Monday, August 20, 2012

Intellect vs. Spirit - vs. Growth of the Whole Soul

I don't have any problems whatsoever with intellectual tendencies - as long as they aren't used to deny spiritual tendencies.

I think one of the great revelations of the Restoration is the idea that our spirits AND bodies are divinely ordained as conduits/tools of growth and inspiration ("I will tell you in your heart AND in you mind" - among others) and that reaching perfection ("completeness, wholeness, full development") cannot be achieved by the spirit alone. If intellectualism is defined as the denial of spiritualism, then I think it can be a stumbling block - but, without that very narrow definition, I think intellectualism is a vital part of the Restored Gospel.

I think the main problem when intellectualism is mentioned by a General Aurhority in a talk is that the intended meaning usually is that narrow definition (relying ONLY on the brain), but that meaning is not articulated clearly enough, and the message comes out as, "Don't think about it."

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