In October 2015 General Conference, Elder Perry gave a talk entitled, "Why Marriage and Family Matter--Everywhere in the World".
Let me comment on the talk title: this suggests both the importance of marriage and family, but also a global, even universal power to common interests in marriage and family that Elder Perry shares.
Elder Perry mentions an invitation to attend a colloquium on marriage and family at the Vatican. Religious, geographic, and presumably ethnic diversity is immediately brought up: "In attendance were religious representatives from 14 different faiths and from six of the seven continents, all of whom had been invited to express their beliefs on what is happening to the family in today's world."
Elder Perry starts his summary of the colloquium by quoting the Pope's remarks, speaking against the prevailing "culture of the temporary" and its attendant fruits of "spiritual and material devastation to countless human beings, especially the poorest and most vulnerable." He quotes the Pope's statement of hope that "the rising generation" will "'seek true and lasting love, going against the common pattern'", becoming "'revolutionaries'" by so doing.
There is a tone of unity and hope as Elder Perry hears "the widest imaginable variety of worldwide religious leaders...agree completely with each other...on the sanctity of the institution of marriage and of the importance of families as the basic unit of society." He continues optimistically, "I felt a powerful sense of commonality and unity with them....It was remarkable for me to see how marriage and family-centered priorities cut across and superseded any political, economic, or religious differences. When it comes to love of spouse and hopes, worries, and dreams for children, we are all the same."
I found the ecumenical tone of the first part of this talk very uplifting and edifying. As brothers and sisters of varying religious traditions, we can support each other in basic beliefs and perspectives on marriage and family.
Of course the religious world is not one monolithic whole. Differences exist. Only members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, says Elder Perry, "Have the eternal perspective of the restored Gospel." Specifically, "The entire theology of our restored Gospel centers of families and on the nea and everlasting covenant of marriage." Distinctive LDS beliefs, doctrines, rituals, and cultural practices reflect this.
Elder Perry returns to the theme of working with others to strengthen marriage and family, even making this somewhat surprising assertion, "We know that it is not only those who are actively religious who share common values and priorities of lasting marriages and strong family relationships. A great number of secular people have concluded that a committed marriage and family lifestyle is the most sensible, the economical, and the happiest way to live."
I struggle to think of any General Conference talk that speaks praise to consensus from "the widest imaginable variety of worldwide religious leaders" and even "secular people," those not "actively religious." And yet Elder Perry here does so.
The above only makes the popular backlash against this inspired Apostle and his wonderful talk equally parts befuddling and tragic.
Towards the end, Elder Perry martials the Saints, "We want our voice to be heard against all of the counterfeit and alternative lifestyles that try to replace the family organization that God Himself established. We also want our voice to be heard in sustaining the joy and fulfillment that traditional families bring. We must continue to project that voice throughout the world in declaring why marriage and family are so important, why marriage and family really do matter, and why they always will."
Unfortunately, many LGBT activitists felt that Elder Perry was speaking accusingly at them as if from a Rameumptom.
However, in the context of the talk, I find it difficult to believe that this is what Elder Perry was referring to. What does he mean by "counterfeit and alternative lifestyles"? I suggest that the best clue is from several paragraphs earlier:
"Much of the media and entertainment that the world shares does not reflect the priorities and values of the majority. For whatever reasons, too much of our television, movies, music, and Internet present a classic case of a minority masquerading as a majority. Immorality and amorality, ranging from graphic violence to recreational sex, is portrayed as the norm and can cause those who have mainstream values to feel like we are out of ate or from a bygone era."
In this paragraph, I see no mention or even a hint of same-sex marriage or same-sex relationships. Only condemnations of "Immorality and amorality, ranging from graphic violence to recreational sex" are specifically called out.
To me it seems far more likely that Elder Perry is referring to a whole host of enemies to marriage and family. He is not referring to LGBT individuals, even obliquely, as opponents or fence sitters. LGBT Latter-day Saints are not called to task or taken to the mat in this talk from what I can see. And I see no reason why any LGBT Latter-day Saint cannot see the wisdom in Elder Perry's condemnation of "graphic violence", "recreational sex", "immorality", and "amorality".
Elder Perry closes the talk with his testimony, with expressions of gratitude for family members, and with a call to unite with "other faiths", stating that "It is around marriage and family that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has the greatest opportunity to be a light on the hill."
So ends a classic talk by and the final talk of Elder L. Tom Perry.
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
President Eyring "Where Two or Three Are Gathered"
President Eyring gave a conference talk April 2016 entitled, "Where Two or Three are Gathered".
I like his supposition made early in the talk: "I am grateful that you have come to the conference to feel inspiration from heaven and to feel closer to our Heavenly Father and to the Lord Jesus Christ." There are other reasons to participate in conference, or to seek something spiritually, but President Eyring picked these two: to feel inspiration from heaven and to feel closer to God.
There are at least a few probable implications from this statement:
1. These are commonly held needs by the conference audience, specifically, Latter-day Saints and friends.
2. We are self-aware that we have these needs.
3. The proceedings in General Conference are able to meet these needs.
4. We have a hope that in Conference, or through Conference, we may have these needs met.
5. Perhaps these are the two most important reasons for General Conference.
I like how these needs apply almost universally to everyone, no matter age or stage: married, widowed, divorced, single, very young, very old, lonely, overwhelmed, frustrated, seeking, in crisis, etc.
I also like how President Eyring is not saying something about learning what we are doing wrong, or being filled with guilt, or rejoicing in our own superiority, or finding some reason to leave or be angry at the Church. Of course, if someone is listening in that mindset, they are free to see thoughts and expressions from that perspective. But that is certainly not in either the tenor nor the explicit content of President Eyring's remarks.
He turns to the parable of the sower as the text to address the needs of his audience, those who are spiritually disillusioned, but with a spiritual past.
"The survival of the seed and its growth depended on the condition of the soil."
"Again, the seed is the word of God. The soil is the heart of the person who receives the seed."
