Johnnie Cake Posted March 1, 2017 Posted March 1, 2017 (edited) So said Boyd K. Packer. So in the Illustrious opinion of this boards members...what things that are True are Not useful exactly? I've always believed that we should aspire to the truth? That we should seek after truth? That we should desire truth above all else? And yet President Packer taught that some truth is not useful? I would like to know exactly how truth and what truth is not useful. Edited March 1, 2017 by Johnnie Cake 2
Thinking Posted March 1, 2017 Posted March 1, 2017 Any truth that paints the LDS Church in a bad light is not useful. 3
Hamba Tuhan Posted March 1, 2017 Posted March 1, 2017 One possible example, of which I am personally familiar: 'I wish I'd had an abortion instead of having you!' 2
Ahab Posted March 1, 2017 Posted March 1, 2017 (edited) Some truths are about evil, and how to do things that are evil, and how some people really like to do some things that are evil. Not really very useful info for a guy like me to know all the ins and outs of all of that kinda stuff. I'd rather know more about things that are good and lovely and virtuous, etc. Stuff like that. Edited March 1, 2017 by Ahab 1
Johnnie Cake Posted March 1, 2017 Author Posted March 1, 2017 10 minutes ago, Thinking said: Any truth that paints the LDS Church in a bad light is not useful. Why?
Duncan Posted March 1, 2017 Posted March 1, 2017 I think it was a former poster on here years ago said that knowing what color shoes Martha Washington wore on her wedding day is true but not really useful 2
Atheist Mormon Posted March 2, 2017 Posted March 2, 2017 24 minutes ago, Thinking said: Any truth that paints the LDS Church in a bad light is not useful. Or His wife is haveing a happy, long term affair, now is that a useful truth to find out?
Popular Post cinepro Posted March 2, 2017 Popular Post Posted March 2, 2017 34 minutes ago, Johnnie Cake said: So said Boyd K. Packer. So in the Illustrious opinion of this boards members...what things that are True are Not useful exactly? I've always believed that we should aspire to the truth? That we should seek after truth? That we should desire truth above all else? And yet President Packer taught that some truth is not useful? I would like to know exactly how truth and what truth is not useful. I think most the stuff in the Gospel Topics Essays would fall under that umbrella in President Packer's scheme of things. 6
Jane_Doe Posted March 2, 2017 Posted March 2, 2017 59 minutes ago, Johnnie Cake said: And yet President Packer taught that some truth is not useful? I would like to know exactly how truth and what truth is not useful. Did you know that the town of Copley, Aus has a population of 104? That the Jhyali instrument is made up a 5 metal alloy? That the field horsetail has 216 diploid chromosome count? All true. How many do you find useful? 4
bluebell Posted March 2, 2017 Posted March 2, 2017 (edited) It really depends on what context the speaker is using because deciding what truth is and isn't useful depends on what is trying to be accomplished. If Elder Packer is talking about salvation, there are millions of truths that aren't very useful. Edited March 2, 2017 by bluebell 4
JAHS Posted March 2, 2017 Posted March 2, 2017 It depends on the definition of "useful". To me useful truths are those that uplift us and inspire us to do good and be good and serve others. There are not so useful truths that are only meant to tear down the church, its leaders, and doctrines and detract from all the good fruits and blessings that come from those things. In my opinion the useful truths far outweigh the unuseful truths. 1
Jeanne Posted March 2, 2017 Posted March 2, 2017 The truth, even in bad light is still the truth. So what to do ..change lightbulb? Or paint it a nice gray color..better still, pretend that you can still see the light at all.
