"...therefore he sent his proclamation throughout the land unto his people, that the word of God might have no obstruction, but that it might go forth throughout all the land, that his people might be convinced concerning the wicked traditions of their fathers.." (Alma 23:3, emphasis added)
Today in Sacrament Meeting, we enjoyed the phenomenon known as "High Council Sunday." For those unfamiliar with this day, the High Council consists of a group of 12 High Priests in an area of the church called a Stake. These High Priests have a variety of important responsibilities. One of the duties is to travel to each unit of the church and give a talk. I do not recall ever meeting some one who served on a High Council of a Stake in which I lived that I found to be anything but friendly, sincere, and courteous. These are qualities that no doubt qualify them for the most important aspects of their calling... however, these qualities do not make them good public speakers. Some of these brethren serve for quite some time, and acquire a large amount of speaking experience... yet the number of good high council talks I have heard can be counted on one hand... and not even one with five fingers... the hand of a ninja turtle would have extra fingers...
I am not alone in my assessment. Many people in the Mormon community refer to High Council Sunday as "Dry Council Sunday". It is almost impressive how some of these gentlemen are able to go on and on for so long without saying anything of substance.
Today was not typical for a High Council Sunday in that I was not subjected to life stories and repetitive affirmations of affection from the Stake Presidency... Today, our High Councilman was genuinely nervous. That does not mean his talk was any good; it was horrible. It just means I felt sorry for him a little bit.
I could probably go on for quite some length about this awful tradition... but the true subject of my rant is the subject which was assigned: honoring women. Please do not misunderstand me; women are of immeasurable value, and they are worthy of praise and respect. The subject of my rant is the wicked traditions of our fathers with respect to honoring women. It is the wicked traditions of our fathers that teach us that what women need is a man to open the door for her, stand when she enters the room, remove our hats, purchase floral arrangements, and insist they enter buildings first. Cries of the need for men to dawn shining armorand mount white steeds in defense of the convenience of a woman are not doctrine... in fact, they amount to a steaming pile of you-know-what.
Let me continue by making a sweeping generalization: the type of woman that demands these foolish traditions are the same femi-nazi type that represent the reason chivalry is dead. In the days when women were encouraged to be nothing other than a teacher, a secretary, or a stewardess if they needed work, society softened the blow by offering them courtesies that we call chivalry. When the femi-nazi's declared that women could do anything men could do better, that was the day men no longer needed to open the door, remove their hats, purchase floral arrangements, or insist that the ladies should enter buildings first. You can't have your cake and eat it too...
Some women may honestly appreciate these gestures of stupidity. That is fine to appreciate. It is not fine to demand. There is nothing quite as ironic and irritating as an angry femi-nazi rudely demanding that a man should treat them courteously. They can open their own door.
Good women don't need the door opened for them to be good. Their value does not diminish if a man remains seated when she enters a room. A good woman does not require bouquets to know she is loved. Preaching these practices as doctrine may spring from good intentions... but we all know where that road leads...
Goodness is not born of foolish traditions or demanding unearned respect. Good women become good the same way that good men do... by following the best of us that ever lived... Jesus Christ.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Whose Children We Are
Family history means different things for different people. For some it invokes remembrances of youth in immediate family circles. For many in the United States, it involves immigration from distant lands. For some in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, it centers around stories of pioneers making their way with great sacrifice to travel through Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and end up in Utah, where after a short time, many are asked to travel great distances to create new settlements from Canada to Mexico. I suggest that for most members of my church however, family history means a bunch of old people who think they are computer experts.
I recall "visiting" the family history library at our local meetinghouse in Southern California where some elderly people showed us how we could view census records or other types of data on a computer using a revolutionary new technology called CD-ROM. Admittedly, CD-ROMS were a revolutionary technology in the early 1990's... but not even the excitement of cutting edge technology could generate excitement over examining lists of names and dates.
