Some more entries (I'm certain some aer selective passages from Rock Waterman)
The only sure path through this life is to hold to the iron rod which leads to joy in Christ. To advocate letting go of that rod and reaching for the arm of flesh is to risk wandering from the path and falling into the mists of darkness.
Ordinances
If the power of godliness is manifest in the performance of ordinances, then ordinances are a symbol of godliness?
D&C 84:20-21
Maybe this really talks about the higher priesthood being necessary to see the face of God, and not all ordinances
D&C 84:20-21
Maybe this really talks about the higher priesthood being necessary to see the face of God, and not all ordinances
Religion cannot be materialistic
Religion cannot be materialistic, God cannot be reconciled with Mammon….
…If you are part of the human movement for brotherhood, you are religious, no matter what you think or don’t think about any theology or creed or church no matter what you believe or don’t believe. And if you are not part of that movement for human brotherhood, all-inclusive, for ending exploitation and tyranny and enthroning liberty, equality, fraternity, then you are not religious, no matter how loudly or incessantly you pray or sing or repeat the empty professions of faith.
William Thurston Brown, excerpts from his essay “Socialism and Primitive Christianity” (circa 1910)
…If you are part of the human movement for brotherhood, you are religious, no matter what you think or don’t think about any theology or creed or church no matter what you believe or don’t believe. And if you are not part of that movement for human brotherhood, all-inclusive, for ending exploitation and tyranny and enthroning liberty, equality, fraternity, then you are not religious, no matter how loudly or incessantly you pray or sing or repeat the empty professions of faith.
William Thurston Brown, excerpts from his essay “Socialism and Primitive Christianity” (circa 1910)
Exaggeration serves no legitimate purpose.
In the world exaggeration is used for flattery, to garner favor or curry influence.
In the church, leaders use exaggeration to puff up the pride of members, as well as for flattery to make their administrative jobs easier. Members also use exaggeration of themselves to justify their other (unrighteous) actions, and exaggeration of others to differentiate themselves from "the other", which also serves to build up pride.
In the church, leaders use exaggeration to puff up the pride of members, as well as for flattery to make their administrative jobs easier. Members also use exaggeration of themselves to justify their other (unrighteous) actions, and exaggeration of others to differentiate themselves from "the other", which also serves to build up pride.
"The most dangerous situation a man can find himself in is when he believes he is filled with the spirit of the Lord when, in reality, he is not.
Joseph Smith Jr. gave this warning to the members of the Church: “One great evil is that men … imagine that when there is any thing like power, revelation, or vision manifested that it must be of God. … Nothing is a greater injury to the children of men than to be under the influence of a false spirit, when they think they have the spirit of God. … The world always mistook false prophets for true ones.” He further stated that we can know a manifestation is false by it “contradicting a former revelation.” (“Try the Spirits,” Times and Seasons, vol. 3, no. 11, edited by Joseph Smith Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois: Published by Joseph Smith, 1 Apr. 1842, pp. 744, 747.)
Stay in the boat?
Most of us believed if we would only "stay in the boat and hold on," and follow the directions of our leaders, those leaders would lead us to Zion. Russell Ballard said as much in the last session of conference. But Elder Ballard was teaching us falsehoods, among them that when the leaders of the Church speak, it is the same as if the Lord himself was speaking. Had we been paying attention to our scriptures all these years, we would have realized that Zion is not a church, and that "staying in the boat" and depending upon someone else to lead us back home to God sounds suspiciously similar to the scheme proposed by Lucifer in the pre-existence.
Civic Standards for the Faithful Saints
Even within the Church we have been warned that “the ravening wolves are amongst us, from our own membership, and they, more than any others, are clothed in sheep’s clothing, because they wear the habiliments of the priesthood.” (J. Reuben Clark, Jr., CR, April 1949, p. 163.)
(From General Conference April 1972 Ezra Taft Benson “Civic Standards for the Faithful Saints”)
These men (apostles, etc.) don’t have to be evil and impure and immoral to be displeasing the Lord by living in such an isolated, insulated way-
They do they aren’t reachable by the ordinary member anymore, and I remember when they were. This concerns me- when talks are given about the importance of education, and a family can barely feed itself and doesn’t feel good about using government grants or going into the military so that the children can be educated, then what is it besides subtle persecution? I know I sound harsh on this, and I don’t intend to- but times have changed, and our ‘brethren’ are no longer our brethren they are ‘above’ us
(From General Conference April 1972 Ezra Taft Benson “Civic Standards for the Faithful Saints”)
These men (apostles, etc.) don’t have to be evil and impure and immoral to be displeasing the Lord by living in such an isolated, insulated way-
They do they aren’t reachable by the ordinary member anymore, and I remember when they were. This concerns me- when talks are given about the importance of education, and a family can barely feed itself and doesn’t feel good about using government grants or going into the military so that the children can be educated, then what is it besides subtle persecution? I know I sound harsh on this, and I don’t intend to- but times have changed, and our ‘brethren’ are no longer our brethren they are ‘above’ us
J. Smith on errs in doctrine.
“I did not like the old man being called up for erring in doctrine. It looks too much like the Methodists, and not like the Latter-day Saints. Methodists have creeds which a man must believe or be asked out of their church. I want the liberty of thinking and believing as I please. It feels so good not to be trammeled. It does not prove that a man is not a good man because he errs in doctrine.”1
1 Joseph Smith, History of the Church 5:340
1 Joseph Smith, History of the Church 5:340
Atonement & charity
If the Atonement is a process that is ongoing (I.e. Christ's role as advocate at judgment is part of the atonement) then isn't it really a part of him (as all things are continually before him/always a part of him)? So the real "pure love of Christ" (charity) is the atonement.
Micha 7:9
Micha 7:9
Perspective and Atonement
Eternal perspective makes the atonement (at least the portion that took place in the flesh) is no real sacrifice.
So then knowing that Christ would be resurrected, and that his mortal suffering was temporary, how much love does it show to allow that to happen?
If God is the father of us all, then doesn't he love us all equally?
So isn't the real sacrifice that he allows us to be lost in mortality where we sin?
So then knowing that Christ would be resurrected, and that his mortal suffering was temporary, how much love does it show to allow that to happen?
If God is the father of us all, then doesn't he love us all equally?
So isn't the real sacrifice that he allows us to be lost in mortality where we sin?
God of the old testament
Perhaps the difference between the God of the old and new testaments is in the way in which the old testament prophets interpreted God's revelations to them, rather than a difference in the character of God. I.e. They are shown the natural result of worldliness/wickedness, and presumed that God was fierce and full of wrath because of those results (and maybe because they also were influenced by the attributes ascribed to the idols and false gods of their era).
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