This post will likely spark some disagreement. I think it is pertinent regarding the immigration debates that are going on lately. While I believe in upholding and sustaining the law, you will all find that I may not agree with you regarding immigration laws. I have a strictly "Let Them Come!" philosophy and to date have found no argument save one to convince me otherwise. I can find no justification for selfishly holding this land to myself. Instead I find examples from the scriptures that make me question where America or Americans are heading spiritually.
Regardless of which side of the issue you sit on, please consider the following scriptures with an open heart.
From Ezek. 16: 49 I pulled this scripture that talks about the sin of Sodom right before its destruction. Interestingly enough Sexual sins (which are also abundantly debated at this time) were only one of their grievous sins. The other was the selfishness of those with money and education. The Lord commands Ezekiel to explain the Jerusalem that they are going to be destroyed because they have become like Sodom. Then he describes in what way. He says, "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
Pride? Fulness of Bread? Abundance of Idleness? and Not Strengthening those in need? Sounds a lot like this debate raging about immigrants and where they belong.
Interesting to note that right before the destruction of the America's preceding Christ's coming it describes a great division in that people as well. It says in 3 Nephi 6:12, "And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and their chances for learning; yea, some were ignorant because of their poverty, and others did receive great learning because of their riches.
I see in America right now a completely underprivileged class trying to make ends meet. If I personally push them away then how am I any different than the Nephites and Lamanites who were ripe for destruction? It is easy for us to mock because we are the ones with the upper hand. We are the ones who have received great learning because of our riches... and we turn them away.
Please consider an alternative perspective on the immigration issue. Yes, it must be legal... but we are not the ones who enforce the law. As disciples of Christ we are to be the ones visiting those in prison (Matthew 25: 31-46), or rather comforting the immigrants as they feel our heavy hand come down upon them.
31 ¶ When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his aright hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his aright hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Love you all.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
When Life Has You By The Ears
When life has you by the ears and comes at you hard from every direction you may feel overwhelmed by the pressures of work, education, family responsibilities, personal weakness, or religious duties. Whether rich or poor, old or young, healthy or unhealthy there are enough problems in life to overwhelm any of us. This is one of many reasons why the Lord has blessed us with His word. Please consider the following instruction from our Savior:
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30).
God is the giver of all things and the scriptures record account after account of the Lord blessing the faithful, and withholding from those who ignore his will or reject him. Whatever your problems may be in this life we encourage you to…
1. Establish a relationship with the Lord through prayer
2. Come to know his will through a study of the scriptures
3. Call down his blessings upon you by participating in sacred covenants and ordinances
4. Enable the laws of justice by being faithful to all of your covenants and the commandments of the Lord.
There are many Saints who have learned that the great secret to temporal and spiritual fulfillment lies in doing the Lord’s will. Forget yourself and seek His glory. By doing so you will find the troubles of this world begin to work themselves out.
If you are unemployed or unhappy with your circumstances attend the temple and serve your neighbor. If you are floundering in your education then be more diligent in your scripture study. If you have a personal weakness that seems impossible to overcome, take it daily to the Lord in personal prayer. If your family seems to be falling apart, make and keep sacred covenants… more often. The last thing you will want to do in trying times is distance yourself from the Lord's blessings. As you do the right things the Lord is “bound” to bless you by the eternal laws of Justice… and there is nothing He wants more than to bless you for your faithfulness.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30).
God is the giver of all things and the scriptures record account after account of the Lord blessing the faithful, and withholding from those who ignore his will or reject him. Whatever your problems may be in this life we encourage you to…
1. Establish a relationship with the Lord through prayer
2. Come to know his will through a study of the scriptures
3. Call down his blessings upon you by participating in sacred covenants and ordinances
4. Enable the laws of justice by being faithful to all of your covenants and the commandments of the Lord.
There are many Saints who have learned that the great secret to temporal and spiritual fulfillment lies in doing the Lord’s will. Forget yourself and seek His glory. By doing so you will find the troubles of this world begin to work themselves out.
If you are unemployed or unhappy with your circumstances attend the temple and serve your neighbor. If you are floundering in your education then be more diligent in your scripture study. If you have a personal weakness that seems impossible to overcome, take it daily to the Lord in personal prayer. If your family seems to be falling apart, make and keep sacred covenants… more often. The last thing you will want to do in trying times is distance yourself from the Lord's blessings. As you do the right things the Lord is “bound” to bless you by the eternal laws of Justice… and there is nothing He wants more than to bless you for your faithfulness.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Another Goliath, Another David
My neighbor and close friend recently shared an insight with me that I felt would be a nice addition to the blog. It has to do with the controversy surrounding Nephi’s killing of Laban in 1 Nephi 4.
Over the last several decades I have met a number of individuals within and without the Church who find it hard to reconcile Nephi’s killing of Laban with what they perceive to be God’s way of dealing with men. Many claim that it is inconsistent with God’s character to command such a thing.
Readers of this story generally understand Laban’s wickedness and the manner in which he trespassed against Nephi and his brothers, they also understand Nephi’s need to acquire the plates, even through intrigue… but they ask “Why did he have to kill Laban?”
