“Univocal”

“Univocal”
cji
3/8/09

Over the years multiple thousands of books and pamphlets have been written to deny or to explain away the Book of Mormon and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mostly all of these writings have convinced the writers and others of at least two things. First – not to read the Book of Mormon and secondly don’t listen to an active member of the Church discuss or answer your questions about the Church. In the first instance it’s difficult to believe one would take another’s word on whether to read or not read a book professing to be the word of God and a second witness to our Savior. In the second instance who should one ask about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to learn about the beliefs of the Church?

The Univocal voice of the Father and the Son is the same yesterday, today and forever – yet the world and those in the world seem to believe otherwise. The Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price each contain the word and voice of the Father, the Son and their Prophets. The Heavens are not closed and prayers can be answered. Revelations and truth – wisdom can only be gained through an exchange between the Father and Son and those of us now in mortality. This exchange pertains to the Wisdom of God and not that of men/women or the world.

It would seem for centuries the world has taught that the Bible was all that there is and is to be – yet the world even rejects their own premise in that one today can find a Bible for almost every religion of men/women. Edition after edition come off of the presses – making it simpler – deleting material – adding material and changing the meaning of the material found within the Bible as we know it today. For over 1500 years there was no Bible – just a collection of the writings from the Prophets before the birth of Christ and after his birth. Indeed there were over 3400+ of these collected writings or individual books of text from the various authors (mostly Prophets and Apostles) proclaiming to be the Word of God!

Yet those who profess their efforts to be the Word of God – edited, translated, changed, and deleting whole books and Prophets and also redefining the meanings and usage of the Father, Son and their Prophets/Apostles claim there can be no other scriptures. Historically and common sense tells many that this is a strange truth to believe – but a convenient one who chooses not to obey completely the commandments, laws and statutes of the Father and the Son.

Whereas many have edited and translated the various books found within the Bible and are still doing so today the biggest criticism of the Book of Mormon is that only one person translated without collaboration of any other mortal being. It’s also being claimed that since the world of his day had no impute into the final draft that it’s only dependent on taking his word it’s not a hoax. Therefore the worldly and its ministers, preachers, priests and churches proclaim loudly in print and from the pulpit that it (the Book of Mormon) is a hoax of the worst kind. It leads people away from the Savior and thus into the depth’s of Hell. This is a curious claim by the world and even more curious that many in the world believe this claim.

Here’s a book, the Book of Mormon, which proclaims Jesus is the Christ – repeatedly throughout – and that with the exception of some clerical changes – into versus and chapters (and some grammar) is unchanged in any substantive matter since its first publication. When the original manuscript was taken to the printed it was in one paragraph lasting some 540+ pages of hand written text. It was translated in about three months – without computers, cross-referencing, and has been proved over the past century plus eighty years to be more correct than anything which had been known in the 1820’s. Nothing in any of the libraries or in the schools of learning of the time could’ve been used because they all would’ve been wrong. This was also done by a basically uneducated young man of his late teens and early twenties – un-traveled in the world and unread of the world’s manuscripts, only relying upon the univocal voice of the Father and the Son.

Further those who were the transcribers of the translated text would marvel and tell others that this young man would start right where he left off from before and never asked them for comment or where they had left off. The text references itself without error on a number of occasions without once going back to check or repeat the earlier text. The grammatical usages have shown to be the most accurate of the languages – Hebrew and Egyptian (or Reformed Egyptian).

How could this be so – and yet not be true? How can the worldly and the men and women of the world profess this one book to be a hoax and at that a bad one at best? How can the Bible and the Book of Mormon be companion volumes and not be witnesses of each other? One could ask how can the world/worldly accept the Bible at face value – true and complete and not accept the Book of Mormon which testifies of the same univocal voice of the Father and the Son. However, many do not ask and will not ask – for they’re so much of the world they are afraid to ask.

It should be remembered where we’ve gotten the Bible of today in all its editions. First the world has gotten the early scriptures from the Jews! Secondly it was not the Jews who held the Priesthood – but from those post 70AD of the rabbinical schools. The usage of the many words being found today in archeology and related findings have slowly been unearthing original texts from several thousand years ago – which language is different from the immediate translations/editions of the Jews post 70AD. After the Rabbinical schools the translations and editions were passed to the various schools of Philosophy of the early 3rd to 5th Centuries.

