The most important thing(s)?

[Moksha]

Even though I realize that not all posters on this forum are followers of Jesus or even believe in any diety, I will base the assumption for the the sake of this post on all of us believing that Jesus is the Christ.
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Off the top of my head, I would say the most important religious principal is to obey Jesus' two greatest commandments.

I have heard many of my fellow Mormons say that the most important thing to have Obedience to Church Authorities.

So I have a couple of questions:

1. How much do you emphasize Obedience to Church Authorities?

2. What are the most important item(s) to you?


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[Elgama]

1. How much do you emphasize Obedience to Church Authorities?

2. What are the most important item(s) to you?


.

For me obedience to church authorities is part of loving my God and Jesus - it comes out of my faith in them. If my relationship with God took me another way i would follow that first.

Nothing for me is more important than the 2 way relationship with the Saviour

-Charley

[rameumptom]

It all ends in the perfect commandment of Christ-like love. However, since most of us are not there yet, there are other commandments and calls to obedience to lead us to that perfect state.
I would suggest that the initial steps as stated by Nephi and Jesus as the "Doctrine of Christ" are: Faith in Christ, Repentance, Baptism/Ordinances, Gift of the Holy Ghost (2 Ne 31, 3 Ne 11). These develop a progressive pattern that lead us to perfection, line upon line. We go from grace to grace, receiving grace for grace (D&C 93).

[anatess]

I left the Catholic faith because I was practicing it a'la carte. I mean, I believe in Jesus but did not believe in praying the rosary... etc.

I think that one should embrace the gospel in its entirety and not take it a'la carte.

[the Ogre]

Originally Posted by Moksha

1. How much do you emphasize Obedience to Church Authorities?

I think obedience to the church is very important. I think it is something we all struggle with. I no not think the First Presidency trumps the two greatest commandment, because the church follows them to the max.

Matthew 20.34-40
34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, atempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

I: The Leaders do the "thinking".

"When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done. When they propose a plan--it is God's Plan. When they point the way, there is no other which is safe. When they give directions, it should mark the end of controversy, God works in no other way. To think otherwise, without immediate repentance, may cost one his faith, may destroy his testimony, and leave him a stranger to the kingdom of God (Ward Teachers Message, Deseret News, Church Section p. 5, May 26, 1945)."

The problem with this quote is that it was not written by a member of the First Presidency. It was written by a very well meaning member of the church called to assemble a new manual. I like it however. I think it is nice to know the First Presidency has thought carefully about the positions for the church and the direction it must go (see section III below for a modification to this statement by George Albert Smith).

II: President Benson's fourteen points (paraphrased):

1) Only the President speaks for the Lord in everything.
2) The living prophet trumps the standard works.
3) The living prophet trumps a dead prophet.
4) The President never leads the Church astray.
5) The prophet may speak or act on any subject or matter regardless of training and credential.
6) The prophet can skip "Thus saith the Lord" to give scripture.
7) The prophet tells us what we need, not what we want.
8) The prophet can ignore the political/philosophical morals of the day.
9) The prophet can function as a prophet on any topic, religious or otherwise.
10) “The prophet may be involved in civic matters.”
11) The proud, rich and/or educated in particular, obey the prophet with the most difficulty.
12) The prophet can spurn worldly popularity.
13) The First Presidency is the highest quorum in the Church.
14) Follow the first presidency and be blessed; ignore them at your own risk.

I have always loved this set of guidelines. It is evident many other members of the forum are familiar with it. I think it is a handy guide to know what the prophet and his councelors are free to do. I think many people would love to put the prophet in a box (particularly apologeticists, skeptics, and other scholars).

III: We are free to "Think", too.

" . . . Even to imply that members of the Church are not to do their own thinking is grossly to misrepresent the true ideal of the Church, which is that every individual must obtain for himself a testimony of the truth of the Gospel, must, through the redemption of Jesus Christ, work out his own salvation, and is personally responsible to His Maker for his individual acts. The Lord Himself does not attempt coercion in His desire and effort to give peace and salvation to His children. He gives the principles of life and true progress, but leaves every person free to choose or to reject His teachings. This plan the Authorities of the Church try to follow.

"The Prophet Joseph Smith once said: "I want liberty of thinking and believing as I please." This liberty he and his successors in the leadership of the Church have granted to every other member thereof.

"On one occasion in answer to the question by a prominent visitor how he governed his people, the Prophet answered: "I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves." (President George ALbert Smith, Letter to Dr. J. Raymond Cope, Dec. 7, 1945)"

I love this section. I am free to think about what ever the church has to offer. It is very important to me. Not thinking would be impossible. Please note, I do not think this statement is in opposition to the two sections above it. Many members have used it as such (particularly with section I). I appreciate learning principals and governing myself, but I also know the church is going to be right and I need to make sure I am there with them even if I have thought out every pronouncement knowing the implications for each.