To this point I have shared two insights 1) 1 Nephi 4:10-13 and 2) D&C 98:23-32 (both of these are given in full at the bottom of this entry). These two passages explain the Lord’s rationale for requiring Laban’s blood at Nephi’s hands. The insight that my friend shared added upon these two ideas and illustrated just how consistent this experience was with other Old Testament Experiences. Let me share his insights:
Ancient Display of God’s Power
There are a number of times in the Old Testament where, as a testimony to his covenant people, God showed his power by defeating great warriors, armies or nations. This display of power was given each time as a testimony that God was all-powerful and therefore his covenant followers could put their trust in him. Some notable examples include David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17), Gideon and his 300 against the Midianites (Judges 7), Moses against the hosts of Pharoah (Exodus 7-14), Elisha and the unseen host against Syria (2 Kings 6) and Abraham and his 300 against the Assyrian hosts (Genesis 14). In each of these Old Testament examples the Lord displayed his mighty arm by defeating a seemingly unbeatable foe. Each time the Lord destroyed the enemies of his covenant people. Each time the covenant people turned to the Lord and became more submissive.
Nephi’s Unbeatable Foe
Nephi and his brothers gathered outside of Jerusalem casting lots to see who was going to put their life on the line to get the plates from Laban. The lot fell on Laman who was almost killed in his attempt to request the plates. In a second attempt Nephi and his brothers tried to buy the plates, but the mighty Laban took their riches and then commanded the sons of Lehi to be killed. They barely escaped. Laban could not be negotiated with and his power was so great that the plates couldn’t be taken by force. In a third and final attempt to get the plates an angel instructed them that Laban would be delivered into their hands. With no trust in the Lord, however, Laman and Lemuel saw only impossibility. They came as far as the walls of Jerusalem but would go no further saying, “How is it possible that the Lord will deliver Laban into our hands? Behold, he is a mighty man, and he can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?” (1 Nep 3:31). Laman and Lemuel identified Laban as an unbeatable foe, one who, according to their experience, could not be stopped even by the Lord. 450 years earlier the hosts of Israel similarly cowered at the great Goliath. The record reads, “When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.” (1 Sam. 17:11)
Another David, Another Goliath
Nephi bears testimony to his brothers much as David did to the Host of Israel. He says, “behold [the Lord] is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?” (1 Nep 4:1). Similarly David asked the Israelites, “who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Sam 17:26). At the famous stand-off the young David said to Goliath, “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” (1 Sam 17:45). David, Like Nephi, had great faith in the Lord and recognized his all-powerful hand while those of lesser faith did not. Here then was another opportunity for the Lord to increase the faith of a family who would ultimately be at the head of a great nation. They would need to know the power of God in order to pass their testimony on to their descendants.
The record shows the simple means by which the Lord brings to pass his purposes in bringing Laban, who was ripe in iniquity, to a justified end and in showing his great power of deliverance to the sons of Nephi.
Belief and Unbelief
Nephi and Sam were greatly strengthened through the experience of getting the brass plates from Laban. Amazingly Laman and Lemuel continued in their unbelief even after such an amazing display of power by the Lord. Nephi later rebuked them saying, “how is it that ye have forgotten what great things the Lord hath done for us, in delivering us out of the hands of Laban, and also that we should obtain the record?” (1 Nep 7:11). Each of them at one time knew the impossibility of overcoming Laban. No one knew better than Laman and Lemuel that Nephi surely couldn’t have done it, he had never spilled the blood of anyone, and here he single-handedly destroyed a great captain of the Jewish army. Still they forgot. A man of faith will always see the hand of the Lord, while such power is invisible to one who puts his trust in the arm of the flesh. Such was the case with Nephi, his brothers and Laban.
Scriptures Illustrating the Lord's Reasoning
1 Nephi 4:10-13
10 And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him.
11 And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands. Yea, and I also knew that he had 1) sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he 2) would not hearken unto the commandments of the Lord; and he 3) also had taken away our property.
12 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;
13 Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.
Doctrine and Covenants 98:23-32
23 Now, I speak unto you concerning your families—if men will smite you, or your families, once, and ye bear it patiently and revile not against them, neither seek revenge, ye shall be rewarded;
24 But if ye bear it not patiently, it shall be accounted unto you as being meted out as a just measure unto you.
25 And again, if your enemy shall smite you the second time, and you revile not against your enemy, and bear it patiently, your reward shall be an hundredfold.
26 And again, if he shall smite you the third time, and ye bear it patiently, your reward shall be doubled unto you four-fold;
27 And these three testimonies shall stand against your enemy if he repent not, and shall not be blotted out.
28 And now, verily I say unto you, if that enemy shall escape my vengeance, that he be not brought into judgment before me, then ye shall see to it that ye warn him in my name, that he come no more upon you, neither upon your family, even your children’s children unto the third and fourth generation.
29 And then, if he shall come upon you or your children, or your children’s children unto the third and fourth generation, I have delivered thine enemy into thine hands;
30 And then if thou wilt spare him, thou shalt be rewarded for thy righteousness; and also thy children and thy children’s children unto the third and fourth generation.
