What-e'er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part.

"What-e'er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part" was a sign that the prophet David O. Mckay found over a house in his mission to Scotland and it became one of his life long mottos. This saying has meaning to all of us because we're given many talents and opportunities that differ and its often hard to choose which is the best way to go or what the best thing to do would be.

My mind has been thinking about the different career choices I have and also I've been in a few online debates discussing the merits of one policy in Government over another. The conclusion I've been finding over and over is repeated in the said lifelong motto David O. Mckay discovered in his mission. I'm not an expert in policies or systems of governance. I read Noam Chomsky and Hugh Nibley and tend to agree with their points on society. But, I'm no economics professor or business tycoon but what I do know is this what-e'er thou art, act well thy part. If you're a capitalist or socialist, if you believe in collectivism or individualism, remember that Christ taught us to be like Him and seek first the kingdom of God. Whatever way you choose to view the world or the career you desire, just remember the example of Christ and the rest is just a means to an end. Jobs are necessary, work is necessary, food and shelter are necessary, but the thing that is most necessary is (of course) keeping the commandments and being Christlike.

Unless you're in some sort of industry that promotes things that the Prophet has declared to be unfit for us to have in our lives, then I recommend not worrying about your station in life, but your status with God. Are you giving all you can? Are you stripped of your pride? Are you willing to forsake all things for Christ? Are you prepared to meet God? If not then you are not acting well they part.

Whole vs Hole

Everything that the Lord taught was to heal the soul. When you are living day to day, its easy to get weighed down by the weight of your existence. "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Our feelings come and go but our pride can last forever and only we can give that up. Pride and indictments on others is a sure way to find yourself in turmoil. If you give up your pride and forgive, you will have a friend or at least freedom from your hard feelings.

"He who diggeth a pit for them shall fall into the same himself" (DC 109:25). Whatever bad thing you wish to curse others with, will have the opposite effect. If you wish to get vengence then you will be the one who has that judgment. Vengence is the Lord's. "But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of his judgment" (3 Nephi 12:22). "Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you" (Mark 4:24).

“Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin. “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men” (D&C 64:9–10). Forgiveness is a way to free yourself and others from the enslavement of your pride and despising.

Whatever we send out will return unto us. "Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together" (John 4:35-36). "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it" (Matthew 16:25).

If we only do go to those that do good to us then what is our righteousness? We don't have any. But, if we "love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil" (Luke 6:35).

To be a Christian is to be a giver without expectation of receiving. To lend without hopes of it returning. By doing this we are free from the pettiness of materialism and selfishness. We are free from seeking to be filled with vain things that cannot make us whole. What do we need to be whole? More money, power, popularity, a superior intellect, clothes, a house, superiority over others, food, or sex? No. Those things cannot make us feel whole. They might make us feel a whole lot better for a bit but soon the desire for more sets in and our hole gets deeper. Christ taught that we are whole when we are at one with God and with our neighbor. Our wholeness depends on our love and how much we give, not how much we have.

You can be whole or keeping digging your hole.

Gratitude

I saw some interesting videos today by some very smart people, one was a psychologist with a very successful book and one was a comedian. Both had more or less the same point. The point was that the many blessings we have today are being taken for granted. The psychologist argued that even though we have more selection and better choices than ever, we feel more regret or remorse after our decisions because we think of all the what-could've-been scenarios. The comedian talked about the miracle of flight and how a passenger was upset by the Internet being down on the flight. He said "How quickly the world owes him something that he only knew existed 10 seconds ago."

Always in the Book of Mormon, the pride cycle begins with materialism. The "costly apparel" that makes people suddenly want to show off their superiority. The world we live in today is very materialistic and divided into classes but we should remember that old saying from Job 1:21 "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord."

The conclusion that the psychologist had was that the secret to happiness was low expectations and the conclusion that the comedian had was that everything is amazing and everybody's unhappy. My conclusion is that we cannot be fulfilled if we're trying to define ourselves by vain things and we cannot be happy unless we are grateful.

My Take on Ayn Rand's Philosophy

I will be going through the 4 things that make up Ayn's philosophy with my own take and Mormon persepective with notes.

1. Metaphysics: Objective Reality
To begin to understand the objectivism philosophy one has to accept and agree with the statement 'existence exists.' Rand believed this phrase to be self evident in that if one were to argue this point they would be admitting that it must exist because it is being reacted to. Also, Rand believed that existence is the one thing that is absolute and static. Existence is existence. Or, as Rand put it, A is A.

