It's hard to get away from seeing posts all over social media that highlight the pagan roots of winter solstice celebration, and describe how Christians "appropriated" this celebration to promote the birth of Jesus.
Some of these posts represent legitimate efforts to educate regarding Christmas traditions. Some of them are cases of thinly-veiled condescending mockery of foolish Christians who think they are celebrating Jesus. After all - how can Jesus be the "reason for the season" when pagans traditionally celebrated the event in which daylight began to increase? Christians getting upset that "happy holidays" is replacing "merry Christmas" or that nativity scenes are becoming controversial just shows how closed-minded they are... especially since they appropriated most of their traditions from others to begin with... right?
I don't want to dig into the details of Christmas traditions... rather, I want to address the broader issue of Christians appropriating other cultures to further the message of Jesus - because this is perhaps one of the most important Christian traditions there is.
In the Book of Mormon, Ammon tried to speak to King Lamoni about God, but the Lamanite King did not understand the term "God." Ammon then asked the king if he believed in a "Great Spirit," a concept with which the king was familiar. Using the concept of a "Great Spirit," Ammon taught Lamoni about God, and about his son Jesus Christ, who had power to save him. (Alma 18)
The Apostle Paul famously stood on Mars hill in Athens and described his observation that these pagan peoples had created a monument to "the Unknown God," to be sure they had not overlooked honoring some deity. He used this pagan and superstitious concept to teach the message of Christianity:
"Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us" (Acts 17:23-27)
Jesus himself found ways to use things familiar to those he sought to reach. To the woman at the well, he described himself as "living water." To those who wanted a free meal, he described himself as "the bread of life." He described his association with sinners by saying "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." He described his love for us by comparing the affection of a hireling with that of a "Good Shepherd."
The Old Testament frequently uses the symbolism of marriage to describe the relationship between God has his children... and an unfaithful spouse to describe our part in that relationship.
Ultimately, it is good that Christmas traditions stem from things that were not originally Christian. That really is the entire point of Jesus... to transform individuals from being selfish, misguided, and sinful into being humble, wise, and divine. The process of salvation is not limited to one type of individual... the hope of redemption and salvation is available to all.
At Christmas especially, it is good to find traditions (new and old) that bring us closer to the source of goodness, light, and wisdom. Don't let the fact that trees, lights, gifts, and celebrations during this time of year were not a part of the birth of that child in Bethlehem keep you from using them to seek him now.
Decorate that tree! Turn on those lights! Give gifts to those you love! Sing those carols! Appropriate every good thing!
Part of being Christian is recognizing that Jesus is (and always has been) close by... that traditions that bring joy, foster love, and promote peace can help us find him.
Thursday, December 22, 2016
Monday, December 5, 2016
The Demon Within
The story:
“Get dressed Sasha!” I shouted as I rushed in the front door and leapt toward the stairs. “We have to go now!”
There she stood in her doorway in her nightgown. She was squinting her eyes and gripping the sides of her arms. Clearly, I had woken her.
“Daddy?” she whispered wearily.
“Get dressed now!” I commanded. “We have to go!”
“Go where?” she asked as she closed her door to change.
“Just hurry!” I snapped. I impatiently whirled back toward the staircase, anticipating our descent. I knew I shouldn’t feel frustrated with her… she didn’t know the danger… Still… I had little tolerance for being made to wait.
After another minute, Sasha’s door swung open and she emerged. Maybe it was the shadows or my own exhaustion, but for a moment she looked much older than 12. She looked like her mother. I coughed in an attempt to reset my perception as she pulled her long dark hair out from the back of the sweatshirt she had clearly just pulled over her head.
“Where are we going?” she murmured softly. I cleared my throat.
“Away,” I said coldly as I turned to the staircase. I rushed down the steps toward the door that I realized I had forgot to close. I waited for Sasha and closed the large door behind her as she stumbled out in the direction of the Chevy Malibu I had parked in the driveway. She opened the passenger door and flopped onto the seat before fastening her seatbelt. I looked back toward the door of the house… our house… only now I wasn’t sure it could be our house anymore… I closed my eyes and began moving toward the car.
I looked through the windshield to confirm that my daughter was still in the vehicle, half expecting her to be leaning on her window trying to fall asleep again… after all… it was about 3 in the morning. To my surprise, she was wide awake. Her mouth was open, and she stared at me as though I were some kind of monster from a horror movie. I spun around, checking to see if there were something behind me, but I saw only the lights outside the garage that illuminated the area around the car. That’s when I realized that she hadn’t actually seen me in the light until that moment. She hadn’t seen the blood all over my clothing in the dark of our house. I was going to have to explain. I was going to have to explain everything.
“Where’s mom?” demanded Sasha in a very serious tone. “What happened to you? What is going on?”
“I’ll explain once we’re on the freeway,” I said as calmly as I could.
“No!” said Sasha. “Tell me now!” Something about the brazenness of her response made me snap at her again.
“Shut up Sasha!” I thundered. “I said I will tell you when we’re on the freeway!” I instantly regretted my tone as she cowered in her seat as far from me as she could, but I couldn’t think of anything to say. We had to get away. I started the car and backed out of the driveway. I took a deep breath, put the car in drive, and depressed the gas pedal.
“I’m sorry I yelled at you Sasha,” I said softly. “I owe you an explanation.” I turned toward her. Her wide eyes were red, and tears streamed down her cheeks. I cleared my throat in a weak attempt to assuage my guilt, or at least to diminish it, but it didn’t work.
“Where’s mom?” whispered Sasha.
“I don’t know,” I said.
“How can you not know?” she said angrily. “You took her with you!”
“I know,” I replied. “And we arrived at the hotel on Friday night, just like we told you. Yesterday started normally. We saw that dumb movie about vampires or demons or whatever, and we had dinner together. We had an argument on the way back to the hotel, and decided to go to bed.”
“I remember being tired and frustrated, and just sitting on the couch in the hotel room… I don’t know when I fell asleep, but I woke up on that couch, and it was still dark… I wanted to know if your mother was still mad at me, but I tripped on the way to the room…”
I took a deep breath and briefly checked the mirror to ensure we were not being followed. Satisfied with the darkness on the road behind us, I continued my explanation.
“It was a dead body,” I said.
“Mom?!” whimpered Sasha as fresh tears poured out of her eyes.
“No,” I said. “One of the hotel workers… it was a man who had been helping with our luggage earlier. It was scary… he wasn’t just stabbed… it was like a monster had done it… a demon…” I squeezed the steering wheel as I remembered the shock.
“I looked toward the bed,” I continued. “Your mom was there, but… but she wasn’t normal… It was like she was possessed by something… Her eyes seemed to glow and she spoke, but there was something off about her voice…”
“What do you mean?” asked Sasha in shock.
“I don’t know,” I replied as I struggled to find a way to describe it. “It was like she was speaking, but without moving her mouth the right way for the words she said… I don’t know…”
“What did she say?” whispered Sasha in shock and horror.
“She threatened to kill you Sasha,” I said. “She said that we could never escape, and that she would destroy both of us… that she would destroy our family!”
We drove for several more minutes in complete silence.
“We have to call the police,” said Sasha at last.
“No!” I shouted. I squeezed the steering wheel as I struggled to maintain composure. I lowered my voice as I continued.
“They can’t protect us from a demon…” I said.
“Daddy do you really think that mom was possessed… that she was some kind of demon?” Sasha asked.
“I…” I started. “I don’t know.”
“Where are we going?” she asked. There was something off about her voice. I turned to look at her, and for a split second, she looked like her mother. Her eyes seemed to glow, and a feeling of shock rushed over me, as though I had stepped into a shower before the hot water had gone through the pipes, subjecting me to a paralyzing icy blast. I jerked the steering wheel and braked hard. Sasha screamed as our seatbelts locked and the vehicle skidded to a halt at the shoulder of the road.
“Daddy!” she said. “You’re scaring me!”
“Sorry,” I said. “I’m just… it’s been…” I took a deep breath and we started driving again.
“I’m just a bit tired,” I said weakly.
“Where are we going?” she asked again.
“We need to go somewhere she can’t get us,” I said resolutely. I checked the rear view mirror and saw a pair of headlights behind us. I accelerated slightly, hoping to increase the distance between the Malibu and any potential danger.
“So we’re running away?” she asked softly. I furrowed my brow. Had she not understood what I was saying? Had she not realized how I was motivated to keep her safe?
“Yes we’re running away!” I said.
“I didn’t bring extra clothes,” she said in a frustrated voice. “I didn’t bring anything… all of our stuff… we left it all…” Of course we left it all! Did she think that it would be better to get mauled by a monster if she had a different outfit? Did she think that running for our lives would be more fun if she had a tablet and WIFI?
“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “We’ll get more stuff…”
“If we’re on the run, how are we going to pay for it?” asked Sasha. I didn’t know the answer to her question, but I needed Sasha to understand how dangerous our predicament was.
“We’ll deal with it when you’re safe, not before!” I said sternly. She cowered back into her seat and sobbed. It shouldn’t have, but it made me angry. I should have been able to understand that it would be difficult for a 12-year-old girl to have to leave everything she had, but she needed to understand it was just as hard for me. I had to leave everything I had, and to flee from the woman I had loved! Why couldn’t she see it from my perspective?
I looked back into the rear-view mirror, but the headlights I had seen earlier were closer now. I pressed the gas pedal and accelerated to 80, then 90 miles per hour. The headlights seemed to diminish in the mirror, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
The way the dashes in the lanes whisked toward us at a regular interval had a hypnotic effect, and in spite of all I had been through, my eyelids grew heavy over the next few minutes. I rolled the window down just a bit, and the cold air rushed inside.
“It’s cold outside daddy,” whispered Sasha. I wanted to tell her to deal with it, but I bit my tongue and rolled up the window.
I yawned as I checked the rear view mirror. The headlights had reappeared. I looked at my speedometer and confirmed that I was still going 90 miles per hour. I clenched my teeth as I accelerated to 100. The light of the headlight behind us diminished, and I returned my attention to the road.
After several more minutes of driving, my eyelids again grew heavy. I rubbed the back of my neck as though I could massage vitality or caffeine into myself by doing so. The steady hum of the engine and the way that my perspective of the dingy lines on the road seemed to point to a distant spot on the horizon made me yawn again.
“How much further?” said Sasha. Her voice sounded off. I whirled toward her, and her eyes were glowing with unnatural light. I slammed on the brakes. Sasha reached toward the wheel, but I slapped her hands back as we skidded to a halt.
Desperately, I struggled to free myself from my seatbelt, but with some kind of odd power, she prevented it from unhooking.
“What’s wrong Daddy?” she said in an eerie tone. Though her mouth was moving, it didn’t seem to fit the words she was saying. I reached into my pocket desperate to find my pocket knife. I needed to cut myself free of my seatbelt.
Sasha slowly began reaching her hands toward me and gave a shriek that seemed to pierce my head and dulled my senses. Somehow, my fingers wrapped around the handle of the folded blade, and pulled it out of the pocket of my blood-stained jeans. Sasha’s cold clammy fingers reached my face, and the horror of her unnatural touch startled me such that the knife fell down at my feet. I pushed Sasha back and reached down to retrieve my knife. The sharp slicing pain of the edge against the tips of my fingers stunned me for a moment, but I managed to grab the handle and attack the seatbelt with a quick sawing motion.
Reacting to my attempt to escape, Sasha grabbed her door and began shaking it back and forth. Another stunning shriek escaped her mouth as the car rocked back and forth.
Ignoring the throbbing pain in my lacerated fingers, I gripped the handle of the lock-back knife tighter. The fabric of the belt had frayed as I sliced through it, and although the eerie screaming, the glowing eyes, and the shaking vehicle had horrified me, seeing my progress with the belt gave me a new kind of focus. I clenched my teeth as I sawed back and forth, frantically slicing it apart.
It was close now… so close… The sound of the knife tearing back and forth through the belt seemed to drown out the shrieking… See-saw-see-saw-see-saw… The fibers of fabric burst outward like I was freeing them from the prison of their weaving. I ignored the burning feeling of the muscles in my arms as I pulled the steel back and forth faster and faster…. See-saw-see-saw-see-saw… There was only a bundle of threads left. The pain, exhaustion, and weariness had completely left me as the knife finally tore through the belt. I laughed with weary relief as I pulled the belt that had trapped me loose.
Suddenly something made me freeze.
I turned over to where Sasha had been sitting. The passenger seat was empty, and the door had been flung open. I stopped and listened for some sign of Sasha. The cold air that had flooded the car made my breath puff out in small clouds as I thought about where she might have gone, and for what purpose.
