Tuesday, November 27, 2012

123: THE DAY COMETH WHEN YOU WILL STRAY


When you read the words.. ‘the day cometh’... it is referring to a future event that will soon occur. One of the most well known scriptures that contains these words is Malachi 4:1. It says, “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.”

Keep that in mind that the words, "the day cometh" is referring to a future event when you read the first Section of the Doctrine and Covenants 1: 14-16.

“…and the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord… shall be cut off from among the people; For they have strayed from mine ordinances, and have broken mine everlasting covenant; They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall.”

These are the Lord’s words speaking through His prophet, Joseph Smith. This is to happen AFTER the restoration of the Gospel. The Lord is speaking about a future event, that “a day cometh”, when those who will not hear the voice of the Lord and seek not the Lord to establish His righteousness, will build up an image that is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol.. and will stray from the ordinances and break the everlasting covenant.

How is this possible? Is this still a future event or has this happened, or happening?

Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, a member of the Council of the 12 and Church Historian who later became the tenth President of the Church wrote a series of articles entitled “Governments and Laws in General: The Kingdom of God”. These articles were published in the Church News published in the Deseret News in 1936. The below quote appeared in the 20th series on pg 7 in the Deseret News on Saturday, October 17th, 1936.

“Are we not too much inclined to blame the generations that are past for the breaking of the new and everlasting covenant, and to think it is because of the great apostasy which followed the ministry of the Apostles in primitive times, that these troubles are coming upon the earth? Perhaps we should wake up to the realization that it is because of the breaking of covenants, especially the new and everlasting covenant, which is the fullness of the Gospel as it has been revealed, that the world is to be consumed by fire and few men left. Since this punishment is to come at the time of the cleansing of the earth when Christ comes again, should not Latter-day Saints take heed unto themselves? We have been given the new and everlasting covenant, and many among us have broken it, and many are now breaking it; therefore all who are guilty of this offense will aid in bringing to pass this destruction in which they will find themselves swept from the earth when the great and dreadful day of the Lord shall come.”

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Sidenote:

The second commandment is: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. What is a graven image?.. What constitutes whose substance is that of an idol? Can we still make statues as long as it isn’t a golden calf and not worship it?



The LDS Public Affairs has recently released the following 6 minute video of the construction of the new Rome, Italy Temple. The video describes the one very unique features that will be part of the Rome Temple Grounds, marble statues of Jesus Christ and all of the Twelve Apostles. These same exact statues are found in the Church of Our Lady, in Denmark. Probably the most famous and well known statues of the 12 apostles and Jesus Christ adorn the Vatican in Rome. I find it interesting that we also want to adorn the Rome Temple with similar marble statues as well. If you watch the video though, maybe we have found a loophole to the 2nd commandment, since it won’t be "us", but instead it will be computer technology that will be doing most of the “graving” of the statues from the images found in the National Church in Copenhagen.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

122: AMONG THE GREATEST SINS


To deal carelessly with truth,
to deny it when once gained,
to defy the laws of truth which are the laws of God,
must be counted among the greatest sins.
Those who deal lightly with truth in their lives, though they may not become sons of perdition,
must expect a heavy punishment. “
(Evidences and Reconciliations, pp. 213‑14; 1970 ed., Elder John A. Widtsoe)
 
People who think they are learning truth usually only want it one way. And the truth they want... needs to fit perfectly with their current paradigm and/or worldview.. The truth for them only has one hue. A good metaphor for this is that someone might hold tight to a baby rattle. They don’t know anything differently, nor maybe want or realize that there is anything greater. However… there is a series of progression. For example…from the baby rattle some naturally move on to a board game.. From a board game they move on to a digital computer games.. from the electronic game they move on to driving a sports car. We need to allow progression and yet still understand that we still are all Latter Day Saints.
 
How often are we afraid to think out of the box, to let our minds stretch into the dark abyss and stretch into heavenly abodes. Instead, we go to LDS.org or our bookshelf to pull out a quote from a GA and stop our searching there. Is that not indeed a road block we're setting up in our mind, hindering our personal revelation, our personal "Word of God"??
 
God cares more about us than we do of ourselves. God sees all as potential Gods.
God is noisy; He has a lot of things to say to us. He says a lot about a lot of thing.
If He is quiet in your life, repent.
  • Seek for more wisdom....the ability to discern between truth and error.
  • Desire to progress... increasing in truth and light.
  • Receive glory...the possession of light an truth which bestows power.
 
Sidenote:
The messenger of truth should NEVER and is NOT as important as the message. The messenger should never get in the way or take precedence over the message. We should look to the Source from where the message originates and not to the one delivering the message. Be careful to listen to any author or speaker who dominates or lifts himself up and writes and speaks about him or herself over the content of the message.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

121: TRADITIONS

photo of a large billboard in downtown Salt Lake located on the freeway entrance.  


Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. A day of gratitude for our blessings.

(...it is also a day of overeating, and for some it is a tradition to watch football.) :)

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Usually the word 'tradition' in scripture, especially in the Book of Mormon, is not a good thing and is the reason why so many "good" people are led astray or stay in a state of ignorance. These traditions are called foolish, silly, incorrect, wicked, abominable, and base. 

We read that the people dwindled in unbelief because of the traditions of their fathers, and they are led astray. When you dwindle in unbelief, it is not that you don't believe or have lost faith, it means that little by little the belief becomes incorrect, false and foolish.

One of our biggest 'traditions' that we have inherited by our fathers is the need to win.  We strive for Success, Awards, Status, Popularity, Dominance, and Acceptance. We take great pride in winning. We want to defeat others. We have the mottos like Win at all costs, and only the weak lose. The above billboard for BYU football even brags about our LDS church school's tradition of winning for the past 40 years. (Even that is a false tradition/advertising since the records show that BYU has not always won for the past four decades) :)

We also take great pride that we as Mormons are on the final winning team.  We are taught that in the end, that we will "win". However, just being part of a religion doesn't mean you are on the winning team. It is being on the side of TRUTH that always wins in the end. Anything that is false, incorrect, or foolish will be exposed, and ultimately "lose".

Nephi begins the 28th chapter in 2 Nephi by saying that he knows what he writes will "surely come to pass". He is not making this stuff up.

We read in verse 14: "They wear stiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms, they have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men."

Did you catch that?.. ALL have all gone astray, except for a few humble followers.. and even those FEW do err in many instances because they are taught by the precepts of men.. or "false traditions."  It sounds like we are all messed up to some degree or another.

Lately, more and more people are questioning the false traditions and stories that have been handed down to us for decades. It is mainly caused by discovering that church history is riddled with fiction and half-truths. There is a sense of betrayal at what they regard as "being lied to" about history and doctrine.

