This is where I fall. The icky feeling overshadows any knowledge I might glean

For an example, we do not need to know all of the intricacies of the doctrine of the Trinity to be able to reject it. We do not need to know everything involved in the idea of Original sin to be able to reject and accept the true principle of personal responsibility for our own actions. We don’t even need to know everything about our own doctrines to be able to know it is true. The knowledge of the truth comes through the Holy Ghost, who brings all things to our remembrance, including those things that we have forgotten from the other side of the Veil.

Now, with that preface, I want to give my opinion on this issue. I never really cared about the study of the gospel or the church growing up, I just knew all of the answers in Sunday School, intellectually, and that was good enough for me. Later on, I have learned to appreciate the truths contained in the scriptures, in the writings and teachings of modern prophets, and also that of scholars. The one thing to realize with all of these things, is that everyone involved is human, and people have opinions. Not everything that an apostle says is canon, and many times is just their opinion. This applies even to Joseph Smith. The test is this, does what is being taught (or the ideas that we come up with ourselves from our own studies) conform to the teachings of Joseph Smith contained in the scriptures?

My favorite person over the last couple of years has been Hugh Nibley. And not just the things he taught, or how much he knew, but his attitude about the world, about the gospel, about antis, and everything in between. As with all scholars, his theories are theories, and can be flawed, and as we find new things and progress, what we know also progresses. But he always acknowledged that what he said could just be a crazy theory that could be proved wrong the next day by some new discovery. One thing I love is how he quotes in the scriptures, in how we need to seek knowledge out of the best books, but we don’t have any specific list given to us. Now, is the works of Antis something that is in the best books? I don’t think so, and I doubt anyone would think that God would include those in that list. Now, if we are reading these books instead of reading our scriptures and listening to the living prophets, that is a problem. But if we are already doing what we should be doing, and still feel the desire to read these things, then that is alright, as long as you are prepared. I am an advocate for order and wisdom in all things.