My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.

[mikbone]

When reviewing Jesus Christ’s final week. I was amazed at how often Christ would make a statement and the apostles would totally mis-understand him. And, that Jesus would not correct their misassumptions. 

This is a pattern that occurs throughout the scriptures.  

Retrospectively, many of the best learned lessons are when we make a mistake, realize the harm caused and then go through the process of repentance and reconciliation.  

We are not intended to go through this life perfectly.  

Why would we expect our current Church leadership to act perfectly?

Is it OK for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to make mistakes?  

 

Do we have to understand the mind of God in order to follow him?

I sure hope not.

Edited December 10, 2024 by mikbone

[Ironhold]

12 hours ago, mikbone said:

When reviewing Jesus Christ’s final week. I was amazed at how often Christ would make a statement and the apostles would totally mis-understand him. And, that Jesus would not correct their misassumptions. 

In the aftermath of Columbine, one of the things the media latched onto was the revelation that the shooters were on a prescription medication that was *not* approved for use in minors due to instances of psychotic episodes. This medication, coupled with the "Doom" video game franchise and the film "The Basketball Diaries", soon became the official scapegoats for what took place so that society could go on ignoring the sheer number of red flags that should have been highly visible leading up to the incident. 

A month ago I was trying to explain this to someone who claimed to be a mental health professional, noting that this scapegoating by the media led to a segment of the population coming to distrust prescription psychiatric medications even 30 years on. She had just encountered a person who was distrustful to the point of paranoia, and wondered why the person felt that way.

She basically went nuclear with rage when I explained it to her because she somehow believed that I believed it as well. 

The previous encounter, coupled with her lack of understanding about the chain of events, caused her to fly off the handle. I had to explain things to her repeatedly for her to understand that my neutral tone of voice should have tipped her off, and even then there was never an apology. 

Rather, she was so fixed in place mentally that she couldn't step outside of herself and see the views of another, let alone comprehend why they might feel that way. 

This kind of rigid thinking is part of the problem, and likely part of why the apostles didn't catch on sooner.

[Traveler]

12 hours ago, mikbone said:

We are not intended to go through this life perfectly.  

Sorry dear friend but I must take umbrage with this concept.  Rather I would suggest that our fallen state in our mortal experience is perfectly designed to produce the perfect result for our individualized agency in order that we achieve for eternity the perfect fit for us.

Contrary to what seems – I am of the mind that nothing will happen that is not intended to happen.  All we need to understand (have faith in Christ) is that all things will turn out perfectly for our benefit.  Which is, I think, the intent of your post.

 

The Traveler