It's OK to Feel Ashamed

 One of the things I have always found fascinating is when different people see the exact same thing and come away with very different conclusions.

Imagine two people looking at a modern art piece in a museum.  One of them might say "I wish I could tell the artist that he is a master, and that this raw expression is moving and beautiful."  Another might say "I wish I could tell the artist gesundheit because it looks like he sneezed on his canvas.  I wish I could get people to pay thousands for my used tissues..."

Picture a mother and a toddler together when for the 4271st consecutive time, the tablet that the toddler is holding begins to play "...baby shark doo doo doo doo doo..."  Even though it's the exact same thing, the toddler's face is filled with glee as they listen to the catchy tune.  The mother thinks "I've heard more pleasing sounds coming out of the bathroom stall at the Taco Bell."

One more example: when I see a package of ramen noodles, I think to myself "There's a tasty and inexpensive meal option appropriate for breakfast, lunch, or dinner."  My wife, seeing the very same package, thinks "That's the reason my husband is going to die of malnutrition."

It's even possible for the same person to look at the same thing at different times, and come to different conclusions, or have different insights.  This makes studying the scriptures advantageous, or attending the temple, or receiving the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

One case in which this is true for me is in a parable in Matthew 22:

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:2-14)

 As a youth, I understood some of the details of this parable.  The King represents the Lord.  The servants are his prophets.  Those who were initially "bidden" were the house of Israel.

The confusion came in the final example.  A man, who was called to come, was not wearing a wedding garment.  The loving and forgiving Jesus Christ with which I was familiar, to my surprise, advocated not only making this man FEEL ASHAMED for (something as seemingly insignificants as) his apparel, but had him bound hand and foot, and cast into outer darkness.  I did not expect this, nor did I understand what it meant.

After additional study, I began to see the same parable in a new way.

First, the King remains the same throughout the parable - he is opposed, but not deposed.  It's really not about the King.

Second, the message of the servants is basically the same throughout the parable - prepare and come to the wedding.  Though there were differences in audience, or some of the details given with the invitation (looks like meat's back on the menu boys) these differences were insignificant.  The parable is not really about the servants so much.

The main differences in these examples is how the message of the servants was received.  These people essentially all received the same message, but they perceived it very differently.  THIS IS THE POINT OF THE PARABLE.

Why was it received differently?  These people were under different influences.  I would like to compare the influencers in this parable to the three great heretics of the Book of Mormon.

The first heretic is Sherem, who lived in the days of Jacob, the brother of Nephi.  This type of influencer is what Jesus referred to as a false prophet that "[comes] to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

This type of influencer is very quick to advertise their sheep's clothing.

Sherem said "Brother Jacob, I have sought much opportunity that I might speak unto you... ye have led away much of this people that they pervert the right way of God, and keep not the law of Moses which is the right way..." (Jacob 7:6-7)

Notice the Brother and the concern for the right way of God and the appeal to the scriptures...

In modern times, these false prophets are also quick to tout their sheep's clothing and convince others that they are "good members of the church."  They will enumerate callings they have had in councils and presidencies.  They will tell you that they were a DL, a ZL, or an AP on their mission.  They will tell you that they attend the temple, and hold a current recommend.  They do these to convince those they influence that THEY ARE GOOD PEOPLE, or that THEY ARE ONE OF YOU... a "brother."

Once they have brandished their sheep's clothing, they always have the same goal - making light of the words and invitations of the servants of the King.

This can be in the form of "I'm a good person and I still ___(fill in the blank with something the prophets have explicitly condemned)____" or "We don't need to be ashamed if we have to prioritize one going to his farm, or another to his merchandise."  They make light of the invitation - which directly corresponds to the first group in the parable.

The thing is, it's actually OK to feel ashamed and embarrassed if you have not properly prioritized the message of the prophets.  In fact, the sooner, the better.

Recall how the prophet Jonah felt ashamed that he had not followed the invitation of the Lord... but only after being caught in a storm in the Mediterranean Sea, jeopardizing the lives of those who were with him.  And then, Jonah had nothing but shame and remorse when he was in the belly of the whale.  Fortunately, his shame helped him become humble enough to accept the invitation of the Lord.  And the people of Nineveh were spared because they quickly felt shame for offending the Lord.  They sat in sack cloth and ashes, and received mercy for properly prioritizing the message of the servant.

