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Viewing 1 - 4 out of 4 Blogs.
This was originally posted on the web site http://www.redefinegod.com.
 Recent discussions have led me as of late to ponder the idea of freedom, and what is true freedom of liberty. My mind was drawn to reflect upon one of the lessons in my History Class at BYU-ID. My professor was an interesting guy, and one of my favorite teachers ever. He made history interesting enough for a group of college students to enjoy and stay awake at 9am. Prof. Lenhart had an interesting take on the world and history. He sought to understand the importance of certain events by studying the culture surrounding them. He would define baseline cultures (a common set of problems and their solutions that unites a group of people) and study how the events, when compared to that baseline culture. Bro. Lenhart, by some would be considered somewhat heretical (especially at predominantly Mormon university).
One of his comments that some thought crazy was his comment that The Star Spangled banner should not be our national anthem. He said it was good and all, but he said a more appropriate example of the beliefs that helped found the nation are in the words to America the Beautiful. There is one particular phrase in one of the verses that he clamed personified the ideals of the founding fathers. These ideas also illustrate an important principle regarding freedom in the eyes of God.
For more than a century the British Colonies had existed. While still under the direction leadership of Brittain, the distance allowed for the Americans to learn the basics of Government. They had established growing cities, and had learned what he called the "trench work of the terrestrial." They had learned to govern themselves. They had learned the importance of what some might consider the mundane topics discussed at a city council meeting." They knew how to handle the little things. In their protests, they demonstrated a great deal of self control. The Boston Tea party is a great example. It was very orderly, and those involved were kind and polite. Phillip Deloria wrote:
"No one tried to stop the tea party, least of all the crowd of spectators gathered on the well-lit wharf. When they had finished, the raiders cleaned up the ships, apologized to the guards for a broken lock, and went home to wash off their war paint. The tea party had been street theater and civil disobedience of the most organized kind. In full costume, the actors had waited patiently in the wings for Francis Rotch to deliver his lines. And the appointed guardians of social order had willingly turned a blind eye and deaf ear in order to facilitate the citizens' effort to resolve an apparently unresolvable standoff." - Playing Indian, Philip Jospeh Deloria
The Declaration of Independence is another example of the American's experience in the "trench work of the terestrial." Most often quoted is the opening "we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the persuit of Happiness...." and so on. Most americans know this part because it is the interesting part. The rest, is a list of greivences against the monarch in England. It looks like a list of issues to be raised in a city council meeting. It was very organized, and effective in declaring why the colonies were seeking to be independent.
The main idea I want to focus on in this discussion of freedom is the part that reads:
...to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
I do not want to get into politics at all. It want to discuss the principle of freedom through consent to be governed, and how the principle applies to the commandments and laws of God.
In society, the principle of submitting yourself to a higher authority is pretty well understood. Laws are established by governments. Obedience to these laws brings freedom to enjoy life. Disobedience brings penalties, fines, and even inprisonment. One is still free to do all he wants, but if he wants to enjoy that freedom, he has to abide by the set laws. Even if we disagree with the laws, obdeience to them ensures our freedom.
This principle is generally accepted by most people in regards to secular government, but it is often rejected when considering the need of Religion and God. As with many on this board, the concept of submitting oneself to the laws that God has established is considered enslavement or psychological imprisonment.
The Laws of God - For our own benefitprotection.
Our Heavenly Father's ultimate work and glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. To achieve this goal, rules and conditions were laid down as part of an eternal plan that would bring the salvation and eternal happiness of his children. Joseph Smith taught: There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated— And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated. - Doctrine and Covenants 130: 20-21
These eternal laws were established before the creation of the world. They were revealed to Adam, as the first man, and have been taught in every age where a prophet of God has walked the earth. Obedience to them brought the blessings of heaven. These laws are eternal and universal. They will bring joy and hapiness to all who abide by them.
God's greatest gift to man is the ability to choose our actions. Like in normal society, we are free to choose to obey the established laws or not. No man can force us to obey. As one of my favorite LDS hymns says, "God will force no man to heaven." He will persuade, direct, and do all he can to help us make the right choice, but in the end, the choice lies with us.
We can choose to submit ourselves to the laws which God has outlined, and receive the blessings or spend our lives searching for some other method.
The Burger King Doctrine - Have it your way
Given such freedom of choice, there are many who prefer to things their way. There are people who feel they can find a better more suitable way to live. Many reject the living God and replace him with some other form of "deity" be it intellect or science or a statue. Some try and walk the path of God and the world together. They are like stubborn teenages who think that their parents don't know what they are talking about. They feel their parents rules restrict them and keep them from having fun. they argue and fight their parents tooth and nail.
I was like this. I was always angry at my parents because they wouldn't let me do the things I wanted to. All my friends had later curfews. I wanted to stay out with them. If I broke curfew, I'd be punished. I hated these restrictions. Eventually I realized that by complying with my parents rules and submitting myself to them, I truly became free.