Parables can be read many ways; that is one of their strengths. Here, President Eyring frames the parable in a certain way, similarly to how Jesus frames it in the Gospels. In a sermon or a talk, this sort of framework is valuable, perhaps even essential for putting the parable in the desired context of the speaker.
"We have all had seeds, or the word of God, planted in our hearts at one time....Each felt that the seed was good, even felt the swelling in our hearts, and experienced joy as our hearts and mind seemed to expand."
President Eyring is making a supposition that all of those in the audience have not only received the word of God, and have acknowledged it as such, but that the word of God, at least at one time, has had a positive impact. He is appealing to bright memories of spiritual peaks in our personal past.
"All of us have had our faith tested" by various ways.
This is a frank acknowledgment that the relationship between our spiritual lives and the parable of the sower is not a straightforward, linear relationship. Discipleship is not fatalistic; nor is it a one-time event or even a one-time process. We need to be constantly aware of the health of our faith and our testimony, and take steps to see that the seed is nourished and strengthened. An implication is that our faith, our testimony, our spiritual life can ebb and flow like the tide or an economic cycle.
"There will be a precious opportunity in the next few days to have our hearts softened and to receive and nourish the seed....They have prayed to have the power to encourage you to make the choices that will create in your heart a more fertile ground for the good word of God to grow and be fruitful. If you listen with the Spirit, you will find your heart softened, your faith strengthened, and your capacity to love the Lord increased."
This a dramatic turning inward of the condition of soil: it is our responsibility to make the choices that may create in my heart a more fertile ground. And the Church offers opportunities for our heart to be softened. Members of the Church at all levels are invested in your spiritual development, in the condition of your heart, and want to provide opportunities for growth and development.
President Eyring makes a promise of sorts that if we listen to Conference with the Spirit,
1. We will find our heart softened.
2. We will find our faith strengthened.
3. We will find our capacity to love the Lord increased.
I like his supposition made early in the talk: "I am grateful that you have come to the conference to feel inspiration from heaven and to feel closer to our Heavenly Father and to the Lord Jesus Christ." There are other reasons to participate in conference, or to seek something spiritually, but President Eyring picked these two: to feel inspiration from heaven and to feel closer to God.
There are at least a few probable implications from this statement:
1. These are commonly held needs by the conference audience, specifically, Latter-day Saints and friends.
2. We are self-aware that we have these needs.
3. The proceedings in General Conference are able to meet these needs.
4. We have a hope that in Conference, or through Conference, we may have these needs met.
5. Perhaps these are the two most important reasons for General Conference.
I like how these needs apply almost universally to everyone, no matter age or stage: married, widowed, divorced, single, very young, very old, lonely, overwhelmed, frustrated, seeking, in crisis, etc.
I also like how President Eyring is not saying something about learning what we are doing wrong, or being filled with guilt, or rejoicing in our own superiority, or finding some reason to leave or be angry at the Church. Of course, if someone is listening in that mindset, they are free to see thoughts and expressions from that perspective. But that is certainly not in either the tenor nor the explicit content of President Eyring's remarks.
He turns to the parable of the sower as the text to address the needs of his audience, those who are spiritually disillusioned, but with a spiritual past.
"The survival of the seed and its growth depended on the condition of the soil."
"Again, the seed is the word of God. The soil is the heart of the person who receives the seed."
Parables can be read many ways; that is one of their strengths. Here, President Eyring frames the parable in a certain way, similarly to how Jesus frames it in the Gospels. In a sermon or a talk, this sort of framework is valuable, perhaps even essential for putting the parable in the desired context of the speaker.
"We have all had seeds, or the word of God, planted in our hearts at one time....Each felt that the seed was good, even felt the swelling in our hearts, and experienced joy as our hearts and mind seemed to expand."
President Eyring is making a supposition that all of those in the audience have not only received the word of God, and have acknowledged it as such, but that the word of God, at least at one time, has had a positive impact. He is appealing to bright memories of spiritual peaks in our personal past.
"All of us have had our faith tested" by various ways.
This is a frank acknowledgment that the relationship between our spiritual lives and the parable of the sower is not a straightforward, linear relationship. Discipleship is not fatalistic; nor is it a one-time event or even a one-time process. We need to be constantly aware of the health of our faith and our testimony, and take steps to see that the seed is nourished and strengthened. An implication is that our faith, our testimony, our spiritual life can ebb and flow like the tide or an economic cycle.
"There will be a precious opportunity in the next few days to have our hearts softened and to receive and nourish the seed....They have prayed to have the power to encourage you to make the choices that will create in your heart a more fertile ground for the good word of God to grow and be fruitful. If you listen with the Spirit, you will find your heart softened, your faith strengthened, and your capacity to love the Lord increased."
This a dramatic turning inward of the condition of soil: it is our responsibility to make the choices that may create in my heart a more fertile ground. And the Church offers opportunities for our heart to be softened. Members of the Church at all levels are invested in your spiritual development, in the condition of your heart, and want to provide opportunities for growth and development.
President Eyring makes a promise of sorts that if we listen to Conference with the Spirit,
1. We will find our heart softened.
2. We will find our faith strengthened.
3. We will find our capacity to love the Lord increased.
Thursday, August 4, 2016
Elder Oaks and Opposition
In April 2016, Elder Dallin H. Oaks gave a talk called, "Opposition in All Things".
Elder Oaks opens the talk by quoting from The Family: A Proclamation to the World: "The purpose of mortal life for the children of God is to provide the experiences needed 'to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life.'"
There are a couple of phrases to note:
1. "Progress toward perfection" is not "achieve perfection" or "reach perfection." This is something we are moving towards, as an end destination on a long journey, as if getting on the highway are the first steps on a long road trip.
2. "Ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life".
2a. In this phrase, the word "ultimately" suggests the possibility of a long time frame before this is realized. Also, the use of the term "realized" is different than "achieved." The wording could refer to something given or something earned, but is ambiguous, perhaps intentionally.