That’s about the same as saying "Something that is, is something that is." That’s not always reality though, nor does it offer an explaination of what that something is, other than it is. Its as if to say a movie critic for Inception, just merely said "Inception is Inception, a movie thats a movie with a plot thats a plot." No insight or definition of what the movie really is other than its a movie. Depending on what a person decides to see makes up this thing called "existence", it has a lot to do with what that individuals decides life is all about.

Also, being drunk changes the objective reality of that individual. Drunk is drunk and you're perception, objectively, is changed, just as if you were tired, or in a subconscious dream state and seeing things, feeling things; they might seem like existence but they only existed in the mind of that moment, and not outside of the mind, the imaginations and feelings of that person. The dream was real but what happened didn’t really happen. That existence didn’t exist except for that the dream was a dream.


2. Epistemology: Reason
To observe this existence one is given five senses. We rely on these five senses, and only these five senses to guide every decision we make, every action we take, and for survival. It is on this basis that Rand rejected such notions as God, the occult, and mysticism.

Five senses is all we get according to Rand, but science is embarking everyday to the facts that we have discernments, ingrained prejudices, and many other senses or motives that affect our senses and decisions. Also, a sense is a good way to make people fooled, as in the example of seeing a magician make an elephant disappear, based on seeing only we think the man is magic, but upon using our common sense or rationality, we can sense that this man isn’t really magical but a smooth operator. But then again how can we really be sure other than we "know" (or so we think we know) that making an elephant stop existing is quite impossible, but we only base that on the fact that no one has ever done it before.

We can have the wool pulled over our eyes by society which is what Ayn Rand always rails against because society disagrees with her subjective reality. Ayn basically tries to make her subjective experience the objective experience of everyone else’s subjective experience. To some extent we may all share a view, but just as we all have different eyes and knowledge and senses beyond the 5, we all live in our subjective realities because no man can leave that. Objectivity is quite impossible, unless it is through God who is all knowing and all seeing. Christ defied the objective reality of death and walking on water, fetes that would have been (and still are) presumed impossible by our Objectivist friends and our learned understanding of reality through our sense.

Just as Dan Ariely talks about here:


The gifts of the Spirit talked about in the book of Moroni, are things that man is endowed with from God that offer greater knowledge and power, to know and do things beyond our own power and knowledge. That concept alone is opposed by Ayn Rand completely. Joseph Smith and all the prophets knew things and did things (parting the red sea) that people would not have known or be able to do with all the combined power of men. God is the source of power to men. The strength of men is always defeated by the power of God through out all the book of Mormon.

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “Reading the experience of others, . . . can never give us a comprehensive view of our condition and true relation to God. Knowledge of these things can only be obtained by experience through the ordinances of God set forth for that purpose. Could you gaze into heaven five minutes, you would know more than you would by reading all that ever was written on the subject.” He’s saying that through God we can we experience the true perspective and objectivity, not through our own power. Ayn Rand dismisses these things as mystical because she never had that experience, because she didn’t have faith, which requires exercising belief in that which is beyond your 5 senses.

Faith in things that she would say don’t exist and can’t exist because simply in her very narrow gate of mind, they cannot be seen on the 5 senses of the natural mind. She has a mind with 5 doors for only 5 sources of info. As if to say she was an Ipad with no USB. The info she could be getting through opening her mind and soul to the idea that some things exist whether you see them or not. Being Ayn she is unable to be Christian because Christianity comes by faith and the Spirit, two things not recorded by the 5 senses she basis her reality on.

Some saw Christ and they crucified Him, others saw Him and rejoiced. But, he’s still the same Christ but we all see things through our distorted views of prejudice, feelings, and understanding or lack of understanding. But with faith we can see, by believing we are seeing. She lacks that in her philosophy and thus is weakened and distorted in her own subjective view of our world.

3. Ethics: Self-Interest
Rand believed that every man is an end to himself, not the means to the ends of others. This means that to live a fulfilling life, one's own survival and interests must always be first priority and the moral guideline with which one makes their decisions.

Christ’s priority was the survival of everyone else and thus self interest being the opposite. Self interest as seen in the examples of Pride and Selfishness in the Book of Mormon results in the destruction of people morally, spiritually and ultimately physically. Rand seems to reject the idea that some people actually find fullfillment in sacrificing themselves to others.

