FAIRLDS and temple rites

[Archaea]

http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferen...Practices.html

Okay, this is really a terrible article by somebody who should know better.

He cites a lot of gnostic works, without laying the framework of what they really mean in order to relate them to modern templework, assuming without establishing any real life nexus.

Gnostic works are very symbolic and because no practicing gnostics really survived it is difficult to cite these works in proper context. Citing from Nag Hammadi texts without pointing this out is next to dishonest.

Here is a better example by Truman Madsen, a much more careful scholar. http://farms.byu.edu/display.php?tab...nscripts&id=66

[All-American]

Originally Posted by Adam

I was with you until you called Truman Madsen a more careful scholar. He is not respected in the philosophy department (from which he sprang) because of his lack of rigor. And BYU's philosophy department isn't exactly respected nationally for its rigor. He is the mocked lightweight in a group of mocked lightweights.

But he loves the church and preaches love and knows lots of cool stories about Joseph Smith so we love him. And that isn't nothing.

. . . and he happens to be a friend of the family. Tread lightly, please.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Adam

I was with you until you called Truman Madsen a more careful scholar. He is not respected in the philosophy department (from which he sprang) because of his lack of rigor. And BYU's philosophy department isn't exactly respected nationally for its rigor. He is the mocked lightweight in a group of mocked lightweights.

But he loves the church and preaches love and knows lots of cool stories about Joseph Smith so we love him. And that isn't nothing.

Maybe because I am a personal friend, I am blind to his status within the philosophy department but I found thoughtful in his approach.

He is probably not the star Poulsen was and several others, but I don't believe he was considered thoughtless as Tvedtness is.

[bluegoose]

Originally Posted by All-American

. . . and he happens to be a friend of the family. Tread lightly, please.

I had Truman Madsen as my SP for a couple of years before I got married. I have nothing but respect for the man.

I remember very few specifics of my church-going experiences at BYU. Heck, there are about 2 years where I can't for the life of me picture what my Bishop's name was or even what he looked like. But those few experiences that do stand out involved him. Part of it may have been me being a little star-struck by my respect for him, but I've had several spiritual experiences in meetings and interviews with him that are still very meaningful to me, 12 or 13 years later.

[MikeWaters]

If he is in fact not a great academician, but a great person, and a great spiritiual leader, then he is the prototypical BYU professor, actually better than the prototype, because the usual BYU professor is a poor academician and an average spiritual leader.

There's no shame in Madsen being exactly what BYU has wanted for 50 years.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

If he is in fact not a great academician, but a great person, and a great spiritiual leader, then he is the prototypical BYU professor, actually better than the prototype, because the usual BYU professor is a poor academician and an average spiritual leader.

There's no shame in Madsen being exactly what BYU has wanted for 50 years.

It is unfair to describe Professor Madsen as a poor academician. He may have felt his calling was to be a teacher and friend first, before publishing scholar. He has mentored many a student, often out of philosophy such as me, and been a good friend. He is non judgmental and knowledgeable.

The new breed and probably proper for this generation will focus upon research and publishing. But there is a use for Professor Madsen.

He is not sloppy but not focused upon extensive publishing.

[MikeWaters]

if Madsen is not getting his facts from any known source, where is he getting them from?

I didn't say Madsen was a poor scholar. I said "if he is not a great scholar". Note the "if".

I have no idea if Madsen is a scholar, and frankly don't care a whit about him.

[YOhio]

I used to listen to the Truman G. Madsen while I cleaned my apartment on P-Day. In one tape he was recalling Brigham Young leaving for a mission by saying, "Hoorah, Hoorah! Hoorah for Israel!" That one is fun to use on a variety of occassions; like when BYU scores, when a Mormon rocks a reality show, when we build a new temple or when pelagius is quoted in the WSJ.