First Principles: An Introduction

And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:118

Welcome to And Also By Faith.  I hope you came expecting unsolicited opinions on questions concerning the LDS community and culture, its interaction with the culture at large, and ultimately concerning the hunt for that most elusive of objects--truth--as best we can see it.  In particular, my background is in literature and stories, the analysis of which will take up a good portion of this blog, but I hope to meander to all things in the heavens, and on the earth, and under the earth, for all truth is one great whole.

I begin with a little trepidation.  Given the quality and amount of Mormon blogging available, it's taken me a long time to build up the courage to put my own observations out there.  In the end, however, the desire to join with you in discussing words of wisdom from the best books overcomes my timidity.

I'm looking for partners in discussion on all sorts of subjects, but particularly about the intersection of ways of knowing within Mormon culture.  My education has been in literature, so art will make a regular appearance, but so will science, music, social sciences, and amateur philosophy and ethics.

Before that, though, I hope you'll indulge me in a short aside explaining why I think blogs like this one contain value for the LDS community.

My wife and I just had our first baby almost two months ago now.  We wisely followed my wife's instinct and taught him early what we call "the smile game," which consists essentially of us grinning at him till our faces hurt, hoping he'll catch on and smile back.  He's become fairly proficient at this exercise, and now even has begun to coo at us as he smiles back.  He's learning about faces, and what they're for, and how to use them.

My baby's vision has improved by now to the point where he can see all sorts of things, and his default expression appears to be a kind of puzzled, one-eyebrow-raised look.  His grandparents bought him a mobile with a slowly flashing light and little bugs in bright colors that go round and round just quickly enough for him to notice.  And, just like he talks to us when we're playing the smiling game, he seems to be asking the mobile, "Hoo? Hoo?" as if he were asking who it is that's singing at him and turning around.  Full of questions already, seeking answers as to what is, and why.

This reminds me of the incident of the Israelites in the wilderness when they first received manna.  In response to their murmuring, the merciful Lord provided them once again with a miracle, a manifestation of his power.  They gathered this strange substance and turned to one another, asking, "Man-hu?"  What is it? [1]

It seems to me that in some ways, we are always asking that question, "What is it?"  That longing to know is at the root of all of our spiritual journeys, is the catalyst of faith, and the root of the use of our agency.

At the opening of the Book of Abraham, we learn that Abraham's spiritual journey began because of the deep spiritual need to find "greater happiness and peace and rest" for himself.  This leads him to state twice in the same verse the longing to be "a possessor of great knowledge" and again "to receive instructions" [2].  In the end, Abraham's longing to know more led him on a path that brought him to one of the most meaningful and influential relationships with God we have on record.

I approach this blog as an opportunity to pursue knowledge--by learning from you, and from any source I can find--and then to share it with anyone who might be interested.  I want to follow the tradition of curious Mormons (in both senses of the phrase) and to "be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God" [3].

But Latter-day Saints know that our search for wisdom has to expand more broadly if we are to become the people that the Lord expects us to be.  Directly following the above injunction, the Lord continues:

"Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms" [4]

Why?  I suppose it has in part to do with our eternal destiny to grow into our Father's omniscience, but more immediately,

"That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you." [5]

To be of service to our fellow men, to meet their needs and solve their problems, we need to understand all things.

I am reminded of that often-cited quotation of Brigham Young's: "'Shall I sit down and read the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Book of Covenants all the time?' says one. Yes, if you please, and when you have done, you may be nothing but a sectarian after all. It is your duty to study to know everything upon the face of the earth, in addition to reading those books." [6, my emphasis]

That's why the LDS blogging community is so great.  Where else can Latter-day Saints instruct each other in so many domains of knowledge?  Where else can we seek knowledge so thoroughly and so well?  So I hope you'll join me as I attempt to explore all the questions worth exploring in the limited time we have together.  Shall we begin?



Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.

Proverbs 4:7-10

Footnotes:

1. Exodus 16:15

2. Abraham 1:2

3. D&C 88:78
4. v. 79
5. v. 80
6. Journal of Discourses, 2:93-94