The Tongue of Angels

When I was very young, I remember going on trips to Los Angeles to visit the LDS Temple there.  It is a large building set up on a hill on Santa Monica Blvd, surrounded by lovely landscaping without fountains and trees.  The outside of this temple, for the most part, is plain.  It does not have the ornate granite look on the temple in Salt Lake City, nor does it have the stunning white spires of the temple in San Diego or the temple in Washington DC.  Perhaps it is because of its plain appearance that the golden statue fixed to the top of it always seemed to stand out to me.

The golden statue depicts an angel sounding a trumpet facing the east.  The concept comes from a biblical depiction in the book of Revelation, chapter 14, verses 6-7: "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."

The fulfillment of John's prophecy was realized when the angel Moroni appeared to the prophet Joseph Smith, and brought a message that led to the translation of the Book of Mormon, which contains a record that confirms the divinity of Jesus Christ and his everlasting gospel, and is actively being distributed to nations all over the world.

The concept of an angel bringing a message from God is not unique to the coming of the Book of Mormon.  The Bible names the angel Gabriel as the messenger who brought the news of Christ's birth to Mary.  There are numerous passages where angels have come to bring messages, warnings, or instruction from heaven.  Even going back to the garden of Eden, God placed Cherubim and a flaming sword to keep the way of the tree of life.

Over time, popular culture has influenced the impressions men have had of how angels appear and interact with people.  Small, plump, nude babies with feathered wings are popular in some depictions, perhaps portraying some sort of innocence.  Elegant figures with ornate dresses are common sights at the tops of Christmas trees.

Though I know they are not accurate representations, I confess to being impressed with fantasy portrayals of angels with majestic wings, bright armor, and shining swords.  Though I do not typically include images in my posts, I thought these might be enjoyable:

As entertaining as these fantasy characters are, the actual divine messengers do not appear like this.  In fact, because they are messengers it is rare that visibility is important at all in their work... The Book of Mormon prophet Nephi expounded a bit on this when he was trying to explain the concept of "speaking with the tongue of angels" (2 Nephi 32:2-3)

The idea is that angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost.  The methods by which the Holy Ghost, or the Spirit of God communicates are found in various places in the scriptures.

Consider the disciples on the road to Emmaus who spoke with the resurrected Christ.  After hearing his teachings, they confirmed with one another this spiritual influence by saying "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)

Consider the word of the Lord coming to the prophet Elijah on Horeb.  He recognized the messenger that prepared him for his journey as an angel, and he knew enough to realize that the wind and the fire and the earthquake were not the voice of the Lord... After these things came a still small voice, which he recognized, and answered.  (1 Kings 19)

Consider the teachings of the Apostle Paul in Galatians: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)

The other important emphasis of Nephi is not just the method by which they speak, but the message they speak: "Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 32:3)

The message of angels is the message of God.  When the voice of the Father has been heard, it is almost always to point us toward his son, Jesus Christ.  (Mark 1:11, 2 Nephi 31:11, 2 Peter 1:17, Matthew 17:5, JSH 1:17)

Because the teaching of Christ is to have faith, to repent, and to follow him... so is the message of an angel.  Of course there may be certain circumstances where more specific guidance is needed, but for the vast majority of people... they are probably already aware of things they ought to be doing better.  Anyone who has felt persuaded to change their life to become a better person has, most likely, been persuaded by the tongue of angels.

While it is fine for fantasy stories to portray angels as powerful divine warriors, for the vast majority of the time, they need not seem aloof or withdrawn... in truth, the tongue of angels can be heard by those who listen.

Hellfire and Damnation (no, seriously)

When I was growing up, I had a large number of friends that had different Christian beliefs.  Some of them were Catholic, and some held to protestant views.  Many of them agreed that the general plan for humanity after life was over involved a judgement before God and an eternal life in either heaven or hell.  Though we never had long discussions about these subjects... there was a general consensus that going to heaven meant living with God in peace and happiness, and going to hell meant perpetual torture at the hands of the devil.

