tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31320843.post2443309290678341168..comments2023-07-06T02:44:56.798-07:00Comments on Joel's Monastery: OT #2: "Thou Wast Chosen Before Thou Wast Born"rameumptomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16109035792711248691noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31320843.post-22343134082303550902014-01-07T14:24:11.371-08:002014-01-07T14:24:11.371-08:00Loving Brother,
They are similar stories in many w...Loving Brother,<br />They are similar stories in many ways. But they are also different. Consider the two main stories of Christ's birth in the New Testament: Luke discusses shepherd and angels and mangers, while Matthew talks of wise men, a star, and a house. Scholars seek to understand a story, sometimes by seeing not only the similarities, but also the differences; and then try to understand the differences.<br />There are some key differences between the two pre-mortal existence stories that we get from Moses and Abraham. My blog tries to look at some of those differences. Your explanation includes a lot of suppositions that are not apparent in either story.<br />The reason for my blogging, is so we might see deeper into the scriptures, and not do a quick cursory reading, make some assumptions, and use those assumptions as our doctrine. Such has troubled the Church in the past, when even GAs have turned guess work into doctrine (curse of Cain, for instance).<br />You'll notice that much of what I wrote were questions, questions without answers. These are to give the reader the chance to consider things in a new light, without providing an answer (often because there is no definite answer, only possibilities).<br />Keep reading and considering. There's a lot to learn in the gospel from a variety of sources, including modern scholars, who use many techniques to find possible answers and understanding.<br />rameumptomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16109035792711248691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31320843.post-49153815728379617152014-01-06T16:47:03.230-08:002014-01-06T16:47:03.230-08:00Hi Joel I am curious as to why you feel there are ...Hi Joel I am curious as to why you feel there are 2 different stories being told here? The consistent truth being told is that God the Father laid out his plan of salvation to his children - from that you see the personality of Lucifer vs. Christ - Gods plan was to give his children the opportunity to gain a body and use their agency which all of his spirit children had and used in the pre-existence. God the Fathers plan of salvation would give his children the opportunity to progress (there were not 2 plans presented only the fathers plan) - Lucifer looked at God the Fathers plan and said “Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor or in other words give me the - High respect, Recognition, Esteem, Fame, Credit, Special Merit, Admiration. Christ on the other hand said “Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.” There is no revelation that tells us how long this rebellion was in the works we can assume from modern day prophets that it was over some period of time as modern day prophets have stated Elder Bruce R. McConkie: "There were many meetings, conferences, councils and schooling sessions held among the Gods and their spirit offspring in pre-existence. Among other things, at these various assemblages, plans were made for the creation and peopling of this earth and for the redemption and salvation of the offspring of Deity." – what we do know is that Some of God the Father’s children used their agency to follow Lucifer so he must have been pretty convincing with his argument that not one soul would be lost if he was sent and our agency forfeit – a lot of our Brothers and Sisters must have been very afraid to leave the Father and trust in what he had taught them in the pre-existence and trust themselves that they could make it through this probation. The story as you put it goes on to tell us – “And the asecond was angry, and kept not his first bestate; and, at that day, many followed after him” – “Wherefore, because that aSatan brebelled against me, and sought to destroy the cagency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be dcast down;.” - this is the same truth reveled only one story –Loving Brotherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02476203929664262192noreply@blogger.com