Your Salvation Hangs on These 14 Fundamentals

[cougarobgon]

According to Pres. Benson You can measure how you stand with the Lord by measuring how you stand with the living prophet with respect to the 14 fundamentals below:

#1: The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.
#2: The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.
#3: The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.
#4: The prophet will never lead the Church astray.
#5: The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.
#6: The prophet does not have to say "Thus saith the Lord" to give us scripture.
#7: The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.
#8: The prophet is not limited by men's reasoning.
#9: The prophet can receive revelation on any matter--temporal or spiritual.
#10: The prophet may be involved in civic matters.
#11: The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.
#12: The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.
#13: The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency--the highest quorum in the Church.
#14: The prophet and the presidency--the living prophet and the first presidency--follow them and be blessed; reject them and suffer.

"I testify that these fourteen fundamentals in following the living prophet are true. If we want to know how well we stand with the Lord, then let us ask ourselves how well we stand with His mortal captain. How closely do our lives harmonize with the words of the Lord's anointed--the living prophet, the President of the Church, and with the Quorum of the First Presidency?" (Ezra Taft Benson was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this devotional address was given at Brigham Young University on 26 February 1980.)

You can read the entire article at: http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reade...=6751&x=66&y=2

So, is your salvation in peril?

[UtahDan]

#15 A prophet does not always speak as a prophet.

[Tim]

According to Pres. Benson You can measure how you stand with the Lord by measuring how you stand with the living prophet with respect to the 14 fundamentals below:

#1: The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.
#2: The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.
#3: The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.
#4: The prophet will never lead the Church astray.
#5: The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.
#6: The prophet does not have to say "Thus saith the Lord" to give us scripture.
#7: The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.
#8: The prophet is not limited by men's reasoning.
#9: The prophet can receive revelation on any matter--temporal or spiritual.
#10: The prophet may be involved in civic matters.
#11: The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.
#12: The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.
#13: The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency--the highest quorum in the Church.
#14: The prophet and the presidency--the living prophet and the first presidency--follow them and be blessed; reject them and suffer.

"I testify that these fourteen fundamentals in following the living prophet are true. If we want to know how well we stand with the Lord, then let us ask ourselves how well we stand with His mortal captain. How closely do our lives harmonize with the words of the Lord's anointed--the living prophet, the President of the Church, and with the Quorum of the First Presidency?" (Ezra Taft Benson was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this devotional address was given at Brigham Young University on 26 February 1980.)

You can read the entire article at: http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reade...=6751&x=66&y=2

So, is your salvation in peril?

I think Benson's quote include a very telling piece of information that is being lost on many of the people in our church: "How closely do our lives harmonize with the words of the Lord's anointed?" In the most popular current version of LDS culture, we're constantly being told that if we don't submit our will to God, or if we don't follow the prophet, then we obviously have no testimony, or we're on a path to unrighteousness. Those same people would rather not have their own voice. They substitute the prophet's voice for their own. They don't think for themselves... when the prophet says something, they immediately surrender their own voice.

Harmony requires more than one part, though. One can harmonize with God and the Prophet and still have his own voice. Note that he doesn't say "sings in unison" with the Lord's anointed. There are at least two different notes being sung in a harmony. They're not the same note, they simply sound good together.

Too many people in our faith have given up their own voice, their own mind, their own thought process, in their quest to not be guilty of what they perceive to be "unrighteousness." We should develop our own opinions, our own thoughts, our own views, and THEN compare them to the Prophet's, not the other way around. We shouldn't just take the Prophet's words and sculpt our opinions around them. In that case, there is no sacrifice, no faith, no choice.

We should sing our own songs! When adjustments in pitch need to be made in order to harmonize, we should do so. However, we shouldn't simply not sing just because the Prophet is singing.

