by Mike Ash.
“Our approach to the scriptures should also find a balance between how literally we accept what was recorded by past generations and how modern scholarship understands those past generation in light of history and science. Without balance, our spiritual growth may be stifled or our testimonies could even be put at potential risk.”
Brother Ash wrote: Most of our scriptures were written in pre-scientific times and incorporate not only the pre-critical assumptions of those who recorded the scriptures but sometimes include fanciful narratives to convey divine principals.
Could it be that the “ancients” were more concerned with things spiritual and less preoccupied with science or things temporal as we seem to be in “modern” times? Hasn’t the Lord said: Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal… I gave unto [Adam] commandment, but no temporal commandment gave I unto him, for my commandments are spiritual; they are not natural nor temporal, neither carnal nor sensual (D&C 29:34-35).