Analogies for the Gift of the Holy Ghost

[pellegrino]

So, basically I have to give a talk at a baptism this Sunday on the Holy Ghost and I'm having a difficult time coming up with ideas that will communicate something to the entire audience, not just adults and not just children. I've decided that I would like to use an analogy/allegory that would have multiple levels of meaning for everyone attending, and at the same time be refreshing. I have a few in mind (radio, VOR navigation for planes) but would like to see if yall had any others that you have found compelling.


I've also been thinking about something recently that a friend brought up in EQ a few months back when we were talking specifically about the gift of the Holy Ghost. His question to the class was why is it that people who do not belong to our faith (with everything that implies) seem to do so much more with what we term as "The light of Christ" than we members of the church, who have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, do with it? I wouldn't mind speaking somewhat to that as it is a baptism and the kid's life is supposed to change as he receives the gift of the Holy Ghost. I would like to impress upon him the importance of that and how exactly it is different, beyond the "now you can have it with you always, provided you are worthy of it" which I've never really understood.

I realize these are two separate questions, so respond to whichever one you like and we'll see where it goes.

[SloanHater]

So, basically I have to give a talk at a baptism this Sunday on the Holy Ghost and I'm having a difficult time coming up with ideas that will communicate something to the entire audience, not just adults and not just children. I've decided that I would like to use an analogy/allegory that would have multiple levels of meaning for everyone attending, and at the same time be refreshing. I have a few in mind (radio, VOR navigation for planes) but would like to see if yall had any others that you have found compelling.


I've also been thinking about something recently that a friend brought up in EQ a few months back when we were talking specifically about the gift of the Holy Ghost. His question to the class was why is it that people who do not belong to our faith (with everything that implies) seem to do so much more with what we term as "The light of Christ" than we members of the church, who have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, do with it? I wouldn't mind speaking somewhat to that as it is a baptism and the kid's life is supposed to change as he receives the gift of the Holy Ghost. I would like to impress upon him the importance of that and how exactly it is different, beyond the "now you can have it with you always, provided you are worthy of it" which I've never really understood.

I realize these are two separate questions, so respond to whichever one you like and we'll see where it goes.

I have no suggestions and am puzzled by what your friend meant? How are people doing more with the light of Christ than the Holy Ghost?

[Shaka]

I personally think the LDS guilt is about 80% induced by our culture and about 20% the Holy Ghost. Because of this I think that we are so desensitized that we don't recognize when the Holy Ghost is trying to subtly work on us.

[UtahDan]

I personally think the LDS guilt is about 80% induced by our culture and about 20% the Holy Ghost. Because of this I think that we are so desensitized that we don't recognize when the Holy Ghost is trying to subtly work on us.

This has always confused me. I thought that the holy ghost made people feel good and that when they did bad things he simply departed. Does the holy ghost also make people feel bad?

[pellegrino]

I have no suggestions and am puzzled by what your friend meant? How are people doing more with the light of Christ than the Holy Ghost?

you've never met a non Mormon who was more in tune with the spirit than most Mormons?

[Shaka]

This has always confused me. I thought that the holy ghost made people feel good and that when they did bad things he simply departed. Does the holy ghost also make people feel bad?

I've always thought there was a guilt element to it otherwise confessions would be a thing of the past.

I'll tell you this much. I do not feel guilt on the same level as many of my friends. I feel enough to keep me from being a bad person but I don't get so consumed that I have to visit the bishop every time I do something questionable.

[pellegrino]

This has always confused me. I thought that the holy ghost made people feel good and that when they did bad things he simply departed. Does the holy ghost also make people feel bad?

I'm guessing that we're supposed to feel bad in its absence.

[smokymountainrain]

you've never met a non Mormon who was more in tune with the spirit than most Mormons?

That's a different question, IMO, than the one you quoted above.

The question as you worded it made it sound like in general sense, non-mormons do more without the HG than mormons do with it. That's how I interepreted it, and as such, it did seem like a silly statement.

[Moliere]

The sun and sunlight

[pellegrino]

That's a different question, IMO, than the one you quoted above.

The question as you worded it made it sound like in general sense, non-mormons do more without the HG than mormons do with it. That's how I interepreted it, and as such, it did seem like a silly statement.

then please accept my clarification in place of the original.

[pellegrino]

The sun and sunlight

please, elaborate. this sounds familiar, but I can't remember all of the details.

[wuapinmon]

I'm going to go on record and say that I feel no different having the Gift of the Holy Ghost than I did when I was investigating the Church and just filled with the mere Light of Christ.

[byu71]

I personally think the LDS guilt is about 80% induced by our culture and about 20% the Holy Ghost. Because of this I think that we are so desensitized that we don't recognize when the Holy Ghost is trying to subtly work on us.

I don't know if I arrived on this earth with a nasty disposition toward guilt trips or I am a product of the Utah culture in the 50's and 60's guilt culture and rebelled against it. My siblings who are also of that generation are succeptible to guilt trips and don't revolt nearly as much against them.

I would go as far as to say the Holy Ghost has reinforced my immunity to guilt trips. I think having it made known certain actions could result in missing out on blessings is enough. I don't need someone trying to put me on a guilt trip for missing those blessings.

[woot]

The whole "holy ghost" thing will make a lot more sense when it is understood as a metaphor for one's conscience. I guess it's a problem that then everyone has "the gift", but I bet most of you realize that anyway. Besides, if it's only cool because other people don't have it, it's not cool.

[SloanHater]

you've never met a non Mormon who was more in tune with the spirit than most Mormons?

Of course, but that's not how you worded the original statement.

Also, answering a question with a question, lame.