Calm Posted December 24, 2015 Posted December 24, 2015 I was reading in 3 Nephi tonight trying to decompress and came across one of the scriptural references to "traditions of their fathers". It kind of jumped out at me tonight because it was the believers that were relying on their fathers' traditions and risking death because of that reliance. I tend to associate the phrase more with the condemnation of the Lamanites and so categorize "traditions of their fathers" more in the negative way than positive. I am curious as to how others use the phrase generally and see it used. Is it more often seen and felt as condemning or seen as a good thing to be following fathers' traditions in general? For those who want to refresh their memory of the scriptures, here is a collection of the usage as well as some variations on the theme: https://www.lds.org/manual/eternal-marriage-student-manual/traditions-of-the-fathers?lang=eng
strappinglad Posted December 24, 2015 Posted December 24, 2015 I dimly remember a conference talk about traditions. I think it referred to countries where there are some strange and perhaps untoward traditions which have been followed for centuries but are not conducive to righteous behavior. New members from those areas with such traditions were often torn between maintaining family unity by participating and risking contention by not participating. IIRC such members were advised to CTR.
JLHPROF Posted December 24, 2015 Posted December 24, 2015 My favorite quote on traditions: But there has been a great difficulty in getting anything into the heads of this generation it has been like splitting hemlock knots with a Corn dodger for a wedge & a pumpkin for a beetle, Even the Saints are slow to understand I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the Saints prepared to receive the things of God, but we frequently see some of them after suffering all they have for the work of God will fly to pieces like glass as soon as any thing Comes that is Contrary to their traditions, they Cannot stand the fire at all, How many will be able to abide a Celestial law & go through & receive their exaltation I am unable to say but many are Called & few are Chosen. I think of this every time there is a call for "more revelation". We have SO many false traditions about that we think God can do, can't do, or should do.
CV75 Posted December 24, 2015 Posted December 24, 2015 8 hours ago, Calm said: I was reading in 3 Nephi tonight trying to decompress and came across one of the scriptural references to "traditions of their fathers". It kind of jumped out at me tonight because it was the believers that were relying on their fathers' traditions and risking death because of that reliance. I tend to associate the phrase more with the condemnation of the Lamanites and so categorize "traditions of their fathers" more in the negative way than positive. I am curious as to how others use the phrase generally and see it used. Is it more often seen and felt as condemning or seen as a good thing to be following fathers' traditions in general? For those who want to refresh their memory of the scriptures, here is a collection of the usage as well as some variations on the theme: https://www.lds.org/manual/eternal-marriage-student-manual/traditions-of-the-fathers?lang=eng Alma uses the term for both Gospel-based practices that are passed down generations and those practices that are based in its rejection or in ignorance (Alma 9:8-18). So we need to assess our own family and cultural traditions and keep or develop those which are consistent with God’s teachings. I think it is sometimes used in place of the term “traditions of men,” which refers to worldly “rudiments” inconsistent with the Gospel (Mark 7:8, Colossians 2:8). 1
BlueDreams Posted December 24, 2015 Posted December 24, 2015 A quick search of my scriptures on my phone shows 3 different contexts with "tradition of the fathers" in the BoM. One is the negative connotation that's often thought of. The other is focused on gospel/religious preservation of correct beliefs and practices (along with 3 nephi there's several reference to it at the beginning when they're leaving Jerusalem and establishing themselves in their new lands). The last is a form of mockery or devaluing gospel beliefs by break away groups such as korihor. Most recently I remember one of the talks in gc noting the blessing of having multi-gen lds household with a "gospel culture" central to them. I think I personally mostly think of it in a negative context. But I do remember hearing about it in a positive or at least neutral stance for things like holiday traditions. with luv, bd 2
Storm Rider Posted December 24, 2015 Posted December 24, 2015 I personally associate the phrase with a negative connotation. There is value in understanding why we do things rather than just blindly following our ancestors. As I write this I want to immediately correct the errant, opposite behavior of rejecting everything from our ancestors without thinking or trying to understand. 1
Guest Posted December 24, 2015 Posted December 24, 2015 Answer to the OP... "Traditions of (our) their fathers", means the same thing as obedience to the scriptures and the law. It usually references the ""oral traditions" which are how the scriptures were dictated for thousands of yearsfrom the beginning, until those traditions could be written down. Once those traditions which had already been written on the brass plates ( or scrolls) and in the Book of Mormon times on the gold plates, were a result of the traditions of their fathers dating back to Adam. Any other "traditions" that were in conflict with scripture were meant to be abandoned.
Maidservant Posted December 24, 2015 Posted December 24, 2015 I was thinking about this recently too. I don't think the word 'tradition' in the Book of Mormon meant the rituals and events and bits of things we do. Whatever their source, whatever their current iteration. It's more or less all good--just not the main point, right? I think the word 'tradition' meant a paradigm or set of beliefs that had hold of a people--i.e. hating the Nephites. It didn't make them (Lamanites) bad people, and God didn't want the Nephites thinking they (Lamanites) were bad people. They loved their families, for example. It was only because of tradition (i.e. a long-held unexamined paradigm) that they hated the Nephites. And God was hoping the Nephites wouldn't buy into all that. Man, we could use a huge dose of that counsel in today's world (i.e. sound familiar?). We have to be careful, not of our bits, but of our whole outlook and make sure that we are not assuming that God is on our team and sporting our exact same outlook (i.e. creating God in our own image). I think this is important because I think God still has quite a few of our 'traditions' to break through. He hasn't broken down all our belief sets, nor opened our eyes as wide as they will be. It's not a pleasant nor tidy process. The entire 20th century has been God obliterating our traditions. Everything from women should be in the kitchen to etc etc etc. It all makes sense now, but really it took us a while. (And a lot of stuff that has yet to make sense.) Well, we are still in the middle of some tradition break-downs. God still is trying to show us what is tradition, and what is really HIM and really gospel. 1
The Nehor Posted December 24, 2015 Posted December 24, 2015 Depends on the quality of the fathers and traditions in question.
PeterPear Posted December 25, 2015 Posted December 25, 2015 It's also mentioned in the D&C about our time. And a reference to the early church about those who didn't believe in Christ because they insisted in keeping the Law of Moses. https://www.lds.org/scriptures/search?lang=eng&query=Traditions&testament=dc-testament
consiglieri Posted December 26, 2015 Posted December 26, 2015 I think that, as a general rule, traditions of the fathers are considered a good thing so long as we still maintain them. It is when we disagree with the traditions of the fathers that they become the very chains and shackles and fetters of hell. I do have to chuckle when we sing "Faith of our Fathers" in Church because I can't help thinking what Joseph Smith said about it. Perhaps this is one of the keys to know when a religion has gone into apostasy? When it bases its current teachings on the traditions of the fathers . . . ?
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