The main goal of the Gospel is unity. At-one-ment with God and others. "Love others as yourself" is an instruction to be one with others and share their desires as they share yours, depending on the mercy of God for your sustenance, serving others' needs as your own and depending on others for your needs to be met, being equal in all things as prescribed in 4th Nephi, the law of Consecration, witnessed in all the times in the Book of Mormon when the people were righteous and not divided into classes, based on their materialistic pride, lust for power, or in bondage to their laziness. In Hebrews it says "God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." John 3:16 “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Luke 20:38 "for all live unto him." Malachi 4:5-6 “And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” Obadiah 1:21 "And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s." Doctrine and Covenants 128:18 "For we without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect."

Joseph Smith said that some people entirely denounce the principle of self-aggrandizement as wrong. "It is a correct principle," he said, "and may be indulged [in] upon only one rule or plan--and that is to elevate, benefit and bless others first. If you will elevate others, the very work itself will exalt you. Upon no other plan can a man justly and permanently aggrandize himself"

Matthew 16:25 says "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it"

I look at Christ on the cross as a symbol of Christ hanging all the pride of the world, cleansing us of our pride and selfishness, ultimately overcoming all selfishness we have, so that we all might be lifted up through our humility to Him. In the book Anthem, Ayn subscribes that "I" is a word that has the utmost importance and then ends with image of “EGO” being carved into a rock. A complete opposite value of self versus Christ’s value of everyone else.

4. Politics: Capitalism
Lastly, Rand's ideal government is laissez faire capitilism. In this situation the governments place is only to police and protect the rights of the people. This would mean an entire separation of economics and state where the government would have no hand in policing the interest rates, helping corporations out, or providing welfare to the masses.

The problem with this is that Capitalism without regulation is harmful to others, thus child labor laws, people unionizing to combat the health hazards, unfair wages, and disrespect to humanity and environment. Government is required to protect the rights of people and thus a separate of economics and state would result in a disbanding of lives financially and physically. Capitalism is self defeating, if there were no rules at all, then one mega power would eventually take over and the end result would be fascism. Aren’t corporations fascist while employed for the CEO? Its his rule and if you don’t follow with the crowd then you are fired which is the equivalent of killing off whoever they want on a whim.

Conclusion:
"The civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience; should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of the soul."-Joseph Smith

I think everyone can agree that we can't control the conscience of someone but we can and should punish them that break the rules that keep us all safe or threaten our freedom and rights to live.

Ayn made some powerful arguments about the necesity of not using force which are great and true. But her overall weakness is that her philosophy derives from not wanting or feeling obligated to be responsible for others. She came from the Soviet Union where everything was taken and owned by the Government. Her reaction to that was to leave and go to America where she could keep all that she earned. The problem is that coming from a society of takers doesn't justify not giving.

Malachi 3 outlines "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings." If we have but don't give then we are robbing God, He of course will not (and Satan cannot) force us but we are expected/admonished/commanded to give an offering unto God in the name of Jesus Christ. Its our choice to give or not.

The greatest tools Satan has in getting us to follow him, is by appealing to our selfishness and the only way he is able to exercise power is- if we let him. While it was Satan's plan for us to not have the freedom of choice and be forced to obey, God grants us the ability to choose, but appeals to our charity.

What do we value? Why should man be selfish? Which way leads to freedom? Ayn was very close, she just missed the biggest thing of all- Charity never faileth.

Ayn Rand is Korihor, the Anti-Christ in the Book of Mormon

So, one night I was wondering about the Ayn Rand movement that basically says that selfishness is the only way to a prospering society. She argues the merits and semantics of defending the concepts of capitalism being the only way to be happy and fulfilled because its based on just living for yourself without giving anything back. The argument is basically that the better off you are the better off others are but really its the better off you are the better and screw everyone else.

Ayn Rand is basically Korihor the anti-christ. An anti-christ, by the way, is just anyone who thinks or preaches that there is no need for Christ, that man doesn't need a savior.

Korihor taught that to be rational would be to give up faith in God because "How do ye know of their surety? Behold, ye cannot know of things which ye do not see." He went on to deduce that the reason anyone might believe is because "it is the effect of a frenzied mind."

