Seek Not to Counsel Your God

I am disturbed by several things I am hearing and seeing regarding the degradation of faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I feel compelled to speak up. And again, I am sorry this is long. My posts are always long… we lawyer types must like to talk.

If it sounds like I’m being judgmental, I am. And it’s OK. We SHOULD be judgmental of some things. The scriptures teach us to know people “by their fruits” (Matt 7:20), and how to judge righteously (Moroni 7:16-19). We must judge some things in order to protect ourselves from false doctrines, evil-designing people, and other spiritual hazards. In making these judgments, I am focusing on things, not necessarily people.

Several people, including some who are close to me, are losing their faith over non-spiritual, trivial matters. Others are losing their testimonies of the gospel because they have succumbed to the philosophies of modern liberalism in our society, rather than following God.

As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland so accurately stated, these people are “creating God in [their] own image.” (General Conference, April 2014)

Before discussing the specific issues, I would like to state that the solution to the problem is the same in all cases: People have abandoned the value of spiritual confirmation in deference to worldly evidence. Throughout the scriptures, the Lord has emphasized the importance of receiving a witness of truth by the power of the Holy Ghost, and not by other means alone.

People who were once active and (seemingly) converted members of the church are now seeking for signs to refute the visual evidence they embrace. The Lord taught that faith never follows signs, but that signs follow the exercise of faith.

Faith is wavering for many people. Something about the wisdom of the world has caused people to doubt their beliefs. If that faith had been built on spiritual experiences that cannot be denied, on the trial of our faith followed by the commensurate blessings, I wouldn’t be writing this post.

I read the comment recently that “Ignorance is the prerequisite of faith.” I disagree. That definition is technically impossible. It seems to be an attempt to marginalize and minimize spiritual answers. The scriptural definitions of faith include: ‘the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen’ (Hebrews 11:1), and ‘not a perfect knowledge of things’, but a ‘hope for things which are not seen which are true (Alma 32:21). A person cannot have faith in anything if they are ignorant of it. They must know what it is they believe in.

The problem is that ‘faith’ is shifting away from spiritual witnesses to tangible, worldly evidence. People are putting their trust the world and its wisdom more than they are trusting God. And because they are losing their sensitivity to spiritual promptings in this way, they move further away from the truth they seek, without even realizing it.

Moroni taught that ‘by the power of the Holy Ghost, [we] may know the truth of all things’ (Moroni 10:5). The Savior taught that the Holy Ghost would testify of Him, and would bring all things to our remembrance that He has commanded us (John 14:26, 15:26).

I feel blessed that I have had a lot of trials in my life. They have given me the opportunity to humble myself before the Lord, do things His way instead of fight him or try to ‘outsmart’ Him with the world’s wisdom. They have given me the chance to try His promises… to exercise my faith in humility, and see the blessings come. And they have come. Plentifully. So many times and so consistently that I could not deny my faith now. I have said I am a lot like Jacob when he was confronted by Sherem. With the exception of seeing angels, I think that Jacob 7:5 describes me pretty well.

Depth of faith is required to withstand the distractions that Satan is bombarding us with. A shallow testimony that is not built on exercise, where we have been tried and tested and blessings have followed, cannot endure long.  

Now down to the nitty gritty:

Either you believe that God is your loving Heavenly Father or you don’t. You believe that Jesus Christ is your Savior, or you don’t. As a Latter-Day Saint, you either believe that the Book of Mormon is a book of scripture along with the Holy Bible, or you don’t. And if you believe that the Book of Mormon is true, then it follows that you believe that Joseph Smith Jr. was God’s instrument (prophet) in translating it and bringing it to the world. If you don’t believe these very basic tenets, then the rest doesn’t matter. We’ve identified the problem. Go no further.

All other issues are ancillary to these core beliefs. If you struggle with women having the priesthood or not, or whether Joseph Smith had multiple wives and was wrong for doing so, or anything else that might imply imperfections in the people of the church, it does not need to shake your entire faith if you have previously developed a solid testimony of the core doctrines. If these issues do shake your faith, then your foundation was weak to begin with. Asking questions and praying about some things is appropriate. We all have questions about things. Having questions about doctrinal issues that bother us is not discouraged in this church. What is important is how we try to obtain an understanding.

Something happened on my mission that really bothered me. I got through it. I got a priesthood blessing, and not long after that I understood. The difference here is that I didn’t run to the world and its secular views, or anti-Mormon sources, to get my satisfaction. I didn’t join a support group full of other people who also refuse to turn directly to the Lord for help but are wanting to do things their own way. I went to the Lord. I prayed. I studied. I got a priesthood blessing to help me understand things through the Spirit. It worked.

I love the example that Nephi set when he struggled with the decision his father Lehi made to leave Jerusalem by commandment from the Lord:

“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.” (1 Nephi 2:16, emphasis added)

Those who will do what Nephi did, with sincerity and humility, will get the same result. Those who look elsewhere because they don’t have the faith to trust the Lord will get their satisfaction elsewhere. That’s a natural result that comes as no surprise.

Someone I know said that ‘a testimony helps people look past the facts.’ I disagree. A testimony doesn’t ‘help us look past facts’, assuming those statements referred to are even facts at all.  A lot of false information is posed as ‘fact’. A real testimony built on diligently seeking the truth for oneself, through study, prayer and obedience to God’s commandments, and then seeing the blessings after the trial of our faith, does allow us to consider issues and information without it having to shake the very foundation of our beliefs. That is part of what I believe Christ referred to when he gave the parable of the sower:

“5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?

10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches andpleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” (Luke 8:5-15)

Where we are personally on this spectrum is up to us to determine, but if we are questioning our entire faith and abandoning core values over things like women and the priesthood or gay marriage or anthropology, and unable to hold onto spiritual witnesses given to us by God, then we certainly are not ‘those that fell on good ground’ according to this parable. Those that fell on good ground reconciled their concerns the way Nephi did… directly and humbly with the Lord, and not with worldly statistics, secondary literature or outside support groups. Those who follow Nephi’s example are the ones I would say fell on ‘good ground’.

I am hearing of attempts to ‘prove’ the validity of the LDS faith through census statistics, books written by independent authors, scientific evidence of unproven theories, and the like. A spiritual reality such as the existence of God or the truthfulness of the LDS faith cannot be proven through worldly means. It’s a total waste of time, and those who attempt this get further away from it as they get wrapped up in the wisdom of the world. They get further away from believing they can trust God to provide their answers. So they continue to look elsewhere… census data, support groups, or whatever. Instead of going to their Heavenly Father, they look to other sources. And they have their reward… the wisdom of the world instead of Him who created all things. The more they search the world for answers about God and His kingdom without first putting their trust in a divine witness, the weaker they become spiritually.

Spiritual things cannot be understand by worldly pursuit without including God and the witness of the Holy Ghost.

"11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:11-14)

So when we don’t get the answers we want… what do we do? Do we keep looking for what we want? Or do we finally humble ourselves and turn back to the Lord? The latter is apparently very hard to do once a person has traveled the worldly path for a while.

We cannot obtain spiritual knowledge on our own terms. It is always on God’s terms. But that knowledge will come to all who will humble themselves and do things the Lord’s way. I am sure of that. I believe those blessings will come dependably and consistently as we do it His way. It is no different than a scientific experiment. If a nuclear physicist wants to split an atom, he cannot dictate the terms of the experiment and expect success. He cannot say he’ll only accelerate the atom to a certain speed, etc. Likewise, we cannot dictate the terms upon which the Lord reveals spiritual knowledge to us, or blesses us according to our obedience. We’ll be disappointed if we assume such foolishness.

