The Blind Leading the Blind -- Some Perspective

[Guest]

I just read a passage out of a book talking about the psychology that we take for granted.  It wasn't my book, and I only read that one portion.  So, I don't have the title, sorry.

The section talked about an interesting phenomenon among people who were born blind who've had some type of surgery to give them sight.  The first things they see are in the hospital.  Many of them say they are confused by what they see.  The reality of sight is somewhat unsettling.  They realize that when there is something in front of something else, they can't see the object behind.  But as a blind person, they were always aware of the thing they touched a few minutes ago.  They also had a 360 degree awareness that sight does not provide.  In fact it tends to hinder it.  While sight still provided them other advantages, it was somewhat disappointing to notice such limitations.

Then when they go out into the hallway for the first time they see something they simply can't comprehend:  Perspective.  To a blind man, a hallway is a three dimensional object with parallel walls that go on to the end with square corners.  To a sighted man the hallway has walls that converge as you look toward the end.  That makes a newly sighted person somewhat skeptical and a little afraid of walking down the hallway believing there isn't enough room at the end.  How can that be?  That doesn't look parallel or square.  How can he possibly fit there?

When the Lord gave the analogy of the blind leading the blind, we normally think that it is simply philosophies of men vs. scriptures.  Given this information on blindness, I tend to think it is much more.  I also believe that this phenomenon may be a reason some people fall away from the gospel as they delve deeper and deeper into the plain and precious truths.  How can that be? We ask.  We know that things are square and parallel.  They don't converge.  That's the very definition of parallel.  Convergence and parallel are mutually exclusive.  You can't ask me to believe these walls are parallel. NO SIR.

Flatland anyone?

Do we ever have instances where we don't have the faith to go somewhere spiritually because we see walls converging and believe there isn't enough room for us?

Do some who have left the faith tout the advantages of blindness while dismissing the advantages of sight?  Just imagine if a blind man were to say,"I used to have 360 degree awareness.  Now, I've lost that.  I'm going to gouge out my eyes now."

Edited December 14, 2016 by Guest

[Vort]

Fascinating. Brilliant analogy.

[anatess2]

30 minutes ago, Vort said:

Fascinating. Brilliant analogy.

+1

[Traveler]

 

I do not think the concept of the blind leading the blind is very complex.  The idea is that when the “blind” lead the result is that everybody following ends up in a ditch – in essence off the symbolic path or way.   Again the symbolism in not intended to be inclusive to sight to the exclusion of everything else but rather someone that knows where they are coming from, where they are and the path that will take them where they are going.  Some blind people I know see such “things” much better than many that think they see perfectly but seem oblivious to where they came from or where they are going.

 

The Traveler

Edited December 14, 2016 by Traveler

[Anddenex]

The scripture mentioned (and its companion verse before) highlight two principles (I love the simplicity of these verses):

1) Leaders who have not been called by God will be ousted (rooted up as they are likened to plants)
2) Blind who lead the blind will fall into a ditch.

Flatland anyone? Are you able to elaborate as I am not seeing the connection.

Do we ever have instances where we don't have the faith to go somewhere spiritually because we see walls converging and believe there isn't enough room for us? Yes. I wonder if this scripture, speaking of our natural eyes, has some correlation with what you have expressed, "Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation." Our natural eyes do not allow us to see clearly. Our spiritual eyes is what keeps us from truly being blind, and I would venture people who are struggling are trying to hard to view God's gospel with natural eyes, rather than spiritual eyes that open the heavens.

Do some who have left the faith tout the advantages of blindness while dismissing the advantages of sight?  Just imagine if a blind man were to say,"I used to have 360 degree awareness.  Now, I've lost that.  I'm going to gouge out my eyes now."

There are a couple of thoughts that enter my heart and mind from this questions. The first is Joseph Smith's statement regarding section 76 of the Doctrine & Covenants, "“I could explain a hundred fold more than I ever have of the glories of the kingdoms manifested to me in the vision, were I permitted, and were the people prepared to receive them” (in History of the Church, 5:402)."

Now weave this verse with the previous statement, 2 Nephi 27: 5, "For behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed your eyes, and ye have rejected the prophets; and your rulers, and the seers hath he covered because of your iniquity." We often tout what we know, and yet Joseph Smith was not permitted to explain a hundred fold more to the saints because they were not ready (collectively), and might this be because of our "iniquity."

