God blesses the flip-floppers who do better their second try. Our scriptures are filled with world-class flip-flopping heroes. The Lord's most noble leaders flip-flopped in behavior, given new knowledge.
Abraham was commanded to kill his son, and then on the mount received new revelation not to. Jacob fled from confrontation and danger his whole life until he decided to confront it, wrestling with God first.
What they didn't flip-flop on was being true to the voice within, as God gave them to know. You know, line upon line of truth; here a little, there a little. We receive truth in little squirts and at our own imperfect level. What we think is true one day may be incomplete.
I cannot imagine a scenario in which change is more difficult than to tell leaders of a religious group that they need to jump ship. And what mercy and understanding was shown to such leaders who devoted their whole lives to God but were stubborn in not adjusting their beliefs to new knowledge? “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said, “tax collectors and prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.”Isaiah 28: 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
The Kingdom of God is built of flip-floppers. If you doubt this, go read about the power of Alma in the Book of Mormon flip-flopping in his life.
I greatly admire Reagan even more for owning up to the Iran-Contra Affair, then changing his cabinet and course.
Becoming celestial is about constantly learning amidst change. Maybe that is why change is built into the process.
Think about this. Our eternal spirits have always been and will always be; however, being a spirit is fine for a time, then it isn't enough. We have to add on a body. We grow from dependent infant, to independence, back to a more dependent old ager. We lose our body and turn back to our spirit form, only to take it back later in its perfect ressurected form.
LDS Lesson Learned in an LSD World:
One thing we know is that in this life and the next, God expects change from every one of us.
5 comments:
Course corrections are always necessary...mainly because we're often off-course.
I like the look of your blog. I have to learn how to make mine appear nicer.
Completely off-topic, if you get a chance, please read this and tell me what you think:
The 12 Mistakes Mormons Make With Their Money
http://mormonmoneymatters.blogspot.com/
I'm not trying to sell anything. I'm writing a book on finances for the LDS market. I'd just like some feedback on whether you'd think this would be helpful or interesting to you or to people you know.
Thanks,
PJ
I like your website. It has some good insights into the worst mistakes Mormons make with their money. The advice is well thought out. I like it.
Here are the first impressions that I have of your site.
The Internet is different than normal writing. There have been many studies on how people look at a website and blogs. Typically, Internet readers skim or at best read very, very fast. The lesson for all us bloggers? Write briefly, use bullet points, make main points bold and keep your sentences short.
Although you've broken your blog "12 Mistakes Mormons Make" into many headers, you may want to think about breaking it into a blog per mistake. It's long. (A problem I have myself with my blogs.)
We LDS typically get very defensive in our thinking of money, e.g. don't get into too much debt. I like one of your beginning points to not just be defensive but also to be offensive (hehe) in growing income (not just cutting costs and liability) through planning.
Good stuff and a great site.
PJ,
I just tried to make a comment on your website but could not. If you want comments, I think there is a place to select the comments function when you set up your website or adjust your template settings.
Flip-Flopper, IMO, is flipping from side A to side A' and then flopping from side A' back to side A. This is much different then a course correction. Flip-Floppers, IMO, are spineless, following the crowd, 'leaders'. Perhaps it is all in the definition, but I'd rather not ever be labelled a FF. Besides, there exist correct principles, which, if followed, rarely requires a change in 'position'.
In current politics, flip-flopping is when a politician changes their original position. We expect them to be consistent and straight as an arrow.
As a traditional Republican, I'm wary of rigid ideology in the guise of "principle". It needs to give precedence to practicality.
Just look at our history as latter-day saints. We have changed many principles in favor of practicalities. E.g. Polygamy, Christian socialism (United Order), birth control and more.
Our local bishops are immensely practical in the running of their wards, and can flip-flop when needed.
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