This is a diary entry along with a little venting:
So, I sent the following information (in blue, below) to a member of my Bishopric that is over the area of the ward that I serve in with my wife. It was in response to me "teaching false doctrine" in the class. While the three year olds were coloring away on their pictures of Moses raising the rod prior to crossing the Red Sea, I took the opportunity to tell a few of the adults there my exciting discovery about the Rod of Aaron vs the Gift of Aaron in D&C 8.
Yes - kids who can barely count to 3 let alone understand what a tent is (I was trying to explain the ten commandments and about the tabernacle in the wilderness yesterday), were like 99.999998% chance of not understanding the least of what I was talking about to the adults there helping my wife and I, even if it were truly apostate information. So, we passed on this cool information a few weeks ago and similar adults were there yesterday, so I relayed my "sin" to them joking about how silly it was to a guy who was subbing in for my wife and who also got kicked out of subbing in for Seminary after "teaching false doctrine"....
After class, I was in the hall and bumped into the guy who has called me out for wearing sandals to church (when my foot was swollen after driving three days non-stop across Canada), having facial hair and so much else (of course, I picture this guy yelling from the crowd to "Crucify him!!! Crucify him!!! in Pharisaical fashion...). SMH.... And we wonder why people who are not perfect cookie cutters - but who have great hearts - leave and never come back. My MIL is among those who were driven out/ostracized after a divorce and that rigidity has resulted in shock waves. I think of all of those sons who could have gone on missions, etc if people had shown a little more empathy and love, etc. Ah, the devil is crafty at his game.... Most are just there to commune with God. Again, it is clear that the gospel must be true - because the work still manages to go forward in spite of the rest of the equation. So sad - because I do not think we can make it through the narrow spot between now and Zion, until we change that attitude towards our brothers and sisters and shed our destructive traditions. Jesus said it best when speaking to the Pharisees of the day, that their pedigrees and genealogies are useless unless their hearts are in the right place. Basically, he could turn the stones into better children of Abraham than the self-righteous Jews were.... Dumb as a rock (spiritually) comes to mind....
I cannot help but think about how important it is here in Cardston to be from one of the founding families. Usually, you are asked who you are related to. It is immaterial; we are all children of God. End of story. God can raise up rocks who can serve more easily and effectively if we become filled with pride over our genealogies. There is a lot of looking down on the local natives (who admittedly can have substance abuse issues - and often can bring on crime due to needing drug money, etc). BUT, the more righteous part of them will win the day when their brothers and sisters from the 10 tribes come through and take them to their glorious destiny in the NJ. Meanwhile, they are trodden upon by the Canadian government and by many of the citizens, completely unaware of their role in treading down the wicked Gentiles (us), when we have been brought low by (likely) disease and war with other Gentile/Heathen nations (read China, Iran/Indian and Russia - and possibly Brazil; BRIC).
So I am standing in the hall talking with this fellow and asked him if he got my Messenger the other week correcting him on his calling me out on "false doctrine". I had my back to the foyer as he pointed out that it was a "nefarious comment". That was stated again as the Bishop (a guy who has his head on straight from everything my daughter tells me) walked past me. Forgive me for being ignorant of the real meaning of nefarious - but I would have corrected him yet again on the usage of that word:
ne·far·i·ous/nəˈferÄ“É™s/adjective(typically of an action or activity) wicked or criminal.
Sheesh.... Thankfully, I was ignorant so it did not really blow up. But I could tell he was pretty mad that I had called him out. I am not sure if it is an authority thing? Or what, but I respect those who merit it. Apologizing for a mistake is part of earning my respect.
So, I continue to get called out. He then explains that the words of a current Prophet trump anything from someone who was a two-time member of the First Presidency and the Church Historian for over 20 years (concurrent responsibilities). Lund would have been the next Prophet had he not died from a chronic duodenic ulcer at 77 years old in 1921. Still not good enough for my "Crucify him!!" buddy. I pointed out that the section in the D&C referencing that is still in the D&C. Not good enough for him. Point out that the Book of Commandments published first and then one or two early editions of the D&C still reference the original wording and those are still doctrine and not nefarious information....
Needless to say, it did not go well. People hate logic and common sense.