Members of the church frequently refer to enthusiasm for Family History as the "spirit of Elijah", for reasons to be enumerated later in this post. For now, let me say that my father has the spirit of Elijah, and it does not seem to be strongly hereditary. My dad is able to speak at length about our pioneer roots including people of such LDS fame as Isaac Morley and Parley P. Pratt. My recalling those two names is about as far as I go. My dad has traced some lines back to William the Conqueror or even further back. To me, this means that filling out a chart four generations back is little more than busy work... it has already been done. It also means that actually coming across legitimately new work would require intense research only to attach myself to someone in the dark ages when record keeping for the most part was more of what we would call "guidelines" than actual "rules." Perhaps this contributes to my stand-offish nature with respect to Family History work. Whatever the reason, I ought to be better than I have been.
The background behind the attachment of many in the LDS faith to family history is something I can speak on with far greater confidence. The last two verses in the Old Testament say "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:5-6) Thus, when the hearts of children are impressed to discover the truth of their heritage, it may be said they have the "spirit of Elijah".
Elijah lived during the reign of King Ahab in the northern kingdom of Israel. Elijah is credited with acts of great power including sealing the heavens and preventing rain from falling for a great time, and then releasing the heavens. (1 Kings 18) He also called down fire from heaven on several occasions, both to burn an offering (1 Kings 18:37-38) and to destroy arrogant captains sent by Ahaziah, Ahab's son (2 Kings 1). He literally called on the power of heaven to affect earth.
Uniting events, people, or ordinances in heaven and on earth is a fundamental aspect to the power of God, that was undoubtedly lost when the apostles were killed, and priesthood lineage was destroyed. This is the purpose of Malachi's prophesy... that this binding power would need to be restored before the second coming of Jesus Christ. On April 3rd, 1836 in the Kirtland Temple, Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery (D&C 110: 13-16).
The purpose for this power in modern times is not to call down fire on our enemies as Elijah did. Jesus Christ will take care of that when he comes again. The main purpose is to cement or seal the most precious relationships between humans on earth such that they are permanent. One of these relationships is marriage. The other is the bond between parents and children. A fundamental portion of the importance of families in the LDS faith is that they need not be temporary. Husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, children: these titles have the potential to remain even when men cease to be presidents, rulers, or magistrates.
The importance of this power is manifested in the end of Malachi's prophecy: "lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:6) The angel Moroni quoted it slightly different but with the same effect "If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming." (D&C 2:3) When I was younger, this idea always confused me. I would wonder whether the Bible was telling me that unless I enjoyed searching through census data and obituaries, God intended to kill me. Why the apparent threat?
I have since realized that the passage does not contain a threat in any version. God sent Elijah to eliminate the threat. God was there in the beginning, and he made great promises to the posterity of Adam. He made promises to the sons of men after the flood, or the seed of Noah. He made great promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their posterity. The sons of Aaron had unique roles in the time of Moses. The problem is that how can anyone now be sure they are entitled to the same promises? Even though it is safe to say that we are descended from Adam and Noah... are those bonds lasting? Have the ties to our parents been sealed with the power of Elijah? If not, then are we orphans? Are we legitimate? Whose children are we?
This is the great purpose of Family History and Temple work in the fullness of times. God intends to come again and keep every covenant he has sworn to any man since the days of Eden. That means having a heavenly recognizable bond that unites the posterity of Adam and Eve today in an unbroken chain so that we may say in every sense of the concept that we are the children of God himself.
As the apostle Paul put it, "...ye are not more strangers or foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God." (Ephesians 2:19) Those in God's house that love him will be granted protection when he comes again to purge the earth of evil. He is warning everyone via his apostles and prophets so that his house is not empty when he returns. Christ is trying to save us.
I believe that family history is more than the elderly woman at the family history library asking if I need help with a computer. It is more than reading through census records till my eyesight blurs. It is more than naming a couple pioneer ancestors, or knowing that I am descended from the man that successfully invaded and conquered England. Family history connects people. It unites people from all over the world. It shows the everlasting value of the bonds we share with fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, husbands, and wives. It binds us to power that was here when the earth was young. It by learning that our family connections stretch back to the very beginning that we can better understand we are the children of God, and that our father has not forgotten us.
I recall "visiting" the family history library at our local meetinghouse in Southern California where some elderly people showed us how we could view census records or other types of data on a computer using a revolutionary new technology called CD-ROM. Admittedly, CD-ROMS were a revolutionary technology in the early 1990's... but not even the excitement of cutting edge technology could generate excitement over examining lists of names and dates.