“ 31 Who am I, saith the Lord, that have promised and have not fulfilled?

32 I command and men obey not; I revoke and they receive not the blessing.

33 Then they say in their hearts: This is not the work of the Lord, for his promises are not fulfilled. But wo unto such, for their reward lurketh beneath, and not from above.” (D&C 58:31-33)

The ‘Ordain Women’ movement is nothing short of apostasy by those who want God to recreate His divine, eternal governing structure to fit their fleeting liberal feelings. To hear some of these supporters proclaim that they are active, committed LDS members is preposterous.

One of two things must be true here: Either these supporters believe that the women/priesthood issue is a policy created by the church itself, and that it is not of God, and that He is not in charge. Or they believe that they can persuade God to change His eternal structure for the salvation of His children, something that has been working beautifully for eternity.

If they are trying to get God to change his eternal doctrine, may I refer all to the last verse in D&C 22:

“Wherefore, enter ye in at the gate, as I have commanded, and seek not to counsel your God. Amen.” (D&C 22:4)

AMEN!

It is clear that followers of the Ordain Women movement do not accept the Lord’s revealed doctrine as it now exists. They apparently don’t accept the president of the Church as a prophet, seer and revelator, because he’s not revealing to them what they want to hear. They side with an organization that is diametrically opposed to the divine nature and calling of women, not just in the church but in the eternities. Therefore, they have distanced themselves from the influence of the Holy Ghost and from worthiness to enter the temple and receive those additional blessings. Perhaps in their state of being influenced by worldly views, they no longer value the Gift of the Holy Ghost or temple attendance.

Kate Kelly (the organizer behind the Ordain Women movement) is not a martyr because she got excommunicated. She is an apostate. And she’s trying to take others down with her. And sadly, many people who should know better are following her.  She has since expressed her determination to keep up her effort to change the Lord’s eternal system of family and government. Ms. Kelly might be a fine person in all other aspects. But in this context, she is an adversary to the truth of God. Satan is using her to dismantle the faith of some, and to destroy families. The destructive power she is exercising needs to be recognized for what it is.

This is not an issue of the Church being unrighteously oppressive toward women or anyone else. This is an issue of God’s eternal family and government structure, one that has been proven to work since the beginning of His kingdom, and people wanting Him to change it to fit their own philosophies.

Isaiah was right on:

“9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord:

10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” (Isaiah 30:9-11)

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland was also right on:

“Sadly enough, my young friends, it is a characteristic of our age that if people want any gods at all, they want them to be gods who do not demand much, comfortable gods, smooth gods who not only don’t rock the boat but don’t even row it, gods who pat us on the head, make us giggle, then tell us to run along and pick marigolds.

Talk about man creating God in his own image! Sometimes—and this seems the greatest irony of all—these folks invoke the name of Jesus as one who was this kind of “comfortable” God. Really? He who said not only should we not break commandments, but we should not even think about breaking them. And if we do think about breaking them, we have already broken them in our heart. Does that sound like “comfortable” doctrine, easy on the ear and popular down at the village love-in?” (General Conference, April 2014)

When we embrace the liberal philosophies of the world, whether it be about women and the priesthood, or gay marriage, or women wearing pants to church to be equal to men (remember that one?), or all worthy male members of the church receiving the priesthood, we are showing that we care more about those philosophies than pleasing God. We show that we trust the world more than we trust God. In effect, we are choosing another god in place of the One who created us and who is our Father.

Satan can make worldly philosophies appear to be sensible. That is where the Gift of the Holy Ghost is so important. The power of discernment that is part of that gift is critical to our being able to avoid pitfalls like this.

The ‘support’ websites for people who struggle with their faith are not helpful in genuinely returning to the church. Rather, they manufacture even more justifications for dissident views, and a latent further distancing from the influence of the Holy Ghost. They are populated by others who lack the faith to approach God, and the desire and humility to do things His way.  

In the book of First Nephi in the Book of Mormon, when Lehi was taking his family out of Jerusalem in 600 B.C. and going… they didn’t yet know where… Laman and Lemuel rebelled… they whined and sniveled. They questioned their authority figure, their father, who happened to be a prophet of God. They beat up their younger brother (Nephi) who didn’t agree with their rebellion. They even threatened their own parents on the ship if they even verbalized support for Nephi.

But what did Nephi do during this time? He went to the Lord for his answers. He didn’t rebel. He didn’t go find a support group of fellow strugglers who were trying to find a sugar-coated, roundabout way to reconcile instead of doing what they should have and turn directly to their God. He didn’t publicly whine and murmur and criticize. He did it right. He went right to the source. Again I quote:

“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.” (1 Ne. 2:16)

I remember reading an article right after the 2012 general election entitled “Nine Mormon Women who Voted for Obama.” Before I share my summary of this article, I want to reiterate the Church’s position at election time. They do not support a particular party or candidate. But the Church must, and does, take positions with moral issues, including political issues that are at odds with God’s will for His children. There are good people in all political parties, and some good ideas in all. But modern moral conservatism and modern liberalism blur their boundaries between the parties. It is a usual practice for the Church to send a letter to each ward and branch in the United States to be read at election time, basically reminding the members to do their civic duty and vote for those candidates and propositions/laws that will aid in righteousness and in furthering the Lord’s kingdom on earth. So why were these nine LDS women so proud that they voted against a former church missionary, former stake president, a deeply spiritual man in the Lord’s kingdom, and a proven financial success both in business and in government, who clearly puts family first and has Church principles at his core… and instead voted for someone who clearly opposes financial responsibility, personal accountability, liberty, morality, the sanctity of human life at birth, and the pure rights granted under our God-ordained Constitution? My simple answer is because they followed the ‘wisdom’ of the world rather than God. They believed what they heard in the mainstream media rather than understanding that through the power of the Holy Ghost they could know  the truth of what each candidate stood for and who would be best according to the Lord’s desires for the people of this nation, and particularly members of the LDS church. In short, they demonstrated their spiritual weakness, and they seem to be proud of it. Another example of abandoning a spiritual witness, and instead trusting the world and its wisdom.

President Boyd K. Packer said:

“Enos, who was “struggling in the spirit,” said, “Behold, the voice of the Lord came into my mind.” (Enos 1:10; italics added.) While this spiritual communication comes into the mind, it comes more as a feeling, an impression, than simply as a thought. Unless you have experienced it, it is very difficult to describe that delicate process.

The witness is not communicated through the intellect alone, however bright the intellect may be.

“The natural man,” Paul told us, “receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor. 2:13–14.)

Recently the Council of the First Presidency and Quorum of Twelve Apostles issued a statement alerting members of the Church to the dangers of participating in circles which concentrate on doctrine and ordinances and measure them by the intellect alone.

If doctrines and behavior are measured by the intellect alone, the essential spiritual ingredient is missing, and we will be misled.

Personal testimony is confirmed to us initially and is reaffirmed and enlarged thereafter through a harmonious combining of both the intellect and the spirit.” (General Conference, October 1991)

In summary, there is no other way to gain and keep a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, with all that goes along with it, without the witness of the Holy Ghost. I believe it is impossible to maintain that testimony without continued exercise of it, by putting the Lord to the test. We need to exercise that faith and see the blessings come. All the wisdom in the world will not convince anyone of the truthfulness of God’s work. But when a person has been through the “refiner’s fire” and has seen the blessings time and again, perhaps hundreds of times, there is a spiritual witness with depth that all the wisdom in the world cannot refute. And there are millions of people in the world who have such depth because of the exercise of their faith, who will not succumb to the absurdity that is at the core of the Ordain Women movement and other satanic attempts to incite apostasy. I wonder what will come next… Satan is clever.

