(This post is a response to Rachel Hall's Belated Sunday Post. I thought was she had found about the references made to Shakespeare by the general authorities of our church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was interesting and decided to look into it a little bit myself. I glanced through this talk by Marion G. Romney, and it just got me thinking a little bit.)
President Marion G. Romney (a late counselor in the First Presidency of the Church) quoted in his October 1974 General Conference address Shakespeare’s “to be or not to be” soliloquy from Hamlet, and went on to say that Shakespeare actually didn’t know everything. :) He spoke of how the answer to Shakespeare’s question about what happens to people’s souls after they die was given centuries earlier to a prophet on the other side of the world. It was funny reading Alma’s matter-of-fact words (which of course were really the words of the Lord) after reading Shakespeare’s eloquent speech: it really illustrated the fact that the Lord speaks simply so that all people can understand. There was something more substantial in what Alma said, too; for, despite being very well versed, Shakespeare’s question wasn't answered. While there is definitely some fulfillment in reading beautiful words so expertly crafted, there's also much else to be gained by reading the words of real truth; for the answers “are in these simple words combined/ to urge, inspire the human mind” (“Come Follow Me,” #116 in the LDS hymnbook).
Taken from Marion G. Romney’s Oct. 1974 talk, “How Men Are Saved,” which can be read online at http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1974/10/how-men-are-saved?lang=eng&query=shakespeare.
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