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Dr. Peterson,
Thank you for your thoughtful observations and warnings about trying to mold God in our own image. This is a lesson that is worth pondering in each of our individual lives. Do I try to bend my conception of my Heavenly Father to fit my personal preferences or proclivities? I find the description in D&C 1:16 especially relevant:
“They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god….”
It is as if we sometimes take the invitation to “Come, Follow Me” as coming from us to the Savior rather than from Him to each of us. It has always been about us trying to become more like Him rather than trying to make Him more like us.
I just read through a social media string wherein young adult Church members were criticizing the selection of art of the Savior that is to be used in our chapels. Some of the critics’ preferred pieces of art and artists were not selected, which will somehow taint the critics’ ability to properly worship in our buildings. While there is no “true” or even “best” artwork per se, to focus on such a thing seems to be a case of wanting to mold an image of the Savior to personal tastes.
The comment by David Frederick Hann includes the reference to 2 Nephi 9:29. I think of how much good is done by highly educated members of the Church who continue to “hearken unto the counsels of God”. We have no further to look than the First Presidency, all highly educated. The Quorum of the Twelve is not to be outdone with a Rhodes Scholar and several doctoral degrees among them. While such educational attainment has never been a prerequisite for service, that they subjugate their professional stature and successes to their desires to serve the Lord makes them wonderful role models and surely informs their decisions as they lead the Lord’s far flung, worldwide Church.
Cheers.
Very nice sermon, Dan, even though I doubt that Amy-Jill Levine would share your summation of rabbinic values.
Oh, I certainly don’t purport to have summed up all “rabbinic values.” There are a great many other values at play among the great classical rabbis, and they’re overwhelmingly admirable and good. But the element that I mention is certainly present in some rabbinic/Talmudic thinking — and elsewhere, as well, in multiple faith traditions. I merely offered some illustrative specimens.
Very nice article. I agree wholeheartedly!
Or to summarize more pithily, 2 Nephi 9:29: “But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.”
If intelligence is truth and light, then the goal of life is to live in the light, to hear the voice of the Shepherd. He said if we love Him, to feed his sheep. The common farmer who feeds us, the tailor who clothes us are surely as worthy of celestial glory as the academic who disdains their livelihoods. Thanks for loving those we see that the trains run. (See Kipling, “The Sons of Martha”.)
A very touching and inspiring article, and such an important reminder about what kind of intelligence the Lord hopes we will be amassing most. Thank you!
Is the link to the audio reading of this essay on the page? I couldn’t find it. In fact, I cannot find it anywhere obvious on the website. It’s not linked to in from the essay page, and it does not see to be in the “Watch & Listen” menu. ?
Right on the article page, the links to the various formats of the article are in the right column. The top one, which says “MP3 Audio” is the link to the audio. If the 7 buttons are not visible, there should be an arrow and if you click on it, the buttons will slide out so they’re visible.
It is articles like this, Dan, that make me love Interpreter like a mana gift from the Courts of Light. Cherished, thankful.
Another great article. Peterson has a style that as I read I think “yes exactly, that is exactly what I think”, yet recognize I failed to actually come up with it on my own. That’s a rare quality among writers. Well done brother Peterson.