The Trayvon Martin Case: A Lesson in Pure Corruption

The Trayvon Martin – George Zimmerman incident probably taught us more about corruption in American society than any other in recent history. And I believe that most people are not aware of exactly what corruption I am referring to. Those who listen to the mainstream media are led to think that this case was a miscarriage of justice, that a murderer got away with his crime. But it’s not just the media pushing this belief. It’s the 'leadership' of the black population in general. And it’s our government. (Disclaimer: If you object to my use of the word ‘black’, just get over it. I’m not playing the politically correct term-of-the-day game. That is weak and cowardly. The use of the word ‘black’ wasn’t derogatory before, and it’s not now… blacks use this term to describe themselves, therefore it is OK. Just get over it.)

As one educated as a lawyer and having attended two police academies (one of which I finished at the top of the class), I am trained to consider established facts and available evidence, and to dismiss emotionally-charged opinions, racism and agenda-driven selfish interests. I am trained to see our courts and our legal system as a place where reason and law prevail, and not public opinion or emotion.

The Trayvon Martin case has been more emotionally and racially charged than any other case in my memory.

I will divide the underlying corruption into three parts.

The Media

First, a basic understanding of the media is necessary.

The media does not report facts. They do not report impartial truth. Only the naïve actually believe this. We must remember that these mainstream media outlets are businesses, in fierce competition with other media corporations. They must earn a profit. The personalities we see and hear on the television and radio must add to that profit. This is true of all of them, from Katie Couric and Matt Lauer to Bill O’Reilly and Rush Limbaugh. If they cannot draw the loyal followers, they are replaced with someone else who can. Liberal media outlets appeal to a different crowd than conservative ones. But they have the same struggles: ratings and profit.  Even so-called non-profit media outlets, such as National Public Radio, must appeal to certain groups in order to attract sponsors. They may not sell commercial advertising space, but ratings – and therefore listener appeal – are still of primary importance.

The problem is that truth does not necessarily sell. It doesn’t increase profit or ratings. It does not command premium rates for advertising spots. What sells are those ‘stories’ that appeal to our emotions and selfish interests. That is what people want, and they tune to the media sources that give it to them. These media organizations are corporations with revenue and ratings goals, first and foremost. Let’s not lose sight of that fact.

In other nations, such as North Korea and mainland China, and the former Soviet Union, the media is controlled by the government. Everything that is broadcast is approved and filtered by the government, according to their agenda. Thus, there is no impartial truth there.

Whether the media is commercially run or government-run, whether liberal or conservative, truth and facts are not necessarily on the menu. The organization behind the scenes has an agenda… that determines what gets aired.

Now… what does all of this have to do with the Trayvon Martin case? Simple. Everything.

The media has made no effort to broadcast truth and facts. They have consistently told lies that sell. An honest look at the available facts and evidence of this case would lead any reasonably thinking person to conclude that George Zimmerman did not murder Trayvon Martin. The evidence is overwhelming. It’s not even a close call. But the media has never covered the case based on facts and evidence. They have covered it based on public perception. Why? Because if they defend George Zimmerman based on the evidence and facts, they lose ratings. Big time. They lose millions of black viewers. They lose anti-gun advocates. They lose pretty much anyone who makes their decisions based on emotional impact rather than facts. And unfortunately, that is a large percentage of Americans.

Instead, the media gave people what sells: an innocent, unarmed little black teenage boy needlessly shot and killed by a white racist. The mainstream media outlets did not present any substantial amount of the overwhelming and compelling evidence that proved George Zimmerman’s innocence.

And even after the jury returned a verdict of not guilty based on the very facts and evidence that the media ignored, the media continued to air video of black groups around the nation crying injustice and racism. They had to point out repeatedly that the jury consisted of five whites and only one black… injecting more racism into the mix. They aired Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon Martin’s mother, telling people about how her son would not go to college and how she would not have grandchildren from him ‘because of a law that allowed [Zimmerman] to go unpunished for his crime.’ None of what she said was true. This was a mother publicly mourning the loss of her son and appealing to emotion instead of facts. I suppose I can’t blame her for that. But does the media care about the truth here? Of course not. Sybrina Fulton's speech sells advertising space. She gets ratings. Damn the truth. Bring on the profits.

What I find particularly disgusting about the mainstream media is how they openly claim to be a credible source of ‘news’, impartial and factual. They are the opposite. The inherent dishonesty and hypocrisy in the mainstream media, especially given their self-proclaimed social mission in society, is repugnant. If our emotionally-charged society sided with truth, virtue and integrity, they would convict the mainstream media of criminal fraud.

The “Court of Public Opinion”

One of the most dangerous trends in the evolution of our legal system is that verdicts are becoming less dependent on facts and evidence, and are based more on public perception and emotional impact. Justice is migrating more toward political correctness and away from truth.

Race is perhaps the biggest influence in the ‘court of public opinion’, often having its roots in cultural defensiveness. Particularly pertaining to the black population, they have struggled mightily for a couple of centuries to feel established and accepted in what used to be considered a white man’s society. It is a fact that for many years, blacks in America were at a disadvantage for several reasons. Those reasons have been largely unfounded, meaning that there were no good reasons for treating them differently than everyone else. To think that blacks do not deserve equal opportunities with whites and others is racist on its face.

Racism against blacks should be extinct by now. Unfortunately, it is kept alive by so-called leaders of the black population, much more so than by whites. If people would have embraced the peaceful ideals of Martin Luther King, there would be equality everywhere for some time now. Instead, we have grandstanders like Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan and Jesse Jackson who continue to incite racism and hatred, because they profit by doing so. If these racist hate-mongers didn't exist, or if people didn't listen to them, there would be peace and harmony among the American people. If they didn’t continue to manufacture societal division for the sake of personal gain, blacks everywhere in this nation would be where Dr. King once dreamed of. Making the problem even worse, the cry of racism is used all too often in order to manipulate others and to exploit our political, legal and economic systems. This is also encouraged by those who don’t truly want equality because it wouldn’t be good for themselves – ie: black ‘advocates’ and many politicians. The media often uses the race card, too, again because it’s popular and brings loyal patronage.

Back to our issue…

Trayvon Martin was a black teen who was shot by a white-Hispanic man. The instant reaction around the nation, and implied by the media, was that this was yet another ‘lynching’ of an innocent black by a white racist. And despite the overwhelming facts and evidence to the contrary, black leaders and media outlets still have not let up on this untruth.

Black citizens nationwide were demanding that George Zimmerman be prosecuted when no evidence against him existed. When Zimmerman was found by the jury to be not-guilty, blacks all around the country went into mourning, crying injustice. “Zimmerman must be guilty because he’s a white man and he murdered an unarmed black teen” seemed to be the consensus. Zimmerman started receiving death threats and the like. People could not trust our justice system to render a verdict based on facts and evidence, when our emotionally-charged feelings didn’t agree with it. To refuse to consider the overwhelming evidence in Zimmerman’s favor (Trayvon Martin had almost no evidence in his favor, despite much of what favored Zimmerman being declared inadmissible), and still condemn him, largely because of the race difference, is racist itself. To refuse to accept our legal system when it worked as it should, simply because it didn’t favor our race, and to threaten the ‘opponent’ after justice was administered, is corruption.

