Loyalty, bad - Every man for himself, good. Is that what political correctness is all about?
During a recent “meet and greet” I met a gentleman who relocated from Utah. He was not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) aka “Mormon” as most Utahans are. In fact, he was a Unitarian – an organization that institutionalized the celebration of anything from the spiritual belief or disbelief menu that fits their member's fancy. This provision makes cafeteria Catholics and cafeteria Presbyterians appear to be exceptionally uncreative. He was also a senior manager of a company who hired many LDS employees for their well known characteristics of “dependability, respect for authority, and work ethic” - traits he admitted benefitted his company greatly.
His next comments had a surprisingly negative twist. He complained that the Mormons in Utah were predisposed to not question authority - too obediant, and were excessively “clickish”, not inviting their non-Mormon boss to social events for the umpteen years he worked there. He did admint, however, that LDS outside of Utah are much more socially inclusive of people of other faiths.
What was fascinating to me about his complaint is he appeared to want to have it “both ways”. He wanted obedient rebels. He wanted people who would do the work given to them and at the same time he wished they were more independent-minded and strong-willed “like folks in the rest of the country.” But then, would his company be able to stick to its strategic plan through unity and teamwork? Probably not.
The opposite scenario is the several Republican Sarah Palin handlers being upset for her being a "maverick." They want her to be a maverick at the same time they want her to be a "yes" woman.
Anyway, back to my Utah acquaintance. This gentleman’s critique is an apt representation of how far our nation has strayed from being “E Pluribus Unum” – “out of many, one.” Even though his company benefited from its’ employees respect for authority and related traits, he felt individuals practicing such traits were flawed in some manner - that their loyalty and obedience were oddly extreme. Well, in our society, respect for authority, dependability and the like are out of vogue. No wonder this individual thought it “unnatural.” These have become peculiar and uncommon traits. He is caught up in our “every man for himself” culture.
The Utah LDS he disdains for their “excess loyalty” reflects the character that could reunite the people of this nation. Their perceived “clickishness” is a cultural safeguard against being sucked into the larger devisive morass of our society. Or is our growing devisive, self-absorbed disdain for our cultural heritage and national goals seen as one of our nations' strengths? Hmmmm. Unfortunately, that seems to be the case.
We as a nation have strayed far afield from being united, with a common purpose. We have strayed from stressing things we have in common to "celebrating our differences." We have evolved into a nation that cherishes diversity (read: differences and disunity) above all. Why don't we identify and celebrate things we have in common with one another? Wouldn't that enhance chances of unity? Ahh, but it cuts against our rebellious grain. We disdain unity.
A poignant speech a la Thomas Paine and his “Common Sense” eloquently describes what we have become in this short video titled "The Ghost of Thomas Paine and the Second Revolution." View it here.
Showing posts with label Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Show all posts
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
If I Were Romney's Speechwriter...
...I would include the following main points in his "religion speech":
I would explain that the several core beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints cause it to possess a doctrine and history that is arguably one of the most consistent with the founding values of this nation. These include:
Free agency: Freedom or Liberty. The right to act freely to do the right thing or the wrong thing.
Responsibility: The responsibility, before God, to do the right thing in accordance with Scriptural principles of love, forgiveness, diligence, perseverence, and personal responsiblity and accountability before God.
Importance of the Family: Next to trust in God, the family is the most important set of relationships, forming the foundation for learning, responsibility and civility. Few institutions stress the need to keep the family unit strong more than The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Eternal progression: The innate desire of people and the will of Heavenly Father to consistently become more Christlike, more Godly in our attitudes and actions. If evangelicals condemn this doctrine, they are condeming the Biblical mandate to be Godly. If not more like God, then what? More like Satan?
Faith/works: Acknowledge that the Bible teaches both faith and works as essential components of a unified doctrine. Mormons believe Christ died for our sins, and at the same time understand that we must persevere in faith in striving to be more Christlike through good works. If evangelicals condemn this doctrine, they are condemmning major portions of the Biblical mandate for the perseverence of the saints.
Origins of the Church: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was founded in America, born out of the principles of religious freedom and tolerance.
Tolerance toward all religions and no religion: Recognizes, based on the historical experience of the church, how wicked religous persecution can be. (This is in stark contrast to the religion of Islam, which has demonstrated itself to have the polar opposite view toward religous tolerance.)