Members of the church frequently refer to enthusiasm for Family History as the "spirit of Elijah", for reasons to be enumerated later in this post. For now, let me say that my father has the spirit of Elijah, and it does not seem to be strongly hereditary. My dad is able to speak at length about our pioneer roots including people of such LDS fame as Isaac Morley and Parley P. Pratt. My recalling those two names is about as far as I go. My dad has traced some lines back to William the Conqueror or even further back. To me, this means that filling out a chart four generations back is little more than busy work... it has already been done. It also means that actually coming across legitimately new work would require intense research only to attach myself to someone in the dark ages when record keeping for the most part was more of what we would call "guidelines" than actual "rules." Perhaps this contributes to my stand-offish nature with respect to Family History work. Whatever the reason, I ought to be better than I have been.
The background behind the attachment of many in the LDS faith to family history is something I can speak on with far greater confidence. The last two verses in the Old Testament say "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:5-6) Thus, when the hearts of children are impressed to discover the truth of their heritage, it may be said they have the "spirit of Elijah".
Elijah lived during the reign of King Ahab in the northern kingdom of Israel. Elijah is credited with acts of great power including sealing the heavens and preventing rain from falling for a great time, and then releasing the heavens. (1 Kings 18) He also called down fire from heaven on several occasions, both to burn an offering (1 Kings 18:37-38) and to destroy arrogant captains sent by Ahaziah, Ahab's son (2 Kings 1). He literally called on the power of heaven to affect earth.
Uniting events, people, or ordinances in heaven and on earth is a fundamental aspect to the power of God, that was undoubtedly lost when the apostles were killed, and priesthood lineage was destroyed. This is the purpose of Malachi's prophesy... that this binding power would need to be restored before the second coming of Jesus Christ. On April 3rd, 1836 in the Kirtland Temple, Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery (D&C 110: 13-16).
The purpose for this power in modern times is not to call down fire on our enemies as Elijah did. Jesus Christ will take care of that when he comes again. The main purpose is to cement or seal the most precious relationships between humans on earth such that they are permanent. One of these relationships is marriage. The other is the bond between parents and children. A fundamental portion of the importance of families in the LDS faith is that they need not be temporary. Husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, children: these titles have the potential to remain even when men cease to be presidents, rulers, or magistrates.
The importance of this power is manifested in the end of Malachi's prophecy: "lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:6) The angel Moroni quoted it slightly different but with the same effect "If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming." (D&C 2:3) When I was younger, this idea always confused me. I would wonder whether the Bible was telling me that unless I enjoyed searching through census data and obituaries, God intended to kill me. Why the apparent threat?
I have since realized that the passage does not contain a threat in any version. God sent Elijah to eliminate the threat. God was there in the beginning, and he made great promises to the posterity of Adam. He made promises to the sons of men after the flood, or the seed of Noah. He made great promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their posterity. The sons of Aaron had unique roles in the time of Moses. The problem is that how can anyone now be sure they are entitled to the same promises? Even though it is safe to say that we are descended from Adam and Noah... are those bonds lasting? Have the ties to our parents been sealed with the power of Elijah? If not, then are we orphans? Are we legitimate? Whose children are we?
This is the great purpose of Family History and Temple work in the fullness of times. God intends to come again and keep every covenant he has sworn to any man since the days of Eden. That means having a heavenly recognizable bond that unites the posterity of Adam and Eve today in an unbroken chain so that we may say in every sense of the concept that we are the children of God himself.
As the apostle Paul put it, "...ye are not more strangers or foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God." (Ephesians 2:19) Those in God's house that love him will be granted protection when he comes again to purge the earth of evil. He is warning everyone via his apostles and prophets so that his house is not empty when he returns. Christ is trying to save us.