Further, the NAACP has pressured Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder to initiate Federal civil rights charges against Zimmerman after his acquittal in the murder trial. They cannot accept that a jury has weighed the evidence and found him innocent of murder. So they look for another angle with which to punish him for what they accuse him of, again without any evidence to support it. The NAACP is racist in this action. They are corrupt in their behavior. They are part of the problem of inciting hatred and racism, not part of any solution.

As long as blacks allow themselves to be led by those who foster hate and racism, there will be division and distrust between the races. As long as racists like Sharpton, Farrakhan, Jackson, the NAACP, and others continue to incite conflict, there will be animosity, racism and violence. As long as the race card is dishonestly played as a toxic, manipulative tactic, whether by individuals, organizations, the media or the government, there will be corruption.

The Government

The state of Florida did not have the evidence necessary to prosecute George Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon Martin. Yet Barack Obama pressured the state of Florida to initiate a prosecution anyway. Why would hedo that?

I have previously described Obama as ‘the father of all vote whores’, because that is what he is. He is the master panderer. He is a racist. He has no personal convictions other than socialism and his Muslim faith (This is not a bash on Muslims. Not at all. Just on Obama’s dishonesty about his faith while claiming to be Christian so as not to alienate himself from voters). Obama will pander to any person or group of persons who will keep him in power. Liberals are a very easy group… just give them anything they want and they will vote for you.

Here, Obama wanted to preserve the loyalty of the black vote just prior to the 2012 election. His statement, “If I had a son, he would look like Trayvon Martin” was a racist barb to incite anger toward the defendant, George Zimmerman, for a crime he did not commit. It was designed to rally blacks emotionally rather than based on his record.

After the jury in George Zimmerman’s trial, Obama said in a statement, “We are a nation of laws, and a jury has spoken.” Yet Obama and Eric Holder are considering, again at the urging of the NAACP, to bring Federal civil rights charges against Zimmerman, again without evidence. They cannot let the jury’s spoken verdict rest. They have to keep the racism alive because it empowers them. That, my friends, is political corruption… something that permeates the very fiber of Obama’s being.

Further, Eric Holder stated that the 'Stand Your Ground' law, upon which Zimmerman tried to base his defense, should be repealed. That law was upheld a couple of years ago by the Supreme Court as the "Castle Doctrine". But for Holder to say a good law should be repealed simply because the outcome of a racially-charged case (upon which he can personally gain) didn't go his way, is just another indication of power-grabbing corruption in Washington.

Summary

Nearly all the evidence and available facts show that George Zimmerman is not a racist. Yet that is what the media and our government have led people to believe.

Nearly all the evidence and available facts show that Zimmerman was defending himself and honestly believed his life was in imminent danger when he shot Trayvon Martin. Yet that is not what our media showed the nation.

Barack Obama pressured the state of Florida to initiate prosecution proceedings against Zimmerman despite a lack of evidence. Yet he acted like a ‘compassionate leader’ in a time of national tragedy when on camera.

Upon acquittal, blacks around the nation cried out against Zimmerman as ‘one who got away’ rather than respecting the overwhelming facts. This is what the media basically told them. Those who had the facts available concealed them instead of presenting them. Racism was needlessly allowed to boil... because it is profitable to some.

Zimmerman faces death threats because of the inherent racism and concealment of facts in the media.

Obama and Holder, at the urging of the NAACP, are considering Federal civil rights charges to keep the hatred and racism alive despite a lack of evidence.

From every angle, corruption is at the center of this case. From the media’s dishonesty and greed, to racism in society, to pandering for support in government… too many people have a stake in convicting an innocent man for their own personal gain and gratification. I have learned to try to stay away from potential conflict, because when justice and public opinion are at odds, fairness is not on our side. 

The True Definition of Marriage

The recent ruling by the Supreme Court that overturns the Defense of Marriage Act requires me to comment. As one educated in law and deeply committed to Christianity, I feel blessed that I can see through the distraction from virtue that these worldly views create.

The bottom line here is that our government is promoting liberalism in all forms. Why? It gets votes. If you want to get elected and stay in power, just pander to a liberal. Liberals at large do not care about the national debt…they don’t expect to ever have to personally account for it. They do not care about foreign policy…they don’t expect the actions of foreign nations to directly affect them. They do not care about the virtues of self-restraint, working hard for what they receive, or maintaining liberty the way it has been in every society that preceded us – by strong defenses. Instead, they care about gay rights. They care about abortion rights. They care about illegal immigration rights. They care about environmentalism. They want health care that is paid by someone else. They want an income that is paid by someone else without working for it. In summary, they care about the benefits and the pleasures they can enjoy today, and leaving the day of accountability to the future, as if it will never come. As long as politicians give people the immediate selfish gratification they want, those politicians will keep getting elected. I simply call them vote whores. That’s what they are.

Marriage was instituted by God, not by the laws of men. It was first mentioned in the Bible. It was not a legal ceremony with paperwork, fees and a blood test. It was a commitment to one’s new spouse and to God. And as such – being a genuine commitment to God, it carried much more weight, integrity and reverence in the minds of those who participated. Only in our modern era has the legal system usurped authority over the God-ordained act of marriage. And this is only because modern laws have commingled marital rights with legal rights. Examples are the right to own property, the right to share insurance benefits, the right to income tax relief, such as ‘married filing jointly’. Once the government gave incentives or advantages to married couples, they opened the door to requiring ‘equal protection’ to unmarried partners as well as to homosexual relationships. Because of this crossing of legal lines, the courts have no choice but to act. Either they refuse to recognize marriage as a legal act and remove all marriage-based public incentives (tax breaks, etc), or they allow all the same privilege under the equal protection clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. This really isn’t about the courts becoming corrupt because they made these decisions. They had to. The current moral/political climate requires that they equally protect all. Failing to act would be imposing moral beliefs (religion) into law. The problem is that religion (marriage) and government (taxes, property, etc) crossed paths and shared benefits along the way. That is where this conflict really started.

What we have today are two opposite definitions of marriage. There is the ‘legal’ or worldly definition: the government-sanctioned union between two consenting adults. Then there is God’s definition: the union of a man and a woman. Only one can be correct, though. If the government wants to call a homosexual ‘marriage’ a legal marriage, then let them. But if government truly wants all people to be equal, then don’t persecute heterosexual people. This includes small business owners and religious institutions. If a small business owner chooses not to do business with a homosexual person because doing so violates his personal religious morals, there are two choices: 1) Allow this, and the homosexual population can find plenty of other providers for services; or 2) Force the business owner to conduct business with the homosexual person, completely violating the First and Fourteenth Amendment rights of the business owner. Unfortunately, our government has chosen the latter… they willfully violate the Constitution and force business owners to serve in ways that violate their religious convictions.

As an example, a wedding photographer who personally is a conservative Christian worshipper refuses to photograph the wedding of a gay couple. Realistically, the gay couple could find any number of other photographers who would want their business. No one’s rights are violated in this case. But today, that photographer could be criminally prosecuted for refusing to photograph a gay marriage. That violates his constitutional rights. Does the government care about his (or our) constitutional rights? Not if protecting the rights of heterosexuals costs them votes. Not if doing the right thing hurts their re-election chances.

