Monday, November 3, 2014
Last minute thoughts on the 2014 mid-term election
Race-bating
Politicians keep their power by stirring up people who they think are likely to vote for them. Most African Americans vote Democrat so some, if not many, Democrat politicians continue to spread the myth that racism still thrives in a country that elected a black president twice, and that a (sympathetic and loving) Democrat-led government is the answer to their problems.
(Of course there are still racists here and there. There are idiots in every crowd. There are anti-Mormons out there too, along with anti-Christians, anti-short people, anti-vegetarians, etc., etc., and I've even encountered some "ageism" in my now senior status. What we need is anti-stupid.)
The truth is that America has evolved into the least racist country on the planet. White-against-Black atrocities, a horror of our past, are actually rare within our borders nowadays, yet the media thrives on it....often creating it where it isn't. Black-against-Black atrocities are rampant and deadly, yet hardly mentioned and Black-against-White crime is completely ignored, as far as the media is concerned. The real solutions for all able-bodied individuals in our free society must come from themselves. Asian-Americans, in general, figured this out long ago in spite of the persecution they endured. This principle is true for Whites, Browns, Purples, Greens ..... or whatever group thinks they are victimized.
African-Americans, like everyone, must begin with their families. They must stop producing babies sentenced to grow up without their dads. The stats are horrible. It's a well-known fact that fatherless boys are more likely to end in jail, and fatherless girls will likely produce more fatherless homes. Intact families with married parents would greatly lessen poverty and crime among their ranks. Such families lead to better education for their children and are more likely to instill old-fashioned, time-tested values like hard work, accountability, and self-respect. As soon as some Blacks (and others) figure this out and stop blaming society, they will begin to spiral upward. Again, this is true for all colors, sizes, shapes, or what have you.
Have we heard ONE politician say this? Government can't fix what individual choice breaks and the politician or activist who says or implies otherwise....is wrong. The day when people begin to fix their own problems will be the day when some lucrative careers that feed on victimization, become obsolete. The Al Sharptons, Jesse Jacksons, and a slew of elected officials would have to go find actual jobs.
Voter ID
This is not on a ballot but Democrat pundits love to trot it out as an example of Republican "voter suppression" and happily emphasize how it's another despicable dig at minorities (see race-bating)...along with other scary doom and gloom that a Republican Congress would bring.
But I wonder how they get off insulting certain groups by saying they are too incompetent to get some form of ID? It is easily attainable for legal citizens and we can't do much in this world without it. I am a proponent of such a law, if it ever becomes a law ..... and the ONLY people whose vote would actually be suppressed would be those who have no constitutional right to vote in the first place. If you are not a legal citizen, or you have already voted, or you are dead, or you never existed .... you really shouldn't be voting. If you have a right to vote then be grateful, GET INFORMED, show your ID, and VOTE!
Clear enough?
The (stupid) War on Women
More silly doom and gloom that I think (hope) people are beginning to see for what it is.
1. Elected Republicans are not trying to take away a woman's "right to choose". We have had several solely Republican-led governments since Roe VS Wade, and abortion is still legal.
2. No one is snatching away our birth control. If we want it, we can pay for it.
3. If women REALLY were not receiving "equal pay for equal work" then businesses would replace all their male employees with females to save on payroll costs. Think about it.
The Senate
If Republicans win it back, then good riddance to Senate leader, Harry Reid. The man has damaged his party as well as the country. Republicans, who hold the majority in the House of Representatives, have been labeled as "the party of No" with the reputation of getting nothing done. However, they have passed bill after bill which are then sent to the Democrat-led Senate where said bills never again see the light of day, much less make it to the president for his signature or his veto .... thanks to Mr. Reid.
As you may recall, during Obama's first two years, Democrats led both the House and the Senate, along with the White House. That is how we got our **lovely** Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. Remember Sen. Pelosi's (then Dem. House leader) infamous words ....?
"We have to pass the bill so you can find out what's in it."
Well, Madam Speaker, we found out.
As Mitt Romney recently said, (paraphrasing) ....with a Republican House AND Senate (meaning a Congress which will actually send bills all the way to the Oval Office) we will soon see who REALLY is the party of No.
Mr. President
He is not actually on the ballot, but he is all over it. He is so unpopular right now that campaigning Democrats across the country, who are fighting to keep their jobs, do not want him anywhere near them. Some even refuse to admit they voted for him.
(Please allow me to wallow briefly in frustration ..... Why didn't voters SEE this two years ago???????)
I get upset at the unimpassioned political "talking heads" on TV who now, in all their pompous feigned-unbiased-ness, list Obama's failings yet say nothing about how THEY were all for him in '12. There were plenty of failings to list back then and yet THEY helped get him re-elected!
So there it is.
