I have just finished skimming through a book I bought some 30 years ago. It is called “Tragedy and Hope” by Carroll Quigley. This book is a tome, and at times it’s hard to read.

On page 1220, he makes an interesting point. I want to get your take on these comments.

The social costs of the contemporary economic system are staggering….The self-reliant individual has gradually changed into the conformist ‘organization man.’ Routine has displaced risk, and subordination to abstractions has replaced the struggle with diverse concrete problems. The constantly narrowing range of possibilities for self-expression has given rise to deep frustrations with their concomitant growth of irrational compensating customs, such as the obsession with speed; vicarious combativeness, especially in sports; the use of alcohol, tobacco, narcotics, and sex as stimulants, diversions, and sedatives; and the rapid appearance and disappearance of fads in dress, social customs, and leisure activities.

What about it folks?

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Some of the ideas I have expressed regarding scripture may be considered too simplistic by the more educated. There is a reason why I have become so simple in my belief.

In 1 Ne. 17:41, Nephi tells us that the reason so many Israelites perished in the wilderness, during the fiery serpent attack, was “…because of the simpleness of the way”.

Alma 33:16 says that the Lord is angry with people “…because they will not understand thy mercies which thou hast bestowed upon them because of thy Son.”

In Helaman 8:15, Nephi compares coming to Christ to the brazen serpent Moses held up; he says: “…even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal.”

Regardless of what criticisms may exist in the world with regard to translation, interpretation, etc. of scripture, the one constant that never changes is how to come to Christ. Some Christians may not accept all that Christ requires, but they do recognize the need to turn to Him.

In my mind, then, for those who do turn to Christ, the path must be clear, it must be simple, and it must be knowable, so that even the weakest among us can understand what is required.

Furthermore, as was taught by the Prophet Joseph in the Lectures On Faith, we must have a 1) an idea that He exists; 2) a correct idea of His character, perfections, and attributes; 3) an actual knowledge that the course of life one is pursuing is according to His will.

We know that God exists through His communications with His prophets, and in answer to our individual prayers. We know that He is our Eternal Father and that we existed with Him prior to coming to this earth. We know that He is a resurrected being, that He is the embodiment of perfection, and that He sent His Son to the earth to atone for our sins, and to be resurrected, so that we could return to live with Him in the mansions of our Father.

The Saviour, then, laid out the path whereby we could know that the course of life we are pursuing is according to His will.

That course being to: 1) exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; 2) repent of our sins; 3) be baptized by one holding the proper authority; 4) receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of hands, by those who hold the authority to administer in the ordinances of His Gospel, as demonstrated by the apostles anciently; and then to continue on that path by repenting of our sins, trusting in His promises and doing the best we can.

By so doing we follow the Saviours admonition to follow Him. As we plant the seed, He will nourish it in His good time and according to His will. Our responsibility is to plant; His is to nourish and lead us along, so that we can learn line upon line and precept upon precept.

In Mosiah 26:19–32 Alma records what membership in Christ’s church means. One of the interesting points to me is in verses 30 and 31 where he says: “…and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me. And ye shall forgive one another your trespasses;…”.

In 3Ne.11: 32-40 the Saviour lays out the same principles of faith, repentance and baptism, and adds that we must become as little children (which to me means covered by the atonement, which the principles and ordinances accomplish), and then adds this point; “And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil…”.

Again, as I’ve studied the Gospel, I have learned that it is simple, yet profound. It is powerful in its simplicity and is available to be understood by the weakest among us, which I have come to learn through blogging, definitely includes me.

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Once I came to the realization that the Book of Mormon was everything that the Prophet Joseph said it was, that is, a second witness for Christ, my eyes seemed to open more, each time I read those scriptures.

Now that we know the importance that Christ plays in the eternal scheme of things, we can appreciate more the principle that the Prophet Joseph espoused. That is: The fundamental principles of our religion are those things that are incorporated in the atonement, and everything else is an appendage to it.

The principles now become more clear whether we read the Old Testament and the principles surrounding the altar etc., or the New Testament where the Saviour iterates over and over again in John how He came to do the will of His Father, to say those things that the Father would say, and to do the things the Father would do.
His statements regarding His sheep are made more clear. The things we must do to be saved are made more clear.

Now I would like to share some thoughts that to some may seem quite radical, and to others more reassuring.

In 3Ne:11:32-40 the Saviour lays out His doctrine. Somehow in the Church we have become so focused on works that we miss the principle. (I often wonder if the reason so many saints don’t do missionary work is because they feel the Gospel is so onerous that they will never make it to the Celestial Kingdom, so why should they share this heavy burden with others if it will only make them miserable as well. As a people, we get very depressed very easily.)

The principle is this, as taught by the Saviour in John 6:29. After being asked what they must do to work the works of God, He answered: “…This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

Think about that scripture for a minute, and then reflect on what the Saviour said in 3Ne. But wait a minute. Aren’t we supposed to demonstrate that we are following the Saviour by the works we do. Absolutely. But the way we arrive at that point is perfectly illustrated in Lehi’s dream of the Tree of Life.