One must not omit those who proclaimed to be the followers of the Apostles – called Gnostics – or ones teaching their own interpretations after the death of the last of the Apostles. Their teachings are still alive and well today – i.e. the recent popularity of the Book of Judas (which in 150AD was proclaimed a fraud). But a good point can be made of this Book of Judas – the world/worldly was more willing to accept this than the Book of Mormon! Why, because the world/worldly have lost almost all identification of the voice of the Lord or the univocal application of the Father and the Son’s voice and teachings. There are other purely fictional books which the world has celebrated and given the credibility of truth – ignoring that the book is fiction. This pattern of acceptance is a vain attempt to give credibility to the world and not to God!

There’s a fairy tale about a King seeking new clothes – he was extremely vain and wanted to show off to his people. Each time he paraded about the crowds would applaud and cheer (not unlike the masses found in pre-WWII and other such events). Then came two frauds into his life – they played upon his vanity and indeed his blindness to the real. Thus when the King paraded their wears he was again getting the applause, etc. until a small child shouted out, “The King is wearing no clothes!” Initially there was denial but soon all knew as did the King he was in fact without clothes. Of course this is only a fairy tale – and in today’s world one would stone the boy for the simplicity of his truthful fact.

In this case the boy was Joseph Smith, Jr. who proclaimed at the age of 14 he went to the woods to ask of the Lord which church he should join. He then beheld a vision – in which the Father calling the Son by name said, “This is my beloved Son – hear ye him!” No young man in the early 1800’s could make this up – for it was not taught anywhere – in fact the world was in complete denial (even today) that any such thing could happen. The clarion univocal voice found throughout the scriptures proclaims this to be true – over and over and yet men/women of the world refuse to believe this vision and truth. Yet for testifying of this vision – never wavering – he was persecuted, tarred and feathered, falsely imprisoned and otherwise demeaned by the worldly and their minions.

While most of the world would proclaim ‘they’re seeking truth’ – ‘that they believe in and follow the Savior’ – and yet they reject his voice and his Prophets. Not just referring to the Book of Mormon – but something even simpler – the Ten Commandments – the requirement is to keep all of them – all of the time – without any exceptions! However, a simple review would indicate that this is no longer the case in almost any practicing Christian or non-Christian life today. One has said, “The price of Integrity – is the enmity of the world!” If you ever need to know you’re a stranger here – it will be most known by the enmity of the world.

One must recognize the univocal voice of the world/worldly – it’s found in the mixture of the scriptures (what they choose to use) and the teachings of the philosophy of men/women. By the early 3rd/4th Centuries – all of the early teachings of the Savior and the Apostles of the European/Asian worlds had been altered, changed or merged with Greek Philosophy and Rhetoric. In the world of the America’s this also took place. It should also be recognized that the apostasy (of which all of the Prophets/Apostles) which the Savior foretold came from within the Church – for to those not of the Church – it was all meaningless anyway. The greatest reason for the acceptance of the guise of Christianity was that of power, wealth and dominion over the classes of people by the emperors and others. This power, wealth and dominion is still in effect today!

The univocal voice of the Father and the Son – is the one of simplicity – common sense – and open and available to anyone to understand – if they meet two conditions. First a humble and contrite heart and Second to come in prayer. Then one must ponder all of the Scriptures – and to those who ask – wisdom will be given – even revelations – not of the world/worldly but of the eternal. This univocal voice cannot be heard in brass bands – charismatic rhetorical preaching – contending one with another – or in not being found obedient in all of the commandments, laws and statutes of the Lord! One cannot continue to blame Adam and Eve – one needs to accept personal responsibility and accountability for themselves and their eternal salvation. One cannot accept part, but not all of the Scriptures literally – or as the univocal voice of the Father and Son. One must accept them all – and heed the Prophets throughout the ages and today literally. One must get off of the fence of the world/worldly and Zion – for to be on the fence is to be part and parcel of the world/worldly! Zion is the antithesis of the world in every way in thought, actions and beliefs.

Seldom can one understand the world of Zion without prayer, pondering the scriptures, repenting, being humble and contrite. One cannot be worldly and understand the univocal voice of the Father or the Son. One must find themselves becoming one with the Father and the Son – and of one voice or indeed univocal in all things. The Bible (as translated correctly), the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price are the standard works of scripture today on this earth for all to read and understand. They are of one voice – simple and of common sense – however one must be found worthy (i.e. humble, contrite and repentant) to converse with the Father and Son for understanding.