Ayn Rand taught "Mysticism is the acceptance of allegations without evidence or proof, either apart from or against the evidence of one’s senses and one’s reason. Mysticism is the claim to some non-sensory, non-rational, non-definable, non-identifiable means of knowledge, such as 'instinct,' 'intuition,' 'revelation,' or any form of 'just knowing.'"

"Behold, these things which ye call prophecies, which ye say are handed down by holy prophets, behold, they are foolish traditions of your fathers." -Korihor

"A mystic is a man who surrendered his mind at its first encounter with the minds of others. Somewhere in the distant reaches of his childhood, when his own understanding of reality clashed with the assertions of others, with their arbitrary orders and contradictory demands, he gave in to so craven a fear of independence that he renounced his rational faculty." -Ayn Rand

Alma 30 goes on to describe Korihor's teachings to the people, "telling them that there could be no atonement made for the sins of men, but every man fared in this life according to the management of the creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius."

Ayn Rand makes a strikingly similar proposal to people in her teachings, "The action required to sustain human life is primarily intellectual: everything man needs has to be discovered by his mind and produced by his effort."

Sometimes its hard to really know where Ayn Rand ends and Korihor begins, "that every man conquered according to his strength; and whatsoever a man did was no crime."

Ayn says "the doctrine that concern with one’s own interests is evil means that man’s desire to live is evil—that man’s life, as such, is evil."

Korihor says that those that preach Altruism are glutting themselves on the labors of others- "And ye keep them down, even as it were in bondage, that ye may glut yourselves with the labors of their hands."

Ayn Rand says "It only stands to reason that where there's sacrifice, there's someone collecting the sacrificial offerings. Where there's service, there is someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice is speaking of slaves and masters, and intends to be the master."

Korihor is preaching Ayn Rand's anti-christ teachings way before she ever got on the boat to America.

Besides the things Ayn shares in view of Korihor, there are many other teachings she says in her snotty manner that are anti Christ.

"Money is the barometer of a society's virtue"- Ayn Rand

"Run for your life from any man who tells you that money is evil. That sentence is the leper's bell of an approaching looter."- Ayn Rand

"Wealth is the product of man's capacity to think." -Ayn Rand

She denies the teachings of Christ of reliance on God for everything, for prosperity and morality. The scripture thats repeated the most is the saying "keep the commandments and ye will prosper" and the warning that is repeated the most in all the scriptures is to be aware of pride and faith in material things. As Christ said "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"

There are plenty of Mormons, and Christians alike that admire and respect Ayn Rand's teachings. But, she is in complete disagreement with the altruistic teachings of the Savior Jesus Christ.

Its the oldest debate since Cain killed Abel to get his flocks. When is man "free"? Is he freed by his possessions or through God? Should man justify selfishness or "lay down his life" and "take up his cross" and follow Christ in giving to the poor and the needy?

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

The Charlie character in the Willy Wonka story is a perfect example of how to apply the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

“Charlie, my boy, you won! You did it! You did it! I knew you could do it!...Thats not Slugworth he works for me! I had to test you my boy! You won the jackpot!”

Charlie got a golden ticket to come to the factory with a gang of other children that also won a golden ticket. All of the children but Charlie had serious problems of letting their appetites get the best of them; they were selfish, self satisfying, and uncaring about others. These kids were also the victims of their parents’ weak discipline to just give their kids everything without any sacrifice on the part of the child. While going through the chocolate factory tour with Mr. Wonka, everyone of the kids did something that Willy warned and told them directly not to do. With each kid leaving the tour guide by following their self indulgence, they were led onto another place away from Mr. Wonka’s guidance, never to be seen again in the movie except for Charlie. But, Charlie was allowed to stay on the tour because Wonka had faith in him and didn’t have so much faith in the rest of the group. At the end, Mr. Wonka’s faith in Charlie was rewarded much to his delight and satisfaction.
Earlier in the film, Charlie is approached by a man claiming to be working for a rival chocolate factory and offers Charlie a reward if while in the factory he is able to steal the never ending gobstopper. Charlie steals the Gobstopper but then upon hearing that he didn’t qualify for Mr. Wonka’s reward, Charlie then is quite sad and is about to leave when he does something that we must all do, he returns the never ending gobstopper to Mr. Wonka. What humility! What absolute love! What an impressive offering! Wonka is overjoyed and now is able to trust giving Charlie everything.