An intriguing concept also from those who have left is that they often tout our blindness (spiritual sight), and bolster their sight (natural eye blindness). So, in this sense, yes they tout their blindness while ridiculing the saints who remain (Great and Spacious building's finger of scorn). When I used to debate on Youtube, especially with members who have left the Church, they would often say how they can see more clearly now that they have left the faith because they have nothing holding back their logical and rational mind. As many have said, "Religion inhibits growth." This is why I love these words from Alma, "For because of the word which he has imparted unto me, behold, many have been born of God, and have tasted as I have tasted, and have seen eye to eye as I have seen; therefore they do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and the knowledge which I have is of God." (emphasis added)

To some degree all members of the Church are blind (desiring to see with natural eyes rather than spiritual eyes), or simply we are not willing to live what has been revealed hindering the possibility of receiving more knowledge (which Heavenly Father wants to give).

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, Anddenex said:

Flatland anyone? Are you able to elaborate as I am not seeing the connection.

I'm connecting them because (cue Obi-Wan) "Many of the truths that we cling to depend largely on our own point of view." 

This is true when considering how the blind perceive the world vs sighted people or how a 2D person would perceive the world vs a 3D person.  The way each of them perceive the world is correct.  But to try to explain perspective "convergence" to a blind man or a height to a Flatlander would simply be impossible.

[mordorbund]

10 hours ago, Carborendum said:

I just read a passage out of a book talking about the psychology that we take for granted.  It wasn't my book, and I only read that one portion.  So, I don't have the title, sorry.

The section talked about an interesting phenomenon among people who were born blind who've had some type of surgery to give them sight.  The first things they see are in the hospital.  Many of them say they are confused by what they see.  The reality of sight is somewhat unsettling.  They realize that when there is something in front of something else, they can't see the object behind.  But as a blind person, they were always aware of the thing they touched a few minutes ago.  They also had a 360 degree awareness that sight does not provide.  In fact it tends to hinder it.  While sight still provided them other advantages, it was somewhat disappointing to notice such limitations.

Then when they go out into the hallway for the first time they see something they simply can't comprehend:  Perspective.  To a blind man, a hallway is a three dimensional object with parallel walls that go on to the end with square corners.  To a sighted man the hallway has walls that converge as you look toward the end.  That makes a newly sighted person somewhat skeptical and a little afraid of walking down the hallway believing there isn't enough room at the end.  How can that be?  That doesn't look parallel or square.  How can he possibly fit there?

When the Lord gave the analogy of the blind leading the blind, we normally think that it is simply philosophies of men vs. scriptures.  Given this information on blindness, I tend to think it is much more.  I also believe that this phenomenon may be a reason some people fall away from the gospel as they delve deeper and deeper into the plain and precious truths.  How can that be? We ask.  We know that things are square and parallel.  They don't converge.  That's the very definition of parallel.  Convergence and parallel are mutually exclusive.  You can't ask me to believe these walls are parallel. NO SIR.

Flatland anyone?

Do we ever have instances where we don't have the faith to go somewhere spiritually because we see walls converging and believe there isn't enough room for us?

Do some who have left the faith tout the advantages of blindness while dismissing the advantages of sight?  Just imagine if a blind man were to say,"I used to have 360 degree awareness.  Now, I've lost that.  I'm going to gouge out my eyes now."

Heh. Last Sunday in Gospel Principles on the gift of the Holy Ghost. A member of the class shared the experience you did of the blind receiving sight for the first time and how disorienting it is. His application (given the lesson we had) was that experiences with the Spirit can at first be disorienting when we try to figure out how it fits in the world we're used to, but in time (through exercise and experience) it becomes commonplace to us and we can't think of life without it.

[Guest]

12 hours ago, mordorbund said:

Heh. Last Sunday in Gospel Principles on the gift of the Holy Ghost. A member of the class shared the experience you did of the blind receiving sight for the first time and how disorienting it is. His application (given the lesson we had) was that experiences with the Spirit can at first be disorienting when we try to figure out how it fits in the world we're used to, but in time (through exercise and experience) it becomes commonplace to us and we can't think of life without it.

Sounds like my 20/20 analogy.