The next heretic is not chronologically second, but he fits the parable in this place better.  It's Korihor, who contended against Alma the Younger.

Korihor absolutely misrepresented himself, but not with the use of sheep's clothing.  He did not try to convince members of the church that he was "one of them."  He instead tried to convince them that being a sheep was altogether bad.

Korihor's goal was to pit the people against the servants by misrepresenting them.  He fashioned himself as someone who cared about the "abuses" of the servants of the King:

"And thus ye lead away this people after the foolish traditions of your fathers, and according to your own desires; and ye keep them down, even as it were in bondage, that ye may glut yourselves with the labors of their hands, that they durst not look up with boldness, and that they durst not enjoy their rights and privileges.

Yea, they durst not make use of that which is their own lest they should offend their priests, who do yoke them according to their desires, and have brought them to believe, by their traditions and their dreams and their whims and their visions and their pretended mysteries, that they should, if they did not do according to their words, offend some unknown being, who they say is God—a being who never has been seen or known, who never was nor ever will be." (Alma 30:27-28)

People intuitively understand that it is acceptable to fight in defense - to defeat the bad guys.  This is true of Captain America smashing Thanos, Batman punching the Joker, or a person defending their home against an intruding robber.  The idea that Korihor pushes is that the servants of the King bear a harmful message.  He misrepresents them as the bad guys, and convinces others to entreat these servants spitefully... just as the remnant in the parable.

Of course, his own motivations were to break the law of chastity. (Alma 30:18)  It is just as Jesus taught... a wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign.

There are individuals today who raise similar concerns about the messages of the servants of the King - apostates who persuade people that they are in a "cult" if they accept a God that makes them feel ashamed at all.

The truth is, it's OK to feel ashamed if you have fallen under the influence of these apostates.  It's OK to be embarrassed, and to make a change.

Consider the example of Parley P. Pratt, one of the great missionaries in this dispensation.  He became upset with the prophet Joseph Smith over some of the financial difficulties in Kirtland.  He wrote a letter condemning the prophet, thinking that he was in the right.  Eventually, instead of focusing on the faults of the servants, he broke free of this influence by looking inward:

"Parley thought it over. When he had written his letter to Joseph, he had told himself that the letter was for the prophet’s own good. But Parley knew he was fooling himself. He had not called Joseph to repentance in a spirit of meekness. Rather, he had lashed out at him, seeking retribution.

Parley also realized that his feeling of betrayal had blinded him to Joseph’s own hardships. Speaking out against the prophet and accusing him of selfishness and greed had been wrong.

Ashamed, Parley decided to return to Kirtland with Thomas and the other apostles. Once they arrived, he went to the prophet’s house. Joseph was still recovering from his illness, but he was getting stronger. Parley wept when he saw him and apologized for everything he had said and done to hurt him. Joseph forgave him, prayed for him, and blessed him." (Saints V1, Ch 24, p 284)

Feeling ashamed of his own faults was a transformative moment for Parley.  He went on to become one of the greatest apostles of this dispensation.

The final heretic corresponds to the last man in the parable of Jesus, who came to the marriage without a wedding garment.  This man was named Nehor.  He believed in a truly insidious falsehood - insidious because it is based on a large amount of truth.

The truths in Nehor's doctrine include the following:

• God loves you, and wants you to be with him
• God made you, and you are his child
• God is merciful

Of course, these truths resonate with people - particularly people who have felt the sweet peace that comes from forgiveness of sins.

The problem is the conclusion that is drawn from these truths - THERE IS NO SIN - GOD WANTS YOU TO COME AS YOU ARE.

The problem with this idea is that it denies the three great pillars of our faith:

1. The Creation
1. If we were enough as we were, already living in the presence of God, there would have been absolutely no reason for a creation, or any kind of investment from God in a mortal experience.  The creation only has meaning if we needed to become more than we were.
2. The Fall
1. Tendencies of people to be cruel, carnal, sensual, and devilish at times are present in every society that does or ever has existed.  But if God "made us that way" then he would have never had cause to have the children of men live outside of the presence of God.
3. The Atonement
1. If sin is not really a problem, then God could just look the other way, or give teaching.  He would certainly not have sent His Son to suffer an unimaginable price in order to redeem humanity.