I can’t believe I never saw this movie with this light before. Let me break it down. We are represented by Charlie (unless we’re a slave to our appetites, then we’d be one of the kids that didn’t make it). We’re given an opportunity to be let into this magical world with a guide leading us along the way which represents Christ being our shepherd. Satan is given permission to tempt us and test us but really God is watching to see what we’ll do and then reward us. Finally, at the end, Christ says you can’t have the prize because you didn’t do what I said. We are very sad and maybe very bitter as Charlie’s grandpa was at Mr. Wonka saying that it all was a cruel trick. But, instead of setting out to being an enemy to God and cursing his name, we are to give up our pride and love Christ anyway and make an offering to him of our willingness to be loyal to Him. We give up our life for Christ and then He rewards us with everything.

“What do you think of the chocolate factory?”
“Who can I trust to run the factory, take care of the Oompa Loompas for me? Not a grown up, they’d want to run things their way.”

Jesus Christ taught the children to be of the kingdom of God. King Benjamin said “becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father” Just as Wonka couldn’t trust a grown up or a spoiled brat with his factory, God won’t trust us with all that He wants to give us if we’re not worthy and unappreciative of it. “He that is faithful shall be made ruler over many things” (DC 52:13).

The Ostrich Egg

One time there was a servant and a master. The master was peering out from his balcony at his servant. "You down there! I need you to catch this ostrich egg." The servant welcomed the demand as it was his place to do what his master said. "Okay, throw it down!" The master threw down the giant egg to his servant but the servant was unable to catch it and it burst on the rocks below. The servant was very upset to let down his master's simple instruction but there was nothing he could do to about it. The master sent down his son to help clean up the broken egg.

The story reflects our station. The egg is symbolic of our innocence and obligations to God. Everybody is represented by the servant, and God is, of course, the Master. The egg fell, despite the sincerity of the servant's attempt. We too are all fallen from grace and are in a situation of cleaning up. The master sent his son to help us.

Its important to realize our station. We are not without need of help from Christ and others. We shouldn't think our lot thats given to us is unfair or too demanding because its part of God's plan that we be tested. The test though isn't to necessarily "catch the egg" but to realize that the egg broke and we must look to the Son for help. I'm not saying we should give up trying to meet the demands of our Heavenly Father because we're commanded to "love and serve God with all your heart, might, mind, and strength" (Doctrine and Covenants 4:2). I am saying that we must depend on the Savior for help in all our tasks.

Things I Learned at Church Today - The Power of the Priesthood and the Cost of Pride and Vanity

Today's lesson was on the Priesthood and some thoughts stuck out to me as to what is the Priesthood. For those of you who don't know, the Priesthood was given to man as a way of doing the Lord's work such as baptisms and healing the sick. Its an authority thats given from God and can only be used for God. Its sort of like a paycheck that can only be spent on others, if you try to use it for your own selfish reasons then it won't work. The Priesthood is a resevoir of power that is unlocked by our faith.

This priesthood must be given to you from someone who has it. You can't make your own priesthood. Its not something you can buy or sell but its something that enables you to calm the storms of life of life (Mark 4:39) and help the sick and afflicted (Mark 6:13). As Elder Dallin H. Oaks explains "Miracles happen when the authority of the priesthood is used to bless the sick. I have experienced these miracles. As a boy and as a man I have seen healings as miraculous as any recorded in the scriptures, and so have many of you.

"There are five parts to the use of priesthood authority to bless the sick: (1) the anointing, (2) the sealing of the anointing, (3) faith, (4) the words of the blessing, and (5) the will of the Lord. (Healing the Sick).

Another thing I learned about at Church today was Pride. I always keep a note pad with me in case I feel the heavens open up a bit and am able to see inside. This is what I jotted down:
"The basic goal of any life should be to try to give more than take. We're surrounded by opportunity to seek this goal, though its impossibility is apparent. We still should seek this horizon."

I get the sense more and more that giving freely is the only way to live our lives but its nearly impossible to live and not take something. There are so many ways in which we are just in endless, infinite debt to God but we have salvation in that which we consecrate to God. If we consecrate our hearts and our actions unto God, He will receive them and bless us.
Often I feel the pull between looking at service as a chore and opportunity. Sometimes when I'm weak I feel like I try to do just enough to get by but don't give entirely of my portion. We will be held accountable for that which we were given.