2b. The term "heirs of eternal life" hearkens back to New Testament teachings in Romans 8:17 and Revelation 3:21, that of reigning with God as joint-heirs with Christ, or sitting with God on His throne. Such sitting does not refer to just taking a relaxing break, but refers to inheriting the rich reward of living God's life and participating in the divine work to bring about the eternal life and immortality of God's children.
This quotation further suggests that life is not a static nor passive experience; it is for progression, movement. Elder Oaks refers to President Monson in teaching that, "We progress by making choices, by which we are tested to show that we will keep God's commandments."
In other words, how do we move forward? By making choices which show (or are a type of test to show) that we will keep God's commandments.
Elder Oaks continues: "To be tested, we must have the agency to choose between alternatives. To provide alternatives on which to exercise our agency, we must have opposition."
We can consider that agency is a necessary prerequisite for choice; if we are not able to choose, and either have only one option, or have only two options, one of which seems so repulsive as to be unthinkable, agency is not possible. A world of only one choice, would annihilate agency. Similarly, a world of pairs of choices, where one was always unthinkably bad, would also annihilate agency, as there would be only one legitimate choice.
And so Elder Oaks' final point in this paragraph is that to provide alternatives on which to exercise our agency (to make choices), we must have opposition.
If opposition is removed, our actions are no longer defined by agency. Life takes on a completely different tone.
Consider a few examples:
1. What would it look like, for instance, if we only had one style of shirt or shoes to wear?
2. What if a restaurant menu had only one option? What would be the point of a menu?
3. What if we had only one possible career path for us?
As our world includes agency, it includes choices and the opposition to make those choices real. Often, perhaps almost always, we are faced with more than two or three choices, and the choices are not typically good vs. bad, but are often between multiple good things, or multiple ambiguous things.
None of this is to excuse sin or destructive behavior, but we could take some comfort in knowing that choices are designed to be difficult, and that agency requires the best of us. Part of the structural conditions of mortality are that we will make poor choices, we will make mistakes and sin and fall, but that such has not only been foreseen and had provisions made, but that such negative experiences are part of God's plan. There must be contrasts for light, joy, peace, goodness, reconciliation, and truth to mean anything.
Elder Oaks opens the talk by quoting from The Family: A Proclamation to the World: "The purpose of mortal life for the children of God is to provide the experiences needed 'to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life.'"
There are a couple of phrases to note:
1. "Progress toward perfection" is not "achieve perfection" or "reach perfection." This is something we are moving towards, as an end destination on a long journey, as if getting on the highway are the first steps on a long road trip.
2. "Ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life".
2a. In this phrase, the word "ultimately" suggests the possibility of a long time frame before this is realized. Also, the use of the term "realized" is different than "achieved." The wording could refer to something given or something earned, but is ambiguous, perhaps intentionally.
2b. The term "heirs of eternal life" hearkens back to New Testament teachings in Romans 8:17 and Revelation 3:21, that of reigning with God as joint-heirs with Christ, or sitting with God on His throne. Such sitting does not refer to just taking a relaxing break, but refers to inheriting the rich reward of living God's life and participating in the divine work to bring about the eternal life and immortality of God's children.
This quotation further suggests that life is not a static nor passive experience; it is for progression, movement. Elder Oaks refers to President Monson in teaching that, "We progress by making choices, by which we are tested to show that we will keep God's commandments."
In other words, how do we move forward? By making choices which show (or are a type of test to show) that we will keep God's commandments.
Elder Oaks continues: "To be tested, we must have the agency to choose between alternatives. To provide alternatives on which to exercise our agency, we must have opposition."
We can consider that agency is a necessary prerequisite for choice; if we are not able to choose, and either have only one option, or have only two options, one of which seems so repulsive as to be unthinkable, agency is not possible. A world of only one choice, would annihilate agency. Similarly, a world of pairs of choices, where one was always unthinkably bad, would also annihilate agency, as there would be only one legitimate choice.
And so Elder Oaks' final point in this paragraph is that to provide alternatives on which to exercise our agency (to make choices), we must have opposition.
If opposition is removed, our actions are no longer defined by agency. Life takes on a completely different tone.
Consider a few examples:
1. What would it look like, for instance, if we only had one style of shirt or shoes to wear?
2. What if a restaurant menu had only one option? What would be the point of a menu?
3. What if we had only one possible career path for us?
As our world includes agency, it includes choices and the opposition to make those choices real. Often, perhaps almost always, we are faced with more than two or three choices, and the choices are not typically good vs. bad, but are often between multiple good things, or multiple ambiguous things.
None of this is to excuse sin or destructive behavior, but we could take some comfort in knowing that choices are designed to be difficult, and that agency requires the best of us. Part of the structural conditions of mortality are that we will make poor choices, we will make mistakes and sin and fall, but that such has not only been foreseen and had provisions made, but that such negative experiences are part of God's plan. There must be contrasts for light, joy, peace, goodness, reconciliation, and truth to mean anything.
Be Thou Humble, Part II
In Elder Steven E. Snow's talk on Humility given in April 2016 General Conference, he recounts a challenge where his 15 year-old son had a serious head injury, spent a week in a coma, and had some serious side effects, including short term memory loss. This blindsided the family.
"Honestly, we wondered how such a thing could happen. We had always strived to do the right things. Living the gospel had been a high priority for our family. We couldn't understand how something so painful could happen to us."
I like this honest admission of befuddlement, of bafflement, of not understanding why God would let something like this happen. There appear in these words an almost confession in the mistaken notion that in striving to keep the commandments and live righteously, we avoid pain, suffering, and hardship.
In the talk, Elder Snow sees at least one purpose for this experience, which seems to be that he and his wife, as well as his son, became more humble.
Mosiah 2:41 we read that "those that keep the commandments of God" are in a "blessed and happy state," and that "They are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual."
Perhaps sometimes we misread this scripture as if it reads, "They are blessed in all things, according to all of their desires, and avoid any hardship, trials, or difficulties, both temporal and spiritual."
What is the difference between the two readings? While King Benjamin is clear people are blessed temporally and spiritually, it is unclear exactly what type of blessings, temporal and spiritual, are offered.