She had trapped me in the car, why run away? Why? I realized at once that my horror and panic had prevented me from asking that question since escaping the hotel. Why? Why had my wife been possessed? Why had she killed that man in the hotel? Why did she threaten me and Sasha? How did Sasha become possessed? Why had any of this happened?
A tapping on my window made me gasp and jump. My window had fogged up with my breath, and all I could see was the light of a flashlight creating a soft yellow glow. Probably the police. Maybe Sasha had been right… As supernatural as my experiences had been, perhaps it would have been wiser to involve law enforcement from the beginning. I cautiously pushed the door open, allowing the flashlight beam to shine on me.
“What the?!” shouted a male voice.
“That’s my daddy!” came a familiar young feminine voice. It was Sasha. Not demonic possessed Sasha, just normal Sasha. I smiled with relief.
“What is he?” gasped the man. What did he mean, I wondered.
“He tried to kill me!” cried Sasha. Tried to kill her!?!?! That was a lie! I was trying to protect her. I wanted to keep her safe. The officer lowered his flashlight and drew his handgun, pointing it at me.
“What’s going on!?” I demanded. As the words left my lips, I could hear an unnatural echo. I looked down at my hands, and to my horror, they were not the hands of a man… they were the claws of a monster. I whirled toward the rearview mirror, and angled it toward me. Like the headlights of a vehicle following, my eyes had an otherworldly glow. This sight… this honest look in the mirror… it brought everything I had done back to my recollection.
I had become angry as I quarreled with my wife about something that now seemed trivial. The shouting had prompted the hotel worker to ask us not to disturb their other guests. In a rage, I had brutally attacked him.
My wife gave me a look of shock and horror, and went to call the police. I couldn’t let her do that… so I… stopped her. And then I went to sit and think about what to do. Somehow, part of my mind had created the idea that it had been my wife who had become monstrous… it was her fault that the man was dead. I had come up with excuses for being angry with Sasha in the car. It had never been my daughter that trapped me… I had trapped myself. Her cold hands on my face was never a demonic attempt to stop me, it was to push me away and escape herself.
The demonic threat that I had perceived from my wife… that she would destroy me and my family… it had come from an actual demon… and it did destroy me, and my family… but it took too long to realize that the demon was not possessing others… The demon had been within me from the beginning. My anger, pride, and selfishness had fed it, and when it emerged, I had been powerless to stop it. The worst problems in my life might have been prevented, if I had had an honest look in the mirror sooner.
“Get dressed Sasha!” I shouted as I rushed in the front door and leapt toward the stairs. “We have to go now!”
There she stood in her doorway in her nightgown. She was squinting her eyes and gripping the sides of her arms. Clearly, I had woken her.
“Daddy?” she whispered wearily.
“Get dressed now!” I commanded. “We have to go!”
“Go where?” she asked as she closed her door to change.
“Just hurry!” I snapped. I impatiently whirled back toward the staircase, anticipating our descent. I knew I shouldn’t feel frustrated with her… she didn’t know the danger… Still… I had little tolerance for being made to wait.
After another minute, Sasha’s door swung open and she emerged. Maybe it was the shadows or my own exhaustion, but for a moment she looked much older than 12. She looked like her mother. I coughed in an attempt to reset my perception as she pulled her long dark hair out from the back of the sweatshirt she had clearly just pulled over her head.
“Where are we going?” she murmured softly. I cleared my throat.
“Away,” I said coldly as I turned to the staircase. I rushed down the steps toward the door that I realized I had forgot to close. I waited for Sasha and closed the large door behind her as she stumbled out in the direction of the Chevy Malibu I had parked in the driveway. She opened the passenger door and flopped onto the seat before fastening her seatbelt. I looked back toward the door of the house… our house… only now I wasn’t sure it could be our house anymore… I closed my eyes and began moving toward the car.
I looked through the windshield to confirm that my daughter was still in the vehicle, half expecting her to be leaning on her window trying to fall asleep again… after all… it was about 3 in the morning. To my surprise, she was wide awake. Her mouth was open, and she stared at me as though I were some kind of monster from a horror movie. I spun around, checking to see if there were something behind me, but I saw only the lights outside the garage that illuminated the area around the car. That’s when I realized that she hadn’t actually seen me in the light until that moment. She hadn’t seen the blood all over my clothing in the dark of our house. I was going to have to explain. I was going to have to explain everything.
“Where’s mom?” demanded Sasha in a very serious tone. “What happened to you? What is going on?”
“I’ll explain once we’re on the freeway,” I said as calmly as I could.
“No!” said Sasha. “Tell me now!” Something about the brazenness of her response made me snap at her again.
“Shut up Sasha!” I thundered. “I said I will tell you when we’re on the freeway!” I instantly regretted my tone as she cowered in her seat as far from me as she could, but I couldn’t think of anything to say. We had to get away. I started the car and backed out of the driveway. I took a deep breath, put the car in drive, and depressed the gas pedal.
“I’m sorry I yelled at you Sasha,” I said softly. “I owe you an explanation.” I turned toward her. Her wide eyes were red, and tears streamed down her cheeks. I cleared my throat in a weak attempt to assuage my guilt, or at least to diminish it, but it didn’t work.
“Where’s mom?” whispered Sasha.
“I don’t know,” I said.
“How can you not know?” she said angrily. “You took her with you!”
“I know,” I replied. “And we arrived at the hotel on Friday night, just like we told you. Yesterday started normally. We saw that dumb movie about vampires or demons or whatever, and we had dinner together. We had an argument on the way back to the hotel, and decided to go to bed.”
“I remember being tired and frustrated, and just sitting on the couch in the hotel room… I don’t know when I fell asleep, but I woke up on that couch, and it was still dark… I wanted to know if your mother was still mad at me, but I tripped on the way to the room…”
I took a deep breath and briefly checked the mirror to ensure we were not being followed. Satisfied with the darkness on the road behind us, I continued my explanation.
“It was a dead body,” I said.
“Mom?!” whimpered Sasha as fresh tears poured out of her eyes.
“No,” I said. “One of the hotel workers… it was a man who had been helping with our luggage earlier. It was scary… he wasn’t just stabbed… it was like a monster had done it… a demon…” I squeezed the steering wheel as I remembered the shock.
“I looked toward the bed,” I continued. “Your mom was there, but… but she wasn’t normal… It was like she was possessed by something… Her eyes seemed to glow and she spoke, but there was something off about her voice…”
“What do you mean?” asked Sasha in shock.
“I don’t know,” I replied as I struggled to find a way to describe it. “It was like she was speaking, but without moving her mouth the right way for the words she said… I don’t know…”
“What did she say?” whispered Sasha in shock and horror.
“She threatened to kill you Sasha,” I said. “She said that we could never escape, and that she would destroy both of us… that she would destroy our family!”
We drove for several more minutes in complete silence.
“We have to call the police,” said Sasha at last.
“No!” I shouted. I squeezed the steering wheel as I struggled to maintain composure. I lowered my voice as I continued.
“They can’t protect us from a demon…” I said.
“Daddy do you really think that mom was possessed… that she was some kind of demon?” Sasha asked.
“I…” I started. “I don’t know.”
“Where are we going?” she asked. There was something off about her voice. I turned to look at her, and for a split second, she looked like her mother. Her eyes seemed to glow, and a feeling of shock rushed over me, as though I had stepped into a shower before the hot water had gone through the pipes, subjecting me to a paralyzing icy blast. I jerked the steering wheel and braked hard. Sasha screamed as our seatbelts locked and the vehicle skidded to a halt at the shoulder of the road.
“Daddy!” she said. “You’re scaring me!”
“Sorry,” I said. “I’m just… it’s been…” I took a deep breath and we started driving again.
“I’m just a bit tired,” I said weakly.
“Where are we going?” she asked again.
“We need to go somewhere she can’t get us,” I said resolutely. I checked the rear view mirror and saw a pair of headlights behind us. I accelerated slightly, hoping to increase the distance between the Malibu and any potential danger.
“So we’re running away?” she asked softly. I furrowed my brow. Had she not understood what I was saying? Had she not realized how I was motivated to keep her safe?
“Yes we’re running away!” I said.
“I didn’t bring extra clothes,” she said in a frustrated voice. “I didn’t bring anything… all of our stuff… we left it all…” Of course we left it all! Did she think that it would be better to get mauled by a monster if she had a different outfit? Did she think that running for our lives would be more fun if she had a tablet and WIFI?
“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “We’ll get more stuff…”
“If we’re on the run, how are we going to pay for it?” asked Sasha. I didn’t know the answer to her question, but I needed Sasha to understand how dangerous our predicament was.
“We’ll deal with it when you’re safe, not before!” I said sternly. She cowered back into her seat and sobbed. It shouldn’t have, but it made me angry. I should have been able to understand that it would be difficult for a 12-year-old girl to have to leave everything she had, but she needed to understand it was just as hard for me. I had to leave everything I had, and to flee from the woman I had loved! Why couldn’t she see it from my perspective?
I looked back into the rear-view mirror, but the headlights I had seen earlier were closer now. I pressed the gas pedal and accelerated to 80, then 90 miles per hour. The headlights seemed to diminish in the mirror, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
The way the dashes in the lanes whisked toward us at a regular interval had a hypnotic effect, and in spite of all I had been through, my eyelids grew heavy over the next few minutes. I rolled the window down just a bit, and the cold air rushed inside.
“It’s cold outside daddy,” whispered Sasha. I wanted to tell her to deal with it, but I bit my tongue and rolled up the window.
I yawned as I checked the rear view mirror. The headlights had reappeared. I looked at my speedometer and confirmed that I was still going 90 miles per hour. I clenched my teeth as I accelerated to 100. The light of the headlight behind us diminished, and I returned my attention to the road.
After several more minutes of driving, my eyelids again grew heavy. I rubbed the back of my neck as though I could massage vitality or caffeine into myself by doing so. The steady hum of the engine and the way that my perspective of the dingy lines on the road seemed to point to a distant spot on the horizon made me yawn again.
“How much further?” said Sasha. Her voice sounded off. I whirled toward her, and her eyes were glowing with unnatural light. I slammed on the brakes. Sasha reached toward the wheel, but I slapped her hands back as we skidded to a halt.
Desperately, I struggled to free myself from my seatbelt, but with some kind of odd power, she prevented it from unhooking.
“What’s wrong Daddy?” she said in an eerie tone. Though her mouth was moving, it didn’t seem to fit the words she was saying. I reached into my pocket desperate to find my pocket knife. I needed to cut myself free of my seatbelt.
Sasha slowly began reaching her hands toward me and gave a shriek that seemed to pierce my head and dulled my senses. Somehow, my fingers wrapped around the handle of the folded blade, and pulled it out of the pocket of my blood-stained jeans. Sasha’s cold clammy fingers reached my face, and the horror of her unnatural touch startled me such that the knife fell down at my feet. I pushed Sasha back and reached down to retrieve my knife. The sharp slicing pain of the edge against the tips of my fingers stunned me for a moment, but I managed to grab the handle and attack the seatbelt with a quick sawing motion.
Reacting to my attempt to escape, Sasha grabbed her door and began shaking it back and forth. Another stunning shriek escaped her mouth as the car rocked back and forth.
Ignoring the throbbing pain in my lacerated fingers, I gripped the handle of the lock-back knife tighter. The fabric of the belt had frayed as I sliced through it, and although the eerie screaming, the glowing eyes, and the shaking vehicle had horrified me, seeing my progress with the belt gave me a new kind of focus. I clenched my teeth as I sawed back and forth, frantically slicing it apart.
It was close now… so close… The sound of the knife tearing back and forth through the belt seemed to drown out the shrieking… See-saw-see-saw-see-saw… The fibers of fabric burst outward like I was freeing them from the prison of their weaving. I ignored the burning feeling of the muscles in my arms as I pulled the steel back and forth faster and faster…. See-saw-see-saw-see-saw… There was only a bundle of threads left. The pain, exhaustion, and weariness had completely left me as the knife finally tore through the belt. I laughed with weary relief as I pulled the belt that had trapped me loose.
Suddenly something made me freeze.
I turned over to where Sasha had been sitting. The passenger seat was empty, and the door had been flung open. I stopped and listened for some sign of Sasha. The cold air that had flooded the car made my breath puff out in small clouds as I thought about where she might have gone, and for what purpose.
She had trapped me in the car, why run away? Why? I realized at once that my horror and panic had prevented me from asking that question since escaping the hotel. Why? Why had my wife been possessed? Why had she killed that man in the hotel? Why did she threaten me and Sasha? How did Sasha become possessed? Why had any of this happened?
