From our earliest days, when the Prophet Joseph and Patriarch Hyrum suffered in Liberty Jail and died in Carthage Jail, to the Saints spending nearly 30 years resisting Federal anti-polygamy laws, practicing civil disobedience and being willing to go to prison in order to serve God, on down to the modern day we have examples of the lives of great Saints who have repeatedly broken the laws of the land in order to do what is right and to serve God. Latter-day Saint history is full of rebels and rogues, people who would rather be exiled from the nation, who would rather be killed, than disobey the Lord. So how is it that so many of us have become so milquetoast about standing up the government tyranny? Why is it that so many of us think that the Saints should “strictly obey the laws of the government in which they live,” even when such laws aren’t just wrong or immoral, but even when said laws actively compel us either to disobey God or punish us for obeying Him? While there are numerous reasons, one of the largest is because Latter-day Saints have misinterpreted the Twelfth Article of Faith, D&C 58:21, and D&C 134:5 as giving commandments to the Saints to obey the law and to comply even with evil laws. A close examination of these scriptures though, as I attempt here, show that such interpretations are, by the large, gross nonsense.
Category: Joseph Smith
Exaltation, The Endowment, and The Divine Council
The LDS Temple Endowment and its deep, ancient, rich symbolism is very often unknown and misunderstood even by Latter-day Saints. We live in an age so literal and devoid of mythic symbolism that even the most simplistic rituals can be seen as strange and confusing to the modern man. This is even more so for the Endowment, which is steeped in ritual and symbolism as old as history itself. Here I attempt to peel back one of these layers of mystery by exploring the Endowment in relation to the scriptural concept of the Divine Council of the Gods and what understanding this teaches us not only about the Endowment but the purpose of the Endowment and the Temple in the lives of the Saints.
The Modern Moloch, Part 5: The Political Messiah
In the former parts of this series we have explored how the State, the government, is in form and function an idolatrous death cult as well as how the cult functions in our daily lives, indoctrinating us into its service from childhood. As we have explored these issues the question has arisen of how such an organization developed in the first place and what is its ultimate end? To answer that we must start before even the Beginning and range across time and scripture to beyond even the very End of the World- going from the Council in Heaven to the Apocalypse. Here we find out the Satanic origins of the Cult of the State, see how it is described in the revelations of the prophets Nephi and John the Revelator, explore some of the most important yet confusing symbols in scriptures -the great and abominable church in the Book of Mormon and Revelation’s Dragon, Beast, Antichrist, and the Whore of Babylon- and see what scripture tells us about the ultimate downfall of the State and all the governments of the world.
How We Win: The Complete Series on How Nonviolence Can Help Change Society
What follows below was originally released as three separate parts, but, intended from the start to be read as one whole article, but ended up being too long. Each article works singularly, but the full force of the argument is somewhat disjointed by the need to break it up for easier consumption. Here the original article is restored for those who wish to take it in as one complete work. It explores how nonviolent action would not only help the protestors in the street win allies, change hearts, and alter laws, but how nonviolence makes possible the transformation of our society from what it is into one with greater liberty, equality, and prosperity for all.
What Is God’s Latter-day Church and Kingdom?
An excellent article from early church history that testifies to the supreme authority of the Kingdom of God, the destiny of it to fill the world, the assurance that all the kingdoms of men will one day submit to it, and the power of trusting in the justice and mercy of God. A classic in Latter-day Saint literature.
How We Win: Part 3- The Way to Tomorrow
In Part 3 of 3 of my series about how to bring about true social change through nonviolence, I explore the power of nonviolence to bring about reconciliation, transforming our enemies into our friends, and to create a better world through mercy.
Was Joseph Smith A Pedophile?
Anti-Mormons like to hurl the accusation that Joseph Smith was a pedophile at members as a way to attack their faith. The facts of history say otherwise though.