Rhetoric Versus Inspiration

“But what about dinosaurs and evolution? You can’t argue with the scientific data that proves evolution exists. How does that fit in with the story of creation?”

Despite our best efforts, no religion will ever make perfect logical sense. In the end, we must choose whether or not to believe (through personal revelation or otherwise) that our religion is true without scientific data to support our claims. My atheist friends would argue that people join religions for emotional comfort, or because they cannot cope with the “truth” that there is nothing divine. Despite these compelling arguments against religion, individuals believe in the miraculous and supernatural. Is this the result of superior rhetoric or societal pressures? Or is there an innate truth in religion that is made manifest? As an LDS I believe that the Holy Ghost testifies of the truthfulness of the gospel. However, if we assume that the Spirit manifests of truth, what is the role of rhetoric?

In some cases we may have a testimony of something, but not fully understand WHY we do. This is faith without rhetoric. An example of this could be feeling God’s love for you without hearing any words.

However, rhetoric can aid us by effectively communicating lessons and even increase faith where understanding is lacking. For example, a member of the LDS may have a testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet, but not the Word of Wisdom. Simple rhetoric can be used here to help persuade someone to follow the Word of Wisdom. Joseph Smith was a prophet, therefore he received the Word of Wisdom as revelation from God, therefore the Word of Wisdom should be followed.

Rhetoric appeals not only to our logical side. We may know in our hearts and minds that heaven is real and hell is a terrible place. However, a detailed description of hell can create a visceral response that a simple statement of “hell is bad” never will. For example, in the parable of Lazarus and the the rich man, the rich man begs Abraham to allow Lazarus to “dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” (Luke 16:24) This parable targets the senses, focusing on how the flames of hell physically effect those within. We envision hell in a detailed and physical way that we we would be unable to do with other less detailed descriptions (such as “endless torment”). The visceral response, coupled with the logical mind reaches the following (oversimplified) conclusion: Be good and avoid hell!

Humans process thoughts and ideas through language. Language crafted to elicit specific responses forms rhetoric. Because of this, it can be difficult to differentiate between the power of the Spirit, which can speak, inspire, and testify of words, and the power of how the rhetoric itself is crafted. Well formed rhetoric teaches us in a form we can quickly grasp and understand, however the Spirit tells us that these things are true.

Rhetoric Coupled with the Spirit

Rhetoric is used everywhere, especially when it comes to religion. For centuries and centuries, people have used rhetoric to convince other people that theirs is the only true way. Similarly, the LDS religion uses rhetoric, intertwined with the Spirit of the Lord and through the words of the prophets, to prove that this is the only true and living gospel on the earth.

If you think about it, everyone that speaks in general conference is excellent at conveying their ideas. Whether this is because they were all bestowed with the gift of speech or they have someone talented write their thoughts in a coherent manner, each is able to present their feelings in a way that captivates millions of viewers and teaches fundamental beliefs. However, they don’t do this on their own. The Spirit, as it is known in the LDS world, teaches along with the words of the prophets. It’s hard for us to say that belief comes from the rhetoric of whoever is teaching, because that would come severely close to blasphemy. The Spirit is what guides rhetoric and convinces converts of the truthfulness of the Gospel. They go hand-in-hand.

This process can go the other way around as well. The Spirit doesn’t come without rhetoric, and true rhetoric won’t come without the help of the Spirit. For example, someone could randomly find a Book of Mormon lying on the ground and decide to read it. They could be convinced that the words are true, but they were never taught by anyone who was trying to convince them of the truthfulness of it. This is where the Spirit kicks in. Without the aid of the Holy Ghost, the book would simply be words scrawled on paper, and no one would be converted.

Overall, the use of rhetoric in the Gospel is very important when being used to teach. It must be coupled by the Spirit to be a completely effective way of teaching, but it’s still extremely relevant.