31 Nevertheless, thine enemy is in thine hands; and if thou rewardest him according to his works thou art justified; if he has sought thy life, and thy life is endangered by him, thine enemy is in thine hands and thou art justified.
32 Behold, this is the law I gave unto my servant Nephi, and thy fathers, Joseph, and Jacob, and Isaac, and Abraham, and all mine ancient prophets and apostles.
Over the last several decades I have met a number of individuals within and without the Church who find it hard to reconcile Nephi’s killing of Laban with what they perceive to be God’s way of dealing with men. Many claim that it is inconsistent with God’s character to command such a thing.
Readers of this story generally understand Laban’s wickedness and the manner in which he trespassed against Nephi and his brothers, they also understand Nephi’s need to acquire the plates, even through intrigue… but they ask “Why did he have to kill Laban?”
To this point I have shared two insights 1) 1 Nephi 4:10-13 and 2) D&C 98:23-32 (both of these are given in full at the bottom of this entry). These two passages explain the Lord’s rationale for requiring Laban’s blood at Nephi’s hands. The insight that my friend shared added upon these two ideas and illustrated just how consistent this experience was with other Old Testament Experiences. Let me share his insights:
Ancient Display of God’s Power
There are a number of times in the Old Testament where, as a testimony to his covenant people, God showed his power by defeating great warriors, armies or nations. This display of power was given each time as a testimony that God was all-powerful and therefore his covenant followers could put their trust in him. Some notable examples include David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17), Gideon and his 300 against the Midianites (Judges 7), Moses against the hosts of Pharoah (Exodus 7-14), Elisha and the unseen host against Syria (2 Kings 6) and Abraham and his 300 against the Assyrian hosts (Genesis 14). In each of these Old Testament examples the Lord displayed his mighty arm by defeating a seemingly unbeatable foe. Each time the Lord destroyed the enemies of his covenant people. Each time the covenant people turned to the Lord and became more submissive.
Nephi’s Unbeatable Foe
Nephi and his brothers gathered outside of Jerusalem casting lots to see who was going to put their life on the line to get the plates from Laban. The lot fell on Laman who was almost killed in his attempt to request the plates. In a second attempt Nephi and his brothers tried to buy the plates, but the mighty Laban took their riches and then commanded the sons of Lehi to be killed. They barely escaped. Laban could not be negotiated with and his power was so great that the plates couldn’t be taken by force. In a third and final attempt to get the plates an angel instructed them that Laban would be delivered into their hands. With no trust in the Lord, however, Laman and Lemuel saw only impossibility. They came as far as the walls of Jerusalem but would go no further saying, “How is it possible that the Lord will deliver Laban into our hands? Behold, he is a mighty man, and he can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?” (1 Nep 3:31). Laman and Lemuel identified Laban as an unbeatable foe, one who, according to their experience, could not be stopped even by the Lord. 450 years earlier the hosts of Israel similarly cowered at the great Goliath. The record reads, “When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.” (1 Sam. 17:11)
Another David, Another Goliath
Nephi bears testimony to his brothers much as David did to the Host of Israel. He says, “behold [the Lord] is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?” (1 Nep 4:1). Similarly David asked the Israelites, “who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Sam 17:26). At the famous stand-off the young David said to Goliath, “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” (1 Sam 17:45). David, Like Nephi, had great faith in the Lord and recognized his all-powerful hand while those of lesser faith did not. Here then was another opportunity for the Lord to increase the faith of a family who would ultimately be at the head of a great nation. They would need to know the power of God in order to pass their testimony on to their descendants.
The record shows the simple means by which the Lord brings to pass his purposes in bringing Laban, who was ripe in iniquity, to a justified end and in showing his great power of deliverance to the sons of Nephi.
Belief and Unbelief
Nephi and Sam were greatly strengthened through the experience of getting the brass plates from Laban. Amazingly Laman and Lemuel continued in their unbelief even after such an amazing display of power by the Lord. Nephi later rebuked them saying, “how is it that ye have forgotten what great things the Lord hath done for us, in delivering us out of the hands of Laban, and also that we should obtain the record?” (1 Nep 7:11). Each of them at one time knew the impossibility of overcoming Laban. No one knew better than Laman and Lemuel that Nephi surely couldn’t have done it, he had never spilled the blood of anyone, and here he single-handedly destroyed a great captain of the Jewish army. Still they forgot. A man of faith will always see the hand of the Lord, while such power is invisible to one who puts his trust in the arm of the flesh. Such was the case with Nephi, his brothers and Laban.
Scriptures Illustrating the Lord's Reasoning
1 Nephi 4:10-13
10 And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him.
11 And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands. Yea, and I also knew that he had 1) sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he 2) would not hearken unto the commandments of the Lord; and he 3) also had taken away our property.
12 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;
13 Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.
Doctrine and Covenants 98:23-32
23 Now, I speak unto you concerning your families—if men will smite you, or your families, once, and ye bear it patiently and revile not against them, neither seek revenge, ye shall be rewarded;
24 But if ye bear it not patiently, it shall be accounted unto you as being meted out as a just measure unto you.
25 And again, if your enemy shall smite you the second time, and you revile not against your enemy, and bear it patiently, your reward shall be an hundredfold.