Bottom line: IN MY OPINION, if you are informed, please vote. If you have chosen to be uninformed, maybe skip the voting and organize a closet, or rotate the tires, or take a long walk .... the leaves are beautiful right now.
That's not suppression. It's just a friendly suggestion.
Friday, August 29, 2014
Healing blessings ..... why?
(Please be patient .... there IS a point here.)
I believe that the same healing power used by Jesus Christ when he lived here on earth, still exists and is accessible today.
This power is called the priesthood and it is how He does what He does. All worthy men who have covenanted with God through baptism, have the responsibility to accept ordination so to be able to utilize this power to DO as Jesus would do if he was physically here. (Getting to the point) .... And one of the many things Jesus DID, was give healing blessings. Actual healing blessings ..... like when one goes from sick to cured, IF being cured will give the individual the best shot, so to speak, at exaltation/heaven. Sometimes it won't, and He gives us strength and comfort to endure that from which we must learn.
The concept of healing blessings should be familiar to anyone who has read the Bible. Christ healed many people from things like blindness, leprosy, injuries, and even death. The process today is that two priesthood-bearing men, through what is called the "laying on of hands" and the anointing of oil, call upon God in prayer, to direct His healing powers to the one who is sick. It happened anciently. It happens today.
(Still getting to the point) ...... So what about when priesthood-bearers aren't available? On that note, you might ask about the people of Corinth when Christ was in Galilee? Were the sick or injured Corinthians just out of luck?
No.
Because reason tells us God would not leave the Corinthians, or us, up a creek. He gave us prayer. God is always available and nearby and anyone can pray for His help. (Almost there!)
So then, the question arises ....... if prayer can save us, why do we need priesthood blessings? I've wondered this for years and am pretty sure you've wondered it too. Hence, the POINT(!) of this blog post....
I had an epiphany..... ta-da!
Consider this: If you are LDS, you've sat in many Sacrament Meetings and have seen the Sacrament administered countless times. By whom? The Deacons, Teachers, and Priests, AKA holders of the Aaronic priesthood. Does the Bishop and his councilors have the authority to administer the sacrament?
Yes.
So why don't they do it?
They could do it, but it isn't their job. And if they DID do it, who learns from it? Who gains the much needed experience? The order of the Church is to let each of us do what we are responsible to do. If Aaronic priesthood holders are not there, then the Bishop, who is presiding, and others can step in and the ordinance rolls on.
The Lord authored the priesthood. It's His. He holds every right to utilize it in every possible way. Hence, He can heal. So when His priesthood-bearing servants are not able do their job, we can ask HIM step in and apply His power. And prayer is the simple, faithful request that He do so. Just like asking the Bishop to step in, if needed, to administer the sacrament. If priesthood bearers are available, we are to call on them to do their job. If not, we have a direct line to the One who can, and will, step in and send His blessing, through His priesthood. There is a procedure, a process, or in other words, a proper order for things to be done, and it's all by the same priesthood power, one way ..... or the other.
Because ...... Doctrine and Covenants 132:8 "Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God....."
Done.
I believe that the same healing power used by Jesus Christ when he lived here on earth, still exists and is accessible today.
This power is called the priesthood and it is how He does what He does. All worthy men who have covenanted with God through baptism, have the responsibility to accept ordination so to be able to utilize this power to DO as Jesus would do if he was physically here. (Getting to the point) .... And one of the many things Jesus DID, was give healing blessings. Actual healing blessings ..... like when one goes from sick to cured, IF being cured will give the individual the best shot, so to speak, at exaltation/heaven. Sometimes it won't, and He gives us strength and comfort to endure that from which we must learn.
(Still getting to the point) ...... So what about when priesthood-bearers aren't available? On that note, you might ask about the people of Corinth when Christ was in Galilee? Were the sick or injured Corinthians just out of luck?
No.
Because reason tells us God would not leave the Corinthians, or us, up a creek. He gave us prayer. God is always available and nearby and anyone can pray for His help. (Almost there!)
So then, the question arises ....... if prayer can save us, why do we need priesthood blessings? I've wondered this for years and am pretty sure you've wondered it too. Hence, the POINT(!) of this blog post....
I had an epiphany..... ta-da!
Consider this: If you are LDS, you've sat in many Sacrament Meetings and have seen the Sacrament administered countless times. By whom? The Deacons, Teachers, and Priests, AKA holders of the Aaronic priesthood. Does the Bishop and his councilors have the authority to administer the sacrament?
Yes.
So why don't they do it?
They could do it, but it isn't their job. And if they DID do it, who learns from it? Who gains the much needed experience? The order of the Church is to let each of us do what we are responsible to do. If Aaronic priesthood holders are not there, then the Bishop, who is presiding, and others can step in and the ordinance rolls on.
