF.

 

But this is like saying the Computer is Evil.  No, the computer is not evil... the person using the computer may be evil but the computer itself is not.  Same goes for education.  Education does not "make you" not hearken unto the counsels of God.  The person who does not hearken unto the counsels of God can use Education for ill in the same manner that a person who hearkens unto the counsels of God can use Education for good.  The more you know about the world around you, the more you understand the mysteries of God... of course, if you have no faith, then the more you know about the world around you, the more you can justify that there is no God.

Edited November 14, 2014 by anatess

[Windseeker]

ugh..I give up

 

Anatess, 

 

Satan is laughing while you defend his most sinister deeply hidden counterfeit. The only reason anyone pursues higher education is to thwart the Priesthood. Consider yourself warned 

[Guest]

ugh..I give up

 

Anatess, 

 

Satan is laughing while you defend his most sinister deeply hidden counterfeit. The only reason anyone pursues higher education is to thwart the Priesthood. Consider yourself warned 

 

Great.  You just called my entire family of 4 generations followers of Satan.

 

Good luck governing your mortal probationary period with illiterate or moderately literate people who can't be bothered to achieve the high education necessary to govern.  As a matter of fact - the easiest way to make blind followers of a religion who thinks the quickest way to heaven is to kill a gajiliion infidels is to keep them uneducated.

 

Count how many of the Apostles have a high education.  And lastly, from my favorite presidential hopeful of the day - God-fearing Pediatric Neurosurgeon Ben Carson who attained the highest level of education and used it to save the lives of a whole slew of children including a conjoined twin (the first ever procedure done in history)... listen to his words about the vital importance of reaching as high as you can go on education:

 

 

Because yeah... Pediatric Neurosurgeons are counterfeit Priests.

Edited November 14, 2014 by anatess

[Windseeker]

Because yeah... Pediatric Neurosurgeons are counterfeit Priests.

 

I knew it!

 

Welcome aboard Anatess together we will write the wrong of 4 generations! 

[The Folk Prophet]

Yes, you do take your Academic Degree to eternity.

 

Hahaha. Yeah...right.

[Silhouette]

Hahaha. Yeah...right.

Hmmm, I have always been taught the same thing, TheFolkProphet. That whatever knowledge we acquire here we will take with us into the next life. In fact, there is even a scripture somewhere that is directed at women....I cannot for the life of me remember where it is, but it is a very lengthy list of topics and things that a woman should be proficient in, including science, math, geology, economy, geography, sociology, and I can't remember what all else....but these things will be required for us to know at exaltation. For how can we create worlds without having some practical knowledge of the workings of science and weather, math, etc...sounds far fetched perhaps, but I heard this in a Relief Society lesson on the topic many years ago. I'll do some research and see if I can find the scripture. I remember thinking at the time that if this was the case, I would find myself up the creek without a paddle, because I've never been to college. And I think math is Of the Devil

[JimmiGerman]

ugh..I give up

 

Anatess, 

 

Satan is laughing while you defend his most sinister deeply hidden counterfeit. The only reason anyone pursues higher education is to thwart the Priesthood. Consider yourself warned 

 

   Yeah, and I can even hear Satan's awful laughter right now. Oooh, what a terrible laugh!  -freeze- And the Americans have never landet on the Moon, it was a big fraud, and we all know it, and the Russians might know it, and the King of Christendom in Rome knows it, or could it be done by witchcraft? And witchcraft is undoubtly known as a counterfeit of  priesthood, as mentioned before in this thread, like education is only a worthless counterfeit of knowledge, right?

Edited November 15, 2014 by JimmiGerman

[JimmiGerman]

(...)

For how can we create worlds without having some practical knowledge of the workings of science and weather, math, etc...sounds far fetched perhaps, but I heard this in a Relief Society lesson on the topic many years ago. I'll do some research and see if I can find the scripture. I remember thinking at the time that if this was the case, I would find myself up the creek without a paddle, because I've never been to college. And I think math is Of the Devil

Pretty much everything that was listed, I am sorely lacking in.

 

I agree, math is definitely of the devil. This shows you are not lacking of knowledge! And as long as the sun will be circulating around  Earth, a 50 percent of a hundred is still 50, and a 10 percent of 50 is 10.

Edited November 15, 2014 by JimmiGerman

[Windseeker]

I love education and it's definitely something we take with us.

 

We don't take our degrees though...

 

If anything this discussion has only furthered my case that academic letters and honors in today's society is a counterfeit for Priesthood authority. 

 

Interesting that Priesthood authority is solely based on worthiness. Imaging a pure, good person becoming a Catholic Priest or a Priest in any Christian religion without a college degree. Probably not likely. 

