I found the Bloggernacle in the D&C!
Yep, Sunday school inspired me again this week. We were studying section 25 and this verse about the Bloggernacle jumped out at me:
For he shall lay his hands upon thee, and thou shalt receive the Holy Ghost, and thy time shall be given to writing, and to learning much. (D&C 25:8)
Before I started blogging I did what I could to learn much and I wrote in my journal every month or so, but now I am actually following this instruction from God — I’m actually writing much and learning much.
Now don’t get me wrong – this scripture cannot be used defend all blogging. I’ve already written my opinion about Mormons practically consecrating their lives to political causes, ideologies, or parties (and it is not high if you were wondering). And there are innumerable other things we could waste our time blogging about as well. The Lord qualified the quoted verse to Emma in these surrounding verses:
And thou shalt be ordained under his hand to expound scriptures, and to exhort the church, according as it shall be given thee by my Spirit… And verily I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better… Wherefore, lift up thy heart and rejoice, and cleave unto the covenants which thou hast made. (D&C 25:7, 10, 13)
And these verses are supported by the first verse of section 26 which in which the Lord says:
I say unto you that you shall let your time be devoted to the studying of the scriptures, and to preaching, and to confirming the church… and to performing your labors on the land.
These are not only instructions for behavior in Zion but instructions on the priorities of our actions. Certainly many activities in the Bloggernacle could be described as the first two things on the Lord’s list there.
So while not our posts and comments can be defended with scripture – many of them can. Therefore my fellow citizens of the Bloggernacle, I say Blog On!
By the way — I’m didn’t mean to imply that all the other things we talk about at the bloggernacle are totally worthless and without any redeeming value. I just meant that not all things we discuss are covered and defensible by these scriptures.
Posted by Geoff Johnston
Comment by Anonymous — March 8, 2005 @ 8:23 pm
Thanks for t he Scripture reference. I need to quote it to a person i our Ward, who is a militant no-nothing kind of person, who tries to convince me, that reading any kind of books or journals that are not the Scriptures, or produced by deseret Books or other LDS publishers is a grevious sin!!!!! He says writingfiction, or playing jazz music is bad, cuz, it gets one to use one’s imagination, and that supposedly is not faith promoting, and hence all creative activity is thereful sinful!!!! Thank God he is not in a position of leadership.
Posted by sid
Comment by Anonymous — March 8, 2005 @ 9:13 pm
Geoff,
Nice one. I often look for justification for my blogging habit and this is another good one. My best one, though, is that I’d otherwise be watching tv. But the problem is that it’s not true. I’d be working on my thesis. Ugh…
Sid,
You are telling fiction my friend. No real person would actually say something so absurd. Please tell me you’re exaggerating for effect.
Posted by Rusty
Comment by Anonymous — March 8, 2005 @ 10:25 pm
I’m glad to know my blogging addiction…er. habit is covered by scripture!
Posted by Brian Duffin
Comment by Anonymous — March 9, 2005 @ 6:57 am
Ha! Brian and Rusty can tell when I’m searching for justification. Actually these scriptures are only partially useful for justification. They justify our weekday-gospel-doctrine-class discussions quite nicely but the more secular our discussions get the more we need to look elsewhere to justify them.
That leads to Sid’s comment. Whenever this subject comes up in my life I always refer back to the thirteenth article of faith : “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” If Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue doesn’t fall in that category then I don’t know what does!
Posted by Geoff Johnston
Comment by Anonymous — March 9, 2005 @ 9:40 am
Rusty – no I am not making anything up, when describing this person. He is my landlady’s husband, and he actually says and does these things. According to him, teh only channels a good Mormon ought to watch on TV is the Speed Channel!!! Since he sits at home and watches monster trucks and drag racing and hot-rod shows all day!!!!!
Posted by sid
Comment by Anonymous — March 9, 2005 @ 6:55 pm