Meanwhile, I will still try and figure out what was so offensive about finding out about a relic that is on par with the Liahona or even possibly the Urim and Thumim (probably more correctly, the seer stone) that is in the church archives, etc. The way things are worded in verse 9, it makes me wonder if it literally pointed to the spot in the valley (not much unlike a dousing rod in the search for water), where the temple would be placed (Brigham Young: "Here, we shall build a temple to our God!"), where it would rest just above the massive granite plug that rises out of the SL Valley - that will keep it from subsiding during the "big one" on the Wasatch Fault). So much cool stuff out there.... This stuff just turns my crank! The problem I think is this: people are actually embarrassed by this stuff (relics) and consider them backwards or primitive? As such, they have little faith or belief in this kind of stuff, therefore they just want it to go away? For the unbelieving DoC crowd, this kind of thing would only serve to bolster anything good about Brigham Young. Rods of God, seerstones, etc tend to not work in the hands of one who is wicked (has nefarious intent...), so if Brigham was able to receive revelation through it as to where to build the temple so that it indeed will stand through an EQ so large that mountains are literally displaced, then he may just not have been a Joseph murderer and impostor. See the implications here? Those who are incapable of having miracles in their lives for whatever reason, see it as impossible only because they are not endowed with such power/means, so it seems ludicrous and impossible to conceive of.
I love knowledge and decry anyone that bats it down. When I relayed this whole thing to my wife, she just said maybe it is time to leave (Cardston). This truly is the manifestation of the salt losing it's savor. The Jews of the day were VERY good at keeping every jot and tittle of the Law - but horribly bad at keeping the true intent of it as their wickedness and adulterating behavior smothered out what it truly meant to be disciples of Christ.
I was talking to my BYU student yesterday about relationships and what are the most important elements in making it work for me, and the thing that makes it special/meaningful for me and way better than any amount of mind-blowing sex, good cooking, earning potential, back rubs, etc: is that my woman loves and understands the Gospel as well as funky arcane and cool knowledge like this stuff. I could not live without that love of learning (and open mindedness enough to accept the near impossible) in my life. All else pales by comparison to that. It also helps that she is wise, gentle (when I need correcting) and a very attractive 50+ year old!
6 Now this is not all thy agift; for you have another gift, which is the gift of Aaron; behold, it has told you many things;
7 Behold, there is no other power, save the power of God, that can cause this gift of Aaron to be with you.
8 Therefore, adoubt not, for it is the gift of God; and you shall hold it in your hands, and do marvelous works; and no power shall be able to take it away out of your hands, for it is the bwork of God.
9 And, therefore, whatsoever you shall ask me to tell you by that means, that will I grant unto you, and you shall have knowledge concerning it.
10 Remember that without afaith you can do nothing; therefore ask in faith. Trifle not with these things; do not bask for that which you ought not.
11 Ask that you may know the mysteries of God, and that you may atranslate and receive knowledge from all those ancient records which have been hid up, that are bsacred; and according to your faith shall it be done unto you.
12 Behold, it is I that have spoken it; and I am the same that spake unto you from the beginning. Amen.
Interesting to note in the initial hand written version the word rod was not mentioned but sprout was "O remember these words & keep my commandments remember this is thy gift now this is not all for thou hast another gift which is the gift of working with the sprout Behold it hath told you things Behold there is no other power save God that can cause this thing of Nature to work in your hands for it is the work of God & therefore whatsoever ye shall ask to tell you by that means that will he grant unto you that ye shall know remember that without faith ye can do nothing trifle not with these things do not ask for that which ye had not ought ask that ye may know the mysteries " https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/revelation-book-1/7#ft-historical-intro
ReplyDeleteIt's a cool story either way, even if it's anecdotal. Definitely wouldn't call it "nefarious". There are plenty of actual nefarious things in the world and the church to keep him occupied. He's just cheapening the word that point.
ReplyDeleteI made a comment in Sunday school a while back that I thought was doctrinally sound. A woman in our ward contacted me later with quotes from Joseph Fielding Smith that contradict what I had said. I'm still not sure what I said was wrong, but I gave her my standard response: "Thank you for correcting me, we're all here to learn." Even though I didn't agree she was right, it really wasn't that hard to admit it to keep the peace because nobody's salvation was at risk. If there's anything that 17 years of marriage has taught me it's that the phrase "maybe you're right" goes a long way.