The Ultilitarian Approach To Doctrine

[Olavarria]

Alot of people ask the questian: is xyz statement doctrine?

Whether than ask is xyz statement doctrine, maybe we should ask: is xyz statement useful?

1)Who was our Heavenly Father before He came to this earth?

2)Was Jesus married in mortality?

3)How many wives does our Heavenly Father have?

4)Are all gods polygamous?

5)What are the principles and practices that govern a United Order?

6)Will the Holy Ghost recieve a body?

7) Why did blacks not get the priesthood?

My questian is: who cares?

Given our present condition and arrangement, I dont know how having any of the answers to (1-7) will change how we do anything, or keep any commandment.

8> To whome do we pray?

9)Why should we marry?

10)How does motherhood fit into the plan of salvation?

11)How does God expect us to treat our wives?

12)What is the law of consecration?

13)How do I recieve guidance from the Holy Ghost?

14)What does it mean to be a worthy priesthood holder?

Now, these are the important questians and the answers to these will effect how we worship and obey.

So rather than ask, is it in the standard works? Is it tought in General conference? Is it in official publications? Maybe we should ask: HOW COULD I APPLY THIS INFORMATION IN MY LIFE??

Thoughts?

[annewandering]

Alot of people ask the questian: is xyz statement doctrine?

Whether than ask is xyz statement doctrine, maybe we should ask: is xyz statement useful?

1)Who was our Heavenly Father before He came to this earth?

2)Was Jesus married in mortality?

3)How many wives does our Heavenly Father have?

4)Are all gods polygamous?

5)What are the principles and practices that govern a United Order?

6)Will the Holy Ghost recieve a body?

7) Why did blacks not get the priesthood?

My questian is: who cares?

Given our present condition and arrangement, I dont know how having any of the answers to (1-7) will change how we do anything, or keep any commandment.

8> To whome do we pray?

9)Why should we marry?

10)What is the eternal destiny of faithful women?

11)How does God expect us to treat our wives?

12)What is the law of consecration?

13)How do I recieve guidance from the Holy Ghost?

14)What does it mean to be a worthy priesthood holder?

Now, these are the important questians and the answers to these will effect how we worship and obey.

So rather than ask, is it in the standard works? Is it tought in General conference? Is it in official publications? Maybe we should ask: HOW COULD I APPLY THIS INFORMATION IN MY LIFE??

Thoughts?

i like it. simple is good. the gospel is simple so even the uneducated can understand it. i woujld even go more basic. faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost by those with the authority. all the rest is just for inquisitive minds.

[LifeOnaPlate]

I feel you, bro.

As an aside:

http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2006/09/nat...ctrinal-vacuum/

[Olavarria]

I also see the "is it utile" approach as a way of quelling doctrinal disputes among members.

While one is saying: "thats not doctrine" and another is saying "but President XYZ said", we can say: "Either way, is this information we can apply in our lives?". End of contention. One superstar Mexican Elder in my mission put it this way: "Is knowing that gonna help you get into the Celestial Kingdom?"

[charity's child]

It's the NEFMS principle. There are a lot of things I like to speculate about and discuss. But in the end, they are Not Essential To My Salvation, and therefore, the answer really doesn't matter.

[wenglund]

Alot of people ask the questian: is xyz statement doctrine?

Whether than ask is xyz statement doctrine, maybe we should ask: is xyz statement useful?

1)Who was our Heavenly Father before He came to this earth?

2)Was Jesus married in mortality?

3)How many wives does our Heavenly Father have?

4)Are all gods polygamous?

5)What are the principles and practices that govern a United Order?

6)Will the Holy Ghost recieve a body?

7) Why did blacks not get the priesthood?

My questian is: who cares?

Given our present condition and arrangement, I dont know how having any of the answers to (1-7) will change how we do anything, or keep any commandment.

8> To whome do we pray?

9)Why should we marry?

10)How does motherhood fit into the plan of salvation?

11)How does God expect us to treat our wives?

12)What is the law of consecration?

13)How do I recieve guidance from the Holy Ghost?

14)What does it mean to be a worthy priesthood holder?

Now, these are the important questians and the answers to these will effect how we worship and obey.