I believe that family history is more than the elderly woman at the family history library asking if I need help with a computer. It is more than reading through census records till my eyesight blurs. It is more than naming a couple pioneer ancestors, or knowing that I am descended from the man that successfully invaded and conquered England. Family history connects people. It unites people from all over the world. It shows the everlasting value of the bonds we share with fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, husbands, and wives. It binds us to power that was here when the earth was young. It by learning that our family connections stretch back to the very beginning that we can better understand we are the children of God, and that our father has not forgotten us.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
The Law of Chastity
The law of chastity is a religious law that has brought increased scrutiny, and in some cases, malevolence to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Whether this comes from the misconceptions about the practice of polygamy in church history, or more recent attention to the stance of Mormons on homosexual marriage, few people outside the church understand the context behind the LDS perspective on chastity. It does not help when those of our own membership misconstrue, misinterpret, or misunderstand the law.
For those unfamiliar with the concept, it is actually quite simple. Sexual relationships of any kind are only permissible between a husband and wife.
Polygamy is a subject for another post perhaps... and is currently a non-issue since no member can remain in good standing with the church.
In general, chastity is perhaps one of the least popular commandments. Men seem especially vulnerable to falling beneath its standard. Perhaps this is because men are biologically programmed to have tremendous desire for female companionship. Even the sight of a woman can arouse powerful feelings that impair judgement. What man has not said something that later sounded totally stupid because they were trying to make conversation with a beautiful girl? In the most serious case, remember King David, who had been hand-picked by God to rule over Israel, who bravely stood up to Goliath of Gath, and who killed tens of thousands of enemies of Israel, but when he saw Bath-Sheba bathing, he eventually fell so far as to arrange for the murder of her husband to claim her for himself...
God has bound intimacy to the commitment of marriage. Because the feelings of attraction are not similarly bound, and the intensity of these feelings can cause even good men like David to do things they would never otherwise do, and because there are so many ways to violate this law, it is perhaps the greatest difficulty of men. Compounding the frustrations of natural temptation is the prevalence of blatant disregard for the law of chastity in the form of pornography, infidelity, and homosexuality.
Even among members of the church, there are those that believe they do God a service by attacking his Apostles when they affirm the commandments prohibiting homosexual behavior and/or homosexual marriage. Whether they are well-meaning misguided individuals caught up in the fervor of rainbow-flag-waving activism, or they are just full of crap, let me affirm my belief that just as he did in Biblical times, God reveals his will and law via his Apostles. The stance of the church on homosexuality is not just a policy, or the opinion of a high-ranking member of the faith... it is the will of Jesus Christ himself.
One of the fundamental concepts behind the pro-homosexual movement is the devaluing of gender. If gender does not matter, then there are no grounds for denying marriage to couples based on gender. Apostles of Jesus Christ have declared the following on this subject: "Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose" (The Family: A Proclamation to the World) It should not be difficult to see that gender differences are more profound than other cultural or ethnic distinctions. The "separate but equal" methods that required blacks and whites to have separate bathrooms in some areas are widely considered unethical today, however, we do not see women's rights organizations fighting for combined bathrooms or locker rooms. This is because the importance of gender is common sense. Men and women are supposed to be different, and they need one another, not just for the continuation of the human race, but for the fulfilment of our individual purposes. "Orientation" or "preference" do not override "identity" and "purpose."
Christians that oppose homosexual marriage or other violations of the law of chastity are often confronted with the "harm" argument. The idea behind this is that in a free society, an individual should be free to do anything so long as it does not cause harm to themselves or others. Christians might be challenged with questions such as "what did they ever do to you?" or "how do two people loving each other hurt anyone?" The basic challenge to the belief in chastity is that breaking this law does not harm anyone so long as it is practiced by consenting adults. In some cases, harm caused by unchastity is easy to see. Who thinks that broken marriages, costly divorces, and custody battles are positive experiences? Putting a child up for adoption, or the tragedy of abortion might be even more harmful for those that find themselves in such circumstances. More difficult to see is the harm caused by pornography, although men that find themselves addicted to it find themselves dealing with more than annoying pop-ups or expensive media. Perhaps the most elusive harm to see is that caused by the acceptance of homosexual marriage.
Having previously discussed the importance of gender, there is an opportunity cost for those that participate in homosexuality of fulfilling the purposes for which they were given their gender.