All things will be brought to light. In the end,TRUTH will win. It is important that you always are on the side of truth and not on the side of traditions of the fathers.
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Friday, November 16, 2012

120: YOU CAN BUY ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD FOR MONEY


A photo of the World Trade Center,  in downtown Salt Lake City
located southeast of Temple Square and directly across from Brigham Young's home.
One of the many buildings the Church owns and manages through Deseret Management Co. 
The photo is taken from the LDS Church Office Building.
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The  gold plaque with the name World Trade Center outside the building.
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The gold front door of the World Trade Center. This used to be the location for the Federal Reserve Bank. There is a plaque outside the building memorializing this building.
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After partaking of the fruit of the tree which God forbid, Adam and Eve were cast into the Telestial world. Now in their mortal and fallen state, they were approached by one who claimed to be the god of this world. He tempted them to sell their priceless possessions given to them by God. He told them that they could buy anything in this world for money. 

Money is not inherently evil, but potentially how  "money" is created and used could be considered corrupt.

If you didn't read the last lengthy blogpost, Ron Paul mentions one of the MANY problems facing our country. Probably one of the biggest problems is our monetary system and our financial crisis that we all face. Many are calling what lies before us as a "fiscal cliff".  It is the consequence of excessive debt, unfunded liabilities, spending, and bailouts.

Most do not realize that our money is fiat money and the powers that be can create money out of thin air called fractional reserve banking.

This started in our country when the Federal Reserve was created on December 23, 1913 on Jekyll Island. A thick book documenting this was written by G Edgar Griffin, entitled "The Creature from Jekyll Island". You can watch a very long  documentary which goes into more detail. It is called the Money Masters. (If all of this is new to you, it might be good to learn more about this.)

The Federal Reserve  is one of the most blatant scams of all history. Not only is it not "Federal" but there are no "Reserves" either.  This central bank has been given power to print money out of thin air, finance both sides in wars, create boom-bust cycles, and control inflation and/or depressions.

Another name for this is called usury and those associated with this would be called money changers. We all know what Christ reacted with the moneychanger in and around the temple.

I bring this up because I found it interesting that this "fine building" called the World Trade Center was once the location for one of the Federal Reserve Banks.


Sidenote:

I have mentioned before about the Church's investiment of billions of dollars into the City Creek Center.  However, I just learned a little more information about the developer of the mall,  the billionaire Alfred Taubman. Yes, Taubman Company is the developer of some of the world's most successful luxury malls, but what I didn't know is that Alfred is also the chairman of Sotheby’s auction house.  A few years ago he was found guilty with his rivals at Christie’s to fix auction house commission rates to drive up profits.  Here is the link.  He was sentenced to one year in prison, but was released early for good behavior. For the life of me, I am not sure why anyone would want to partner with such a man.

Anyway, just in time for the holidays, below is one of the new billboard adverting our Church owned mall. The ads contain the same things that concerned me  when the mall first opened.... the ads now have new models and new faces in the ads, but the suggestiveness, the immodesty and the alcohol still persist.

Let's go shopping and spend our fiat money. All is well.


Wednesday, November 14, 2012

119: FAREWELL ADDRESS



I know this is lengthy and many will not read it, but I wanted to post this on my blog. It is Congressman Ron Paul's farewell address delivered today on the House Floor on November 14, 2012. I have alot of respect for this man. In my opinion, he is a modern-day Founding Father. I listened to part of it live on C-SPAN thi s afternoon. I thought it was interesting that very few applauded after he finished his speech.. since very few of our elected officials agree with him. Sad. My family and friends, and ward members mourn that Mitt Romney did not win, I have been mourning for months that Ron Paul didn't win the Republican nomination. I mourn for our country. We are modern day Rome... and we all know what happened to that civilization.

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Farewell to Congress

This may well be the last time I speak on the House Floor. At the end of the year I’ll leave Congress after 23 years in office over a 36 year period. My goals in 1976 were the same as they are today: promote peace and prosperity by a strict adherence to the principles of individual liberty.

It was my opinion, that the course the U.S. embarked on in the latter part of the 20th Century would bring us a major financial crisis and engulf us in a foreign policy that would overextend us and undermine our national security.

To achieve the goals I sought, government would have had to shrink in size and scope, reduce spending, change the monetary system, and reject the unsustainable costs of policing the world and expanding the American Empire.

The problems seemed to be overwhelming and impossible to solve, yet from my view point, just following the constraints placed on the federal government by the Constitution would have been a good place to start.

How Much Did I Accomplish?

In many ways, according to conventional wisdom, my off-and-on career in Congress, from 1976 to 2012, accomplished very little. No named legislation, no named federal buildings or highways—thank goodness. In spite of my efforts, the government has grown exponentially, taxes remain excessive, and the prolific increase of incomprehensible regulations continues. Wars are constant and pursued without Congressional declaration, deficits rise to the sky, poverty is rampant and dependency on the federal government is now worse than any time in our history.

All this with minimal concerns for the deficits and unfunded liabilities that common sense tells us cannot go on much longer. A grand, but never mentioned, bipartisan agreement allows for the well-kept secret that keeps the spending going. One side doesn’t give up one penny on military spending, the other side doesn’t give up one penny on welfare spending, while both sides support the bailouts and subsidies for the banking and corporate elite. And the spending continues as the economy weakens and the downward spiral continues. As the government continues fiddling around, our liberties and our wealth burn in the flames of a foreign policy that makes us less safe.

The major stumbling block to real change in Washington is the total resistance to admitting that the country is broke. This has made compromising, just to agree to increase spending, inevitable since neither side has any intention of cutting spending.

The country and the Congress will remain divisive since there’s no “loot left to divvy up.”

Without this recognition the spenders in Washington will continue the march toward a fiscal cliff much bigger than the one anticipated this coming January.

I have thought a lot about why those of us who believe in liberty, as a solution, have done so poorly in convincing others of its benefits. If liberty is what we claim it is- the principle that protects all personal, social and economic decisions necessary for maximum prosperity and the best chance for peace- it should be an easy sell. Yet, history has shown that the masses have been quite receptive to the promises of authoritarians which are rarely if ever fulfilled.

Authoritarianism vs. Liberty

If authoritarianism leads to poverty and war and less freedom for all individuals and is controlled by rich special interests, the people should be begging for liberty. There certainly was a strong enough sentiment for more freedom at the time of our founding that motivated those who were willing to fight in the revolution against the powerful British government.

During my time in Congress the appetite for liberty has been quite weak; the understanding of its significance negligible. Yet the good news is that compared to 1976 when I first came to Congress, the desire for more freedom and less government in 2012 is much greater and growing, especially in grassroots America. Tens of thousands of teenagers and college age students are, with great enthusiasm, welcoming the message of liberty.

I have a few thoughts as to why the people of a country like ours, once the freest and most prosperous, allowed the conditions to deteriorate to the degree that they have.