Regarding the definition of marriage, the government can legislate any definition they want to. God instituted marriage, not men. God defined what a marriage is. Men cannot change that definition. They certainly can pretend to, and they are. But marriage is, and always will be, between a man and a woman. The government is simply using improper terminology to define a civil union in order to bestow government benefits and pander for votes.

Calling a gay union a marriage is no different than the government passing a law that says that any object moving in the sky is ‘flying’. If you throw a rock, it is ‘flying’. If you fall off a tall building, you are ‘flying’. Does that mean you ‘crashed’ when you hit the ground as if it was an accident? Do we need the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate the cause of your ‘flying accident’ and assign blame somewhere else? Falling out of the sky is not flying, any more than a gay union is a marriage, no matter what the government legislates. What about the definition of Heaven? Our government could pass a law saying that Heaven is officially defined as anything that brings pleasure to anyone. Clearly contrary to the definition that the Creator of Heaven gave. Again, the government can call anything what they want. It does not change the facts. Marriage was defined by God to be between a man and a woman. Government can pretend to change that, but they are only pretending. Such a definition only matters to the godless.

None of this is intended to be ‘hate speech’ against gays. Not at all. I have gays in my extended family and I love them. The gay co-workers in my career have been some of the very best, most dependable employees, and the first I’d think of if I needed to hire someone. Their sexual choices do not define everything else about them. I support the rights of gays to have all the same legal privileges that heterosexuals have. That includes property rights, tax breaks, educational opportunities, and the like. No more and no less. Equal. Recently the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has openly supported gay rights as they pertain to society. The right to jointly own property, the right to be free in one’s beliefs, the right to cohabitate, etc. There is no social discrimination from the LDS Church, despite the efforts of persecutors to imply differently and incite hate toward the church. Social equality is what they say… but our government will not stop there. They are forcing homosexuality and gay marriage into society while inhibiting and outright threatening the rights of heterosexuals. They are promoting liberalism under the intentionally deceitful banner of equality.

One thing I believe is that persecution against Christians everywhere will increase. Those who hold true to their beliefs will feel the heat. Many will buckle under the persecution and will ‘get out of the kitchen’, showing God that their faith is only so strong. But I also believe that God will allow those of us who believe in Him, who genuinely cling to Him, to be protected when things get really difficult. But we cannot procrastinate our faithfulness and wait until it is convenient to jump on God’s bandwagon. The time is now.

Survival and Faith in the Last Days

I am certain that we all have different ideas of how the last days will play out before Jesus Christ returns to Earth as is prophesied in holy scripture, and as He promised. One thing that I believe we all can agree on is that times will be hard, and our faith will be tested.

I believe that our faith in Christ will be tested to its very limits. Throughout history as recorded in the scriptures, God has ‘sifted the wheat from the tares’, trying the faith of His followers to see who will fall by the wayside, their weak faith having buckled under adversity of varying degrees.

With the first election of Barack Obama as president of the United States, millions of people began to see their liberties eroding at a faster pace than ever before. We saw the beginning of the end of the greatest economic power in the history of the world. With over fifteen trillion dollars in debt, a level that is all but impossible to ever repay through traditional means, we witnessed what appears to be the permanent paralysis of America as a viable center for international commerce, and as an example to the rest of the world of a successful free enterprise marketplace. We witnessed the decay of constitutionally protected property rights with the introduction of forced national health care, and the commensurate tax increase to pay for it. Obama’s first election victory was largely a mandate against the perceived incompetence of George W Bush as portrayed in the mainstream media. Obama’s victory was also helped by the continuing ineptitude of the Republican party in getting across the value of their message and their platform – one of patriotism and love of country, one of religious foundation, one of work ethic and the original American dream. That message was crushed by the Democrat’s platform supporting selfish interests and unearned entitlements.

Obama’s re-election victory over Mitt Romney in 2012 was not a contest of who is more qualified to lead our nation out of its present economic crisis. I doubt there are more than a few hundred people around this entire country who honestly believe that Obama is better suited to turn our market economy, unemployment rates, and debt levels around. That is not what this election was about at all. It was a further mandate for selfish interests and socialism. More specifically, it was a mandate in favor of abortion rights, gay rights, welfare entitlements, illegal immigrant amnesty, and the lack of work ethic and desire to succeed that was once crucial to the survival and prosperity of this once-great nation.

I believe this most recent election was a mandate for what is evil in the sight of God in place of what is righteous. What is degenerate prevailed over what is uplifting. What many people do not seem to realize is that, while they had the freedom to make that choice, they do not have the ability to choose the consequences of that choice. As Christ taught several times about those who acted unwisely, “Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.” So it will be with all of us. Because of choices made by others, we must all suffer together.

How will we suffer? I have a few ideas. I am not even including the natural disasters and calamities that the Lord will send in order to 'preach His sermons' to a wicked world. 

Some of the natural consequences of Obama’s agenda are that Americans will eventually reach a limit where they have no more money for the government to tax from them. The Democrat’s tax-and-spend agenda depends on a continuous flow of tax dollars that will never be reversed or reduced. With the most recent significant tax increase to pay for ObamaCare, many people are left without enough to pay their basic bills.

I remember a conversation I had a few years ago with a retired man from Connecticut. He was 77 years old at the time, and had retired debt-free. He owned his nice, comfortable home free and clear. But according to his story, the governor of the state approved a series of property tax increases which eventually tripled the tax rate that people had planned and budgeted for. My friend was now paying around $10,000 per year in property tax for his rather modest home (probably about 2,000 square feet). And the governor wanted to raise the rate again. What my friend told me is that he, like many other seniors just like him, didn’t have the extra resources to pay for that tax increase, and his home was in foreclosure, only because of the tax increase on his property.

My point in sharing this true story is that the Democrats will not be able to stop their tax-and-spend juggernaut, and will eventually tax the public into financial ruin. Then their system will begin to collapse like the pyramid scheme that it is. This out-of-control taxation has already forced many corporations to outsource jobs to other countries… that and unfair, unethical collective bargaining practices by some unions. I find it amusing that the Democrats love to condemn corporations for outsourcing jobs, when the only reason they did it was to be able to survive the punitive tax rates that the Democrats themselves established. It is as if the Democrats are angry with the corporations for not just laying down and taking the intended beating, but are trying to protect themselves and their shareholders from it…. Like the Democrats are saying to the corporations, “You’re not playing fair. We want to vilify and demonize you in the public eye and plunder your money, but you are making it difficult for us.” The Democrats will run out of resources to feed their monster, and it will come crashing down, taking millions of us with it.

When that happens:

·         Unemployment rates could skyrocket, soaring up to and possibly beyond fifty percent. Businesses simply will not be able to survive, and jobs by the millions will be lost.

·         Senior citizens might lose their Social Security benefits altogether. There won’t be government money to give them.

·         The health care system, even that which is mandated by the government, could cease to exist as we know it. Most people will not be able to afford health insurance, or it might not be available at all. Seniors, those who typically need the health care system the most, might be without Medicare or any other coverage.

·         Prescription drugs and other medicine might not be available because the companies who manufacture them will be out of business.

·         Food distributors might not continue to fill the shelves of our grocery stores. The grocery stores might not be in business. People won’t be able to obtain food easily, the way we do it today.

·         Any debts owed to you will default, as will debts you owe to others. Default will become a national epidemic, and those who depended on ‘the check in the mail’ will be left waiting and waiting…

What would we do in circumstances such as this? No job, no more money coming, no way to buy more food at the grocery store, perhaps no more gas for your car, no health care, no prescription drugs… what would we do? It’s pretty much an impossible situation to survive. And many millions of people would not survive it. Perhaps most people would not.