[BigPiney]

I think Benson's quote include a very telling piece of information that is being lost on many of the people in our church: "How closely do our lives harmonize with the words of the Lord's anointed?" In the most popular current version of LDS culture, we're constantly being told that if we don't submit our will to God, or if we don't follow the prophet, then we obviously have no testimony, or we're on a path to unrighteousness. Those same people would rather not have their own voice. They substitute the prophet's voice for their own. They don't think for themselves... when the prophet says something, they immediately surrender their own voice.

Harmony requires more than one part, though. One can harmonize with God and the Prophet and still have his own voice. Note that he doesn't say "sings in unison" with the Lord's anointed. There are at least two different notes being sung in a harmony. They're not the same note, they simply sound good together.

Too many people in our faith have given up their own voice, their own mind, their own thought process, in their quest to not be guilty of what they perceive to be "unrighteousness." We should develop our own opinions, our own thoughts, our own views, and THEN compare them to the Prophet's, not the other way around. We shouldn't just take the Prophet's words and sculpt our opinions around them. In that case, there is no sacrifice, no faith, no choice.

We should sing our own songs! When adjustments in pitch need to be made in order to harmonize, we should do so. However, we shouldn't simply not sing just because the Prophet is singing.

Very nice. Fair warning, I will most likely plagiarize your thoughts and use them in a talk next time I have to speak. I really like the imagery you invoke.

[cougarobgon]

I think Benson's quote include a very telling piece of information that is being lost on many of the people in our church: "How closely do our lives harmonize with the words of the Lord's anointed?" In the most popular current version of LDS culture, we're constantly being told that if we don't submit our will to God, or if we don't follow the prophet, then we obviously have no testimony, or we're on a path to unrighteousness. Those same people would rather not have their own voice. They substitute the prophet's voice for their own. They don't think for themselves... when the prophet says something, they immediately surrender their own voice.

Harmony requires more than one part, though. One can harmonize with God and the Prophet and still have his own voice. Note that he doesn't say "sings in unison" with the Lord's anointed. There are at least two different notes being sung in a harmony. They're not the same note, they simply sound good together.

Too many people in our faith have given up their own voice, their own mind, their own thought process, in their quest to not be guilty of what they perceive to be "unrighteousness." We should develop our own opinions, our own thoughts, our own views, and THEN compare them to the Prophet's, not the other way around. We shouldn't just take the Prophet's words and sculpt our opinions around them. In that case, there is no sacrifice, no faith, no choice.

We should sing our own songs! When adjustments in pitch need to be made in order to harmonize, we should do so. However, we shouldn't simply not sing just because the Prophet is singing.

I am impressed. Good response.

[Jeff Lebowski]

This was one of those occasions when the 1980's version of ETB morphed back into the 1960's version of ETB.

[SoCalCoug]

Since the living prophet hasn't commented on the 14 fundamentals, I'll go with # 3.

[woot]

Since the living prophet hasn't commented on the 14 fundamentals, I'll go with # 3.

Heh good one. Seriously, these principles can be summarized as "I realize that I don't have any qualifications to talk about anything, but I'm going to do so anyway and you have to listen no matter how crazy and obviously wrong it sounds or else you'll suffer."

This is just a modern version of the scriptural "don't listen to smart people who recognize this is bunkum" that all religion relies on.

[ERCougar]

I like Tim's thoughts on this.

#11 is just plain silly.

I'll add 15a. The apostles do not necessarily speak for the prophet. Or God.

[wuapinmon]

I think Benson's quote include a very telling piece of information that is being lost on many of the people in our church: "How closely do our lives harmonize with the words of the Lord's anointed?" In the most popular current version of LDS culture, we're constantly being told that if we don't submit our will to God, or if we don't follow the prophet, then we obviously have no testimony, or we're on a path to unrighteousness. Those same people would rather not have their own voice. They substitute the prophet's voice for their own. They don't think for themselves... when the prophet says something, they immediately surrender their own voice.