Freedom, private property, and enforceable voluntary contracts, generate wealth. In our early history we were very much aware of this. But in the early part of the 20th century our politicians promoted the notion that the tax and monetary systems had to change if we were to involve ourselves in excessive domestic and military spending. That is why Congress gave us the Federal Reserve and the income tax. The majority of Americans and many government officials agreed that sacrificing some liberty was necessary to carry out what some claimed to be “progressive” ideas. Pure democracy became acceptable.

They failed to recognized that what they were doing was exactly opposite of what the colonists were seeking when they broke away from the British.

Some complain that my arguments makes no sense, since great wealth and the standard of living improved for many Americans over the last 100 years, even with these new policies.

But the damage to the market economy, and the currency, has been insidious and steady. It took a long time to consume our wealth, destroy the currency and undermine productivity and get our financial obligations to a point of no return. Confidence sometimes lasts longer than deserved. Most of our wealth today depends on debt.

The wealth that we enjoyed and seemed to be endless, allowed concern for the principle of a free society to be neglected. As long as most people believed the material abundance would last forever, worrying about protecting a competitive productive economy and individual liberty seemed unnecessary.

The Age of Redistribution

This neglect ushered in an age of redistribution of wealth by government kowtowing to any and all special interests, except for those who just wanted to left alone. That is why today money in politics far surpasses money currently going into research and development and productive entrepreneurial efforts.

The material benefits became more important than the understanding and promoting the principles of liberty and a free market. It is good that material abundance is a result of liberty but if materialism is all that we care about, problems are guaranteed.

The crisis arrived because the illusion that wealth and prosperity would last forever has ended. Since it was based on debt and a pretense that debt can be papered over by an out-of-control fiat monetary system, it was doomed to fail. We have ended up with a system that doesn’t produce enough even to finance the debt and no fundamental understanding of why a free society is crucial to reversing these trends.

If this is not recognized, the recovery will linger for a long time. Bigger government, more spending, more debt, more poverty for the middle class, and a more intense scramble by the elite special interests will continue.

We Need an Intellectual Awakening

Without an intellectual awakening, the turning point will be driven by economic law. A dollar crisis will bring the current out-of-control system to its knees.

If it’s not accepted that big government, fiat money, ignoring liberty, central economic planning, welfarism, and warfarism caused our crisis we can expect a continuous and dangerous march toward corporatism and even fascism with even more loss of our liberties. Prosperity for a large middle class though will become an abstract dream.

This continuous move is no different than what we have seen in how our financial crisis of 2008 was handled. Congress first directed, with bipartisan support, bailouts for the wealthy. Then it was the Federal Reserve with its endless quantitative easing. If at first it doesn’t succeed try again; QE1, QE2, and QE3 and with no results we try QE indefinitely—that is until it too fails. There’s a cost to all of this and let me assure you delaying the payment is no longer an option. The rules of the market will extract its pound of flesh and it won’t be pretty.

The current crisis elicits a lot of pessimism. And the pessimism adds to less confidence in the future. The two feed on themselves, making our situation worse.

If the underlying cause of the crisis is not understood we cannot solve our problems. The issues of warfare, welfare, deficits, inflationism, corporatism, bailouts and authoritarianism cannot be ignored. By only expanding these policies we cannot expect good results.

Everyone claims support for freedom. But too often it’s for one’s own freedom and not for others. Too many believe that there must be limits on freedom. They argue that freedom must be directed and managed to achieve fairness and equality thus making it acceptable to curtail, through force, certain liberties.

Some decide what and whose freedoms are to be limited. These are the politicians whose goal in life is power. Their success depends on gaining support from special interests.

No More ‘isms’

The great news is the answer is not to be found in more “isms.” The answers are to be found in more liberty which cost so much less. Under these circumstances spending goes down, wealth production goes up, and the quality of life improves.

Just this recognition—especially if we move in this direction—increases optimism which in itself is beneficial. The follow through with sound policies are required which must be understood and supported by the people.

But there is good evidence that the generation coming of age at the present time is supportive of moving in the direction of more liberty and self-reliance. The more this change in direction and the solutions become known, the quicker will be the return of optimism.

Our job, for those of us who believe that a different system than the one that we have had for the last 100 years, has driven us to this unsustainable crisis, is to be more convincing that there is a wonderful, uncomplicated, and moral system that provides the answers. We had a taste of it in our early history. We need not give up on the notion of advancing this cause.

It worked, but we allowed our leaders to concentrate on the material abundance that freedom generates, while ignoring freedom itself. Now we have neither, but the door is open, out of necessity, for an answer. The answer available is based on the Constitution, individual liberty and prohibiting the use of government force to provide privileges and benefits to all special interests.

After over 100 years we face a society quite different from the one that was intended by the Founders. In many ways their efforts to protect future generations with the Constitution from this danger has failed. Skeptics, at the time the Constitution was written in 1787, warned us of today’s possible outcome. The insidious nature of the erosion of our liberties and the reassurance our great abundance gave us, allowed the process to evolve into the dangerous period in which we now live.

Dependency on Government Largesse

Today we face a dependency on government largesse for almost every need. Our liberties are restricted and government operates outside the rule of law, protecting and rewarding those who buy or coerce government into satisfying their demands. Here are a few examples:
  • Undeclared wars are commonplace.
  • Welfare for the rich and poor is considered an entitlement.
  • The economy is overregulated, overtaxed and grossly distorted by a deeply flawed monetary system.
  • Debt is growing exponentially.
  • The Patriot Act and FISA legislation passed without much debate have resulted in a steady erosion of our 4th Amendment rights.
  • Tragically our government engages in preemptive war, otherwise known as aggression, with no complaints from the American people.
  • The drone warfare we are pursuing worldwide is destined to end badly for us as the hatred builds for innocent lives lost and the international laws flaunted. Once we are financially weakened and militarily challenged, there will be a lot resentment thrown our way.
  • It’s now the law of the land that the military can arrest American citizens, hold them indefinitely, without charges or a trial.
  • Rampant hostility toward free trade is supported by a large number in Washington.
  • Supporters of sanctions, currency manipulation and WTO trade retaliation, call the true free traders “isolationists.”
  • Sanctions are used to punish countries that don’t follow our orders.
  • Bailouts and guarantees for all kinds of misbehavior are routine.
  • Central economic planning through monetary policy, regulations and legislative mandates has been an acceptable policy.

