Another semester is behind me, and I am ready to be married! But instead of talking about all the wedding preparations and the excitement of the future, I want to pause and take a moment to record my experience in one of the classes I was taking this past semester.
I had the wonderful opportunity to take an ethics class. It was a philosophy 300 level class, and the professor was intimidating. For one who had never taken a philosophy class of any kind, I was a little blown away during the first week. My professor is wanted at well-known and accredited universities such as Princeton, Yale, Brigham Young University (in Provo) and others. But he ended up at our university, with a little apprehension, after hearkening to the promptings of the spirit. This guy is the real deal. He not only teaches philosophy and logic at the university, but he also teaches religious courses. He has done some travel in his career, giving seminars. But, the class was an enlightening experience.
I did well in the class, despite the initial shock. I did well on all our exams, though most of my classmates failed theirs, and I did well on my papers, which was also unusual. I felt like I understood the material and took the time out to reflectively contemplate what I was learning.
But I do not say this to boast of myself, but to make the point that I understood the material to make my next point.
In the class we spent a lot of our time pointing out what was wrong with each theory. Thought the smartest minds of the philosophical world were put to use to concoct an ethical theory to combat the rest and solve life's mysteries, no on could do it. They all fell short (on a side note I loved the class because it also taught us how to think logically and thoroughly, though that was not the purpose of the class. It more turned out to be the direct consequence of our study.)
But the gospel is unquestionable. It really is flawless. How grateful I feel for the blessings of the gospel in its fullness! I think too many times we do not turn to the ultimate source of truth, but set it at naught (1 Nephi 19:7). Our hearts are just not in the right place. Our immediate attention is not centered on our Lord's church and gospel that he organized. It is a matter of pride. President Benson stated that there was no such thing as righteous pride, and Alma taught that wickedness never was happiness (Alma 41:10). We will always fall short if we do not turn to truth.
Speaking of when the gospel was first taken from the earth after the death of Christ, Jeffery R. Holland says, "Doctrines were corrupted and unauthorized changes were made in Church ordinances and Church organization. Scholasticism replaced inspiration, philosophy obscured what had been simple truths, and false ideas crept in everywhere. Much of the knowledge of the true character and nature of God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost was lost."We see that when we depend upon the arm of the flesh, we will lose the simplicity, yet precious truths that we take for granted. Nephi said, "for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm."
I love learning. The class was enlightening and inspiring, yet there was something missing, though I knew the material. I came to realize that we really are nothing. As Moses learned through his encounter with our Lord, man is nothing (Moses 1:10). There is nothing more satisfying and real than the gospel of Jesus Christ. And jointly, we can become what God intends for we are never alone. He will be there to make up the difference. Our "puny arm" of the flesh will become strong (D&C 121:33).