26 And again, if he shall smite you the third time, and ye bear it patiently, your reward shall be doubled unto you four-fold;
27 And these three testimonies shall stand against your enemy if he repent not, and shall not be blotted out.
28 And now, verily I say unto you, if that enemy shall escape my vengeance, that he be not brought into judgment before me, then ye shall see to it that ye warn him in my name, that he come no more upon you, neither upon your family, even your children’s children unto the third and fourth generation.
29 And then, if he shall come upon you or your children, or your children’s children unto the third and fourth generation, I have delivered thine enemy into thine hands;
30 And then if thou wilt spare him, thou shalt be rewarded for thy righteousness; and also thy children and thy children’s children unto the third and fourth generation.
31 Nevertheless, thine enemy is in thine hands; and if thou rewardest him according to his works thou art justified; if he has sought thy life, and thy life is endangered by him, thine enemy is in thine hands and thou art justified.
32 Behold, this is the law I gave unto my servant Nephi, and thy fathers, Joseph, and Jacob, and Isaac, and Abraham, and all mine ancient prophets and apostles.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Merespective Whatcha-ma-callit????
I have been engaged in wonderful conversations with numerous individuals from various different faiths regarding a plethora of topics. It has been such a rewarding experience, one that I wholeheartedly wish upon anyone seeking truth. First let me say that there are sooooo many good people out there of many differing faiths.
In my conversations I find the same dilemma surfacing again and again and find myself giving the same explanation over and over to different parties. I therefore, am now putting it on my blog for the sake of reference. You will find this post littered with my personal bias, but hopefully you will see my attempts to convey them responsibly.
Merespective Rhetoric?
Okay, so I made this word up…I created the term merespective because I couldn’t find a word that adequately explained what I was trying to communicate. If you know a better one, I am all ears. This word has its roots in Latin. Mere comes from the Latin “Méros” meaning “partial,” or “part of a whole” and is found in words like merely, meridian, and meristem. Spective comes from the Latin Specere meaning “the look at, view”. Rhetoric means “the ability to use language effectively, especially to persuade or influence people”. I have combined the three to refer to the human tendency for opinion leaders to use language effectively to persuade or influence the audience to see their limited perspective or partial view of any given subject.
Let’s take war reporting, for a hypothetical example. We send two war journalists over to report on what they see. One is positioned with a brigade of soldiers in the south, while the other is positioned with a different brigade in the North. In addition to bringing their own experiences to the table affecting what they choose to report on, both see a completely different side to the war. The one on the south sees very little fighting and sees the soldiers primarily involved in striking alliances with the locals. The reporter in the North has the opposite experience finding himself in the midst of constant gunfire. The war rages, inhumanity is consistently paraded accompanied by atrocity after atrocity, from which the journalist feels he is looking into the very jaws of hell.
When it comes time for reporting, each of the reporters must summarize their entire experience in order to effectively communicate to those removed from the war, what is really happening. Both actually see different sides of what is happening and therefore their reports on the war may paint very different pictures. Both are seasoned journalists, and neither of them are lying, yet they contradict one another on every point and intend to persuade the viewers that their merespective is the accurate one.
This principle happens all the time with anyone who is set as a witness of something. All they can give is a testimony of their partial view. We then can add that to the many testimonies that are given to create a picture for ourselves of what is really happening.
I am always interested (not really) to hear critics of our faith outright reject the testimonies of the leading brethren of the LDS Church who give their personal witnesses of the divine, and then to see them turn around and embrace every wind of rumor, speculation, and even outright lies because it conforms with their own opinions. I have read many critics’ versions of the history of our church, sensing all along their disgust and animosity toward the subjects of the history they are giving and then hear the same history, even the same key parts told by one who champions the very things the former despised. I understand, very well that both accounts are a spin of reality, that the details of history are given in subjective bias. I can understand subjectivity, but I cannot excuse lies, sloppy care of context, or outright irresponsibility. I think there should be more of what I like to call “responsible subjectivity”.
Responsible Subjectivity
I put little faith in the elusive term “objectivity.” I feel that such a trait is spoken of far too often and is completely impossible for humans, (including myself, since I am obviously human). I have listened for years now as journalists, news writers, commentators (religious and otherwise), scientists, politicians and many others seek to convey objectivity in the presentation of their ideas… as if they were somehow detached from the human experience. They try to be neither for, nor against the things they speak of. Needless to say I have found such attempts to be absurd. No matter how we as humans try to divorce ourselves from being “interested observers” we bring to the table emotions, past experiences, ideas, and learning that combine to bias us toward or from a certain perspective of any given scenario. This is why we have opinions.
A friend of mine who is also an outspoken critic of the Church of Jesus Christ has repeatedly rejected the words from the leadership of this church on the premise that they are “bias” in their views, and then in the same breath unquestioningly accept the views and perspectives of others who speak against the Church because they are somehow untainted by association with it. I do not understand his reasoning. He rightly sees the bias of our leaders, yet is somehow blinded to the obvious bias of our critics. I see nothing wrong with bias, as long as it is responsible. Both sides carry biases, as all parties ultimately do. What we need look for is not elusive objectivity, but rather responsible subjectivity. While even my words are biased by my own life experiences, I can seek to be as accurate as possible in the bearing of my own witness of things.