Rhetoric Is Not Enough

Rhetoric plays a prevalent part in religion, specifically in the process of conversion. Nephi tells us that his intent in keeping the record that would become part of the Book of Mormon was to persuade men to come unto and God and be saved. However, in religion there is another aspect that rhetoric can’t compete with, the Holy Spirit. Without the spirit’s confirmation, no amount of rhetoric can convince an individual of the validity of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Laman and Lemuel were Nephi’s older brothers. They followed their father Lehi into the wilderness. They were reprimanded by an angel and saw Nephi freed from cords they had bound him with in rebellion. They were led through the deserts of Arabia by the Liahona and were fed by game shot with Nephi’s bow. They sailed to the Promised Land in ships crafted after the manner of God by Nephi’s hand. They witnessed countless miracles and spent their days in the presence of two prophets of God. If rhetoric were sufficient to induce conversion, then Laman and Lemuel should have been faithful and righteous. Instead, they lived lives filled with wickedness and fell away from the Lord. The two brothers of Nephi were past feeling. They ignored the confirmation of the Holy Spirit until they no longer felt its promptings. Without the Spirit, conversion could not take place.

A similar instance occurred in the experience of Samuel the Lamanite. From the top of a wall, he preached the word of God. His orations were powerful enough to cause the people to throw stones and shoot arrows. His words struck a chord so deep within the people that they wanted to kill him. If his words were powerful enough to do that, then shouldn’t they have been powerful enough to convince the people that Christ would come? The answer is yes, but words alone cannot convert a soul. True conversion needs the Spirit, and the Spirit cannot dwell in unclean places. The people were wicked, sinful, unclean, and the Spirit was not with them.

For every instance where the Spirit was not present and rhetoric could not suffice, there are many others where together rhetoric and the Spirit converted souls to the gospel. When Nephi and his brethren returned to Jerusalem to bring the family of Ishmael to the wilderness, they sat and taught Ishmael the gospel. The scriptures tell us that the Lord softened the heart of Ishmael, and it was then that he believed the words of Lehi’s sons.

Another prime example of rhetoric and the Spirit is in the conversion of Alma. When Alma heard the words of Abinadi, he believed because he had witnessed the things that Abinadi spoke about. He had seen the wickedness of King Noah and Abinadi’s rhetoric made sense. Rhetoric was enough to convince Alma to run away from the king, but he wasn’t truly converted till he knelt in the king’s woods and prayed for forgiveness and confirmation. The Spirit touched Alma’s heart, and Alma knew that the gospel was true.

Thus the scriptures show us that rhetoric is essential when preaching the gospel. Words must be used to teach doctrine and prepare an individual for the confirmation of the Spirit. Without the Spirit’s confirmation, an individual isn’t truly converted. Words have immense power, but they can’t come close to the power of the Holy Spirit.

Who does the persuading in church?

When one thinks of the role of rhetoric and persuasion in the gospel, the Spirit comes to mind. How persuasive is the Spirit compared to members? What is the most effective strategy to convince others of truth? Christ convinced Peter to walk on water, and he successfully taught priests in the temple when he was only twelve. Was it his method, or was it the aid of the Spirit?
If we examine the way the Spirit operates, perhaps we can transfer those tendencies to our own rhetorical approaches. What works and what does not? There are many stories told about investigators who were not convinced through words heard by members, but by feelings they have experienced through the Spirit in certain situations. Alma the Younger was convinced of the falseness of the teachings of the gospel, but when the Spirit intervened, he was completely changed. He became a missionary. Nephites in the Americas were convinced of Christ's coming on a completely different continent. The ability to bring others to have such faith is a strong one.
The Spirit is the most effective persuasive tool for most LDS members. It usually works most effectively on people who are ready to hear it. People are humbled by its effects because it works in a quiet way; it's not obnoxious or pushy. The Spirit does not argue, it simply compels others. As missionaries, members should learn how to share the gospel with others without trying to force feed it to others. When trying to persuade others to come to church or read the Book of Mormon, members should let inactives or non-members exercise their agency, because very few people want someone else to make their decisions.
The Spirit also operates often in such a way that others do not even know it is there. It is there subconsciously, and sometimes is not noticed right away. If members can learn to be good examples instead of simply preaching doctrine, it could be very beneficial. People learn best through what they experience, and when they experience the good example of a member, they usually experience the presence of the Spirit, which then teaches them in an unobtrusive manner.
There are many ways to implement rhetoric in the gospel, especially when we are contacting others with the gospel. The Spirit is the best example of teaching, and we should try to emulate its power and reverence.