General Conference

[Betsy]

Ian, consider your authority officially challenged.

[Steve]

Betsy: Do not be so anxious to get a prophets' advice on every single decision you make in life. This can lead to a sort of spiritual OCD. God does not want us to obsess over the doctrine.

Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

(John 5:19) ↗

43 And I now give unto you a commandment to beware concerning yourselves, to give diligent heed to the words of eternal life.

44 For you shall live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God.

(D&C 84:43-44) ↗

Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

(D&C 6:36) ↗

Would this be "a sort of spiritual OCD"?

15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

(1 Timothy 4:16) ↗

Would this constitute obsession over the doctrine?

Betsy: Not everything has to be black and white.

With the Lord there are no "gray areas."

(Elder Mark E. Petersen, Way to Peace)

Some would have us believe that the area between good and evil is largely gray and that it is difficult to determine what is right and what is wrong. For any who so believe, I recommend this beautiful statement of Moroni found in the Book of Mormon: "For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for everything which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God." (Moro. 7:16.)

(President Gordon B. Hinckley, Fear Not to Do Good, April 1983 General Conference) ↗

Betsy: Things can be different for different people. It's going to be okay.

Relativism means each person is his or her own highest authority. Of course, it is not just those who deny God that subscribe to this philosophy. Some who believe in God still believe that they themselves, individually, decide what is right and wrong.
...
To those who believe anything or everything could be true, the declaration of objective, fixed, and universal truth feels like coercion—“I shouldn’t be forced to believe something is true that I don’t like.” But that does not change reality. Resenting the law of gravity won’t keep a person from falling if he steps off a cliff. The same is true for eternal law and justice. Freedom comes not from resisting it but from applying it. That is fundamental to God’s own power. If it were not for the reality of fixed and immutable truths, the gift of agency would be meaningless since we would never be able to foresee and intend the consequences of our actions. As Lehi expressed it: “If ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.”

(Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Free Forever, to Act for Themselves, October 2014 General Conference) ↗

[Betsy]

The questions you are posing are a bit obsessive, yes. Also taking the scriptures literally.

[Tuly]

I find this dialogue actually very interesting ( again I'm not being sarcastic) since I might be considered according to this discussion "OCD spiritually" - so how does this obsessive person look like? are they usually self-righteous? are we actually not very Christlike or charitable? in other words do we usually just quote scriptures and general conference talks but really are not "doers" of the word?

[Ian]

Ian, consider your authority officially challenged.

[Betsy]

[Tuly]

Looking forward to this weekend. I will be calling our grandchildren in the near future, and ask them to share with me some of their favorite talks, hymns, stories from this General Conference. I'm looking forward to this.
Others can join me in coming up with titles from the talks, please turn in the titles by this coming Tuesday.

[Betsy]

President Uchtdorf must have been speaking directly to Micah when he said "Or when your brother in law insists that his political view is the church's.."

[Steve]

One more reason to align our views with the revealed word of God rather than preaching man's ways as if they were the truth. Family moments would be much less awkward!

[Betsy]

Who is preaching man's ways as if they were truth? And are family moments awkward for you, Steve?

[Steve]

I was using President Uchtdorf's phrase about awkward family moments. And reminding us that when we adopt the Lord's truths revealed through his prophets as our own views, we don't have to worry about that particular awkward political thing.

I love general conference!

[Betsy]

I'm guessing that I would be wrong then, to suppose that this means you will cease to justify your politics with prophetic quotes? Although the precedent has certainly been set, I still maintain hope.

[Steve]

Justify my politics with prophetic quotes? I think we may disagree on what President Uchtdorf was trying to say. I think there's trouble when someone presents their own political views as the Lord's. I don't think there's any problem at all, though, when a person presents the Lord's views as revealed through His prophets. I will continue to post prophetic quotes with the hope that you, too, will adopt their position. I highly encourage you to review Elder Rasband's talk when you have time. It would be wonderful to be able to say that our entire family stands by the words of the prophets and wants to align with them as closely as possible. This will require great faith from all of us, but will yield great blessings!

Some opposition even comes from Church members who use personal reasoning or wisdom to resist prophetic direction — labeling themselves "the loyal opposition."

"However appropriate for a democracy, there is no warrant for this concept in the government of God’s kingdom, where questions are honored but opposition is not," he said.

(Elder Dallin H. Oaks: 'Opposition in All Things', Deseret News, April 3 2016) ↗

[Betsy]

I think there's trouble when someone presents their own political views as the Lord's.

We actually agree here. But I have to wonder if the Lord even has political views?

I will continue to post prophetic quotes with the hope that you, too, will adopt their position.

You seem to be overlooking the fact that I fully adopt their spiritual position. However, I do not assume that their position dictates what government policies I should support. They are spiritual leaders, not political pundits.

It would be wonderful to be able to say that our entire family stands by the words of the prophets and wants to align with them as closely as possible.

You may say this, even today! That must be why we are already so blessed. Goodnight!

[Steve]

Betsy: But I have to wonder if the Lord even has political views?

Of course! "Political" is defined as "of or relating to the government or the public affairs of a country." The Lord definitely cares about things pertaining to our country's government and public affairs.

Betsy: You seem to be overlooking the fact that I fully adopt their spiritual position. However, I do not assume that their position dictates what government policies I should support. They are spiritual leaders, not political pundits.

We've been over this. The Lord Himself told us the following:

The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.

The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or diplomas to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.

Said President Harold B. Lee:

“You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may conflict with your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life … Your safety and ours depends upon whether or not we follow … Let’s keep our eye on the President of the Church.” (Conference Report, October 1970, p. 152–153.)

The prophet can receive revelation on any matter—temporal or spiritual.

The prophet may well advise on civic matters.

And, speaking directly to your point, so there's no mistaking:

Some so-called experts of political science want the prophet to keep still on politics. Some would-be authorities on evolution want the prophet to keep still on evolution. And so the list goes on and on.

How we respond to the words of a living prophet when he tells us what we need to know, but would rather not hear, is a test of our faithfulness.

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 close do our lives harmonize with the Lord’s anointed—the living Prophet—President of the Church, and with the Quorum of the First Presidency.

(President Ezra Taft Benson, Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet, First Presidency Message, June 1981) ↗