Of course the man in the parable of Jesus was called but he was not chosen.  The Doctrine and Covenants gives further clarification on why this is:

"Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?

Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson—

That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness." (D&C 121:34-36, emphasis added)

The man at the parable remained speechless because he did not think he should have to feel ashamed.  Like Nehor, who boldly defended himself after attacking and murdering aged Gideon, he thought he had done no wrong because he had been called.

The truth is that it is absolutely appropriate to feel ashamed and embarrassed when we do not receive the words of the servants of the Lord, or when we do not heed their messages.  In fact, Jesus expects, and even asks us to feel shame... it was he who taught the Nephites to sacrifice "a broken heart and a contrite spirit." (3 Nephi 9:20)

The offering of a little shame can help us achieve humility, which can be transformative.  How can we expect to change into who we are meant to be, if we do not realize that we have need to improve?  How can we fulfill our potential without feeling some degree of the things in our lives that need to be changed?

A little shame transformed Saul of Tarsus into the apostle Paul, and the rebellious Alma and the sons of King Mosiah into some of the greatest missionaries in the Book of Mormon.

Jesus gave his parable out of love.  He is warning you to examine yourself for influences that might interfere with how you perceive him and the calling that comes from his servants.

Jesus never said "come as you are..."

Jesus said "COME FOLLOW ME."

You have more than five senses: don't let Aristotle limit your perception!

Greek philosopher Aristotle is widely credited with being the first to define the five senses by which humanity perceives the world.  The concept that the acquisition of knowledge is limited to sight, sound, odor, flavor, and touch is taught even today.  This concept appears at first to be logical as each of these senses seem to correspond well to an obvious sensory organ: eyes provide vision, ears provides hearing, noses reveal odors, tongues detect flavors, and skin detects the many varieties of touch.

Unfortunately, this list is far from complete.  Consider the sense of balance that most people possess.  Tiny canals in the inner ear help us determine whether we are upright or upside down.  These same canals also help provide humans with the ability to detect acceleration.

Additionally, pain is not only limited to things that touch our skin.  Certainly anyone who has experienced a headache, stomachache, or other internal ache realizes that their body is capable of slowing them down dramatically when it detects some problem.

Consider the ability of humans to know when their bodies require more food or water through hunger or thirst.  Anyone who has indulged at a buffet may also recognize the sensation of being full, particularly when they may have over-indulged.  We also are able to detect when our bodies are reaching their use limits through the sense of fatigue.  Additionally, expecting mothers are perhaps most familiar with food cravings that can help them obtain vitamins, minerals, and chemicals that they need.

Though no specific organ is associated with it, humans have the ability to determine the passage of time.  Though it may seem longer when waiting for water to boil or during an uninteresting meeting, even closed away from the light of the sun, people can have a general sense of time passing.

Current scientific understanding will likely discover additional ways that human bodies are able to perceive information about their surroundings and circumstances.  One sense that may not be detected so easily is the ability of humans to detect spiritual truth.

The sense that something is spiritually true is dismissed by some because there are diverse views on what is spiritually true.  Also, falsehoods have in some cases been peddled as truth using appeals to this sense.  That having been said, its use is well documented.

Consider the following conversation between Christ and his Apostles:

"He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:15-18)

Certainly Peter had seen miracles and evidences that contributed to his belief that Jesus was the Son of God, but Christ did not point to the use of his sight and observation as the source of his acquired knowledge.  He clearly stated that "flesh and blood" had not been the cause of his revelation, but his Father in heaven.  He further declared that the ability to obtain truth from our Father in heaven, or sense spiritual truth was the rock upon which his church would be built.

Consider the following from the disciples of Christ on the road to Emmaus:

" ¶And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 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 24:13-32)

The method by which these disciples recognized the identity of the man with whom they walked as the risen Lord was not sight, even though they saw him.  They had sensed spiritual truth as he spoke, and noted this with one another as they described how their "heart[s] burn[ed] within" them. 