United States was founded by divine providence: The Churchs' doctrine parallels the beliefs of the founding fathers of this nation that this country has a divine purpose and a divine destiny.
All of these core values of the Church ought to be highlighted to inform the voters of Romneys own core values.
What I hope Romney does not do is apologize for his religion, or suggest, as did John Kennedy, that his religion will take a subservient role, a "back seat" to his role as President. A President's faith should inform and enhance his Presidency. Romney's faith provides ample evidence that upholding and defending the constitution of this nation is entirely consistent with the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He knows that this nation was formed out of these shared religious principles. The nation did not become "a god" to replace God. Individuals, including our Presidents, should remain free, in fact held accountable, to have core values that are greater than the nation that they are chosen to lead and serve.
I would explain that the several core beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints cause it to possess a doctrine and history that is arguably one of the most consistent with the founding values of this nation. These include:
Free agency: Freedom or Liberty. The right to act freely to do the right thing or the wrong thing.
Responsibility: The responsibility, before God, to do the right thing in accordance with Scriptural principles of love, forgiveness, diligence, perseverence, and personal responsiblity and accountability before God.
Importance of the Family: Next to trust in God, the family is the most important set of relationships, forming the foundation for learning, responsibility and civility. Few institutions stress the need to keep the family unit strong more than The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Eternal progression: The innate desire of people and the will of Heavenly Father to consistently become more Christlike, more Godly in our attitudes and actions. If evangelicals condemn this doctrine, they are condeming the Biblical mandate to be Godly. If not more like God, then what? More like Satan?
Faith/works: Acknowledge that the Bible teaches both faith and works as essential components of a unified doctrine. Mormons believe Christ died for our sins, and at the same time understand that we must persevere in faith in striving to be more Christlike through good works. If evangelicals condemn this doctrine, they are condemmning major portions of the Biblical mandate for the perseverence of the saints.
Origins of the Church: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was founded in America, born out of the principles of religious freedom and tolerance.
Tolerance toward all religions and no religion: Recognizes, based on the historical experience of the church, how wicked religous persecution can be. (This is in stark contrast to the religion of Islam, which has demonstrated itself to have the polar opposite view toward religous tolerance.)
United States was founded by divine providence: The Churchs' doctrine parallels the beliefs of the founding fathers of this nation that this country has a divine purpose and a divine destiny.
All of these core values of the Church ought to be highlighted to inform the voters of Romneys own core values.
What I hope Romney does not do is apologize for his religion, or suggest, as did John Kennedy, that his religion will take a subservient role, a "back seat" to his role as President. A President's faith should inform and enhance his Presidency. Romney's faith provides ample evidence that upholding and defending the constitution of this nation is entirely consistent with the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He knows that this nation was formed out of these shared religious principles. The nation did not become "a god" to replace God. Individuals, including our Presidents, should remain free, in fact held accountable, to have core values that are greater than the nation that they are chosen to lead and serve.
Friday, November 09, 2007
Evangelicals have warped sense of priorities...
...especially where Mormons are concened. For many Evangelicals, being anti-Mormon is more improtant than being concerned about right to life or the Islamic threat. Very strange.
I used to watch Pat Robertson a couple of decades ago in my darker days. I used to respect the man during that period. Some may speculate that when a man reaches 77 years of age, his decision-making abilities begin to recede a bit. The starker reality is that many "evangelical", and especially "fundamentalist Christians" tend to be ignorantly, and rabidly anti-Mormon (aka Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints).
Talk about flip flop! His endorsement of Rudy was a head-spinner!
Robertson has a long history of preaching against abortion. That had been one of his most passionately held opinions in his decades of televangelism. The only reason I can discern for Pat's pathetic priority, and one that reflects the attitude of most fundamentalist Christians, is his disdain toward Mormons. He apparently prefers to support an abortion candidate than the candidate who is by most accounts more closely aligned with his conservative social values than any other: Mit Romney. Why do you suppose this is so?
Some "evangelicals" I have known have a very narrow view of Christianity. If you don't believe the precise doctrine they believe, you are not "Christian", as they define it. Many spend more time worrying about Mormons than Muslims! They lose their ability to distinguish between degrees of good and evil. And they do this out of blind prejudice rooted in ignorance.
In Pat's case, he apparently spends more time worrying about Mormons than about abortionists who kill babies or Islamic doctrine that fosters hate, terror and intolerance.
