Not hearing the HG

[_truth dancer]

From the LDS perspective....

What would disqualify someone from receiving inspiration, or understanding information from HG?

What would help folks be more able to hear messages of inspiration?

I'm wondering because...

There are folks who claim to KNOW of truth based on their witness of the HG yet these folks may be enormously prideful, cruel, nasty, mean-spirited, angry, and rude.

Some folks may be living lives that are not in harmony with the teachings of Jesus, sinning in all sorts of ways and yet they believe God is talking to them and telling them one thing of another.

We know of priesthood bearing men who are commiting all sorts of sinful acts and yet they are still blessing others with their power.

There are those who are most likely obeying (say prophets and leaders), who think they are inspired when they clearly are not.

There are those wonderful, humble, and obedient folks who do not get the whispering of the spirit confirming the LDS is the one and only true church.

As a believer I had the notion that the more humble, obedient, kind, loving, Christlike, the more the windows of heaven were open, but obviously I was completely wrong about this. (I actually currently do still hold a version of this idea as true...smile).

What were you taught? What do members believe?

:-)

~dancer~

[_The Nehor]

I know what cuts me off quickly. I have no idea for anyone else. It seems to vary.

[_Sam Harris]

Nehor, how do you know when you're cut off? Because from what I see in TD's post...there are some people who seem to have had that happen (if their judgment of other's behavior can be applied to themselves), and yet they're not aware.

U just more in tune than the rest of us? ;-)

[_truth dancer]

I know what cuts me off quickly.

And that is?



~dancer~

[_The Nehor]

I know what cuts me off quickly.

And that is?



~dancer~

Obsession, malice, gluttony, nasty sarcasm, calculating ambition, and resentment.

[_The Nehor]

Nehor, how do you know when you're cut off? Because from what I see in TD's post...there are some people who seem to have had that happen (if their judgment of other's behavior can be applied to themselves), and yet they're not aware.

U just more in tune than the rest of us? ;-)

I can feel the Holy Ghost regularly. A simple act of concentration and I can check. Yep, still there. I'm used to it but can tell when it's gone. Now in my darkest moments I want it gone. It does not seem to work this way with most people. But then I sat down with God and I asked him to start and stop on time so I could work out what was what. He obliged courteously so I have a good baseline to work from. Most people don't do that either.

[_charity]

From the LDS perspective....

What would disqualify someone from receiving inspiration, or understanding information from HG?

There is a long list. Depression. Stress. Just plain not listening. Sin.

What would help folks be more able to hear messages of inspiration?

Quiet time. Sincere intent. Gratitude for blessings.

There are folks who claim to KNOW of truth based on their witness of the HG yet these folks may be enormously prideful, cruel, nasty, mean-spirited, angry, and rude. Some folks may be living lives that are not in harmony with the teachings of Jesus, sinning in all sorts of ways and yet they believe God is talking to them and telling them one thing of another.

They can be wrong that they are being inspired. They can be relying on a past experience, which they would not now receive based on their current behavior. I doubt a murderer or adulterer could claim inspiration but a person who is rude one minute could get inspiriation in the next hour.

We know of priesthood bearing men who are commiting all sorts of sinful acts and yet they are still blessing others with their power. There are those who are most likely obeying (say prophets and leaders), who think they are inspired when they clearly are not.

A man may bless others, even if his life isn't spotless. I would have to know what you are referring to with the "they clearly are not" remark.

There are those wonderful, humble, and obedient folks who do not get the whispering of the spirit confirming the LDS is the one and only true church.

This has concerned me for some time. I don't know why some people who say they have earnestly sought for a witness have not received one. I can't know their internal state or experience. Any thing I can put forth in way of suggestion will no doubt be taken as an attempt to judge people.

Let me be clear. I AM NOT JUDGING ANYONE. Please refer to the statement I made. I can't know any person's internal state or experience, except as they describe it to me.

I would make some suggestions, that may or may not be correct specifically or generally

1. The person may be getting the inspiration and just not recognizing that is what it is.
2. The person is missing some essential quality of situaiton, in spite of being wonderful, humble and obendient.
3. It may not be in that person's best interest to get a witness of the Book of Mormon at that time. God knows what is best for His children.

As a believer I had the notion that the more humble, obedient, kind, loving, Christlike, the more the windows of heaven were open, but obviously I was completely wrong about this. (I actually currently do still hold a version of this idea as true...smile).

The more humble, obedient, kind, loving and Christlike individuals are reaping the blessings from their obedience. You aren't wrong.

[_ajax18]

Hey TD,

I asked this question in a BYU philosophy class. The question went like this, "Is the ordinance of the sacrament still valid if the priest was not worthy to bless it but was too embarrassed to confess? as far as I know the church holds that the ordinance is still valid. But at the same time, if the person being baptized isn't fully submerged, you have to do it again. If the sacrament prayer isn't said word for word, you have to say it again.

Leon Skousen seemed to have a similar view to you when he explained that God's honor was his power. In other words his sinlessness was what allowed him to talk to and command the elements. Yet the Church maintains that you should always go to your home teachers for a priesthood blessing, not the most righteous person you can find.

Inspiration from the spirit or just truth in general? The devil himself isn't wrong about everything, nor does he lie every single time he opens his mouth. Otherwise it would be easy to determine the truth by just believing the opposite of what he says. I guess we all have to sift through things for ourselves. I liked President Benson's definition that said, "Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right."

[_asbestosman]

From the LDS perspective....

What would disqualify someone from receiving inspiration, or understanding information from HG?

There is a long list. Depression. Stress. Just plain not listening. Sin.

The last thing a depressed person needs is to be disqualified from receiving inspiration or understanding the Holy Ghost. There are some people close to me who battle depression and I shudder to think of a God who's too weak or too proud to help them when they need it most. Medicine is nice, but there's a lot more they need too.

[_charity]

From the LDS perspective....

What would disqualify someone from receiving inspiration, or understanding information from HG?

There is a long list. Depression. Stress. Just plain not listening. Sin.

The last thing a depressed person needs is to be disqualified from receiving inspiration or understanding the Holy Ghost. There are some people close to me who battle depression and I shudder to think of a God who's too weak or too proud to help them when they need it most. Medicine is nice, but there's a lot more they need too.

I didn't mean to say, or to be assumed to be saying, that God looks down and says, "Oops, you aren't qualified to receive inspiration." What happens is the person becomes unable, of themselves, to receive inspiration. God is always there. We are the ones who determine if we are receiving or not.

I can speak for one depressed person's experience. It may not be the most common experience. This individual becomes so deeply depressed, that he doesn't even have the ability or the inclination to pray.