The Apostle John declared at the beginning of his gospel how Christ was "the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." (John 1:9)

Additionally, Christ himself taught "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." (John 10:14)  Of course, the only way that he could be "known" by others is if they had some mechanism for recognizing who he was, just as Peter did.

Just as any other sense, there are limitations on our ability to discern spiritual truth.  Optical illusions trick our sense of sight into seeing something that may not be.  Spiritual illusions can fool people into trusting incorrect sources, or withholding trust from accurate sources.  The children of Israel famously decided it was in their best interest to create a golden calf while Moses communed with God on Sinai. (Exodus 32)  True prophets such as Jeremiah, Isaiah, and John the Baptist were killed by people who should have had spiritual sense to recognize them for who they truly were.

It is also important to note that like other senses, spiritual perception can be dulled.  A person that first encounters the odor of rotting flesh will be repulsed immediately, but if they spend long enough around it, the odor becomes far easier to tolerate to the point that it may not be noticeable.  The same thing is true of moral questions.  King David went from seeing a woman bathing to arranging the death of her husband to cover his sins over a period of time.  Additionally, senses that are not properly used, or are abused, will not be as missed when they are gone.  People who as youth listened to loud music too often may not be able to distinguish sounds when they are older.  People who intentionally ignore their spiritual senses are most likely to conclude later that they never had any to begin with.

There are those who might say that because spiritual sensitivity can lead people to different conclusions, it cannot be trusted.  Of course, if that is true, then the same should be true of all other senses, which also tend to lead people to different conclusions.  What inspires one observer of modern art to call a piece "moving" and "skillful" while another observer calls it "a heap of crap" and "something my kid could do blindfolded"?  What is it that inspires one listener to enjoy the rhythm of a song, and another to complain of its "repetitive noise"?  What causes one person to relish the flavor of a sushi roll, and another to spit it out in disgust?  What causes the masochist to enjoy pain while others perceive it so negatively?

Ultimately, everyone embraces an incorrect view or perspective from time to time.  The point of life is not to shut off your perception... A person is wiser when using all their senses to perceive the world around them.  It is also wise to question the motivation of individuals that would have others disregard or avoid perceptions of any particular sense or group of senses.

If you are new to exercising spiritual senses, or if you have not used them in some time, do not let discouragement prevent you from persisting.  Prayer and scripture study have aided people in developing their spiritual senses for thousands of years.  Humility, diligence, faith, and penitence are as vital to recognizing spiritual truths as opening the eyelids or unstopping the ears are to improving vision and hearing.

In the end, whatever conflicts or discrepancies may arise with various perceptions will be overcome, and we will all understand the truth.  "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." (1 Corinthians 13:12)  Ultimately, we will all know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that his gospel offers solutions to every problem humanity faces.  The sooner we use our perceptions to see him, the sooner his power will help to save us all.

Keep hands, feet, and personal experiences to yourself!

While many people fear public speaking, there is one huge advantage over a more interactive teaching approach: the public speaker controls every word.  A person giving a talk or a speech never has to worry about someone raising their hand in the congregation and interjecting unpredictable content.

In Mormon worship services, the first hour is devoted to the observance of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and to the presentation of public speakers on various religious subjects.  The subsequent hours feature a more interactive style of instruction where teachers present material, and frequently invite class members to answer questions or offer comments and insight to complement the main subjects.  While this method can provide value to what might otherwise be a monotonous lecture, there is a risk in audience participation.

There are various offenses that occur when class members contribute:

1. The stupid question - There are some who believe there is no such thing as a stupid question.  They are wrong.  The off topic question may only be a distraction, but it can be much worse.  An instructor teaching about faith is not likely to be able to assist a class member decipher the mysteries of facsimile number 2.

2. Deep doctrine diving - Maybe Adam and Eve had belly buttons.  Maybe women will have hairy legs in heaven.  Maybe the class member that brings up subjects like these should have kept their mouth shut.

3. Redundant, repetitious statements that have already been said - Faith is important, but everyone understood that the first time it was mentioned.  It is OK to say 'never mind' if you had your hand raised and someone else gave your answer.

