This is an Interpreter Radio (audio) Roundtable for Come, Follow Me New Testament Lesson 1, We Are Responsible for Our Own Learning, with various insights to help us better understand the course of study for the coming year. These roundtables will generally follow the 2019 Come, Follow Me schedule of scriptures, a few weeks ahead of time.
Panelists for this roundtable are Bruce Webster, Kris Frederickson, and Mike Parker. This roundtable was extracted from the December 16, 2018 broadcast of Interpreter Radio. The complete show may be heard at https://dev.interpreterfoundation.org/interpreter-radio-show-december-16-2018/
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Podcast: Download (Duration: 47:10 — 10.8MB) |
The Interpreter Radio Show is a weekly discussion of matters of interest to the hosts, guests, and callers of the show. The views expressed on the Interpreter Radio Show are those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Interpreter Foundation, nor should statements made on the show be construed as official doctrinal statements of the Church.
Richard if you get a chance to to ‘ LDS Living’ and read the article on how to study church history. I think based on your remarks you will find it interesting.
I listened to this and it was hard. I will be upfront and acknowledge I am nuance and very agnostic LDS. I had problems with a lot of this podcast. In fact was driving into work listening and found myself talking back to it a lot. I will point to one part only.
There was a segment early in the podcast – right after the Bednar quote. The hosts were discussing study and the responsibility to study. Even quoted a weymen article I think. (remember I was in my car not with pen/paper in hand). The comment was made that the responsibility was on the individual to study deeply and not just expect to absorb the information and history by attending weekly church.
Look up the term “Gas-lighting.” That is what you just did. Simple fact is that is not true or accurate. From Joseph Feilding Smith cutting out a version of the 1st vision to Packer stating to the CES crowd – you have a covenant to be loyal to the church and not all truth is useful.
Listen – when I grew up on the early 90’s in NoWhereVille Idaho I was taught a certain story of the church. (Spoon-feed). Where in that curriculum would I have heard something that might make me think as a kid learning HOW TO LEARN that I needed to ask deeper questions at church not just science class. AND THEN where would I go to get that information. Google was not present. The internet wasn’t even present. Where would I have learned a fraction of the information now on the church website in the essays? Where?
I remember hearing then asking my Mission President about Joseph Smith being a polygamist. He said not true. Bear your testimony to them of that. So I did. “I know JS was not a polygamist.” But I didn’t have a clue. So Please tell me – where is the fault in that incident – On me? On my MP? On the church and the availability of accurate information – “truth” as Packer seemed so afraid of?
Your podcast is gaslighting and infuriating if you ask me.
Richard:
Your sentiments are similar to some I’ve talk with who were raised in the church who feel frustrated that they didn’t learn as a child many of the things they’ve learned about church history and doctrine as adults. Of course, please keep in mind I’m attempting to answer your questions from my experience which may be different from other people’s experiences. But, I wonder should we really expect that as children we should have been taught the same things as adults were taught, or should we be surprised that as adults we’ve learned more about church history, or American history, or World History than we were taught as children? You are correct that much information was not available to even adult Sunday teaching manuals that is available now. Yet very much information on church history was available, it just took effort and reading.
You should realize that even back in the 1960s and 1970s when I was raised in “no-where-ville, small-LDS-town” Arizona, that many mature members of the church knew that Joseph Smith had practiced being sealed to many wives etc., and of other subjects of history and doctrine that may have been considered historical but not necessary to testimony. Therefore, those subjects were considered of secondary importance and were most likely not included in say Sunday gospel doctrine lesson manuals.
Though I can tell you that my grandparents and others who I knew growing up, did know, and did read many books and knew much of the gospel and church history in ways that I’m just now learning as an adult. It’s simply a matter of reading books and learning. Apparently your mission president was likely a very good man, but didn’t actually have much knowledge of church history. Likely because he had never read many church history books. The History of the Church by B. H. Roberts, and other books available generally before your mission president’s time, which talked about the plurality of wives of Joseph Smith and other early leaders, were certainly available to your mission president. He had simply never read them himself.
Also, please keep in mind that what we get taught in church depends greatly on the knowledge of the unpaid person teaching us. I remember that as a child I was taught by a Sunday School teacher a little of the history of Utah, and that in the early Utah Territory slavery was legal though not much of it existed. I assumed that other people were taught the same thing, but I’ve learned that it was just something that my teacher knew about that others didn’t, and he had mentioned it to our class, but I’ve never met another LDS adult who remembers being taught that as a youth. I’ve learned that my mature member so the church like my grandparents were more knowledgeable than others simply because they actually read the books that they bought from Deseret Book and Book Craft.
I encourage you that as an adult person now, and because of the internet, etc. to go ahead and research the things that you question. The church’s history and the gospel can withstand anything you find out. In fact, my considerable study as an adult has made me more impressed, not less with Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and all the others who remained faithful with the body of the church. I suggest that the book, “Joseph Smith, Rough Stone Rolling”, by Richard Bushman is a good place to start.
I loved how you each modeled the precepts you expressed.
And, I was particularly impressed by the shared advise to learn not just by hearing and study (ostensive learning) by doing (experiential learning–Alma 32; Jn 7:17; 8:31-32). One can get a sense for mountain climbing by reading and studying mountaineering. However, one can only fully know mountaineering by getting out and climbing.
Thank you for the tips on which books to acquire to help further my independent study.
The background music at the breaks needs some serious consideration. Other than that, loved it!
I agree on the music. Not my favorite.