Life is in the Doing

The problem I see for myself on the Internet is this false sense of accomplishment. Inside our minds we can look back on our actions and that inspires us to do something that will make a difference. Online, its a false sense because online its this world that is created, like a video game where you think by posting something you have somehow accomplished something but back in real life, the day to day daily grind, you haven't accomplished it. There are exceptions of course. But, in the blogosphere, the twitterverse, the facebook world, we are diminished in our participation. Not that participating makes us worse but when we start to really believe in the persona we're creating online is something more than it is. If I have a million hits, or book deals, or people that I am connecting with then that is something but updating statuses, giving a new tweet for nobody, and generally blogging about crap doesn't equal a life.

Life is in the doing. We act, therefore we are. To not be is to not do. So, as we are doing great things we must remember that in a video game or online the chances of life being lived is greatly diminished.

Right now, I feel I've accomplished something. Its a personal breakthrough, but nonetheless will be vain, if I do not have a greater resolute to walk the walk. I feel like the difference here is similar to the difference that is between the pundit and the politician. One is just a critic and one is actually striving to practice what they believe. The critic although may be giving a performance or artistic showing in their critique, they pale in comparison to what they actually contribute to the world. The performer actually is the one who puts themselves out there, who acts. Without acting or doing we are just a shallow two dimensional image of what we want people to see. As thin as our computer monitors.

The narrative in our minds shouldn't be the updates on Facebook, the Tweets, the blogs, but the achievements of being the real person we want so desperately for others to believe we are online. We have to balance our ideal selves with reality and strive to live up to this great challenge that is living our lives.

The Lord has counseled us many times through prophets that we must live for Him and we will have a life. An eternal life. Its a very rigorous time for us to deal with identity as we have a seemingly endless amount of outlets for affirmations today. Our need for validation and expression is a not completely centered around narcissism but definitely can lead to it, as we start believing the images of ourselves we create online.

Many experts are convinced though that this generation is somehow all about ourselves and entitlements. I believe its not our fault if it is true. We have a bombardment of advertisements trying to make us align our identities with our the capacities of our checking accounts. We have constant huge personalities thrown at us that have no substance behind them; reality T.V. stars, Donald Trumps, Lady Gagas, and whoever the press want to milk for headlines that week or whatever we decide we want to look at. In this atmosphere we all want to have our opinions heard as much as others opinions are thrusted upon us by the media and advertisements. Ads tell us to be happy we should do this, while those that are seemingly happy do nothing but model in front of us with their status symbols on their clothes and faces. Its a world where status is everything, a world where this amount of pressure from society leaves us innocuous toward what will truly help others and ourselves feel happy.

We are going through a phase of experimenting with our emotions and technology and there is still so much humanity world. To sum up some of my emotions on this concept-

Retired pastor knows why people don’t like Christians any more
Uncategorized — posted by jeff kunerth on May, 25 2011 12:16 PM

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Retired pastor Kirk Minor remembers a time when working with his church was centered around people, and not rhetoric – and he’s wondering where those days went.

“We’re finding more and more that there are a lot of people out there doing a lot of talking and protesting and bellyaching, but fewer people actually walking the walk,” said Minor, author of Journey Across The Tiber: My Many Rooms. “We have extremists protesting funerals of gay soldiers, pundits decrying the use of abbreviations for the word Christmas and activists campaigning for prayer in public schools. These are all very divisive issues, and have little to do with the good works the Bible wants the faithful to perform.”

Minor bemoans that the Bible has become a book with which to bludgeon people.

“Too many people are using religion as a sword to fight those with whom they disagree, instead of as a plowshare to help their fellow neighbors tend the land and form a community,” said Minor, who retired as a United Methodist Church pastor after 23 years.

The key to reversing the trend, according to Minor, is to use actions more than words, and for people of faith to quietly go about the good works and charity that is at the essence of the Bible’s teachings.

“Shouting louder than the other guys only results in more shouting, which never gets anything done,” he said. “The key is to go about your life, as one of the faithful, and to make sure you actually do at least one thing each day that reflects the faith in which you believe.”

A Life with God

So, lets get a few things straight as to our purpose-

God's purpose as stated in Moses 1:39 is: to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
In John 17:3 it states that life eternal is to know God. Which is echoed by Doctrine and Covenants 132:24

A few other definitions, along with that of eternal life is:

to be spiritually minded 2 Nephi 9:39
believe in him, and to endure to the end 2 Nephi 33:4

We can draw more conclusions on what eternal life means by the constant reference to it by the prophets and the Savior. Basically, its heaven. A life with God.

So, from God's purpose we can deduce our purpose. If He is working to bring us back, then we must also be working, to return back to our heavenly home.

Very simple, really, but very demanding in execution. We must keep the commandments, and there by doing, repent of our wrong doings. To repent we must value eternal life more than our burdensome sins.

The invitation is clear, that we are invited to "the feast" with the Father, in His many mansions. We are only to arrive if by the sacrificing of ourselves, for His will. By giving up our will for His, we give up the reward of our actions, for His reward. Whether we do good openly as a beacon of light or secretly under dark of night, we are rewarded openly.

I've never regretted keeping the commandments. The Holy Ghost doesn't ever give you a feeling of regret. By we are keeping the commandments, we are entitled to the fruits of the Spirit, as mentioned in Galatians 5:22. None of these fruits are bitter but are as Lehi accounts in his dream of partaking of the fruit- I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit. (1 Nephi 8:11-12).

Keeping the commandments with real intent gives you this joy. Keeping the commandments with an absence of sincerity, gives you an absence of great joy. Not keeping the commandments separates you further from God, as Adam and Eve fell, so we all have fallen from God.

The way back to God is Jesus Christ as we all have sinned, He redeems us of our mistakes, as we follow His example. I know that God lives, and that the way to happiness and eternal life is through the following of Jesus Christ.