\u201cHe treated my communication not only lightly, but with great contempt, saying it was all of the devil, that there were no such things as visions or revelations in these days; that all such things had ceased with the apostles, and that there would never be any more of them.\u201d (1:21)<\/p>\n
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Though our church encourages personal revelation, and I know of DC 28:2, I\u2019ve sometimes felt frustrated over the question I titled this post. A guy in the group I ran, I think said it best. He said something like, \u201cWhy do we tell people to pray to get answers, when so often we act as though the right answer is prescribed (what leaders have declared)? If the person has no freedom to get a different answer, then why even bother to go through the prayer process?\u201d (He was only expressing a frustration, not a cynical or bitter rejection of the church).<\/p>\n
Leader\u2019s did make a statement on gay marriage that members can differ<\/a>, but that seemed to create some confusion over what the EXACT policy on differing is, and I think we can agree that \u201cfollow the brethren and local leaders\u201d is quite important. And I do think there is also a norm of looking askance at a member saying he or she got a different answer.<\/p>\n I HAVE had what I considered kind and helpful discussions with local church leaders on these issues, and that is appreciated. Of course, we do allow for personal revelation, so we\u2019re different than the Methodist minister talking to Smith after his visions, but I have heard talk from leaders similar to what the guy in the group noted: as though leaders are saying \u201cyou are only allowed to receive these handful of prescribed answers. Otherwise your answer isn\u2019t real, is deception, etc.\u201d<\/p>\n And at times like that I do feel some frustration. I mentioned on the last comment of the first pos<\/a>t in this series that I\u2019ve come to the point that I don\u2019t give ultimate authority to others to interpret my spiritual experiences. Yes, those experiences can be confusing and I do appreciate insights from others. Yet like I said in that comment, I don\u2019t find it very helpful if the guidance is something like, \u201cI declare your spiritual expertise invalid because it doesn\u2019t fit MY (the advice giver\u2019s) theology.\u201d<\/p>\n