The only answer I can see is that this would be a very large-scale sifting of the wheat from the tares. Those who put their trust in God and keep His commandments will be blessed. They will be protected. They will be provided for. A senior citizen who once desperately needed a prescription drug to maintain their health, or even possibly to survive, would be blessed and sustained by the Lord through their obedience to His teachings and commandments. Those who follow the Lord and demonstrate their firm faith in Him will have their needs provided. They will survive while many around them will perish, not knowing where else to turn, but being unwilling to acknowledge God as a source of relief. It reminds me of the Book of Mormon verse where Mormon describes the degenerate state of the Nephites just before their final destruction:

“And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite spirits, but they did curse God, and wish to die. Nevertheless they would struggle with the sword for their lives.” (Mormon 2:14)

We might lose our right to own firearms, thereby giving government and organized crime free reign. But by obedience and faith in God, we might not need the guns. We would be protected from evil.

We might not have health care coverage or medicine. But through obedience and faith, and the power of the priesthood of God, we might not need them. Our faith will be more powerful than the wisdom and technology of man.

We might not be able to buy food in stores. But with God’s help, and through the cooperative help of other faithful people, we can grow, hunt and fish, and survive with adequate amounts of food.

The bottom line is that Christ has promised blessings and protection to those who follow Him. He makes no such commitments to those who disobey him and pursue their own gods in the world. I believe in those promises.

I believe He expects us to do everything we can do for ourselves to be prepared, and to not be caught by surprise (see the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25 in the New Testament). But that which we cannot do for ourselves, if we are faithful, the Lord will make up the difference.

“…for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” (BoM - 2^nd Nephi 25:23)

My hope is that my friends and family will recognize the signs of hard times ahead that are plainly visible to those who ‘will see’, and will take them seriously and prepare themselves. I’m going to do everything I can to be ready for the rough times ahead.

Believing in the Power of Prayer

Praying can become a routine. We do it, and it may be automatic, without much thought or sincerity. Every once in a while I get reminded just how important it is to take the power of prayer seriously. I had one such reminder yesterday morning.

As I was driving to Arizona to visit with my children and other family members, I regained a profound respect for black ice. I was about 35 miles south of Page, AZ, on a two-lane highway. I saw the black ice and slowed from the speed limit of 65 down to about 35 mph. That wasn't enough. I lost traction and slid into the left lane, going the opposite direction... right in front of an oncoming car. I tried steering and correcting (I know how to recover from a loss of traction), but was having no luck. The other car was approaching.

Before I left my home in Utah, I prayed for safety. And I did pray sincerely, because I knew I was driving into a snow storm. At one point on Interstate 15 in the middle of the night, where the speed limit was 80 mph, I could only go about 30 to feel safe. When I finally arrived at my sister Shelly's home in Gilbert, AZ, Friday afternoon, I told her about this incident. Afterward, she told me she had also prayed for my safety. Perhaps there were others who did, too, such as my sweet wife.

Back to the drama... I saw the other car approaching, and I had no control of my own car. So I uttered aloud a quick prayer... I simply said, "Father..." Suddenly I regained enough traction to swerve back into my own lane. I only had about another 1-1/2 seconds before I would have been in a head-on collision. It probably would not have been fatal at the speed I was going, but certainly there would have been injuries, and two destroyed vehicles.

As I regained control of the vehicle, and my own composure, I asked myself, "Did that really just happen?"

I attribute the fact that I was not in a major auto accident to a direct answer to prayer. Sincere prayer. Not just the one uttered in the moment of distress, but also to those said in sincerity before the circumstances arose.

It is times like this that my faith is strengthened. I am thankful to a loving Heavenly Father, and loving family, who care about my safety. I don't know where I would be without them.

The False Doctrine of 'Faith Without Works'

This post was written at the request of a friend, whose beliefs (which are similar to mine) were attacked and ridiculed by others. This is my response to that attack, which will explain why this is so direct and lacking in 'sugar-coating'.

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The whole notion that people are saved in Heaven by ‘belief’ in Christ alone is a false doctrine that was developed centuries ago by preachers who were turning religion into a business. When preachers began depending on followers for an income, attractive doctrines replaced truth. The true commandments of God were replaced with what people wanted to hear.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (KJV) – “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

Eventually people began to cleave to false doctrines like this, which would make them ‘feel good’ with a shallow, casual relationship with God, rather than the total spiritual commitment that the scriptures clearly indicate is necessary for eternal life. This fictitious doctrine of ‘belief only’ is not taught or supported by the Bible, but is the concoction of men. Any person who believes this false doctrine does not know the Bible or its true purpose, does not know the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and may simply want a cheap and easy way to Heaven, believing only what they want to hear rather than what is clearly declared in holy scripture.

Some of the more popular verses in the Bible to create this notion of ‘belief only’ include:

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

A person would have to conclude that Jesus would accept cheap lip service, simply ‘confessing his name as their Savior’, in exchange for eternal life, the greatest gift He can give us. And despite such a cheap confession, a person could live a willfully sinful life. Such a belief is ridiculous, and is contradictory to everything else taught in the Bible. A simple investigation into what ‘belief’ meant to the followers of Christ at the time will reveal that believing was much more than cheap lip service. Believing was living by the commandments Jesus taught.

Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

It is true that man cannot save himself. Man cannot ‘work’ himself into Heaven. Only those who are given the gift of eternal life, which comes only through Jesus Christ, may enjoy eternity where God dwells. But it is clear throughout the Bible (or should be clear but for these deceitful faith-only doctrines), that Christ commands us to obey him, and that men will be judged and rewarded according to their works. We have all sinned and have fallen short of eternal life. Only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, His suffering for our sins and forgiving us of our shortcomings, do we have a chance to have eternal life. But it is also clear that Christ requires us to live our lives righteously.

First, the whole faith-only fiction is destroyed by a simple reading of James chapter 2. Read the entire chapter. It becomes clear that mere ‘belief’ without obedience is not even showing faith and has no value whatsoever. Exercising real faith requires obedience to God’s commandments.

Second, there are many verses that clearly indicate that obedience (work) is required:

Matthew 7:21 – “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

Is there any question about what the ‘will of the Father’ is? It is belief in His son, Jesus Christ, which includes obedience to the commandments.

John 15:13-14 – “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”

To whom does Christ’s Atonement apply? To His ‘friends’, those who obey His commandments.

Matthew 16:27 – “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.”

After Christ’s final coming, He will REWARD men according to their works. What reward? Eternal life or something less, depending on their works (obedience).

Could it be any clearer that faith-only is a false doctrine?

Revelation 20:12-13 – “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.”

After the resurrection of men, they were judged according to their works. If works (obedience) were not important, why would they be judged and rewarded for them?

James 4:17 - Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Disobedience to what Christ taught us is sin.

Perhaps one of the most unmistakable declarations that obedience to God’s commandments is required for eternal life comes from the mouth of the Savior Himself in Mark 10:17-23:

“17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!”

It is also clear from this passage in Mark that Christ requires more of us than minimal obedience to the most basic of the ‘Ten Commandments’. He requires us to give our all to Him, as seen in verse 21.

Matthew 22:36-40 reads:

“36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

From all of these Bible verses, we can plainly see that cheap lip service, or simply saying we believe, is not what Christ requires of us. We must devote our lives to Him through obedience to His commandments, by serving others, and more. How much more?

Luke 4:4 – “And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”

We must live every commandment that God has given to us.