Notice that the Tree of Life and the Fountain of Living Waters both represent the love of God. If John 3:16 is taken into account here, then we know that the love of God is tied up in the atonement. Alma5:34 says that if we partake “of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely;” .

The whole purpose of Lehi’s dream was to illustrate the coming to Christ and accepting Him.

Alma 32 is a favourite in terms of trying to explain how one gets faith. Notice, though, that the seed we are to plant is not given to us until Alma 33:22 where it states: “…begin to believe in the Son of God, that He will come to redeem His people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.”

If you remember John 6, then look at verses 14-21 in Alma 33.
The way is easy and it is clearly marked. Then what about works?

In Lehi’s dream, his arrival at the tree was a process, but the focus was always on the tree, or in other words, the atonement. Alma 32 and 33 illustrate for us what we need to focus on and the need to stay focused as the children of Israel did when the fiery serpents came among them.

What does this have to do with works? An interesting thing happened to Lehi after he partook of the fruit, or in other words, after he accepted the atonement and internalized it. He wanted to share it.

Once we understand the power that the atonement has in our lives, and the need we have for a Saviour, there is a remarkable transformation that takes place in our lives. We want to live Christ-like lives, not just as duty, but out of the pure love of Christ and what He did for us. Then responsibilities in the Church are not onerous, but rather acts of love. In this way we partake of the joy that Lehi talks about in 2Ne.2:25, where he tells us that “man is that he might have joy.” The fall is illustrated in the first half of that scripture, while the atonement is illustrated in the second half. (It is worth noting that virtually every reference to joy, in the scriptures, is tied to the atonement.)

Once we trust in the Saviour, then His promises become real. Then we have the certitude that our hope is not in vain, but anchored firmly in His love, which is the atonement. Then we become filled with charity, which is the pure love of Christ. Notice in Moroni 8 that faith, hope and charity cannot be separated. Alma 32:35 calls it” light” which ties us back into D&C50:24; D&C84:45; D&C88:13 etc. It’s all atonement stuff.

Now, when we preach the gospel, it becomes a sharing of a great love and blessing that is real_ not the burden so many of us view it as.

Our willingness to do the work of the Lord increases (line upon line etc.) and our willingness to accept the Lord’s plan, and to seek His counsel and guidance in all that we do (without surrendering our agency) increases as well.

So, what is the principle. Not on lecturing each other how to be better home teachers, or mothers, or fathers, and letting everyone feel totally inadequate, but rather on looking to the Saviour and the atonement that He wrought on our behalf. By doing this we invite the Spirit into our lives and He assists in our growth and development. The important point though, as taught by the Saviour in the Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard, in Matthew 20, is, that all who turn to Him, and accept Him, receive the same reward – eternal life – regardless of where they are on the ladder leading to His kingdom. So, if you’ve been baptized etc., and are doing the best you know how, in spite of your failings and weaknesses, you are going to the Celestial Kingdom_so get over it, and get on with it….and smile.

We can go further in the scriptures to show how each of us is different and not of equal intelligence, but will inherit the same blessings.

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For some time now I have been pondering on some of the comments I have been reading on other blog sites regarding scripture, their relevance, and what purposes they really serve.

It seems that to some, they are not reliable in terms of doctrine for one reason or another. It seems that what the Lord said, or the prophet recorded, was not really what was meant – at least as it pertains to the understanding of the ignorant masses in the Church today.

I challenge this approach to the scriptures. As one of the ignorant masses, let me share what the writings of the Prophet Joseph and the scriptures have taught me.

A number of years ago, I read in the Teachings p121 the following statement: ” The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it”.

I understood this to mean that the axis around which the Gospel revolved was the atonement, and everything else had to tie back into the atonement or it wasn’t true. This seemed an awesome task, but as I studied the scriptures and pondered them, some interesting things began to unfold.

Rather than being disparate pieces of information handed down from time to time by the Lord, the scriptures actually enlarge each other, and what one prophet said at one point in time, can actually fuel what another said at another point in time, and the two together add further light and knowledge.

Let me illustrate.

2 Ne. 2:5–7 says: ” And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men… Behold he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law…”

In 3 Ne. 15:9 the Saviour says: “Behold, I am the law and the light…”

Now most people might take that reference to mean He is the fulfillment of the law of Moses.

I take a deeper meaning from 3 Ne. based on what was said in 2 Ne. Why?

Since the law spoken of in 2 Ne. has to do with the atonement and the introduction of opposition, then further reading of 2 Ne. tells me that if there were no opposition there would be no God and we would not exist. Of course D&C93:30 concurs with this as well. But hold on, there is another scripture that adds even more to my understanding. In 2 Ne. 11:7 it says: ” For if there be no Christ there be no God; and if there be no God we are not, for there could have been no creation…”

D&C 88:13 tells us (speaking of the light of Christ):” The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, …” Therefore, the law spoken of in 3Ne. to me represents far more than the Law of Moses.