Questions

Excessive government has created such a mess it prompts many questions:
  • Why are sick people who use medical marijuana put in prison?
  • Why does the federal government restrict the drinking of raw milk?
  • Why can’t Americans manufacturer rope and other products from hemp?
  • Why are Americans not allowed to use gold and silver as legal tender as mandated by the Constitution?
  • Why is Germany concerned enough to consider repatriating their gold held by the FED for her in New York? Is it that the trust in the U.S. and dollar supremacy beginning to wane?
  • Why do our political leaders believe it’s unnecessary to thoroughly audit our own gold?
  • Why can’t Americans decide which type of light bulbs they can buy?
  • Why is the TSA permitted to abuse the rights of any American traveling by air?
  • Why should there be mandatory sentences—even up to life for crimes without victims—as our drug laws require?
  • Why have we allowed the federal government to regulate commodes in our homes?
  • Why is it political suicide for anyone to criticize AIPAC?
  • Why haven’t we given up on the drug war since it’s an obvious failure and violates the people’s rights? Has nobody noticed that the authorities can’t even keep drugs out of the prisons? How can making our entire society a prison solve the problem?
  • Why do we sacrifice so much getting needlessly involved in border disputes and civil strife around the world and ignore the root cause of the most deadly border in the world-the one between Mexico and the US?
  • Why does Congress willingly give up its prerogatives to the Executive Branch?
  • Why does changing the party in power never change policy? Could it be that the views of both parties are essentially the same?
  • Why did the big banks, the large corporations, and foreign banks and foreign central banks get bailed out in 2008 and the middle class lost their jobs and their homes?
  • Why do so many in the government and the federal officials believe that creating money out of thin air creates wealth?
  • Why do so many accept the deeply flawed principle that government bureaucrats and politicians can protect us from ourselves without totally destroying the principle of liberty?
  • Why can’t people understand that war always destroys wealth and liberty?
  • Why is there so little concern for the Executive Order that gives the President authority to establish a “kill list,” including American citizens, of those targeted for assassination?
  • Why is patriotism thought to be blind loyalty to the government and the politicians who run it, rather than loyalty to the principles of liberty and support for the people? Real patriotism is a willingness to challenge the government when it’s wrong.
  • Why is it is claimed that if people won’t or can’t take care of their own needs, that people in government can do it for them?
  • Why did we ever give the government a safe haven for initiating violence against the people?
  • Why do some members defend free markets, but not civil liberties?
  • Why do some members defend civil liberties but not free markets? Aren’t they the same?
  • Why don’t more defend both economic liberty and personal liberty?
  • Why are there not more individuals who seek to intellectually influence others to bring about positive changes than those who seek power to force others to obey their commands?
  • Why does the use of religion to support a social gospel and preemptive wars, both of which requires authoritarians to use violence, or the threat of violence, go unchallenged? Aggression and forced redistribution of wealth has nothing to do with the teachings of the world great religions.
  • Why do we allow the government and the Federal Reserve to disseminate false information dealing with both economic and foreign policy?
  • Why is democracy held in such high esteem when it’s the enemy of the minority and makes all rights relative to the dictates of the majority?
  • Why should anyone be surprised that Congress has no credibility, since there’s such a disconnect between what politicians say and what they do?
  • Is there any explanation for all the deception, the unhappiness, the fear of the future, the loss of confidence in our leaders, the distrust, the anger and frustration? Yes there is, and there’s a way to reverse these attitudes. The negative perceptions are logical and a consequence of bad policies bringing about our problems. Identification of the problems and recognizing the cause allow the proper changes to come easy.

Trust Yourself, Not the Government

Too many people have for too long placed too much confidence and trust in government and not enough in themselves. Fortunately, many are now becoming aware of the seriousness of the gross mistakes of the past several decades. The blame is shared by both political parties. Many Americans now are demanding to hear the plain truth of things and want the demagoguing to stop. Without this first step, solutions are impossible.

Seeking the truth and finding the answers in liberty and self-reliance promotes the optimism necessary for restoring prosperity. The task is not that difficult if politics doesn’t get in the way.

We have allowed ourselves to get into such a mess for various reasons.

Politicians deceive themselves as to how wealth is produced. Excessive confidence is placed in the judgment of politicians and bureaucrats. This replaces the confidence in a free society. Too many in high places of authority became convinced that only they, armed with arbitrary government power, can bring about fairness, while facilitating wealth production. This always proves to be a utopian dream and destroys wealth and liberty. It impoverishes the people and rewards the special interests who end up controlling both political parties.

It’s no surprise then that much of what goes on in Washington is driven by aggressive partisanship and power seeking, with philosophic differences being minor.

Economic Ignorance

Economic ignorance is commonplace. Keynesianism continues to thrive, although today it is facing healthy and enthusiastic rebuttals. Believers in military Keynesianism and domestic Keynesianism continue to desperately promote their failed policies, as the economy languishes in a deep slumber.

Supporters of all government edicts use humanitarian arguments to justify them.

Humanitarian arguments are always used to justify government mandates related to the economy, monetary policy, foreign policy, and personal liberty. This is on purpose to make it more difficult to challenge. But, initiating violence for humanitarian reasons is still violence. Good intentions are no excuse and are just as harmful as when people use force with bad intentions. The results are always negative.

The immoral use of force is the source of man’s political problems. Sadly, many religious groups, secular organizations, and psychopathic authoritarians endorse government initiated force to change the world. Even when the desired goals are well-intentioned—or especially when well-intentioned—the results are dismal. The good results sought never materialize. The new problems created require even more government force as a solution. The net result is institutionalizing government initiated violence and morally justifying it on humanitarian grounds.

This is the same fundamental reason our government uses force for invading other countries at will, central economic planning at home, and the regulation of personal liberty and habits of our citizens.

It is rather strange, that unless one has a criminal mind and no respect for other people and their property, no one claims it’s permissible to go into one’s neighbor’s house and tell them how to behave, what they can eat, smoke and drink or how to spend their money.

Yet, rarely is it asked why it is morally acceptable that a stranger with a badge and a gun can do the same thing in the name of law and order. Any resistance is met with brute force, fines, taxes, arrests, and even imprisonment. This is done more frequently every day without a proper search warrant.

No Government Monopoly over Initiating Violence

Restraining aggressive behavior is one thing, but legalizing a government monopoly for initiating aggression can only lead to exhausting liberty associated with chaos, anger and the breakdown of civil society. Permitting such authority and expecting saintly behavior from the bureaucrats and the politicians is a pipe dream. We now have a standing army of armed bureaucrats in the TSA, CIA, FBI, Fish and Wildlife, FEMA, IRS, Corp of Engineers, etc. numbering over 100,000. Citizens are guilty until proven innocent in the unconstitutional administrative courts.

Government in a free society should have no authority to meddle in social activities or the economic transactions of individuals. Nor should government meddle in the affairs of other nations. All things peaceful, even when controversial, should be permitted.

We must reject the notion of prior restraint in economic activity just we do in the area of free speech and religious liberty. But even in these areas government is starting to use a backdoor approach of political correctness to regulate speech-a dangerous trend. Since 9/11 monitoring speech on the internet is now a problem since warrants are no longer required.

