tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29724538.post6306478606322942341..comments2024-02-11T21:38:42.656-08:00Comments on mulling and musing: Embracing Agencym_and_mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00552368137212513094noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29724538.post-56386770652902920602009-06-04T07:01:50.324-07:002009-06-04T07:01:50.324-07:00"God would cast out a third of His children&q..."God would cast out a third of His children"<br />There is another way (not necessarily more correct) to look at this. 1/3 is also a "symbol for the idea that bounds have been set and power is limited." That is from "The Lost Language of Symbolism." Perhaps it wasn't literally 1/3 of everyone... Just something to think about, given that many of our numbers are adamfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06177880599252455507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29724538.post-66449080533870435232009-01-10T19:00:00.000-08:002009-01-10T19:00:00.000-08:00Papa D, that is some of what I am trying to captur...Papa D, that is some of what I am trying to capture, but language really is limited. I think this is part of our journey--to figure out that balance of agency (what we can choose/change/influence by choice) and our fallenness (what we don't necessarily have control over, and might not be able to change simply by choice).<BR/><BR/>I think this fine line is also part of why we are commanded not to m_and_mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00552368137212513094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29724538.post-67970519339763945322009-01-10T17:42:00.000-08:002009-01-10T17:42:00.000-08:00I have taught my children that, "Lamaze keeps the ...I have taught my children that, "Lamaze keeps the universe together." By that, I mean that everything is a little easier to handle if we stop and breathe before we react. There literally is a physiological cleansing that occurs with slow, deep breathing. <BR/><BR/>Also, I believe totally in agency, but I also believe that MANY issues are caused by effects of the Fall about which we simply are Papa Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06704974609266088416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29724538.post-59214212083153267792009-01-06T14:18:00.000-08:002009-01-06T14:18:00.000-08:00M&M:I have not felt a word of argument in this...M&M:<BR/><BR/>I have not felt a word of argument in this discussion. I can sometimes be a little blunt in how I say things, which might strike some people as being confrontational, but that is rarely the feeling I have. Anyway...<BR/><BR/>I think it is obvious that we mere mortals rarely understand the full consequences of our choices. What Christ will do in judgement in every case is up Eric Nielsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00530011180028252442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29724538.post-4390819926155406232009-01-06T11:33:00.000-08:002009-01-06T11:33:00.000-08:00Papa D.,That one little concept has made a big dif...Papa D.,<BR/>That one little concept has made a big difference in my life. I try to look for when I am REacting to pain in ways that aren't good (getting angry, shutting down, etc.) and try to figure out how to address the pain in a healthy, appropriate way -- taking a breath, saying a prayer. <BR/><BR/>We just had a family home evening lesson where we talked about "Stop, Think, Pray" and tried m_and_mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00552368137212513094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29724538.post-76238127187698338702009-01-06T05:36:00.000-08:002009-01-06T05:36:00.000-08:00When it comes to things like addiction, I still ma...When it comes to things like addiction, I still maintain that we made choices to get in that decision. If we look at it like being in a deep hole that we can not climb out of, there were choices made to get us in the hole. Maybe we dug the hole. Maybe we were slanding to close to the edge of the hole. Maybe we saw someone else jump in and we followed.<BR/><BR/>Sure, things can get bad enough Eric Nielsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00530011180028252442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29724538.post-47446107779708717422009-01-05T21:25:00.000-08:002009-01-05T21:25:00.000-08:00This is profound. I will be linking to it on my o...This is profound. I will be linking to it on my own blog in the future. <BR/><BR/>Thanks, especially, for sharing the following small comment: <BR/><BR/>"We are wired to avoid pain." Coupled with the idea that "life is pain", you have highlighted one of the most challenging aspects of faith. <BR/><BR/>If everyone really understood that, I think much of the bitterness we tend to carry as a Papa Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06704974609266088416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29724538.post-30121900792455528202009-01-05T19:33:00.000-08:002009-01-05T19:33:00.000-08:00Doug,Had I not been in a hurry, I would have inclu...Doug,<BR/>Had I not been in a hurry, I would have included the scripture that talks about God weeping at the sins of His children. It's a tender scripture, and a tender reminder that being saddened by others' choices can be a response that is not unlike God's. He weeps for and with us.m_and_mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00552368137212513094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29724538.post-36823476350262599562009-01-05T18:58:00.000-08:002009-01-05T18:58:00.000-08:00I know that Heavenly Father feels far worse in see...I know that Heavenly Father feels far worse in seeing his children doing these things than we do. I feel sorry for him. It is true that we may feel frustrated at being unable to save everyone from their own folly. But we should focus on teaching the truth and praying to God for such help.Doug Towershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17119162546723347214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29724538.post-76512445277913597542009-01-05T16:03:00.000-08:002009-01-05T16:03:00.000-08:00SilverRain,I think you have captured some of the t...SilverRain,<BR/>I think you have captured some of the things I have been thinking about most today -- how common it is that pain can be caused at the hand of others, and how often, the only choice that we can make to find peace is to turn to the Savior.<BR/><BR/>That, of course, means a lot of hard work, discipline, forgiveness, and letting go at many levels. Faith in this way is work perhaps m_and_mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00552368137212513094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29724538.post-87445667651712922392009-01-05T16:01:00.000-08:002009-01-05T16:01:00.000-08:00Eric,I actually agree with you -- that God didn't ...Eric,<BR/>I actually agree with you -- that God didn't invent it, and I realize, too, that He couldn't take it away (at least not do that and still be God).<BR/><BR/>And I guess I didn't explain my thoughts very well, because my thought wasn't about being amazed that God created agency, but just that it's THAT important that it's essentially what I think the war of heaven was fought over. Controlm_and_mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00552368137212513094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29724538.post-286392726656984562009-01-05T14:41:00.000-08:002009-01-05T14:41:00.000-08:00You know this is particularly poignant to me right...You know this is particularly poignant to me right now. I'm learning a hard lesson about agency—both mine and others.<BR/><BR/>What has surprised me is the vast, fiery anger that has arisen from the frustration of not being able to do anything about the problem. If I say anything, do anything, I'll only make the problem worse. Yet, it is causing me more pain than I thought possible and I SilverRainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00580230961425635077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29724538.post-70405343799008192402009-01-05T14:30:00.000-08:002009-01-05T14:30:00.000-08:00I think I might have a slightly different take on ...I think I might have a slightly different take on it than you do.<BR/><BR/>My view of agency is that it just is. God didn't invent it, and in any absolute sence he can not take it away - even if he tried.<BR/><BR/>If you were to go through the phone and make things change for your friend, you would fail at some level.<BR/><BR/>I think we all are constantly exercising our agency whether we Eric Nielsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00530011180028252442noreply@blogger.com