The Lord authored the priesthood. It's His. He holds every right to utilize it in every possible way. Hence, He can heal. So when His priesthood-bearing servants are not able do their job, we can ask HIM step in and apply His power. And prayer is the simple, faithful request that He do so. Just like asking the Bishop to step in, if needed, to administer the sacrament. If priesthood bearers are available, we are to call on them to do their job. If not, we have a direct line to the One who can, and will, step in and send His blessing, through His priesthood. There is a procedure, a process, or in other words, a proper order for things to be done, and it's all by the same priesthood power, one way ..... or the other.
Because ...... Doctrine and Covenants 132:8 "Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God....."
Done.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Silenced
If you are one of my Facebook friends, you may have seen some of my posts on the Ordain Women page. I have been there vehemently defending my church against the onslaught of negativity and confronting the inconsistencies of their arguments.
For example ..... an opinion piece of one OW supporter was published in the The Washington Post, about how the Church is attempting to "silence" dissenters. Silence? ..... Take a moment to see the irony......... I did some googling and found that The Washington Post is the most widely circulated newspaper published in Washington DC. And she's in it, claiming that she's being...... silenced. The only place the Church CAN restrict anyone from publicly spreading false doctrine and doubt is on Church property and in Church publications, which it has every right to do. The critics have the rest of the world to air their opinions. And they are taking full advantage of that.
Another example ..... OW supporters are complaining that some LDS bloggers are being called in by church leaders for publishing false doctrine under the guise of a faithful member. Some are calling the Church, "Big Brother".
Do you see the irony here? They put their words on the internet, AKA the "World Wide Web". Where... who can see it? The world! And.... somebody saw it! Gasp! Their computers were not hacked, nor did anyone eaves-drop. They put it out there. And they are free to continue putting it out there. They just are not free to misrepresent or slander the Church, AS a member of that church.
My words to them on Facebook have been painstakingly respectful, but firm. This is my church too and I deserve a voice. What they're doing affects me and my loved ones. I have not insulted anyone, nor have I suggested that anyone leave the Church. Quite the opposite. I have pleaded with them to stay. We need them and they need us.
Now, as of a few minutes ago, they have blocked me from their Facebook page. I can no longer comment there. My previous comments are gone. In that forum, I have been ..... silenced. At the same time, those people who control the OW Facebook page and who claim to love the Church, are allowing those comments by non-LDS people, that falsely accuse the Church of dishonesty, to remain.
They have the right to block anyone they choose from their page. But they have done to me, the very thing that they accuse our church leaders of doing to them.
Isn't it ironic?
So I will follow their lead, and take my opinions elsewhere. As in .... right here. As long as I have a voice and as long as my beloved church is under attack either internally or externally, I will not be silenced.
But I strongly doubt The Washington Post will be calling me.
****************
Update: OW put this statement on their Facebook page:
"Reminder: This page is maintained by the group Ordain Women. We reserve the right to delete comments that are aggressive, derogatory, and/or hurtful."
NOT ONE of my comments could be described as this, other than the possible explanation that truth sometimes does hurt. I was very careful in what I said. I disagreed with them and told them why. I expressed my feelings about my church and its doctrine. I urged them to stay. If you don't know me, feel free to judge my words by my previous posts in this blog.
I have also learned that others have been blocked from their page also .... including a few people I know personally. I have never seen one word of disrespect from these people, ever. Their voices have been gentle and caring. I understand blocking rudeness and disrespect. But that was NOT the case here.
Finally, comments that are derogatory and disrespectful towards my church, are still there. They were not deleted.
Hypocrisy? You decide.
For example ..... an opinion piece of one OW supporter was published in the The Washington Post, about how the Church is attempting to "silence" dissenters. Silence? ..... Take a moment to see the irony......... I did some googling and found that The Washington Post is the most widely circulated newspaper published in Washington DC. And she's in it, claiming that she's being...... silenced. The only place the Church CAN restrict anyone from publicly spreading false doctrine and doubt is on Church property and in Church publications, which it has every right to do. The critics have the rest of the world to air their opinions. And they are taking full advantage of that.
Another example ..... OW supporters are complaining that some LDS bloggers are being called in by church leaders for publishing false doctrine under the guise of a faithful member. Some are calling the Church, "Big Brother".
Do you see the irony here? They put their words on the internet, AKA the "World Wide Web". Where... who can see it? The world! And.... somebody saw it! Gasp! Their computers were not hacked, nor did anyone eaves-drop. They put it out there. And they are free to continue putting it out there. They just are not free to misrepresent or slander the Church, AS a member of that church.
My words to them on Facebook have been painstakingly respectful, but firm. This is my church too and I deserve a voice. What they're doing affects me and my loved ones. I have not insulted anyone, nor have I suggested that anyone leave the Church. Quite the opposite. I have pleaded with them to stay. We need them and they need us.