Let there be no misunderstanding – the Book of Mormon is the most correct book ever translated (or written) in the history of the world as we know it – not once has anyone of the thousands of articles/books written to defame it ever accomplished their goal. Some of these same writers encouraged the murders in cold blood of the Prophet and others – among them women and children (including small infants) in the 1830-1890’s; they stole property, abused, raped, pillaged and drove the Saints (i.e. members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) from the soil of the United States – in the middle of winter and bragged about doing so and the clergy in the land both East and West supported these efforts.
Yet we must remember also – as Brigham Young has stated, “Some Mormon’s are Mormon’s but not all Mormon’s are Saints!” Whereas we all try to be found in Zion – we like all men/women have mortality and therefore are needful to repent and to keep repenting (not of grievous sins) but of our faults in trying to become more like the Father and the Son.

Belonging to the Lord’s Church here upon this earth in these latter-days is most difficult and enduring – because of the nature and temptations of the world/worldly. The refiner’s fire is meant for all to jump in and to endure – regardless of the tasks so associated within our lives individually. One must acknowledge pride, passions and will to the subservience of the Father and the Son. This one action is completely in opposition to the world. Yet in accepting the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ – theirs is greater happiness and joy – a greater peace and understanding of where we came from – why we’re here and where we might be going (with our loved ones) if worthy. This singularity of purpose – of one voice – truly magnifies the univocal teachings of the Father and the Son.

Joseph Smith, Jr. was and is a Prophet of God – all of those who’ve held this mantle passed on by him with keys and authority are Prophets of God – and today that mantle rests upon Thomas S. Monson – President and Prophet of the Lord’s Church – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I testify of these things – freely, willingly and knowingly – that they are true – eternal and full accord with the Father and the Son – in the name of the Son – even Jesus Christ – amen.


“Univocal”

cji
3/8/09

Hearing a voice
similar and familiar
one and the same
yesterday, today
and eternally to be
knowing of truth
understanding all
without guile found
for this the voice
of the Father and Son
univocal to embrace!


Copyright © 2009 – cji
“3 Nephi 19:29 Father, I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me out of the world, because of their faith, that they may be purified in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one, that I may be glorified in them.”

“Preparing for a Celestial Life”

“Preparing for a Celestial Life”
cji
3/2/09

(Prelude: A Celestial Life is one of living with and in the presence of the Father and the Son – with our families and theirs, married for time and all eternity, with bodies of flesh and bone like theirs forever and ever. This idea is foreign to the worldly and the worldly wisdom teachings of men/women. The idea of being “saved” and a Celestial Life are quite different – all who don’t deny the Holy Ghost or shed innocent blood are “saved” through the atonement of the Savior and are subject to the Commandments having heard the Laws and Statutes of the Savior during their mortal probation. To live a Celestial Life in our next estate requires obedience to all of the teachings of Father, the Son and their Prophets during this lifetime.)

The idea of preparing for a Celestial life here is foreign to almost all - but it's the specific reason we came to this earth and mortality - this is simply a probationary window of time. The world has dismissed so many of the Commandments, Laws and Statutes of the Lord that most is totally unrecognizable to the average person trying to get by. The type of faith we're supposed to have and what the worldly call faith are two distinct different types. Most proclaim a faith in the Father and the Son - but don't believe they're two completely separate individuals with bodies of flesh and bone (thus confusion right from the start of something so clear in what remains of the Scriptures to make one wonder why all don't understand this).

Faith requires belief - it's not just another word or someone's name. Yet those same people who declare "I believe" haven't a clue as thinking of actually trusting the Lord and thus being totally obedient to Him. If one fails to see all that is available (in ancient Egypt - all included all that they could see and all that they couldn't see as well) - then they'll miss the simply stuff in the entanglement of the worldly view of things. This is as the adversary likes it to be and it would appear with the majority of the world he's already won the day. The scripture, "Many are called, but few are chosen" has a lot of bearing on this issue. The Scriptures clearly state there can only be 'one Church' 'one Prophet' 'one Baptism' and it follows then there can only be one or that there is then none. The Church has to be organized by the Father and the Son - they call who they want to be their spokesman on the earth (or the Prophet) - and it will be called by the name of the Son - who's Church it is on this world. There'll be no paid clergy - there will nothing for gain of the world - but of the blessings and surety of Temple Sealings and instruction of the wisdom of God the Father and God the Son (our Savior) so that one can prepare for eternal life in the Celestial Kingdom with them and their families (theirs and ours) for all time and eternity.