In my expanded second reading, the blessed received according to all of their desires, which blessings preclude difficulty, hardship, or trials. King Benjamin teaches no such principle. He frankly admits to the physical frailties of old age, for instance.
Perhaps sometimes we miss the blessings that we do receive temporally and spiritually because of our fidelity and obedience to God and His Church. This could be further complicated by seeing other blessings (physical objects, mental states of mind, circumstances, etc.) that we may want but which are as yet unrealized, and perhaps may never be realized in the way that we would like. But Mosiah 2:41 does not say that God gives every blessing to every righteous person. The scripture merely states that the obedient are blessed in all things. It does not say anything about the type and manner of blessings the blessed receive.
Similarly, the Book of Mormon includes the promise, even the covenant, that those who keep the commandments prosper in the land. But this is often contrasted with those who do not obey God, and are cast out of His presence (see, for instance, 1 Nephi 2:20-21). Much more could and perhaps should be said on this, but for now, suffice it to say that prospering in the Book of Mormon is not just an increase in material wealth, nor an avoidance of pain, suffering and trial. It does appear to be about God being with us, to strengthen and bless us in God's way, and not ours.
Friday, July 22, 2016
Be Thou Humble, Part I
In April 2016, Elder Steven E. Snow of the Seventy, and acting Church Historian, gave an inspired talk entitled, "Be Thou Humble". Before jumping into the text, I always find it fascinating when General Authorities and Officers give talks and make no reference to their day-to-day duties. They are delivering a message that they have strived to receive through revelation, and are striving to deliver through revelation.
Elder Snow does not talk about or even allude to his duties as Church Historian. Similarly, I recall both Merrill Bateman and Cecil Samuelson giving Conference talks while serving both as a Seventy and as President of BYU-Provo. Apart from a few minor references to working with young adults, neither message, as I recall, seemed a direct reflection of their current position.
One could read that perspective and approach as self-diminishing and demonstrating some humility: who the speaker is and what the speaker does is not important compared to the message God has inspired to deliver.
The talk opens well, but for now, let me jump into the middle of this talk: "Like all of the Church's hymns, 'Be Thou Humble' teaches pure and simple truths. It teaches that if we humble ourselves, our prayers are answered; we enjoy peace of mind; we serve more effectively in our callings; and, if we continue to be faithful, we will ultimately return to the presence of our Heavenly Father."
The consequences of humility presented here seem understated, almost fittingly humble in themselves. Prayers being answered, peace of mind, and more effectively serving in callings may seem like small potatoes compared to the miracles we read of in the scriptures of healing and acts of nature. They may seem small compared to the challenges we face. They may seem small compared to the epic sweep and vision of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which could be understood as a transformation and exaltation of all creation.
Why do the blessings seem so small? Why doesn't Elder Snow swing for the fences a little more? Of course, I do not have a definitive answer, but perhaps there are some lessons we could draw from this.
All of us are in different spots in our spiritual space. We have different friends and understandings and experiences. And yet these relatively simple blessings can apply to us all. No matter our age or stage, we could all benefit from increased capacity to serve, for a deeper and more enduring sense of peace, for answers to prayer.
Answers to prayer seem almost a mirror-like reflection of us, of what we want, what we humbly seek from God's hand, and of what God can do for us. Notice that Elder Snow does not say how or when our prayers are answered, only that they are. Any divine response to a sincere prayer, whether it meets with our expectations or not, is a blessing of great worth.
For those in the middle of personal, financial, family, emotional, or spiritual turmoil, peace is a literal godsend. Further, we may wonder how many are there in the world, where the external trappings of their life seem in order, but peace is out of reach.
Notice also that Elder Snow doesn't teach that humility leads to external peace: freedom from suffering. Instead, he says that humility leads to peace of mind, a deep, inner tranquility that cannot be purchased, imposed, or conjured.
Why is the capacity to serve such a great blessing?
In God's transformational work, we are being prepared to return back to live with our Heavenly Parents as families. He sent His Son to redeem, to atone, to save, to heal a broken world. The world remains broken; how does God save it today? Surely God does at least some of this work through mortals, including in our current Church calling and responsibility. As we express our willingness to serve, and as we give ourselves to God, we offer ourselves as a small sacrifice to help in that healing, in that work of redemption.
It is as if Elder Snow is saying that humility is actually what empowers the servants of God to do the work that God has for them. And make no mistake: God has a work for you to do!
As we examine these blessings in greater depth, we see the great potential and power in each of them, and that as in many other things, so in humility: out of simple things proceeds that which is great (Alma 37:6-7).
Elder Snow does not talk about or even allude to his duties as Church Historian. Similarly, I recall both Merrill Bateman and Cecil Samuelson giving Conference talks while serving both as a Seventy and as President of BYU-Provo. Apart from a few minor references to working with young adults, neither message, as I recall, seemed a direct reflection of their current position.
One could read that perspective and approach as self-diminishing and demonstrating some humility: who the speaker is and what the speaker does is not important compared to the message God has inspired to deliver.
The talk opens well, but for now, let me jump into the middle of this talk: "Like all of the Church's hymns, 'Be Thou Humble' teaches pure and simple truths. It teaches that if we humble ourselves, our prayers are answered; we enjoy peace of mind; we serve more effectively in our callings; and, if we continue to be faithful, we will ultimately return to the presence of our Heavenly Father."
The consequences of humility presented here seem understated, almost fittingly humble in themselves. Prayers being answered, peace of mind, and more effectively serving in callings may seem like small potatoes compared to the miracles we read of in the scriptures of healing and acts of nature. They may seem small compared to the challenges we face. They may seem small compared to the epic sweep and vision of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which could be understood as a transformation and exaltation of all creation.
Why do the blessings seem so small? Why doesn't Elder Snow swing for the fences a little more? Of course, I do not have a definitive answer, but perhaps there are some lessons we could draw from this.
All of us are in different spots in our spiritual space. We have different friends and understandings and experiences. And yet these relatively simple blessings can apply to us all. No matter our age or stage, we could all benefit from increased capacity to serve, for a deeper and more enduring sense of peace, for answers to prayer.
