I'm Mormon - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints...The man who we believe translated ancient records into what we know today as the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, and who also, as a 14 year old boy saw and talked with God the Father and Jesus Christ - said of God;
“our heavenly Father is more liberal in His views, and boundless in His mercies and blessings, than we are ready to believe or receive".
I know this must be true, because sometimes I am ridiculous in the eyes of observers, and my decisions may not make rational sense to some, but God somehow seems to endorse those same decisions that cause others to be incredulous. That is the kind of liberality I hope to achieve someday.
2 comments:
Cool quote. Reminds me of another one:
"Be good, be wise, be just, be liberal; and above all, be charitable, always abounding in all good works."
History of the Church, 5:417; from a letter of recommendation issued by Joseph Smith to Brigham Young, June 1, 1843, Nauvoo, Illinois.
I added the boldface.
8-)
I believe God applies core principles of both classical liberalism and modern liberalism, granting us freedom to believe and act as we will, yet guiding, intervening and correcting when it is for our good. Not a bad model to emulate, but in practice we mortals have a hard time agreeing how to define and reconcile the ideals of personal freedom vs. appropriate intervention in our laws, governments, communities and families. Maybe that's another reason God urges us to be charitable, since it is possible for good people to disagree with each other on many important issues without either side having evil motives or designs, just human flaws.
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