Additionally, many homosexuals misconstrue marriage as a right. All states in the US already restrict this so-called right by a variety of other criteria. The number of persons being married has been limited to two individuals for quite some time, effectively prohibiting polygamous unions. There are also age restrictions, which thankfully deny pedophiles the right to have their awful crimes justified. There are restrictions against the relationship of involved parties, so that a brother and sister, even if they feel they are truly in love, are not permitted to marry. A person cannot marry inanimate objects, otherwise, we might have people marrying their motorcycles or their guitars. A person cannot marry non-humans... which means that the crazy cat lady that would like to be eternally bound to her pets cannot legally call her bond a marriage. Homosexuals would like to re-draw the line to allow them to receive marriage, but have put forth no arguments as to why this privilege should be denied to others from which both law and common sense currently protect.
The greatest harm caused by unchastity in any form, whether heterosexual or homosexual in nature, is religious. This is often ignored by those that engage in these practices since these reasons can be seen as the forcing of beliefs on the unwilling. Just because there are those that do not believe that God does not condone these behaviors does not mean that God has not commanded them to be chaste. This is particularly true for those of us in America. An important theme of the Book of Mormon is that this is the promised land. God swore in his wrath and fierce anger that whosever should "...should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should come upon them. And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity. For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off." (Ether 2: 8-10) The Book of Mormon tells the tragic stories of two groups of people that failed to heed the commandments of God, and that he destroyed. It is a witness that God will not endlessly tolerate those that mock his servants and his laws. On individual basis, those that openly fight against him will be cut off from spiritual blessings. On a collective basis, those that openly fight against him invite destruction. I plead with those that disagree with me to avoid attempts to call God's bluff... because he is not bluffing.
Finally, no one knows the harm of unchastity more than Jesus Christ himself. Though he lead a pure and virtuous life, he paid the price for those that have not with his own blood. The pain and anguish were so great that even the only begotten son of God plead with his Father that he might escape the torture... a torture that our sins caused. And yet in spite of our crimes causing him pain, he begs us to come back to him... to believe in his power to heal... to believe that he can free us of our crimes if we will swear to serve him with all our hearts. Even though our mistakes burdened him with unspeakable torment, at the last day, when our Heavenly Father looks at our mistakes, he offers us to be the one to beg the Almighty to forgive us if we have faith in him. I submit that if no other reasons are persuasive, or if the harm of unchastisty is still inconclusive, that Christ has done more than enough to earn a "because I said so" explanation.
For those unfamiliar with the concept, it is actually quite simple. Sexual relationships of any kind are only permissible between a husband and wife.
Polygamy is a subject for another post perhaps... and is currently a non-issue since no member can remain in good standing with the church.
In general, chastity is perhaps one of the least popular commandments. Men seem especially vulnerable to falling beneath its standard. Perhaps this is because men are biologically programmed to have tremendous desire for female companionship. Even the sight of a woman can arouse powerful feelings that impair judgement. What man has not said something that later sounded totally stupid because they were trying to make conversation with a beautiful girl? In the most serious case, remember King David, who had been hand-picked by God to rule over Israel, who bravely stood up to Goliath of Gath, and who killed tens of thousands of enemies of Israel, but when he saw Bath-Sheba bathing, he eventually fell so far as to arrange for the murder of her husband to claim her for himself...
God has bound intimacy to the commitment of marriage. Because the feelings of attraction are not similarly bound, and the intensity of these feelings can cause even good men like David to do things they would never otherwise do, and because there are so many ways to violate this law, it is perhaps the greatest difficulty of men. Compounding the frustrations of natural temptation is the prevalence of blatant disregard for the law of chastity in the form of pornography, infidelity, and homosexuality.
Even among members of the church, there are those that believe they do God a service by attacking his Apostles when they affirm the commandments prohibiting homosexual behavior and/or homosexual marriage. Whether they are well-meaning misguided individuals caught up in the fervor of rainbow-flag-waving activism, or they are just full of crap, let me affirm my belief that just as he did in Biblical times, God reveals his will and law via his Apostles. The stance of the church on homosexuality is not just a policy, or the opinion of a high-ranking member of the faith... it is the will of Jesus Christ himself.