Answers to prayer seem almost a mirror-like reflection of us, of what we want, what we humbly seek from God's hand, and of what God can do for us. Notice that Elder Snow does not say how or when our prayers are answered, only that they are. Any divine response to a sincere prayer, whether it meets with our expectations or not, is a blessing of great worth.
For those in the middle of personal, financial, family, emotional, or spiritual turmoil, peace is a literal godsend. Further, we may wonder how many are there in the world, where the external trappings of their life seem in order, but peace is out of reach.
Notice also that Elder Snow doesn't teach that humility leads to external peace: freedom from suffering. Instead, he says that humility leads to peace of mind, a deep, inner tranquility that cannot be purchased, imposed, or conjured.
Why is the capacity to serve such a great blessing?
In God's transformational work, we are being prepared to return back to live with our Heavenly Parents as families. He sent His Son to redeem, to atone, to save, to heal a broken world. The world remains broken; how does God save it today? Surely God does at least some of this work through mortals, including in our current Church calling and responsibility. As we express our willingness to serve, and as we give ourselves to God, we offer ourselves as a small sacrifice to help in that healing, in that work of redemption.
It is as if Elder Snow is saying that humility is actually what empowers the servants of God to do the work that God has for them. And make no mistake: God has a work for you to do!
As we examine these blessings in greater depth, we see the great potential and power in each of them, and that as in many other things, so in humility: out of simple things proceeds that which is great (Alma 37:6-7).
The Hypocritical Peter and merciful Christ
In Mark 14, immediately after the Last Supper, just prior to His betrayal, arrest, trial, and crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples, "You will all fall away, for it is written:
‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.’"
Jesus prophecies that after he is risen, he will go before them into Galilee.
At the charge of faithlessness, Peter bristles and rebuts the charge: “Even if all fall away, I will not,” he stoutly declares. Jesus foretells that Peter will betray Him three times before morning, and that he will know it by hearing the rooster crow twice, provoking further protests from Peter. Apparently Peter speaks for all the disciples, as Mark 14:31 adds that, "All the others said the same."
Jesus then takes Peter, James, and John with Him into the Garden of Gethsemane in a time of deep distress and sorrow to the point of death. And so he instructed his disciples “Stay here and keep watch.”
Jesus, falling on His face, prayed for the cup to pass from Him, though admitting His willingness to accept the will of the Father. This seems in direct contrast to Peter, whose expressed desire to never abandon Christ is actually contrary to what he is able to do.
As Jesus returned and found them sleeping, “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour?" Jesus reverted to calling Peter by the name he went by before his life-changing encounter with Christ, suggesting perhaps that Peter was slipping, regressing, forgetting, letting go of some of Christ's power.
Jesus counsels, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation." But then he compassionately acknowledges the weakness of Peter, and the gap between his expressions and even his intentions and his ultimate actions: "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Upon praying and returning again, Jesus found his disciples sleeping once again; scripture indicates that Peter did not know how to account for his sleeping.
As the mob arrived and arrested Jesus, all his disciples forsook him and fled. As the group containing chief priests, elders, and scribes went to the high priest, Peter followed far off, staying with the servants, warming himself at the fire at the palace of the high priest. A young woman identified him as being with Jesus of Nazareth. Peter denied it, after which the rooster crowed. Another young woman identified him with Jesus, and Peter again denied it. A third and final time, someone else identified Peter, recognizing in the speech of Peter that he was a Galilean, as was Jesus. Peter strongly denied, cursing and swearing that he did not know Jesus. As the rooster crowed a second time, the Gospel of Mark simply records that as Peter thought on what he had done, he wept.
In the Gospel of Mark, the next and only other mention of the name of Peter is at the time of resurrection, when the women are told by the young man to tell Jesus' disciples and Peter that he will go before them into Galilee as he said before. The impression left then, is of Christ continuing to reach out, to forgive, to invite to witness, find, and follow a Christ that is active and on the move.
Each of us, like Peter, have a certain disconnect between what we say or what we intend and what we do. None of us perfectly and faithfully live up to the moral principles we espouse. Put bluntly, each of us is a hypocrite. Perhaps some of us speak of fidelity to love, compassion, and justice, but are more interested in society applying those principles to us than in striving to apply those principles to others. Perhaps some of us pray for our enemies to love us, and yet put less spiritual effort and energy into loving our enemies. Perhaps some of us pray and work to be understood far more than we pray and work to understand. Perhaps some of us desire more to be heard or valued, than to hear and value our spiritual brothers and sisters. Perhaps some of us acknowledge the potential divinity of others, but have little faith in our own divine potential and inherent worth. And yet no matter where we are in our spiritual walk, Christ is merciful and patient, inviting us, like Peter, to follow Him and to find Him as He goes before us in our world.
‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.’"
Jesus prophecies that after he is risen, he will go before them into Galilee.
At the charge of faithlessness, Peter bristles and rebuts the charge: “Even if all fall away, I will not,” he stoutly declares. Jesus foretells that Peter will betray Him three times before morning, and that he will know it by hearing the rooster crow twice, provoking further protests from Peter. Apparently Peter speaks for all the disciples, as Mark 14:31 adds that, "All the others said the same."
Jesus then takes Peter, James, and John with Him into the Garden of Gethsemane in a time of deep distress and sorrow to the point of death. And so he instructed his disciples “Stay here and keep watch.”
Jesus, falling on His face, prayed for the cup to pass from Him, though admitting His willingness to accept the will of the Father. This seems in direct contrast to Peter, whose expressed desire to never abandon Christ is actually contrary to what he is able to do.
As Jesus returned and found them sleeping, “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour?" Jesus reverted to calling Peter by the name he went by before his life-changing encounter with Christ, suggesting perhaps that Peter was slipping, regressing, forgetting, letting go of some of Christ's power.
Jesus counsels, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation." But then he compassionately acknowledges the weakness of Peter, and the gap between his expressions and even his intentions and his ultimate actions: "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Upon praying and returning again, Jesus found his disciples sleeping once again; scripture indicates that Peter did not know how to account for his sleeping.