Hamba Tuhan Posted March 2, 2017 Posted March 2, 2017 21 minutes ago, bluebell said: It really depends on what context the speaker is using because deciding what truth is and isn't useful depends on what is trying to be accomplished. Another possible example: Two weeks before I submitted my PhD thesis in history, I made the decision to cut an entire chapter, which necessitated my going back and removing all references to the contents of this chapter from the rest of the thesis. Was the chapter my best attempt at telling the 'truth'?* Certainly. But I had reached the conclusion that it just wasn't helpful to what I was trying to accomplish in my thesis. ----- * As a professionally trained historian, this was the simplest way I could think of to express the complex relationship that necessarily exists between what most people mean by 'truth' and what the enterprise of history actually produces. 2
Johnnie Cake Posted March 2, 2017 Author Posted March 2, 2017 To put the quote in context pres packer was referring to the writers of church history when he said Quote There is a temptation for the writer or the teacher of Church history to want to tell everything, whether it is worthy or faith promoting or not. Some things that are true are not very useful. —Elder Boyd ... So Pres Packer felt that things that are true, that are not faith promoting are not useful. Should a truth that does not promote faith be kept from church members? 1
Johnnie Cake Posted March 2, 2017 Author Posted March 2, 2017 1 hour ago, Jane_Doe said: Did you know that the town of Copley, Aus has a population of 104? That the Jhyali instrument is made up a 5 metal alloy? That the field horsetail has 216 diploid chromosome count? All true. How many do you find useful? I'm sure that it matters to the residents of Copley & the players of Jhyali's and to field horsetails
rodheadlee Posted March 2, 2017 Posted March 2, 2017 2 hours ago, Johnnie Cake said: So said Boyd K. Packer. So in the Illustrious opinion of this boards members...what things that are True are Not useful exactly? I've always believed that we should aspire to the truth? That we should seek after truth? That we should desire truth above all else? And yet President Packer taught that some truth is not useful? I would like to know exactly how truth and what truth is not useful. The Carter Catastrophe ? Do you think it's good science and true? I don't think it's very useful.
ksfisher Posted March 2, 2017 Posted March 2, 2017 (edited) 47 minutes ago, Johnnie Cake said: To put the quote in context pres packer was referring to the writers of church history when he said So Pres Packer felt that things that are true, that are not faith promoting are not useful. Should a truth that does not promote faith be kept from church members? If the church doesn't teach a non useful truth, is the church hiding that truth from members? Or is it just choosing to teaching something else (which is equally true)? Edited March 2, 2017 by ksfisher
Hamba Tuhan Posted March 2, 2017 Posted March 2, 2017 (edited) 43 minutes ago, Johnnie Cake said: Should a truth that does not promote faith be kept from church members? I think many of the responses to your post here have clearly addressed the context. Question: When you recently recounted your experience with Mothers Day lunches out, you failed to detail what you have eaten and drunk at all such previous outings and how much it all cost you? Should this information be kept from us? Edited March 2, 2017 by Hamba Tuhan
carbon dioxide Posted March 2, 2017 Posted March 2, 2017 2 hours ago, Johnnie Cake said: So said Boyd K. Packer. So in the Illustrious opinion of this boards members...what things that are True are Not useful exactly? I've always believed that we should aspire to the truth? That we should seek after truth? That we should desire truth above all else? And yet President Packer taught that some truth is not useful? I would like to know exactly how truth and what truth is not useful. Most truth is not really useful. For example it may be true that George Michael died on Christmas day. That is a truth. Is that truth useful for anyone living today? Will one have a better life knowing that truth? I don' think so. Her is another truth. My dog right now is pawing at the door to go outside. That is a truth. Its not useful for anyone else but me and will not be useful for me once I let her outside.
Thinking Posted March 2, 2017 Posted March 2, 2017 2 hours ago, Johnnie Cake said: Why? I forgot the snarky emoticon. 1
Johnnie Cake Posted March 2, 2017 Author Posted March 2, 2017 Several posters have given examples of unuseful truths...so there are truths that are clearly not useful...but what no one has yet provided and what I believe Pres Packer was referring to were truths that are critical in forming an opinion which could lead some to a conclusion he might not like and therefore that made that truth unhelpful. Its like a critical piece of evidence in a murder investigation that if withheld might cause the murderer to be let free. The kind of truth that is a critical piece of information, that if withheld will allow faith and belief but if provided might cause one to conclude that a claim is not true. This is the kind of truth President Packer finds unuseful. 1
MormonVideoGame Posted March 2, 2017 Posted March 2, 2017 2 hours ago, bluebell said: It really depends on what context the speaker is using because deciding what truth is and isn't useful depends on what is trying to be accomplished. If Elder Packer is talking about salvation, there are millions of truths that aren't very useful. that throws LDS scholarship and apologetics under the bus.
VideoGameJunkie Posted March 2, 2017 Posted March 2, 2017 Whether in exaltation we are rewarded with literal thrones or symbolic thrones.
Jane_Doe Posted March 2, 2017 Posted March 2, 2017 1 hour ago, Johnnie Cake said: I'm sure that it matters to the residents of Copley & the players of Jhyali's and to field horsetails But we're not talking about them. We're talking about: are these true facts useful to you? 1
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