As a latter day saint, my instruction in the plan of salvation was a bit more complicated than the view that humans were created here on earth, and that based on our faith or behavior (or a combination of faith and behaviors) we would be assigned our eternal destination of eternal peace or eternal pain.

The Mormon view of the plan of salvation involves life beginning before mortality... such that being called children of God was not some figurative statement representing divine affection for humanity.  Similar to other views, it included mortality, and at death, some form of judgement where people would be assigned a destination of peace and rest or pain and confinement... but that these places would only be temporary.  After the end of the earth, there will be another judgement wherein people will be assigned permanent destinations in one of three kingdoms of differing glories.

Some people found this interpretation confusing, and inconsistent with scripture.  Of course, few of them were aware of the passage in 1 Corinthians 15:40-42:

"There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption..."

In my young mind, I believed this settled the question, but as I grew older, and read from the scriptures more on my own, I became confused as to why so many prophets and scripture passages used the heaven and hell model if it was incomplete.

Consider in the Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 9:34 - "Wo unto the liar, for he shall be thrust down to hell."  What does that even mean?  A person who lies (and presumably does not repent of this sin) will be sent to a lake of fire for perpetual torture?  Or a person will be uncomfortable for a temporary amount of time until final judgement where they will inherit a lesser kingdom?  Why say "hell" if it is so ambiguous?

Consider also the imagery in 2 Nephi 9:15-16 - "And it shall come to pass that when all men shall have passed from this first death unto life, insomuch as they have become immortal, they must appear before the judgment-seat of the Holy One of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, and then must they be judged according to the holy judgment of God.  And assuredly, as the Lord liveth, for the Lord God hath spoken it, and it is his eternal word, which cannot pass away, that they who are righteous shall be righteous still, and they who are filthy shall be filthy still; wherefore, they who are filthy are the devil and his angels; and they shall go away into everlasting fire, prepared for them; and their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever and has no end."

Why describe everlasting fire, and torment as a lake of fire and brimstone with unquenchable flames if these things do not exist?

Even Jesus himself said "...but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." (Matthew 5:22)

Ultimately, the idea is that sin is bad.  This is particularly important when discussing sinful behavior that does not seem to produce harmful consequences.  If two adults consent to extramarital intimacy, who is getting harmed?  If a person decides to indulge in some substance abuse in the privacy of their own home, who is getting harmed?  If a person decides to steal from someone who has an abundance of wealth and insurance to cover their losses, who is getting harmed?  If a person takes credit for things they did not do, what does it really hurt if they gain a small advantage?

It is a constant need for religion to convey the seriousness of actions that do not seem immediately harmful.  Unfortunately, the difficulty in doing so increases when faiths get into petty arguments regarding minutia and ignore elements that can truly erode the moral strength of society.  As time has passed, it has become increasingly popular for those who seek to establish secularism to mock those who try to maintain protections for time-honored social values.  Some of this mockery is even understandable as there have been some who have used religious and other persuasion to benefit themselves rather than their congregations or society in general.  Requesting evidence and clarity can help reduce the influence of falsehoods that inflate themselves with religious imagery such as ascending flames, lakes of fire, and perpetual damnation.

That having been said, the idea of hellfire and damnation is still important where the deeds of individuals cause unseen harm.  Whether the actions involve drinking contaminated water, avoiding potentially life-saving vaccinations, or transgressing the commandments of God... these deeds can result in actual harm.  Though the victims of bad water or a lack of vaccines can be observed to have been harmed in a relatively short period of time... the victims of some sinful behavior may not be revealed in a single lifetime, but that does not mean the crimes are imaginary.  The real victim of transgression actually experienced the torturous consequences of this behavior... and it is his prophets and apostles who through the ages have described the effects as being like unending flames, perpetual torment, and lakes of fire and brimstone.  In any sin, Jesus Christ is a victim.  The thoughtless idle words and deeds of men literally caused a person to endure such crippling pain that blood oozed out of his skin. (Luke 22:44)

These actual consequences of sin fall upon those that commit them unless they agree to accept the saving power of Jesus Christ... which literally saves men from having to endure these horrendous ordeals.  Understanding not only that God has tremendous rewards for those that heed his words, but that he literally seeks to prevent tremendous harm from coming upon us, should motivate us to better keep his laws.  No doubt, there are many reasons to choose the right... and even if avoiding hellfire and damnation are among them, then humanity is better off than it otherwise would be.