One of the fundamental concepts behind the pro-homosexual movement is the devaluing of gender. If gender does not matter, then there are no grounds for denying marriage to couples based on gender. Apostles of Jesus Christ have declared the following on this subject: "Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose" (The Family: A Proclamation to the World) It should not be difficult to see that gender differences are more profound than other cultural or ethnic distinctions. The "separate but equal" methods that required blacks and whites to have separate bathrooms in some areas are widely considered unethical today, however, we do not see women's rights organizations fighting for combined bathrooms or locker rooms. This is because the importance of gender is common sense. Men and women are supposed to be different, and they need one another, not just for the continuation of the human race, but for the fulfilment of our individual purposes. "Orientation" or "preference" do not override "identity" and "purpose."
Christians that oppose homosexual marriage or other violations of the law of chastity are often confronted with the "harm" argument. The idea behind this is that in a free society, an individual should be free to do anything so long as it does not cause harm to themselves or others. Christians might be challenged with questions such as "what did they ever do to you?" or "how do two people loving each other hurt anyone?" The basic challenge to the belief in chastity is that breaking this law does not harm anyone so long as it is practiced by consenting adults. In some cases, harm caused by unchastity is easy to see. Who thinks that broken marriages, costly divorces, and custody battles are positive experiences? Putting a child up for adoption, or the tragedy of abortion might be even more harmful for those that find themselves in such circumstances. More difficult to see is the harm caused by pornography, although men that find themselves addicted to it find themselves dealing with more than annoying pop-ups or expensive media. Perhaps the most elusive harm to see is that caused by the acceptance of homosexual marriage.
Having previously discussed the importance of gender, there is an opportunity cost for those that participate in homosexuality of fulfilling the purposes for which they were given their gender.
Additionally, many homosexuals misconstrue marriage as a right. All states in the US already restrict this so-called right by a variety of other criteria. The number of persons being married has been limited to two individuals for quite some time, effectively prohibiting polygamous unions. There are also age restrictions, which thankfully deny pedophiles the right to have their awful crimes justified. There are restrictions against the relationship of involved parties, so that a brother and sister, even if they feel they are truly in love, are not permitted to marry. A person cannot marry inanimate objects, otherwise, we might have people marrying their motorcycles or their guitars. A person cannot marry non-humans... which means that the crazy cat lady that would like to be eternally bound to her pets cannot legally call her bond a marriage. Homosexuals would like to re-draw the line to allow them to receive marriage, but have put forth no arguments as to why this privilege should be denied to others from which both law and common sense currently protect.
The greatest harm caused by unchastity in any form, whether heterosexual or homosexual in nature, is religious. This is often ignored by those that engage in these practices since these reasons can be seen as the forcing of beliefs on the unwilling. Just because there are those that do not believe that God does not condone these behaviors does not mean that God has not commanded them to be chaste. This is particularly true for those of us in America. An important theme of the Book of Mormon is that this is the promised land. God swore in his wrath and fierce anger that whosever should "...should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should come upon them. And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity. For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off." (Ether 2: 8-10) The Book of Mormon tells the tragic stories of two groups of people that failed to heed the commandments of God, and that he destroyed. It is a witness that God will not endlessly tolerate those that mock his servants and his laws. On individual basis, those that openly fight against him will be cut off from spiritual blessings. On a collective basis, those that openly fight against him invite destruction. I plead with those that disagree with me to avoid attempts to call God's bluff... because he is not bluffing.
Finally, no one knows the harm of unchastity more than Jesus Christ himself. Though he lead a pure and virtuous life, he paid the price for those that have not with his own blood. The pain and anguish were so great that even the only begotten son of God plead with his Father that he might escape the torture... a torture that our sins caused. And yet in spite of our crimes causing him pain, he begs us to come back to him... to believe in his power to heal... to believe that he can free us of our crimes if we will swear to serve him with all our hearts. Even though our mistakes burdened him with unspeakable torment, at the last day, when our Heavenly Father looks at our mistakes, he offers us to be the one to beg the Almighty to forgive us if we have faith in him. I submit that if no other reasons are persuasive, or if the harm of unchastisty is still inconclusive, that Christ has done more than enough to earn a "because I said so" explanation.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Opposition in All Things
The Book of Mormon features a story about a prophet named Lehi that fled Jerusalem during the reign of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah. Some of his sons believe that he is a prophet, and that they are following God by heeding the counsel of their father. The oldest two, Laman and Lemuel, do not.