A tapping on my window made me gasp and jump. My window had fogged up with my breath, and all I could see was the light of a flashlight creating a soft yellow glow. Probably the police. Maybe Sasha had been right… As supernatural as my experiences had been, perhaps it would have been wiser to involve law enforcement from the beginning. I cautiously pushed the door open, allowing the flashlight beam to shine on me.
“What the?!” shouted a male voice.
“That’s my daddy!” came a familiar young feminine voice. It was Sasha. Not demonic possessed Sasha, just normal Sasha. I smiled with relief.
“What is he?” gasped the man. What did he mean, I wondered.
“He tried to kill me!” cried Sasha. Tried to kill her!?!?! That was a lie! I was trying to protect her. I wanted to keep her safe. The officer lowered his flashlight and drew his handgun, pointing it at me.
“What’s going on!?” I demanded. As the words left my lips, I could hear an unnatural echo. I looked down at my hands, and to my horror, they were not the hands of a man… they were the claws of a monster. I whirled toward the rearview mirror, and angled it toward me. Like the headlights of a vehicle following, my eyes had an otherworldly glow. This sight… this honest look in the mirror… it brought everything I had done back to my recollection.
I had become angry as I quarreled with my wife about something that now seemed trivial. The shouting had prompted the hotel worker to ask us not to disturb their other guests. In a rage, I had brutally attacked him.
My wife gave me a look of shock and horror, and went to call the police. I couldn’t let her do that… so I… stopped her. And then I went to sit and think about what to do. Somehow, part of my mind had created the idea that it had been my wife who had become monstrous… it was her fault that the man was dead. I had come up with excuses for being angry with Sasha in the car. It had never been my daughter that trapped me… I had trapped myself. Her cold hands on my face was never a demonic attempt to stop me, it was to push me away and escape herself.
The demonic threat that I had perceived from my wife… that she would destroy me and my family… it had come from an actual demon… and it did destroy me, and my family… but it took too long to realize that the demon was not possessing others… The demon had been within me from the beginning. My anger, pride, and selfishness had fed it, and when it emerged, I had been powerless to stop it. The worst problems in my life might have been prevented, if I had had an honest look in the mirror sooner.
The idea:
There is a demon inside everyone. The impulse to be selfish, and to indulge in impulse rather than exercise restraint, has gone by many names. The book of Proverbs in the Bible calls those who give into these lusts "fools." King Benjamin calls it "the natural man." Jesus himself taught the importance of "losing" oneself in order to find salvation... of denying oneself and taking up the cross (Matthew 16:24-26).
Whatever the concept, the idea is the same. There is a demon that is within each person that persuades them to do evil. It hides in darkness, and assures us that it does not exist. Frequently, it does this by distracting us with the faults of others (real or manufactured). It whispers that our selfish actions are justified... that someone else is the source of our problems... that being provoked justifies lashing out... that seductive apparel or behavior justifies lust... that desirable attention justifies degrading apparel and behavior... that the intolerance of others justifies our intolerance for them... or that because we want to be tolerated, we should accept practices that are dishonest and cruel.
At some point, nearly everyone attempts to have an honest look in the mirror. The realization that you might be responsible for many of your problems is uncomfortable at best. At worst, the horror that a demon exists within you can cause a kind of mental paralysis... the fear that because you have made mistakes you cannot change, or are not worthy of help. The demon will augment these worries and doubts. The demon will tell you that you cannot change, and that no one can help you... and just as before... the demon can be very convincing.
While some guilt can be a healthy consequence of immoral and unethical behaviors and attitudes, recognizing that there is a demon within should prompt additional introspection. Why?
Why is there a demon? What does he want? Why is he within you?
Also... if it is true that nothing can be done to remove the demon... that you are beyond hope or help... then why was it so important that he deny his existence? Really, if you were stuck with a demon, what would it matter if you knew its existence before your honest look in the mirror?
An honest look in the mirror reveals the demon is a liar.
The demon is trying to control you. He is using your impulses and your nature to manipulate you. He needs you... but you do not need him.
That is not to say it is an easy thing to get rid of him. He is not only persuasive, but tenacious. You will need help to get rid of him. Serious introspection can help you to recognize the problem... it will not solve it... but without it, who would try to solve a problem they do not believe exists?
The honest look in the mirror reveals:
- That there is a demon within you
- That he is a liar
- That you need help to get rid of him
The real solution lies in the power of Jesus Christ. Casting out evil spirits is something in which he proved to be expert... even succeeding where others had failed (Matthew 17:14-21). His ability to change people for the better extended in more ways than healing physical sickness, disability, or even the symptoms of mental illness... He has power to remove the demon inside you.
The proof of this power can be seen in the lives of Saul of Tarsus, who became the Apostle Paul... in Alma the Younger, who went from trying to destroy the church of God to spending his life building it... in parents who sacrifice sleep, substance, and selfishness to better the lives of the children... in the lives of Christians who have had the faith to repent, and walk in the footsteps of Christ.
Ultimately, each individual must have an honest look in the mirror... the sooner, the better. Don't pretend there is no demon within... there is. Don't pretend you are stuck with him... you don't have to be. Don't pretend that you can ignore him or that he will go away on his own... turn to Jesus...
Jesus has the power to make bad men good, and good men better. Jesus has the power to save us all.
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Jesus didn't suffer for you
"Jesus suffered for me."
There is nothing technically wrong with this phrase. As a Christian, I believe it to be true for any human being who uses it... but it also feels off... like someone who says "your an idiot" on Facebook instead of "you're an idiot" or insists on driving a few miles per hour below the speed limit in the left lane on the freeway. Everyone kind of understands what is meant by these practices, but still... they irritate.
There is a valid place for understanding that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is not just a generic theological concept, but that individual faith and penitence can allow access to infinite grace, healing, and power. Certainly there are many concepts that show the importance of individual salvation. A man will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression. (A of F 2) The message given to the Apostle Peter.. "what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common" (Acts 10:15), or the teaching of John the Baptist "And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." (Matthew 3:9)... all of these ideas tend to suggest that a person's family, circumstances, and background are not as important as the individual decisions each person makes relating to their faith.
On the other hand, groups of people are important to God.
Consider these passages:
The connection can be traced back to Abraham... who in a time of idolatry and wickedness insisted on seeking the Lord in everything he did. Abraham's son Isaac honored the covenant that God had made with his father. Rebekah, Isaac's wife, helped guide young Jacob to receive the blessings of the Lord. Genesis describes a wrestle in which Jacob proves his desire to obtain the favor of the Lord (Genesis 32:24-30). This experience shows something remarkable about the bond between God and Jacob.
Like Abraham, Jacob had been blessed of the Lord... but he was certain that he could do and be more. He worked diligently, believing that he could receive a greater blessing.
This desire is the one that Jesus tried to inspire in the children of Israel when he taught:
Though he acknowledges the blessings of God... Jacob's actions are not really centered on his personal relationship with the Lord. Israel realized that he was a link in a great chain. He had been guided to divine providence following in the footsteps of his grandfather Abraham... with the patriarchal blessing of his father Isaac... and by following the wise counsel of his mother Rebekah. His efforts were to secure these same blessings for his own family, and his last act before he died was to bless his children.
What guided Jacob to God? What made his children so important to the Lord? This statement by Bruce R. McConkie provides additional clarity:
What it does mean is that there is a tendency to recognize the divine. There is access to the holy priesthood. There is opportunity to learn the truths of the Lord.
For thousands of years, God has maintained his connection with Israel's children not because they were necessarily better than other people... but because he is showing that true salvation is never only about individuals. Salvation is about permanent bonds with families.
Modern prophets have affirmed this truth:
"Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God, and for families to be united eternally." (The Family: A Proclamation to the World, emphasis added)
Additionally, Israel will be literally gathered together, and every promise made with the ancient patriarchs will be fulfilled. Christ himself affirmed ancient prophecy when he recited this about the children of Israel:
"Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch not that which is unclean; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. For ye shall not go out with haste nor go by flight; for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel shall be your rearward." (3 Nephi 20:41-42)
If you are inspired to get up on Fast Sunday and share your testimony about how important Jesus is... that's fantastic! If you are inspired to talk about how the Lord has blessed you... great! If you want to talk about how the suffering of Christ has brought peace and happiness... Amen!
Just remember... It was never about just you. Though he individually knows you and individually loves you and individually suffered for you... it was never about just you. You are a link in a great chain. You have a part in curses, blessings, and covenants that were made when human civilization was in its infancy. You are connected to those who have gone before, and those who will come after you.
Your potential was never to return to the presence of God all alone... Jesus suffered for you to be united with your spouse, your parents, and your children. He suffered to purchase for you a place in the mansions (plural) of His Father. His commandments were given so that you could "be the children of your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:45) He atoned so that you could be a part of his family.
Jesus suffered for us.
There is nothing technically wrong with this phrase. As a Christian, I believe it to be true for any human being who uses it... but it also feels off... like someone who says "your an idiot" on Facebook instead of "you're an idiot" or insists on driving a few miles per hour below the speed limit in the left lane on the freeway. Everyone kind of understands what is meant by these practices, but still... they irritate.
There is a valid place for understanding that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is not just a generic theological concept, but that individual faith and penitence can allow access to infinite grace, healing, and power. Certainly there are many concepts that show the importance of individual salvation. A man will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression. (A of F 2) The message given to the Apostle Peter.. "what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common" (Acts 10:15), or the teaching of John the Baptist "And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." (Matthew 3:9)... all of these ideas tend to suggest that a person's family, circumstances, and background are not as important as the individual decisions each person makes relating to their faith.
On the other hand, groups of people are important to God.
Consider these passages:
- "The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers..." (Deuteronomy 7:7-8)
- "Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." (Genesis 17:5-8)
- "And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had... And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire..." (Joshua 7:24-25)
The impact of a few upon large numbers of people is notable. People have been blessed greatly or punished severely because of their association with others. The Egyptians unfortunate enough to have served in Pharaoh's army when he pursued Moses into the Red Sea seem as randomly placed as the lame man that Peter healed to prove that Christ's power had not ended at the crucifixion.
Jesus Christ himself declared his favoritism to the house of Israel to a woman who sought his help:
"And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour." (Matthew 15:22-28)Again when he appeared to the Nephites, he affirmed his connection with the covenants of Israel:
"And then will I remember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them. And I will show unto thee, O house of Israel, that the Gentiles shall not have power over you; but I will remember my covenant unto you, O house of Israel, and ye shall come unto the knowledge of the fulness of my gospel." (3 Nephi 16:11-12)God's promises to the house of Israel are notable. If Christ cares so much about individuals, (and not just certain people, but individuals from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people), how was it ever possible that he became so tightly coupled with the children of Jacob?
The connection can be traced back to Abraham... who in a time of idolatry and wickedness insisted on seeking the Lord in everything he did. Abraham's son Isaac honored the covenant that God had made with his father. Rebekah, Isaac's wife, helped guide young Jacob to receive the blessings of the Lord. Genesis describes a wrestle in which Jacob proves his desire to obtain the favor of the Lord (Genesis 32:24-30). This experience shows something remarkable about the bond between God and Jacob.
Like Abraham, Jacob had been blessed of the Lord... but he was certain that he could do and be more. He worked diligently, believing that he could receive a greater blessing.
This desire is the one that Jesus tried to inspire in the children of Israel when he taught:
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matthew 7:7-11)How did Jacob develop this desire to be blessed, and the faith to ask, seek, and knock? Surely he could have said that the power of Jesus enabled him. Though he lived thousands of years before the birth of Christ, because of the timeless and infinite power of the atonement, it would not have been inaccurate for him to proclaim that "Jesus suffered for me."
Though he acknowledges the blessings of God... Jacob's actions are not really centered on his personal relationship with the Lord. Israel realized that he was a link in a great chain. He had been guided to divine providence following in the footsteps of his grandfather Abraham... with the patriarchal blessing of his father Isaac... and by following the wise counsel of his mother Rebekah. His efforts were to secure these same blessings for his own family, and his last act before he died was to bless his children.
What guided Jacob to God? What made his children so important to the Lord? This statement by Bruce R. McConkie provides additional clarity:
"In general, the Lord sends to earth in the lineage of Jacob [Israel] those spirits who in pre-existence developed an especial talent for spirituality and for recognizing truth. Those born in this lineage, having the blood of Israel in their veins and finding it easy to accept the gospel, are said to have believing blood."Of course, this does not mean that people who are born into the house of Israel are guaranteed to receive divine favor... or even that they will be decent human beings. Israelites produced men as awful as King Ahab and King Manasseh. Even of his own children, Reuben, Levi, Simeon, and Judah were guilty of terrible sins.
