There is a common error that the ideals of liberty, individualism, limited or no government, and universal inalienable human rights are an invention of Western culture and history. This is not true. In fact, the very opposite is true. The oldest texts to recognize these truths date back almost 2,500 years ago and come from China. This article explores the ancient Chinese history of liberty through the writings of one of history’s greatest and most important philosophers – Lao Tzu, the Old Master.
Category: Peace
What It Means To Be Like Jesus
We talk about being Christ-like all the time. Our hymns repeat the refrain and our children sing about how they are “trying to be like Jesus.” But what does that mean? What was Jesus like as a person? And how could we hope to emulate Him? The question may seem impossible to answer and we may feel despondent under the weight of it. We can know Jesus Christ and we can fulfill His commandment to become like Him. This lost LDS Classic explores what character is, what Christ’s character is, and how we can manifest His character in our thoughts, words, and deeds today. This is how we can possibly, happily, joyfully be like Christ!
The Real History of Easter and Its Symbols
I’m sure that you have heard that Easter is not a Christian holiday, that it is actually a pagan holiday that Christians copied or stole and that the name Easter comes from the pagan goddess Eostre that used to be worshipped on this day. You may have also heard that the reason rabbits and eggs are associated with Easter is because they are signs of sexual fertility and were symbols of the pagan goddess Eostre. This all sounds very convincing. There is just one problem.
None of it is true.
Easter is a completely Christian holiday that has nothing to do with paganism at all.
And here is the historical proof.
The Solutions to The Problems of the Modern World
In an age where powerful elements in society are pushing to do everything from obliterate the very concept of a woman by reducing them to such objectified terms such as “menstruating/birthing person” to trying to normalize exposing children to hypersexualized drag shows in order to desensitize them to sexual promiscuity, homosexuality, and transgenderism, this LDS Classic is one of the best addresses that you’ll ever read. Not only does it pinpoint the heart of darkness, the cause of much hate and danger in society today, but it also shows us how and why the doctrines of Christ can and should give us immense hope for tomorrow.
Great Profiles in Courage: Mary Dyer Executed for Religious Liberty
Mary Dyer is one of the greatest examples of true Christianity in American history. A member of the Society of Friends, a Quaker, she stood up against one of the most authoritarian and autocratic societies to ever exist in North America, the Puritan ran Massachusetts Bay Colony. While plenty of people talk about liberty and religious freedom, Mary did more than talk – she lived and died asserting her basic human rights in the face of a brutalist and oppressive society that would deny her basic rights because of her faith. She is a shining example of what it means to love liberty more than life and what it means to truly live pure Christianity. Her example is a righteous example to us all.
How Can You Be A Good Christian? Part 2
We all know that Christ and His Apostles taught us to love our enemies, to pray for those who use and abuse us, and to serve those who persecute us. These are the basic fundamentals of a Christian life. But often the how and why have eluded us. This article looks at the Sermon on the Mount as the Manual for How to Be a Christian and explores exactly what Christ meant, why it matters how we live, and how we are supposed to live as His disciples. This is how you be a good Christian.
How Can You Be A Good Christian? Part 1
What does it mean to be a Christian? We talk a lot about how to become a Christian, but how to be a good Christian often gets lost in the debate. This article and its sequel are designed exactly to address the question of what it means to be a Christian by looking at what Christ and His Apostles taught about who we are, what our relationships to God and each other are, and how we are supposed to treat everyone in our life. This article is about what it means to be a good Christian and how being one transforms not only you but the entirely world around you.
What Is A Christian’s Duty To The Government?
What did Jesus Christ teach about the duty that Christians owe to the governments of the nations they live in? What did the Apostles teach about what the duty of a Christian is to the governments of the nations that Christians live in? What do Christ and His Apostles teach about the relationship between Christians and the governments of the world? What did Christ and His Apostles teach about the government of God and the Christian’s loyalty to it? IN this article I use the New testament to answer all these questions and explain exactly what the Bible teaches about the relationship of the true disciple of Jesus Christ and the governments of the world.
What Can Men Do Against Such Reckless Hate?
I recently finished a rewatch of the Lord of the Rings. As always, I was struck by the drama and courage of Théoden and the Riders of Rohan as they made what seemed like a last stand against the overwhelming might of the armies of Saruman. Instead of surrender or retreat they trusted in the words of Gandalf the White and stood against evil no matter what the cost to them, even if it cost their lives. There is a great lesson for us to learn here about how we should live. Using examples from throughout the scriptures I discuss how we can stand against the reckless hate of the world we live in today.
What Mormon Teaches Us About War And Loving Our Enemies
Whenever I point out that Captain Moroni’s example doesn’t justify modern Saints going to war because he lived the Law of Moses and we live the Law of Christ and that modern revelation commands us to renounce war completely the response is inevitable. I always get some version of, “What about Mormon and his son, Moroni? They were baptized Christians who fought in wars. If they can do it, why can’t we?” By looking at what the scriptures, I answer this question and show why Mormon and Moroni do not justify us joining modern day wars.