Now, as of a few minutes ago, they have blocked me from their Facebook page. I can no longer comment there. My previous comments are gone. In that forum, I have been ..... silenced. At the same time, those people who control the OW Facebook page and who claim to love the Church, are allowing those comments by non-LDS people, that falsely accuse the Church of dishonesty, to remain.
They have the right to block anyone they choose from their page. But they have done to me, the very thing that they accuse our church leaders of doing to them.
Isn't it ironic?
So I will follow their lead, and take my opinions elsewhere. As in .... right here. As long as I have a voice and as long as my beloved church is under attack either internally or externally, I will not be silenced.
But I strongly doubt The Washington Post will be calling me.
****************
Update: OW put this statement on their Facebook page:
"Reminder: This page is maintained by the group Ordain Women. We reserve the right to delete comments that are aggressive, derogatory, and/or hurtful."
NOT ONE of my comments could be described as this, other than the possible explanation that truth sometimes does hurt. I was very careful in what I said. I disagreed with them and told them why. I expressed my feelings about my church and its doctrine. I urged them to stay. If you don't know me, feel free to judge my words by my previous posts in this blog.
I have also learned that others have been blocked from their page also .... including a few people I know personally. I have never seen one word of disrespect from these people, ever. Their voices have been gentle and caring. I understand blocking rudeness and disrespect. But that was NOT the case here.
Finally, comments that are derogatory and disrespectful towards my church, are still there. They were not deleted.
Hypocrisy? You decide.
Monday, May 12, 2014
My Take on Mother's Day
I want to be clear right off the bat. I had a good mother, although for only nine brief years of my life. I had many mother-figures, or stand-in moms if you will, to help fill the void after her death. Not to mention a first-rate dad. I grew up believing adults were kind and safe and good. Hence, I have always projected that image onto God, whom I credit for my happy life. Furthermore, I was and am a good mom. I don't feel guilt. I was not perfect by any means, but I know I did my best in raising my kids. Their childhoods were happy and secure. Top that off with the dearest husband this world has ever produced. I am and always have been blessed beyond words.
But Mother's Day kind of irritates me and here's why.
Greeting card and florist industries have fostered the obligation that anyone with a mother, must spend time and resources one certain day each year, so as to avoid hurt on her part, and guilt on everyone else's. Of course it is all meant to be an expression of love and/or honor, but why on this one day? Why is this one Sunday in May any different than the other 364 days on the calendar? Who gave this one day such power over us?
Phone calls, gifts, visits, flowers and whatnot .... who doesn't love them? But not mixed with obligation. When the two elements are combined, the result is too often duty and a checklist. It is the difference, on the part of the giver, between being prodded and reminded to express love .... and simply wanting to. In my opinion, expressions of love should be motivated by that love. And not by anything else.
But each year, against my will, somehow this one day messes with my head and creates an expectation in me that I am owed something. The meal not cooked by me. The cookie at church. (I've even been known, to my shame, to grumble inwardly when it WASN'T a cookie but was a silly flower that rarely made it home intact ......) The call. The card. The gift. And, in spite of my best efforts to expect nothing, I still kind of do. And why? I can attend church every other Sunday of the year and NOT be handed a cookie and am fine with it. Any other day can go by without hearing from my kids and I still feel loved. In other words, Mother's Day foists upon me annoying feelings of obligation and entitlement which somehow detract from the love expressed.
Needless to say, I won't wear a tacky corsage on Mother's Day to show the world that my husband has done his job and one-up the poor woman whose husband hasn't.
Imagine for a moment, or think back to when ..... you got a random phone call, a note, a Facebook message, a gift, an act of service ..... FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN SOMEONE THOUGHT OF YOU. You must admit, you were touched to your core, were't you. It zinged right into your heart, didn't it. This is what I mean. There was no expectation nor obligation nor a date on the calendar .... just love ... and thoughtfulness. To me, THAT is what a gift should be.
I know my kids love me. I feel it from them every time I'm around them. And we say it. The greatest gift they can give me is their own happiness. Regarding my own mother, I honor her often in my heart. Therefore, I don't need a Mother's Day. I have it EVERY day.
But Mother's Day kind of irritates me and here's why.
Greeting card and florist industries have fostered the obligation that anyone with a mother, must spend time and resources one certain day each year, so as to avoid hurt on her part, and guilt on everyone else's. Of course it is all meant to be an expression of love and/or honor, but why on this one day? Why is this one Sunday in May any different than the other 364 days on the calendar? Who gave this one day such power over us?
Phone calls, gifts, visits, flowers and whatnot .... who doesn't love them? But not mixed with obligation. When the two elements are combined, the result is too often duty and a checklist. It is the difference, on the part of the giver, between being prodded and reminded to express love .... and simply wanting to. In my opinion, expressions of love should be motivated by that love. And not by anything else.
