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From the beginning, the LDS church has actively promoted self-governance. This self-governance comes from a few places:

1.) Revelation. Personal revelation is a huge factor in what makes our church unique. We are to seek the Lord through our own doing and work out our own salvation.This means that, yes, we are responsible for ourselves! We can also receive revelation for those under our stewardship. Therefore, there are varying levels of revelation.

2.) Beliefs. Mormons are free to believe in whatever they choose. Again the gospel becomes very personal with this in mind. Our beliefs don't even have to go along with the official church doctrines if we so choose. Problems with church discipline will arise if you preach your own beliefs as church doctrine, of course, but overall it's up to you to believe or disbelieve what you will.

3.) Following the Brethren. We can follow what the "Brethren" (to my understanding this is the Prophet, his counselors, and the 12 Apostles) counsel us to do, or we can blow it off. Either way. It's up to us! Church leaders do not rule the LDS people with an iron fist; but at the same time it is very clear what is expected of faithful members.

4.) Agency. Of course, one of the most important aspects of the church.

In scholarly work about the church (which I've been reading a lot of lately for a class) and it's history, one thing is quite clear to me. The things listed above are not quite clear to a lot of scholars. Even folks who are faithful members of the church and are full-fledged temple-recommend carrying professors at BYU seem to forget this in their writing. The church is and always has been more than a group of people who can't think for themselves being led around by the hand of Joseph Smith, Jr.

In particular, a problem seems to be had when dealing with Brigham Young. I have yet to see him portrayed as the following things that I think of him as: 1. Prophet, Seer, and Revelator 2. Political leader of what became Utah 3. Human. When I read a scholarly article or book that includes President Young as part of the story, he is without fail portrayed as a larger-than-life tyrant who could not carry himself in all three of the major positions that he held.

Brigham is made out to be a man who ruled with an iron fist, dictating the every move of the defenseless Mormons who were being oppressed and more or less forced to live a certain way. Friends, these are the qualities of cattle. Sheep, cows, horses, and so forth are animals that have a specific purpose in the world: Eat, sleep, and be led by the bit. They don't get to think or act for themselves, and if they dare try there are repercussions. Much the same, Brigham Young is always made out to be a man who you dare not cross.

Now let us not forget that President Young was a man. The people that he led were human beings just as much as Young and just as much as you and I today. As a prophet, he had a duty and obligation to protect the church which was still in its youth. He had the charge of keeping the members active and faithful. Undoubtedly this had to lead to some restrictions being in place. But judging from the number of people who fell away from the church under Brigham Young's reign, and the number of people who thought for themselves so much that they broke off from the church and took hundreds with them, he was not the all-powerful dictator.

As the governor, he had to start and keep an economy from nothing while the rest of the United States was going through financial trouble itself. Don't forget that he did this all while the government of the country that the church revered was actively (both publicly and secretly) trying to pass laws that basically made it illegal for Brigham Young to be Brigham Young. Did he get his duties as religious and political leader mixed up in boycotting non-LDS businesses from being visited by LDS members? NO! I haven't studied this subject enough to refute it, but clearly members of the church could frequent these businesses without repercussion.

With his Prophet hat on, he said no to non-LDS owned businesses. With his Governor hat on, he did little to nothing to rid Utah of said businesses.

My opinion is that it is disturbing to hear so much negativity about Brigham Young and so many scholars failing to realize that he was a human being with a great responsibility, probably more than he even thought he would have when he was called to be the Prophet in Nauvoo. Even more importantly, the people who followed him were human beings. They were treated as such and acted as such. I highly doubt that Brigham Young was a power-hungry ego-maniac who tried his hardest to oppress. I doubt even more that the thousands who were living in Utah when he was the prophet at governor were so feeble and weak-minded, given the emphasis on individual thought in the church from before Young's leadership, that they would follow a wicked and violent man.