So rather than ask, is it in the standard works? Is it tought in General conference? Is it in official publications? Maybe we should ask: HOW COULD I APPLY THIS INFORMATION IN MY LIFE??

Thoughts?

On a number of levels, there is immense power in what you astutely suggest.

To me, there is a divinely instituted purpose for doctrine, which is the same purpose that is at the very heart of the restored gospel of Christ--i.e "For behold, this is my work and my gloryâ??to bring to pass the immortality and eternal elife of man." (Moses 1:39--see also the Three-fold Mission of the Church).

I other words, doctrines, like "truth", are a means to an end, and not the end, itself. They are intended to enable us to become like Christ, and gain a fulness of joy and love.

Too often, though, this valuable precept gets lost in the quicksand of dogmatism as well as the obfuscating fog of intellectualism and sophestry, and consequently the realization of the purpose behind the doctrines and "truths" is thwarted.

Doctrines and "truth", then, may be a cause for good as well as ill. The choise is our's, as agents, to decide which it will be. Our interests (individually and colectively), however, will be best served by riviting our eyes on the divine purpose and keeping all else in check and oriented in relation thereto.

At least that is what I have found useful in my life.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[hordak]

Alot of people ask the questian: is xyz statement doctrine?

Whether than ask is xyz statement doctrine, maybe we should ask: is xyz statement useful?

1)Who was our Heavenly Father before He came to this earth?

2)Was Jesus married in mortality?

3)How many wives does our Heavenly Father have?

4)Are all gods polygamous?

5)What are the principles and practices that govern a United Order?

6)Will the Holy Ghost recieve a body?

7) Why did blacks not get the priesthood?

My questian is: who cares?

Given our present condition and arrangement, I dont know how having any of the answers to (1-7) will change how we do anything, or keep any commandment.

8> To whome do we pray?

9)Why should we marry?

10)How does motherhood fit into the plan of salvation?

11)How does God expect us to treat our wives?

12)What is the law of consecration?

13)How do I recieve guidance from the Holy Ghost?

14)What does it mean to be a worthy priesthood holder?

Now, these are the important questians and the answers to these will effect how we worship and obey.

So rather than ask, is it in the standard works? Is it tought in General conference? Is it in official publications? Maybe we should ask: HOW COULD I APPLY THIS INFORMATION IN MY LIFE??

Thoughts?

We wonder about these things because the GAs continue to make statements that many take to be doctrine, knowing about the past statements and answering these questions helps us to figure out how to classify these new statements.

If the Prophets taught these things as doctrine and they are no longer taught what should members follow today?

I.E. If the Priesthood ban was caused by BYs personal opinions/ the time period and not from God what about prop 8?

Perhaps the questions themselves aren't important but the questioning is?

[John Larsen]

The best thing about this approach is it can be used to prop up any religion or philosophy, no matter how crazy or ubsurd.

If this is the case, that it is only required to try you best and be good without legalistic jumping through hoops, Mormonism is unlikely to be the best choice.

[charity's child]

The best thing about this approach is it can be used to prop up any religion or philosophy, no matter how crazy or ubsurd.

If this is the case, that it is only required to try you best and be good without legalistic jumping through hoops, Mormonism is unlikely to be the best choice.

So you think it is important to know such obscurities as whether Adam had a belly button?

There are pieces of knowledge that in no way enhance our understanding of or obedience to the gospel. And frequently those pieces of knowledge become hotly contested. Does it matter if we will practice polygamy in the eternities? Does it matter if God was a savior or a sinner on a world in the distant past? I think not. Thus it is not worth a heated debate.

[John Larsen]

So you think it is important to know such obscurities as whether Adam had a belly button?

There are pieces of knowledge that in no way enhance our understanding of or obedience to the gospel. And frequently those pieces of knowledge become hotly contested. Does it matter if we will practice polygamy in the eternities? Does it matter if God was a savior or a sinner on a world in the distant past? I think not. Thus it is not worth a heated debate.

If the only thing that matters is that we live good lives, what do we need ordinances for? How "useful" is it that olive oil is used rather than canola oil when blessing the sick? Why do we have whole sections of scripture telling us about Kolob and shaking hands with angels? God does not seem to share the disregard for the trivial.