I just finished reading a thesis by a Catholic monk who decided to perform a comparative analysis between the LDS doctrine of Exaltation and the Patristic teachings on Theosis. (For anyone who is interested the thesis is called “Partakers of the Divine” and I highly recommend it). The man writing this thesis came to the table with biases. He was also not a member of our church, yet his writing was so careful and so responsible and so tremendously accurate that upon finishing I felt like applauding him for the responsible manner in which he discussed a faith beyond his own. I have never seen this done with such care. More often I have been disappointed in the sloppy manner in which some discuss about my faith what they know so little about. I would rather a person ask me what I believe than try to tell me. And for you out there who feel compelled to write about the LDS faith from an outsider’s perspective, please take a step back and be a little more responsible, and accurate. Get an insider’s opinion rather than assuming your merespective is representative of the whole. Thank you.
In my conversations I find the same dilemma surfacing again and again and find myself giving the same explanation over and over to different parties. I therefore, am now putting it on my blog for the sake of reference. You will find this post littered with my personal bias, but hopefully you will see my attempts to convey them responsibly.
Merespective Rhetoric?
Okay, so I made this word up…I created the term merespective because I couldn’t find a word that adequately explained what I was trying to communicate. If you know a better one, I am all ears. This word has its roots in Latin. Mere comes from the Latin “Méros” meaning “partial,” or “part of a whole” and is found in words like merely, meridian, and meristem. Spective comes from the Latin Specere meaning “the look at, view”. Rhetoric means “the ability to use language effectively, especially to persuade or influence people”. I have combined the three to refer to the human tendency for opinion leaders to use language effectively to persuade or influence the audience to see their limited perspective or partial view of any given subject.
Let’s take war reporting, for a hypothetical example. We send two war journalists over to report on what they see. One is positioned with a brigade of soldiers in the south, while the other is positioned with a different brigade in the North. In addition to bringing their own experiences to the table affecting what they choose to report on, both see a completely different side to the war. The one on the south sees very little fighting and sees the soldiers primarily involved in striking alliances with the locals. The reporter in the North has the opposite experience finding himself in the midst of constant gunfire. The war rages, inhumanity is consistently paraded accompanied by atrocity after atrocity, from which the journalist feels he is looking into the very jaws of hell.
When it comes time for reporting, each of the reporters must summarize their entire experience in order to effectively communicate to those removed from the war, what is really happening. Both actually see different sides of what is happening and therefore their reports on the war may paint very different pictures. Both are seasoned journalists, and neither of them are lying, yet they contradict one another on every point and intend to persuade the viewers that their merespective is the accurate one.
This principle happens all the time with anyone who is set as a witness of something. All they can give is a testimony of their partial view. We then can add that to the many testimonies that are given to create a picture for ourselves of what is really happening.
I am always interested (not really) to hear critics of our faith outright reject the testimonies of the leading brethren of the LDS Church who give their personal witnesses of the divine, and then to see them turn around and embrace every wind of rumor, speculation, and even outright lies because it conforms with their own opinions. I have read many critics’ versions of the history of our church, sensing all along their disgust and animosity toward the subjects of the history they are giving and then hear the same history, even the same key parts told by one who champions the very things the former despised. I understand, very well that both accounts are a spin of reality, that the details of history are given in subjective bias. I can understand subjectivity, but I cannot excuse lies, sloppy care of context, or outright irresponsibility. I think there should be more of what I like to call “responsible subjectivity”.
Responsible Subjectivity
I put little faith in the elusive term “objectivity.” I feel that such a trait is spoken of far too often and is completely impossible for humans, (including myself, since I am obviously human). I have listened for years now as journalists, news writers, commentators (religious and otherwise), scientists, politicians and many others seek to convey objectivity in the presentation of their ideas… as if they were somehow detached from the human experience. They try to be neither for, nor against the things they speak of. Needless to say I have found such attempts to be absurd. No matter how we as humans try to divorce ourselves from being “interested observers” we bring to the table emotions, past experiences, ideas, and learning that combine to bias us toward or from a certain perspective of any given scenario. This is why we have opinions.
A friend of mine who is also an outspoken critic of the Church of Jesus Christ has repeatedly rejected the words from the leadership of this church on the premise that they are “bias” in their views, and then in the same breath unquestioningly accept the views and perspectives of others who speak against the Church because they are somehow untainted by association with it. I do not understand his reasoning. He rightly sees the bias of our leaders, yet is somehow blinded to the obvious bias of our critics. I see nothing wrong with bias, as long as it is responsible. Both sides carry biases, as all parties ultimately do. What we need look for is not elusive objectivity, but rather responsible subjectivity. While even my words are biased by my own life experiences, I can seek to be as accurate as possible in the bearing of my own witness of things.