The worldly view is all about mammon and power - and rejects any such beliefs as the above paragraph - denying truth and truisms - creating their own instead and directing their clergy, priests, rabbis, clerics, ministers, etc. to teach what the people want to hear mixing some scripture with the Greek philosophy handed down in the schools. They deny current revelation saying they've got all that they need - they deny the heavens are open and God no longer communicates with men/women/children on this earth as being no longer needful. They deny the Temple Blessings of Sealing saying that when a person dies - they will no longer have a body of bones and flesh - and they'll no longer be married or live as families - and that all will be saved - or they teach there is nothing after death and it's just the end! Patti Page used to sing a song, "Is That All There Is" and the world used this as the lesson - with the definitive answer - "Yes - this is all there is!"

We come here with the gift of agency or the gift of choice. We can make our own choices based on the wisdom we're willing to gain or not gain. Worldly wisdom will lead one - one way and God's wisdom another - you cannot mix the two!! This would be trying to serve two masters and it cannot be done. Of course the world teaches that you can serve two masters - loving each - as long as you love the worldly more. The world uses fear and incentive motivation to entice, beguile, subject, hold dominion, seduce and otherwise lead men/women and children into their belief systems. The Father and the Son use 'attitude motivation' allowing men, women and children the ability to learn to choose right from wrong. There is no coercion on the part of the Father or the Son - no beguiling or otherwise anything which would take away one's agency.

We must remember there were two plans in the preexistence - the Saviors (and the Fathers) and Satan's. One was that man/woman would come to this earth and be able to chose to be good or evil - to be obedient or not, to seek to learn the wisdom of the Father and the Son - or to chose the worldly. The second plan was purely selfish - Satan offered to save everyone giving no one the choice of good or evil - right from wrong - that man/woman would come to this earth get their mortal body and then return - but that the glory would be his (Satan) forever and ever. The worldly love Satan more than God - people surrender their agency to others in Satan's world - something which could never be taken from them - by greed, lusts, avarice, envy, selfishness, etc. Each time a person chooses something wrong over something good - and then justifies their actions they've surrender more of their agency to another. This could be in a lie, stealing, immoral behavior and the like which the worlds condones readily as just getting by. Cheating on tests - rumors - denying another in need - all which the world condones as well.

Satan doesn't care if one is good or bad as long as they don't seek to find the Savior's one Church! Even then he doesn't care if one joins the Church of Jesus Christ - as long as they don't go to the Temple - and even then he doesn't care as long as one doesn't keep the covenants they make in the Temple (or House of the Lord). What he does care about is if you strive to keep all of the Commandment, Laws and Statutes of the Father and the Son - all of the time - everyday - and repenting when you slip - taking the Sacrament on Sunday's - and turning away from the worldly and staying on Zion's road only. He's very happy that most just want to be good - for he knows in the next estate they'll be as miserable as he's found to be all of the time denied a body forever and ever. He's happy that most will never join the one Church - will deny the Prophets, will deny the Plan of Salvation and will indeed deny the teachings of the Scriptures as being literal.

We each must understand that we're literally the children of Heavenly Father - and that the Savior is our literal older brother - and that as promised in the Scriptures we were made in their image and we can become like them eternally without end. This requires to be baptized by one having authority holding the Aaronic Priesthood and the office therein of a Priest or the Melchizedek Priesthood. Next, each person has to be sealed (for time and all eternity) to their ancestors and their families in the Temple (or House of the Lord). The sealing can only be done by those having authority to perform this sealing by one holding the authority to Seal here on earth. Finally and most importantly each have to life worthily of the covenants they make with the Lord - while on this earth forever and ever.

As It’s often said there is nothing easy about living fully the Gospel of Jesus Christ while on this earth - the worldly make this all but improbable. However the Lord giveth no commandment unless there be a way for it to be accomplished (see 1 Nephi 3:7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them). We must live fully the Gospel of Jesus Christ if we’ve heard it, can read and understand and have had access to prayer and the Scriptures. Only those without knowledge of the laws of the Father and the Son will be the exception to these conditions! This would include those who’re unteachable with handicaps which would preclude them from learning and/or understanding; or little children under the age of eight (or accountability) or those who lived when the Gospel was not available to them because of the wickedness of the world and men/women within the world.