What it does mean is that there is a tendency to recognize the divine. There is access to the holy priesthood. There is opportunity to learn the truths of the Lord.
For thousands of years, God has maintained his connection with Israel's children not because they were necessarily better than other people... but because he is showing that true salvation is never only about individuals. Salvation is about permanent bonds with families.
Modern prophets have affirmed this truth:
"Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God, and for families to be united eternally." (The Family: A Proclamation to the World, emphasis added)
Additionally, Israel will be literally gathered together, and every promise made with the ancient patriarchs will be fulfilled. Christ himself affirmed ancient prophecy when he recited this about the children of Israel:
"Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch not that which is unclean; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. For ye shall not go out with haste nor go by flight; for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel shall be your rearward." (3 Nephi 20:41-42)
If you are inspired to get up on Fast Sunday and share your testimony about how important Jesus is... that's fantastic! If you are inspired to talk about how the Lord has blessed you... great! If you want to talk about how the suffering of Christ has brought peace and happiness... Amen!
Just remember... It was never about just you. Though he individually knows you and individually loves you and individually suffered for you... it was never about just you. You are a link in a great chain. You have a part in curses, blessings, and covenants that were made when human civilization was in its infancy. You are connected to those who have gone before, and those who will come after you.
Your potential was never to return to the presence of God all alone... Jesus suffered for you to be united with your spouse, your parents, and your children. He suffered to purchase for you a place in the mansions (plural) of His Father. His commandments were given so that you could "be the children of your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:45) He atoned so that you could be a part of his family.
Jesus suffered for us.
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
How to Survive the 2016 Presidential Election
Let me begin by explaining my perspective. Even if you disagree with my positions, I hope you find value in my suggestions for dealing with this election.
I did not support John McCain in the primaries of 2008, but I voted for him in opposition to Barack Obama. I did not support Mitt Romney in the primaries of 2012, but I voted for him with similar opposition in the November election.
Then came 2016.
Early in the race, I recall being frustrated with people who were already saying there were no candidates they wanted to support. If you believed everything Barack Obama said about himself, you could support Hillary. If you wanted to ignore every failure of socialism hoping that this time it would be different, you could support Bernie Sanders. If you wanted someone outside of politics to make a difference, Ben Carson fit the description. If you wanted someone who had political experience and constitutional principles, Ted Cruz was the man. If you wanted a compromiser who could relate to younger voters, Marco Rubio was viable. If you wanted an establishment Republican, there was Jeb Bush. Finally, if you wanted to flip people off, there was Donald Trump.
Through a series of events I am not sure I understand yet, the two parties lifted up Trump and Clinton as the nominees.
Any frustrations I had with people who said there were no good choices disappeared. On the one hand, Hillary Clinton has been tied to pay-for-play corruption in the State Department. She has obfuscated and lied about things even when she did not need to (such as her pneumonia episode). Even Democrats who supported socialist Bernie Sanders recognized her corruption in the primary process. For non-democrats, Clinton represents every flaw that accompanies big-government politics. On the other hand, Donald Trump is a crude individual who has used personal attacks and media manipulation to propel himself. He and his campaign promoted insane conspiracies that Ted Cruz's father might have been involved in the JFK assassination, and unnecessarily shameful attacks about Cruz's wife. His record with infidelity and morality directly conflicts with the standards that Republicans have typically tried to espouse. Even worse, his ideas for policy are all based on large government solutions including large tariffs, undefinable immigration changes that may or may not include a wall, and confusing foreign policy positions that have difficulty differentiating between friends and foes. Essentially, Americans are being given the choice between two Democrats... two unlikable Democrats.
Third party candidates have risen to try to position themselves as viable alternatives. Of course, Jill Stein of the Green Party is even further to the left of the major party nominees, but Gary Johnson has, in an attempt to court disenfranchised voters, put himself in roughly the same position as Trump and Clinton in terms of policy. He praised a lot of the Bernie Sanders strategy, and is left of Clinton on immigration. His foreign policy understanding is famously lacking, and his major priority is the legalization of drugs. Essentially, the major third party candidates have offered us two more Democrats from which to choose.
This, among other precedent, has led many people to conclude that the best thing they can do with their vote is to oppose one of the two major political candidates. The media is all over the Trump tapes (that reveal nothing new; Donald Trump has always been a crude man) to encourage people to prevent Trump from becoming President. Conservative sites have a target-rich environment to show Hillary's record of corruption (that also reveal nothing new; Hillary Clinton has always been a corrupt manipulator) that they use to encourage people to prevent Hillary from becoming President.
I completely understand wanting to prevent either one of these people from becoming President. Frankly, I understand wanting to prevent some of the third party candidates from becoming President as well.
That having been said, let me suggest the following:
1. Don't make excuses for any candidate. I know that Hillary Clinton will cause awful harm as President of the United States. That doesn't excuse Donald Trump's awful behavior. Additionally, I know that Donald Trump is unlikely to keep any of the promises he has made, and would be a disaster for America. That doesn't mean Hillary's dishonesty and criminal activity was OK. Acknowledge the imperfections that each person has.
2. People who have opposing political views are not incompetent racist traitor bigot liars (necessarily). Of course it is possible to find Trump supporters that are hateful lunatics, and Hillary supporters that actually hate America, but it is likely more productive to talk about ideas, principles, and values rather than slinging disrespect. If you have to become an awful person to show that someone else is an awful person, then what have you really accomplished?
3. The Government is incapable of solving most of our problems. Having voted for or against a candidate does not absolve an individual of personal responsibility. You must still help other people. You must still be decent and law-abiding. You must still work hard. You must still try to better yourself. Ultimately, the most significant sources of improving people (and in turn, society) are Jesus Christ, and strong families (in that order). The most important education, the preservation of values, the way people of different races, genders, and backgrounds can improve interactions... all of these things are best improved by fathers and mothers who love one another and their children. Religious institutions that promote faith and family, as well as charity, honesty, respect, virtue, and forgiveness support families in these efforts. These elements will do the most to solve the problems our society faces.
4. Don't let political frustration discourage you. It is easy to become cynical. It is easy to avoid participating in elections or political conversations. Sometimes, it seems justified. The outlook on the 2016 Presidential Election is not encouraging, regardless of which party wins. That does not mean that you should stop caring. That does not mean that your conscience is unimportant. That does not mean that America is beyond redemption. This nation has been in precarious situations before, and we have triumphed when enough people did the right thing when it was difficult.
5. In the end, the good guys win. I don't want to suggest that life will be sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows... There will be perils, disasters, tragedies, and horrors... many of them will be perpetrated by people (2 Timothy 3:1-7). I do want to suggest that, in the end, God will make everything right. No one will "get away with" their crimes. No injustice will go uncorrected. No wound will remain unhealed. No hurt will persist. In the end, good will triumph over evil. Have faith. Have confidence. Even if it doesn't look good right now, Jesus Christ is coming... and he will save us all.
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
The Problem with Underemphasizing Modesty
So, recently I ran into an article being shared by several LDS friends:
The Problem with Overemphasizing Modesty
The article is very well written, and emphasizes important points with respect to a female perspective. One of the opening points describes the author's attempts to help two young boys (who were expressing disapproval of a young woman wearing a two-piece swimsuit) to better understand modesty.
Reading the story, I was persuaded that he motives were clearly defined by her concern for the young woman, the object of the boys' attention. Since the author is a woman, this is perfectly understandable.
As a male, and with similar concern for the welfare of men, I felt motivated to add some additional commentary to some of the points made in the article (in italics).
1. When we reduce the concept of modesty to what females wear, we are reinforcing the very thing that modesty is supposed to help avoid: the sexual objectification of women's bodies.
There is definitely truth in this. Modesty goes beyond apparel on women. A well-covered individual that performs provocative dance moves, for example, is also immodest. Additionally, reducing the reasoning behind modesty to avoiding the sexual objectification of women's bodies contradicts most of the rest of the author's points... that modesty is about more than sexual objectification, and that it applies to both men and women.
2. Overemphasizing modesty can unintentionally teach that girls are responsible for boys' sexual thoughts and behaviors.
Without a doubt, there is no man (or woman) who should expect to stand before God at that great and judgement day and suppose that their inappropriate thoughts and/or behavior will be excused by claiming "the devil made me do it." This is true, even if the devil was literally trying to make them do it.
Consider the behavior of the daughter of Jared, who danced before Akish in order to manipulate him to murder Omer, the king of the Jaredites. (Ether 8:9-10) Of course, she didn't kill the king. She didn't make him ask to marry her. She just danced.
Consider the behavior of Herodias, who danced before king Herod, and then eventually requested the head of John the Baptist. (Mark 6:21-28) Of course, she didn't behead John. She didn't even know what to ask of the king, she just did what her mother had said.
Do we suppose that these women, who used their bodies and manipulated men, are completely guiltless? Would it be appropriate for a young woman to walk around nude in front of young men, since girls are not responsible for boys' sexual thoughts and behaviors? What if the young woman were only topless, or were only wearing underwear like the provocative models who part men with their money at lingerie stores in shopping malls?
Everyone can benefit from understanding that no one lives in a vacuum. Women are unfairly bombarded with negativity, disrespect, and incorrect expectations. Men are unfairly bombarded with images, movies, and sometimes even friends and associates, who portray women in provocative ways. Instead of saying that one group is not responsible for issues in another group (even when it is true), we ought to understand that everyone benefits from mutual respect. Men should never think that a girl's skimpy outfit provoked inappropriate behavior, and women ought to show compassion for the many men fighting internal battles against temptations by not adding to them.
3. Overemphasizing modesty can shame girls for having a feminine body and for physically developing into a woman.
This is true... and unfortunate. A woman may be trying hard to dress in a modest manner, and still seem provocative to some men. It is also true that a man may be trying hard to control their thoughts, and run into a provocative situation or pornographic image.
On the other hand, there is no shortage of voices who tell girls... particularly those with feminine figures, that their beauty should be displayed and admired when they actually mean to objectify and exploit these young women.
Underemphasizing modesty may be just as dangerous to men and women. There is no easy answer to this, and no single approach should be expected to be universally successful.
4. Overemphasizing modesty gives others implicit permission to judge and measure a woman’s dedication to the gospel, or “worthiness,” based on physical appearance.
People judge dedication and worthiness for multiple reasons, and none of them are appropriate, but few of them are baseless.
It is possible that the young man with ripped jean jacket and a mullet may be living the standards of the church. It is appropriate for his Bishop to ask him to cut his hair and wear a white shirt and tie before he blesses the sacrament, serves a mission, or even accompanies a senior companion in a home teaching visit, but it is wrong for others to suggest that his appearance jeopardizes his place in the kingdom of God.
The same ideas are just as applicable for young women.
5. Overemphasizing modesty in our young women may send a message that modesty does not apply to males.
While it is true that modesty applies to both men and women (see #4), let's not pretend that it applies differently to men and women. An honest examination of male sexuality accepts that men are driven by the visual so much more than women, that it is nearly impossible to compare them... One of the most honest and clear explanations of this fact can be found in this video:
The author concludes her article with suggestions to improve modesty conversations. Many of these ideas are excellent, and deserve consideration. I might also add the following:
The Problem with Overemphasizing Modesty
The article is very well written, and emphasizes important points with respect to a female perspective. One of the opening points describes the author's attempts to help two young boys (who were expressing disapproval of a young woman wearing a two-piece swimsuit) to better understand modesty.
Reading the story, I was persuaded that he motives were clearly defined by her concern for the young woman, the object of the boys' attention. Since the author is a woman, this is perfectly understandable.
As a male, and with similar concern for the welfare of men, I felt motivated to add some additional commentary to some of the points made in the article (in italics).
1. When we reduce the concept of modesty to what females wear, we are reinforcing the very thing that modesty is supposed to help avoid: the sexual objectification of women's bodies.
There is definitely truth in this. Modesty goes beyond apparel on women. A well-covered individual that performs provocative dance moves, for example, is also immodest. Additionally, reducing the reasoning behind modesty to avoiding the sexual objectification of women's bodies contradicts most of the rest of the author's points... that modesty is about more than sexual objectification, and that it applies to both men and women.
2. Overemphasizing modesty can unintentionally teach that girls are responsible for boys' sexual thoughts and behaviors.
Without a doubt, there is no man (or woman) who should expect to stand before God at that great and judgement day and suppose that their inappropriate thoughts and/or behavior will be excused by claiming "the devil made me do it." This is true, even if the devil was literally trying to make them do it.