The Proliferation of Federal Crimes

The Constitution established four federal crimes. Today the experts can’t even agree on how many federal crimes are now on the books—they number into the thousands. No one person can comprehend the enormity of the legal system—especially the tax code. Due to the ill-advised drug war and the endless federal expansion of the criminal code we have over 6 million people under correctional suspension, more than the Soviets ever had, and more than any other nation today, including China. I don’t understand the complacency of the Congress and the willingness to continue their obsession with passing more Federal laws. Mandatory sentencing laws associated with drug laws have compounded our prison problems.

The federal register is now 75,000 pages long and the tax code has 72,000 pages, and expands every year. When will the people start shouting, “enough is enough,” and demand Congress cease and desist.

Achieving Liberty

Liberty can only be achieved when government is denied the aggressive use of force. If one seeks liberty, a precise type of government is needed. To achieve it, more than lip service is required.

Two choices are available.

1. A government designed to protect liberty—a natural right—as its sole objective. The people are expected to care for themselves and reject the use of any force for interfering with another person’s liberty. Government is given a strictly limited authority to enforce contracts, property ownership, settle disputes, and defend against foreign aggression.

2. A government that pretends to protect liberty but is granted power to arbitrarily use force over the people and foreign nations. Though the grant of power many times is meant to be small and limited, it inevitably metastasizes into an omnipotent political cancer. This is the problem for which the world has suffered throughout the ages. Though meant to be limited it nevertheless is a 100% sacrifice of a principle that would-be-tyrants find irresistible. It is used vigorously—though incrementally and insidiously. Granting power to government officials always proves the adage that: “power corrupts.”

Once government gets a limited concession for the use of force to mold people habits and plan the economy, it causes a steady move toward tyrannical government. Only a revolutionary spirit can reverse the process and deny to the government this arbitrary use of aggression. There’s no in-between. Sacrificing a little liberty for imaginary safety always ends badly.

Today’s mess is a result of Americans accepting option #2, even though the Founders attempted to give us Option #1.

The results are not good. As our liberties have been eroded our wealth has been consumed. The wealth we see today is based on debt and a foolish willingness on the part of foreigners to take our dollars for goods and services. They then loan them back to us to perpetuate our debt system. It’s amazing that it has worked for this long but the impasse in Washington, in solving our problems indicate that many are starting to understand the seriousness of the world -wide debt crisis and the dangers we face. The longer this process continues the harsher the outcome will be.

The Financial Crisis Is a Moral Crisis

Many are now acknowledging that a financial crisis looms but few understand it’s, in reality, a moral crisis. It’s the moral crisis that has allowed our liberties to be undermined and permits the exponential growth of illegal government power. Without a clear understanding of the nature of the crisis it will be difficult to prevent a steady march toward tyranny and the poverty that will accompany it.

Ultimately, the people have to decide which form of government they want; option #1 or option #2. There is no other choice. Claiming there is a choice of a “little” tyranny is like describing pregnancy as a “touch of pregnancy.” It is a myth to believe that a mixture of free markets and government central economic planning is a worthy compromise. What we see today is a result of that type of thinking. And the results speak for themselves.

A Culture of Violence

American now suffers from a culture of violence. It’s easy to reject the initiation of violence against one’s neighbor but it’s ironic that the people arbitrarily and freely anoint government officials with monopoly power to initiate violence against the American people—practically at will.

Because it’s the government that initiates force, most people accept it as being legitimate. Those who exert the force have no sense of guilt. It is believed by too many that governments are morally justified in initiating force supposedly to “do good.” They incorrectly believe that this authority has come from the “consent of the people.” The minority, or victims of government violence never consented to suffer the abuse of government mandates, even when dictated by the majority. Victims of TSA excesses never consented to this abuse.

This attitude has given us a policy of initiating war to “do good,” as well. It is claimed that war, to prevent war for noble purposes, is justified. This is similar to what we were once told that: “destroying a village to save a village” was justified. It was said by a US Secretary of State that the loss of 500,000 Iraqis, mostly children, in the 1990s, as a result of American bombs and sanctions, was “worth it” to achieve the “good” we brought to the Iraqi people. And look at the mess that Iraq is in today.

Government use of force to mold social and economic behavior at home and abroad has justified individuals using force on their own terms. The fact that violence by government is seen as morally justified, is the reason why violence will increase when the big financial crisis hits and becomes a political crisis as well.

First, we recognize that individuals shouldn’t initiate violence, then we give the authority to government. Eventually, the immoral use of government violence, when things goes badly, will be used to justify an individual’s “right” to do the same thing. Neither the government nor individuals have the moral right to initiate violence against another yet we are moving toward the day when both will claim this authority. If this cycle is not reversed society will break down.

When needs are pressing, conditions deteriorate and rights become relative to the demands and the whims of the majority. It’s then not a great leap for individuals to take it upon themselves to use violence to get what they claim is theirs. As the economy deteriorates and the wealth discrepancies increase—as are already occurring— violence increases as those in need take it in their own hands to get what they believe is theirs. They will not wait for a government rescue program.

When government officials wield power over others to bail out the special interests, even with disastrous results to the average citizen, they feel no guilt for the harm they do. Those who take us into undeclared wars with many casualties resulting, never lose sleep over the death and destruction their bad decisions caused. They are convinced that what they do is morally justified, and the fact that many suffer just can’t be helped.

When the street criminals do the same thing, they too have no remorse, believing they are only taking what is rightfully theirs. All moral standards become relative. Whether it’s bailouts, privileges, government subsidies or benefits for some from inflating a currency, it’s all part of a process justified by a philosophy of forced redistribution of wealth. Violence, or a threat of such, is the instrument required and unfortunately is of little concern of most members of Congress.

Some argue it’s only a matter of “fairness” that those in need are cared for. There are two problems with this. First, the principle is used to provide a greater amount of benefits to the rich than the poor. Second, no one seems to be concerned about whether or not it’s fair to those who end up paying for the benefits. The costs are usually placed on the backs of the middle class and are hidden from the public eye. Too many people believe government handouts are free, like printing money out of thin air, and there is no cost. That deception is coming to an end. The bills are coming due and that’s what the economic slowdown is all about.

Sadly, we have become accustomed to living with the illegitimate use of force by government. It is the tool for telling the people how to live, what to eat and drink, what to read and how to spend their money.

To develop a truly free society, the issue of initiating force must be understood and rejected. Granting to government even a small amount of force is a dangerous concession.

Limiting Government Excesses vs. a Virtuous Moral People

Our Constitution, which was intended to limit government power and abuse, has failed. The Founders warned that a free society depends on a virtuous and moral people. The current crisis reflects that their concerns were justified.

