A long time ago, when I was looking for a spouse, I went to a dance and I met a good dancer.
We danced a few dances, and we had fun. He knew what he was doing. We talked a little, on the sidelines, too, and we discussed some projects we were each working on that seemed interesting to each other. I gave him my phone number.
My only concern was that, a couple of times while we were dancing, he told me what to do. It struck me as a little bit bossy, but I rationalized that maybe he was just trying to make sure we were able to execute the moves together without any hitches and maybe I didn't know what I was doing as well as he did.
Well, he called me, and we talked on the phone.
Once.
As we shared our ideas and our histories to the extent that we did, I became uncomfortable when he said that he would have to interpret the scriptures and the messages of our church leaders for his wife. I asked a clarifying question--did he mean his ex-wife, or a future wife?
He meant both.
He made it clear that he considered his ex-wife to be abnormally stupid.
He also went on to say that women cannot understand the scriptures or the gospel without the help of their husbands. "It says that in the Bible," he said, smugly.
"Where?"
"Excuse me?"
"Where does it say that in the Bible?"
"Uh, I don't know exactly, but it's in there." Just as smug.
I was astounded. "Have you read the Bible?" I asked.
"Well, no, I haven't actually read it, but I know it's in there."
"How can you know it's in there if you haven't read it?" I asked, probably wasting logic on him. "I've read the entire Bible six times," I informed him, "and it's not there." Maybe I sounded smug, too. I don't know. I was on my side of the line.
"It's there. Women cannot interpret the gospel correctly without priesthood help."
Exasperated, I allowed myself one of the very, very few bad words I've ever said. "Just because you're a man doesn't mean you have to be a jackass." Honestly, I thought it fitting. "I understand the gospel better than you seem to."
Not surprisingly, he ended the conversation quite quickly. And never called again.
Which was perfectly fine with me.
We danced a few dances, and we had fun. He knew what he was doing. We talked a little, on the sidelines, too, and we discussed some projects we were each working on that seemed interesting to each other. I gave him my phone number.
My only concern was that, a couple of times while we were dancing, he told me what to do. It struck me as a little bit bossy, but I rationalized that maybe he was just trying to make sure we were able to execute the moves together without any hitches and maybe I didn't know what I was doing as well as he did.
Well, he called me, and we talked on the phone.
Once.
As we shared our ideas and our histories to the extent that we did, I became uncomfortable when he said that he would have to interpret the scriptures and the messages of our church leaders for his wife. I asked a clarifying question--did he mean his ex-wife, or a future wife?
He meant both.
He made it clear that he considered his ex-wife to be abnormally stupid.
He also went on to say that women cannot understand the scriptures or the gospel without the help of their husbands. "It says that in the Bible," he said, smugly.
"Where?"
"Excuse me?"
"Where does it say that in the Bible?"
"Uh, I don't know exactly, but it's in there." Just as smug.
I was astounded. "Have you read the Bible?" I asked.
"Well, no, I haven't actually read it, but I know it's in there."
"How can you know it's in there if you haven't read it?" I asked, probably wasting logic on him. "I've read the entire Bible six times," I informed him, "and it's not there." Maybe I sounded smug, too. I don't know. I was on my side of the line.
"It's there. Women cannot interpret the gospel correctly without priesthood help."
Exasperated, I allowed myself one of the very, very few bad words I've ever said. "Just because you're a man doesn't mean you have to be a jackass." Honestly, I thought it fitting. "I understand the gospel better than you seem to."
Not surprisingly, he ended the conversation quite quickly. And never called again.
Which was perfectly fine with me.
One thing that it does say in the Bible is that, in the last days, many of the "very elect" will be deceived by people teaching falsehoods as if they were gospel. (See Matthew 24:24 and Mark 13:22.)
One great blessing of living in modern times is the availability of scripture to practically anyone who wants to read it. Unlike times in the past, scriptures have been translated into our native languages, almost regardless of what those are. John Wycliffe, John Hus, William Tyndale, and others gave up their lives trying to give access to the scriptures to commonfolk in their own language. Why did they do that? Because they understood how very important it is for people to be able to search out the truth for themselves, and not have to rely solely on what someone--anyone--else says.
Not only does this give us each personal access to writings of faith and history, stories and testimony, poetry and song that we can peruse at our leisure and absorb into our minds and spirits for later sustenance, we each have the opportunity to avoid being deceived.
There are almost as many opinions as there are people in the world. Some of those expounding their own beliefs are charismatic and convincing. Some are popular, passionate, and persuasive. If we don't know what is in the scriptures--and what is not--we can easily be converted to the opinions of people instead of the gospel of Christ.
Unlike that man of my brief acquaintance, I never want to be in the position of defending a belief that I'm not sure where it came from.
Anyone with any exposure to the scriptures may know many things contained therein, but the only way I know of to be sure that something is NOT in the scriptures is to read them in their entirety, cover to cover.
I encourage all believers, and those who want to believe, to do so. A niece reminded me yesterday that it only takes 4-5 chapters a day to read the entire standard works in a year. Two or three chapters a day will get you through the Bible in a year.
Then, when someone says, "This is true," or "that is true," or that something false is in the scriptures, you will know whether it is there or not.
You may, as I did, escape being led astray by someone lacking concern for your best interests.