Pondering on these scriptures tells me a few things:

1. Opposition is necessary for existence;
2. the atonement thru Christ is what brought opposition into existence;
3. without Christ there is no God and we are not;
4. since opposition was required for agency to exist in the premortal world, then the atonement had to be in effect in that premortal existence (Moses 4:3);
5. the light of Christ is the law by which all things are governed;
6. therefore, the office of Christ is an eternal principle upon which all creation takes place;
7. the office of Christ is the office of sacrifice as explained in Mosiah 15:1–12 _ and some things began to make sense.

In Moses 1:6 the Lord appears to Moses and speaks as though He were the Father. He says: “And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son; and thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten; and mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Saviour, for He is full of grace and truth…”

Given the time frame in which the revelation occurred – 2000 years before the atonement – guess what? – the atonement was a foregone conclusion – not a maybe, let’s hope, oh gosh type of event.

This also is confirmed in D&C 93:38 if we read it carefully.

Since that is the case then other scriptures began to make sense.

D&C 50:24 says: ” That which is of God is light…”

D&C 84:45 says: ” For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.”

So, now we know that the office of Christ is responsible for everything that makes God God, since “that which is of God is light” and “whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ” and the light that proceeds from Christ is the “law” by which all things are governed – even the power of God.

This confirms 2 Ne 2 and 2 Ne 11.

Let’s leave it there for now. I am curious to see how others view these scriptures and the conclusions I have drawn so far.

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I have finally figured out how to blog again. After a month of helping care for a granddaughter, who at times seemed perilously close to death, and has now recovered marvellously, I can return to blogging.

There was a time when knocking politicians was a Canadian pasttime based solely on political preference. Now, we have arrived at a point where knocking politicians has become a matter of moral imperitive.

We now have a Prime Minister who has thrown tradition and moral responsibility out the window, in favour of power and corruption. What is more, he does it with impunity. How? Because we have a national press that might just as well be wearing Liberal campaign buttons on their lapels.

Without going into the gory details, suffice it to say that Canada has now fallen into the ranks of a banana republic, where corruption is the order of the day, and anyone who calls the government on it, becomes so much garbage to be discarded on the trash heap of Liberal history.

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This is a topic that has been commented on quite a bit lately, but I thought I might weigh into the discussion with some thoughts of my own. (I am technologically challenged so I can’t reference those blogs here)

I recently heard someone say that the late 60?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s and early 70?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s were a difficult time for her at university, especially as it related to the Church and it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s position on Blacks and the priesthood. I remember those times well, and the angst that we all felt as it related to the issues of the day. These times were explosive in a number of ways.

God had been declared dead in 1960 (I believe that?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s the year I read it in the headlines), free love was on the move, mini-mini skirts were a fad, women?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s rights were coming front and centre, marijuana was the recreation of choice, Martin Luther King came to the forefront, J. Edgar Hoover was pointing his finger at just about everyone, JFK was assassinated, then MLK, then Bobby Kennedy, war protests were going on everywhere, cities were being torched, music was undergoing a revolution (hootenannies were a big thing in the early to mid 60?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s). These were not the best of times and the anxiety level of many was high.

With that as a background let me return to the concerns of my friend. It was a trial of faith and patience for her to be a member at this point in time.
There are two ways to look at this issue of faith and patience as she described it. One is to be patient with impatience that the Church is going to see the light and change its ways; or two, the Church is directed by the Lord and change comes in His time, and our faith and patience is demonstrated by our trusting Him even if no change is made.

At the same time, we need to consider the fact that we live in the present and should be aware of the issues. Being aware also causes us to have thoughts and feelings, one way or the other, as we become informed. Would our feelings on a particular issue influence our testimony with respect to the Church and the Gospel, or, as free agents are we able to rally for change and still maintain membership without being patient with impatience that the Church will change to fit the times?

Now, this isn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t about whether or not the priesthood should have been given to all worthy members at that time. There can be no question of its rightness. I remember teaching a family in England in 1968, where the father was Jamaican. They asked me if Blacks would ever receive the priesthood. I will never forget the impression I received at that time ?¢‚Ǩ‚Äú I answered that I believed that they would receive it in the next 10 years.

That was one of those occasions where you walk away shaking your head saying where did that come from. I also remember driving down the highway in 1978 and heard on the news that the Church had announced the proclamation on all worthy male members. I instantly burst into tears and felt such a swelling of joy.

The issue, however, is, in my mind: Should the Church change it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s position on doctrine and practices based on public sentiment and the changing social mores espoused by various groups in and out of the Church ?¢‚Ǩ‚Äú and should we be part of those voices – or as members do we exercise our faith and patience by enduring public ridicule (even if we agree with public sentiment) and trust the Lord even if nothing is done?

At this particular time, what challenges is the Church facing and in whom, or what, should our faith and patience be focused?

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