In the end, no amount of righteous accomplishment can justify our misdeeds, as in the case of Solomon who was so very wise and close to the Lord but then fell away and got into terrible debt to the Lord. We can't build our vain shrines of our righteousness and expect them to save us because only Christ will save our humble, meek, contrite spirits and broken hearts. We can't talk our way into heaven, for "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."Just like the Prodigal Son's brother who felt the tinge of pride when he was so faithful but yet the celebration for the return of his brother was so great. The Prodigal Son missed out on a lot of blessings but the main thing that was important was that he had a change of heart and gave up his pride. Alma explains this quite eloquently and Alma 5:

26 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?
27 Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God? Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins?
28 Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an one hath not eternal life.
29 Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of envy? I say unto you that such an one is not prepared; and I would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an one is not found guiltless.
30 And again I say unto you, is there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him persecutions?
31 Wo unto such an one, for he is not prepared, and the time is at hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved!
Pride will always be our wedge between ourselves and God.

Another thing I've been thinking about was mercy and sin. They're a bit similar in this way: both when used lets the person have something they don't deserve. When you have mercy you're given something that you didn't do anything to merit and sin is taking something that you're not entitled to. The difference is taking versus receiving. Our pride says that we are entitled to much for nothing. Our humility says that we are grateful for everything because we don't deserve it. Its much easier to take whatever you want versus waiting for everything you need to come upon you but the easy way puts you in debt and eventually the judgment of God will bring you into having to either pay for that debt or seek Christ's ability of getting you off the hook.

Doctrine and Covenants clears up some understanding on the use of the Priesthood of God and avoiding that wedge of Pride that comes between ourselves and the power of God:

36 That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.
37 That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.
38 Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God.
39 We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.
40 Hence many are called, but few are chosen.
41 No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;
42 By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—
43 Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;
44 That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death.
45 Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.
46 The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.

Another thing that comes to mind when thinking about our role as instruments of God is that what you have becomes vain if it is left in your hands. Whatever God entrusts into your care, you must use and seek to magnify it's potential and purpose. We need to seek to consecrate our times and talents unto God, if we wish to seek their full fruition and potential. Vanity is the great tool of Satan to try to make us waste our lives. We must seek the Lord for our completion of selves and not anything else. We can't be whole doing that which is ungodly or that which is wrong. "Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness" (Alma 41:10).

Makes me think of that scripture in Kings 8:61 which says " 61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day." And this is repetitive but the only way to be "perfect with the Lord" is to "walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments" which is to say that we put the Lord first and are willing to sacrifice all else, an absence of attachment or devotion for any worldly vanity. Just as Abraham was willing when asked to sacrifice his only son, we must be willing.

When we lose a near and dear friend, upon whom we have set our hearts, it should be a caution unto us not to set our affections too firmly upon others, knowing that they may in like manner be taken from us. Our affections should be placed upon God and His work, more intensely than upon our fellow beings. -Joseph Smith

Solomon did a lot of great things but then fell into the pride and vanity of the world, even making his house greater in size and cost than that of the Lord's house, the temple. I've realized today something about the price we pay for such extravagantly beautiful temples. Surely, there are many things we could use the money we spend to build them on giving to the poor or needy. But, here is a story that illustrates why such beautiful temples are justified in their cost:

It was a practice in the hot, dusty land of Judea to wash the feet of travelers, and one time after Martha had served a meal to Jesus and his disciples, Mary anointed His feet with spikenard, an expensive ointment. Then, showing her great love for Him, she used her long hair to wipe His feet clean. Judas Iscariot, seeing this, complained that such costly ointment should have been sold and the money given to the poor. Judas, who later betrayed Jesus, was not really concerned about the poor; instead, as keeper of the disciples’ purse, he probably wanted the money for himself. Jesus told Judas, “Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. “For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.”

The first and greatest commandment is "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" and the second is to "love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matthew 22:37,39).

It wasn't money that build the temples but faith and love for God. Money comes and goes, the poor will always be there but the faith and love for God must always abound and then all else will be taken care of.


Notes:
Matthew chapter 6
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Distinguishing Features

I notice in the dealings of God with men, the constant separation and unification themes. Christ spoke of being "One" with the Father and prayed that His disciples would be "One" with Him and Heavenly Father. Many times we see people separating and fighting or unifying in love for God through out the scriptures.

