Quote:
Originally Posted by Heavenguard
Bytor, he's not arguing that the Bishop would (or not) be accountable for the wrong counsel, but whether or not you are accountable for the action you took after his counsel.
SeattleTruthSeeker, your example necessitates that your boss definitively knows better than you do, and his way is the absolute most efficient (and therefore, for this purpose, the right) way. I can give examples where I know better than the President of where I work, believe you me. (*Sigh* Some of the requests I get in ... oy.)
What KristofferUmfrey is asking is whether or not we believe that the church leaders (I note he didn't say Prophet) definitively know better, and their ways are absolutely the right way(s).
|
I do believe in personal accountability.
Recently, my fiance and I have met with the Bishop to discuss our situation. We are living together and have lived together most of our relationship. This is mainly due to the fact that I had lost my job and was evicted out of my apartment because I could not find a job. Is the living arrangements wrong for us? Yes. Has the Bishop made this clear to the both of us? Yes. Does he think we should keep our relationship going and one of us separate from the apartment? No. Why is that? Because, (and not to justify why we are living together) we are already operating as a "family" unit. In that, she has a son and we have taken in her two younger niece and nephew because of the state taking them away from the mother. I work full time, she works full time. We are busy any given moment of any given day. Our finances are pooled into one account and the bills are payed. We discuss major financial situations, share in the responsibilities of caring for the children and providing for them. Did he challenge us and set a date of when two things should happen? Yes, and we are proactive about getting those two things accomplished. Marriage will happen on January 3 and we both are starting to figure a way to attend church.
We do have good home teaches and she has good visiting teachers who come on a regular basis and speak with us.
Now, with that said, I understand that different circumstances have different outcomes. The only thing is to take what is being said and discussed (unless it is obvious and blatantly wrong) to prayer and seek out Heavenly Fathers will. Most of the time, the direction and council should be adhered too.
And, to be honest, I have not read, nor heard of any council coming from the General Authorities that did not have some weight to it. We all are now starting to see the reason why the council for providential living must be adhered too. The council to "live within our means" and have some back up resources in case something were to happen. People who don't listen to such council will wake up one day and find themselves in a very bad situation and may not be able to receive the help they need.
Living a simple life (from this years General Conference) is based on four basic essential needs - food, clothing, shelter and fuel. Is this wise council? To me, yes. Why is that? because I have been homeless several times. Not having a place to rest your head, not having a place to come home to is not a good place to be. Being able to provide for oneself and those that are under your care is not just a responsibility, but an obligation.
So, yes, granted there have been statements made in the early days of the church that were mere opinions, but there were also things made in those days that may not apply to us today because they were applicable for that generation and that time.
So, yes, I concur that we have a responsibility to not only follow the council of the Apostles and leaders of the Church, but to do it prayerfully and observantly.
And, sometimes, what one Apostle may say and council may not affect all of the members at large, but some of the members at large. What the Stake president might teach may not affect all families within that stake, just some of those families within that Stake.
So, yes, we ought to be mindful of what they teach and what they inform us about. Not that we give up our own obligations and responsibilities as individuals, but to recognize and understand that part of "sustaining" these brethren is to also listen to what they have to say.