The phrase 'spiritual movement' includes a number of
components that are dynamically related. Movement can occur by choice, or involuntarily.
It can transpire in positive and uplifting directions or in negative and spiritually
diminishing ways. And the source of the moving power can be manifest outwardly or
inwardly. Alma's mission to reclaim the apostate Zoramites illustrates many of
these movements and their relationships.
When preaching among
the Zoramites, Alma discovered the poor and cast out condition among a certain
group of the Zoramites, who had experienced the involuntary spiritual movement.
He described their movement as those who were "brought to a lowliness of
heart" (Alma 32:12), and also used the term compelled. He then said: "And now, as I said unto you, that
because ye were compelled to be
humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the
word?" (Alma 32:14). "Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and
repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed -
yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled
to be humble because of their exceeding poverty" (Alma 32:15 - emphasis
added). Alma clearly demonstrates that both types of spiritual movement are
good, but voluntary movement (toward righteousness) is best. This echoes the
doctrine taught by Nephi who spoke about "things to act and things to be
acted upon" (See 2 Ne. 2:13-14). Relating Nephi's doctrine to the
impoverished Zoramites, their humble condition was a condition of being acted
upon, and Alma's counsel to them was to live in the same humble condition but by
the power of their own acting, or
being things that act.
That state of acting,
and not being acted upon, is
voluntary movement. Voluntary movement toward God is pleasing to him as he
promises blessings to those who willfully bring about good. "Verily I say,
men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their
own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them,
wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall
in nowise lose their reward"(D&C 58:27-28).
Involuntary movement
occurs by a power from without. This use of the word involuntary does not imply
that the power is forceful, or unwelcomed, but simply means that there is extra
power from a source beyond our own powers. Consider the phrase, 'moved upon by
the holy spirit'. During those involuntary spiritual movements in life our
actions warrant the blessing of having the spirit act through us. Peter
explained this in terms of the spiritual gift of prophecy when he said
"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of
God spake as they were moved by the
Holy Ghost." (2 Peter 1:21, emphasis added) The Greek word for moved from this passage is phĕrŏ, and means to bear, or carry, and signifies that they were "impelled
by the Holy Spirit's power; not acting according to their own wills"
(NSEEC - #5342, pg 262). This is essentially the same principle Joseph Smith
taught but in reverse: "The moment we revolt at anything which comes from
God, the devil takes power." The reverse then is that when we resist
anything from the devil, the Holy Ghost takes power.
There is a common expression related to involuntary movement
which is often used to describe a feeling or sensation that takes place deep
within the soul following an inspiring or touching event. The expression can
take a few forms but generally follows the pattern of "the speech moved
me", or "it was a moving performance". The verb move has a number of implications.
First, that such movement is good; or else it wouldn't be worth talking about.
Second, that the event or performance generated enough power to cause something
within the soul to move. I have experienced this sensation when I listen to
Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet symphony. This 20 minute experience carries the
listener through emotional highs and lows, moments of sadness and happiness,
love, passion, and tragedy. The collective experience moves me every time. I
believe I have also experienced similar movement during educational, spiritual,
or motivational based speeches. Another movement experience with a different
flavor happened when I experienced the power of the Thunderbirds at an air show
at the Fairchild Air Force base in Spokane Washington. The speed, power,
loudness, and delicate precision the pilots use as they whoosh past each other
only feet apart stirs emotion from within.
The moving power triggered by each of these events was
involuntary and generally led to a higher emotional position than I had been in
previous to the event. But not all moving experiences produce that elevated
effect. My sister and I went to watch a movie at the theater when I was in high
school. The language and gestures in the film caused a drop in my emotion,
while lifting me out of my seat and out of the theater. I believe it was the
Holy Spirit's whisper that moved me. Then a second movement quickly followed:
the feeling of elevated reward, knowing I had made a good choice. On the
contrary, I recently watched a popular PG-13 rated movie. After a short time
into the film I felt a bit off, and recognized it was likely the spirit
prompting me to turn it off. I finished the movie anyway. I experienced a
depressed emotional state for about a month following. I am confident that my
emotional drop had little to do with the movie's content, and had much more to
do with my failure to give heed to the spirit's voice, especially when I was
sure of its legitimacy and source when I received it.
Sometimes we voluntarily cause movements in our outward
conditions in order to more easily facilitate inner movement. One wicked Book
of Mormon King validates this point. King Noah "did not walk in the ways
of his father." One of his first moves as king was to "put down all
the priests that had been consecrated by his father, and consecrated new ones
in their stead, such as were lifted up in the pride of their hearts." This
outward movement "changed the affairs of the kingdom" (see Mosiah
11:1-5), and facilitated a collective inner movement in the hearts of the
people toward sin."And it came to pass that he placed his heart upon his
riches, and he spent his time in riotous living with his wives and his
concubines; and so did also his priests spend their time with harlots. And he
built wine-presses, and made wine in abundance; and therefore he became a wine-bibber,
and also his people" (v 14-15). Then following a victory over the
Laminates in battle, "they were lifted up in the pride of their hearts;
they did boast in their own strength" (v19). Their wickedness knew no
limits, and eventually led to the hardening of their hearts against a prophet
of the Lord and his ultimate execution at their hands.
Their spiritual downfall was swift
and deliberate. It seems that their sins were numerous, creative, and knew no
bounds. Elder Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles described people
with this mindset as "those few in deliberate noncompliance, including
some who cast off on intellectual and behavioral bungee cords in search of new
sensations, only to be jerked about by the old heresies and the old sins"
(Settle This in Your Hearts, October 1992). Their collective spiritual movement
graph was opposite to the Savior's who moved from grace to grace, as they moved
from "one piece of iniquity to another" (Alma 4:11). This pattern is typical
and predictable in anyone who renounces their faith. The moment they do so, they
begin to align their outward circumstances to facilitate their inner rebellion
and there becomes no limit to what sins they suppose they can commit.
I was moved when you mentioned experiencing a decline in the Spirit after continuing to watch the movie. I have been having similar experiences. I came across a scripture that was instructive: "For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do. Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do." (2 Nephi 32:5-6). I believe that this scripture informs us that when the Holy Ghost instructs us, we should do it. If we have been bless to have the second comforter, when the Lord instructs us, we should do it. Thank you for helping me connect the dots!
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