So why have we been set up? Just as with Adam & Eve, I think it’s all part of the plan. If the contradiction can’t be solved, then it must exist to teach us something.
What does God really want with us?
God wants a people who can live in peace. And He wants a society of prophets. But living in peace is more important than being prophets. It has to come first. Because an asshole with the gift of prophecy becomes a much bigger asshole.
If we are the type of people who use our prophecies to coerce others, then we can't be prophets. And Zion needs to be a society of prophets. Even if you have many revelations, you still have to use persuasion, long-suffering, etc.
In the Garden of Eden, God gave contradicting commandments. Multiply and replenish. Don't eat from that tree.
Here and now, God has given contradicting commandments. "Seek to become of one heart with those who seek the Lord to establish His righteousness" (Answer & Covenant, p.10). " I require a statement of principles to be adopted by the mutual agreement of my people."
Right now, given the current state of our hearts, mutual agreement can only happen through coercion.
How were Adam & Eve supposed to resolve the contradiction? By waiting until God returns to give further instruction.
I can't tell you what to do. I'm no prophet. I don't know God's will in this matter. I worry that I'm wrong, that "if you cannot do so you will be unable to accomplish other works that I will require at your hands." Eagerness to finish this matter in order to get on to the next things could turn out badly.
"If your hearts were right it was a light thing I have asked. You hinder and delay and then you say I require too much of you and do not allow you time, when, if your hearts were right and you prepared yourselves you could have finished this work long ago."
But our hearts aren't right. At least mine isn't. And even if my heart was right, I would be then tempted to use my pure heart to convince others that they should listen to me, or to remove the less pure hearts from the body. And then my heart wouldn't be right anymore.
The tl;dr is this: We aren't capable of mutual agreement without coercion right now. Attempting to have it in our current state will, and has, led to much mischief. If we were gathered throughout this whole process, I probably would have murdered someone's sheep by now. And we would definitely be doing the whole spiritual wifery thing.
I will abstain from any vote. I will not hinder anyone else's attempt for mutual agreement, but I just don't think it can happen right now. I'm going to wait for further instruction on how to live in Zion, which, I have heard, does not currently exist in our scriptures.
In the meantime, I need to learn how to live in peace in my household, and in my fellowship. I need to learn how to avoid coercing others in my own home.
God wants a people who can live in peace. And He wants a society of prophets. But living in peace is more important than being prophets. It has to come first. Because an asshole with the gift of prophecy becomes a much bigger asshole.
If we are the type of people who use our prophecies to coerce others, then we can't be prophets. And Zion needs to be a society of prophets. Even if you have many revelations, you still have to use persuasion, long-suffering, etc.
In the Garden of Eden, God gave contradicting commandments. Multiply and replenish. Don't eat from that tree.
Here and now, God has given contradicting commandments. "Seek to become of one heart with those who seek the Lord to establish His righteousness" (Answer & Covenant, p.10). " I require a statement of principles to be adopted by the mutual agreement of my people."
Right now, given the current state of our hearts, mutual agreement can only happen through coercion.
How were Adam & Eve supposed to resolve the contradiction? By waiting until God returns to give further instruction.
I can't tell you what to do. I'm no prophet. I don't know God's will in this matter. I worry that I'm wrong, that "if you cannot do so you will be unable to accomplish other works that I will require at your hands." Eagerness to finish this matter in order to get on to the next things could turn out badly.
"If your hearts were right it was a light thing I have asked. You hinder and delay and then you say I require too much of you and do not allow you time, when, if your hearts were right and you prepared yourselves you could have finished this work long ago."
But our hearts aren't right. At least mine isn't. And even if my heart was right, I would be then tempted to use my pure heart to convince others that they should listen to me, or to remove the less pure hearts from the body. And then my heart wouldn't be right anymore.
The tl;dr is this: We aren't capable of mutual agreement without coercion right now. Attempting to have it in our current state will, and has, led to much mischief. If we were gathered throughout this whole process, I probably would have murdered someone's sheep by now. And we would definitely be doing the whole spiritual wifery thing.
I will abstain from any vote. I will not hinder anyone else's attempt for mutual agreement, but I just don't think it can happen right now. I'm going to wait for further instruction on how to live in Zion, which, I have heard, does not currently exist in our scriptures.
In the meantime, I need to learn how to live in peace in my household, and in my fellowship. I need to learn how to avoid coercing others in my own home.
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