There is one line in "America the Beautiful" which my History professor emphasized that sums up this post: Confirm thy soul in self control, thy liberty in law!
True liberty comes through obedience to the law. By submitting ourselves to the law, we become free. For example, God has commanded his children to avoid wine and strong drink. To some this might seem like a huge restriction, especially in a world where alcohol is so prevalent. Yet, he who never drinks never risks becoming an alcoholic.
Most of the commandments of God are like a funnel. They may seem strict and hard at first, but as one conforms to them, the Lord blesses them and opens the doors. He will open their hearts to the Spirit and they will find treasures of knowledge. While restricted in this life, they will ultimately be free in the next...Free to progress in knowledge and light for all eternity. All other means will ultimately fail. If one embraces "freedom" and lives by their own will, they will one day be held accountable for the laws they disregarded. They will find themselves trapped by the knowledge that had they obeyed the laws of God, they would be truly free, obtaining all that the Father has. They will recognize that God's judgements are just, and they missed out on eternal freedom It takes self control and discipline to submit one's will to that of a higher authority. It takes humility to accept there is a better way. It takes effort to live and do the "trench work of the terrestrial." As one humbly bends his will to follow that of God's one learns what true freedom is. I testify that these principles are true. True freedom comes only through the submission of one's will unto God's.
Tags: S.P.A.M Politics Constitution
Ok, so I'm guilty of always wanting to shamelessly plug my dad's writings.  My dad has been writing books for a while. In 2000 or so he published a book called "The New World Order and Other Secret Combinations of the Last Days" which was published by Cedar Fort, an LDS Publisher. It sold ok, but not enough to get any royalties back.
In his spare time, he wrote "The Gathering," which seriously blew my mind. Using the wonderful advances in technology and "On-Demand" publishing of the internet (http://www.lulu.com/) my Dad has released it for all to read. The Gathering is a work of LDS fiction. Originally it was published as 3 separate volumes:
Book 1: Signs of the Times
Book 2: From the Ends of the Earth
Book 3: High on a Mountain Top
Greg now publishes all 3 in one volume, available: here In it, the story is told of the events leading to the second coming, from a Latter-Day Saint perspective. Its main characters are the members of a family in Wasilla Alaska who, as war breaks out, and the signs of the times begin, must answer the call of the Prophet to come to the city of Zion. The must go through a journely through the alaskan wilderness like the Mormon Pioneers of old. The book paints a plausible picture of how the work of the Lord can be finished in a rather short time, as it is set just a few years into our future. It shows how the small and weak things of the world will break down the great ones. The Gathering really is a great read, and I'm not just saying that just because it is my dad's book. There are some parts, like Adam-ondi Ahman, the dedication of the temple of Zion, and the second coming of the Lord that will give you goosebumps. I'm getting them just remembering the story. So yes, go and by it. Read it. And love it. Prices are on the link above.
This is a blog I wrote a while ago on my religious blog on SPAM (http://www.spamlds.org)
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Rock, Paper, Scissors While writing my latest post in the "Why Reason" debate, I quoted a Relient K song that got me thinking about the game rock, paper, scissors. Rock, Paper, Scissors, is a simple game played by people of all ages normally played to decide something. In case anyone has lived under a rock their life and never played it, I'll briefly explain the game. Players, at the same time, (usually on the count of 3) make a certain hand gesture. A fist is considered "Rock." A closed hand, with the middle and index fingers extended, is Scissors, and paper is an open hand. The object of the game, is to come out on top. Rock beats scissors. Scissors beats paper, and paper, beats rock. When each player makes their hand gesture, the winner is decided by whoever beats the others. Now here is the line from the relient K song:
Opinions are immunity to being told
You're wrong paper, rock, and scissors
They all have their pros and cons
First, Opinions are immunity from being told your wrong. This is very true and eloquently put. In any debate or discussion, there are facts and opinions. Facts are statements grounded in solid, proven evidence. Opinions are defined as such by Dictionary.com 1. a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.
2. a personal view, attitude, or appraisal Facts, can make or break a person in most debates. Facts are used to help generate opinions. Opinions are not definite and are usually based on one's personal experiences, personal study, and conclusions drawn from facts. 
In most debates, (except for those held by the close-minded) a statement of opinion cannot fully be contradicted. One can show the reasons, thought processes, etc that helped the person come to that opinion but because it "rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty," you can't prove their actual veracity. In open-minded discussions, opinions are respected, even though some might disagree with them.