As the mob arrived and arrested Jesus, all his disciples forsook him and fled. As the group containing chief priests, elders, and scribes went to the high priest, Peter followed far off, staying with the servants, warming himself at the fire at the palace of the high priest. A young woman identified him as being with Jesus of Nazareth. Peter denied it, after which the rooster crowed. Another young woman identified him with Jesus, and Peter again denied it. A third and final time, someone else identified Peter, recognizing in the speech of Peter that he was a Galilean, as was Jesus. Peter strongly denied, cursing and swearing that he did not know Jesus. As the rooster crowed a second time, the Gospel of Mark simply records that as Peter thought on what he had done, he wept.
In the Gospel of Mark, the next and only other mention of the name of Peter is at the time of resurrection, when the women are told by the young man to tell Jesus' disciples and Peter that he will go before them into Galilee as he said before. The impression left then, is of Christ continuing to reach out, to forgive, to invite to witness, find, and follow a Christ that is active and on the move.
Each of us, like Peter, have a certain disconnect between what we say or what we intend and what we do. None of us perfectly and faithfully live up to the moral principles we espouse. Put bluntly, each of us is a hypocrite. Perhaps some of us speak of fidelity to love, compassion, and justice, but are more interested in society applying those principles to us than in striving to apply those principles to others. Perhaps some of us pray for our enemies to love us, and yet put less spiritual effort and energy into loving our enemies. Perhaps some of us pray and work to be understood far more than we pray and work to understand. Perhaps some of us desire more to be heard or valued, than to hear and value our spiritual brothers and sisters. Perhaps some of us acknowledge the potential divinity of others, but have little faith in our own divine potential and inherent worth. And yet no matter where we are in our spiritual walk, Christ is merciful and patient, inviting us, like Peter, to follow Him and to find Him as He goes before us in our world.
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Angel's Landing
There is a striking rock formation in Zion's National Park called "Angel's Landing". It is thought that it is so-called because an early explorer, Methodist clergyman Frederick Vining Fisher, thought that "only an angel could land on it". Today, though the path has steep and dangerous spots, it is daily climbed by many.
Perhaps there are parallels in our lives considering the limitations we live with and the judgments we pronounce.
For instance, sometimes we see something that looks so difficult, even impossible, that we declare it so, not realizing that it is, in fact, quite doable.
At other times, we may come across an experience that seems the supreme paradigm of the gall of bitterness, only to later find sweetness and joy in it.
Perhaps at other times we look at someone and in a glance, or after a brief conversation, we have them figured out, we have them pegged. We know who they are, what animates them, what their problems are, and most importantly, what our problems are not. We become an expert on them. Ironically, perhaps, we often insist that others don't understand our situation or circumstances.
All of us make decisions and judgments many times each day. I'm not suggesting that we refrain from making decisions or judgments, or that first impressions are always (or even often) wrong, but I am suggesting that at times, our first impressions, about trials, or people, including ourselves, can be incorrect. We should consider the limitations with which we judge and be open to the dynamic nature of human existence. We should be open to the idea that what we see as impossible is, in fact, possible, or that the person who seems so distasteful, narrow-minded, arrogant, or problematic is, in fact, a kinsman, a spiritual brother or sister who, despite initial impressions, shares much in common with us. Or that the person who seems so hopelessly lost in a prison of their own making really can change.
In other words, we should approach what judgments we must make with a good measure of humility, compassion, sensitivity, and even tentativeness, realizing that our preliminary judgments, necessary or unavoidable they may be, are limited by so many factors, and are subject to change.
Perhaps there are parallels in our lives considering the limitations we live with and the judgments we pronounce.
For instance, sometimes we see something that looks so difficult, even impossible, that we declare it so, not realizing that it is, in fact, quite doable.
At other times, we may come across an experience that seems the supreme paradigm of the gall of bitterness, only to later find sweetness and joy in it.
Perhaps at other times we look at someone and in a glance, or after a brief conversation, we have them figured out, we have them pegged. We know who they are, what animates them, what their problems are, and most importantly, what our problems are not. We become an expert on them. Ironically, perhaps, we often insist that others don't understand our situation or circumstances.
All of us make decisions and judgments many times each day. I'm not suggesting that we refrain from making decisions or judgments, or that first impressions are always (or even often) wrong, but I am suggesting that at times, our first impressions, about trials, or people, including ourselves, can be incorrect. We should consider the limitations with which we judge and be open to the dynamic nature of human existence. We should be open to the idea that what we see as impossible is, in fact, possible, or that the person who seems so distasteful, narrow-minded, arrogant, or problematic is, in fact, a kinsman, a spiritual brother or sister who, despite initial impressions, shares much in common with us. Or that the person who seems so hopelessly lost in a prison of their own making really can change.
In other words, we should approach what judgments we must make with a good measure of humility, compassion, sensitivity, and even tentativeness, realizing that our preliminary judgments, necessary or unavoidable they may be, are limited by so many factors, and are subject to change.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Objectivity Revisited
"Spiritual identity means we are not what we do or what people say about us. And we are not what we have. We are the beloved daughters and sons of God." Henri Nouwen
Unfortunately, we live in a world that seems to believe or preach quite a contrary message. Namely, that how we look, what type of possessions we have, how much wealth we possess, how others think of us, or our external circumstances ultimately define us.
Despite the constant drum beat to look a certain way, or have a certain type of possession, or to accumulate more overall, or to make sure we look a certain way (physically, socially, professionally, or spiritually) to other people, God sees us for who we are: in the words of Henri Nouwen, "Beloved daughters and sons of God."
This teaching is not just found in Genesis chapter 1, but throughout the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Latter-day scripture affirms "That by [Christ], and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God." (D&C 76:24)
One of the first encounters young Latter-day Saints have with this idea is in the beloved hymn, "I Am a Child of God".
Along the same lines, but with perhaps a more expansive vision, "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" states: "All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny."
Do we exemplify these teachings to all of God's children? Do we strive to be the living embodiment of these pleasing words of Christ?