Originally Posted by Moksha

2. What are the most important item(s) to you?

As for your OP, they are Matt 20.37&39 and Joseph Smith's "I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves". The two of these are great governing principals that govern my life.

I am a free-thinking, stubborn, and willful person who has little time for apologetics and skeptics. I am not going to allow them to think for me. If I'm not the one thinking, I will always leave the work to the First Presidency. It is then up to me to conform myself.

Sorry about the very long post.

[Moksha]

Has this inquiry been overlooked by the non-mormons on this board?

[Seanette]

Originally Posted by Moksha

1. How much do you emphasize Obedience to Church Authorities?

Since the Authorities are the Lord's representatives, I'm not sure I can honestly claim to be following God if I'm ignoring or rebelling against the leaders of His church.

[TruthSeekerToo]

Originally Posted by the Ogre

II: President Benson's fourteen points (paraphrased):

1) Only the President speaks for the Lord in everything.
2) The living prophet trumps the standard works.
3) The living prophet trumps a dead prophet.
4) The President never leads the Church astray.
5) The prophet may speak or act on any subject or matter regardless of training and credential.
6) The prophet can skip "Thus saith the Lord" to give scripture.
7) The prophet tells us what we need, not what we want.
8) The prophet can ignore the political/philosophical morals of the day.
9) The prophet can function as a prophet on any topic, religious or otherwise.
10) “The prophet may be involved in civic matters.”
11) The proud, rich and/or educated in particular, obey the prophet with the most difficulty.
12) The prophet can spurn worldly popularity.
13) The First Presidency is the highest quorum in the Church.
14) Follow the first presidency and be blessed; ignore them at your own risk.

I have always loved this set of guidelines. It is evident many other members of the forum are familiar with it. I think it is a handy guide to know what the prophet and his councelors are free to do. I think many people would love to put the prophet in a box (particularly apologeticists, skeptics, and other scholars).

~snip~

2) The living prophet trumps the standard works.

D&C 35:23 And inasmuch as ye do not write, behold, it shall be given unto him to prophesy; and thou shalt preach my gospel and call on the holy prophets to prove his words, as they shall be given him. [holy prophets=scriptures]

“It makes no difference what is written or what anyone has said, if what has been said is in conflict with what the Lord has revealed, we can set it aside. My words, and the teachings of any other member of the Church, high or low, if they do not square with the revelations, we need not accept them. Let us have this matter clear. We have accepted the four standard works as the measuring yardsticks, or balances, by which we measure every man’s doctrine” ( Doctrines of Salvation, 3:203). Joseph Fielding Smith

4) The President never leads the Church astray.

D&C 107:32 And in case that any decision of these quorums [First Prez, Twelve, Seventy] is made in unrighteousness, it may be brought before a general assembly of the several quorums, which constitute the spiritual authorities of the church; otherwise there can be no appeal from their decision.

13) The First Presidency is the highest quorum in the Church.

D&C 107:23 The twelve traveling councilors are called to be the Twelve Apostles, or special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world—thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling. 24 And they form a quorum, equal in authority and power to the three presidents previously mentioned.

[brackets and bold by me]

[hordak]

I always though the church authorities spoke for the church as a whole and not for it's members as individuals so I put more emphasis and personal revelation then obedience.

When i was in the service the base CO knew what was best for the base as a whole (how to allocate funds to the squadrons) but as someone who worked the planes everyday I was more in tune with how those funds should be spent (what tools, were most used, needed to be replaced etc.)

This is how I see church authority. The Prophet may know that the church members, need to keep the sabbath day holy , attend service, and address it at a GC, but he doesn't know that you, as an individual, have to work on sundays in order to keep a roof over your head. (as an example)

And i would say regardless of religiosity belief the second commandment is something we should all follow

[foreverafter]

The scriptures tell us that those who don't make it to the Celestial Kingdom are good & honorable people & members who were deceived because they didn't have the Holy Spirit as their guide. We know that all leaders can be wrong at times, so we must have the Holy Spirit to know if what they counsel & teach is true or not. Though we are safe to follow "The Prophet" even if he is wrong & we will still be blessed, if any other leader is in error & we follow them we will have to suffer the consequences.

I believe the two most important things are:
1. Having the "Holy Spirit" for our guide so we aren't deceived by all the philosophies of men that most everyone is falling for.

2. Possessing the same "True Love" that Christ had for us, especially for our spouse, for it we don't have it for our spouse we can't have it for anyone else.

With these two things "it will be well with us at the last day".