4. The Filibuster - It is not always easy to be concise, but the class member that takes ten minutes to get to a point can probably shorten their comment.  There may be on the rare occasion a person that is able to present a complicated and well-thought out point that takes some time to explain properly... but when class members are actively comparing their Angry Birds scores on their phones, take a hint and wrap it up.

5. What the? I Don't Even - Albuquerque; snorkel; lasers; tofu; steam rollers; concrete; purple; Sherlock Holmes.  See?  I can do it too!

As bad as all of these things are, perhaps the most annoying crime against humanity that occurs in the classroom is:

6. The personal experience - Perhaps somewhere in the personal experience, there may be a nugget of worth.  Finding it can be similar to finding the good chunk of meat in a slab that is crawling with maggots.  They are always filled with completely unnecessary details.  Here is an example of a hypothetical personal experience that represents the typical (perhaps slightly exaggerated) recitation with commentary in parenthesis:

So I actually have an experience with sharing the gospel.  (Please be short, please be short)
There's this guy I met who is actually from Minnesota...  (Hold the phone!!!  Minnesota!?!  I'm sure that is pertinent to sharing the gospel.)
...and he came here to go to school... (Perhaps you could also tell us about his application process.  What were his SAT scores?  How does the cost of tuition and living compare to those found in Minnesota?)
...and he's actually going to the University of Utah... (Yes, but where does he park his car?  I'm not sure I have enough details here.)
He's majoring in liberal arts... (Because major affects his eligibility for salvation apparently...)
...and he's really athletic, you know kind of a jock type?  Ha ha ha ha!  (I'm sorry, was that supposed to be funny?)
So I started talking to him about two weeks ago.  Well actually it was more like two and a half weeks.  Well, two weeks and three days... (I'm not sure I can appreciate this personal experience unless you tell me what time it was.)
Yeah, we work at the same place doing sales.  So he's really outgoing like me!  (Is he really outgoing?  We don't really know unless you give us his the results of his personality test, his horoscope, and the last three messages he had in his fortune cookies...)
So anyways, he saw me being all righteous, you know... not drinking Dr. Pepper... and he was like, "I want to be like you man, you're always so happy!"  (Yeah... who wouldn't want to be like you?)
So I didn't really think about it for a while, but a few days later I was eating lunch and I ran into him.  I was like "Hey what's up?"  Then we started talking about the weather and his school...  (I wonder if there's something more enlightening on Facebook.  Good thing I have a smart phone!)
And we were talking about how hard it is to go to school and work, and I told him about one way I deal with stress...  you know... drinking Coke and listening to Godsmack or actually hip hop, which is my favorite...  (That is a great tweet!  I'm glad I follow Adam Baldwin on Twitter...)
But the other thing I do to deal with stress is to read the Ensign magazine... because the prophets give me comfort and peace.  I don't mean they make me fall asleep though... Ha ha ha ha ha!! (Unlike your personal experience... I really wish I had a pillow...)
And anyway, it was a good talk, and I felt like I was being a good example to him, and I followed the promptings I received.  (Please be wrapping up, please be wrapping up)
So I haven't talked to him since, so I don't know what he thought about it.  So anyway, I'm still trying to do missionary work by my example... (So the story has almost no point?  Well at least he's done now...)
And so that's an important lesson I learned.  I learned that even in Utah County there are still people that need to learn about the Savior.  I learned that we can be examples everywhere we go.  I learned that... (Are you seriously still going on!?!?!  Unbelievable!!!)
...you've got to have that faith and that example.  You've got to have that spirit of missionary work.  You can't be afraid to open your mouth... (I really wish you would shut your mouth.)
You can make a difference, because you never know when you'll meet someone from Minnesota who needs to hear the gospel.  (As opposed to people from other states who I guess are OK?)
So anyway, I'll keep working with him, and who knows?  Ha ha ha ha! (.............)

All hyperboles aside, it may actually be possible to share a personal experience in a manner that is concise, appropriate, and positive.  This takes a degree of skill that few have achieved.  For the vast majority of class members, the following tips can help prevent you from ruining a lesson:

1. Be concise - Unless you have an accent or otherwise entertaining voice, most people probably do not want to hear the sound of you talking.