In the world today, including those within our social orbit, there are those that struggle. There are those in physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual pain. Do we accept these as our neighbors? Do we, figuratively or literally, walk on by as did the Levite and the Priest in the parable of the Good Samaritan, viewing the person as "other" and as primarily an object, a test or an obstacle for us to move onto something more pressing? Or do we, like the Good Samaritan, first and foremost have compassion on those who struggle, and sacrifice time, energy, and effort to bind up wounds?
One of the implications of this principle that all of us are eternal beings of divine parents is that we are all linked: we are all related, connected, have much in common, and should have many reasons to care for each other.
God sends Good Samaritans out into the world. He sends messengers, people who God can speak and act through to bind up the broken-hearted and strengthen the feeble knees: to do the work He would do if He were here.
May we desire to be among these messengers that lift the hands that hang down, that bring tidings of great joy, to bring the preparation of the Gospel of peace to a world very much in need of it!
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Objectivity vs. the Image of God
One of the great spiritual truths that encapsulates relationships among us humans is found throughout Jewish, Christian, and Latter-day Saint traditions.
In Genesis 1:26-27, we read of God creating men and women in His image. According to this idea, all of us, men and women, have divinity within, as do those that we interact with every day.
A modern way of speaking against this mode of understanding the divine heritage of the human is objectification. Broadly speaking, objectification of an individual is treating them more as an object, something to be acted upon, rather than as a living person, or, from a spiritual perspective, our brother or sister created in the image of God.
There are many manifestations of how we can objectify someone else. Pornography is perhaps an obvious and unfortunately pervasive one, but it is certainly not the only one.
An ambitious manager may be inclined to treat their "underlings" as mere tools to get the job done or colleagues as stepping stones to a higher profession. It is easy for us to see many of the people we encounter as merely objects: servers in a restaurant are there to give us our food, checkout clerks are there to scan our groceries, tellers are there to give us our money, etc.
This is not to deny that each of these individuals are employed and filling that function. But to see them exclusively as determined by their function could be considered a form of objectification. Similarly, when a man sees his wife primarily as a maid, laundress, cook, or taxi driver, there is an element of objectification.
Perhaps we all confront this to one degree or another. And perhaps we all must wrestle with this idea, with how to both engage people in their function considering limitations of time and space (we can't spend an hour at the checkout lane in the grocery store, and the dry cleaner has limited time for conversation, to name two examples) and how to acknowledge, even briefly, the spark of divinity within.
And so how can we avoid objectification, or move towards acknowledging the truth expressed by C.S. Lewis:
“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations - these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously - no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption.”
There are many ways to implicitly evangelize the divinity and inherent worth of others, to act out this truth. Many seem ridiculously simple. Being polite and kind can show respect towards others. Striving to follow the golden rule implicitly acknowledges the inherent worth of another. Saying "Thank You" for something simple shows effort and intention on our part and recognizes work done by another. Saying "Hello" to a stranger as we pass each other can be, in many circumstances, a way of sharing and expressing a common human bond. Even simply smiling at someone that's had a rough day can have an impact, pointing to better times ahead, and a friendly face in the crowd.
May each of us strive to move beyond objectivity and more fully strive to recognize the divinity that we swim in.
In Genesis 1:26-27, we read of God creating men and women in His image. According to this idea, all of us, men and women, have divinity within, as do those that we interact with every day.
A modern way of speaking against this mode of understanding the divine heritage of the human is objectification. Broadly speaking, objectification of an individual is treating them more as an object, something to be acted upon, rather than as a living person, or, from a spiritual perspective, our brother or sister created in the image of God.
There are many manifestations of how we can objectify someone else. Pornography is perhaps an obvious and unfortunately pervasive one, but it is certainly not the only one.
An ambitious manager may be inclined to treat their "underlings" as mere tools to get the job done or colleagues as stepping stones to a higher profession. It is easy for us to see many of the people we encounter as merely objects: servers in a restaurant are there to give us our food, checkout clerks are there to scan our groceries, tellers are there to give us our money, etc.
This is not to deny that each of these individuals are employed and filling that function. But to see them exclusively as determined by their function could be considered a form of objectification. Similarly, when a man sees his wife primarily as a maid, laundress, cook, or taxi driver, there is an element of objectification.
Perhaps we all confront this to one degree or another. And perhaps we all must wrestle with this idea, with how to both engage people in their function considering limitations of time and space (we can't spend an hour at the checkout lane in the grocery store, and the dry cleaner has limited time for conversation, to name two examples) and how to acknowledge, even briefly, the spark of divinity within.
And so how can we avoid objectification, or move towards acknowledging the truth expressed by C.S. Lewis:
“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations - these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously - no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption.”
There are many ways to implicitly evangelize the divinity and inherent worth of others, to act out this truth. Many seem ridiculously simple. Being polite and kind can show respect towards others. Striving to follow the golden rule implicitly acknowledges the inherent worth of another. Saying "Thank You" for something simple shows effort and intention on our part and recognizes work done by another. Saying "Hello" to a stranger as we pass each other can be, in many circumstances, a way of sharing and expressing a common human bond. Even simply smiling at someone that's had a rough day can have an impact, pointing to better times ahead, and a friendly face in the crowd.
May each of us strive to move beyond objectivity and more fully strive to recognize the divinity that we swim in.
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Divine Paradox
Mormonism (one might say the spiritual life or life in general) is full of paradoxes, rich dualities of meaning that seem both intuitive and contradictory. One such paradox relates to our view of God. We see God as Our Father, a loving parent who knows us perfectly, is of the same genus and species as us, and like whom we can become. There is a sense in Mormonism of great familiarity with God. For instance, the insight in Moses 7:28 of God weeping brings tremendous pathos and intimacy with the character and struggles of God, for all of us have wept in our own way over our own struggles or the struggles of others. A weeping God is one we can relate to. Similarly, being called and singing about our identity as children of God brings a great familiarity, comfort, and connection to the divine. The relationship becomes immediately understandable with that perspective.
