I don't know where to look...

JoanOfArc · #1 (**permalink**) 05-07-2005, 05:04 AM

Okay, so I have a question. I guess maybe later I'll explain the circumstance, but right now I just want to study this out... but I don't know where to look!

So, do you know people (or do you have this yourself?) where they can "sense" the character of someone? Like... a lot of people would say they're judging a book by its cover b/c you only have to meet someone once and you know... you get good "vibes" or bad "vibes". I'm having a hard time explaining this, but do you know what I mean?

If so, what would you call that? How would you study that in a scriptural sense? Would it be with gifts of the spirit???

Leiahs · #2 (**permalink**) 05-07-2005, 10:32 AM

Well, DH and I were just reading about gifts of the spirits in D&C a few nights ago...section 46. Verse 23 says "And to others the discerning of spirits." The impression I get from the phrase "discerning of spirits" is to be able to tell whether someone has a holy or impure spirit, or is generally a good or a bad person.

I myself don't really have any sort of gift like that, but it certainly seems possible enough just based off of the gifts of the spirit listed in D&C 46! Of course, there are situations I can think of where it wouldn't be a gift of the spirit. Like, IMO, psychics - whether they have good intentions or not - are using the powers of satan in order to do what they do. If they or someone like them have been twisted by satan's temptations, I think it's completely reasonable to expect that satan can give them a form of discernment of spirits, but since it's from the wrong source, it's not something to get involved with. Again, that's just IMO.