Preparation then requires one to seek as an individual recognizes that they’re a stranger here on this earth and that there are more than the teachings of men/women and the world or worldly. That each has a ‘mission’ to return home and to learn and know where and what home is. One also has to realize that they must reach and understand higher laws to achieve this wisdom. The commandment says to ‘Seek Wisdom’ which means sitting idle most likely it will not come to you. Where do we seek it – out of the best books which are those which can lead us to eternal life and home once more! When this commandment was given the best books were those of the individual Prophets as there was no individual Bible (in toto’) as we’ve been presented today. These books were known as the records of their fathers and thus were kept current as long as there was a Prophet upon the Earth. To curtail these teachings the masses would often kill by stoning the Prophets and once dead they could change or alter or interpret what the Prophet had actually taught or said. This practice continues even to us in these latter-days. Even Peter in a letter to James asked, “If the people change what I’ve said while alive – what will they do when I’m dead?”

Thus we cannot count on what man/woman or the world/worldly have altered, changed or deleted from the Scriptures – therefore we’ve to ponder, prayer and ask of God (see James 1:5) so we ourselves can discern what is true and what is not. This requires real effort and some sacrifice because you won’t find much assistance or encouragement from the world/worldly and those such employed to teach or instruct you in such things. The reasons for this state of affairs is legion but to give a couple they might fall into these reasons: 1) ignorance of the world/worldly; 2) avoidance of the truth; 3) denial of the truth; 4) to get gain from the world; and the one I tend to think about, 5) fear of what teaching the truth will mean to the world/worldly and their positions of power and dominion!

There’s a dynamic at play in the lives of all – whether fear, incentive or attitude motivation is at play. This dynamic causes an individual to cower – beg or act in their inner world seeking the answers to the questions; Why am I here – Where did I come from and Where am I going? Some have gotten beyond feeling and just don’t care, while others care but feel they’ve all the information they need to know and others yet will ask questions seeking truthful answers. The latter group tends to be in the minority and easily segregated from the world/worldly as trouble makers. This dynamic is the Spirit of the Holy Ghost which prompts us into action – or to recognize something just doesn’t make sense or answer the questions above. It’s the numbing of these ‘feelings’ or ‘promptings’ that the world/worldly work overtime to achieve. Heavenly Father or the Savior never spoke in rhetorical or attention getting theater – they spoke in the ‘Still small voice’ – yet today those who proclaim the world’s version of the Gospel rant and rave have wild music and even require audience participation. They put on an act – get the blood pressures rising and it become more zeal than truth or substance. Then each in turn passes the basket for your donations. In some churches of today they’ll tell you how much you should be paying to attend for one must pay for the preacher – his/her home and transportation, etc. And yes for the building(s), etc.

How we individually care for the Holy Ghost in our lives makes all the difference in whether we are seeking a Celestial Life or just being ‘saved’ is enough. If we nourish and find the wisdom in the best books – adhering to the promptings and assurance of what is true and what is not! We learn to recognize the voice of the Father and the Son. This is important so that we will not be led astray – unless we choose so to be. The dynamic of the Holy Ghost is the keystone to the Celestial Kingdom and a Celestial Life.

We need – better we absolutely need to prepare for a Celestial Life while here upon this earth! As an example – many feel awe and wonder when going to the White House – some even pay for the right to do so – and others need to be invited within. However, anyone can go to the White House – yet why the awe? It’s because of the power of those who reside or work there. Yet they are merely mortals like each of us and are performing either an elected role or appointed role or an employment role.

Yet those who have this awe and wonder over this mortal illusion of power ‘The White House’ – take no care in preparing once more to meet with our Father or His Son our Savior! The difference is one cannot pay or be invited within if they ARE NOT WORTHY and found OBEDIENT to the Commandments and have made Covenants which we’re to make while upon this earth in mortality. Many having not understood their divine relationship with the Father and the Son – they continue to live as though they cannot understand the Father and the Son. If this were indeed the case then the world/worldly and Satan has won the day. However this isn’t true – theirs is nothing we cannot learn about the Father and the Son so that we can feel worthy to reenter their presence. We in humility and a mortal understanding fortunately don’t make the final decision of our worthiness – we just have to live in total obedience literally to the commandments and covenants of the Lord. We do all we can do to be righteous – repenting when we slip – and quickly vowing not to again slip to that temptation. This in addition means living apart from the world/worldly and its teachings. Thus being in contrast to the worldly one will be quickly identified as being different – and thus treated as such for good or evil to the will of the world/worldly.