And yet, throughout scripture, we become confronted with the idea that God is different from us, that His ways and methods and means are removed from ours. We find this expressed in many ways throughout scripture. For instance, the closing chapters of Job depict God, out of the whirlwind, posing question after question (presumably rhetorical) to Job, who is clearly unable to answer and likely unable to fully comprehend the import of the questions. We see this throughout the Bible (both Old and New Testament) as individuals confronted with the divine almost without exception react in fear, sensing something awe-inspiring that invokes trembling.
Isaiah 55:6-9 encapsulates this paradox quite well: "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near." This seems an expression consistent with the first understanding of God's character, namely, that God is close and familiar, near to us, and one who invites us to call upon Him.
Verses 8-9 of the chapter show the other side of the paradox, as God states, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, said the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
In other words, God thinks differently than we do; He speaks differently than we do. His ways, methods, patterns, plans, judgments, and perspectives are different from ours. His ways are higher than ours in a deeply meaningful way.
We see a few feet ahead; God sees all. We live in the present. God lives in an eternal now. We remember limited aspects of our lives, only slivers of experience from one perspective among many. God sees all aspects of our lives and understands and comprehends all perspectives and approaches perfectly.
And so we appear to see a paradox: how can God be both familiar and foreign? Knowable and mysterious? Close and distant?
When confronted with a paradox such as this, many questions may come to the surface, such as: Why would God reveal Himself in a paradox? If He does not, which part of the paradox is correct? If He does, how can we harmonize these apparently different understandings of the divine character?
It is OK to understand that while some can view these as differing views, and while many of our Christian brothers and sisters may have differing views on the nature of God, it is OK for the disciple to choose to see great truth in each of these aspects. We can see God both as one familiar, as one with whom we can be intimate, as well as one who is powerful, great, and mysterious, one who in many ways towers over us, yet at the same time, condescends to us in the incarnation of His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the revelation of His Gospel both to institutions and to individuals. We can see a God that comforts and resolves and reassures and instructs and clarifies as well as one that presents us with puzzles, with apparently unanswerable or incomprehensible stretching growth experiences. May we seek and find this God, this divine presence, who is both familiar and foreign, but in whom we find ultimate meaning, purpose, and fulfillment.
Sunday, July 3, 2016
Why the Title?
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:13, NIV
"I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me." - Proverbs 8:17, ESV
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" - Matthew 7:7-11, NIV
"Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." - Doctrine & Covenants 88:63
I love the main principle embedded in the above scriptures, how it follows that if we seek God, we will find Him. God wants us to find Him. He loves us and cares for us. As we diligently seek the divine, we find just what we are looking for. So the title of the blog is a reminder of this idea, that God is eager for us to search Him out, so that we may find Him.
"I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me." - Proverbs 8:17, ESV
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" - Matthew 7:7-11, NIV
I love the main principle embedded in the above scriptures, how it follows that if we seek God, we will find Him. God wants us to find Him. He loves us and cares for us. As we diligently seek the divine, we find just what we are looking for. So the title of the blog is a reminder of this idea, that God is eager for us to search Him out, so that we may find Him.
Why the Blog?
No matter anyone's religious or personal background, nearly all would agree that there exist both good and evil in this world. Many things are clearly good: reconciling conflict, being kind to others, being loyal to a good cause, putting someone's needs before your own, graduating from school, standing up for something that is true or good (or someone that is in the right) but not necessarily popular and many others; the list could go on and on. Many things are clearly good.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are many things that are clearly not good. For instance, starvation, anger, hatred, selfishness, greed, unkindness, and many others.
We all find ways to understand good and evil and to deal with them in our lives. For me, the lens of Christianity, and specifically, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as Mormonism, serves as the best lens to not only understand what is good and what is evil, but to find, embrace, and fully engage with that which is good. It has been my experience that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is full of teachings, ordinances, perspectives, approaches, and opportunities that ultimately lead to fulfillment and enrichment in all areas of life. In short, I am committed to the cause of Christ and His Church. I would like the join the chorus advocating faithful belief in Jesus Christ and fidelity to Him by following covenants and doctrines found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Belief and discipleship, however, are not meant to be effort-free nor are they always straightforward and common-sensical. We all struggle with a wide spectrum of things in our lives. The spiritual life involves paradox, acknowledgment of our own limitations, shortcomings, sinfulness, and other challenges. I would like to address and discuss some of these in this blog. For those with the desire to believe, to seek God through Christianity and Mormonism, I would like to show how there is intellectual and spiritual space available for all to do so while still acknowledging the challenges and difficulties we face, and the possible need to adjust our understanding and perspectives from time to time.
All thoughts and expressions found on this blog are mine and mine alone. In the words of a favorite podcast, I speak only for myself and sometimes, not even then.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are many things that are clearly not good. For instance, starvation, anger, hatred, selfishness, greed, unkindness, and many others.
We all find ways to understand good and evil and to deal with them in our lives. For me, the lens of Christianity, and specifically, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as Mormonism, serves as the best lens to not only understand what is good and what is evil, but to find, embrace, and fully engage with that which is good. It has been my experience that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is full of teachings, ordinances, perspectives, approaches, and opportunities that ultimately lead to fulfillment and enrichment in all areas of life. In short, I am committed to the cause of Christ and His Church. I would like the join the chorus advocating faithful belief in Jesus Christ and fidelity to Him by following covenants and doctrines found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Belief and discipleship, however, are not meant to be effort-free nor are they always straightforward and common-sensical. We all struggle with a wide spectrum of things in our lives. The spiritual life involves paradox, acknowledgment of our own limitations, shortcomings, sinfulness, and other challenges. I would like to address and discuss some of these in this blog. For those with the desire to believe, to seek God through Christianity and Mormonism, I would like to show how there is intellectual and spiritual space available for all to do so while still acknowledging the challenges and difficulties we face, and the possible need to adjust our understanding and perspectives from time to time.
All thoughts and expressions found on this blog are mine and mine alone. In the words of a favorite podcast, I speak only for myself and sometimes, not even then.
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