Needless to say, I won't wear a tacky corsage on Mother's Day to show the world that my husband has done his job and one-up the poor woman whose husband hasn't.
Imagine for a moment, or think back to when ..... you got a random phone call, a note, a Facebook message, a gift, an act of service ..... FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN SOMEONE THOUGHT OF YOU. You must admit, you were touched to your core, were't you. It zinged right into your heart, didn't it. This is what I mean. There was no expectation nor obligation nor a date on the calendar .... just love ... and thoughtfulness. To me, THAT is what a gift should be.
I know my kids love me. I feel it from them every time I'm around them. And we say it. The greatest gift they can give me is their own happiness. Regarding my own mother, I honor her often in my heart. Therefore, I don't need a Mother's Day. I have it EVERY day.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
On the lighter side .... My stab at an SNL routine
Daily "debriefing" at the White House
Obama to aide: Soooo, got the checklist?
Aide: Yessir. Got it.
Obama: Okay, let's see ..... Has Putin been warned again today?
Aide: Check.
Obama: Is Biden still contained ... have you checked the lock on his room lately?
Aide: Did it myself, Sir.
Obama: Time to feed the media some more of that "war on women" crap. Better get on that today.
Aide: Yessir.
Obama: IRS emails destroyed?
Aide: Check.
Obama: Reid got his payoff?
Aide: Check.
Obama: Before I forget, if Hillary calls, I'm not in. Okay?
Aide: Got her on The List, Sir.
Obama: How about the Obamacare numbers ....are they cooked enough yet? Gotta hit 7 mil. by Tuesday. Except remember .... I don't know anything. Got that?
Aide: Yessir.
Obama: Be sure to let the networks know I'll want some primetime to crow about our enrollment success.
Aide: Yessir. Except they may not .....
Obama: Hmmmmmm ...... Didn't we mention sending a plate of those pot-laced brownies over to the DOJ ..... did that happen?
Aide: Yessir.
Obama: Did ya save one for me?
Aide: Inside piece, Sir. Just like you like 'em.
Obama: Good, good. Oh, and by the way, be sure Michelle doesn't see that case of Marlboros I ordered.
Aide: Never, Sir.
Obama: Okie dokie then ..... looks good. I'm hitting' the greens. See ya tomorrow.
Aide: Enjoy, Sir.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Truth, Feelings, and Baskets ..... Yours, Mine, and Ours
Business and financial gurus wisely tell us to not put all our eggs in one basket, but I violate that advice regularly in other areas of my life. Marriage: one basket. Patriotism: one basket. Religion: one basket. Favorite ice cream flavor: ..... okay, maybe that one does branch out .... frequently .....
I'm digressing. Let's go back to the religion basket.
We might say that in this basket, the eggs are various points of doctrine along with personal life experiences. My basket is my testimony, or in other words, my time-tested conviction that the gospel, as taught in the LDS Church, is true. In addition to a lot of logical evidence, woven into my testimony are .... spiritual reinforcements and communication from God in its various forms, via the Holy Ghost who is often referred to as the Spirit of God.
Plain and simple, it just never stops feeling right.
(Note: If you adhere to a philosophy, belief-system, or life style that has not exposed you to such feelings of comfort and ... right-ness .... I humbly offer the suggestion that you are missing out and that you take a look here.)
I know that many non-LDS Christians are dubious at best, about such feelings. And their argument has merit.
Some say, "I feel that the doctrine which I follow is correct, and you feel that something different is correct .... therefore one of us must be wrong ...... therefore you cannot trust feelings and ALL answers must come from the <Bible>." (Feel free to <insert> whatever spiritual resource you choose.)
Makes sense. And we NEED that reminder that those answers usually DO come from something God has already said ..... a lesson we LDS tend to forget and then get impatient when God doesn't just TELL us already! (As in ... you mean I have to study??)
Therefore, it seems to follow, that all feelings must be suspect.
And I would agree. Caution definitely has its place.
So should I toss out feelings all together?
Heavens no. The Bible, which centers on the mission of Jesus Christ, promotes those feelings. In the Book of Luke, chapter 24, Christ is resurrected, meaning after death his body is again united with his spirit and he rises from the grave. Word of this miraculous event naturally spread and some time soon thereafter, his uncle and another man were walking along and talking about what had happened. Unrecognized at first, Jesus joined these two men on their walk and the conversation continued. Later that day they realized who he was and at that moment, he vanished from their sight. Their words then say it all as they marveled at not recognizing him sooner:
"Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" (verse 32)
Hence ...... feelings. The Holy Ghost, who testifies only of truth, is doing his job.