I used to watch Pat Robertson a couple of decades ago in my darker days. I used to respect the man during that period. Some may speculate that when a man reaches 77 years of age, his decision-making abilities begin to recede a bit. The starker reality is that many "evangelical", and especially "fundamentalist Christians" tend to be ignorantly, and rabidly anti-Mormon (aka Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints).
Talk about flip flop! His endorsement of Rudy was a head-spinner!
Robertson has a long history of preaching against abortion. That had been one of his most passionately held opinions in his decades of televangelism. The only reason I can discern for Pat's pathetic priority, and one that reflects the attitude of most fundamentalist Christians, is his disdain toward Mormons. He apparently prefers to support an abortion candidate than the candidate who is by most accounts more closely aligned with his conservative social values than any other: Mit Romney. Why do you suppose this is so?
Some "evangelicals" I have known have a very narrow view of Christianity. If you don't believe the precise doctrine they believe, you are not "Christian", as they define it. Many spend more time worrying about Mormons than Muslims! They lose their ability to distinguish between degrees of good and evil. And they do this out of blind prejudice rooted in ignorance.
In Pat's case, he apparently spends more time worrying about Mormons than about abortionists who kill babies or Islamic doctrine that fosters hate, terror and intolerance.
Sunday, June 26, 2005
10 Reasons to Go to (an LDS) Church
This is written to those who don’t go to church, any church.
People have a variety of reasons for not going to church – I should know, I’ve used many of them.
The usual include:
- Sunday. That’s my day of rest. That’s what God wants us to do, isn’t it? (Yes, but not that much!)
- Church is full of hypocrites. (That’s true. At least most of us admit it.)
- That’s the only day I can get my chores done. (Is it, really? Depends on priorities, doesn’t it?)
- I can be spiritual without going to church (And how spiritual is that?)
- I get along fine without going to church (Is that as “fine” as you want to be?)
- I’m as fine as I want to be. (I can’t argue with that.)
With that out of the way, why should you go to church? And why should you go to an LDS church in particular?
Here are 10 reasons…
- God (assuming you believe He exists) wants you to learn more about Him. Church is a good place for that.
- Like-minded participants will help increase your faith in and understanding of God and what God expects of us. You will be more motivated than by studying only on your own, assuming you would.
- You will get the distinct feeling you are doing the “right thing” by being in church. You will be “blessed” (made happy by God’s spirit.)
- You will learn positive life and family principles – your “peers” will teach and everyone is encouraged by one another.
- You will be exposed to continuing revelation from our Heavenly Father – the same sort that was given by prophets in the Old Testament. After all, if God spoke through prophets 3000 years ago, why wouldn’t he continue today?
- You will learn that the “pure gospel” - that of serving others – brings greater joy than anything we do for ourselves. This is the opposite of what the counseling community preaches. It’s good to hear an opposing view – it gives a bit of a balanced perspective to life.
- You will become a part of a supportive, close knit, caring, and positive group of people who hold high ideals and who love to help.
- Your understanding of the purpose of the family in God’s plan will be greatly enhanced.
- You will develop a foundation of understanding how to improve this life and the life to come by learning eternally significant truths.
- Your dad thinks this is a good idea.
Love, Dad
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Example of one of my "callings" at church...
For those who may be interested in what a typical "Sunday School" lesson is like in my church, (and for those daughters who might want to know a little about what their dad studies and teaches in church), I've provided a current example, below. This particular lesson is being taught in the Priesthood meeting during our third hour. It is a lesson from the teachings of the Presidents of the Church. In this instance, this is from the teachings of President McKay, who in 1951, became the ninth President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The heading provides a link to the chapter of his book that my lesson is based on. Here it is. I hope it provides an insight or two...
David O. McKay…
Chapter 9: Overcoming Temptation
Lesson aims:
To understand…
- What is temptation
- The implications of premortality and postmortality
- Practical ways of overcoming
What are the major forms of temptation that come to each of us as discussed by President McKay? (Page 82)
What are some examples of each of these forms of temptation?
Temptations of appetite or passion: [Ask others to give examples]
·
·
·
A yielding to pride, fashion, or vanity:
·
·
·
A desire for worldly riches or power and dominion over lands or earhly possessions of men [or over other people].
·
·
·
Why are we tempted? Why do we have all these choices?