To not prepare to live a Celestial Life is to have fallen short of one’s probationary preparation in mortality. The last thing we did prior to leaving the presence of the Father was to promise (Covenant) to return! Interestingly we’ll be the ones to recognize this failure and what might have been. We will be unable to go near this blessing knowing we did not do all we could do – we did not learn all we could learn – and thus we did not enter into the covenants which can only be made on this earth to return to our Father and His Son – eternally in the Celestial Kingdom to live forever a Celestial Life.


“A Celestial Life”

cji
3/2/09

A family eternal
sealed for time
and all eternity
forever and ever
understanding
thus becoming
as one with all
as the Father/Son
we with our family
and thus with them
and their families
a Celestial Life
ever and forever!

Copyright © 2009 – cji

http://www.jesuschrist.lds.org/SonOfGod/eng/ "http://dailypoems1.blogspot.com/" (new site to access poems) http://cjames127.blogspot.com/ (to access essays)

"Progress is unfinite – its beginning was before coming to this mortal estate and will continue after we leave mortality – it’s eternal and as such so are we if found obedient! One is always progressing – either forward or backwards – none ever remain where they were/are – treading water is a worldly term to justify doing nothing – but doing nothing means one is moving backward. Lessons learned are only as good as the application we make of them – nothing more or less," cji 1/23/09

What is a fact?

What is a fact?

There are at least three kinds of facts: 1) a real fact which is both truth and proven; 2) a rhetorical fact where everyone seems happy with the presentation and won’t ask any questions; and 3) something with out any relationship to 1 and 2! Yes this is a wise crack type answer to be sure – but it would be my guess that a fact is what someone wants to believe to be true – without reservation and often without much proof or effort..

What is a fact? Pondering this when doing research I’ve often wondered who’s done their homework and how much effort was put forth in their presentation. A fact should be a discernable piece of information related to the subject at hand with several references and no disputable credibility. Doing one’s homework is much more complicated than opening a book and answering the ‘pat’ answers to the material found therein. It requires one to be a serious scholar in understand what makes common sense and why? This would preclude anything which can be refuted and not hold up under close inspection of one or many needing to use the information without prejudice. Most non-facts don’t really make much sense when applied to a situation of real life. Too many are too busy creating facts that they feel the numbers will override the truth.

Hitler did this in his ranting and raving in repetitious manner to get many to believe his lies as facts. Many believed him because they wanted to believe him – for in doing so there was a supposed gain in the future (or present) for them. Some would consider not being shot as a gain. This would be true in many 3rd world countries where to believe the majority is to live and anything else is death or worse than death. The majority being those in power and nothing else then mattered. It could be said it was very easy to believe St. Augustine as the alternative was to be put to death for believing in the early Christian beliefs as taught by the Savior, his Apostles and the Prophets.

Many use written texts as being factual because; they were published, others reference them, and it just must be true (why would the author lie). In actuality many authors and publishers have gotten slack or have a stick to burn when writing and publishing. In 1834 a book was published entitled, “Mormonism Exposed” which was as virulent book as has been published against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Joseph Smith, Jr. This book “Mormonism Exposed” and another 1500-4000+ like it are still in publication even though the entire original has been discovered to be untrue and based on hatred rather than facts. One could argue that the authors believed what they wrote but even this has been disproved. Yet even today ‘scholars’ quote from these books to discredit the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However any person with a minimal amount of common sense can see through the lies and observe for themselves what is truth and what is a lie.

This issue of common sense brings up a critical point of accepting a lie as a fact – for many will not use common sense and almost all of the critics (the worst being those who’ve apostates from the Church) justify and resolve on their decisions without wanting to know the truth. Most would rather believe a ‘lie’ ‘falsehood’ ‘rhetoric’ etc. without every seeking anything further as these pacify their behaviors and attitudes. To keep all of the Commandments of Heavenly Father – is just too unrealistic in today’s world. Thus the lie appears in the form of beguilement that you don’t have to keep them all to the letter – but here a little and there a little – and certainly none of us are killers or adulterers! For this and other reasons the people will continue to pay men/women to teach them what they want to hear and not have to change or follow a living Prophet.