So can the Holy Ghost confirm one thing to you, and to me something different?
There are several possibilities here:
1. One of us is wrong and one of us is right.
2. We're both wrong.
3. We're both right.
Numbers one and two are pretty obvious. They happen. But number three? Let's look at it .....
I firmly believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only religion on earth with the God-ordained power to administer the ordinances needed by all for exaltation. Repeat .... needed by all. "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Ephesians 4:5) But there may be different roads getting there.
IF the Lord confirms your quest to find Him in another religion then, in my opinion, go with that. By all means! We have many, many converts in the LDS Church who came to us from other faiths and they bring an invaluable wealth of freshness and perspective. Their road was right for them. I was born into this religion and the Lord tells me to stay put. That's my road and it's right for me. Some .... in fact a huge, whopping MOST, will never receive those above mentioned saving ordinances in this life and the Lord in His loving wisdom and mercy, has provided a way for them. In the meantime, and for now, they may be a blessing to the world right where they are. There are countless individuals and organizations who set the bar very high by their charity and other contributions to our unsettled world. Truth can be found in more than one basket and we should never be afraid of finding and acquiring more eggs.
That said ...... we have been commanded in the last few verses of the Book of Matthew to share what we have, so share we must. Eternal principles are just that .... eternal .... and there are people who are ready to return to those truths that they embraced before birth veiled their pre-mortal memories. That "veil", so to speak, keeps us from remembering our past and seeing our future thus causing us to develop our faith*. (*See previous blog post.) We must find those people and they must find us. But again, there are others who, perhaps, still have things they need to do or to experience elsewhere ... on their own road .... before coming home. And we must respect that. The Lord is your Father and my Father and He loves us all. If we turn to Him in full trust and humility, He will direct each of us on whatever road we need to bring us safely to the one and only gate that leads back to Him. No one wants that end result more than He does.
So back to those feelings. Are you right? Or am I?
I cannot speak for you nor for anyone else. I cannot claim to know what God has told you to do. I can only speak for me and ....... I am where I belong .... holding the door open, ready to welcome anyone who might want to share my basket of eggs.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
"What did you think it would look like .....?"
Recently I listened to a podcast recorded by fairmormon.org featuring an interview (emphasizing Part 2 of the interview) with Bill Reel, a member of my religion, who told the story of his faith crisis. A faith crisis is when a person begins to question, doubt, and consider leaving his religion. Reel was a bishop (similar to a minister) at the time and was at a loss where to go, or who to talk to for help. It began when he started reading things about our church's history that just didn't make sense to him.
The LDS Church does indeed have a colorful past. Polygamy, racism, angels, a mysterious gold book, ancient scripture found in mummies, intense persecution, interpreter stones, and the recording of every word that every past church leader has ever uttered. Thanks to the internet, we have enough information to make almost any devout Mormon shake in their boots.
Bishop Reel was at a loss. He talked to trusted friends, his own local church leaders, and even wrote to one of the church leaders in Utah. He received some comfort, but no real answers. Some didn't even know what he was talking about because, even though it has always been accessible in the archives and many articles have been written in Church magazines, most of this information is not taught in our manuals. Reel was almost to the point of leaving, when he turned to some LDS discussion boards online. And through this resource, he received an email from a stranger, that began to turn him around.
I searched back through the podcast to find the words of that letter. I wanted to keep them because with careful reading, they are profound. Here it is in blue, as best I could transcribe it from the audio version.
His question: "Why does the Church ignore these elephants in the room that I perceive and I feel like I am the only one who sees them?"
The answer: "There are not problems as you characterize them and the elephants in the room are not the baby elephants you keep hoping are going to trumpet the answer. In the very back corner, there is a humongous, massive bull elephant who is sitting on his side, resting from all the bellowing he has been doing, hoping to get your attention over the mass of baby elephants making all the racket. He is obscurred from your view because all you keep seeing are those baby elephants covering him from view.
There is a work underfoot that you do not grasp yet. It seems to you to be a work to hide and protect the Church. That is completely incorrect. When you think of Bruce R. McConkie’s take on the Ten Virgins and that they represent members (of the Church) and that half of them will fall away ...... what do YOU think is going to separate the Saints from one another? We do love each other and as a group, we are very tolerant when appropriate, but what is going to drive a wedge between the members to push them apart?
Faith is the big elephant, lying on its side resting. The 50% who fall away are those who do not realize that theology is built upon a requirement of faith. Without it, none can please God.
One can never overcome theological demands of faith by an appeal to empirical proof. They are at odds. One destroys the other. Proof will only leave you weak and unable to stand, when stand you must. One leads to life eternal; the other leaves one unable to call upon God when the time is ripe for destruction. The work that is underfoot is the sifting of the wheat from the tares. In the coming days, and I have no clue how long, but soon enough I am sure, the truth of the history of the Church will save no lives. The only thing that will, is in those that live, breath, and feel in their hearts and souls the faith that can stand at this moment.
