Tidejwe wrote:What is your understanding of what it means to "sustain" them?
As others have said, I also think it can mean "support" and trying to help them in their callings. I don't think it means to obey or feel some kind of pressure to do as they say. I also don't think "sustain" means to even agree with them. Rather, if a leader says or directs something within the context of his calling, I take it under advisement and decide whether it has any applicability to me or my family. I don't immediately assume it does, as many members do.
"Moving beyond apologist persuasion, LDS polemicists furiously (and often fraudulently) attack any non-traditional view of Mormonism. They don't mince words -- they mince the truth."
-- Mike Quinn, writing of the FARMSboys, in "Early Mormonism and the Magic World View," p. x (Rev. ed. 1998)
Tidejwe wrote:I've been meaning to make this a topic in and of itself and since the issue was raised in another thread I decided to finally come out with it. Two questions in the Temple Recommend Interview are as follows:
2. Do you sustain the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the prophet, seer, and revelator; and do you recognize him as the only person on the earth authorized to exercise all priesthood keys?
3. Do you sustain the other General Authorities and the local authorities of the Church?
What is your understanding of what it means to "sustain" them? My understanding is apparently significantly different from most people's interpretation on the matter. Perhaps this is why I am still able to answer those questions affirmatively. I would ESPECIALLY like to hear the answers of those who are active LDS. The sarcastic and negative answers are already obvious as to what you many of you want to say it means. ;) For those of you who can't resist saying it means you have to believe the leaders are infallible and obey their every whim...can you think of any reasonable alternatives, regardless of traditional interpretations?
I would suggest that if you are redefining the word significantly and not notifying the other party that you are operating on a non-standard definition, you are intending to dissemble.
Sustaining our leaders means that if and when they finally get around to actually doing something that is within the duties of their calling, I recognize their authority. Unfortunately, I can only count a few times that that's actually happened. Most of the time, our leaders step outside their authority or shirk their duties in favor of other things. Spending time buying shopping malls is not within the duties of a general authority; I don't sustain them in that. Spending time keeping the financials secret is not within the duties of a general authority; I don't sustain them in that.
As I said before, I have no problem sustaining our leaders, when they're acting within the duties of their calling. Unfortunately, that is seldom.
The title of this thread makes no sense.
If we are in the frame of Mormonism, then
Question :What does it mean X? Answer : X has a different meaning.
- Whenever a poet or preacher, chief or wizard spouts gibberish, the human race spends centuries deciphering the message. - Umberto Eco - To assert that the earth revolves around the sun is as erroneous as to claim that Jesus was not born of a virgin. - Cardinal Bellarmine at the trial of Galilei
Tidejwe wrote:What is your understanding of what it means to "sustain" them?
As others have said, I also think it can mean "support" and trying to help them in their callings. I don't think it means to obey or feel some kind of pressure to do as they say. I also don't think "sustain" means to even agree with them. Rather, if a leader says or directs something within the context of his calling, I take it under advisement and decide whether it has any applicability to me or my family. I don't immediately assume it does, as many members do.
Hence the need for that old Holy Ghost thing to clarify and personalize. :)
"Surely he knows that DCP, The Nehor, Lamanite, and other key apologists..." -Scratch clarifying my status in apologetics "I admit it; I'm a petty, petty man." -Some Schmo
It used to be more of an obedience thing, but now I think it basically means do you think the Prophet is the leader of the LDS church, and do you agree with the Org chart. It would be like asking do you believe Steve Ballmer is the CEO of Microsoft and do you believe the other guys in the Org chart are Microsoft managers, and do you believe Bill Gates used to be CEO. It's not really asking your opinion of them, just if you think they really hold the position that they claim to hold.
"We of this Church do not rely on any man-made statement concerning the nature of Deity. Our knowledge comes directly from the personal experience of Joseph Smith." - Gordon B. Hinckley
"It's wrong to criticize leaders of the Mormon Church even if the criticism is true." - Dallin H. Oaks