Connor’s Conundrums

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The Sifter

Posted by Connor on April 11th, 2007

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photo credit: amyMEmeME

Take away the Book of Mormon and the revelations, and where is our religion? We have none. (Joseph Smith, via Quoty)

I find the Book of Mormon fascinating. This book, written for our day, “is as current as the morning newspaper and much more definitive, inspired, and inspiring concerning the solutions of those problems” (so says the Prophet).

The Book of Mormon can (and should) be applied to numerous areas of life, as President Benson said:

The Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today. God, with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat false educational, political, religious and philosophical concepts of our time. (Ezra Taft Benson, via Quoty)

Its insightful warnings and prophetic applications serve to sift the wheat from the tares, for not all who read it will understand the many messages it conveys. Another quote by President Benson discusses this in more detail:

That book was written for our day. Mormon, who compiled it, saw us in vision and was directed to put into the book those things God felt we would especially need in our time…. Not only should we know what history and faith-promoting stories it contains, but we should also understand its teachings. If we really did our homework and approached the Book of Mormon doctrinally, we could expose the errors and find the truths to combat many of the current false theories and philosophies of men, including socialism, humanism, organic evolution, and others.

I have noted within the Church the difference in discernment, in insight, in conviction, and in spirit between those who know and love the Book of Mormon and those who do not. That book is a great sifter. (Ezra Taft Benson, via Quoty)

I believe that one of the (possibly many) reasons why President Hinckley challenged us to read the Book of Mormon in the fall of 2005 was to gain additional insight and find meaningful application in the pages of this sacred text. There is much to be learned, and condemnation to be lifted. It truly is the keystone of our religion, and the most correct of any book on the earth.

I’d be quite lost without it.

Possibly related posts:

Food Storage Folly

One courageous individual has opined already. Care to pontificate as well?

As for how to get the condemnation lifted, verse 61 and the entire rest of the section is the answer in my humble opinion. The Book of Mormon is a missionary handbook among other things.

#1 Curtis on April 12th, 2007