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Posted: **Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:22 pm**

Thanks to Shulem's post about Dr. Bradford's page on the Mormon Scholars Testify site, I can see the kinds of genuine differences of opinion and understanding of the Gospel that may have led to recent events.

I offer a quote from his testimony on MST. I ask that you refrain from poking fun at his heartfelt spiritual witness in order to focus on the meat of his potential philosophical differences with the editorial crew at the Review.

Dr. Bradford wrote:I’ve also discovered that my love affair with God is best expressed in terms of a range of things that I try my best to do – worship him with full intent (with all that this entails in terms of fasting, prayer, singing hymns, and so forth), partake of the Lord’s Supper (in an attitude of repentance and thanksgiving, while promising to always remember him and abide by his commandments), and participate in prescribed priesthood ordinances aimed at blessing others (while also being the recipient of blessings by this same means) and by this and other means try my level best to deal properly with them and do right by them (with all that it entails) – more so than by focusing on my beliefs about God or other related matters or on what I say or write about him.

I find that my perspective on this differs from others, including, it seems, some fellow Saints. It has been my experience that many Latter-day Saints view their faith almost exclusively from the vantage point of what they believe, rather than in reference to the many things the Savior asks them to do. This may account, at least in part, for why some find a need to elaborate on, if not speculate about, a whole range of church teachings or beliefs (what are often referred to as “doctrines”), thereby giving the impression that the gospel of Jesus Christ is complex and that to be a Latter-day Saint means devoting a great deal of time and effort trying to figure out what all these beliefs mean, how they hang together, how they can best be used to explain things, and so forth. I once understood my faith this way. But not any more.

Posted: **Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:32 pm**

His focus seems to be living the gospel, instead of just talking about living the gospel.

Posted: **Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:33 pm**

harmony wrote:His focus seems to be living the gospel, instead of just talking about living the gospel.

Yup, and his idea of living the gospel looks to me to be consistent with the best definition of the Christian life--the effort to bless the lives of others.

Posted: **Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:38 pm**

Kishkumen wrote:
harmony wrote:His focus seems to be living the gospel, instead of just talking about living the gospel.

Yup, and his idea of living the gospel looks to me to be consistent with the best definition of the Christian life--the effort to bless the lives of others.

The intent to "do right by them", no matter who "them" are (sorry), sets him apart from many LDS. Perhaps that is why some men are better Mormons when they're in service-type callings (like bishop), then seem to slide sideways into the muck, when left to their own devices.

Posted: **Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:41 pm**

harmony wrote:The intent to "do right by them", no matter who "them" are (sorry), sets him apart from many LDS. Perhaps that is why some men are better Mormons when they're in service-type callings (like bishop), then seem to slide sideways into the muck, when left to their own devices.

My hope is that there is an increasing number of people who see things in a way similar to Bradford's and that it continues to grow.

Posted: **Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:48 pm**

Kishkumen wrote:
harmony wrote:The intent to "do right by them", no matter who "them" are (sorry), sets him apart from many LDS. Perhaps that is why some men are better Mormons when they're in service-type callings (like bishop), then seem to slide sideways into the muck, when left to their own devices.

My hope is that there is an increasing number of people who see things in a way similar to Bradford's and that it continues to grow.

My hope is that he has sufficient resources behind his decision to make it stick. The change in tone alone should be a useful tool in getting new subscriptions.

Posted: **Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:58 pm**

The fundamental problem for many Mormons with his approach, with which I agree, is that to focus on people and avoid all but the most basic of doctrines is to lose many of those unique aspects that separates Mormonism from the rest of Christianity.

Posted: **Mon Jun 18, 2012 4:33 pm**

His focus seems to be living the gospel, instead of just talking about living the gospel.

One can't live the Gospel without knowing what the Gospel requires.

Posted: **Mon Jun 18, 2012 4:44 pm**

bcspace wrote:
His focus seems to be living the gospel, instead of just talking about living the gospel.

One can't live the Gospel without knowing what the Gospel requires.

True , bcspace. But Bradford clearly alludes to the covenants that constitute the material that fills that function.

Posted: **Mon Jun 18, 2012 5:06 pm**

Doing good to others. Who knew?

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