That's my opinion. What I KNOW is that President Brigham Young was a prophet of God. In a time of extreme persecution and trial, he held firm to the revelations that he received and that Joseph Smith received. I know that he had to make some difficult decisions that people looking back don't agree with. People who were there at the time didn't always agree. But clearly he was not oppressive. Clearly he did what the Lord was commanding him to. He deserves more credit and respect than he gets. I'm grateful that I've become part of a church that, from the start, has recognized and valued my individual worth. I'm grateful that I am able to think for myself and to work out my salvation.

Tags: Brigham Young Prophet Governor Human Free Thinking Oppression

Why are people so blind? Why is it that almost 2,000 years after Peter wrote his epistle (2 Peter 2 - all quotes unless otherwise noted come from this chapter) of warning concerning false prophets and false teachers, there are still millions led astray with all manner of wickedness and deceit? Why can't the covetous masses recognize those "with feigned words" who "make merchandise of" them?

"In 1787 Edward Gibbon completed his noble work The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Here is the way he accounted for the fall:

1. The undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis of human society.

2. Higher and higher taxes and the spending of public monies for free bread and circuses for the populace.

3. The mad craze for pleasure, sports becoming every year more and more exciting and brutal.

4. The building of gigantic armaments when the real enemy was within the decadence of the people.

5. The decay of religion--faith fading into mere form, losing touch with life, and becoming impotent to warn and guide the people."

--Ezra Taft Benson

The country that America is becoming is probably make George Washington and Thomas Jefferson turn over in their graves. I can imagine them watching what people have done with the freedom that was bought with the blood of thousands and at the risk of thousands more lives. It is almost treason to slap those men in the face with a central government intruding into every aspect of our lives. It is blasphemy to say that we would be better off with more government control. Nationalized health care, secretive government shopping sprees ($789,000,000,000), liberal indoctrination in schools, a complete overthrow of everything moral and right, and not to mention elected officials either caught in scandal or going completely against what their constituents want (or both in most cases)...

But President Barack is the answer! Giving everything we own and earn to a selfish, wasteful, inept government is going to make everything all better! Or so they say... So many people are led stray by "their pernicious ways," "Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam." Yet we continue to put our trust in them.

You may think that it can't happen here. You might think, "We're mighty America!" But wasn't Britain mighty? Wasn't France mighty? Wasn't Russia mighty? Wasn't Germany mighty? Wasn't Prussia mighty? Wasn't Canada... Wait, I'm getting carried away... Who thinks Canada is or has ever been "mighty?" HA!

Don't sell yourselves out to the false religion of Socialism and Communism. Tyranny and oppression is not in the grasp of President Barack unless we willingly and voluntarily hand ourselves over to it.

I was recently inspired to study symbolism in the gospel. There is so much of it that is obvious, like Christ being a shepherd. But I have been pondering lately about the significance of numbers. We see numbers like 7, 40, and 12 most often, though there are other commonly found numbers in scriptures.

In my research, I have had a very hard time trying to determine the significance of these numbers. I found some interesting information about the number 12, although none of it really signifies WHY the number 12 and not 13 or 18 or anything else. Some of the most interesting things are Joseph Smith's plans for the New Jerusalem to be built in Missouri. He sketched the plan for the city, designed to include 12 temples and the foundations of the walls will bear the names of the original 12 Apostles (Celestial Symbols, pg. 23). Adding to this is the vision that John saw of a holy city to be built in the millennium: 12 gates guarded by 12 angels, each gate bearing the name of one of 12 lost tribes of Israel (Revelation 21:10-14).

I have learned about several other symbols as well. The circle, which is a symbol for eternity as well as perfection. A perfect square, the symbol of the Earth (like a circle, only imperfect) with each corner representing one of the directions. The perfect square is also a symbol of a strong and secure foundation. The equilateral triangle is a very interesting one to me. It can men many things that come in threes. Some of these are Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Other interpretations are husband, wife, child; birth, life death; body, mind, spirit; or water, spirit, blood. Of course, we also use a triangle modernly to represent the unity between husband, wife, and God. The cross, as many Christians use as their symbol, was not used as a symbol of Christ or his crucifixion until around 300 A.D. and then it was a modification of an earlier symbol.

