Hi Joseph,
Regarding Zion, one thing that I am beginning to believe is
that no one, right now, needs to run faster than he has strength and that
everything is to be done in order. This needs to be remembered by those
that are zealous. Giving too much when one is poor or middle class is
over zealous. With that said, if we all felt part of a united cause that
honestly wanted to be all in common (no poor among us, equal, etc.) we would
all re-prioritize our spending and time. What holds us back? Alma felt
that those wearing fine twine costly apparel had not caught the vision.
This (no vision people) also has a dampening effect on the rest of the
believers: "If they can have it (not share) why can't I?" When
that same group mocks the humble and is into envying others in the same group
as they walk in the pride of their hearts, what are the humble followers to
do? They, according to Alma, are to take it on cheek. Stay humble
and meek. Then who is supposed to correct the matter? The leader.
It is always the leader, the judge. With this said, what is the
difference between this car or that car, this house or that house, this nice
thing and that nice thing? For the middle class it isn't much.
Everybody gets good fortune (a new car) at different times. It is hard to
judge righteously. To be meek is not to judge. If I get a nice
thing, do I want everybody to judge me? As our hearts change, as we are
taught Zion, as we feel part of a unified effort, we will do better at doing
the right thing.
Scott
On Tue, Mar 31, 2015 at 11:50 AM, Joseph Balden <josephbalden@gmail.com>
wrote:
Nice, God is not a micro
manager.... I think that some peoples faith relies on being told what to
do. If they had to make a choice they fail or just go back to waiting to
be told exactly what to do. We even feed off each other to know what the
"normal" person in the ward does. I wonder if no one had
mediocre examples, what everyone's definition of Christan would be, and if they
would then live it. Question is how does one personally muster up the
effort to 'take Zion seriously' when it is not an exact definition of something
we are told to do.
On Tue, Mar 31, 2015 at 11:17 AM, Greenscooter <srnelson1513@gmail.com>
wrote:
I finished listening to one of the podcast on race from the
Maxwell Institute. Fascinating. A big mess of views and theories and
possibly mistakes (Kimball 1968).
Final views: God allows mistakes to be made. God is
not a micro manager. People become so convinced that things are based on
God when they are really man’s ideas that they become self-righteous and begin
to persecute another race. We become inherently racist. God permits
Man to make mistakes (lost pages Martin Harris, Israel wanting a King, J.S.
with Kirtland anti Banking society). Racism was probably a mistake.
Orson Pratt said that agency is all important, multi-generational cursing can’t
be right.
The lady said, I don’t believe in a perfect gospel with
perfect understanding suddenly bestowed on Joseph Smith. It comes line up
line and precept upon precept.
We are all uninformed. We all seem to believe that what
we understand about the world around us and neatly wrapped up Mormonism is all
there is, I know I am speaking for myself. When P. Uchtdorf says
that true Christians are having visions, revelations, dreams, signs, wonders
and miracles, most of us should pause and consider whether or not we a true
Christians (humble followers of Christ). For some reason I thought that
only very special people has signs, wonders and miracles happening in their
life. I realize now that it is the norm. This is the separation of
the wheat and the tares. This the separation of the ten virgins.
This is the good man of the house caught unaware. This is the division of
the Saints. Either we have the recipe right in our lives or we
don’t. It is pretty simple. When one is granted awareness that
these things (signs, wonders and miracles – 2 Nephi 26:13 and Jacob 4:6) are
needed, that they follow faith and that they are not happening in his or her
life – that person can then begin to pray to God with all sincerity and with real
intent (Uchtdorf, October Conference, 2014) and receive an answer. But
the continuing answer is continuing evidences that make our faith unshaken,
which hope maketh an anchor to our souls (Ether12:4). If we have this
reoccurring in our lives, we quit worrying about the apostasy of others and
what they say. We know that the gospel and the Church truly bring a
delicious feast (2 Nephi 9:51) and has undeniably left its mark on our hearts.
I like the D. Todd Christopherson quote.
"it will be necessary (1) to become unified in one
heart and one mind; (2) to become, individually and collectively, a holy
people; and (3) to care for the poor and needy with such effectiveness that we
eliminate poverty among us. We cannot wait until Zion comes for these things to
happen-Zion will come only as they happen" (D. Todd Christopherson,
October Conference, 2008)
Everybody who actually takes Zion seriously is waiting for
somebody else to do something bigger than our average charity. Perhaps
our average charity is enough at this time. If the General Authorities
want more from the Church, then teach us. A few quotes, here and there
will not suffice. (Of course, this is my opinion only and I could be
wrong). I believe that giving us a higher goal (unified, temporally
equal, no poor among us) is the best thing the leaders could do. But, the
Holy Ghost will have to impress upon the leaders that it is time. And
timing is everything. Could you imagine all the false American and Mormon
traditions that would need to be jettisoned? I believe it would take five
years of concerted effort on the part of General Authorities to get
all-in-common-ism galvanized in the minds of the listening Saints.
Apostasy would be rampant. Gifts of the Spirit would also be
rampant. That would be a wonderful time. The Saints would have a
collective focus again.
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