The beginning of the onslaught against the Church is the same ideological battle that pulled the third of heaven to follow Satan. It will escalate from there to becoming a physical battle and the world will be arrayed against us. It will take powerful faith, perhaps Enochian faith to turn against those that would destroy the members of the Church. You are only in the beginning stages of the battle of the war of words and ideals and you are already falling prey to the efforts. What will you do when destruction is between you and the powers of heaven to forestall?
Faith, so few understand it, is a genuine power. Sometimes I think that members are hell-bent on avoiding, denying, and fleeing away from the opportunities to exercise faith, the power that holds worlds in their orbits and enables the creative effort. We lip-service it and then ignore it constantly. This day is a blessing to you. You are being tossed and torn and beaten and abused in the crucible of faith. The anxiety you feel is because you are slowly feeling the heat of the flames that will prepare some and destory others. You acknowledge the need for faith, but it is not impressed upon your soul the power of what faith really is.
Again I ask, what did you think it would look like when we were in the middle of this sifting? It looks like what you are seeing. It is painful until faith provides the healing. And there is NO faith in questioning the motives of the Church. They know exactly what is happening and they are stemming it as best they can within the boundaries of agency and teaching correct principles."
(Back to me.) There is a finite number of issues that our critics love to circulate over and over. I have personally become familiar with all of these issues, some more than others, and thankfully, my faith has not been shaken. Possibly because I was taught most of these things as I was growing up, so very little was a surprise. I also just don't seem to have a questioning nature. It has always been easy for me to believe and the blessings of being a Mormon have been obvious to me my entire life. The few things I don't yet understand, I set aside for now.
To summarize ....
We are on this earth to learn faith. As soon as we have that scientific or physical proof that many of us desire, faith is over. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) The lessons on gaining, growing, and exercising our faith permeates all scripture. We are not here to prove anything .... we are here to believe and to act on our belief ..... without physical proof. Our only proof for now, is the whisperings of the Lord's Spirit, AKA the Holy Ghost. THAT, in my opinion, is why we have not yet been given any type of archaeological discovery, or DNA research results, etc., that we can trot out to the the nearest mountain top and yell to the world .... SEE?? WE TOLD YOU SO!!!!!
Have you ever thought the Lord was unnecessarily cruel when He directed Abraham to slay his beloved son Isaac for a sacrifice? I have. How awful! Why would a loving God put Abraham through such a dreadful ordeal before stopping him? I don't have all the answers, but apparently there is great value in testing one's faith. God knows our faith. He knows our limits. And He knows our potential.
But we don't. I need to learn about me and you need to learn about you. And we learn through being tested. The Lord always knew that Abraham would be obedient in all things, and now Abraham knows it too.
My point: The Lord let all these oddities in our Mormon history happen. Some He directed, and some He left for his prophet, an imperfect human, to figure out. He gave us all the freedom of choice and in our humanness, some mistakes were made, along with the inherent clumsiness of restoring a religion that the world had not seen for centuries. There was no template, nor pattern, from a neighboring church and God let those things BE for our own modern-day Abrahamic test, so to speak. At the same time, I think He kept a firm hand on those parts that affect eternity. The doctrine of Jesus Christ, the saving ordinances with the keys of administration, and the Plan of Salvation are rock-solid and everlasting. THAT is our gospel.
The Church has wisely taught us all along that the most important thing is to develop our faith and our ability to recognize the voice of the Spirit. Regardless of whatever form the vexatious wedge that seeks to divide us may take, our faith will keep us firm. We will have our iron rod to anchor us. In other words, if God tells you it's TRUE and through faith you believe Him .... then nothing else matters. And eventually, we will have all the answers ... and the proof, after our test is done.
Thus we are buffeted and sifted, separating the wheat from the tares. This is just the beginning and it will get worse. We knew it was coming because the prophets have told us.
We just didn't realize what it would look like.
The LDS Church does indeed have a colorful past. Polygamy, racism, angels, a mysterious gold book, ancient scripture found in mummies, intense persecution, interpreter stones, and the recording of every word that every past church leader has ever uttered. Thanks to the internet, we have enough information to make almost any devout Mormon shake in their boots.
Bishop Reel was at a loss. He talked to trusted friends, his own local church leaders, and even wrote to one of the church leaders in Utah. He received some comfort, but no real answers. Some didn't even know what he was talking about because, even though it has always been accessible in the archives and many articles have been written in Church magazines, most of this information is not taught in our manuals. Reel was almost to the point of leaving, when he turned to some LDS discussion boards online. And through this resource, he received an email from a stranger, that began to turn him around.