2. Stay on topic - Details that you think are important such as schools, occupations, hobbies, carpet colors... they aren't actually important.  Reinforcing universal general principals closely associated with the lesson topic should be the goal of all participants.

3. Think before you speak - In class, look to your left and right.  Realize that there are people there.  Would they be enlightened, uplifted, or edified by what you're thinking of saying?  Does your comment or question provoke thought, provide clarity, or enhance context?  Consider keeping your hand down and your mouth shut if in doubt. (Proverbs 17:28)

God's Investment

Many people are familiar with the story of Elisha when he and his servant found themselves surrounded by the Syrian army.  His servant feared that they would be killed, but Elisha seemed confident.  The man of God offered a famous and profound statement: "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." (2 Kings 6:16)

Elisha then prayed that God would open the eyes of his servant.  The servant then beheld the mountain filled with horses and chariots of fire protecting Elisha.  Elisha prayed that blindness would be put upon the Syrians, and then led them into the land of Israel where they were forced to surrender.

The next part of the story is not as well known.  Ben-hadad, the king of Syria gathered his armies and laid siege to Samaria.  The Bible indicates that this caused a severe famine in the land.  It got so bad that a donkey head was sold for 80 pieces of silver and a portion of dove droppings were sold for 5 pieces of silver... as food. (2 Kings 6:25)  When the king of Samaria found that his subjects were resorting to cannibalism, he rent his clothes and swore that he would have the head of Elisha for causing this famine. (2 Kings 6:31)

The king's guards rushed to capture Elisha and, blaming God, one of them declared "...this evil is of the Lord; what should I wait for the Lord any longer?" (2 Kings 6:33)

Elisha prophesied that the following day, food would be so plentiful that a measure of fine flour would be sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for the same. (2 Kings 7:1)  This was such a radical change in value from circumstances that sold donkey heads and bird droppings that it was too much for some of them to accept. 

One of the king's trusted advisers said "Behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, might this thing be?" (2 Kings 7:2)  Elisha reprimanded him because of his lack of faith as he told him that he would see it with his own eyes, but he would not eat.

That night, four lepers determined that their fate was not much different if they went to the Syrians as it was if they stayed in Samaria.  When they left the city, they found that the Syrians had left in such a rush that they had abandoned all their supplies including their food.  The lepers ate and gathered treasure, until finally they decided they should let the city know the siege was over. 

Naturally the abundance of supplies immediately drove down the prices of food, just as Elisha the prophet had predicted.  The king's advisor that had doubted Elisha saw the prices before the hoards of hungry trampled him to death and he could obtain it to eat.

The economic principles of supply and demand changing the value of commodities is not a difficult concept to understand for societies that embrace any principles of the free market.  Determining the value of something even in modern society, or anticipating values, are not always as easy.

Not long ago, I read of a man that was referred to as an idiot for selling a safe he could not open on eBay for $123.  The buyer was able to open the safe and found $26,000 inside.  If only he had been able to correctly perceive the value of what he had before he unloaded it on eBay to make some quick money...

A person that can correctly interpret or predict the value of items has a great advantage in business.  This is so much the case that trading stocks when in possession of insider information has been criminalized, which is why Martha Stewart served time in prison.

I submit that not all insider information is bad however.

What if there was someone who perfectly knew everything that had ever happened, all that would happen in the future, and everything that is currently happening?  What if it was possible to know what that person valued?  Likely, having this kind of information, what this person valued would be something that remained valuable in spite of supply or demand fluctuations, or the perceptions of others.

There is such a person.  We call him our God.  His most precious possessions are not stocks, safes, or commodities; he values the race of men.  He values humanity.

For someone who could raise the dead, heal the blind, make the deaf hear, and make the lame walk almost instantaneously, he invested a substantial amount of time and effort just in making things ready for men.  He divided his creative work into days where he made the light, dark, sky, sea, plants, animals, the sun, and the moon.  After all other things were created, then he said "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Genesis 1:26-27)  God loved them.  God blessed them.  Not idly did he command that we should love our neighbors as we do ourselves.  (Matthew 22:39)

The atheist or the faithless might contradict this claim by saying that if God truly loved mankind, then why is it that people suffer so.  Why is it that good people struggle to find work, or are forced to endure sickness and infirmity?  Why is it that people who are abusive or hurtful seem to prosper in many cases?  If God did care, has he not abandoned us?

