One of my pet peeves

[MikeWaters]

One other quick point--why have we gone down the road where we think that revelation is a binary process? That the only answers we can get are to yes/no questions?

Was revelation a binary process to Joseph Smith?

"but we are not Joseph Smith"

Why not? Isn't that buying into the argument, to a degree, that the rest of the world believes--that the age of revelation is over?

[ute4ever]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

...The problem I have with this is why revelation was expected only at the end, as a kind of capstone. Why wasn't revelation ongoing and part of the process the whole way through. Why is this man sitting there on a Sunday evening trying to decipher the answer to a prayer? Why isn't his entire life a kind of prayer?

We are taught to have a prayer in our hearts all the day long. As relationships develop, I don't know why some people choose not to involve the spirit until the end. I've heard of girls being criticized for praying after three dates and deciding there will not be a fourth. There are two schools of thought here: (1) "What is thy will for me?" and (2) "I'm going to do what I want, and later on maybe ask for your approval." Yes we are instructed to be thinking agents who act, but we are also taught to act in faith.

What a weird thing it is to constantly have to be upturned by sudden whims of God, that go against all our values. Like for example murder.

Is this the Nephi/Laban example again? Nephi struggled with that revelation; it went against everything he was taught. Thus, the spirit gave him further enlightenment: "it is better that one man perish than a whole nation dwindle in unbelief." That made the job a bit easier, giving Nephi a glimpse of his future. He obviously had a strong spirit with him at that moment, speaking peace into his mind and soul. Later, we see with the Mulekites and Lamanites what the Nephites would have become without the scriptures, and that would have also meant no golden plates, no Book of Mormon, and possibly no Joseph Smith. I wouldn't consider the Nephi/brass plate turning point to be a sudden whim of God.

Laban had some military leadership- he was a man who could command and slay fifty- so we can only suppose that his pursuit of Lehi's family would have been more intense than Pharoah chasing after Moses. Then does the Lord slay Laban and his whole army, when he could have slain Laban alone way back after the third date?

A person close to me who has become devout LDS, whereas before was not so devout. He tells me that he isn't sure it's God's will for him to be married.

To never marry ever, or to remain unmarried at this point in time? I've known many people who have had premonitions that they wouldn't marry until later in life, and by that time they have accomplished X and experienced Y and become a different person that they probably would not have had they been raising a family all of those years. The question is, is your friend sitting on his laurels whining about not being married, or is he actively engaging in the Lord's will for him? For example, Elder Oaks' wife (Kristin McMain) didn't marry him until she was in her 50s, and by then had earned a PhD from BYU in curriculum and instruction, and has been a valuable speaking partner and educator especially while they were living in the Philippines from 2002-04.

Do not be commanded in all things. I don't want to be doing everything for my kids when they are adults. I want them to be responsible and independent. Why doesn't God want the same for us? Learn the correct principles and apply them.

Joseph Smith agrees with you. He said the people rely too much on the prophet rather than seek their own relationship with the spirit. However; if life was so simplified that everyone knew they were 'supposed' to graduate from school, serve a mission, marry, attend church, raise babies, buy a modest home, buy food storage, serve a senior mission, then retire and enjoy the golden years sitting in a recliner swallowing prescriptions....then why would anyone need a relationship with the spirit? Yet that's what has been commanded us.

But life isn't that simplified. Businesses fail. Enemies attack. Children with special needs are born. People fall into temptation. Natural disasters wreak havoc. The innocent fall victim to scams, crimes and murders. Illnesses and diseases pop up. And who is there to pick up the pieces, mend what is broken, and adapt to change when everyone is busy raising their own babies and saving for their senior missions? Many experiences in life make it difficult for a person to fit into the mold, and people need a relationship with the spirit.

There is a famous story where an individual had a difficult experience and didn't know how to resolve it. He sought counsel from his bishop, stake leaders, regional leaders, and it even found its way to the prophet, David O. McKay. McKay listened to the saga and his result was, "I don't know what to do. That's his problem, isn't it?"

[MikeWaters]

well it turns out in the case I cited originally, time has passed, and God's will kept changing very abruptly based on the financial remuneration involved. Also, if their unprofessional behavior in negotiation was any indication of God's will, then God doesn't really play nice either.