Monday, August 25, 2008

Close mind...

...insert dogma, part three:

"I have historically opposed legislation defining marriage as between a man and a woman, and President Monson's statement at first really disappointed me. This is one case, however, where I have decided to just follow the prophet. I may not fully understand the reasons behind the statement, but I just feel I need to follow the prophet on this for whatever reason."

A Mormon blogger.

6 comments:

big.bald.dave said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Tom said...

You're right -- I should not have identified you by name. I apologize and have removed the comment so no one else will see it.

big.bald.dave said...

My original comment (which you deleted) had nothing to do with my privacy. If I were concerned about privacy, I wouldn't be a blogger in the first place. Besides, my screen name is still right there next to "comment deleted".

As I wrote to you directly, I have no quarrel with the criticism - your comments are certainly fair and within your right. As a person not of my faith who does not believe in continuing revelation, I don't expect you to understand. I only expect you to respect my opinion, as I respect yours.

Your interactions with me via email have been cordial, but they do not hide the fact that the intent of your blog post was only to make me look like a fool in a public setting. I am only here posting on your blog because a friend of mine notified me that you made this post, and I'm thankful to him (not you, obviously) for the chance to defend myself. Your deleting of my comment and "protecting my privacy" simply seem to be attempts at covering up the embarrassment of being discovered.

I would ask that you not delete this comment so your readers can judge for themselves. I stand by my opinion on the matter at hand, and would be happy to continue the debate either here or on politicalds.com.

Regards,
Dave

Tom said...

Dave -

When I open the comments page, your original comment is not there and Blogger shows this message only:

"Comment deleted
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.

3:23 PM"

My intent was never to make you personally look like a fool, which is why I deleted your first comment and removed the reference to you from my original post. If you look deeper into the blog, you will see that I have post three such comments from LDS bloggers, all basically the same, saying in effect "we're not entirely sure about this, but we'll reject our instincts and blindly follow the prophet."

I can respect your opinion, I just have a harder time respecting blind obedience, especially when one's instincts and experience are telling you one thing but blind obedience expects another.

big.bald.dave said...

When I see the list of comments, my screen name still appears next to "comment deleted", but perhaps that's only for me. Whatever - I will consider this resolved.

Back to the issue at hand. What you call "blind obedience" is not blind to me. As a person of faith I am not asked to shut off my mind, but rather I have another set of inputs against which I must weigh my own thoughts. I do not "blindly" accept Thomas S. Monson as a prophet of God; it is only through my own personal study, reflection, prayer, and personal confirmation that I do.

I believe he is a prophet of God, and as such his words carry a great deal of weight in my mind. I take it as a very serious criticism of my own thought processes when a prophet of God tells me I'm wrong. I believe I am in the right by following the prophet, despite any accusations of sheep-like behavior. I acknowledge that my behavior looks suspect to a non-believer, but I assure you it's a very complex and personal process that brings me to the conclusions at which I have arrived.

Anonymous said...

Tom. I would prefer that you not comment on my site anymore, if you are going to continue to do it as you do. I would have prefered to e-mail you and not be public about this, and wouldn't mind if you delete this. I was fine with with you commenting the first time that I posted on this matter (prop. 8) and thought we came to the conclusion that we would respect each others opinions on the matter. I already know you don't agree with me on where me and my husband stand on the issue, so I would wish you would stop with the comments. I could have very well come to your site and left comments against what you are saying, but feel that you have a right to believe what you do and I will let you post what you do. Since we have discussed this matter I didn't want to come back and leave comments on my personal beliefs and standings with the issues, since I feel it would lead to arguments or disagreements and I don't want to argue about the issue. Hope that I don't offend you, or that you don't take this the wrong way, but from what it seems like you are, you won't and seem to treat others comments respectfully.