To these claims I would respond that God has not abandoned men.  He has sent you to care for them.  He believes that you will love your neighbor as yourself.  He believes that you will lift up the hands that hang down.  He believes that you will strengthen the feeble knees.

Those that have been baptized may not make an oral promise, but a promise is made nonetheless.  We learn from the pages of the Book of Mormon that this means a commitment not only to obey the commandments of God but to "... bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things..." (Mosiah 18:8-9)

Brethren who have received the priesthood in so doing swear to God that they will see that there is no lying, evil speaking, or back biting.  They swear that they will invite people to pray vocally and in secret.  The swear that they will watch over the church.  As appropriate, they call down the powers of God himself to give strength, comfort, power, and even to heal the sick.

It is not always easy to be Christian.  There are times when any of us become burdened with difficult circumstances, or when pride prevents us from loving our neighbors as God does.  When such times come, let us try to remember God's investment.

Everything he does is to help mankind.  He spends every waking minute listening to our prayers and sending people to help each other... every waking minute... and he never sleeps.  He commands his church to help people among every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.  He is calling priests in every unit of his kingdom.  The worth of souls is great in the sight of God. (D&C 18:10)

Do not be as the idiot who sold his safe and missed the true value.  Do not doubt God as the advisor to the King of Samaria who missed out on the reward because he refused to believe.  Finally, do not forget the words of Elisha the prophet during times when it is difficult to help others... "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them."

Christ, who is the ultimate investment that God has made in us, is coming again.  And when he does, he will surely save us all.

On the Origin of Species by Means of Creationsism

I remember the first time I thumbed through my sixth grade history textbook in elementary school.  We had just adopted a new textbook series.  For my grade level, ancient civilization was the focus.  I started in the middle of the book and worked backwards, looking at artistic depictions of Roman soldiers, Greek phalanxes, Persian chariots, the hanging gardens of Babylon, and cuneiform tablets.  As I approached the front of the book, I realized that there was more material prior to the Egyptians and the first Mesopotamian cities.  There was a section that identified Cro-Magnons, Homo Habilis, Homo Erectus, and other forms of what the text referred to as "proto-humans."

Being a nerd, I had read enough to know that I was about to get my first experience in the public education system with the theory of evolution.  Being a young member of my church, I viewed the presence of this content as offensive.  I had been taught clearly that God had created man.  As we began going through the material, I became increasingly uncomfortable, however, I remained silent with respect to my feelings on the subject.  One day, one of my classmates pointed aloud before the class that the depictions of these "proto-humans" resembled monkeys.  I did not shout, but I certainly did not politely raise my hand when I began saying that I was not a monkey, my father was not a monkey, and his father was also not a monkey.  The class became silent.  Finally the teacher gave a diplomatic statement regarding required curriculum, scientific evidence, and if I recall correctly that the subject had no bearing on what we may have learned in Sunday school.

Since then, I have learned much more with respect to both the theory of evolution and my church's belief in the creation.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints does not have a firm point on how the world was created.  The church does maintain firm doctrinal stances on why it was created, and also that God is who created it.

Many people within the church have found this fact sufficient to reconcile the modern theory of evolution with their belief in God.  After all, God could have caused the Big Bang ages ago to set everything into motion.  He could have controlled all of the forces that led to the climate and elements present such that small creatures could adapt, survive, and emerge from the sea to evolve into a variety of species, one of which became the race of men.

It probably helps support this concept that the records in Genesis seem incomplete.  There is very little information in the Bible about society after the fall of Adam.  The events surrounding the flood make it easy for people to come to the conclusion that these are not literal stories, but symbolic representations of events for which we do not have all the details.  Evolution provides a scientifically accepted, evidence-based context for how life on this world came to be.

In a conversation with one such individual, I recall them attempting to persuade me to accept evolution.  They pointed out the development of children in the womb as proof that one type of living cell could become an entire organism in a short time under the right circumstances. 

Another individual that had no belief in God defined evolution simply as "change."  This is obviously an over simplification, otherwise I would be an expert on the subject from my experience "evolving" diapers for my two young boys.