(Spoiler Alert) The good guys win in the end

As a young boy, I loved watching shows where there were good guys and bad guys.  What little boy who remembers the 80's didn't love Transformers, where the Autobots (good guys) would triumph over the Decepticons (even the name shows that they are bad)?  The same was true of Thundercats, GI Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and a host of other programs.

As I grew older, I recall watching a number of programs that wanted to blur the lines between good guys and bad guys.  Sometimes, this is fine.  I enjoyed, for example, playing Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic.  In making virtuous decisions, the protagonist in the game becomes more noble and ultimately, saves the Republic from the Sith Empire.  Without trying to spoil too much, playing the game this way helps portray a story of redemption, a theme that resonates with many people, including Christians.

On the other hand, I remember watching a show called Dead Poet Society, in the which a bunch of rebellious students with the encouragement of an unconventional instructor protest the strict and misguided influences of their parents and the rest of the school.  Of course, everyone agreed that most of the faculty were not the good guys, but I was never really sympathetic towards the students who were also, not really good guys.

In a story where there a bunch of bad guys antagonizing a bunch of other bad guys, I find myself uninterested in the result.  It would be like watching a boxing match between Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler... I mean... I don't really want either one of them to win.

The idea of "complex" and "flawed" protagonists, or even "anti-heroes" is increasingly common.  Justification for these types of stories is that they are more realistic, because there are no real "good guys" or "bad guys."  I reject that conclusion.

In the world today, there are real bad guys.  There exist people that perform acts that are so depraved, society can never trust them again.  There are also real good guys.  This is not to say there are perfect people all over, but there are many people that put others before themselves, and that demonstrate loyalty, courage, and forgiveness.

The world can seem especially dark when considering all the corruption that exists in governments, corporations, unions, and almost all types of organizations.  There is no doubt that some crime goes unpunished.  The question, "why not be cruel?" may seem reasonable considering the apparent advantage that corruption brings.

Humanity is not randomly here on Earth though.  There is a story of which we are a part, and the ending has been spoiled.  In the end, the good guys will prevail against the bad guys.  Righteousness will overcome wickedness.  

I am not the first one to spoil the ending.  Those that have truly read the scriptures understand that the theme of salvation is fundamental to the story of humanity.  Though evil may seem to prevail, in the end, they will fall.

Consider the words of Nephi:

"And after our seed is scattered the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles, which shall be of great worth unto our seed; wherefore, it is likened unto their being nourished by the Gentiles and being carried in their arms and upon their shoulders. And it shall also be of worth unto the Gentiles; and not only unto the Gentiles but unto all the house of Israel, unto the making known of the covenants of the Father of heaven unto Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
And I would, my brethren, that ye should know that all the kindreds of the earth cannot be blessed unless he shall make bare his arm in the eyes of the nations. Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to make bare his arm in the eyes of all the nations, in bringing about his covenants and his gospel unto those who are of the house of Israel.
Wherefore, he will bring them again out of captivity, and they shall be gathered together to the lands of their inheritance; and they shall be brought out of obscurity and out of darkness; and they shall know that the Lord is their Savior and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.
And the blood of that great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall turn upon their own heads; for they shall war among themselves, and the sword of their own hands shall fall upon their own heads, and they shall be drunken with their own blood.
And every nation which shall war against thee, O house of Israel, shall be turned one against another, and they shall fall into the pit which they digged to ensnare the people of the Lord. And all that fight against Zion shall be destroyed, and that great whore, who hath perverted the right ways of the Lord, yea, that great and abominable church, shall tumble to the dust and great shall be the fall of it.
For behold, saith the prophet, the time cometh speedily that Satan shall have no more power over the hearts of the children of men; for the day soon cometh that all the proud and they who do wickedly shall be as stubble; and the day cometh that they must be burned.
For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the wrath of God shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous.
Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even if it so be that the fulness of his wrath must come, and the righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their enemies by fire. Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire." (1 Nephi 22:8-17)

Because of the promise of salvation, there is reason to be confident in righteousness.  While the bad guys may seem to have great power, influence, and advantage over those who strive for virtuous living, in the end, those that have made Christ their King will be saved by him.  In the end, those that have invested in corruption, vice, and selfishness will have justice administered upon them.