Matthew 5:48 – “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

While giving the Sermon on the Mount, Christ taught us that we should try to be perfect like His Father. Of course we cannot achieve that in this life, but we must do our best. Christ’s Atonement, and his forgiving us of our sins and shortcomings, through His grace and mercy, make it possible for us to have eternal life.

The answer to what is required of us is not a mere belief in Christ, but to keep His commandments and live our lives as close to the way He lived as possible.

This is clear and unmistakable doctrine taught by Jesus Christ Himself, not twisted and interpreted by men who are trying to attract a flock of paying followers.

Generally speaking, if a ‘preacher’ wants to earn a living ‘preaching the word’, they must preach things that people WANT to hear. Also generally speaking, some people will try to shift the responsibility for their own salvation onto the preacher, claiming ‘that is what I was taught by God’s minister’, when deep inside they know better. If they don’t hear what they want, what is easy and convenient to follow, they will find another church. See again 2 Timothy 4:3-4. This is where silly doctrines like ‘belief only’ come from – preachers must tell people what they want to hear, or their business of preaching will fail financially.

The false doctrine of faith without works is clearly not found in the Bible, and is dangerous to one’s salvation. Anyone who claims to be a true and honest follower of Jesus Christ should run the other direction from such deceitful beliefs.

"Feeling" Through the Veil

I have learned that death can be a very spiritual experience. Some cultures mourn the passing of loved ones as a permanent loss, and as a tragedy. Many do not have hope for a happy life after this one.

I have had two experiences in particular where the death of a loved one was a highly spiritual experience. The first was the passing of my father on December 31, 2005. He had battled Alzheimer’s for some time. My mother called me that morning and asked if I could be with her while he passed away. I left work, drove the three hours to her home, and sat with her. I got there in the early afternoon. Earlier in the day, a home health nurse had told my mom that Dad’s body had just shut down, and that his breathing was pretty much a subconscious action that soon would stop on its own. It finally did at about 11:15 PM.

What was interesting was the feeling Mom and I had as Dad slipped quietly away. There was an overwhelming peace, as if all was right with Dad. Also, I felt that the room was crowded. Although I could only see the three of us, I could feel the presence of angels. The veil that separates our earth life from Heaven felt very thin that night. I sensed that the angels were there to escort Dad home to his Heavenly Father. He had lived a great life, and he was not alone as he slipped into immortality. The veil was thin that night, and I could feel the love of God from the other side.

A few years before this was the passing of my own infant son, Grant Alexander Carpenter. We found out early in the pregnancy that there were serious complications. He was diagnosed with Trisomy 18, also known as Edwards Syndrome. Right after he was born on January 18, 2000, my father-in-law, the doctor (who was LDS), and I, took Grant in our arms right there in the labor and delivery room, and gave him a name and blessing. I felt impressed to tell him that he had come to Earth simply to receive his physical body, and I commended him back into the care of his Father in Heaven. Not long after this beautiful experience, he quietly passed away while I was holding him in my arms.

Again, the veil was thin. The room was large, yet it felt crowded, literally as if there was standing room only. But there were only five of us in this big room. I could sense the presence of angels, waiting to take Grant home with them. And again, I could feel the perfect love of the Savior in that room. Whenever people hear about Grant, they naturally want to express their condolences over the loss of my son. But I do not consider him lost. I consider him safe… safe in the Kingdom of God, safe from the travail of mortality. I hope he is there helping to plead my miserable case on my behalf. I don’t want condolences. My experience with Grant was perhaps the greatest spiritual experience of my life, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I know that death is frightening for most people. My only concern is being prepared. Beyond that, I have no fear, only a lot of hope and anxiousness for what lies ahead. I have literally felt the love that comes from the other side of the veil. It is sweet and desirable, perhaps just like the love of God that Lehi described as he ate the fruit in his dream.

Leadership, the Lord's Way

Over twenty years ago I learned a lesson about leadership. It has stuck with me all this time, and is as vivid today as when I first heard it. My boss, Bill Seabrooke, a good Christian man of another faith, told me one day, "Rick, I work for you. You don't work for me. I'm here to make sure you have all the tools and resources you need to get the job done."

I was impressed. It's sort of a pet peeve of mine when I hear someone referring to their subordinates and saying "He works for me...." The self-importance implicit in that statement has always irritated me. And in many cases, I have found, it isn't even true.

When we see traditional organizational charts in corporate America, we see the people who manufacture or sell the products - those who are actually producing the income - at the 'bottom' of the chart, as if their position is of lesser importance. Just take away the production and sales people - those who are 'at the bottom', and see how profitable the company is!

I later learned that the philosophy my boss embraced was found in the Bible:

"But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:25-28).

The more I thought about this, the more I realized that this is the way the Church is organized. We have a prophet, and apostles, and others who are called of God to serve the rest of the world. We do not serve them. They serve us. How do they serve us? By teaching us the word and will of the Lord, by helping us have the resources we need to work out our salvation, teach our families, and receive the saving ordinances. They make these things possible, and available, for us. We don't do one thing for President Monson's personal benefit, when you really think about it. We don't pay him a salary, or a fat Wall Street bonus (although I'd argue that he deserves it as much as anyone else). We don't provide him a private jet. We don't fund lavish vacations for him or the other general authorities. Many people don't know of the great financial sacrifices some of these leaders have made to serve the Lord with all their heart, soul and mind, for the rest of their lives. They work for us, quite literally. This is the Savior's way, and He set the example. We don't 'work' for Him. He works for us (see Moses 1:39).

Following this example, how great it is to be in the service of the Lord, working 'for' the families who need us to be there, as examples, teachers and leaders, as loving ministers and servants, in any way we can.

Serving Others with Quality

I remember one day, about 20 years ago, when my car broke down in the middle of a busy road. My home teacher, Randy Reynolds, came and helped me tow the car back to my house. Then, after we were done assessing the needed repairs, he said, "I need to make an appointment to come home teach your family."

I was at a loss for words. What do you call the 'rescue effort' you just did? Isn't seeing to the temporal needs of your families, especially in urgent situations, considered good home teaching? Perhaps, but he didn't want to stop there. He wanted to give my family a spiritual lesson. Towing the car home wasn't enough for him. Randy was a faithful home teacher, coming every month with a lesson prepared. This was in addition to the acts of service he performed.

What I learned from Randy is what being generous in our service is all about.

"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:38).

I particularly like this scripture, because I know how to bake bread, and I understand the details of what the Savior meant. When you measure a cup of flour as part of a recipe, you don't "press down" the flour, or sift it, or shake it together. That would change the volume of flour and ruin the recipe. And you skim off the top of the cup so the measurement is precise.

But my home teacher, following the Savior's example, gave generously... pressed down, shaken together, and running over. And as the scripture states, with the same generosity he gave, it shall be given to him. I hope to always follow the example of Randy Reynolds, one of the best home teachers ever.

The Armor of God – Finding Strength in Prayer and Scripture Study

I have found that in my own life, there is a difference in my spiritual strength depending on when I choose to read the scriptures and say my prayers. It is easy to forget, in our busy lives, to say a prayer or read the scriptures in the morning before we leave home. Yet I find that I need that strength in my life.

“Ere you left your room this morning,

Did you think to pray?

In the name of Christ, our Savior,

Did you sue for loving favor,

As a shield today?”