There is so much symbolism all over the church. The Salt Lake City temple is, in essence, a huge granite symbol. There is so much symbolism from the architecture, to the design of the doors. The people who planned and built that temple spent so long on little details that I'd never before noticed, that bring an even deeper meaning of its importance. Our ceremonies are extremely symbolic. The Sacrament, Sunday school, priesthood/relief society, temple ordinances. Even the act of raising your right arm to the square to sustain people in their callings is symbolic.

It's the little details like these that really make the church and the gospel true to me. I have had a revelation telling me of the truthfulness of the church, but these little details that link it back to ancient Jewish tradition and Christ himself make it that much more convincing. I don't know how much Joseph Smith or anyone else in his time knew about symbolism, but even if he knew... There are just so many little things that are testimony boosters that it just seems unlikely that Joseph Smith really would have put that much thought into if he were a fraud as has been alleged so many times.

Tags: Symbolism Temple Salt Lake City Lds Jewish

Bruce R. McConkie wrote in article in 1980 called "How to Get Personal Revelation." He says, "... every person should be a prophet for himself and in his own concerns and in his own affairs."

Clearly he doesn't mean that we should revolt and unseat President Monson with our own ideas on spirituality... That doesn't generally work out so well anyway. But as the title of his talk implies, we should strive for our own revelation in our own affairs. President Monson can gain revelation on how to run the church and what paths to take. Just like him, any person on Earth with the gift of the Holy Ghost is eligible (entitled, even) to recieve that same type of revelation for those under their stewardship in the exact same way as he does.

Further, just like people such as Joseph Smith, Moses, Nephi, and Mahonri Moriancumer, members of the church are given the ability to "see [His] face and know that [He] is." (D&C 93:1)

And it's surprisingly simple, too! It's not easy by any means, but simple.

1. Search the scriptures
2. Keep the commandments
3. Ask in faith
   

Of course each of those are more involved than that... But that's basically it.

Tags: Prophecy Revelation

Looking at the United States of America, a country that I would be willing to fight tooth and nail to the death for, it is obvious that something is lacking. It's arguable what the cause is; if there could be a single cause laid out.

In the beginning was the Revolutionary war. Many brave young men, like Joseph Plumb Martin (who was 16 when he enlisted), went off to fight for the freedom that they wanted. They faced starvation, freezing weather, a force much larger than their own, and of course death. In the 1800's we saw the Civil War, which put Americans against themselves in a fight to keep the country together (or a fight for freedom in the other side's case). WWI and WWII saw Americans come together again for a great cause. Virtually everyone sacrificed something for the cause of freedom and righteousness being spread. Even the Indian-American war, a campaign that anyone can look back on 100 years later and say wasn't the brightest idea, was supported by most Americans. People were proud to be Americans and they were proud to be part of a cause that would help other people be free.

This used to be a country that cherished freedom and righteousness.

Rewind a few billion years (or however long ago you believe this went down) to our premortality. There was a huge meeting and two plans were brought forth. One plan would allow us to choose how we live our lives. We would be provided with inspired people to teach us and help us to become good people, but in the end it would be up to us to accept those teachings and work out our own salvation and exaltation. We would be provided a way to make amends when we screw up, and the ability to do good or evil. The second plan would guarantee to each of us salvation and exaltation. We would need no churches or countries or Gods or Messiahs or anything of that nature. This is because we would have no disposition to do evil. Everyone would live righteously because there would be no other option. It sounds great on the surface; no sorrow, no crime, nothing bad. The downfall, though, is that we wouldn't have any negative experiences. We would know no good because we would know no evil. We would have no choices to make, and therefore no opportunities to grow.