I searched back through the podcast to find the words of that letter. I wanted to keep them because with careful reading, they are profound. Here it is in blue, as best I could transcribe it from the audio version.
His question: "Why does the Church ignore these elephants in the room that I perceive and I feel like I am the only one who sees them?"
Faith is the big elephant, lying on its side resting. The 50% who fall away are those who do not realize that theology is built upon a requirement of faith. Without it, none can please God.
One can never overcome theological demands of faith by an appeal to empirical proof. They are at odds. One destroys the other. Proof will only leave you weak and unable to stand, when stand you must. One leads to life eternal; the other leaves one unable to call upon God when the time is ripe for destruction. The work that is underfoot is the sifting of the wheat from the tares. In the coming days, and I have no clue how long, but soon enough I am sure, the truth of the history of the Church will save no lives. The only thing that will, is in those that live, breath, and feel in their hearts and souls the faith that can stand at this moment.
The beginning of the onslaught against the Church is the same ideological battle that pulled the third of heaven to follow Satan. It will escalate from there to becoming a physical battle and the world will be arrayed against us. It will take powerful faith, perhaps Enochian faith to turn against those that would destroy the members of the Church. You are only in the beginning stages of the battle of the war of words and ideals and you are already falling prey to the efforts. What will you do when destruction is between you and the powers of heaven to forestall?
Faith, so few understand it, is a genuine power. Sometimes I think that members are hell-bent on avoiding, denying, and fleeing away from the opportunities to exercise faith, the power that holds worlds in their orbits and enables the creative effort. We lip-service it and then ignore it constantly. This day is a blessing to you. You are being tossed and torn and beaten and abused in the crucible of faith. The anxiety you feel is because you are slowly feeling the heat of the flames that will prepare some and destory others. You acknowledge the need for faith, but it is not impressed upon your soul the power of what faith really is.
Again I ask, what did you think it would look like when we were in the middle of this sifting? It looks like what you are seeing. It is painful until faith provides the healing. And there is NO faith in questioning the motives of the Church. They know exactly what is happening and they are stemming it as best they can within the boundaries of agency and teaching correct principles."
(Back to me.) There is a finite number of issues that our critics love to circulate over and over. I have personally become familiar with all of these issues, some more than others, and thankfully, my faith has not been shaken. Possibly because I was taught most of these things as I was growing up, so very little was a surprise. I also just don't seem to have a questioning nature. It has always been easy for me to believe and the blessings of being a Mormon have been obvious to me my entire life. The few things I don't yet understand, I set aside for now.
To summarize ....
We are on this earth to learn faith. As soon as we have that scientific or physical proof that many of us desire, faith is over. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) The lessons on gaining, growing, and exercising our faith permeates all scripture. We are not here to prove anything .... we are here to believe and to act on our belief ..... without physical proof. Our only proof for now, is the whisperings of the Lord's Spirit, AKA the Holy Ghost. THAT, in my opinion, is why we have not yet been given any type of archaeological discovery, or DNA research results, etc., that we can trot out to the the nearest mountain top and yell to the world .... SEE?? WE TOLD YOU SO!!!!!
Have you ever thought the Lord was unnecessarily cruel when He directed Abraham to slay his beloved son Isaac for a sacrifice? I have. How awful! Why would a loving God put Abraham through such a dreadful ordeal before stopping him? I don't have all the answers, but apparently there is great value in testing one's faith. God knows our faith. He knows our limits. And He knows our potential.
But we don't. I need to learn about me and you need to learn about you. And we learn through being tested. The Lord always knew that Abraham would be obedient in all things, and now Abraham knows it too.
My point: The Lord let all these oddities in our Mormon history happen. Some He directed, and some He left for his prophet, an imperfect human, to figure out. He gave us all the freedom of choice and in our humanness, some mistakes were made, along with the inherent clumsiness of restoring a religion that the world had not seen for centuries. There was no template, nor pattern, from a neighboring church and God let those things BE for our own modern-day Abrahamic test, so to speak. At the same time, I think He kept a firm hand on those parts that affect eternity. The doctrine of Jesus Christ, the saving ordinances with the keys of administration, and the Plan of Salvation are rock-solid and everlasting. THAT is our gospel.
The Church has wisely taught us all along that the most important thing is to develop our faith and our ability to recognize the voice of the Spirit. Regardless of whatever form the vexatious wedge that seeks to divide us may take, our faith will keep us firm. We will have our iron rod to anchor us. In other words, if God tells you it's TRUE and through faith you believe Him .... then nothing else matters. And eventually, we will have all the answers ... and the proof, after our test is done.
Thus we are buffeted and sifted, separating the wheat from the tares. This is just the beginning and it will get worse. We knew it was coming because the prophets have told us.
We just didn't realize what it would look like.
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