Idle men/women living in the halls of institutions called schools, universities, colleges, etc. thrive on trying to explain how God (if there is one) – is pretty much like they are and will condone their behavior and after all aren’t they all ‘saved’ already? And the commandment to, “Become perfect even as the Father is perfect” finds the usual excuses of a modern definition which appear impossible to achieve! Yet the word translated into ‘perfect’ is the Greek word “Helios” which represented being complete or having completed a task or a mission. These same idle men/women seek to enhance the wisdom of men and rejecting the common sense simplicity of God and in doing so disengage facts into parts and parcels of disinformation taught as true fact(s)!

So how can we discern a real fact? To discern a factual truth is quite easy – test it! Does it make sense – really? What is the purpose the fact? How does this fact apply in your life? Is the fact just generally accepted because of peer pressure or political pressure? And if you really want to know and have done all of your own research and homework you can take it in prayer to the Father, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him,” (James 1:5). For those who don’t believe in God or feel the heavens are closed – this method will not work for obvious reasons. But if one doesn’t believe in God then what the world gives to them is all they in a sense need and would not be worried about what is truth and what is not. For all others however the above is the best and easiest method.

When one considers how easy it is to discern truth (fact) from falsehood (fiction) then why do so many prefer not to learn for themselves about something which is so very important to them? It’s not that most people are bad – or even indifferent it’s because of the confusion found within the world today. Most prefer to avoid a confrontation about anything – including their eternal salvation which is where the most important facts need to be known. They’ll accept anger, falsehoods, contention, and abuse (of others) and feel its okay – just don’t rock the boat. This is also one the biggest reason when one finds a ‘truth’ or fact – they will not make known to others. In a talk I used to give – this was called, “A fear of laughter – or abuse from another,” and another aspect is similar to the Stockholm Effect where an abused person stays in the abused relationship for a fear of change. People really only do things for two reasons; 1) to gain a benefit or 2) to avoid a loss! Sadly most will hold their course even if this lack of action infringes on their eternal salvation.

You notice I keep going to the eternal aspect of the issue of what is a fact – and the reason is this is what we’re supposed to be learning about in this mortal probation. Without this in mind or as an eternal goal any discussion on truth is irrelevant! For when only feels this life is all there is – and that all which is spoken in the Scriptures is only a good story but not to be believed literally then any ‘fact’ whether true, partially true or not will do.

We’ve each to determine whether the Scriptures are literally true – have not been altered to meet the needs of men/women and the world and whether there really is a Prophet on the earth once more today? Whether what the Savior and the Prophets have taught (long ago or today) really matters in our lives? The answers we give – one Church, one Gospel, one Baptism or that there can be many really will decide how we discern truth or fiction. For you cannot believe the Bible and the World – only one is true, not both. When men/women seek the employ of the world in their preaching, teaching and obedience there’s no longer a need for the Scriptures except to lead others to their way of thinking. When one believes the Scriptures literally almost everything presented by men/women of the world becomes nothing more than rhetorical beguilement. To reject the teachings of the Savior and the Prophets then and now – in part or in whole is to decide there’s no need to know whether something is a fact or fiction dressed to look like a fact.

A fact or truth is hard language for those looking for peer acceptance – social viability – or worldly lusts, power or wealth. There’s nothing easy about truth – and truth yesterday – should still be truth today and forever. Yet we find men/women and the world change their facts (opinions) and truth (common beliefs) as changing clothes after a rainstorm or falling in the mud. They waiver on anything finite – and accept or reject on whether it fits them for the time and season of their mortal life’s. They’ll contend abuse, belittle and otherwise turn against someone teaching a real truth or fact. Since they cannot refute the truth they simply deny it and the messenger. They did this to a 14 year old boy throughout his life – while never disproving once what he saw and heard and then did. They did this to Paul and to many others – even stoning Jeremiah when he finished his teaching to them. The only difference today is the method and the names.

What is a fact? Interesting question – what I’ve presented above would get a failing grade in almost any institution of learning in the world today – but it is the answer I would give and stand behind. A fact is a truism – eternally.




“Truism”

cji
3/1/09

Giving no quarter
stepping not back
standing firm always
knowing what I know
sharing and giving
reservations none
for truth is truth
understandable
common sense
or in other words
simply a truism!

Copyright © 2009 – cji