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Keep it simple. That truth stood out but then your essay was not simple – I seem always to notice irony. Must have something to do with my surname. Thank you. I always enjoy your comments.
The “keep it simple” theme reminded me of an email response I sent to an old friend today. Funny how that happens. “…the prophesy in Sec. 45:31. To me that is proof that Joseph Smith was indeed a Prophet. There it is in print in 1831 and he latter quoted that before he died. It is a matter of historical fact. The 1918 “Spanish” Flu pandemic and WWI are also established historical facts. My little family tree data base provides proof that at least three folks who were “standing” at the time the Church was organized were still standing in 1918. I can’t understand why no one pays any attention. However, I am a nobody. Asi es la vida.”.
Maybe if I could write like you! Thanks again.
I enjoyed Daniel Peterson’s insightful consideration of the profound deepness and yet simplicity of the Gospel, the Book of Mormon and the Restoration and what they offer to the current human condition.
The Gospel as a purely philosophical discourse, unconnected to the actual human existence, or, the Gospel as pure scientific rigidity, styled and reproduced with exacting specificity would be a dry parchment, indeed. Few people would be interested.
On the other hand, the Gospel as an all-inclusive resort, offering a smorgasbord of physical, sensory and eidetic sensory inputs would certainly seem to be a universal inducement. I suppose that in this case, the broader the gate, the more people that would find it.
Finally though, the Gospel as an independent creature, perhaps resembling the Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, resonates and then nourishes with life-giving, life-enhancing, life-building sustenance. For this avenue, only those listening will hear, while only those seeking will find.
Whichever Gospel we ultimately encounter apparently depends upon a whole lot more than just luck, intelligence, proximity, inclination or availability. It appears to have more to do with willingness, integrity and an affinity for the quest, with just a little bit of “luck” thrown in (translate “luck” to “grace” and the vagaries and randomness of our current earth-life receives a much broader and yet still inexplicable determination.) Still, I’ll accept the grace of God anytime over the platitudes of man, which realization brings us back to the premise of this article. The simplicity of the plan resonates with us, because it is more than just “luck,” more than just “happenstance,” and more than just “chance.” It is a divine remedy parceled out meagerly, but totally available to all.
The first mention I could find of “richness” as evidence for the BofM came from you, Dan — “Mounting Evidence for the Book of Mormon,” Ensign, Jan 2000, online at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2000/01/mounting-evidence-for-the-book-of-mormon?lang=eng .
Joe Spencer did mention “Sharing the richness of the Book of Mormon at the Mormon Theology Seminar,” at the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) in Berkeley, California, Aug 4, 2016, online at https://mi.byu.edu/spencer-2016-mts/ , and the late Gerry Bradford called attention in a review of Joe Spencer, An Other Testament, to the “richness” of Alma 36 as Hebrew literature.
At the same time, Jeff Lindsay touted “richness” in his “‘Arise from the Dust’: Insights from Dust-Related Themes in the Book of Mormon, Part 1: Tracks from the Book of Moses,” Interpreter, 22 (2016):179-232, online at https://www.academia.edu/30295763/_Arise_from_the_Dust_Insights_from_Dust-Related_Themes_in_the_Book_of_Mormon_Part_1_Tracks_from_the_Book_of_Moses?auto=download , as well as in his Book of Mormon Nugget #21: The Richness of First Nephi in the Book of Mormon: Further Reading, online at https://www.jefflindsay.com/bme21.shtml .
Interesting. Thanks for checking on that.
I’m a little surprised, in one sense, but not at all surprised in another. I’ve pretty much always thought along these lines.