Most politicians and pundits are aware of the problems we face but spend all their time in trying to reform government. The sad part is that the suggested reforms almost always lead to less freedom and the importance of a virtuous and moral people is either ignored, or not understood. The new reforms serve only to further undermine liberty. The compounding effect has given us this steady erosion of liberty and the massive expansion of debt. The real question is: if it is liberty we seek, should most of the emphasis be placed on government reform or trying to understand what “a virtuous and moral people” means and how to promote it. The Constitution has not prevented the people from demanding handouts for both rich and poor in their efforts to reform the government, while ignoring the principles of a free society. All branches of our government today are controlled by individuals who use their power to undermine liberty and enhance the welfare/warfare state-and frequently their own wealth and power.

If the people are unhappy with the government performance it must be recognized that government is merely a reflection of an immoral society that rejected a moral government of constitutional limitations of power and love of freedom.

If this is the problem all the tinkering with thousands of pages of new laws and regulations will do nothing to solve the problem.

It is self-evident that our freedoms have been severely limited and the apparent prosperity we still have, is nothing more than leftover wealth from a previous time. This fictitious wealth based on debt and benefits from a false trust in our currency and credit, will play havoc with our society when the bills come due. This means that the full consequence of our lost liberties is yet to be felt.

But that illusion is now ending. Reversing a downward spiral depends on accepting a new approach.

Expect the rapidly expanding homeschooling movement to play a significant role in the revolutionary reforms needed to build a free society with Constitutional protections. We cannot expect a Federal government controlled school system to provide the intellectual ammunition to combat the dangerous growth of government that threatens our liberties.

The internet will provide the alternative to the government/media complex that controls the news and most political propaganda. This is why it’s essential that the internet remains free of government regulation.

Many of our religious institutions and secular organizations support greater dependency on the state by supporting war, welfare and corporatism and ignore the need for a virtuous people.

I never believed that the world or our country could be made more free by politicians, if the people had no desire for freedom.

Under the current circumstances the most we can hope to achieve in the political process is to use it as a podium to reach the people to alert them of the nature of the crisis and the importance of their need to assume responsibility for themselves, if it is liberty that they truly seek. Without this, a constitutionally protected free society is impossible.

If this is true, our individual goal in life ought to be for us to seek virtue and excellence and recognize that self-esteem and happiness only comes from using one’s natural ability, in the most productive manner possible, according to one’s own talents.

Productivity and creativity are the true source of personal satisfaction. Freedom, and not dependency, provides the environment needed to achieve these goals. Government cannot do this for us; it only gets in the way. When the government gets involved, the goal becomes a bailout or a subsidy and these cannot provide a sense of personal achievement.

Achieving legislative power and political influence should not be our goal. Most of the change, if it is to come, will not come from the politicians, but rather from individuals, family, friends, intellectual leaders and our religious institutions. The solution can only come from rejecting the use of coercion, compulsion, government commands, and aggressive force, to mold social and economic behavior. Without accepting these restraints, inevitably the consensus will be to allow the government to mandate economic equality and obedience to the politicians who gain power and promote an environment that smothers the freedoms of everyone. It is then that the responsible individuals who seek excellence and self-esteem by being self-reliance and productive, become the true victims.

Conclusion

What are the greatest dangers that the American people face today and impede the goal of a free society? There are five.

1. The continuous attack on our civil liberties which threatens the rule of law and our ability to resist the onrush of tyranny.

2. Violent anti-Americanism that has engulfed the world. Because the phenomenon of “blow-back” is not understood or denied, our foreign policy is destined to keep us involved in many wars that we have no business being in. National bankruptcy and a greater threat to our national security will result.

3. The ease in which we go to war, without a declaration by Congress, but accepting international authority from the UN or NATO even for preemptive wars, otherwise known as aggression.

4. A financial political crisis as a consequence of excessive debt, unfunded liabilities, spending, bailouts, and gross discrepancy in wealth distribution going from the middle class to the rich. The danger of central economic planning, by the Federal Reserve must be understood.

5. World government taking over local and US sovereignty by getting involved in the issues of war, welfare, trade, banking, a world currency, taxes, property ownership, and private ownership of guns.

Happily, there is an answer for these very dangerous trends.


What a wonderful world it would be if everyone accepted the simple moral premise of rejecting all acts of aggression. The retort to such a suggestion is always: it’s too simplistic, too idealistic, impractical, naïve, utopian, dangerous, and unrealistic to strive for such an ideal.

The answer to that is that for thousands of years the acceptance of government force, to rule over the people, at the sacrifice of liberty, was considered moral and the only available option for achieving peace and prosperity.

What could be more utopian than that myth—considering the results especially looking at the state sponsored killing, by nearly every government during the 20th Century, estimated to be in the hundreds of millions. It’s time to reconsider this grant of authority to the state.

No good has ever come from granting monopoly power to the state to use aggression against the people to arbitrarily mold human behavior. Such power, when left unchecked, becomes the seed of an ugly tyranny. This method of governance has been adequately tested, and the results are in: reality dictates we try liberty.

The idealism of non-aggression and rejecting all offensive use of force should be tried. The idealism of government sanctioned violence has been abused throughout history and is the primary source of poverty and war. The theory of a society being based on individual freedom has been around for a long time. It’s time to take a bold step and actually permit it by advancing this cause, rather than taking a step backwards as some would like us to do.

Today the principle of habeas corpus, established when King John signed the Magna Carta in 1215, is under attack. There’s every reason to believe that a renewed effort with the use of the internet that we can instead advance the cause of liberty by spreading an uncensored message that will serve to rein in government authority and challenge the obsession with war and welfare.

What I’m talking about is a system of government guided by the moral principles of peace and tolerance.

The Founders were convinced that a free society could not exist without a moral people. Just writing rules won’t work if the people choose to ignore them. Today the rule of law written in the Constitution has little meaning for most Americans, especially those who work in Washington DC.

Benjamin Franklin claimed “only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.” John Adams concurred: “Our Constitution was made for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

A moral people must reject all violence in an effort to mold people’s beliefs or habits.

A society that boos or ridicules the Golden Rule is not a moral society. All great religions endorse the Golden Rule. The same moral standards that individuals are required to follow should apply to all government officials. They cannot be exempt.

The ultimate solution is not in the hands of the government.

The solution falls on each and every individual, with guidance from family, friends and community.

The #1 responsibility for each of us is to change ourselves with hope that others will follow. This is of greater importance than working on changing the government; that is secondary to promoting a virtuous society. If we can achieve this, then the government will change.

It doesn’t mean that political action or holding office has no value. At times it does nudge policy in the right direction. But what is true is that when seeking office is done for personal aggrandizement, money or power, it becomes useless if not harmful. When political action is taken for the right reasons it’s easy to understand why compromise should be avoided. It also becomes clear why progress is best achieved by working with coalitions, which bring people together, without anyone sacrificing his principles.

Political action, to be truly beneficial, must be directed toward changing the hearts and minds of the people, recognizing that it’s the virtue and morality of the people that allow liberty to flourish.