In spite of its acceptance among so many people, few people really understand what evolution is.  At the risk of producing a straw man argument, I wish to enumerate the major points of evolution.

1. Evolution is not manifest in acquired characteristics.  Jean-Baptiste Lamarck is perhaps best remembered for promoting this theory.  An example of this is that a parent that works out frequently and obtains greater muscle mass will not necessarily produce offspring that also have great muscle mass.

2. Evolution is manifest by changes in allele frequency by means of natural selection.  In other words, those that have genetic characteristics that allow them to more successfully reproduce, or survive to reproduce will pass these genetic characteristics to their descendants.  A tortoise that genetically has a longer neck  and is able to eat higher food is less likely to starve, for example, and more likely to pass on its longer neck to subsequent generations.  The result is the species evolves to have longer necks.

3. Evolution implies common ancestry.  The idea that all species were once one and through various means life diversified and grew complex is central to the theory.  In order to have enough generations to account for these changes, the time frame of this theory necessarily takes millions and millions of years.

4. Evolution requires assumptions.  If life, death, and reproduction have not always functioned the way they currently are observed, changes in allele frequencies are impossible. 

5. The concept of "species" is more complicated than many people believe.  A common understanding of a species is a group of organisms that are still able to reproduce.  Dogs for example are bred using unnatural selection to produce certain characteristics such as size (chihuahuas), strength (pit bulls), and speed (greyhounds), but dogs are still able to breed with one another and produce fertile offspring.  The combination of a horse and donkey produces the sterile mule, thus horses and donkeys are considered different species.  This definition obviously cannot apply to organisms that reproduce asexually. 

Having presented these points, let me also present points of belief for creationism.  Let me do so with the understanding that this represents my belief, and not necessarily those of anyone else.

1. Creationism does not forbid adaptations that come by means of changes in allele frequency.  The Galapagos tortoises do not rule out creationism since creationism is a view on the past.

2. Creationism does not have to be limited to six 24-hour periods.  It is also possible that it does represent six 24-hour periods.  There is not a fixed definition for "day" in the scriptures.

3. Creationism rejects common ancestry of all species, but accepts common ancestry for humanity.  Creationism accepts a literal man named Adam and his wife Eve as the parents of mankind.  Adam and Eve are not figurative concepts for groups of advanced primates, they are actual individuals that were created with special attention and using different methods than those used for the creation of other plants and animals.

4. Creationism requires assumptions.  While this is pointed out by individuals that enjoy antagonizing creationists, there is no point in denying it.  Creationism assumes that life, death, and reproduction have not always functioned the way they are currently observed.  Conditions prior to the fall of Adam, and even prior to the flood were not the same as conditions generally observed presently. 

5. Creationism implies purposes for various species.  While there exist evolutionists that believe in intelligent design and embrace the concept that man has a different purpose than other types of organisms, the implication is required in the creationist paradigm.  Man is not simply an animal.  God commanded man to "...be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." (Genesis 1:28)

In the end, both creationism and evolution rely on assumptions about times that were very different than what we see now.  A person that does not accept evolution is not guilty of forcing Galileo to recant.  We simply accept different assumptions.

I believe that God created the world and placed life upon it.  There was a time where life, death, and birth did not exist as we now know them.  When Adam transgressed, everything changed.  Mankind was sent to a place where their observational abilities were severely limited.  We only detect a narrow range of electromagnetic radiation as visible light.  We hear a narrow range of frequencies.  We must be very close to smell, touch, or taste items.  While science has brought miraculous new advancements that allow us to see things we have never before seen, we are still unable to detect theoretical particles that are very small, or comprehend distant astronomical phenomena that are very large.  Certainly our observation is limited by time, and while we may be able to interpolate what conditions may have been like in prehistoric times, or predict what may appear in the future, confirmation is typically only available for time periods much closer to the present.

As limited as mankind is, God has promised that through his son Jesus Christ, the curses and limits under which we find ourselves can be removed.  There is a great potential in each man and woman that can be realized by following Jesus.  He even has power to redeem men after they die... and as difficult as the world may become, when he comes again, he will save us all.

Is it so hard to believe that "in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth"?