I just finished reading a thesis by a Catholic monk who decided to perform a comparative analysis between the LDS doctrine of Exaltation and the Patristic teachings on Theosis. (For anyone who is interested the thesis is called “Partakers of the Divine” and I highly recommend it). The man writing this thesis came to the table with biases. He was also not a member of our church, yet his writing was so careful and so responsible and so tremendously accurate that upon finishing I felt like applauding him for the responsible manner in which he discussed a faith beyond his own. I have never seen this done with such care. More often I have been disappointed in the sloppy manner in which some discuss about my faith what they know so little about. I would rather a person ask me what I believe than try to tell me. And for you out there who feel compelled to write about the LDS faith from an outsider’s perspective, please take a step back and be a little more responsible, and accurate. Get an insider’s opinion rather than assuming your merespective is representative of the whole. Thank you.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
That's a lot of Veils
I’ve been contemplating a principle of revelation and just came across two metaphors that have proven useful in understanding it. I was seeking to know why the words of revelation all come in the voice of the author/prophet; why Isaiah sounds like Isaiah and Alma sounds like Alma; why Joseph Smith’s revelations sound like Joseph Smith and those that come to me are in a voice that I am familiar with. I ask, “if these are the voice of the Lord, then why are they all different?”
A Perfect Communication
The conclusion to my prayers and reflections was that God’s Spirit communes with our spirits in perfect communication, giving light and truth in purity. It is then the job of our spirits to communicate the new light to our bodies. In this way, God can pour his spirit out upon the earth and give light and truth in great abundance, yet only those who have learned how to hear the internal whisperings of the spirit understand what is being given. I was reminded of the first useful metaphor as found in Alma 12:9-11 where Alma states,
“…It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.
And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.
And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries…”
In a scripture such as this I think it important to remember that the “heart” being spoken of in a scripture such as this is really our “spirit”. The nature of our heart and therefore the nature of our spirit (whether receptive or not) directly determines whether we receive the greater or lesser portion of the word and ultimately decides whether we gain or lose light.
Each of the prophets therefore might receive the same light from our Heavenly Father but when bearing testimony each does so in the language of his birth, explaining the divine through their own experiential vocabularies, each using unique forms of expressions, metaphors, and symbolism to convey that light to others.
I then came across a second useful metaphor while reading in Islamic commentary. There was a discussion of 70,000 veils being placed between us and the light of God. In this metaphor the more receptive we are to the signs and teachings of God, the more veils are drawn open so that thereby more light from God may penetrate our hearts. The less receptive we are, the more veils are closed distancing us further from, or darkening us to the light of God.
In both cases we are ultimately responsible for the amount of light we receive from God based on a broken heart and a contrite spirit, or rather a spirit that is prepared to receive greater light from above.
Spending Time With Ourselves
Understanding the voice of the spirit does not come automatically. There are so many voices seeking attention in the world. The scriptures demonstrate the importance in such a noisy world of finding time for quiet reflection, pondering, and meditation.
The Lord illustrates for Nicodemus how the spirit is like the wind. We know when it is windy, and which direction it is coming, but we don’t know ultimately where it is coming from (without tools of course), nor can we see it. Nevertheless we know it is there. So is everyone that learns to hear the Spirit. They know when the Spirit is there speaking, though it is hard to explain where it is coming from and of course isn’t seen. John records it in this language, “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)
It takes effort and grace from above to be able to hear the spirit. One of my favorite examples promoting the idea of spending time in quiet reflection comes from Psalms 2:3-4 where David, speaking of communing with the Lord instructs, “the Lord will hear when I call unto him. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.” I don’t know that any scriptures say it better for me. If we are to hear the voice of God in the day of great noise we must spend time communing with our own hearts (away from the radio, the ipod, the tv, the magazine, our friends and spouses). We must spend time with ourselves. We are spirit beings clothed in a weak mortal frame during this period of probation. When, therefore, the Spirit of God speaks to our spirit in perfect communication. Only those who have learned to commune with their own hearts (spirits) will understand what is being said.
Of one thing I am certain… God speaks to us in these latter days, but only some can hear him. I have been blessed from time to time to receive answers to my own prayers, and I thank God for his grace and patience with me.
A Perfect Communication
The conclusion to my prayers and reflections was that God’s Spirit communes with our spirits in perfect communication, giving light and truth in purity. It is then the job of our spirits to communicate the new light to our bodies. In this way, God can pour his spirit out upon the earth and give light and truth in great abundance, yet only those who have learned how to hear the internal whisperings of the spirit understand what is being given. I was reminded of the first useful metaphor as found in Alma 12:9-11 where Alma states,
“…It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.
And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.
And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries…”
In a scripture such as this I think it important to remember that the “heart” being spoken of in a scripture such as this is really our “spirit”. The nature of our heart and therefore the nature of our spirit (whether receptive or not) directly determines whether we receive the greater or lesser portion of the word and ultimately decides whether we gain or lose light.
Each of the prophets therefore might receive the same light from our Heavenly Father but when bearing testimony each does so in the language of his birth, explaining the divine through their own experiential vocabularies, each using unique forms of expressions, metaphors, and symbolism to convey that light to others.