As simplistic as it seems for a story to have good guys prevailing over bad guys, in the end, it will be the most realistic element of all.

Don't throw it out because it's old...

Modern religion for many Christians is defined by the Bible, and most particularly, the New Testament.  Certainly the coming of Christ represented a revolutionary change to the religious tradition of the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel... and it is right that even fundamental practices should be altered at the arrival of the Messiah.

For some, this change means the contents of the Old Testament can be mostly ignored: the old law is done away, and life and salvation come through Christ.  There are numerous teachings of Apostles regarding new stances toward food restrictions, animal sacrifice, and the need for baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Even among Latter Day Saints, the Old Testament is perhaps the least popular portion of canonized scripture.  This is unfortunate, as Latter Day Saints have access to the Book of Mormon.  Unlike the lengthy chronological pause between the Old and New Testaments, the Book of Mormon provides a seamless transition between the two times, and gives additional context to the changes that came with the coming of Christ.

From the very opening chapters in the Book of Mormon, the importance of Old Testament prophecy is established.  In the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, King of Judah, Lehi sees a vision with a pillar of fire. (1 Nephi 1:6)  The parallel between this image and the pillar of fire that guided the Israelites at night is unmistakable. (Exodus 13:21)

Additionally, when Lehi had gone into hiding in the wilderness to avoid becoming a victim to the Godless people of Jerusalem, he sent his sons back at great peril to obtain the writings of the Old Testament.  (1 Nephi 3)

These events from the very opening pages of the Book of Mormon seem to indicate that just because something happened before Christ, does not mean it is unimportant.  In fact, a recurring theme in the Book of Mormon is that while God pleads with his people to repent and return to him frequently, that there are serious consequences for those that reject his saving power.  It is both ironic and tragic that the Nephite people escaped wickedness and destruction in Jerusalem only to return to these things in the promised land.

Ultimately, the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon represent testimonies of the blessings that come from turning to God, and the tragedies that come from rejecting him.  The New Testament may bring new practices, unique teachings, and fascinating perspectives... but in the end, there are still lessons to be learned from ancient prophets.

Why the Bible still matters...

I recall an English class in college where the instructor read several papers to the class to illustrate good and bad techniques used by students.  The assignment had been to locate an editorial article and to write a paper that argued in favor of it, or against it, and one of the papers the instructor read first invoked the Bible as an argument against physician-assisted suicide.  The instructor warned that using the Bible to support a point was dangerous because so many people disagreed on the Bible, or interpreted it differently.

The instructor then read my paper.  I recall having written in response to an editorial that claimed vegetarians were morally superior.  Ironically, the article had invoked the Bible suggesting that the commandment "Thou shalt not kill" did not provide exceptions, so believers in the bible should avoid the taking of animal life for food.  In response, I had used Bible passages that contained instructions for killing animal sacrifices, and also shown that the resurrected Christ had eaten fish.

The instructor asked the class what they thought of my writing.  Some people immediately pointed out that I had used the Bible, and that it was dangerous.  The instructor indicated that because I had used it in response to a biblical argument, it proved the point, and was an effective example.

At the time, I recall feeling quite proud of myself.  Even now, I believe that I defended the use of animal products convincingly in response to the editorial... and even though I continue to enjoy the delicious flavor of bacon, beef, poultry, and fish... instead of pride, a small sense of shame comes to me.

As time has passed, I have come to realize that my arguments did exactly what the instructor described: they eroded trust in the Bible.  They suggested that any conclusion could be obtained from the book, which implies that no conclusion derived therefrom is of any importance.