 

While I believe degrees are a good indication of effort, I wouldn't put all my trust in them when it comes to knowledge. I worked for the largest software company on the planet for 8 years and we hired a PhD in computer science. He was worthless...I can't emphasize that enough...totally worthless at his job. It was embarrassing actually. We hired people with a couple of quarters of community college and they shined. We even hired a guy currently working for Pizza Hut and he was brilliant and became one of our top troubleshooters. 

[Guest]

I love education and it's definitely something we take with us.

 

We don't take our degrees though...

 

 

This here is where we have a problem.  Because to you, you get a degree to get a piece of paper.

 

This is best exemplified by the parent in the IB Program Orientation who asked the IB alumni towards the end of the presentation... (paraphrased), "I don't see how the IB Diploma in addition to the High School Diploma is worth all that extra work... just to maybe get extra college credits, or a 1% higher chance to get into Harvard... "

 

You enroll in the IB Program to learn and experience what they teach in the IB Program.

 

You get an Academic Degree to learn and experience what they teach in the Academic Degree of your choice.  Of course, if you go to a crappy college, all they'll teach you is how to pass a test to get that piece of paper you wanted.

 

There's this movie, Good Will Hunting, which you probably haven't seen because it has as many F-words in it as there are verbs... anyway... this kid - boy genius.  Reads a lot.  Haven't stepped in college except to work as a janitor... anyway, he tells Robin Williams - a psychologist - about all these things he knows trying to impress him... and Robin Williams puts him in his place and tells him - you think you know everything because you read all these books... You don't know anything... or something to that effect.

 

Anyway... I don't know why I'm defending education to you.  It is pretty clear that Filipinos, generally, have a more favorable view of higher education than Americans... most of the stuff you hear about American colleges are the drinking parties and the football team...

Edited November 17, 2014 by anatess

[Windseeker]

Anyway... I don't know why I'm defending education to you.  It is pretty clear that Filipinos, generally, have a more favorable view of higher education than Americans... most of the stuff you hear about American colleges are the drinking parties and the football team...

 

You're not defending education, your defending Academia. There is a huge difference. I'd recommend you watch the documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.

 

I  apologize for being sarcastic. 

 

Education is certainly what this life is all about. Working toward a degree is one way to attain it. Even pursuing it for the paper is not wrong in this this life as long as you keep it in perspective. My wife with all her intelligence and academic success has only become more humble in many respects. The whole, the more you learn the more you know what you don't know kind of thing. 

[Guest]

You're not defending education, your defending Academia. There is a huge difference. I'd recommend you watch the documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.

 

I  apologize for being sarcastic. 

 

Education is certainly what this life is all about. Working toward a degree is one way to attain it. Even pursuing it for the paper is not wrong in this this life as long as you keep it in perspective. My wife with all her intelligence and academic success has only become more humble in many respects. The whole, the more you learn the more you know what you don't know kind of thing. 

 

 

I am defending Academia.  Because, that's where the higher learning is.  I haven't seen that documentary but yours and TFP's positions are not new to me.  In America maybe... well, I can't even say that because I have spent 3 years in American graduate university and have not seen the "liberal brainwashing" or mindless "Climate Change enthusiasts" or "Science can only be taught by atheists" of the lot in all of my 3 years.  But, yes, I spent my undergrad in a Catholic University.

 

But, you don't get to become a lawyer without the benefit of Academia, you don't get to become a doctor without the benefit of Academia, you don't get to become an engineer, or a Catholic Priest even, without the benefit of Academia.  And majority of our prophets are graduates of Academia...  And so, to generalize Academia worldwide as a priesthood counterfeit is the exact same thing as generalizing synthetic medicine as counterfeits.

 

So, for all its tar from... last I heard it came from Rush Limbaugh and that guy from Georgia who retired and got replaced by Herman Cain... Academia... just like elementary/middle/and high school, really, is what you make of it.

Edited November 17, 2014 by anatess

[The Folk Prophet]

Hmmm, I have always been taught the same thing, TheFolkProphet. That whatever knowledge we acquire here we will take with us into the next life. In fact, there is even a scripture somewhere that is directed at women....I cannot for the life of me remember where it is, but it is a very lengthy list of topics and things that a woman should be proficient in, including science, math, geology, economy, geography, sociology, and I can't remember what all else....but these things will be required for us to know at exaltation. For how can we create worlds without having some practical knowledge of the workings of science and weather, math, etc...sounds far fetched perhaps, but I heard this in a Relief Society lesson on the topic many years ago. I'll do some research and see if I can find the scripture. I remember thinking at the time that if this was the case, I would find myself up the creek without a paddle, because I've never been to college. And I think math is Of the Devil

Pretty much everything that was listed, I am sorely lacking in.

 

A degree is not knowledge. A degree is status.