Consider the behavior of the daughter of Jared, who danced before Akish in order to manipulate him to murder Omer, the king of the Jaredites. (Ether 8:9-10) Of course, she didn't kill the king. She didn't make him ask to marry her. She just danced.
Consider the behavior of Herodias, who danced before king Herod, and then eventually requested the head of John the Baptist. (Mark 6:21-28) Of course, she didn't behead John. She didn't even know what to ask of the king, she just did what her mother had said.
Do we suppose that these women, who used their bodies and manipulated men, are completely guiltless? Would it be appropriate for a young woman to walk around nude in front of young men, since girls are not responsible for boys' sexual thoughts and behaviors? What if the young woman were only topless, or were only wearing underwear like the provocative models who part men with their money at lingerie stores in shopping malls?
Everyone can benefit from understanding that no one lives in a vacuum. Women are unfairly bombarded with negativity, disrespect, and incorrect expectations. Men are unfairly bombarded with images, movies, and sometimes even friends and associates, who portray women in provocative ways. Instead of saying that one group is not responsible for issues in another group (even when it is true), we ought to understand that everyone benefits from mutual respect. Men should never think that a girl's skimpy outfit provoked inappropriate behavior, and women ought to show compassion for the many men fighting internal battles against temptations by not adding to them.
3. Overemphasizing modesty can shame girls for having a feminine body and for physically developing into a woman.
This is true... and unfortunate. A woman may be trying hard to dress in a modest manner, and still seem provocative to some men. It is also true that a man may be trying hard to control their thoughts, and run into a provocative situation or pornographic image.
On the other hand, there is no shortage of voices who tell girls... particularly those with feminine figures, that their beauty should be displayed and admired when they actually mean to objectify and exploit these young women.
Underemphasizing modesty may be just as dangerous to men and women. There is no easy answer to this, and no single approach should be expected to be universally successful.
4. Overemphasizing modesty gives others implicit permission to judge and measure a woman’s dedication to the gospel, or “worthiness,” based on physical appearance.
People judge dedication and worthiness for multiple reasons, and none of them are appropriate, but few of them are baseless.
It is possible that the young man with ripped jean jacket and a mullet may be living the standards of the church. It is appropriate for his Bishop to ask him to cut his hair and wear a white shirt and tie before he blesses the sacrament, serves a mission, or even accompanies a senior companion in a home teaching visit, but it is wrong for others to suggest that his appearance jeopardizes his place in the kingdom of God.
The same ideas are just as applicable for young women.
5. Overemphasizing modesty in our young women may send a message that modesty does not apply to males.
While it is true that modesty applies to both men and women (see #4), let's not pretend that it applies differently to men and women. An honest examination of male sexuality accepts that men are driven by the visual so much more than women, that it is nearly impossible to compare them... One of the most honest and clear explanations of this fact can be found in this video:
The author concludes her article with suggestions to improve modesty conversations. Many of these ideas are excellent, and deserve consideration. I might also add the following:
- Pornography is harmful
- Pornography is not limited to nude photographs and videos on the internet, it includes all forms of immodest and provocative clothing, speech, and behavior.
- Men and women are different
- While this may seem obvious, being aware of these differences can allow us to help one another to be better.
- Satan is real
- There are literal forces who want to use men to shame and degrade women. The same forces also want to use women to manipulate and destroy men. It is important not only to avoid temptation, but to avoid becoming a pawn of the tempter.
- Standards of modesty and morality strengthen men and women
- Imagine a world in which there were no sexually transmitted diseases, no children born into broken homes, and no damaging battles in family courts for custody and money. Universal adherence to the law of chastity would largely accomplish these feats. Faithful marriage and family life is perhaps the best way to protect men and women of all ages, and modesty and morality can, in part, represent the effort of individuals to realize this ideal.
It is definitely possible to overemphasize modesty, and doing so can be harmful in a variety of ways... but in our zeal to avoid such harms, let us not cast modesty aside. The counsel of Christ to "love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matthew 22:39) is intended to motivate every son and daughter of God to help one another in the path that leads to his Kingdom. Jesus did this not only by proclaiming love (John 15:11-13), but also by warning of potential danger (Matthew 7:15, Matthew 16:6). Let his model adorn each conversation regarding modesty.
Thursday, July 7, 2016
It's going to get worse... it's going to get much worse
Many people are frustrated with the current political climate in the United States. The major parties have chosen candidates that have become quite unpopular. Within the Republican party is a strong "never Trump" movement, and there are many people who had supported socialist Bernie Sanders and have become disgusted with the system that vaulted Hillary Clinton to becoming the nominee of the Democrats. On the one hand, Trump makes outrageous claims and impossible promises (much as Obama did) to try to gain support. On the other hand, the director of the FBI exposes most of the claims that Clinton made with respect to her handling of sensitive confidential information to be outright lies.
There is a growing number of people in the country, who, when analyzing the choices before Americans ask how could this happen?
Some might point to our education system. Though it is taking larger amounts of money, it seems to be producing diminishing returns.
Others point to economics. Many on the left use the gap between successful and unsuccessful as justification for government intervention in the free market.
There is no shortage of issues to which blame can be attributed. From racism, to sexism, to Islamophobia, to "white privilege," there is always some monster in some faction of our culture (not the faction to which we belong mind you... some other faction) onto which people will affix fault... a societal scapegoat.
Part of what make these issues easy to blame is there are legitimate problems in most of them. We are, as Mike Rowe said, "...lending money we don’t have to kids who can’t pay it back to train them for jobs that no longer exist." There are maneuvers attempted by large corporations that can best be explained by corporate greed. In other words, there are legitimate concerns expressed by both liberals and conservatives.
Ultimately though, even if everyone agreed to a single plan that would completely re-work the education system in the country, and even if every corporation was legally bound to ethical behaviors, society would still be burdened with envy, pride, wrath, sloth, lust, greed, and gluttony.
A civilization that is obsessed with how the choices of others negatively impact them is a civilization on the brink of disaster. It creates an urge to control (by any means) the choices of others. While it may start with the power of persuasion, it is far too tempting to avoid using the persuasion of power.
Of course, this does not mean that power should not be used in dealing with legitimate threats: crime must be punished. We should not tolerate the retention of the robber's stolen goods, the freedom of the abuser, or the life of the pedophile. Additionally, military force is necessary to protect our nation from foreign malefactors.
What this does mean is that people who are preoccupied with the flaws of other factions in society are easily manipulated. This tendency is observed in the Old Testament book of Joel:
"Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong." (Joel 3:9-10)
The imagery of reworking plowshares into swords and pruning hooks into spears is not intended to be limited to inanimate objects. People who might otherwise be reasonable can be whipped into a frenzy if they focus on problems beyond their direct control. It has been used to make people believe the source of their difficulties can be attributed to Jews, to whites, to blacks, to Republicans, to Democrats, to the wealthy 1%, to corporations, to unions, and to churches.
If the divisive trends that politicians exploit to sway their factions continue, then the situation in this nation is going to get worse... it's going to get much worse.
Jesus taught a parable to illustrate the point:
"Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
"And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (Luke 18:10-14)
Though there are new and clever ways to express outrage and frustration with the flaws of others, they are, at the core, not so very different from rending one's garments, as was done anciently. Because of the central similarity, the counsel from Joel all the more applicable:
"Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil." (Joel 2:12-13, emphasis added)
This is the key to avoiding the problems associated with obsessing over the flaws of others... addressing the flaws in yourself. Compare the amount of time spent in trying to fix the behavior of others to the amount of time spent trying to become better yourself.
In the end, Christ will come again, and he will take care of the great injustices in the world. Those who have indulged in envy, pride, wrath, sloth, lust, greed, and gluttony will reap what they have sewn. Those who have spent their efforts to try and purge themselves of their envy, pride, wrath, sloth, lust, greed, and gluttony will be rewarded.
Circumstances are likely to get much worse, but regardless of circumstances, the power of Christ can help you to be better.
There is a growing number of people in the country, who, when analyzing the choices before Americans ask how could this happen?
Some might point to our education system. Though it is taking larger amounts of money, it seems to be producing diminishing returns.
Others point to economics. Many on the left use the gap between successful and unsuccessful as justification for government intervention in the free market.
There is no shortage of issues to which blame can be attributed. From racism, to sexism, to Islamophobia, to "white privilege," there is always some monster in some faction of our culture (not the faction to which we belong mind you... some other faction) onto which people will affix fault... a societal scapegoat.
Part of what make these issues easy to blame is there are legitimate problems in most of them. We are, as Mike Rowe said, "...lending money we don’t have to kids who can’t pay it back to train them for jobs that no longer exist." There are maneuvers attempted by large corporations that can best be explained by corporate greed. In other words, there are legitimate concerns expressed by both liberals and conservatives.
Ultimately though, even if everyone agreed to a single plan that would completely re-work the education system in the country, and even if every corporation was legally bound to ethical behaviors, society would still be burdened with envy, pride, wrath, sloth, lust, greed, and gluttony.
A civilization that is obsessed with how the choices of others negatively impact them is a civilization on the brink of disaster. It creates an urge to control (by any means) the choices of others. While it may start with the power of persuasion, it is far too tempting to avoid using the persuasion of power.
Of course, this does not mean that power should not be used in dealing with legitimate threats: crime must be punished. We should not tolerate the retention of the robber's stolen goods, the freedom of the abuser, or the life of the pedophile. Additionally, military force is necessary to protect our nation from foreign malefactors.
What this does mean is that people who are preoccupied with the flaws of other factions in society are easily manipulated. This tendency is observed in the Old Testament book of Joel:
"Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong." (Joel 3:9-10)
The imagery of reworking plowshares into swords and pruning hooks into spears is not intended to be limited to inanimate objects. People who might otherwise be reasonable can be whipped into a frenzy if they focus on problems beyond their direct control. It has been used to make people believe the source of their difficulties can be attributed to Jews, to whites, to blacks, to Republicans, to Democrats, to the wealthy 1%, to corporations, to unions, and to churches.
If the divisive trends that politicians exploit to sway their factions continue, then the situation in this nation is going to get worse... it's going to get much worse.
Jesus taught a parable to illustrate the point:
"Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
"And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (Luke 18:10-14)
Though there are new and clever ways to express outrage and frustration with the flaws of others, they are, at the core, not so very different from rending one's garments, as was done anciently. Because of the central similarity, the counsel from Joel all the more applicable:
"Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil." (Joel 2:12-13, emphasis added)
This is the key to avoiding the problems associated with obsessing over the flaws of others... addressing the flaws in yourself. Compare the amount of time spent in trying to fix the behavior of others to the amount of time spent trying to become better yourself.
In the end, Christ will come again, and he will take care of the great injustices in the world. Those who have indulged in envy, pride, wrath, sloth, lust, greed, and gluttony will reap what they have sewn. Those who have spent their efforts to try and purge themselves of their envy, pride, wrath, sloth, lust, greed, and gluttony will be rewarded.
Circumstances are likely to get much worse, but regardless of circumstances, the power of Christ can help you to be better.
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
If God's message is so important, why doesn't he do more to attract attention?
It is difficult to go through a day anymore without being bombarded by attempts to capture attention.
In briefly checking my email, the number of iPads that I have supposedly won far exceeds the number of iPads that I own, single girls in my area want to chat with me, and several people with ties to Nigerian Royalty have chosen to ask me for help transferring a large sum of money into the United States.
Carefully positioned billboards line the freeway, reminding me how desperately I crave an In-N-Out Double Double, or that the closest emergency room has a 13 minute wait, or that some famous singer will be performing soon.
With the internet, there are websites dedicated to practically anything imaginable. Videos of people having surgery are intermingled with videos of people cooking food. Pictures of beautiful natural wonders are mixed with the latest renders of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Having such a variety of things that actively seek attention, and seeing how successful some of them can be, could make a Christian wonder why God doesn't do more to attract attention to his message. If a little creative advertising can make people brave long lines to purchase the latest tech products, why couldn't God do something similar with his messages? If people get excited to attend conventions to meet sci-fi and fantasy celebrities, why doesn't God have a "miracle-con" where he lets people have photo ops with angels, cures terminal diseases, and offers personal and accurate prophesies about the future? Wouldn't that get people excited about God's message? Wouldn't a bit of positive PR ultimately help his children?