I then came across a second useful metaphor while reading in Islamic commentary. There was a discussion of 70,000 veils being placed between us and the light of God. In this metaphor the more receptive we are to the signs and teachings of God, the more veils are drawn open so that thereby more light from God may penetrate our hearts. The less receptive we are, the more veils are closed distancing us further from, or darkening us to the light of God.
In both cases we are ultimately responsible for the amount of light we receive from God based on a broken heart and a contrite spirit, or rather a spirit that is prepared to receive greater light from above.
Spending Time With Ourselves
Understanding the voice of the spirit does not come automatically. There are so many voices seeking attention in the world. The scriptures demonstrate the importance in such a noisy world of finding time for quiet reflection, pondering, and meditation.
The Lord illustrates for Nicodemus how the spirit is like the wind. We know when it is windy, and which direction it is coming, but we don’t know ultimately where it is coming from (without tools of course), nor can we see it. Nevertheless we know it is there. So is everyone that learns to hear the Spirit. They know when the Spirit is there speaking, though it is hard to explain where it is coming from and of course isn’t seen. John records it in this language, “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)
It takes effort and grace from above to be able to hear the spirit. One of my favorite examples promoting the idea of spending time in quiet reflection comes from Psalms 2:3-4 where David, speaking of communing with the Lord instructs, “the Lord will hear when I call unto him. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.” I don’t know that any scriptures say it better for me. If we are to hear the voice of God in the day of great noise we must spend time communing with our own hearts (away from the radio, the ipod, the tv, the magazine, our friends and spouses). We must spend time with ourselves. We are spirit beings clothed in a weak mortal frame during this period of probation. When, therefore, the Spirit of God speaks to our spirit in perfect communication. Only those who have learned to commune with their own hearts (spirits) will understand what is being said.
Of one thing I am certain… God speaks to us in these latter days, but only some can hear him. I have been blessed from time to time to receive answers to my own prayers, and I thank God for his grace and patience with me.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Joseph Smith vs. James Arlington Bennet
While doing my Master's program I came across a letter published in the Times and Season's that I felt captured the essence of Joseph Smith's personality so well that I decided I needed to include it as a link on my blog. I have read many people's descriptions of him, including critics, skeptics, and undying friends and supporters. Nothing, in my mind compares to a candid letter straight from the mouth of Joseph Smith to someone who has been trying to use and abuse him.
A little background info on James Arlington Bennet. He was baptized a member of the Church in 1843 (though his baptism by Brigham Young seems to have been purely for political reasons as noted by his mention about a "frolic in the ocean" with B. Young). The Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History says, "When Joseph asked him to be his vice presidential running mate, Bennet declined. After the martyrdom of the Prophet in 1844, he left the Church. A year later, however, he visited Nauvoo and declared his intentions to go west with the Saints. He aspired to be leader of the Nauvoo Legion, but when Brigham Young turned him down, Bennet disassociated himself from the Saints and spent the rest of his life in the eastern United States."
Lyndon W. Cook writes, "An apparent unscrupulous opportunist, Bennet had fantasies which included fame as an author, governor of Illinois, general of the Nauvoo Legion, and successor to Joseph Smith."
Check out the letter by clicking on the following link:
http://www.pukrufus.com/downloads/JABennetLetter.pdf
ENJOY!
A little background info on James Arlington Bennet. He was baptized a member of the Church in 1843 (though his baptism by Brigham Young seems to have been purely for political reasons as noted by his mention about a "frolic in the ocean" with B. Young). The Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History says, "When Joseph asked him to be his vice presidential running mate, Bennet declined. After the martyrdom of the Prophet in 1844, he left the Church. A year later, however, he visited Nauvoo and declared his intentions to go west with the Saints. He aspired to be leader of the Nauvoo Legion, but when Brigham Young turned him down, Bennet disassociated himself from the Saints and spent the rest of his life in the eastern United States."
Lyndon W. Cook writes, "An apparent unscrupulous opportunist, Bennet had fantasies which included fame as an author, governor of Illinois, general of the Nauvoo Legion, and successor to Joseph Smith."
Check out the letter by clicking on the following link:
http://www.pukrufus.com/downloads/JABennetLetter.pdf
ENJOY!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Gaining Entrance to the Pearly Gates
I have been communicating with a newly acquired friend online the past couple of weeks and we have been having a conversation, the contents of which I think worthy of the blog. It all began with my friend asking me “How do you get to heaven? What can you do to get to heaven?”
Knowing this to be a topic of heated debate throughout Christianity, especially between Protestants and Catholics I figured I had better first address the debate
The Great Dichotomy — Works vs. Grace
Like many teachings of the Bible where seemingly contrasting ideas are put forth, Christians can’t seem to agree as to whether works are necessary for admittance into heaven, or if only belief and trust in the grace of Christ is sufficient. Now obviously this wouldn’t be an issue of debate at all if there weren’t scriptures fully supporting both sides of the argument. Believers are therefore divided into three camps:
1. Those like my friend who believe “there is nothing that we can do to go to heaven. Our entrance to heaven has already been paved for us...Jesus Christ died on the cross for all of our sins. The only way our sins can be covered is if we believe and trust that Jesus died for our sins.”,
2. Then there are those who think the Atonement of Christ to be a very important thing but one that only applies to those who diligently perform acts of righteousness, (i.e. feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the widows and orphans, etc.) and receive the proper ordinances mandated by the Lord (i.e. baptism).
