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Post Info TOPIC: faith?


Senior Bucketkeeper

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faith?


He IS in control.



-- Edited by PollyAnna at 00:38, 2008-01-05

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Head Chef

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Is fear and panic a lack of faith?


One thing that always helps me is knowing that God will win. No matter what forces are arrayed against us, if we're on the Lord's side we'll win.

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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen!
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Understander of unimportant things

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Fear is not necessarily always the result of a lack of faith... but lacking faith (as in not having hope and seeing the big picture and thereby putting our actions in accord therewith) certainly has an impact on feeling fear, and the various manifestions of fear can contribute to a lack of faith. Does that make sense? So, lack of faith to existence of fear could be described (in database terms) as a one to many relationship as opposed to a one to one.

There is a difference between being anxious about the uncertainties we face -- individually, as families, and as communities -- in the future and not doing anything out of being paralyzed by fear or not being sure if you're doing the right thing to begin with.

We who have the gospel have a couple options: 1. Trust that The Lord really is mindful of our needs and what is going on, and that in the long run everything will work to our good if we do our part; 2. Reject that and of necessity then have to follow the path of silent desperation (because then everything is chance or out of our control and everyone's control and in the end it is all over when we die anyway); 3. Hope that The Lord will only beat us with a few stripes if we haven't been doing our part and that things will turn out okay anyway.

Those who do not have the gospel, and often the greater portion of those who only have a portion of the gospel only have #2 to choose from... and sometimes #3 depending on what they know. They are not really able to utilize #1 fully because they do not have all the knowledge they need to gain that hope and ultimately to catch the vision of the prophet's servant who was shown "that they were are with us are greater than they who are against us."

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Senior Bucketkeeper

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Thanks for sharing your thoughts, gentlemen...  This morning I was using my morning study time to read about this topic and came across this talk again; "The Times in Which We Live", in particular this quote struck me...

"Are these perilous times? They are. But there is no need to fear. We can have peace in our hearts and peace in our homes."
--President Gordon B. Hinckley Ensign, November 2001, page 74.


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Senior Bucketkeeper

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I remember listening to that address.  That was the general conference right after the terrorist attacks of 9/11.  I imagine most people had experienced some degree of fear or panic.  I certainly did--I knew my unit was on the rotation schedule for the Persian Gulf in a few months.

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The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. - Julie Beck



Hot Air Balloon

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Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

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Senior Bucketkeeper

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does he have RAYBEES???

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Hot Air Balloon

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Maybe.

My point is that perhaps there's such a thing as healthy fear.

--Ray



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I'm not slow; I'm special.
(Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)


Senior Bucketkeeper

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Okay... 



-- Edited by PollyAnna at 00:37, 2008-01-05

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Hot Air Balloon

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ftr, I agree with you, Polly, that the doom and gloom in society and panic in general is extremely un-useful and serves no genuine purpose.

I've been listening to the teachings of Joseph Smith on CD, and this morning he pretty much dissed ALL sorts of religions of his day because they claimed to have "the spirit" but they were listening to the wrong spirits. He made some very interesting claims as to why they did not have the Spirit... in that the Spirit of God leaves us with more intelligence and knowledge than what it left us with... it enables us to act and gives us ability, and it never takes over your body and leaves you gibbering... that's all devil's work.

If you come up against a spirit how does it leave you when it is gone? I think that's a good way to judge. That and by the power and gift of the Priesthood--aka the gift of discernment, seem to be the only ways we can judge.

--Ray

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I'm not slow; I'm special.
(Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
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