I think it's obvious which plan 2/3 of us chose to follow. We chose freedom. We chose a plan that would require us to be charitable and kind by our own will, not because a higher power was dictating our every move. We chose a plan that would require us to stand up for what we believe in and to fight, to the death if necessary, to protect and promote truth and righteousness.

These are the same principles that America has been about since the start. These are the same principles that, until about 50 years ago, a huge majority of Americans supported. But then things changed. The person who presented the plan that would force people to do good, in his jealousy, gained power over many people. He convinced thousands that freedom isn't for everyone. He convinced people that those who choose to do good by their own will are inferior to those who believe that happiness and material things should be for everyone, regardless of the choices that they or their ancestors make. He convinced people that they were entitled to the same blessings of those around them, regardless of how hard they work for them. He convinced people in power that they could get away with anything as long as they keep it covered well enough.

He promised people lavish houses, nice cars, $100 dinners every night, luxurious vacations, and designer clothing. All they have to do is stop thinking about others. All they have to do is become selfish and think only of their own welfare and the nice worldly things that they could have (and they wouldn't even have to put forth an effort!) He convinced people that it would be okay for them to enter into bondage in order to show the world that they are better than their neighbors. He was allowed into the hearts of powerful men, telling them to keep themselves in mind as they raise their own wages and benefits, at the cost of the livelihood of those around them. The government will take care of those people... Or maybe they can just work 3 jobs (McDonalds, Wal Mart, and Pizza Hut... Sounds like a plan!)...

Do you see what I'm getting at here? Do you see how socialism and communism are contrary to the plan that we ourselves chose? Do you see now how this isn't simply a matter of making sure that everyone has food to eat and a safe place to sleep at night? It sounds great on the outside; this ideal world where there are no starving children and no wars and no corruption.

The country that I love is slowly, but surely, selling itself out to the banks and the car companies and a corrupt government. All around me, people are selling their freedom and agency in exchange for a false hope that the same corrupt government that so many of them chastise will provide their every need. We are selling our country, and in a way the plan that was laid out for us in the beginning, in exchange for the plan that we all vehemently rejected so many years ago. Our charity will soon be meaningless as people's love for others is replaced by strictly-enforced laws requiring that people give up their time and money.

I think the time is long overdue that we go back to the principles that this country was founded on. Let's follow the Constitution the way it was meant to be. Get rid of the corrupt judges and corrupt government officials who alter that document to suit their whims. Replace them with righteous men who truly care about the country. Let's go back to God.

Ezra Taft Benson said it best:
"First: We must return to worship the God of this land, who is Jesus Christ. He has promised that the righteous will be preserved by His power (see 1 Ne. 22:17). But we must keep the commandments of God. We must pay our tithes and offerings, keep the Sabbath day a holy day, stay morally clean, be honest in all our dealings, and have our family and personal prayers. We must live the gospel.

Second: We must awaken to “a sense of [our] awful situation, because of this secret combination which [is] among [us]” (Ether 8:24). We must not tolerate accommodation with or appeasement toward the false system of Communism. We must demand of our elected officials that we not only resist Communism, but that we will take every measure to prevent its intrusion into this hemisphere. It is vital that we invoke the Monroe Doctrine.

Then we must put our trust in Him who has promised us His protection—and pray that He will intervene to preserve our freedom just as He intervened in our obtaining it in the first place.

Third: We must do as the Lord commanded us by revelation in 1833: “Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil” (D&C 98:10).

Men who are wise, good, and honest, who will uphold the Constitution of the United States in the tradition of the Founding Fathers, must be sought for diligently. This is our hope to restore government to its rightful role.

Last: We must study the inspired Constitution and become involved in the political process ourselves. I quote the First Presidency statement that was read in sacrament meetings on Sunday, 1 July 1979: “We encourage all members, as citizens of the nation, to be actively involved in the political process, and to support those measures which will strengthen the community, state, and nation—morally, economically, and culturally” (Letter from the First Presidency, 29 June 1979)."

Tags: United States Of America Patriotism Nationalism Freedom Gospel