(Hymn #140)

I believe there is great strength given to our young men and women, who, despite the sacrifices of sleep, comfort and social opportunities the night before, attend early morning seminary before school. They pray and receive spiritual strength before taking on the peer pressure and other temptations and distractions of the day.

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints….” (Ephesians 6:11-18).

Whenever I read this passage, I think of actually going into battle. Does it make sense to put on our armor before we have fought the day’s battles, or after? How foolish is even the thought of going into battle without our armor in place, knowing it is readily available to us?

In like manner, our daily lives are battles against an adversary who seeks our destruction. The war waged by Lucifer against us is a much more important battle than any earthly military conflict. The stakes are infinitely higher. We cannot afford to lose this war. Knowing what is at risk, shouldn’t we want to use the greatest defenses available to us? And what greater defense is there than our faith in God, and the resources He has given us? With God on our side, even the weakest of earthly souls can defeat our spiritual enemy.

It is important that we read the scriptures and pray every day. The Lord has made promises to those who will follow this counsel. But I also believe that we all can benefit from studying the scriptures and praying at the beginning of our day. This way, we are giving ourselves the spiritual strength we will need before the temptations and trials come our way. In this sense, we are putting on the armor of God before going into battle against Satan.

Pride and Contention

When the Savior visited the people in the Americas shortly after His resurrection, one of the very first commandments He gave them was to avoid contention. After instructing his disciples on the mode of baptism, he said,

“And there shall be no disputations among you, as there have hitherto been; neither shall there be disputations among you concerning the points of my doctrine, as there have hitherto been.

For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.

Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.” 3 Nephi 11:28-30.

Contention seems to stem from selfishness, one person exerting their will on another. Although it typically takes two to contend, I believe there is usually one party who is the instigator. To try to force one’s will on another is an act of pride.

“Only by pride cometh contention….” Proverbs 13:10.

The Book of Mormon is a thousand-year cycle of people struggling with ongoing pride and contention. For a few years, they prospered and were happy. Then followed pride and contention, which ultimately proved their final destruction. It happened to the Nephites and the Jaredites. The Lamanites degenerated into wickedness and murder because of their lust for conquest… pride. I believe that the Book of Mormon is as much a guide of what not to do – succumb to pride and contention - as it is a testament of Jesus Christ.

Arguments start from one person trying to push their views on another. The desire to ‘make’ another see our point of view can be attributed to pride. It is entirely possible to share our opinions and feelings without any pressure, and let others choose for themselves how they accept them. But when argument ensues, we are trying to control their choice. Why is our position superior? Could it be pride?

If the Savior of the world treated the issue of contention with the level of priority that he did – mentioning it before all other commandments or problems – how much priority should we give it in our lives?

This topic is of particular interest to me at this time. I just celebrated my first Christmas without my children. They had a good Christmas… I bought them nice presents… but it was without me. I missed them.

I believe it was this pride and contention that destroyed my marriage of 28 years. I tried to avoid that contention, but could not always escape it. Sometimes it was my own fault, and I think I have learned from those experiences. I offer this glimpse into a difficult part of my life in the hope that you will be able to avoid the same unhappiness in yours.

Time To Start Weaning Ourselves

In studying the history of the people of the world, I have learned that liberalism, once it infects a society, will almost always take over until it proves the final destruction of a society.

I have been spending time on a phone bank making calls to generate money for the pro-life campaign. I have been reading about some of the bills in Congress, and how the democrats are trying to conceal their true intentions until it is too late to turn back. The liberal leadership appeals to the more depraved intellectual side of people to make their argument. Despite my efforts and the will of the people in this country, I believe that the pro-abortion crowd will eventually win the day.

The gay-marriage activists will not stop in their attempts to homo-sexualize our nation. Recent defeats in elections are a delay for them, not a defeat. Congress is poised to help them in their fight. Despite the efforts of the majority and the will of the people in this country, I believe that the gay-marriage crowd will win the day.

The liberals are trying to censor conservative speech. The 'fairness doctrine' is not dead; it has simply been put on the back burner in deference to the health reform bill and the freedom of choice (selfish-death) act. The mainstream media already censors conservative speech, refusing to broadcast conservative messages to the public, resulting in a mis-informed (more accurately 'deceived and lied-to') society. Despite truth and the will of the people, I believe that those who wish to silence their conservative opposition will win the day.

Hollywood and internet smut peddlers wish to turn our nation into a European-style wasteland where primetime pornography is acceptable in family media, and where all censorship is eliminated. Despite the family values of the majority and the will of the people, I believe those who promote perversion will win the day.

Because of these segmented victories by the corrupt in our nation, it is becoming increasingly difficult to exist IN the world and not be OF the world. It will soon become impossible. Because of this, I believe it is time that we begin 'weaning' ourselves from the mainstream society. The day may soon come where the prophet of the Lord will tell us to get rid of our televisions, and to filter our internet access to church-approved-only sites. Will we be ready for this? I believe the answer is much like the answer to the question: If you were asked to begin today living only on your food storage, could you do it? Perhaps this should be two questions: Could you, and Would you? If not, it is time to get conditioned to be able to. Perhaps the answer is that you aren't accustomed to living on wheat flour instead of white flour. Get used to it. Perhaps you don't have any chocolate or soda pop saved up. Get some or get used to doing without. Perhaps you have not obtained a food storage. Repent and get one. I believe those who have not heeded the warnings of our prophets with both be sorry for their disobedience (whether hungry, begging, or whatever) and embarrassed for their lack of faith.

We will be asked, if not required by the circumstances, to live apart from the rest of the world as much as possible. Will we be ready? That will require preparation. Will we be willing? That will require faith. We must have both. Time to take inventory of these, and start weaning ourselves from the world.

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone!

Watch Out BYU Fans...

Looks like Tonya Harding is playing soccer now! Watch this!

The Church's Support of Nondiscrimination Ordinance

I wonder how many people will either misunderstand the Church's position, or will simply use this as an opportunity to persecute in blatant denial of the facts.

The Church responded to the Salt Lake City Council's new ordinance which protects same-sex partners against discrimination in housing and employment issues. This is a necessary move because of constitutional challenges, but it's the right thing to do regardless.

Here is the link to the Church website article: http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/church-supports-nondiscrimination-ordinances

Quoting the website: The Church said that while protections in housing and employment were fair and reasonable, the Church also remains “unequivocally committed to defending the bedrock foundation of marriage between a man and a woman.” Otterson also pointed out that this position was “entirely consistent with the Church’s prior position on these matters.”

Otterson added, “I represent a church that believes in human dignity, in treating others with respect even when we disagree — in fact, especially when we disagree.”

I like Otterson's comment. But I wonder how many people will use this as an attempt at persecution and say the Church is waffling in the face of social pressures.

That is rediculous, because the official statement is clear that we respect their rights even if we do not agree with their lifestyle. It's not like we are ordaining gay priesthood members, etc. Let's see how Satan uses his earthly disciples to twist the truth.

Perspective

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country
with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family..

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, 'How was the trip?'

'It was great, Dad..'

'Did you see how poor people live?' the father asked.

'Oh yeah,' said the son.

'So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?' asked the father.

The son answered:

'I saw that we have one dog and they ha d four..

We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.

We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.

Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We buy our food, but they grow theirs.

We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.'

The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, 'Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are..'

A Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words - Even For Missionaries!

What a clever way to tell the story. If they won't 'listen' with their ears, get 'em with their love of images and their curiosity!

I don't know what country or what language this is, but what a brilliant idea! I wasn't that smart or talented when I was on my mission... I'm still not!

A Lesson In Procrastination