Contemporary conversations about issues ranging from health care to homosexual marriage and abortion to taxes, frequently cite the Bible... and individuals on both sides of any given argument have been known to appeal to the same religious book for justification that their point of view is morally correct or even favored by God himself.  Opponents on both sides are quick to read passages that describe dietary restrictions or other obscure and archaic guides for conduct from the Old Testament to show that people are selectively following the Bible.

Enough arguments that use the Bible have circulated such that for many people... the Bible no longer matters.

To any that may have reached this conclusion (and I cannot overemphasize this), I say you are wrong.

Equally, to those who persist in using the scriptures as a weapon to prove that others have not come to the correct conclusion on any given issue... you are also wrong (even if you're right about the issue).

The primary purpose of the Bible is not to prove anything.  As critics point out, there are times when the Bible seems incomplete (2 Chronicles 9:29), or confusing (Genesis 22:1-2), or archaic (Leviticus 11:2-4).  Those that allow these flaws to convince them the Bible has no worth because of some passages, miss out on the truly beautiful and powerful passages that inspire.

Consider the two disciples on the road to Emmaus after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Luke 24)  Jesus expounded the scriptures to them in a powerful manner, such that after he was gone they said "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, emphasis added)  Certainly, defenders of the good book can point to its historical significance, or the influence that it has had on the English language, the availability of printing, the concepts of liberty and morality... but the purpose of scripture study is illustrated in the example of the disciples on the road to Emmaus.  It is not to produce well-thought argument... it is to help men recognize God.

Much like other religious performances, the true power of reading the Bible depends on an existing faith in God.  (see Hebrews 11:6)  Just as the parables that Jesus taught meant nothing to some audiences, to some they revealed great truths (Matthew 13:34-35), the same words in the scriptures can produce different messages for different readers.  Those that have "ears to hear" are those that are open to spiritual truths.

Reading the Bible with faith produces spiritual strength and understanding.  I cannot help but be moved when I read the bold teachings of Christ in the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7), or the profound description of Jesus as the Word of God (John 1).  The confidence of Isaiah and Hezekiah (Isaiah 37), the courage of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego (Daniel 3), and the fearlessness of Elijah the Tishbite (1 Kings 18) have power to inspire and strengthen.

A complete enumeration of moving passages is not practical, but I have found that the more I read, the better I come to know God.  In a world of strife and conflict, the Bible matters not because it specifically and with certainty answers with logic any given issue, scenario, or question... but because it helps people become better.  A world where more people strive for righteousness and selflessly devote their time and talents for the betterment of his family is precisely the reason that the Bible is here.  God is trying to speak to us, and just as he did on the road to Emmaus, the scriptures are the tool that allows any disciple to recognize God.

And so if it has been a while, dust of the cover, crack open the pages, or even go online for free(https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bible?lang=eng).  No matter where a person is in life's journey, reading the Bible, when properly used and diligently studied, can help them get to a better place... a place closer to God himself.

Authenticity and social media

I enjoy using social media.  I regularly check Facebook, and although I rarely tweet anything, I follow a number of individuals and personalities on Twitter.  There are a number of blogs I regularly read.  Of course, as wonderful as some sources of news and information can be on the internet, I know enough to avoid some of the dark corners where the ugliness of humanity is on display...

Perhaps the experience of seeing how cruel people can be in the comments below videos and news articles made something I read from Elder Quentin L Cook's Facebook shocking to me.  He said this:

Elder David A. Bednar recently cautioned members to be authentic in the use of social media. A prominent thought leader, Arthur C. Brooks, has emphasized this point. He observes that when using social media, we tend to broadcast the smiling details of our lives but not the hard times at school or work. We portray an incomplete life—sometimes in a self-aggrandizing or fake way. We share this life, and then we consume the “almost exclusively … fake lives of [our] social media ‘friends.’” Brooks asserts, “How could it not make you feel worse to spend part of your time pretending to be happier than you are, and the other part of your time seeing how much happier others seem to be than you?”