As though Jesus knew that this question might be asked, he told the following parable:
"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
"And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said... I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send [Lazarus] to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
"Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." (Luke 16:19-31, emphasis added)
How could he be so confident that additional attention would not work? Certainly we have seen amazing corporate success from carefully executed marketing strategies that capture the attention and imagination of the public...
Of course, he knew because he lived it. In spite of the miracles that he personally wrought, his enemies actively sought opportunity to kill him. He fed thousands with a few scraps, he healed the lame, the blind, the deaf, the afflicted, and even brought the dead back to life. While he garnered some attention, there were many who rejected his message.
Additionally, his prophets have performed great feats to no avail. The ten plagues were not enough to convince Pharaoh to let Moses go, nor did the parting of the Red Sea prevent many of the Hebrew children from proclaiming that a newly created pair of golden calves were responsible for their deliverance.
The worship of Baal was not immediately stopped even after the dramatic demonstration of Elijah the Tishbite on Mount Carmel, and the goods of Naaman the Syrian were more precious to Gehazi than being honest with Elisha the son of Shaphat.
Perhaps one of the saddest examples is that of Jeremiah. He stood by the gates of Jerusalem and preached to everyone he could (Jeremiah 17). He presented unusual object lessons such as burying a belt by the Euphrates river, and retrieving it after it had rotted away to show how the people were not doing their job (Jeremiah 13). He predicted accurately the result of attempted rebellions, and ultimately was ignored (Jeremiah 43).
In the end, God does not need a better advertising campaign. He needs people to choose him over other sources. He does not need a constant stream of miracles to keep the people coming to him... he needs people to develop the faith necessary so that they can see miracles. He does not need to produce exciting new demonstrations of his power, these demonstrations did not convince everyone anyway.
Perhaps the question that a Christian should ask is, if God didn't do anything new to get my attention, would I still believe? What if he didn't heal anyone else? What if he didn't help me be successful? What if I didn't have everything I needed? What if the people in his church were sometimes unpleasant? What if his scriptures were written with archaic language constructs, and some of his prophets had slow monotonous voices? What if I had nothing more than what he had already given me... would I still believe? Would that be enough for me?
With a bit of reflection, the honest man should be able to examine his life and realize that God has been present in diverse ways and at different times, and that he has done many things to try to get our attention. He has done things to help and guide us. This was the realization that came to the men who walked the road to Emmaus after Christ was resurrected:
"And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" (Luke 24:32)
Wise is the man who is able to hear that still small voice that comes from God. (1 Kings 19:12-13) Though it may not always be exciting, and it may not grab our attention the way other things do, it carries with it the divine promise of Jesus Christ himself:
"I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." (John 14:18)
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
I can forgive you... as long as someone gets tortured and killed for what you did
The most fundamental aspect of Christianity is that Jesus Christ suffered and died for the sins of the world. Because of his sacrifice, humanity can be redeemed.
The atonement of Christ is not a secret, and sects ranging from the most energetic protestants and evangelicals to the most stoic and reserved orthodox disciples are usually not shy about expressing their total reliance on the sacrifice of Jesus.
Scriptures from all periods of time have references to this doctrine. Consider the following:
"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed...
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:4-5,10-12)
The doctrine is confirmed in the New Testament as well:
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit" (1 Peter 3:18)
The Book of Mormon is also clear on the need for the atonement of Christ:
"And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also." (Alma 42:15)
The concept was explained by Jesus himself in one of the most famous verses ever:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
Because of its familiarity, Christians tend to take it for granted, and the faithless tend to treat it as false, and the reasoning behind this event is lost. It is worth closer inspection.
Our Heavenly Father has issued a series of laws, the violation of which condemns an individual to perpetual outcast from the presence of God (Alma 11:37). To escape this condemnation, God extends mercy to the penitent, but only because his son was subjected to unspeakable torture and then subsequently brutally slain at Golgotha.
If God loved his children and wanted to pardon sins, why would his forgiving power require the savage torture and slaughter of someone else?
Of course, the problem with this assessment is that it is based on our perception that sin is little more than an error in judgement, and that the consequences of these actions do not produce unseen effects.
Consider the invention of the shoe-fitting flouroscope. This device represented a new application for x-rays, and blasted the feet of the user with radiation so that the bones as well as the outline of the shoe were visible to promote better fitting shoes. As more information about radiation was discovered, links between the use of such devices and bone cancer were discovered. Though the immediate effects were not visible, over time and with increased understanding, the negative consequences were exposed.
Similarly, those who indulge in behaviors that contradict the commandments of God and the counsel of his prophets may not seem to have any immediate negative consequences, but our current inability to see and understand the spiritual aspects of human life make it impossible for us to understand the negative impact of sin on a spirit.
What we could not see or understand, Jesus Christ could. Though angels attended him as he endured the cruel process by which he could heal the spiritual damage of sin, he prayed earnestly for another way to do it (Luke 22:42). Blood oozed through his skin as he was subjected to pressures and pains beyond human comprehension (Luke 22:44). Ultimately, he had to endure the pain on the cross without any help (Matthew 27:46).
Forgiveness of sins was never a matter of pretending like it did not happen... It involves repairing spiritual damage. It requires restoring matter that, unlike mortal flesh and blood, is permanent. This is not a cheap experience, and cannot be simply done on a whim. It required a specific and deliberate process, that could only be performed by one person... the son of God himself.
"Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him..." "that he might bring us to God..." "to bring about the plan of mercy..." "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
More than sparing himself excruciating pain, he wanted to help you, and I, and all of us realize our potential. He paid the price to heal us. Even now, he sends his prophets to plead with us to use his power. For all those who come to him, he will give gift he purchased with such a great price... the miracle of forgiveness.
The atonement of Christ is not a secret, and sects ranging from the most energetic protestants and evangelicals to the most stoic and reserved orthodox disciples are usually not shy about expressing their total reliance on the sacrifice of Jesus.
Scriptures from all periods of time have references to this doctrine. Consider the following:
"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed...
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:4-5,10-12)
The doctrine is confirmed in the New Testament as well:
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit" (1 Peter 3:18)
The Book of Mormon is also clear on the need for the atonement of Christ:
"And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also." (Alma 42:15)
The concept was explained by Jesus himself in one of the most famous verses ever:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
Because of its familiarity, Christians tend to take it for granted, and the faithless tend to treat it as false, and the reasoning behind this event is lost. It is worth closer inspection.
Our Heavenly Father has issued a series of laws, the violation of which condemns an individual to perpetual outcast from the presence of God (Alma 11:37). To escape this condemnation, God extends mercy to the penitent, but only because his son was subjected to unspeakable torture and then subsequently brutally slain at Golgotha.
If God loved his children and wanted to pardon sins, why would his forgiving power require the savage torture and slaughter of someone else?
Of course, the problem with this assessment is that it is based on our perception that sin is little more than an error in judgement, and that the consequences of these actions do not produce unseen effects.
Consider the invention of the shoe-fitting flouroscope. This device represented a new application for x-rays, and blasted the feet of the user with radiation so that the bones as well as the outline of the shoe were visible to promote better fitting shoes. As more information about radiation was discovered, links between the use of such devices and bone cancer were discovered. Though the immediate effects were not visible, over time and with increased understanding, the negative consequences were exposed.
Similarly, those who indulge in behaviors that contradict the commandments of God and the counsel of his prophets may not seem to have any immediate negative consequences, but our current inability to see and understand the spiritual aspects of human life make it impossible for us to understand the negative impact of sin on a spirit.
What we could not see or understand, Jesus Christ could. Though angels attended him as he endured the cruel process by which he could heal the spiritual damage of sin, he prayed earnestly for another way to do it (Luke 22:42). Blood oozed through his skin as he was subjected to pressures and pains beyond human comprehension (Luke 22:44). Ultimately, he had to endure the pain on the cross without any help (Matthew 27:46).
Forgiveness of sins was never a matter of pretending like it did not happen... It involves repairing spiritual damage. It requires restoring matter that, unlike mortal flesh and blood, is permanent. This is not a cheap experience, and cannot be simply done on a whim. It required a specific and deliberate process, that could only be performed by one person... the son of God himself.
"Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him..." "that he might bring us to God..." "to bring about the plan of mercy..." "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
More than sparing himself excruciating pain, he wanted to help you, and I, and all of us realize our potential. He paid the price to heal us. Even now, he sends his prophets to plead with us to use his power. For all those who come to him, he will give gift he purchased with such a great price... the miracle of forgiveness.
Monday, May 23, 2016
Why was God so scary?
Many people view the God of the Old Testament as a vengeful and angry being who only softened after thousands of years to change his tune to one of "love thy neighbor as thyself."
I have already spoken somewhat on this topic, but I would like to explore another aspect of the question in this post.
A fundamental principle in Christianity is the omnipotence of God. God has the ability to portray himself in any way that he would like. Non-threatening features that made Baymax lovable in Big Hero 6, and an environment filled with rainbows, unicorns, and bacon might really demonstrate that God cares about us, and that he wants us to be comfortable, happy, and safe.
When there are accounts of encounters with God, even when they contain symbolic representations, comfort and bliss are rarely seen. Consider the experience of Isaiah:
"I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke." (Isaiah 6:1-4)
Six winged angels flying around a smoke-filled room as God sat on a lofty throne probably did not convey the idea that it was time to relax and discuss happy things. By what Isaiah said, we know that he was worried about being so close to the Lord.
"Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." (Isaiah 6:5)
Naturally, God could have provided consolation and shown his prophet a sign of his love, mercy, and affection in this moment of fear. Instead, he sent one of the seraphim to place a hot coal on Isaiah's mouth to purge him of sins. Of course, this was not the end of the frightening aspects of Isaiah's vision. After Isaiah volunteered to speak to the people, he was given the message the Lord wished to deliver.
"Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed." (Isaiah 6:9-10)
God asked Isaiah to tell the people to stop listening to him so that he would not have to bless them. Of course, because we know that God is loving, and wants to heal us, we can infer that this must have been a temporary message to encourage people to return to him.
"Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land." (Isaiah 6:11-12)
So, maybe not just a short-term rebuke?
Even with knowledge of the fall of Judah to Babylon and the return to Judah under Persian rule, this situation still prompts a person to ask, "why was God so scary?"
There are several reasons for the manner of presentation that the Lord used:
1. God is trying to protect us from things that are actually scary. The idea of a devil is not just a metaphor representing negative aspects of human behavior... there are actual beings in the unseen world that seek to do us harm, and that are only vulnerable to divine power. (JSH 1:14-17) Pretending that everything is fine and that there are no problems is disingenuous.
2. Life requires dealing with difficult and painful issues. It is natural to seek comfort in times of difficulty, but the greatest heroes from humanity did not gain honor and respect by becoming comfortable in trying times, but by rising to meet the challenges that they faced. This is not to say that God wants people to be miserable, but that sometimes, it is more important to stand up for righteousness than to feel comfortable in wickedness. Dealing with frightening and uncomfortable truths can help people meet their potential.
3. Nobody is conceited when six-winged Seraphim put hot coals on their mouths. Jesus frequently encountered people who thought they were better than they actually were. Some of them were persuaded to be humble by gentle admonitions to repent, but some required harsher language. Jesus exposed the ignorance of those who tried to outsmart him, the weaknesses of those who pressed him for special guidance, and even to the leader of his chosen Apostles said "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." (Matthew 16:23) A bit more humility is probably the most effective thing that God can help us acquire by presenting himself in ways that are confusing or frightening. At some point, each person should realize that it is OK if they don't understand everything, or have worries, concerns, or troubles. The person who sticks with God allies themselves with someone who does understand everything, and has power to overcome obstacles we do not yet even comprehend.
Ultimately, the idea that God is frightening or confusing disappears from the hearts of those who persist in following his guidance. Consider how Isaiah later declared:
"For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer." (Isaiah 54:7-8)
In the end, God does love us, and wants what is best for us. Do not let anything sway you otherwise.
I have already spoken somewhat on this topic, but I would like to explore another aspect of the question in this post.
A fundamental principle in Christianity is the omnipotence of God. God has the ability to portray himself in any way that he would like. Non-threatening features that made Baymax lovable in Big Hero 6, and an environment filled with rainbows, unicorns, and bacon might really demonstrate that God cares about us, and that he wants us to be comfortable, happy, and safe.
When there are accounts of encounters with God, even when they contain symbolic representations, comfort and bliss are rarely seen. Consider the experience of Isaiah:
"I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke." (Isaiah 6:1-4)
Six winged angels flying around a smoke-filled room as God sat on a lofty throne probably did not convey the idea that it was time to relax and discuss happy things. By what Isaiah said, we know that he was worried about being so close to the Lord.
"Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." (Isaiah 6:5)
Naturally, God could have provided consolation and shown his prophet a sign of his love, mercy, and affection in this moment of fear. Instead, he sent one of the seraphim to place a hot coal on Isaiah's mouth to purge him of sins. Of course, this was not the end of the frightening aspects of Isaiah's vision. After Isaiah volunteered to speak to the people, he was given the message the Lord wished to deliver.
"Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed." (Isaiah 6:9-10)
God asked Isaiah to tell the people to stop listening to him so that he would not have to bless them. Of course, because we know that God is loving, and wants to heal us, we can infer that this must have been a temporary message to encourage people to return to him.
"Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land." (Isaiah 6:11-12)
So, maybe not just a short-term rebuke?
Even with knowledge of the fall of Judah to Babylon and the return to Judah under Persian rule, this situation still prompts a person to ask, "why was God so scary?"
There are several reasons for the manner of presentation that the Lord used:
1. God is trying to protect us from things that are actually scary. The idea of a devil is not just a metaphor representing negative aspects of human behavior... there are actual beings in the unseen world that seek to do us harm, and that are only vulnerable to divine power. (JSH 1:14-17) Pretending that everything is fine and that there are no problems is disingenuous.
2. Life requires dealing with difficult and painful issues. It is natural to seek comfort in times of difficulty, but the greatest heroes from humanity did not gain honor and respect by becoming comfortable in trying times, but by rising to meet the challenges that they faced. This is not to say that God wants people to be miserable, but that sometimes, it is more important to stand up for righteousness than to feel comfortable in wickedness. Dealing with frightening and uncomfortable truths can help people meet their potential.
3. Nobody is conceited when six-winged Seraphim put hot coals on their mouths. Jesus frequently encountered people who thought they were better than they actually were. Some of them were persuaded to be humble by gentle admonitions to repent, but some required harsher language. Jesus exposed the ignorance of those who tried to outsmart him, the weaknesses of those who pressed him for special guidance, and even to the leader of his chosen Apostles said "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." (Matthew 16:23) A bit more humility is probably the most effective thing that God can help us acquire by presenting himself in ways that are confusing or frightening. At some point, each person should realize that it is OK if they don't understand everything, or have worries, concerns, or troubles. The person who sticks with God allies themselves with someone who does understand everything, and has power to overcome obstacles we do not yet even comprehend.
Ultimately, the idea that God is frightening or confusing disappears from the hearts of those who persist in following his guidance. Consider how Isaiah later declared:
"For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer." (Isaiah 54:7-8)
In the end, God does love us, and wants what is best for us. Do not let anything sway you otherwise.
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
The point of pointless suffering
The story of Job is one of the most confusing stories in the Old Testament. God and Satan seem to make a bet on the faithfulness of a man being dependent upon his circumstances. In this seemingly cruel "experiment," Job was stripped of his possessions, many of his family were killed, and he was afflicted with terrible pain.
Modern Christians seem to be fond of platitudes such as "everything happens for a reason," or "he never said it would be easy, he only said it would be worth it."
These ideas initially seem to fall apart in the situation of Job. He just suffered for no apparent reason. His friends turned against him in accusation to add insult to injury. In the end, his problems all went away and he was blessed, but for what reason were these things done to begin with?
The same questions are frequently asked regarding modern tragedies. When children suffer from diseases beyond their control, or people are afflicted with poverty and hardship through no fault of their own, people wonder why God, who is supposed to love us, would allow these difficulties if he were truly omnipotent.
Toward the end of the story of Job, God asks him a set of rhetorical questions to illustrate the point that Job has relatively no power and but little understanding. In Job 38, the Lord asks the following:
"Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:4-7)
Instead of offering words of comfort and consolation, or reason and explanation, the Lord highlighted Job's ignorance. Why?
People get so involved in their current circumstances that they tend to forget the investment that God made when he forged the earth and sent humanity to live on its surface. He speaks with power because he is conveying the idea that the circumstances of life are not an accident, and there is no person whose birth or existence on this world is based on a whim. These questions allude to a truth that is fundamental to understanding the difficulties of mortality:
"When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"
Combined with the understanding that we have from other prophets, that humans are the offspring of God (Acts 17:26-29), this means that there was a time in which we sang together before the foundations of the world... and that we shouted for joy. Contemporary prophesy teaches the cause of our joy was our Heavenly Father's grand plan of happiness: a course that could lead his children to become "heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." (Romans 8:16-17)
As we were, it would have been impossible for us to inherit the gift of eternal life. We needed to become more... to undergo a physical and spiritual rebirth (John 3:3-5). The challenges of life are specifically designed to alter us, and purge us from the ungodly (Malachi 3:2-3).
The details of how circumstances can help us prepare for the kingdom of God are frequently beyond our immediate comprehension, but a complete understanding is not necessary (1 Corinthians 13:12). What is necessary is having enough faith and desire to do what is right regardless of the circumstances (Hebrews 11:6).
The difficulties that came upon Job were not without purpose. In his extremity, he learned that he could hold to what was right and true even when it was excruciatingly difficult. He trusted that, no matter what, God would make things right in the end:
"Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation" (Job 13:15-16)
Ultimately, the question for each Christian is "will I follow the Lord only when it is convenient?" If faith is conditional, it is not strong enough to bring the changing power of Jesus Christ. As he explained, only those who hear and do that which he taught will have a strong enough foundation to weather the tempests of life (Matthew 7:24-27).
In the end, the purposes of all things will be understood, and those who, like Job, keep faith regardless of circumstances, will be as they were before the foundations of the earth... they will sing together and shout for joy!
Modern Christians seem to be fond of platitudes such as "everything happens for a reason," or "he never said it would be easy, he only said it would be worth it."
These ideas initially seem to fall apart in the situation of Job. He just suffered for no apparent reason. His friends turned against him in accusation to add insult to injury. In the end, his problems all went away and he was blessed, but for what reason were these things done to begin with?
The same questions are frequently asked regarding modern tragedies. When children suffer from diseases beyond their control, or people are afflicted with poverty and hardship through no fault of their own, people wonder why God, who is supposed to love us, would allow these difficulties if he were truly omnipotent.
Toward the end of the story of Job, God asks him a set of rhetorical questions to illustrate the point that Job has relatively no power and but little understanding. In Job 38, the Lord asks the following:
"Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:4-7)
Instead of offering words of comfort and consolation, or reason and explanation, the Lord highlighted Job's ignorance. Why?
People get so involved in their current circumstances that they tend to forget the investment that God made when he forged the earth and sent humanity to live on its surface. He speaks with power because he is conveying the idea that the circumstances of life are not an accident, and there is no person whose birth or existence on this world is based on a whim. These questions allude to a truth that is fundamental to understanding the difficulties of mortality:
"When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"
Combined with the understanding that we have from other prophets, that humans are the offspring of God (Acts 17:26-29), this means that there was a time in which we sang together before the foundations of the world... and that we shouted for joy. Contemporary prophesy teaches the cause of our joy was our Heavenly Father's grand plan of happiness: a course that could lead his children to become "heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." (Romans 8:16-17)
As we were, it would have been impossible for us to inherit the gift of eternal life. We needed to become more... to undergo a physical and spiritual rebirth (John 3:3-5). The challenges of life are specifically designed to alter us, and purge us from the ungodly (Malachi 3:2-3).
The details of how circumstances can help us prepare for the kingdom of God are frequently beyond our immediate comprehension, but a complete understanding is not necessary (1 Corinthians 13:12). What is necessary is having enough faith and desire to do what is right regardless of the circumstances (Hebrews 11:6).
The difficulties that came upon Job were not without purpose. In his extremity, he learned that he could hold to what was right and true even when it was excruciatingly difficult. He trusted that, no matter what, God would make things right in the end:
"Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation" (Job 13:15-16)
Ultimately, the question for each Christian is "will I follow the Lord only when it is convenient?" If faith is conditional, it is not strong enough to bring the changing power of Jesus Christ. As he explained, only those who hear and do that which he taught will have a strong enough foundation to weather the tempests of life (Matthew 7:24-27).
In the end, the purposes of all things will be understood, and those who, like Job, keep faith regardless of circumstances, will be as they were before the foundations of the earth... they will sing together and shout for joy!
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
The Prophet said something I don't like... now what?
God has used prophets in nearly all his dealings with mankind. From Moses to John the Baptist, and from the Apostle Peter to the Apostle Paul, God has spoken words of counsel, comfort, and correction through his chosen servants.
Sometimes these messages are received, but frequently, these words are rejected. Prophets are asked to speak unpopular things. Who wants to hear that they are bad and in need of repentance, especially when there are those who will quote a couple scriptures and tell you about how much you deserve good things? Samuel, a Lamanite prophet, observed this tendency:
"Behold ye are worse than they; for as the Lord liveth, if a prophet come among you and declareth unto you the word of the Lord, which testifieth of your sins and iniquities, ye are angry with him, and cast him out and seek all manner of ways to destroy him; yea, you will say that he is a false prophet, and that he is a sinner, and of the devil, because he testifieth that your deeds are evil. But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say: Do this, and there is no iniquity; do that and ye shall not suffer; yea, he will say: Walk after the pride of your own hearts; yea, walk after the pride of your eyes, and do whatsoever your heart desireth—and if a man shall come among you and say this, ye will receive him, and say that he is a prophet. Yea, ye will lift him up, and ye will give unto him of your substance; ye will give unto him of your gold, and of your silver, and ye will clothe him with costly apparel; and because he speaketh flattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him." (Helaman 13:26-28)
In modern times, people have found fault with any number of policies. Prophets who have advocated for defending marriage between a man and a woman (The Family: A Proclamation to the World), or who have warned of the perils of socialism (Ezra Taft Benson), or who have counseled against civil disobedience (Kentucky County Clerk issue).
Of course, prophets are not infallible... they are men, and all men except Jesus Christ have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Jonah was swallowed by a whale, Moses was reprimanded for handling situations with his family and with Israel, the brother of Jared was chastised for hours because of the infrequency of his prayer, and Isaiah confessed that he was a man of unclean lips.
That having been said, when a prophet speaks as instructed by God, it is intended that their counsel be received and accepted. Jesus himself taught:
"He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward." (Matthew 10:41)
While there are false prophets, God tends to be a bit more careful about what his actual prophets are permitted to say. Consider this lesser known story from the book of Kings:
"And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Beth-el: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. And he cried against the altar in the word of the Lord, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee. And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the Lord hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out. And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Beth-el, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him. The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord." (1 Kings 13:1-5)
At first, this story is fairly straightforward. Jeroboam the son of Nebat had forsaken the worship of the Lord for political reasons, and a prophet of Judah spoke the words that God had given him. He had been commanded not to eat or drink, and to travel in a particular way, and because he had done exactly as he had been commanded, the power of God was made manifest.
Recognizing the power of the Lord, Jeroboam asked that the prophet pray for his hand. When he had, Jeroboam's hand was restored. Unfortunately, Jeroboam's belief stopped when he had what he thought he needed. The prophet of Judah began his journey back, and here is where the story takes an unexpected turn:
"Now there dwelt an old prophet in Beth-el; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Beth-el: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father...
"And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am. Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: For it was said to me by the word of the Lord, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.
"He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.
"And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back: And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord, and hast not kept the commandment which the Lord thy God commanded thee, But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the Lord did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.
"And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back. And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase." (1 Kings 13:11-24)
Because God expects his children to follow his prophets, he carefully ensures that they represent him properly. As Wilford Woodruff taught, "The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of this Church to lead you astray. It is not in the programme. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that, the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so He will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from the oracles of God and from their duty." This means you don't have to worry that the Prophet is leading you down the wrong path.
So if the Prophet of the Lord has said something that makes you feel uncomfortable, or suggested an idea that is not in harmony with your political or social beliefs, or has advocated for anything else that you don't like... it's a good bet that following the prophet is the best way to feel better about it.
God did not send you to earth only to hear pleasant things, or have a leisurely life, but to help you reach your ultimate potential. The path of Christ was never meant to be easy, why should the words of his prophets always be easy to hear? He himself said: "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me." (Matthew 10:38)
Those who have heeded the counsel of Christ's prophets and apostles, whether they liked it or not, will be those who are prepared for his return.
Sunday, March 27, 2016
What if the worst should happen?
One of the most interesting mechanisms in great stories is when the protagonist(s) define the worst possible situation, and then, in spite of their best efforts to evade this situation, it happens.