Part of the answer lies in the reason why the wisdom of God fixed a veil between our premortality and this life: [This part is not in the KcKay chapter. But I find the purpose of the premortal life, and the hope for the postmortal life particularly helpful to the topic of this lesson, so I discuss it.]
Elder Maxwell explained:
“…mercifully, the veil is there. It is fixed by the wisdom of God for our good. It is no use being impatient with the Lord over that reality, for it is clearly a condition to which we agreed so long ago…Without the veil, we would lose that precious insulation which would constantly interfere with our mortal probation and maturation. Without the veil, our brief mortal walk in a darkening world would lose its meaning – for one would scarcely carry the flashlight of faith at noonday and in the presence of the Light of the World. Without the veil, we could not experience the gospel of work and the sweat of our brow. If we had the security of having already entered into God’s rest, certain things would be unneeded…”
Elder Orson Pratt answered this question this way:
“…if we had all our preexistent knowledge accompanying us into this world, show to our Father in the heavens and to the heavenly host that we would be in all things obedient….in order that we may prove ourselves before the heavens obedient and faithful in all things, we have to begin at the very first principles of knowledge, and be tried from knowledge to knowledge and from grace to grace, until, like our elder brother, we finally overcome and triumph over all our imperfections, and receive with him the same glory that he inherits, which glory he had before the world was.”
How do these statements explain to you why we are given temptations in our darkness of understanding – behind the veil?
[Consider the reasons for our mission on earth without knowing our "history."]
So this explains why we are tempted. Now why is it important that we overcome temptation?
To please Heavenly Father…
But why?
How does this desire to please God affect what happens to us in our postmortal life?
What are the two states or conditions after our mortal life but before resurrection?
Paradise and prison.
What is experienced in each state? A partial judgement. Quoting Victor Ludlow about this early phase of our postmortal state, he observes:
“When an angel visited and taught him, Alma received later insights about the period directly after death. He recorded: “The spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow…The spirits of the wicked…shall be cast into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this [is] a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection.” (Alma 40:12-14).
“Thus a partial judgment occurs after death as people enter the world of spirits – the righteous to a state of rest and peace; the wicked to a state of darkness and fear. These two states are called paradise and prison, ad we remain in this spirit world in either state until our resurrection. Eventually, each of us will enter one of these two postmoral existences. Since the state we find ourselves in is dependent upon the way we live, a preview of both states may help us decide how to conduct our lives.”
And a preview of both states may help motivate us to resist and overcome temptation.
To recap:
We have discussed three types of temptation…
We discussed why we are tempted…
We discussed a motivating influence in overcoming temptation…
Now let’s focus on ways of seeking assistance in overcoming temptation. What are some tools and principles that can help us?
Resist temptation. (James 4:7)
Decide who you will serve; maintain that as a steadfast principle of life
Assimilate God’s word. (Matthew 4:3-4)
Let His word permeate your personality and attitude; leave no room for the opposite.
Don't listen to fools. (Matthew 4:6-7)
Along with this is the principle of association, who our friends are, what we read, how we entertain ourselves, and don't waste on talents being provoked into senseless acts…
Do not place the temptations in a higher status than God. (Matthew 4:8-11)
Keep reevaluating, realigning, and reasserting priorities based on your principles.
Live the gospel; put others first. (Matthew 16:25)
Remember what President Hinckley said is the symbol of our faith.
Do not believe that you have overcome and are above temptation McKay page 87, 5th paragraph beginning with “All good things…”
“All good things require effort. That which is worth having will cost part of your physical being, your intellectual power, and your soul power – “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” But you have to seek, you have to knock. On the other hand, sin entices, it allures. You do not have to put forth effort…It is like the billboard advertising attracting you to drink and to smoke. It is like the message that comes into your very homes with the television and radio…Evil seeks you, and it requires effort and fortitude to combat it. But truth and wisdom are gained only by seeking, by prayer, and by effort.”
When are we most vulnerable to temptation. We are most vulnerable when we are preoccupied with our greatest pleasures and preoccupied with our greatest disappointments and doldrums. These are the times when we should pray most -- pray to Heavenly Father to lead us away from temptation and pray to thank Him for what He has given us, for what He promises us, and for His divine protection and guidance in the circumstance we find ourselves in.
Friday, April 29, 2005
So, who should we strive to be like?