All the inspired books of scripture are mainly concerned with turning the hearts of men to God. And to the turning of the hearts to each other as it says in Malachi 4 "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." Again repeated in Mosiah 18:21, this concept- "And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another."

The greatest commandments are to love God and love each other, "let every man esteem his brother as himself" (Doctrine and Covenants 38:24), while in the servitude of others we are serving God (Mosiah 2:17). "And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people" (4th Nephi 1:15). Later on in 4th Nephi it says they began to be prideful and then "began to be divided into classes; and they began to build up churches unto themselves to get gain, and began to deny the true church of Christ."

When our hearts are turned away from others and God, then we sin and die spiritually which causes separation. The Lord separated from Adam when He "caused that he [Adam] should be cast out from the Garden of Eden, from my presence, because of his transgression, wherein he became spiritually dead" (Doctrine and Covenants 29:41). As we know "He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living" (Mark 12:27) and "as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:22). In our sin, we separate ourselves from God and others, but, in our love, faith and humility in Christ, we reconcile to God and to others.

The righteous and wicked are separated spiritually and often phsycially by "a great and a terrible gulf" (1 Nephi 12:18). Whether it was the righteous seeking a way out of the wicked ways of the society (Lehi, Moses, Brigham Young) or the the wicked seeking to dissent and fall into class distinction and war because of their pride (4th Nephi, Alma 3-4, 3rd Nephi 6) the two societies are always distinct and at opposition. The distinction between the righteous and the wicked is not based on sins, because "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:6-7). So the distinction between the righteous and the wicked isn't sin but Jesus Christ, because He cleanses those that follow Him and walk in the light. The wicked are wicked because because they reject Christ, not because they sin. Remember we're all brethren and children of God.

The Lord often was mocked and criticized by the Pharisees and Sadducees, "saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them" (Luke 15:2). But, Christ responded "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick...I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Matthew 9:12-13). The Lord went to those that would receive Him, not unto those that found no need for a Savior. Another example of this distinction is in Alma 32, when the people were separated by pride and poverty. Alma went preaching and one of the poor said "Behold, what shall these my brethren do, for they are despised of all men because of their poverty, yea, and more especially by our priests; for they have cast us out of our synagogues which we have labored abundantly to build with our own hands; and they have cast us out because of our exceeding poverty; and we have no place to worship our God; and behold, what shall we do? " These people were just like those Christ was with, the humble and poor in heart, the teachable, the repentant, the meek. "And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them, and that they were in a preparation to hear the word." Whats the main distinguishing feature of the righteous? Doctrine and Covenants 97:3 says "Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me."

Besides the inward spiritual separation there are also outward behaviors that reveal distinguishing traits or fruits of the righteous from the wicked. The righteous tend to be industrious (shown here), giving to the poor (shown here), "always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God" (Ether 12:4), and “miracles, signs, and wonders, unto all those who believe" (Doctrine and Covenants 35:8). While the wicked tend to be "an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety" (2 Nephi 5:25), "a lazy and an idolatrous people; therefore they were desirous to bring us into bondage, that they might glut themselves with the labors of our hands; yea, that they might feast themselves upon the flocks of our fields" (Mosiah 9:12). The wicked seem to always strive to take advantage of someone and seek power over others to esteem themselves better than others. As the Lord has outlined "Ye shall know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:16).

The Lord makes many promises to the righteous and stern warnings to the wicked-

"The meek shall inherit the Earth" -Matthew 5:5

"Thou shalt not be idle; for he that is idle shall not eat the bread nor wear the garments of the laborer. " -Doctrine and Covenants 42:42

"They shall fall into the pit which they digged to ensnare the people of the Lord. And all that fight against Zion shall be destroyed." -1 Nephi 22:14

"For after today cometh the burning … all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble; and I will burn them up, for I am the Lord of Hosts; and I will not spare any that remain in Babylon.” -D&C 64:23–24

"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:" -Revelation 3:17

"For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." - Revelation 7:17

“The time is soon at hand that I shall come in a cloud with power and great glory. And it shall be a great day at the time of my coming, for all nations shall tremble. But before that great day shall come, the sun shall be darkened and the moon be turned into blood; and the stars shall refuse their shining, and some shall fall, and great destructions await the wicked." -Doctrine and Covenants 34:7-9