The Constitution or more laws per se, have no value if the people’s attitudes aren’t changed.

To achieve liberty and peace, two powerful human emotions have to be overcome. Number one is “envy” which leads to hate and class warfare. Number two is “intolerance” which leads to bigoted and judgemental policies. These emotions must be replaced with a much better understanding of love, compassion, tolerance and free market economics. Freedom, when understood, brings people together. When tried, freedom is popular.

The problem we have faced over the years has been that economic interventionists are swayed by envy, whereas social interventionists are swayed by intolerance of habits and lifestyles. The misunderstanding that tolerance is an endorsement of certain activities, motivates many to legislate moral standards which should only be set by individuals making their own choices. Both sides use force to deal with these misplaced emotions. Both are authoritarians. Neither endorses voluntarism. Both views ought to be rejected.

I have come to one firm conviction after these many years of trying to figure out “the plain truth of things.” The best chance for achieving peace and prosperity, for the maximum number of people world-wide, is to pursue the cause of LIBERTY.

If you find this to be a worthwhile message, spread it throughout the land

Monday, November 12, 2012

118: I KNEW THEIR HEARTS


The following account is not only a great parable, but a true story told by the author of the book, "I Knew Their Hearts". The book is about the life experiences of Jeff Olsen who had a NDE after a tragic car accident that took his wife and one year old son. This book was given to me by a friend who stayed with us for a week. I enjoyed the gift and finished reading it  this weekend. I thought others might enjoy this excerpt from the book which has much symbolism in it.


"Ben had shown up one day looking for work. He was a handsome but rugged man, soft-spoken , probably in his mid-thirties. He was a Native-American, but I don't remember him mentioning which tribe he belonged to. He told Dad he had no money and would work for food and a place to sleep.

My father had a kind heart and had nothing against hiring folks who deserved a break, Dad asked him what kind of work he did. He said he liked working with horses.

We happened to have three two-year old colts that needed breaking, so my dad told Ben he could start working with them. We didn't tell Ben how we broke horses or even how we expected him to do it. I suppose we were all interested in seeing how he might go about it.

Ben looked at the horses for a while and then climbed into the small corral where the colts were. The young horses moved over near the fence, putting as much distance as possible between themselves and Ben.

I watched Ben through the wood slats of the fence. He did nothing while the horses wandered around the perimeter of the corral, looking for a way out. Occasionally they'd look back at Ben. He stood there quietly. He moved to the middle of the corral and stretched out his arms like a big human scarecrow. He started to talk to the colts, quietly and calmly. I couldn't understand what he was saying, but he moved his arms in slow circular motions as he chanted and sang to the horses. Finally, one horse moved closer to him, perhaps losing its fear or becoming curious about what Ben was doing.

Ben continued to speak softly to the horse, not in English but in his native tongue. I didn't comprehend a word he said, but the tone of his voice was kind and soothing, like a song. I watched for what seemed like hours, amazed at what I was witnessing. This was not the way I had seen horses broken to ride before. Typically we tied them up and let them learn how to respect a rope and a halter. We taught them who was boss, so to speak. Ben's method was markedly different. Ben was actually speaking to them. Talking them into what he wanted. As I watched, I learned something: language was more than words and definitions.

After a while, Ben actually laid down on the ground, right on his back, looking up at the sky. He remained in that position a long time, his patience seemingly endless. Gradually the horses all moved closer, perhaps because he appeared less threatening stretched out on the ground like that.

Finally, the horses came close enough to sniff Ben's face and chest. Slowly, Ben raised his hand and stroked the sides of their faces, then their soft noses and other parts of their heads. it wasn't long until he was stroking their forelegs.

Slowly, Ben got to his feet. When the horses started to worry and move away, Ben would wait until they returned. After rubbing their necks and backs for a long time, he leaned against one of their shoulders and slowly pushed his chest and stomach onto the horse's back.

He was coaxing the horses to trust him. He was allowing them to take their time and become comfortable with him in a way that bonded them as partners, rather than as dominant owner and beast.

Ben worked with the horses into the night after I went in for the evening. In the morning, he was right back at it at first light, when we got up. For all I knew he'd slept in the corral with them. By the end of the third day, Ben was actually riding all three horses. He used a hackamore-style headstall that didn't cause any pain when he applied rein pressure to the horse's head. They ended up being some of the best horses we ever had."

Friday, November 9, 2012

117: PARABLE OF THE TRASH CANS


Tuesday is garbage pickup day in our neighborhood. Every Monday night we put out our black garbage can as to not miss the early morning pick up. Every two weeks, the recycle collector comes around, so we put our green recycle can out along with our black garbage can. Since my next door neighbor is better at keeping track of which week it is, I look to see if he has put out his green recycle can. If I see other green recycle cans out on the street, then I feel confident that it must be Recycle Tuesday.

It would be interesting to see if just one person put out their green can on the wrong week, if you would eventually see everyone else put out there recycle cans. I think there is a lesson to be learned in this simple example. The greater number of good people that believe, think, and or do things the same.. we usually have the assurance that it must be right. We tend to look to others, and put our trust in them.

The scriptures warn us that this could lead to problems.

"Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost"  2 Nephi 28:31

Using this same example with the garbage cans, let’s say, if we know that it is not “Recycle Tuesday” yet everyone has put there cans out, would we feel inclined to put our can out as well, so as not to be left behind? Or what if, no one has put out their cans, would we be the only ones to put our can despite looking like a fool?

Lately, I have been concerned with what I call “group think”. This is particularly a problem in Utah. We have a tendency to rely on others. We are told to stay within in the mainstream. Don’t question, just do.

Symbolic of the recyclable collection, a day will come when we will need to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost and not be dependant on the arm of flesh to make sure we are ready for when the “collector” will come around for pick up even if no one else has their green recyclable cans out but us.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

COMMENTS

 This blog was started back in June 2011. For about the first year,  only a handful of my closest friends even knew this blog existed.  Lately, it seems like more than just my few friends are now reading this.  When I set up the blog, I never disabled the option to post comments. I have allowed all comments to be viewed, whether I agreed or disagreed with what was written. I strongly feel that everyone should be free to share their opinions and leave respectful comments that might be a benefit to others.

I enjoy reading the comments that are insightful and contain interesting additional information. However, there have been a few comments that I have disagreed with.  Since I prefer not to edit or delete any of the comments, that leaves me with  two choices. Either disable all comments.. or allow all comments. I have chosen the later.  So..if you choose to read the comments (and even the blog post for that matter)..it will be good practice for you to continue to develop your ability to discern between truth and error.

And please, I always appreciate the comments that correct me if I have made an error in what I write. This is work in progress and I am constantly learning, so I welcome the feedback.