At first glance, it almost seemed like he was advocating using social media to whine.  Don't try to be positive... be yourself... right?  And if you are authentically a disagreeable individual who derives pleasure from provocation, then don't pretend to be nice, because that's not authentic.  If you are the type of individual who secretly indulges in graphic depictions of sex and/or violence, then don't pretend you are only online to read the Bible... right?  Be true to yourself.  Be authentic.  Right?

On the other hand... Quentin L Cook is a prominent religious leader.  He can't be advocating the kind of comments on YouTube that use the F-bomb in every part of speech except an article and a pronoun... can he?  The invitation to authenticity can't mean an invitation to express hatred and vitriol from the comfort of the computer desk... right?  He's not excusing people harassing one another because they authentically want to...  Of course not.

The point is "we tend to broadcast the smiling details of our lives but not the hard times at school or work."

So to apply this, imagine an individual is having a difficult day at work.  Because they are short-handed, this person is required to do more work than normal, but still has pressure to appear positive when dealing with impatient and unhappy customers.  Under this pressure, the person makes a small mistake, and the supervisor has to come and assist in correcting it.  The supervisor has a frustrated tone as they remind the person of the correct procedure, adding to the frustration of the day.  After the workday is over, they come home to their computer and go to Facebook.  Here they see advice telling them to "be authentic" in the use of social media, and not just "broadcast the smiling details" of life.  They decide to write a big status indicating that their boss is a jerk for overworking them without increasing their pay, and that they were a jerk for handling a minor mistake.  Unfortunately for this individual, they have forgotten that their boss followed them on Facebook.  The boss posts a scathing reply and indicating how much pressure they were under, and how costly their mistake was.  The individual is then invited to turn in their supplies and find another job.

While I don't personally know anyone who has dealt with it to that extreme, I do know people that have experienced negative consequences for using what seemed to be authenticity regarding their employment or schooling.

Not only online, but in many situations, religious standards ask disciples not to be true to themselves, but rather to discipline themselves.  Consider the words of Alma to his son Corianton:

Now my son, I would that ye should repent and forsake your sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in all these things; for except ye do this ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. Oh, remember, and take it upon you, and cross yourself in these things. (Alma 39:9)

Consider also the words in the book of Matthew:

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.  (Matthew 16:24-25)

The goal behind every Christian faith should always be to make bad men good, and to make good men better... not to make men comfortable with how they currently are.

So how do the two ideas become reconciled?

The answer involves understanding the link between what Elder Cook described as "authenticity" and the word honesty.

The same dilemma is sometimes mocked in social media posts where a girlfriend approaches her boyfriend in some unflattering outfit and asks if it makes her look "fat."  If he answers honestly, even if he is as polite as he can be, the girlfriend takes offense.  If he tells her that it does not, he is being dishonest.  And anymore, if he dodges the question, the girlfriend takes it as a yes, and takes offense.  How does a person be "authentic" while still "denying himself"?  How can a person be honest and kind?

Let me suggest that the request to be authentic is not a suggestion to air dirty laundry.  It's not to "vent" or "lash out" or be "passive aggressive" toward people that seem irritating.  When prophets and scriptures counsel men to be honest, they do not mean to be cruel.  Latter Day Saints, as all Christians, ought to embrace that which is "virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy." (Art of Faith 1:13)  The invitation to be authentic does not mean to become cynical or pessimistic
either.

Being authentic means attempting to avoid hypocrisy.  Practicing what we preach is vital to religious worship.  In other words... continue to broadcast the smiling details of your life AND make sure you smile in life.  Make a smiley-face emoji, but also try to make your face smile.

Being authentic also applies to how you treat others.  If you have "friends" online... try and be actually friendly to them.  If you disagree with someone, be civil, and resist the urge to stir up contention.

Don't pretend to be happy... become happy.  Don't pretend to have faith... exercise faith.  Don't pretend to be better than you are... but in a deliberate, diligent, and authentic manner, and in social media as well as every other aspect of life... become like Christ.  Because Christ was the ultimate example of being the best.

Who was Mormon?

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are frequently called "Mormons."

The nickname references our belief in the Book of Mormon.  Though there are many people that have preconceived notions about what the Book of Mormon is, the best way to learn what it says is by actually reading it. 

