Re: Have you been caused to remove your heart far from the Lord? [Part 2]

"Gareth McCaughan" <Gareth.McCaughan@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:87u09giygr.fsf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Richard" wrote:

The answer is not at all obvious, and it certainly isn't obviously
that. (Why on earth should incorrect doctrine be the only, or even
the principal, cause of a "heart far removed from the Lord"?)

Okay, but clearly incorrect doctrine is the reason in the case here.

What appears clear to you does not appear clear to me.
...
13: Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with
their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, *but have removed their
heart
far from me*, and their fear toward me is *taught by the precept of men*:
...
Not clear that the people whose heart was removed from the Lord was not
down
to incorrect understanding of the Lord doctrine?

No. It's just as possible that their incorrect doctrine was
a consequence of their wrong attitude, or that the two arose
together but without either depending on the other. Isaiah
says that God says that these people (1) have their hearts
in the wrong place and (2) have a fear/worship that consists
of human precepts. Neither Isaiah nor God tells us the causal
relationship, if any, between these.

9: Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but
not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
10: For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath
closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.
11: And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is
sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray
thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:

Or maybe a consequence of there being no prophetic utterances. No visions,
no seership.

Then the vision of all, meaning the knowledge of the people, of the words of
a book that are sealed delivered to one that is learned. Joseph Smith gave
the words to professor Anthon, who, it is reported, said he could not read a
sealed book.
.