A Curious Instrument

The recasting of LGBT pandering and race-baiting into Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is a labor of cruelty and hatred and destruction against those who follow God and support the Natural Family. Among the many adages that I try to follow, an apt one is to "Quit your job before you get fired". This means that I tend to leave employment if I feel that I can't make a good go of it. This also applies as I would eventually be fired for my "unacceptable" stance on DEI, no matter if I was doing good work or not, so I would need to quit before that firing can happen. I have been feeling out recent job interviews for DEI leanings and ending the interviews early if it seems like my old-fashioned "color-blind" "treat everyone the same" sensibilities are not sufficiently compatible with potential positions. This often means that educational institutions and military contractors are off the table as employers, even though these have been my bread ...

  Here is the very practical purpose of  the testimony of The Three Witnesses . And in the mouth of three witnesses shall these things be established; and the testimony of three, and this work, in the which shall be shown forth the power of God and also his word, of which the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost bear record—and all this shall  StandAsaTestimonyAgainstTheWorld  at the last day. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/ether/5?lang=eng&id=p4#p4 I'm not saying that a few people may have chosen to believe the Book of Mormon record due to the testimony of these three men, but Moroni is showing this for the purpose of indicting those who reject the record (it is not a story so it is called a record) in our times for whatever reason. The kindness and love bunch tend to look away at these recorded justifications for God's justice. God is often portrayed as the tough judge rather than the merciful forgiver of sins in scripture. It must...

It might be tiring to be reminded again and again the wonderful resource of God that we have in the Book of Mormon !  There is more to learn from it. Ether 2:7-8 7 And the Lord would not suffer that they should stop beyond the sea in the wilderness, but he would that they should come forth even unto the land of promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people. 8 And he had sworn in his wrath unto the brother of Jared, that whoso should possess this land of promise, from that time henceforth and forever, should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should come upon them The American hemisphere is a "land of promise" to the righteous followers of Jesus Christ. In an associated way, the unrighteous who live in this land will be "swept off" then Christ comes again.  I don't think anyone should move across the sea in response to these verses. Rather, make the...

Many people today don't like ideas to be challenged. If it is a strongly-held idea, a challenge may be see as if it were a personal attack and that the person making the challenge must be a bad person by nature. Too often, the principle of "love" is invoked as an accusation against any who would dare challenge an idea, especially those espoused by easily-offended people - "you aren't showing love." The Book of Mormon contains many warnings that are unpleasant to hear. Its prophetic writers foretold many of the abominations of our day and the wicked who God will punish for their violations of commandments. Many people become angry at such words and writing, feeling that they should not be punished for much enjoyed and celebrated sins. Everyone can act in whatever way they please. However, they cannot alter the just result of their actions, either good and bad. God through his prophets and their warnings work to make plain the mortal and eternal consequen...

I think we conflate “love” into something resembling an emotional cudgel. My definition of “love thy neighbor” currently reads as the Golden Rule as my effort at self-preservation. This is an interesting time when the concept of love is shifting and ill-defined. I thought I knew what it meant to love someone as God commands, but I am floundering in some unfamiliar territory. Recently, I have begun to reflect on my relationship with my “neighbors” and how the use of the term love might apply to such relationships. As an example, some years ago, my daughter informed me that she would feel more authentic being a man. She knew that I adhere to biblical teachings on these things, so I thought I was being diplomatic in saying that I couldn't go to such places with her. I learned in the few subsequent interactions that this child allowed us to have that she rejected holy writ, no longer believed in my judeo-christian God (if she ever did), that I had always been an abusive father...

Before it even begins, I'm not some radicalized leftist rabble-rouser. The term “liberal” has been co-opted by the evil and the lazy and if you want to see me mad, bring it up. My liberalism is primarily in service to the terrestrial world that is coming , the world that comes when lower motivations and actions and (frankly) people are swept away. Even the crazy social justice types think that the world would work a lot better if we just had the right people running things, and in a way, I think they're right - it will work much better, but only when the “wrong” people are gone and those who are left are “running” their own things. It won't work the way they envision it today and everyone will have to be far more responsible than anyone would prefer, but the vision of a kinder and less anxious world is actually on the way. The key ingredient for the better world is the one least considered - Jesus Christ. I believe it has to do with standards. Christ has some ...

I think we conflate “love” into something resembling an emotional cudgel. My definition of “love thy neighbor” currently reads as the Golden Rule as my effort at self-preservation. This is an interesting time when the concept of love is shifting and ill-defined. I thought I knew what it meant to love someone as God commands, but I am floundering in some unfamiliar territory. Recently, I have begun to reflect on my relationship with my “neighbors” and how the use of the term love might apply to such relationships. As an example, some years ago, my daughter informed me that she would feel more authentic being a man. She knew that I adhere to biblical teachings on these things, so I thought I was being diplomatic in saying that I couldn't go to such places with her. I learned in the few subsequent interactions that this child allowed us to have that she rejected holy writ, no longer believed in my judeo-christian God (if she ever did), that I had always been an abusive fa...