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Unbelievers and their "pathetically limited intellect"


cacheman

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I saw this sentiment expressed on another thread that has since been closed:

And anyone whose imagination is so limited as to be unable to grasp how a mere human could ever become truly exalted, and therefore assumes that such a being's divinty must be somehow defective, is trammelled by a pathetically limited intellect that has nothing whatever to teach the Latter-day Saints.

Of the couple other LDS posters on that thread, one commended and endorsed this statement, and the others didn't comment on it at all. It made me curious as to how pervasive this opinion is. What is your opinion?

cacheman

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Venting rudely about the intelligence of others is a sure sign of insecurity. Anyone who is confident in their own position does not descend to rudeness or personal attacks. I allow that some rare people, DO engage in such behavior to get a reaction. But these kind give themselves away as such, since their responses are always "gotcha" in nature and often do not make logic, consistent sense....

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Thanks for your contribution Questing Beast. I'd rather not speculate on the motives of why someone would write something like that. I am simply curious to find out if this is a quietly held, but seldom expressed sentiment of other LDS.

cacheman

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And anyone whose imagination is so limited as to be unable to grasp how a mere human could ever become truly exalted, and therefore assumes that such a being's divinty must be somehow defective, is trammelled by a pathetically limited intellect that has nothing whatever to teach the Latter-day Saints.
Of the couple other LDS posters on that thread, one commended and endorsed this statement, and the others didn't comment on it at all. It made me curious as to how pervasive this opinion is. What is your opinion?

In the context of claiming to know the scriptures and LDS doctrine, I'd say it's true. But the intellect they are trammelled with may not be their own. They may simply have been duped.

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Members of the church who truly look at the gospel realize how much of it fills the universe and how little the known doctrine covers what is out there. We realize the doctrine we know of is our roadmap not only to salvation and eshaltation, but also to greater knowledge of the spiritual which is more immense than the physical. Sometimes it is difficult for one, who see's something plainly, to explain to another who sees in the same direction but not the same thing.

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It's not that I think that unbelievers, or even simply our critics, have "pathetically limited intellects"... some or most can be very intelligent... at this time they simply do not have "eyes to see" nor "ears to hear." Perhaps at some point in their lives they will experience something that will cause the scales to fall from their eyes. I will, therefore, leave the judgment of their intellect and/or understanding to the Lord. And I will refrain from allowing my annoyance, at times quite severe, with such individuals to get the best of me while at the same time try to present our LDS views with as much good will as possible. I choose not to paint these individuals with a broad brush... who knows what lies ahead for them... in the meantime perhaps I can give them some food for thought during their quiet nights.

GG

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I think a lot of people in the United States have extremely limited points of view, mostly due to a lack of good education. What limits people is the assumption that they actually know a lot.

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I enjoy hearing what anyone has to say about what they believe and I try to learn from it and even appropriate it into my own beliefs, if it can be done. I can do this just as well with atheists (for example) as I can from listening to the prophet.

However, I will admit that I have had the thought more than once that many who argue against the existence of God or similar things are actually the "black and white" thinkers . . . they don't enjoy a mess. God is messy. These kinds of minds do not seem to comprehend the symbolic, complex, paradoxical nature of knowledge and communication. That's it . . . lack of comprehension of symbolic, paradoxical and nuanced sets of information. They have completely swallowed the Enlightenment rational pill and think that this is TRUE or FACTUAL instead of PARADIGMATIC. Now, of course, I have heard many argue FOR God with the same kind of lack of comprehension (in my opinion).

But even though I sometimes hold this opinion about someone with whom I'm communicating, I know it's just that . . . my opinion . . . and I know where it goes . . . it should stay in my mind and never get out.

Except that you asked :).

And ditto what Mordecai said. . . . Certainty is a form of madness . . .

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I think a lot of people in the United States have extremely limited points of view, mostly due to a lack of good education. What limits people is the assumption that they actually know a lot.

That last can also apply to those who ostensibly have a "good eduction". When they are learned, they think they are wise.....

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