In the wilderness, Lehi speaks to his older sons, drawing examples from his surroundings. He tells Laman that he ought to be like a nearby river, "continually flowing into the fountain of all righteousness." (1 Nephi 2:9) He then tells his second son, Lemuel, that he ought to be like a nearby valley that does not move at all "firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!" (1 Nephi 2:10)
The valley and the river are both labeled as good by Lehi for possessing attributes that mutually exclude one another. The river is good because it's always flowing and moving. The valley is good because it never moves or changes. I do not wish to make excuses for the attitudes and choices of Laman and Lemuel, but this does seem confusing.
There is an explanation for this apparent opposition and context from a broader understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ provides clarification. The first principles of the gospel are faith and repentance.
The first of these principles, faith, is a principle of never moving. Nephi later declares that men must "press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men." (2 Nephi 31:20) Even though this passage indicates moving forward, the unmoving part is the connection to Christ, the hope, and the love. Faith is challenged when difficulties arise. Hope is not as perfectly bright when pain and loss afflict men. Love of God and all men is frequently diminished in the face of persecution. The ideal is to prevent or at least reduce the loss of faith when these things occur. Just as the unchanging valley weathers the elements, so to should the faithful endure without losing faith.
The second of these principles, repentance, is a principle of always moving. Nephi asks that after we have gotten into the strait and narrow path, is all done? He answers that it is not, and indicates the necessity of pressing forward as in the passage quoted previously. To be continually flowing to the fountain of all righteousness means to constantly be moving closer to Jesus Christ. A man must identify aspects of his life that separates him from God, and one at a time, as much as he is able, eliminate them. This desire to change was exemplified in King Lamoni's father as he prayed to God after being taught by Aaron: "O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day." (Alma 22:18) Just as the river holds back none of its water, so should the penitent withhold no aspect of themselves when striving to become as Christ.
It is consistent to say that a person should never move from their faith, but always move closer to the one in whom the faith is placed.
In the wilderness, Lehi speaks to his older sons, drawing examples from his surroundings. He tells Laman that he ought to be like a nearby river, "continually flowing into the fountain of all righteousness." (1 Nephi 2:9) He then tells his second son, Lemuel, that he ought to be like a nearby valley that does not move at all "firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!" (1 Nephi 2:10)
The valley and the river are both labeled as good by Lehi for possessing attributes that mutually exclude one another. The river is good because it's always flowing and moving. The valley is good because it never moves or changes. I do not wish to make excuses for the attitudes and choices of Laman and Lemuel, but this does seem confusing.
There is an explanation for this apparent opposition and context from a broader understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ provides clarification. The first principles of the gospel are faith and repentance.
The first of these principles, faith, is a principle of never moving. Nephi later declares that men must "press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men." (2 Nephi 31:20) Even though this passage indicates moving forward, the unmoving part is the connection to Christ, the hope, and the love. Faith is challenged when difficulties arise. Hope is not as perfectly bright when pain and loss afflict men. Love of God and all men is frequently diminished in the face of persecution. The ideal is to prevent or at least reduce the loss of faith when these things occur. Just as the unchanging valley weathers the elements, so to should the faithful endure without losing faith.
The second of these principles, repentance, is a principle of always moving. Nephi asks that after we have gotten into the strait and narrow path, is all done? He answers that it is not, and indicates the necessity of pressing forward as in the passage quoted previously. To be continually flowing to the fountain of all righteousness means to constantly be moving closer to Jesus Christ. A man must identify aspects of his life that separates him from God, and one at a time, as much as he is able, eliminate them. This desire to change was exemplified in King Lamoni's father as he prayed to God after being taught by Aaron: "O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day." (Alma 22:18) Just as the river holds back none of its water, so should the penitent withhold no aspect of themselves when striving to become as Christ.
It is consistent to say that a person should never move from their faith, but always move closer to the one in whom the faith is placed.
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