Revelatory structure of the LDS church

[Guest]

While trying to interpret the way apologists reason around who said what and with what authority, I made myself a checklist:
I have tried to organize the hierarchial structure of revelation. The higher ranked point Trump's a lower one.
Please correct me if Im wrong.

1. "Theres an angel in my bedroom with a drawn sword, and he will kill me if I don't ......."(Member experience).
2. The prophet turns pale during a live session of General Conference, while bathed in a strange light and bystanders hearing a heavenly choir humming, he utters "Thus sayeth the Lord...." (After he finishes the members have to vote yes, (or as it is written in pure Adamic: jeeze)for it to be counted as a real revelation).
3. One of the 15 makes a statement during a press conference or a general conference(Members still have to vote).
4. One of the 15 writes something in a letter to be made public to the whole church.
5. The LDS Newsroom publicizes a statement.
6. "It says here right in the book of........."
7. A former prophet or apostle wrote it.
8. A former prophet or apostle said it.
9. "I heard it in general conference.."
10. "I read it in the ensign.."
11. "I saw God and spoke to him face to face and he told me ......."(Member experience).
12. "I was carried away in the spirit..."(Member experience).
13. "I had a vision in a dream..."(Member experience).
14. "I think I saw one of the three Nephites the other day and he told me to..."
15. "My stake president said so.."
16. "I felt a burning sensation in my chest..."(Member experience).
17. "My bishop said so.."
18. "I felt a chill down my spine.."(Member experience).
19. "I just feel at peace about it.."(Member experience).
20. "It makes sense.."(Member experience).
21. "Brother Jones said so.." (Member experience).
22. "Sister Jones said so.." (Member experience).

Things that can alter this ranking:
1. He was speaking like a man.
2. That was a revelation from the devil.
3. That wasn't voted upon by the whole church
4. That revelation wasn't made public
5. The revelation was made public, but the people was either too sinful, unreceptive, or ignorant for it to work as stated.
6. That was not an angel of light.

Explanations for revelations that didn't come through:
1. It is yet to occur in the milennium..
2. "You interpreted it with your mind, but not with your heart.."
3. They were not prepared to receive it.
4. As a result of some action by the people the revelation did not come true.

Why the current church leaders doesn't produce weather forecasts:
"Because we're not currently living up to the revelation we've already received. We cannot expect to receive anymore until we achieve the unobtainable and unwritten requirement of perfect observation of what was already given".

Edited to include the inputs of Sethbag and Fence Sitter

[_sunstoned]

Yes, the pure and simple truths of the gospel. I'm surprised that more people don't it.

[_Sethbag]

And what is it that underpins pretty much every one of those?

The Holy Ghost.

If the Holy Ghost truly is active in these situations, why then are they suspect? Why is one more reliable than the other? Could it be that perceiving the true ministrations of the Holy Ghost is not repeatable, nor reliable, nor credible?

If the Holy Ghost isn't repeatable, reliable, nor credible, then all of these methods or sources of revelation fall with it.

Which, in my view, is the current situation: none of these revelatory avenues is credible.

[_Fence Sitter]

Explanations for revelations that didn't come through:
1. It is yet to occur in the milennium..
2. "You interpreted it with your mind, but not with your heart.."

more commonly it was blamed on the recipients in one of two ways:

3. They were not prepared to receive it.
4. As a result of some action by the people the revelation did not come true

These were also common excuses used when treasure hunting.

[_Sethbag]

Or how about this one.

The reason we don't get more revelation, like we claim we can and like we used to under Joseph Smith, is because we're not currently living up to the revelation we've already received. We cannot expect to receive anymore until we achieve the unobtainable and unwritten requirement of perfect observation of what was already given.

It's the perfect smoke screen for the lack of any new revelation since Joseph Smith stopped making it up that one day in 1844 at the Carthage jail.

[_Equality]

Or how about this one.

The reason we don't get more revelation, like we claim we can and like we used to under Joseph Smith, is because we're not currently living up to the revelation we've already received. We cannot expect to receive anymore until we achieve the unobtainable and unwritten requirement of perfect observation of what was already given.

It's the perfect smoke screen for the lack of any new revelation since Joseph Smith stopped making it up that one day in 1844 at the Carthage jail.

Of course, at the same time that they are explaining why we don't get more revelation, they are claiming in another chapter in the manual that revelation is being received continually in the weekly meetings of the Brethren in the temple.

[_Bob Loblaw]

Of course, at the same time that they are explaining why we don't get more revelation, they are claiming in another chapter in the manual that revelation is being received continually in the weekly meetings of the Brethren in the temple.

Yes, but that revelation is restricted to real estate, political campaigns, and PR.

[_Sethbag]

Of course, at the same time that they are explaining why we don't get more revelation, they are claiming in another chapter in the manual that revelation is being received continually in the weekly meetings of the Brethren in the temple.

Yes, but that revelation is restricted to real estate, political campaigns, and PR.

Is that because the church is currently living up to all of the revelation vis a vis real estate, political campaigns, and PR that they've already received?

[_Uther]

I think it has more to do with culture and education, and the correlation department.
Culture as in the mechanics of the church in bringing forth top leaders whom have spent their lives conforming, succumbing and focusing on obedience.
Education as in a bit less superstitious than former church leaders resulting in less experiences being interpreted as revelation.
The correlation department is a revelation killer, as your supposed to stick to the script, and revelation in former times often came on the spur of the moment.

Bring in more fishermen and magicians as church leaders and I promise an outburst of revelation.

[_Uther]

Of course, at the same time that they are explaining why we don't get more revelation, they are claiming in another chapter in the manual that revelation is being received continually in the weekly meetings of the Brethren in the temple.

Yes, but that revelation is restricted to real estate, political campaigns, and PR.

don't forget personal apperance, and missionary age, both which are critical as pertaining to our eternal salvations.