Some of the greatest deceptions of our time are the messages that entice us to become someone we are not. Advertisements and the media urge women to become anorexic, vain, air-brushed vamps - men to become debonair, sensual, power-hungry yet carefree jocks. (That sounds like a candidate for multiple personality disorder diagnosis!) For all of us to lust after cutting edge technology, or lust after the opposite, or any sex. These messages are apparently effective at keeping our economy going strong. They sell products; they keep people motivated to earn and spend on the things that help us become the people in the ads. It matters little that the basest instincts of humanity are invoked to achieve these purposes. This all occurs at the secular level.
I've observed a more puzzling and hypocritcal attitude at the religious level. In Christian writings, the Bible in particular, there are numerous admonitions to become "more Godly", "more Christlike". Most Christians are familiar with the concept of our "Heavenly Father", or "our Father, which art in heaven..." What does that make us, Iguana? No. We are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father; of the one true God. The Bible sets forth a high ideal for our lives and our eternity. We have a heritage and a purpose. But most of today's religions do not take this relationship with God very seriously. They water it down and spiritualize it. They take the reality out of it. They read and quote the words but deny the meaning - they deny our hertitage and our potential.
So when a group of people (LDS) come along who read and understand the words of Scripture for what it says, they are ridiculed and called a blaspheming cult. What are some of the words of the Bible that describe who we are and who we can become?
___________________
Genesis 3:22 - "Man is become one of us." Who is quoted here? Certainly not the Iguana! Sounds like God the Father and His son making an assertion.
Psalm 82:6 - "Ye are gods, and all of you are children of the most High"
Matthew 5:48 - "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect." Is this a trick request of Jesus, something that is unatainable? Or was He serious?
John 10:34 - "Is it not written in your law...Ye are gods?"
Acts 17:29 - "...we are the offspring of God."
Romans 8:16-17 - "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."
2 Corinthians 3:18 - "But we all, with oopen face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
Ephesians 4:13;15 - "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ...may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ."
1 John 3:2 - "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him..."
Revelation 3:21 - "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Elsewhere Scripture teaches that in our mortal form we can't even lay our eyes upon Him without being destroyed. And here we have the "overcomers" sitting on God's throne right next to Him. What's different here?
____________________
What do these verses all mean? Are they random verses taken out of context, meaning something different from what they appear to say? Or do they represent a central theme of God's word, that God is our Heavenly Father, we are heirs of Christ, are urged to follow him, become like him, and someday sit down with our Heavenly Father in his throne. What does that make us, Iguana?
Are we to take these verses as symbolism, as literary license? God forbid, that would be the road to spiritualize away the person and work of Christ himself! Might as well study "Gone With The Wind" and yearn for Tara! Then instead of Iguana, we could call ourselves Tara-dactyls.
What are the evangelicals and other "orthodox" Christians trying to get at when they disparage Latter Day Saints for taking the words of the Bible seriously? From my study and understanding, they are denying a principal doctrine of Scripture, they are denying the power of God, and believing that we, sons of God, can never be more than sinful humans. They are saying "God forbid that we would become like gods!" In reality, God does NOT forbid that we become like gods. He commands us to!
Many of us see through a mirror so dimly that we think that what we are is all we can ever be. I guess in my career as a planner, I am trained to look ahead a bit. But this is really looking ahead. Certainly we will not reach Godly stature in this lifetime. But to deny that we will ever be capable, or have the hope of achieving the status promised in Scripture is denying God's power. And never to be forgetten is the immutable fact that our Heavenly Father is and always will be our Heavenly Father, the one true God, whatever we might become.
The heading of this article is a link to a wonderful Jeff Lindsay.com article titled "The Divine Potential of Human Beings: The Latter-day Saint Perspective." There is even a section in that link titled "Do any objective, qualified, non-Mormon experts agree that early Christians thought that they could become gods?" For those wanting to explore this topic further, that is a great place to start.
A note of humilty and reality - Just as salvation cannot be presumed based only on the overly simplistic and isolated admonition of "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou wilt be saved", the ultimate "god" status spoken of in Scripture is not a slam dunk, either. Just as they say in the TV infomercials: "Wait, there's more!" There is also the "James" part of Scripture and all the other parts about keeping commandments and helping our neighbor while maintaining a saintly attitude, etc. Most of us lack the faith needed to trust we won't get mugged helping a stranger change a flat tire. And even more of us have difficulty comprehending the possibility of accepting the truth of the Scriptures quoted above, never mind the number of millenia that it might take to realize it. There is a lot of testing and proving to be done through the eternities. But our faith in Christ and our efforts in the here and now in this life is our continual starting point. This brings even more significance to the Biblical mandate to "persevere to the end."