The discussion as to "why reason" seems to be circling around the point of "how does one know that their idea of morality is truly correct." Returning to the relient K quote, Paper, Rock and Scissors all have their pro's and cons. There are pros and cons to using all three of them. One might use rock, to beat scissors. Or Paper to beat rock. When put together, and the time comes to decide which is the right, who will have the winning gesture? That is decided by the rules of the game. Paper beats rock, Rock beats Scissors, Scissors Beats paper. When the gestures are put to the final test, one will beat them all, based according to the standard that was set by whoever invented the game. Now, how does this tie into the discussion of why reason? Without the rules, anybody can make a good case for why their hand beats everyone else's. They could say "my scissors are cast iron and rock wouldn't beat it or "my paper is so thick scissors can't cut it or "my rock is so big the paper can't cover it. Everyone can make a case that their result is correct. I've even seen kids cheat by throwing in "Dynamite" (extending just the index finger) and make a case as to why Dynamite trumps everything. Without the rules, one can start adding in his own objects and making case as to why theirs is the best. Compare this to the ideals of morality and basic human interaction. Everyone has their opinion of what is right and what is wrong. Islamic radicals think it is ok to strap bombs to people and send them into crowded areas or fly planes into buildings. Hitler thought it was ok to exterminate the jews. Japanese Kamikaze pilots thought it was right to fly their planes into giant ships. Some christians think you don't need baptism to be saved. others say you do. Some people think stealing is wrong. Others don't mind it and even enjoy doing it. If I offend someone, maybe I'll feel guilty. But if I don't believe that offending someone is bad, then why feel guilty? Maybe I believe human life is sacred, or maybe I feel a "Humanzee" is right.
How do we know which "opinion" is right. How do we know if the scissors we are throwing down will truly trump paper? How do we know if our "rock" will be truly correct. What makes the examples in the previous paragraph morally right or wrong? Just as the rules to rock-paper-scissors help us figure out which hand in each round correctly trumps the others, so do the laws and commandments of God help us figure out what "moral code" is truly correct. It is a standard by which all things must be compared. God is working by a plan, and that plan decides what is right or wrong.
Now, some may say the example of this game may be flawed because in different situations, different hands may win. Regardless of what hand is played, one must consult the basic rules of the game to determine the outcome. Thus, the spirit of revelation, and the mission of Prophets comes into play. Revelation and Prophets help give us a real-time evaluation of things against the will of God. For example, the problems faced by the people in Moses' life, were different from Noah's, and his problems were different than ours, or Elijah's. God has commanded, through his prophets, that we should not kill. Other times, when it was needed, God commanded his people to kill. Moses and his people were commanded to show their faith and devotion through ritual sacrifices of animals. Christ commanded us that we must sacrifice a broken heart and contrite spirit. These are different rocks, papers, and scissors that have been played throughout history. When prophets walk the earth, we can know what works for that situation, according to the mission of our God...according to whatever shall help "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."
I testify that there is a God and he is working according to a great and eternal plan that, if followed, will bring the immortality and eternal life those who abide by its precepts, which are faith, repentence, and obedience to the laws and ordinances which God has established. I testify that Prophets help us understand this plan and guide in doing what is neccessary to further God's work. I testify that there is a standard of truth by which all things are based. There are "rules" to the great "rock, paper, scissors" game of life.
Tags: S.P.A.M Obedience Laws Rules
[ Originally posted on SPAMlds.org ] So I have come to the conclusion that I, Mike , am a wizard. What? A wizard? Yes. It is true. I have learned that I have lived by the "Wizard's First Rule" for many years now.
I think i learned it in High School. It became a philosophy of mine that kept me from being to dissapointed with humanity. Some find this "rule" to be offensive and insulting, but if you stop to think about it, it makes sense.
What is the "Wizards First Rule?"
(For those who are currently reading the book by Terry Goodkind, please stop reading as there is a spoiler here.)
The Wizard's first rule, as explained by Zeddicus Zorander: "People are stupid."
Elaborating further: "People are stupid; given proper motivation, almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid, they will believe a lie because they want to believe it's true, or because they are afraid it might be true. People's heads are full of knowledge, facts, and beliefs, and most of it is false, yet they think it all true. People are stupid; they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth and yet they are confident they can so are all the easier to fool."
It makes sense. It is common to see today. A perfect example of this today is the anger and hatred against the MormonLDS church. Much of the information found about it online is in error. It is a misrepresentation of LDS beliefs. They are full of lies and errors. Many have been truly found in error (Like the Salamander papers). Despite the facts and truths about the Church, many still believe in the lies
In addition, the recent return of California Prop 8 criticism illustrates this. One can pour over the numbers and the donations, supporters, votes, etc. and see how little the LDS influence was over the actual results, yet people are easily convinced that Mormons are intolerante bible carrying conservatives who hate gays and would wish them all dead. They believe absurdities like we worship chickens or can't use electronic devices.
The TV and other Media have simplified made it so easy for the wizards first rule to be used. Recent articles in the media about prop 8 exaggerated and misrepresented the numbers regarding the final report of LDS donations. Media bais twists information and provides it for download in our minds. My Dad always said when the TV is on, your brain turns off. It is true in so many cases. We just download the TV info into our heads and believe it as truth. People jokingly use the saying "it's on the Internet, it must be true."
I recognized this in High School, that people are stupid. They do stupid things. They believe stupid things. I apologize if this revelation offends anyone, but sufficed to say, it is true.
*Disclaimer*
I, being one who falls under the category of "people," am not exempt from the wizards first rule.
Tags: Wizard Rule Humor
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