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Sidenote:

While there are alot of wonderful blogs out there that I know many of you already read,  here is a link to two other blogs that only a handful of people  know about that I think are worth reading.
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LAMPLIGHT JOURNAL

WHERE ARE THE ANGELS?
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Tuesday, November 6, 2012

116: PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION

Ron Paul at speaking engagement on October 18th, that was free to the public.


Today the American people will be voting for the next President of the United States. Whoever wins the election will place their hand on a Bible and take the Oath of Office. It will either be the current President who will be re-elected or a successful business man. In my opinoin, neither our current Democrat President or the Republican candidate understand the Constitution better than this man in the photo.

Here are the words of the oath that the President vows at his inauguration:
...
"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of United States, 
and will to the best of my ability, PRESERVE, PROTECT, and DEFEND 
the Constitution of the United States, so help me God."
...
The President of the United States solemly swears to Preserve the Constitution, Protect the Constitution, and Defend the Constitution. President J Reuben Clark. Jr. stated, "God provides that in this land of liberty, our political allegiance shall not run to individuals, no matter how great or how small they may be. Under His plan, our allegiance and the ONLY allegiance we owe as citizens of the United States, runs to our inspired Constitution which God himself set up."
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Here are a few other quotes that I find to be very important regarding the Constitution:

President Ezra Taft Benson:
"Men who are wise, good, 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"

Prophet Joseph Smith:
"The Constitution of the United States is a a glorious standard, it is founded in the wisdom of God. It is a Heavenly Banner" .

President Joseph Fielding Smith:
"It is time the people of the United States were waking up with the understanding that if they don't save the Constitution from the dangers that threaten it, we will have a change of government"

President Ezra Taft Benson:
"Next to being one in worshipping God, there is nothing in this world upon which this Church should be more united than upholding and defending the Constitution of the United States.

President David O McKay:
"We therefore commend and encourage every person and every group who is sincerely seeking to study the Constitutional principles and awaken a sleeping and apathetic people to the alarming conditions that are rapidly advancing about us."

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Sidenote:
"We have been placed on earth in trouble times. We live in a complex world with currents of conflict everywhere to be found. Political Machinations ruin the stability of nations."  Monson in General Conference 2008.

 Machinations = a scheming or crafty action or artful design intended to accomplish some usually evil end.

In my opinion if we have a Democrat President we will see a total economic collapse or if we have a Republican President we will be at war finding the "bad guys and killing them". (as stated and promised in the last Presidential Debate).

May the Lord have mercy on us.
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President Obama, Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Mitt Romney at a black tie event on October 19, 2012. Hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of New York

Friday, November 2, 2012

115: SAFELY PASSING BY UNNOTICED

Recently at a fireside, the following dream/vision was shared. It is important.
  
"I saw a great mountain, and upon the top thereof was the glory of the fathers. To reach the top, all were required to enter through a narrow pass. In the pass was a great beast, cruel and pitiless.
The Lord brought people whom he had chosen to the mouth of the pass, and there He told them to wait for him, and He went away. The people did not wait for Him, but began to move forward into the narrow pass. The beast killed some and injured others, and none were able to pass through.
After great losses, many deaths and terrible suffering, the people chosen by the Lord withdrew and departed from the mountain. After four and five generations, the Lord again brought some few back to the pass and again told them to stay at the mouth of the pass and wait on Him. But again there were those who tired of waiting, for they could see in the distance the glory of the fathers, and they desired to be there. These, being overtaken by their zeal, did not wait, but moved into the pass where again the beast killed or hurt them.
Among those who waited, however, was a man who knelt and prayed, and waited patiently for his Lord. After a great time, the Lord came to this man and took him by the hand, and led him into the pass where the great beast guarded the way. As the Lord led, however, the beast was ever occupied with attacking others, and therefore its back was turned to the Lord and the man. And so they passed by unnoticed, safely to the top. The Lord sent the man to the fathers, who when they saw the man inquired of him, "How came you to be here and yet mortal; the last who came here were brothers who had been slain, and you are yet alive?" And the man answered: "I waited on the Lord and He brought me here safely."
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Many things come to mind. This dream will mean different things to different people. It should be interpreted with the Spirit. I think there are some KEY WORDS to pay attention to:
  • ALL were required to enter ( There is no other way, path, or trail)
  • The Lord told them to WAIT FOR HIM ( Not another other person.. only The Lord)
  • The people chosen WITHDREW AND DEPARTED.
  • OVERTAKEN BY ZEAL they were killed or hurt by the beast.
  • Among those who waited, a man KNELT, PRAYED, AND WAITED PATIENTLY.
  • The Lord came and took him BY THE HAND.
  • THEY PASSED BY UNNOTICED.
I saw this youtube video recently. I thought this was a good symbolic representation of passing by the "beast"/the opponent without getting harmed. I think there is much symbolism to this. How too if the Lord was with us, holding our hand.. we could walk past the enemy.. unharmed.

In addition. I wanted to share, with the permission of my friend some thoughts about what it means to wait upon the Lord.

In D&C 133:45 it states:
"For since the beginning of the world have not men heard nor perceived by the ear,
neither hath any eye seen, O God, besides thee,
how great things thou hast prepared for him that waiteth for thee.
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What does it mean to wait for the Lord?  "Wait" is "qavah" meaning to wait, look for, hope, expect, to wait or look eagerly for, to lie in wait for, linger for. .
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This verse from Lamantations uses Hebrew synonymous parallelism to suggest waiting on the Lord and seeking His face are synonymous. Verse 25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. Can one familiar with the face of the Lord, also seek His face?
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To look for, hope, expect, to wait or look eagerly for, is much like watching. This parable from JST Luke chapter 12 is instructive. 54 But the evil servant is he who is not found watching. And if that servant is not found watching, he will say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants, and the maidens, and to eat, and drink, and to be drunken.
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Here the servant "found watching" delays eating until the Lord can serve Him in the proper season (V. 49) meat (v. 43) and wine (D&C 27). Those who so wait are made rulers over His household and over all he hath. (v. 49 and 53) whereas those who are not " found watching" "eats and drink and is drunken" rather than " prepared" for His Lords coming. He is cut down. His reward is the same as the unbeliever. V. 55 -57.
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Some additional symbolism of the word "waiting" can be seen through the Jewish bride after the betrothal and before the bridegroom returns. She is to keep herself in constant readiness, clean, perfumed, attractive, ready for her bridegroom at all times for she knows not in what hour her bridegroom cometh. The friend of the bridegroom keeps everyone informed, letting she and her friends knows how the mansion of His Father is coming along. Can't you just see this girl and her friends giggling with anticipation? That is Hebrew "waiting".
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The word "wait" or "qavah" has a figuratively meaning (wait) and a literal meaning “to bind together like a twisted rope” . That meaning is fulfilled when the one who waits comes into the land of the fathers where he is bound to them as a son.