I've observed a more puzzling and hypocritcal attitude at the religious level. In Christian writings, the Bible in particular, there are numerous admonitions to become "more Godly", "more Christlike". Most Christians are familiar with the concept of our "Heavenly Father", or "our Father, which art in heaven..." What does that make us, Iguana? No. We are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father; of the one true God. The Bible sets forth a high ideal for our lives and our eternity. We have a heritage and a purpose. But most of today's religions do not take this relationship with God very seriously. They water it down and spiritualize it. They take the reality out of it. They read and quote the words but deny the meaning - they deny our hertitage and our potential.
So when a group of people (LDS) come along who read and understand the words of Scripture for what it says, they are ridiculed and called a blaspheming cult. What are some of the words of the Bible that describe who we are and who we can become?
___________________
Genesis 3:22 - "Man is become one of us." Who is quoted here? Certainly not the Iguana! Sounds like God the Father and His son making an assertion.
Psalm 82:6 - "Ye are gods, and all of you are children of the most High"
Matthew 5:48 - "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect." Is this a trick request of Jesus, something that is unatainable? Or was He serious?
John 10:34 - "Is it not written in your law...Ye are gods?"
Acts 17:29 - "...we are the offspring of God."
Romans 8:16-17 - "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."
2 Corinthians 3:18 - "But we all, with oopen face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
Ephesians 4:13;15 - "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ...may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ."
1 John 3:2 - "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him..."
Revelation 3:21 - "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Elsewhere Scripture teaches that in our mortal form we can't even lay our eyes upon Him without being destroyed. And here we have the "overcomers" sitting on God's throne right next to Him. What's different here?
____________________
What do these verses all mean? Are they random verses taken out of context, meaning something different from what they appear to say? Or do they represent a central theme of God's word, that God is our Heavenly Father, we are heirs of Christ, are urged to follow him, become like him, and someday sit down with our Heavenly Father in his throne. What does that make us, Iguana?
Are we to take these verses as symbolism, as literary license? God forbid, that would be the road to spiritualize away the person and work of Christ himself! Might as well study "Gone With The Wind" and yearn for Tara! Then instead of Iguana, we could call ourselves Tara-dactyls.
What are the evangelicals and other "orthodox" Christians trying to get at when they disparage Latter Day Saints for taking the words of the Bible seriously? From my study and understanding, they are denying a principal doctrine of Scripture, they are denying the power of God, and believing that we, sons of God, can never be more than sinful humans. They are saying "God forbid that we would become like gods!" In reality, God does NOT forbid that we become like gods. He commands us to!
Many of us see through a mirror so dimly that we think that what we are is all we can ever be. I guess in my career as a planner, I am trained to look ahead a bit. But this is really looking ahead. Certainly we will not reach Godly stature in this lifetime. But to deny that we will ever be capable, or have the hope of achieving the status promised in Scripture is denying God's power. And never to be forgetten is the immutable fact that our Heavenly Father is and always will be our Heavenly Father, the one true God, whatever we might become.
The heading of this article is a link to a wonderful Jeff Lindsay.com article titled "The Divine Potential of Human Beings: The Latter-day Saint Perspective." There is even a section in that link titled "Do any objective, qualified, non-Mormon experts agree that early Christians thought that they could become gods?" For those wanting to explore this topic further, that is a great place to start.
A note of humilty and reality - Just as salvation cannot be presumed based only on the overly simplistic and isolated admonition of "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou wilt be saved", the ultimate "god" status spoken of in Scripture is not a slam dunk, either. Just as they say in the TV infomercials: "Wait, there's more!" There is also the "James" part of Scripture and all the other parts about keeping commandments and helping our neighbor while maintaining a saintly attitude, etc. Most of us lack the faith needed to trust we won't get mugged helping a stranger change a flat tire. And even more of us have difficulty comprehending the possibility of accepting the truth of the Scriptures quoted above, never mind the number of millenia that it might take to realize it. There is a lot of testing and proving to be done through the eternities. But our faith in Christ and our efforts in the here and now in this life is our continual starting point. This brings even more significance to the Biblical mandate to "persevere to the end."
