World Events
Topic: If they outlawed the bible today...

#	Author	Message
1	Mr X Sat 4/26/2008 3:12a	...and assuming you couldn't do anything about it, and also assuming that any and all other books were not illegal (except the Book of Mormon, of course...gotta include UtahJosh after all :p)... What other religious or spiritual text or texts would you turn to for comfort, guidance, advice or whatever? And since we are bound to hear several people get outraged and say "NONE! The bible is everything and anything and no other book will do!", how about those folks just mention maybe some other NON spiritual book which they find to be significant or meaningful (doesn't have to be religious). I'll start. The Power of Now by Tolle is a great one, I really like it. I've also found some very interesting and insightful stuff in the Baghdava-Gita back in my religious studies days, and lots of Buddist texts although I can't point to just one.
2	WorldDisney Sat 4/26/2008 3:49a	LOL Mr. X, what's up with all the religion topics lately?? Did God pee in your cherrios ;). To be honest, I can't answer the question, I'm not educated enough to really give one. But if I had to point to anything, then I guess for me anything Buddhist related is probably more my thing, since its more philosophy and less doctrined religion. (8 years of living in Asia and dated a Buddhist monk for a few years will do that to you lol)
3	Mr X Sat 4/26/2008 3:56a	No need for education, WD (that sure doesn't stop most people from chiming in lol)...just wondering what other people thought of various spiritual books or lines of thinking. Thanks for the post, can you point to any particular Buddhist teachings that you like? (no worries if you don't know any offhand) What's up with all the religion topics? I guess I'm just curious to hear what people have to say on the issue. I'm trying to think of some "food for thought" threads to come up with (that makes some people angry, unfortunately...which is honestly not my intent).
4	Mrs ElderP Sat 4/26/2008 6:46a	Hmm, If all the Bibles (and Book of Mormons *grin*) suddenly disapeared into the ethos I would work on recalling memorized passages and meditating those. However, I do think that other books can be a good source of widsom. We have a scripture in our cannon, the Doctrine and Covenants, this time: "And set in order the churches, and study and learn, and become acquainted with *all* good books, and with languages, tongues, and people." (emphisis mine) A different passage reads, "seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith." However, to specifically answer your question I would lean on books by various LDS Scholars. For a non-LDS scholar, I would spend more time with CS Lewis. I like Mere Christianity and the Screwtape Letters. I have not yet read A Grief Observed and would like to get around to that. I also think that well written biographies of admirable people can be very instructive. I don't want simply an slavishly admiring biography, but one that goes into faults and how great people overcome, work around or possibly are even brought down by their own inner flaws. Lastly, just to be annoying, Mr. X, you should realize that simply making the bible illegal would not stop all Christians. The bible itself tells of the rewards of those who continued to be faithful despite religous practices being illegal (Daniel and the Lion's Den, or Shadrach, Meshack and Abendigo in the furnace for example) Oh, and I know I butchered those Persian names. If anyone can correct my spelling I'd apreciate it.
5	Mr X Sat 4/26/2008 7:13a	***Lastly, just to be annoying, Mr. X, you should realize that simply making the bible illegal would not stop all Christians.*** Well, Mrs. Elder, I would not call that annoying. ;) MY point was to sort of inquire as to what sort of stuff (and I appreciate your answers very much!) the Christians (which are the VAST majority of LP posters) might be interested in should the bible suddenly "disappear" (the "outlaw" thing was the easiest way to put it, I thought).
6	EighthDwarf Sat 4/26/2008 7:15a	<<We have a scripture in our cannon, the Doctrine and Covenants, this time...>> Sigh....I'm pretty sure X meant to include all Mormom scripture. To answer your question X I would turn to the following for comfort (and actually do today) 1. Notre Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo (I think you would particularly enjoy the chapter called "This Will Kill That" given your affinity for religious discussion) 2. Lord of the Rings by Tolkien - very beautiful book. 3. All the works of the Greek philosophers (the ones that weren't destroyed by the Christians of course) 4. The World Wihtout Us - new book about what would happen to the world if everyone suddenly disappeared 5. Heart of Darkness by Conrad
7	Mrs ElderP Sat 4/26/2008 7:23a	Yes, I assume Mr. X did mean to make the whole LDS Canon disapear. (I know you can't tell from my typing, but that disapear should be pronounced like Franz in the Tiki Room.) Anyway, I'm just saying that even with the canon still present (thank goodness!!) I don't believe that the only wisdom in the world is in the canon. There are real reasons to seek outside of it for wisdom and understanding, as well as inside of it.
8	Mr X Sat 4/26/2008 7:24a	Cool stuff, Eighth! Thanks for the contributions.
9	DouglasDubh Sat 4/26/2008 9:41a	The Razor's Edge by Somerset Maugham.
10	pecos bill Sat 4/26/2008 12:04p	I honestly cant think of any books that I would rely on for spiritual comfort. Entertainment, education, wisdom and humor, yes, but I just dont think any one person or group has the knowledge to attempt spiritual guidance for people they have never even met. Goodness knows they have tried, and some have been more popular than others, but in the end, we are still polarized and confused. I am convinced that instinct, upbringing, education and environment are far more important barometers of who we are personally and spiritually, than what we glean from any spiritual or religious book.

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