Brethren and Discernment?

[_barrelomonkeys]

LDS believe that God communicates with human beings via two mechanisms - one is the Light of Christ, which all human beings can access. Even nonbelievers could feasibly be influenced by the Light of Christ, although we wouldn't realize its origins. LDS believe moral conscious comes about as a result of the influence of the Light of Christ.

Oh, I hadn't realized this. I've seen this mentioned but was using the term interchangeably with the Holy Ghost.

The more powerful communicator is the Holy Ghost, and actual third member of the godhead, the only one without a body. (although apparently he'll get a body during the millennium - that may be controversial) People who are trying to do God's will can temporarily access the Holy Ghost, but only members who have been given the "gift of the Holy Ghost" immediately after baptism can have constant access to that influence.

Is this the burning of the bosom? Or the filling up with light or understanding truth that I hear members talk about?

Here's how it works, more or less, with some variables: a worthy member ponders and prays about a certain topic (for example, if he's a bishop, who to "call" to do a job at church). He has a name in mind and asks God if this is his will. If he feels good about it after praying, that is the Holy Ghost telling him that is a good choice. If he feels a 'stupor of mind' (this is not well defined), or feels badly about it, it's the Holy Ghost telling him it is a bad choice.

Okay.

All members can have the spirit of discernment in terms of managing their own lives. This was why, as a believer, I felt good about marrying a man I'd known literally three months on our wedding day. We were engaged on our third date. I felt good about it because I had fasted and prayed and asked God if I should marry this man. I had a good feeling when praying, so that was a "yes" answer. I married him, and boy was it a mistake (except for my three great kids who have a lot of baggage thanks to their dad).

I'm sorry Beastie! I imagine new love is probably not the time to try to make rational decisions, or try to figure out what you should do because you feel a certain way.

[_barrelomonkeys]

Book of Mormon - go to lds.org, then click the library, then do a search for "spirit of discernment". You'll find some lessons and talks there.

I found over 600 articles! Awesome! Thanks.

[_barrelomonkeys]

The Power of Discernment is held by right by certain callings. Other receive it as a gift. I do not believe I have it yet.

Well if it makes you feel better I know I don't have it.

The power explicitly granted is the right to judge whether spiritual experiences are of God or not.

So you use this spirit to judge your own spiritual experiences? You ask confirmation if they are indeed from God?

I have witnessed leaders using discernment to reveal people hiding sin including myself. There was also a fashionable little subculture within my Mission that built itself up around a book written by a member of the Church. Many Missionaries were applying a lot of extracurricular worship methods and unethical missionary practices based on it. The Mission President stood up and rebuked it and declared that certain teachings in the book and the methods used were not of God and should be discontinued. "He spoke not as the Rabbis but as one having authority." :)

Thanks for the reply Nehor! And it wasn't a one liner! ;P

[_The Nehor]

So you use this spirit to judge your own spiritual experiences? You ask confirmation if they are indeed from God?

I imagine it could be used that way but more commonly it is used to stop others professing spiritual gifts and powers they don't have and it's influence on others. There are a few confirmed stories of Apostles doing this though I have never witnessed one. We also have a few scriptural accounts.

I don't ask confirmation of spiritual experiences. I have enough experience with both kinds of spiritual experiences that I can tell the difference.

[_Polygamy Porter]

The biggest issue with this whole "discernment power" is the history of the discernment and how the members have received it.

Look at many of these so called spiritual discernments over the years. At the moment they are spouted off, the members take them as divine.

The Journal of Discourses is chock full of them. Many of which, have been REASSIGNED to mere personal opinions. WHY? Because they do not fit within the norm of mainstream christian society.

Even the now controversial King Follett discourse by smith is slowly being reassigned as smiths personal opinion. Hinckley even reassigned a supposed divine discernment by Lorenzo Snow concerning this, he did it in a live TV interview.

Shifting doctrines and beliefs is the norm for Mormon leaders.

So the issue we have is how are the members expected to discern the discernments of the supposed spiritual leaders of their religion?

Like I have said before, sure they are "allowed" to find their own witness concerning these things, SO LONG AS THE WITNESS falls within the accepted norms of the brethren and general Mormon society.

[_Polygamy Porter]

So you use this spirit to judge your own spiritual experiences? You ask confirmation if they are indeed from God?

I imagine it could be used that way but more commonly it is used to stop others professing spiritual gifts and powers they don't have and it's influence on others. There are a few confirmed stories of Apostles doing this though I have never witnessed one. We also have a few scriptural accounts.

I don't ask confirmation of spiritual experiences. I have enough experience with both kinds of spiritual experiences that I can tell the difference.

Nehor, may I ask you a personal question?

Are you taking any anti depressants, mood altering drugs or AHAD/ADD meds?

You don't have to answer the question, if it is too personal.

I ask because I believe it relates to the experiences that you are sharing.

[_ajax18]

Oh, I forgot another common story told with all seriousness and candor in LDS youth conferences by the speakers. They talk about meeting the prophet or other GAs. They said that the eyes were the window to the soul and that when a GA would look into your eyes, he would learn a lot of things about you supernaturally. In other words, he would know how you were living, what you believed, etc.

PP you ought to go and shake BKP's hand. Put on your TBM face and see if Brother Packer can see into your soul. lol

[_Lucretia MacEvil]

Iwas a naïve youngster and when I was told that temple workers had the discernment to turn away all unworthy people, I took it as a very literal truth. Then, when I was at BYU, I learned that the temple had lockers with locks on them. I had imagined the temple to be a place where you could leave your purse anywhere without a second thought. Finding out about the locks had me in a serious emotional state for quite a while, but I finally got it snuggled into a mental compartment where it didn't bother me any more.

[_Gazelam]

I think people get it from their patriarchal blessings sometimes.

You do not receive any spiritual gifts from patriarchal blessings. They are personal scripture, and only give you a gift in the sense that they give you a bit of perspective on your own potential.

[_ajax18]

I think people get it from their patriarchal blessings sometimes.

You do not receive any spiritual gifts from patriarchal blessings. They are personal scripture, and only give you a gift in the sense that they give you a bit of perspective on your own potential.

So if one persons blessing says, "I bless you with the gift of faith," but another persons blessing says, "I bless you with the spirit of discernment," do they have different potentials? I think a lot of people interpret it that way.