Harmony requires more than one part, though. One can harmonize with God and the Prophet and still have his own voice. Note that he doesn't say "sings in unison" with the Lord's anointed. There are at least two different notes being sung in a harmony. They're not the same note, they simply sound good together.

Too many people in our faith have given up their own voice, their own mind, their own thought process, in their quest to not be guilty of what they perceive to be "unrighteousness." We should develop our own opinions, our own thoughts, our own views, and THEN compare them to the Prophet's, not the other way around. We shouldn't just take the Prophet's words and sculpt our opinions around them. In that case, there is no sacrifice, no faith, no choice.

We should sing our own songs! When adjustments in pitch need to be made in order to harmonize, we should do so. However, we shouldn't simply not sing just because the Prophet is singing.

I may not be a smart man, but I know that Tim is.

[Solon]

According to Pres. Benson You can measure how you stand with the Lord by measuring how you stand with the living prophet with respect to the 14 fundamentals below:

#1: The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.
#2: The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.
#3: The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.
#4: The prophet will never lead the Church astray.
#5: The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.
#6: The prophet does not have to say "Thus saith the Lord" to give us scripture.
#7: The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.
#8: The prophet is not limited by men's reasoning.
#9: The prophet can receive revelation on any matter--temporal or spiritual.
#10: The prophet may be involved in civic matters.
#11: The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.
#12: The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.
#13: The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency--the highest quorum in the Church.
#14: The prophet and the presidency--the living prophet and the first presidency--follow them and be blessed; reject them and suffer.

"I testify that these fourteen fundamentals in following the living prophet are true. If we want to know how well we stand with the Lord, then let us ask ourselves how well we stand with His mortal captain. How closely do our lives harmonize with the words of the Lord's anointed--the living prophet, the President of the Church, and with the Quorum of the First Presidency?" (Ezra Taft Benson was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this devotional address was given at Brigham Young University on 26 February 1980.)

You can read the entire article at: http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reade...=6751&x=66&y=2

So, is your salvation in peril?

Reminds me of the dictatus papae .

[bluegoose]

We should sing our own songs! When adjustments in pitch need to be made in order to harmonize, we should do so. However, we shouldn't simply not sing just because the Prophet is singing.

Great thoughts all around, Tim. I agree completely.

[CardiacCoug]

According to Pres. Benson You can measure how you stand with the Lord by measuring how you stand with the living prophet with respect to the 14 fundamentals below:

[I]#1: The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.
#2: The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.
#3: The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.
#4: The prophet will never lead the Church astray.
#5: The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.
#6: The prophet does not have to say "Thus saith the Lord" to give us scripture.
#7: The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.
#8: The prophet is not limited by men's reasoning.
#9: The prophet can receive revelation on any matter--temporal or spiritual.
#10: The prophet may be involved in civic matters.
#11: The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.
#12: The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.
#13: The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency--the highest quorum in the Church.
#14: The prophet and the presidency--the living prophet and the first presidency--follow them and be blessed; reject them and suffer.

That list would be great ammo for Mitt Romney's next political opponent. Who the hell would vote for somebody who believed everything on that list?

[RobinFinderson]

That list would be great ammo for Mitt Romney's next political opponent. Who the hell would vote for somebody who believed everything on that list?

It will inevitably show up with regard to ANY Mormon running for the highest office. The list sounds so bad to the outsider's ear that it might even compel the church to retract the list, should it become ammo against an LDS candidate, so in that respect, I would hope this WOULD come up against prominent LDS candidates.

On the other hand, with respect to all those on this board that find aspects of this list sickening, I offer you my sincerest hope that you can exercise enough influence to change the common cultural trend in the faith, which I believe is to accept the ideas on this list whole hog. Good luck!

[wuapinmon]

#11: The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.

Nothing like a little anti-intellectualism along with a little "pseudo" or "sophist" name calling. Those who can do, those who can't teach...........and all that.


..I wonder if he said it "lér 'ned" or "lérnd."