Friday, November 15, 2019

Jae R. Ballif and Karen Lynn on the Importance of Intellectual Pursuits for All Latter-day Saints


Dr. Jae R. Ballif, then-dean of the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences at Brigham Young University said the following about the importance of both intellectual and spiritual pursuits, and that they are not mutually exclusive, contra some errant members of the Church:

Many members of the Church make a sharp distinction between the ‘religious’ and the ‘secular.’ They often imply that the secular is less important and yet includes many broad disciplines of learning, includes the sciences. As Latter-day Saints we should know better than this. Our vital task is to distinguish truth from error and pursue the truth wherever it is found. All truth, not just that encompassed by a narrow definition of the world ‘religious,’ can help us toward eternal salvation and toward eventual godhood. Unfortunately, many try to be godlike in their personal characteristics, but refuse to accept the responsibility for gaining knowledge and wisdom. To become like Him we must acquire His personal characteristics and His wisdom. (as cited by Karen Lynn, “What kind of emphasis should we as Latter-day Saints place on intellectual activities and pursuits?,” New Era, September 1975)

Elsewhere in this article, the author, Karen Lynn, refutes the tired claim that Latter-day Saints place women in a subservient position and dislike their being educated; on the contrary, Lynn wrote:

“Girls don’t need to follow intellectual pursuits.” What a misconception! Our church leaders have never counseled that girls should be content with a second-rate education. Even if your work is centered exclusively around your home, being wise enough to know the value of intellectual pursuits can make all the difference. Be the housewife who can transform the dreaded ironing hour into the opportunity to aim one ear toward the stereo to enjoy the fine music, the play, or the language lesson that means so much to you. Be the mother who can give your children creative experiences in the arts, sciences, languages, or music, rather than the mother who rears a generation of TV watchers.