Han Solo went to tremendous lengths to evade capture by Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back. After a lengthy pursuit with great obstacles, they mask their escape by floating away with the garbage of a Star Destroyer, and then make their way to Cloud City. The worst case scenario is clearly shown to be getting caught by Darth Vader. Then, the worst happens: it is revealed that Vader was there the whole time, and that they are completely powerless against him... even to the point that Han Solo is frozen and hauled away by a bounty hunter. Luke's efforts to save his friends fail, and the resolution of the story is ultimately left to the subsequent film, Return of the Jedi.
Some films portray this idea multiple times. Consider the risk that is taken by Indiana Jones to go back to Berlin and obtain the rest of his father's grail diary. Knowing the risk, Jones disguises himself as a German officer and obtains the diary from Doctor Elsa Schneider. Then, the worst imaginable thing occurs: he bumps into Adolf Hitler himself, who notices the diary clutched in Jones's hand. The dictator takes the book, and then, to the surprise of Jones (and the audience) he signs his name and returns it to him.
There are many other instances of this idea in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, but one that is particularly outstanding is when the perils of the trials that protect the grail are demonstrated. After witnessing a terrifying beheading, Jones, his father, Marcus Brody, and Sallah are discovered and captured by the Nazis. If it were not bad enough to know that Indiana would likely be forced to go through these dangerous trials, the Nazis make the situation even more desperate by putting a time limit on the task: they shoot Indiana's father in the gut. The worst possible situation is resolved in dramatic fashion as the divine power of the grail heals Henry's grievous injury.
The examples of this idea are not limited to action or adventure films. They are found in books, TV shows, manga, and numerous other types of media. More than its entertainment value, perhaps it is important for its thematic message... what if the worst should happen? Many worry about the future, and many are justified in their anxiety.
The reality of anxiety about the future is perhaps what makes actual events that describe these situations even more compelling. There is no situation that better exemplifies this idea than that of the Apostles at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
They believed that Jesus was not just a great prophet, and not just a worker of miracles... but that he was the literal Son of God... the promised Messiah. (Matthew 16:16) It was not a new thing for Jesus to be in danger... he had been threatened many times, but he always seemed to have power to escape. (Luke 4:29-30, John 10:39)
The question, what if the worst should happen? was something for which Peter seemed prepared. Even after Jesus prophesied that he would deny him, he protested: "Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples." (Matthew 26:35)
In the end, the machinations of the chief priests and scribes seemed to work. They had bought Judas Iscariot for thirty pieces of silver to prevent him from escaping again, and had a large number of men with swords and staves to take him from Gethsemane. Peter tried to keep to his word, and struck out at one of them, but Jesus forbade him, and even healed the ear of Malchus, the man who had been wounded. (Luke 22:51)
At the command of the Son of God, his disciples fled. There was no blending in with a crowd and escaping. He was taken before the Sanhedrin, and condemned by his enemies. They brought him to Pontius Pilate, but in spite of his desire to free Jesus, he gave in to the bloodthirsty mob who demanded his crucifixion.
Some of his disciples were there as they lifted him up on the cross. Perhaps there was still a bit of hope left as they watched.. after all... he was the Son of God. Perhaps they offered prayers and begged God to preserve his son... Perhaps they begged him not to let the worst happen... but it did.
How it must have broken their spirits to hear their Messiah cry out "My God, My God, why has thou forsaken me?" It must have been clear to his mother when he asked John to look after her, that the worst was about to happen. Finally, he cried with a loud voice, and died.
I can only imagine the pain and doubt that must have come to the disciples. Their champion had been taken, their master had been defeated, their King had been betrayed, their Messiah had been slain. The worst had happened.
What do you do when the basis of your faith is gone? What should you think when everything for which you have dedicated your life is taken away? As inspiring as Jesus had been, all that was left of him was in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Though he had raised Lazarus from the dead, there was no one left to raise him.
Of course, the story did not end there. The women came to his tomb to honor him and anoint his body, but they found instead two angels. They stated, as though they should have known better, "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen..." (Luke 24:5-6)
Peter and John rushed to the tomb, and found that it was empty, but they did not yet understand.
At last, their slain master appeared to them, alive and well. He had a physical body; he was not just a spiritual manifestation. (Luke 24:39-43) While he had died, not even death was enough to defeat the Son of God. His enemies had mocked him, saying that he could not save himself... but he did save himself.
Nothing was ever the same after. There is much that could be said about the resurrection, and the power of Christ to deliver. The bold faith and leadership of the Apostles was completely renewed, and the world was changed as the teachings of Christ were spread throughout the world. But perhaps one of the most important elements of the story is the answer to the question what if the worst should happen? The answer is that nothing is beyond his power. Nothing is too hard for him to make right.
If the worst should happen,
Christ will heal every wound,
Christ will mend every broken heart,
Christ will purge every wrong,
Christ will revoke even death...
He will save us all.
Han Solo went to tremendous lengths to evade capture by Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back. After a lengthy pursuit with great obstacles, they mask their escape by floating away with the garbage of a Star Destroyer, and then make their way to Cloud City. The worst case scenario is clearly shown to be getting caught by Darth Vader. Then, the worst happens: it is revealed that Vader was there the whole time, and that they are completely powerless against him... even to the point that Han Solo is frozen and hauled away by a bounty hunter. Luke's efforts to save his friends fail, and the resolution of the story is ultimately left to the subsequent film, Return of the Jedi.
Some films portray this idea multiple times. Consider the risk that is taken by Indiana Jones to go back to Berlin and obtain the rest of his father's grail diary. Knowing the risk, Jones disguises himself as a German officer and obtains the diary from Doctor Elsa Schneider. Then, the worst imaginable thing occurs: he bumps into Adolf Hitler himself, who notices the diary clutched in Jones's hand. The dictator takes the book, and then, to the surprise of Jones (and the audience) he signs his name and returns it to him.
There are many other instances of this idea in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, but one that is particularly outstanding is when the perils of the trials that protect the grail are demonstrated. After witnessing a terrifying beheading, Jones, his father, Marcus Brody, and Sallah are discovered and captured by the Nazis. If it were not bad enough to know that Indiana would likely be forced to go through these dangerous trials, the Nazis make the situation even more desperate by putting a time limit on the task: they shoot Indiana's father in the gut. The worst possible situation is resolved in dramatic fashion as the divine power of the grail heals Henry's grievous injury.
The examples of this idea are not limited to action or adventure films. They are found in books, TV shows, manga, and numerous other types of media. More than its entertainment value, perhaps it is important for its thematic message... what if the worst should happen? Many worry about the future, and many are justified in their anxiety.
The reality of anxiety about the future is perhaps what makes actual events that describe these situations even more compelling. There is no situation that better exemplifies this idea than that of the Apostles at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
They believed that Jesus was not just a great prophet, and not just a worker of miracles... but that he was the literal Son of God... the promised Messiah. (Matthew 16:16) It was not a new thing for Jesus to be in danger... he had been threatened many times, but he always seemed to have power to escape. (Luke 4:29-30, John 10:39)
The question, what if the worst should happen? was something for which Peter seemed prepared. Even after Jesus prophesied that he would deny him, he protested: "Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples." (Matthew 26:35)
In the end, the machinations of the chief priests and scribes seemed to work. They had bought Judas Iscariot for thirty pieces of silver to prevent him from escaping again, and had a large number of men with swords and staves to take him from Gethsemane. Peter tried to keep to his word, and struck out at one of them, but Jesus forbade him, and even healed the ear of Malchus, the man who had been wounded. (Luke 22:51)
At the command of the Son of God, his disciples fled. There was no blending in with a crowd and escaping. He was taken before the Sanhedrin, and condemned by his enemies. They brought him to Pontius Pilate, but in spite of his desire to free Jesus, he gave in to the bloodthirsty mob who demanded his crucifixion.
Some of his disciples were there as they lifted him up on the cross. Perhaps there was still a bit of hope left as they watched.. after all... he was the Son of God. Perhaps they offered prayers and begged God to preserve his son... Perhaps they begged him not to let the worst happen... but it did.
How it must have broken their spirits to hear their Messiah cry out "My God, My God, why has thou forsaken me?" It must have been clear to his mother when he asked John to look after her, that the worst was about to happen. Finally, he cried with a loud voice, and died.
I can only imagine the pain and doubt that must have come to the disciples. Their champion had been taken, their master had been defeated, their King had been betrayed, their Messiah had been slain. The worst had happened.
What do you do when the basis of your faith is gone? What should you think when everything for which you have dedicated your life is taken away? As inspiring as Jesus had been, all that was left of him was in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Though he had raised Lazarus from the dead, there was no one left to raise him.
Of course, the story did not end there. The women came to his tomb to honor him and anoint his body, but they found instead two angels. They stated, as though they should have known better, "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen..." (Luke 24:5-6)
Peter and John rushed to the tomb, and found that it was empty, but they did not yet understand.
At last, their slain master appeared to them, alive and well. He had a physical body; he was not just a spiritual manifestation. (Luke 24:39-43) While he had died, not even death was enough to defeat the Son of God. His enemies had mocked him, saying that he could not save himself... but he did save himself.
Nothing was ever the same after. There is much that could be said about the resurrection, and the power of Christ to deliver. The bold faith and leadership of the Apostles was completely renewed, and the world was changed as the teachings of Christ were spread throughout the world. But perhaps one of the most important elements of the story is the answer to the question what if the worst should happen? The answer is that nothing is beyond his power. Nothing is too hard for him to make right.
If the worst should happen,
Christ will heal every wound,
Christ will mend every broken heart,
Christ will purge every wrong,
Christ will revoke even death...
He will save us all.
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Courage and Common Sense
One of the most famous stories of courage is when young David, son of Jesse, stood against the titanic Goliath of Gath. David had no armor, and no large weapons, and his very appearance was taken by the giant as an insult.
"And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field." (1 Samuel 17:42-44)
David had confidence that the strength and experience of this massive man of war was no match for the power of the Lord... and he did not cower away at the giant's threats:
"Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands." (1 Samuel 17:45-47)
The scriptures indicate that David then ran toward the giant. Using his sling, he knocked Goliath down, and then finished the job with the Philistine's own sword.
Perhaps one of the reasons this story is so popular is because it shows that there is no problem too big for the Lord to solve. The righteous have no need to fear, because God will protect them, and even if he doesn't, he will make things right in the end. Confederate General Stonewall Jackson said:
"Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me....That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave."
A story that is far less famous from the life of David came later, as he fled from the wrath of jealous King Saul:
"And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me? Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?" (1 Samuel 21:10-15)
Instead of boldly announcing that the Lord would overcome the Philistines in Gath, he pretended insanity to be ignored by them. Where was the courage of his youth?
Of course, here was a situation in which common sense was required. With no safe refuge in his home, he needed to be able to go unnoticed in the land of the Philistines.
Perhaps the contrasting circumstances led the preacher to conclude this:
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace." (Ecclesiastes 3 1-8)
Being able to know what God wants by hearing his voice (Matthew 16:17) or by recognizing his servants (Matthew 10:41) is critical in knowing what is right. When the will of God is being discovered, God expects his children to use common sense (1 Kings 19:11). When a man learns what God would have him do, let that man's heart be filled with confidence and courage (1 Nephi 3:7).
"And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field." (1 Samuel 17:42-44)
David had confidence that the strength and experience of this massive man of war was no match for the power of the Lord... and he did not cower away at the giant's threats:
"Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands." (1 Samuel 17:45-47)
The scriptures indicate that David then ran toward the giant. Using his sling, he knocked Goliath down, and then finished the job with the Philistine's own sword.
Perhaps one of the reasons this story is so popular is because it shows that there is no problem too big for the Lord to solve. The righteous have no need to fear, because God will protect them, and even if he doesn't, he will make things right in the end. Confederate General Stonewall Jackson said:
"Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me....That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave."
A story that is far less famous from the life of David came later, as he fled from the wrath of jealous King Saul:
"And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me? Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?" (1 Samuel 21:10-15)
Instead of boldly announcing that the Lord would overcome the Philistines in Gath, he pretended insanity to be ignored by them. Where was the courage of his youth?
Of course, here was a situation in which common sense was required. With no safe refuge in his home, he needed to be able to go unnoticed in the land of the Philistines.
Perhaps the contrasting circumstances led the preacher to conclude this:
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace." (Ecclesiastes 3 1-8)
Being able to know what God wants by hearing his voice (Matthew 16:17) or by recognizing his servants (Matthew 10:41) is critical in knowing what is right. When the will of God is being discovered, God expects his children to use common sense (1 Kings 19:11). When a man learns what God would have him do, let that man's heart be filled with confidence and courage (1 Nephi 3:7).
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