"And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not." -2 Nephi 24:17-18

Notes:
In Jacob 5, the Master of the Vineyard of the "tame and wild olive tress" is working tirelessly to help his olive trees grow without being corrupted. There is a moment in the allegory where the Master says "What more could I have done?" showing that the fruit had become corrupted despite his labors and then once more they labor in the vineyard and are able to lay up some good fruit. The last line of the allegory says "Then will I cause the good and the bad to be gathered; and the good will I preserve unto myself, and the bad will I cast away into its own place. And then cometh the season and the end; and my vineyard will I cause to be burned with fire." Separation of the wheat from the tares. Revelation 3:15-16 says "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." This is probably one of the most descriptively stunning scriptures because it looks at our righteousness in terms of temperature and says we're in the Lord's mouth which sounds confusing but basically the Lord is saying to not be in the middle of the great gulf but to "choose ye this day whom ye will serve" (Alma 30:8).

Politics

"We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members, as citizens, denied. "-Doctrine and Covenants 134:9

Talking about religion and politics often causes outrageous claims and passions to come to the front which often can cause serious contentions and divisions. But, with those divisions there arises unity as well, due to people coming together against a common foe. Christ often spoke of these situations and clarified the concepts of being agreeable and civil but not compromising in faith.

Consider this seemingly contradictory concept:

"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple"- Luke 14:26

vs.

"But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you" -Luke 6:27

and

"But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." Matthew 5:22

and

"Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison." -Matthew 5:25

and

"And according as I have commanded you thus shall ye baptize. And there shall be no disputations among you, as there have hitherto been; neither shall there be disputations among you concerning the points of my doctrine, as there have hitherto been.
For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.
Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away. " -3 Nephi 11:28-30

The Lord says to hate your own family in order to be a disciple? The scriptures afterword clarify that there must be a larger principle here than just that. All the scriptures command us to love others as ourselves and to serve others and especially to love others, even enemies. So why does Jesus say that? Well, a few verses later it says: "So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple." -Luke 14:33. The sense and meaning of Jesus’ instruction is that true disciples have a duty toward God which takes precedence over any family or personal obligation.

One of the most impressive things about the Gospel is that it changes our view of ourselves and others. We're not enemies. We're brothers and sisters. Even those on the other side of the political isle. God has no political party.

Glenn Beck is probably the most recognizable Mormon right now but I don't think he is inpsired by God as much as gold. Thats my opinion (obviously). Really though, it doesn't matter to my salvation if Glenn Beck is right or wrong about the political accusations he makes. My accountability is to God. Its my responsibility to try and help others and share what I can of my own testimony with others but ultimately I have no control at all with what people do and that is such a relief. The Lord will judge the wicked and its only up to me to decide what to do with my time and beliefs. Those in office or those who advocate for others to be in office do so out of their sense of patriotic duty but whats more important than patriotism is brotherhood. If you lose a brother due to politics, what have you gained? If you lose a brother due to your faith in God, you have the blessing of God. Its not good to sacrifice your moral obligations for your sense of patriotic obligations. Its not good to hate your enemies for the sake of a political party.

As it says in Doctrine and Covenants, I believe that one religion's morals shouldn't be manipulating the politics but the people should vote on who they think shares their values. How can you reconcile the difference? Its not always easy to separate church and state, especially in the state of Utah. But, in political affairs we must render unto Caeser's that which is Caeser's and unto God that which is God's. In other words, we should participate in the game but remember overall who's side we are on. Once our obligations to any other activity starts to tip toe and then take over our alligence to God, then we are denying God what is God's. God says to love your enemy but also to vote, by voting you chose one over another but you should still love all. If you begin to hate one then you no longer have the love of God in you (meaning God still loves you but you don't love God). "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar" -1 John 4:20

Politics is good for us to participate in because we learn how to best govern ourselves. Through out the Book of Mormon they went through a few different forms of government and laws. At no point did the system or laws get chastised but the people for their wickedness were always admonished to change. The Lord allowed kings and judges to rule the people but through the prophets were the people to govern themselves to the precepts of God, as it is today. A member of the Legislature, once asked Joseph Smith how it was that he was enabled to govern so many people, and to preserve such perfect order…Joseph remarked that it was very easy to do... “How?” responded the gentleman; “to us it is very difficult.” Mr. Smith replied,
“I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves.”