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Ritual and Simplicity in Sunday Worship Services
My daughter, her Greek Orthodox friend, and I recently attended a Sunday Greek Orthodox church service. This was a first for both my daughter and me. We were told that the particular church we attended was more conservative than most, meaning the service was a bit longer (2 1/2 hours) with a little more ritual than most other Greek Orthodox churches. Nonetheless, the contrast between the extent of ritual in the "typical" Sunday Greek Orthodox Church service and the Sunday Sacrament Service of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) church is quite stark.
Of the various churches I've attended, the Greek Orthodox service was on the ritual extreme side (give it a 10) on the Simple (1) to Complex (10) ritual continuum. I would classify the typical Roman Catholic service as a 6-8, a typical Presbyterinan or Baptist service a 3-5 and typical LDS service a 2-3.
Ritual has been an important part of both Jewish and Christian worship through the centuries. The earliest Christian church services had both extremes: the simple house church meetings as well as more complex, ritual laden temple-like services. As the Catholic church evolved, the content of the Sunday services changed from the dual nature (teaching/fellowship and worship ritual) to primarily worship ritual. Only in the last several decades has a portion of the Catholic service reverted back to some teaching (homiles and Scripture readings in English.) Protestant church services range between a balance between teaching and worship ritual to primarily teaching and simple praise.
The LDS Sunday services, or Sacrament Meetings as they are called, are comprised of taking the sacrament of bread and water as the symbol of the spirit of Christ, and talks about the gospel, faith, or work of the church in general. The LDS church is unique in that it reserves the most sacred, ritualized elements of it's "liturgy", so to speak, for the separate "Temple work." So, while the Sunday services are kept relatively simple, the occasional "Temple trip" events are rich in ritual. I have not yet experienced the LDS Temple.
The wisdom behind this arrangement is to avoid profaning the sacred by not having extensive, routine weekly rituals in ordinary semi-public places that most churches tend to be. When highly ritualized worship is repeated over and over, every week, my own experience is that it would soon lose its' significance - its' emotionally reverent feeling - its' feeling of connection with our Heavenly Father. The highest forms of worship are reserved for the most sacred place - the Temple, and not as a routine, but as very special events a few times a year.
The true Gospel of Christ is not considered to be contained in routine ritual so much as in the benevolent actions coming out of a loving heart mimicking Christ's teachings. That is a principle teaching of LDS. I believe that excessive ritual can easily lead to complacency, presumption, and ultimately dilute our sense of God's presence in our lives.
Of the various churches I've attended, the Greek Orthodox service was on the ritual extreme side (give it a 10) on the Simple (1) to Complex (10) ritual continuum. I would classify the typical Roman Catholic service as a 6-8, a typical Presbyterinan or Baptist service a 3-5 and typical LDS service a 2-3.
Ritual has been an important part of both Jewish and Christian worship through the centuries. The earliest Christian church services had both extremes: the simple house church meetings as well as more complex, ritual laden temple-like services. As the Catholic church evolved, the content of the Sunday services changed from the dual nature (teaching/fellowship and worship ritual) to primarily worship ritual. Only in the last several decades has a portion of the Catholic service reverted back to some teaching (homiles and Scripture readings in English.) Protestant church services range between a balance between teaching and worship ritual to primarily teaching and simple praise.
The LDS Sunday services, or Sacrament Meetings as they are called, are comprised of taking the sacrament of bread and water as the symbol of the spirit of Christ, and talks about the gospel, faith, or work of the church in general. The LDS church is unique in that it reserves the most sacred, ritualized elements of it's "liturgy", so to speak, for the separate "Temple work." So, while the Sunday services are kept relatively simple, the occasional "Temple trip" events are rich in ritual. I have not yet experienced the LDS Temple.
The wisdom behind this arrangement is to avoid profaning the sacred by not having extensive, routine weekly rituals in ordinary semi-public places that most churches tend to be. When highly ritualized worship is repeated over and over, every week, my own experience is that it would soon lose its' significance - its' emotionally reverent feeling - its' feeling of connection with our Heavenly Father. The highest forms of worship are reserved for the most sacred place - the Temple, and not as a routine, but as very special events a few times a year.
The true Gospel of Christ is not considered to be contained in routine ritual so much as in the benevolent actions coming out of a loving heart mimicking Christ's teachings. That is a principle teaching of LDS. I believe that excessive ritual can easily lead to complacency, presumption, and ultimately dilute our sense of God's presence in our lives.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)