I understand the words but it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. I presume scriptures are meaningful to you, perhaps not, but if so is not Peter simply a Brigham Young for his day? James? John? isn't Paul simply a Bruce R. McConkie for his time. Does one man every reveal or possess all the knowledge required to save mankind simply because he lives, or do we not glean from all. Is Joseph Smith to be discounted simply because he passed beyond the veil and is no longer "your" prophet. However, to each his own and if the methodology you have chosen will ultimately bring you back to where you wish to be, and it will, I'm sure be just where you wish to be, then the plan has worked for you just as was intended.MMbelieve wrote: ↑June 25th, 2017, 11:42 pmI actually don't care too much what those men said and don't know who half of them are. I'm the type who likes to think for themselves instead of being a mere follower. I operate by inspiration and discernment when it comes to questions about salvation and eternity and the mysteries of God.brlenox wrote: ↑June 25th, 2017, 10:18 pmSurely, I have no issue for not taking my word on anything. However, if I provided a Brigham Young quote, and an Orson Pratt quote, toss in a bit of Joseph Fielding Smith, a little smattering of Melvin J. Ballard, and a little B.H. Roberts to top it all off would that persuade you in the least. If you are comfortable with your opinion on the matter, I am perfectly fine with that but I can provide references from the above gentlemen if you are interested.MMbelieve wrote: ↑June 25th, 2017, 1:03 pmRobin Hood wrote: ↑June 25th, 2017, 12:33 pm
It's simple.... we don't.
We don't need to. Christs' atonement is infinite.
For more information look up "infinity".
But even in your scenario it doesn't make sense. Where does plural marriage come in?
He simply believes that God came down and secretly married Mary so he and her could engage in "baby making". He believes that God, all holy - whose ways are far superior than we can even comprehend, did just as we inferior mortals do to procreate.
It is that belief only that many believe God is a polygamist. I personally know that God does not do as we do on earth. And that Mary's pregnancy was supposed to show God's power because she hadn't laid with a man. If she hadn't known a man, then she sure wasn't there engaged in a behavior that would cause her to know a man.
Also, I sure do hope that Mary is actually eternally sealed to Joseph. They had other children so if God is her eternal spouse then all the other children are God's not Josephs...actually they were not like unto Jesus. They were mortals and belong to Mary and Joseph.
Sometimes I wonder if people believe God pulled a weekend marriage/annulment thing just to make physical intimacy okay.
It really bothers me when people liken God to us. He is not us.
Anyways, that's what I understand some people to believe.
However, one thing I will give you as a bonus:
Having tried this bit of counsel I can assure you that it is absolutely correct. When you can tie a particular point of knowledge all they way full circle until it touches the atonement then and only then do you understand that doctrine. Plural marriage is absolutely no different. IF you can't do that and won't believe the apostles and prophets and a seventy...good enough.I have not, to my knowledge, in my ministry said anything more important. I intend to talk about the Lord, Jesus Christ, about what He really did—and why it matters now….
Through Him mercy can be fully extended to each of us without offending the eternal law of justice….
This truth [The Atonement of Christ] is the very root of Christian doctrine. You may know much about the gospel as it branches out from there, but if you only know the branches and those branches do not touch that root, if they have been cut free from that truth, there will be no life nor substance nor redemption in them. (Packer, Boyd K., The Mediator, Ensign, May 1977, p. 56)
You seemed to be more of a intellectual learned type who puts his faith or knowledge or confidence etc on the words of others. BY was A prophet but he is not the prophet I have ever lived under. His words were for those at his time not necessarily for our time now.
A bishop of a ward I move into is one of my judges, not the previous bishop as he never had stewardship over me. This is kind of what I'm trying to say. More bluntly, BY wasn't my prophet. I never lived under his stewardship. Does that make sense?
Best of Luck.