3. You may ask, “then who belongs to group three?” and here is where the doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ are found. We really don’t lean to the left or the right on the issue but hold to a balanced view of the two. We believe at once that there is nothing we can really do to get ourselves into heaven (salvation) and rely wholly upon the merits of Jesus Christ, and then also believe that ordinances and acts of righteousness are necessary for our exaltation. See my analogy at the end of this article.
What does the Bible say:
According to the Bible acceptance into heaven is conditional upon two things: 1) The grace of God through Jesus Christ, and 2) our own righteousness. Both become necessary components. Let me share a couple of the scriptures to clarify. I will quote from the NIV though I prefer the KJV for its eloquence.
Ephesians 2:8 instructs, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that none can boast." I think this scripture makes it clear that the lion's share is due to grace, though we need to consider two things: 1) it is by grace according to our faith, and 2) the works Paul repeatedly speaks against are not works of righteousness, but rather unnecessary works of the Law of Moses.
Titus 2:11 instructs, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope..." the rest of that chapter is excellent and makes clear that the grace of God allows us to then use our agency to act righteously and choose the path leading to heaven. The grace of God overcomes the effects of the fall of Adam which we teach are 1) bodily death and 2) separation from God (or spiritual death). These are overcome unconditionally for all men through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Then it is up to us through righteousness to choose God.
Now that I have shown the importance of Grace I want to highlight a few passages that show the equal necessity of righteousness.
In Matthew 7:19-21 Christ himself says, "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone that says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." I draw the same conclusions from the parable of the Sheep and the Goats found in Matthew 25:31-46. (Look this one up, it is important.)
In John 3:3-8 we learn of the necessity of baptism for gaining entrance into the kingdom of God. Baptism is a sign of both our faith in the Lord and willingness to obey him in all things. Christ says to Nicodemus, "no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." When Nicodemus asks him what he means he continues, "No one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit."
I am familiar with the fact that some Christian persuasions interpret this passage to mean only a spiritual rebirth, but we take seriously the water birth as well (water and spirit). The word baptism comes from Greek βάπτισμα, meaning "immersing" and we follow Christ's example of going down into the water as recorded in Matthew 3:13. Mark also records Christ's words in regards to baptism saying, "Whosoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:16). Baptism would therefore be an example of an act of righteousness necessary for us to enter heaven.
Another solid example would be that found in the book of Revelations 20:12 where John in vision says, "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of Life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done."
One common expression we use in our faith comes from the book of 2 Nephi 25:23 in the book of Mormon where the prophet Nephi writes, "For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." That verse sums it up for me better than any other. It is by Christ's grace that we are saved, but we must not neglect our responsibility to act righteously and follow his teachings.
What the Divergence is Really About
Those in the various Christian persuasions that hold to camps 1 or 2 described above must wonder how Mormons can believe fully in both camps. We hold the same belief in the power of grace and the atonement of Jesus Christ. I believe the difference between Mormons and other persuasions actually lies in our differing understandings of "heaven". Here is where additional scriptures have shed light on the afterworld and the true grace of God. What they see as a contradiction we see simply as statements regarding two very different aspects of the afterlife, viz. Salvation and Exaltation.
According to additional scriptures accepted by members of the Church of Jesus Christ we learn that the afterlife is more complex than a simple dichotomous realm of good and another of seething fire and brimstone. We learn that the afterlife is divided into levels, many levels of glory, as numerous as there are people upon the earth. In a way supporting C.S. Lewis's writings on Heaven and Hell in his book Virtue and Vice. He says, "Your place in heaven will seem to be made for you and you alone, because you were made for it--made for it stitch by stitch as a glove is made for a hand."
According to the scriptures the levels are divided into three main kingdoms of glory... one represented by the stars and the glory thereof, another by the moon and the greater glory thereof, and another by the sun and the far greater glory thereof. According to our doctrines all mankind (except sons of perdition), because of the atonement of Christ will inherit a kingdom of glory, and will therefore enter "heaven" (Salvation). The amount of glory (Exaltation) we receive in the hereafter, however, is dependent upon our acts of righteousness and state of heart. So technically speaking we believe all mankind will be saved in a kingdom of glory (except sons of perdition, those who knowingly choose Satan over God)... not just Christians.
One Final Analogy:
We believe that Christ's suffering made it possible for all of us to enter heaven. Additional revelations on the issue teach us that how we act in this life then determines where we find ourselves in heaven. So that Mercy need not rob justice whereas both are eternal principles.
If I were to make an analogy it might go as follows: If heaven were a country, and each of us were given a mansion in heaven (thanks to the merits of Jesus Christ) then God would live in the Capital City, in the Governing Palace. We all make it into heaven (the country) but we don't all live on the same lot, or street, or city, or even state. Our acts of righteousness would determine the proximity of our mansion to God's... how close we live to him.
It actually is the complexity and depth of the doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ that have made me unable to settle for anything less.
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