General Conference Discussion Thread!

[Nominee]

Unity. I hear them speak of unity.

[Matthew J. Tandy]

Well, Elder Richard G. Scott's talk...

Sorry, Elder Nelson's talk.

[Nominee]

How was that said? The offer of "Can I give you some help?" while good meaning is really no help at all. Powerful.

[Log]

Well, Elder Richard G. Scott's talk is now destined to become quoted by anti-Mormons for decades to come! He outright mocked the Big Bang, evolution, etc. It's not the point of his talk, but he expanded the scope beyond it.

Actually, I confuse them (Richard G. Scott, Russel M. Nelson) for each other all the time too. Something about the names and grey hair.

But yes, those whose faith is weak or nonexistent will surely have issues, but that's how we get stronger. Who knows, maybe someone might change their position... nah, who'm I kidding?

[JeremyOrbe-Smith]

Agh! My internet cut out in the middle of Sister Beck's talk! Anything huge I missed? The beginning and ending were certainly powerful.

I am going to miss Sister Beck so much.

Edited April 1, 2012 by JeremyOrbe-Smith

[Nominee]

Agh! My internet cut out in the middle of Sister Beck's talk! Anything huge I missed? The beginning and ending were certainly powerful.

I am going to miss Sister Beck so much.

Prophetic importance of Relief Society. Very good stuff. You will want to go back to watch it again later.

[Matthew J. Tandy]

Woot, Elder Christofferson just said that not every statement made in conference or by a leader is doctrine. Useful timing since Elder Nelson had just mocked certain scientific theories. He also mentioned my most cited Brigham Young event about correcting what he said in conference.

[mercyngrace]

Woot, Elder Christofferson just said that not every statement made in conference or by a leader is doctrine. Useful timing since Elder Nelson had just mocked certain scientific theories. He also mentioned my most cited Brigham Young event about correcting what he said in conference.

Lovin' this talk!

[Matthew J. Tandy]

What I could not quite tell from Elder Christofferson's talk (due to my son running around) is whether he was at one point putting down scholarly analysis and its use, or if he was saying it's good, but not the source of doctrine.

[BCSpace]

Yes. Thank you Elder Christofferson for showing us that doctrine does not necessarily come from the scriptures and reaffirming the Church's summary statement whcih I link to below.

[Stargazer]

Awww, man, someone hook up mercyngrace with a rep point from me! Mine aren't working.

Done!

D. Todd Christopher's talk just now about how doctrine is declared in the Church was simply awesome! I definitely hope the US media (and others) were watching and taking notes.

[JeremyOrbe-Smith]

It's a good thing we're not allowed to gamble, because all this talk of the importance of Relief Society and Peter's changes to doctrine would put me in a mood to bet that we'll soon hear things about Priesthood for women.

I'd probably lose, but hey, it's more about the adrenaline rush.

[Stargazer]

What I could not quite tell from Elder Christofferson's talk (due to my son running around) is whether he was at one point putting down scholarly analysis and its use, or if he was saying it's good, but not the source of doctrine.

Yes, he was saying that it was good for increasing understanding but not the arbiter of doctrine

[Nominee]

What I could not quite tell from Elder Christofferson's talk (due to my son running around) is whether he was at one point putting down scholarly analysis and its use, or if he was saying it's good, but not the source of doctrine.

He said it was good but not the source of doctrine.

[JeremyOrbe-Smith]

Hoorayz, 'Come Thou Fount' is the closing hymn! I posted a YouTube clip of that to Facebook in celebration at the beginning of conference yesterday.

Edited April 1, 2012 by JeremyOrbe-Smith

[bluebell]

Woot, Elder Christofferson just said that not every statement made in conference or by a leader is doctrine. Useful timing since Elder Nelson had just mocked certain scientific theories. He also mentioned my most cited Brigham Young event about correcting what he said in conference.

I didn't really get Elder Nelson mocking the big bang so much as mocking that life was created by chance through the big bang.

[Nominee]

Has anyone mentioned that the acting Prophet is the exception and has been spiritually endowed? I heard Christofferson carefully seperate the Prophet from the crowd while sharing his wisdom regarding what is doctrine.

[Matthew J. Tandy]

Yes, he was saying that it was good for increasing understanding but not the arbiter of doctrine.

He said it was good but not the source of doctrine.

Excellent. Good to hear. Like I said, I couldn't tell. If it had been the other way, it would have seemed incongruous with the rest of the talk.

[BCSpace]

What I could not quite tell from Elder Christofferson's talk (due to my son running around) is whether he was at one point putting down scholarly analysis and its use, or if he was saying it's good, but not the source of doctrine.

Yes, he was saying that it was good for increasing understanding but not the arbiter of doctrine

Not the scriptures either, but they used all these things, scriptures, words of the prophets, scholarship, etc. and then they seek the revelation of the Spirit as the arbiter. Notice that doctrine is still being created as per the Article of Faith, yet new canon is rare.

I didn't really get Elder Nelson mocking the big bang so much as mocking that life was created by chance through the big bang.

That's right. I did not hear that particular talk as I was also running around, but I know that Atheists incorrectly use evolution to remove God from the equation.

[BCSpace]

Has anyone mentioned that the acting Prophet is the exception and has been spiritually endowed? I heard Christofferson carefully seperate the Prophet from the crowd while sharing his wisdom regarding what is doctrine.

He was speaking of the establishment of doctrine and in that case yes, there is a separation. The Prophet is going to be the key signal to the bretheren that the Spirit has spoken (or that there was a visitation etc.).

[Nominee]

He was speaking of the establishment of doctrine and in that case yes, there is a separation. The Prophet is going to be the key signal to the bretheren that the Spirit has spoken (or that there was a visitation etc.).

Yes, good. I am very pleased with that. Thank you for confirming it.

[ERMD]

Sis. Beck is certainly "an elect lady."

Stirring arrangement of "Come, Thou Fount". One of my favorites!

[KevinG]

I think we are experiencing a renaissance of LDS liturgical music with our current arrangers and directors. These arrangements bring a sophisticated sound without diminishing the sacred hymns or making them "popish".

Very nice!

[bridget_night]

Paraphrasing Elder D. Todd Christopherson - "Just because a general authority, apostle or prophet says something over the pulpit, or writes something, doesn't make it doctrine." I see this as a very important/constructive/positive thing to tell the membership.

I was pleasantly surprised. I especially liked the story Elder Christopherson told of Brigham Young who had spoken in a morning conference session about some soldiers he was upset about and something else and then in the afternoon a GA contradicted him by saying that what BY said this morning was BY talking. This afternoon the Lord would be speaking and contradicted all that BY had said that morning.

I also liked that he said that it is only by personal inspiration of the audience members can they know if what the leader spoke is from God and that is what the early church taught. I certainly know that some of the things BKP has said about gays is not from God.

Is it possible that "these times are a changing"? This talk was much more like the church I was raised in as a child and young girl.

My real takeaway from the talk is that the important stuff is the doctrine of Christ. The simple, profound truths Christ taught. The atonement. This doctrine hasn't changed much over the years, right? I felt like there was a subtext of "Anything not the doctrine of Christ is actually less important. Use your own judgment and discernment."

This talk could actually make me consider coming back to the church someday.

[ERMD]

I think we are experiencing a renaissance of LDS liturgical music with our current arrangers and directors. These arrangements bring a sophisticated sound without diminishing the sacred hymns or making them "popish".

Very nice!

Genius of Mack Wilberg. His arrangement of "Come, Come Ye Saints" has the same effect.