Of course, even among members of the church, the portions of the book that are most emphasized are not necessarily about the man Mormon, but about Nephi, Alma, Ammon, Helaman, Mosiah, Benjamin, or one of the other kings or prophets whose stories are recorded in the book.

Since members of the church are willing to be identified as "Mormons," it is unfortunate that there is only a small amount of emphasis on this incredible man.

Mormon was born into a time where society was collapsing.  To say that corruption existed is an understatement.  Preachers of religion were mocked and persecuted by society.  War and violence spread everywhere, and personal property was described as "slippery" because of the robbers that filled the land. (Mormon 1-2)

In this time of evil, a young man named Mormon was given instructions to find the records of his people.  When he had obtained these records, he spent a great amount of time making an abridgment of all the history of his society.  This abridgment is the Book of Mormon.

Certainly there are people within the church that would present the Book of Mormon as a beautiful book of scripture that shows the love and mercy of God.  To this point, there are numerous examples within the book that support this concept... however, a more accurate portrayal of the Book of Mormon is to see it from Mormon's perspective: it is a terrible tragedy.  It is a witness and a warning to those that read it.

In the process of finishing the Book of Mormon, the society in which Mormon lived became so consumed with anger and hatred that violence filled the land.  Still, he loved his people, so he reluctantly agreed to lead their armies.  Mormon knew that he was witnessing the destruction of his home and society, and rather than prolong the conflict, he arranged for a final battle.  Of the hundreds of thousands that had fought for him, only twenty four survived.  In the wake of this slaughter, the wounded Mormon could only mourn:

"O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you! Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen. But behold, ye are fallen, and I mourn your loss. O ye fair sons and daughters, ye fathers and mothers, ye husbands and wives, ye fair ones, how is it that ye could have fallen! But behold, ye are gone, and my sorrows cannot bring your return.

 "And the day soon cometh that your mortal must put on immortality, and these bodies which are now moldering in corruption must soon become incorruptible bodies; and then ye must stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, to be judged according to your works; and if it so be that ye are righteous, then are ye blessed with your fathers who have gone before you.

 "O that ye had repented before this great destruction had come upon you. But behold, ye are gone, and the Father, yea, the Eternal Father of heaven, knoweth your state; and he doeth with you -according to his justice and mercy." (Mormon 6:17-22)

Ultimately, only his son Moroni survived, as their enemies put to death everyone who believed in Jesus Christ.  (Moroni 1:2-3)

Adding to the tragedy was the fact that they had obtained records of a people that had inhabited the land previously, and that also destroyed themselves by driving faith, penitence, and the prophets that preached these principles, out of their society.  The fall of Mormon's people was worse because they should have known better.

Perhaps it seems odd, in light of the tragedies in Mormon's life, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to promote the name as an identity.  Certainly, visits to the church-run website www.mormon.org do not immediately divulge these details about Mormon; instead, they promote a positive and optimistic outlook.

I do not wish to convey the idea that the LDS church is pessimistic, or that attitudes of doom and gloom prevail in our faith... quite the opposite in fact.  I do however wish to express that the optimism and hope that typifies our worship of Jesus Christ and our efforts to give service to others are given important context with the understanding of the man Mormon.

It is not an unreasonable assessment to say that we live in an age of corruption.  Violence and greed are found across the land, and there are some regions which seem to be in perpetual war.  Disease and disaster can be found in the news headlines nearly every day.  The message of Mormon is particularly applicable to us here and now.  The faith and penitence that could have saved his people are not beyond our reach.  The warnings of a people who should have known better provide tremendous opportunity for us to avoid their mistakes.

Mormon knew that his people had rejected Christ... but he invested a tremendous amount of time and work to ensure that future generations might know that Christ is the way to prevent the tragedy through which he suffered.

Who was Mormon?  Mormon was a man who did what was right regardless of his circumstances.  Mormon was a man who worked for the good of others, even when he knew he would not live to see the results of his work.  In short, Mormon was a Christian.  The world would be a better place if more of us could be like Mormon.