DEGANAWIDAH THE IROQUOIS PROPHET AND THE REMNANT SPOKEN OF IN THE BOOK OF MORMON?

You will probably have to dig pretty hard to find the actually prophecy in this blog about Deganawidah (who may have been Christ or another chosen servant), but I think this prophecy references a remnant who might be part of the remnant spoken of in the Book of Mormon. Some of the remnant have been instructed to go to the mountains for safety during the coming conflict - others will be sought out when the Saints are driven South just before returning to the New Jerusalem to receive their inheritances.

Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDBN3nJ1q4o


It will truly be an awe inspiring time to live. Only those who have the Spirit for their guide and who abhor violence and love the truth will be allowed to stand.

A COMMEMORATION OF 9/11

On this day (9/11), I have to do something to show the downfall of this nation. This is truly sad. We did what we did to the Branch Davidians (right or wrong), but we let this happen in the name of political correctness.



Let me be very clear on this day that has largely become a symbol of sacrifice of our public "servants", I do not worship our troops, I do not worship our police, I do not worship our fire fighters, I do not worship anyone that gets paid for what they do (they are largely over-paid fat cats in my opinion - not the George Washingtonian public servant model). It is simply a job - and they are amply compensated for what they do and the level of danger and that is their reward. They feel it is their calling just as I feel my line of work is mine. However, I DO have respect and reverence for a humble missionary who travels largely without purse or scrip and is rejected by the proud and haughty but who perseveres in faith. It is missionary armed with God's word who will largely change the world over those armed with instruments of death and force who will compel change. Lets not forget through all of the killing that occurred in the Book of Mormon, it was a few dedicated missionaries who changed an entire culture to the correct side - so much so that the former "bad guys" sent missionaries to set the former "good guys" straight before the Lord came. Lets keep things in perspective folks.

ONE MIGHTY AND STRONG - WHO IS IT??

This is a topic that seems to get alot of attention in the speculative crowd - and for once, I have zero formed opinion. The Fundamentalists seem to have alot to say while the mainstream LDS are largely silent on the matter.

The one thing I do know is that Section 85 is clear that there will be one who will come and set things in order after the purge has begun in the Church and the chaff has been separated out. I look forward to this event with great anticipation. For over 140 years we have largely been adrift - acutely so in the last 50 years. World political and social events dictate that we are on the cusp of major change which will necessitate folks to move one direction or the other.

This is the best grouping of information I have seen yet on the matter (click on the colored text):

http://www.archive.org/stream/onemightystronga00clarrich#page/38/mode/2up/search/Bishop

ENJOY!!

MOSIAH HANCOCK VISION OF THE PRE-EXISTENCE

If you have delved into this blog, you will know that I have a few favorites. One of them is Mosiah - quite a character and pioneer. I study those people who were present with the Prophet and who received teachings undiluted and who then faithfully recorded them - thus eliminating any cultural or historical revisionism that occurred within the next few decades after the martyrdom in 1844.

Not sure if this description was one of Mosiah when he received his Calling and Election sure, but I thought it was interesting, the description of the Spirit World before coming to this earth:

A Vision of The Pre-Mortal Existence of Spirits Given to Mosiah Hancock in 1853

Compiled By Glen W. Chapman May 1996

From Writings of Early Latter-day Saints Chap. Mosiah Hancock Auto, typescript, BYU-SPg 56

"I shall now return to Payson. {visions} About the time I was one and twenty years of age, I know not whether to call it a dream or a vision; some have classed it a dream. I do not expect to give it in full: for to me it is sacred, beyond expression, especially some things I have no power to describe in words or to express in writing. Me thought I was taken away somewhere to Oh! such a Glorious Realm. I saw He whom at that time we Reverently spoke of as The Great Eternal. I saw the females at his right side. I have no idea of their number. I there saw the Savior; and calling me by name He said, "Mosiah, I have brought you here that you may know how it was before you went to yonder earth." Thinks I, What earth? for it seemed to me that I had no knowledge of an earth. He said, "As it is written in the Beginning, God created man, male and female, created He them." "And know you that no man is man without female, and that in the Lord. And no female is female without the male, and that in the Lord." I shall not attempt to tell how they were formed...suffice it to say, they were created in pairs, the male and his female. And as they came up to the throne of the Great Eternal the mothers seemed to name the females, and Oh! the respect they seemed to entertain for each other as they marched forth. The right elbow of the female seemed to touch the left elbow of the male. I should judge the males, generally to be about six feet two inches in height, and the females some three or four inches less. Their forms seemed as perfect as a new born infant, with no interference. They marched forth clothed in robes of a light color, tied in front.

They were instructed in everything that could be imagined, the finest oratory and everything of literary turn, including astronomy, trigonometry, surveying and the use of most delicate machinery. The females were taught to weave, to knit, to sew and to work in everything in their departments. Oh! the music of those spheres; I seem inadequate to touch upon the least of those accomplishments of the Heavenly Characters. Yet they were so orderly and harmonious that it seemed as if one could hear a pin drop. I saw some who became more efficient in science or other knowledge and they were advanced from class to class. It seemed as if the female always kept with her companion for they were always together, for I never saw one fall behind. Even those who had been placed to overlook the classes were always together. The male overlooking the males and his female overlooking females. I even had a companion with me that needed no prompting. It seemed that I had been with the Savior so long, it seemed that I wore the same vesture as his. All at once a Heavenly voice seemed to reverberate, as it were, through the immensity of space and said: 'Hear all ye, Oh my children! We have a world for you on which you can dwell and you can have the chance on coming up as we have come up.' We then gathered together in counsel to devise means of redemption, should it be needed. One arose whom I had always looked upon as the Savior and said that he would go down and lay before the Children of men the gospel that they might have the chance of attaining the glory as the Gods had done by the obedience to the Divine Plan of Life. Then I saw another who supposed his plan to be superior to the plan of the first for he said that he would save all; only that he wanted the glory. I saw that he and his plan were not accepted, so there was considerable commotion. At last I saw, as it were, a platform extended where the contest could be decided. I was indignant at the opposition as we fought with our opponents. The one called Levi became my father, and the one called Clarissa was my mother here on earth. My father seemed a savior as he strove to bring me up in the admonition of the Lord; and blessed be the name of my parents. Clarissa became my mother and she certainly did a Christian duty to me. But there are others who have no right with me or mine, that I cheerfully leave in the hands of One that I know doeth all things well. Although I have been weak at times, I trust that I can be worth of Glory hereafter.

Addendum

"When about twenty-one years of age, I was permitted by the power of God, to go into His presence and into my former abode. I saw the Eternal Father on His throne and His wives on His left side, all shining in glory, I saw the Savior and knew Him. It takes the power of the Holy Ghost to tell the difference between the Father and the Son, they look so much alike Jesus said: 'Mosiah, I have brought you here to show you how it was before you went to the earth.' I had been to the earth; everything looked so natural and familiar. I seemed to have been a companion of the Savior and talked with him like a friend. Again, He spoke to me and said: "Look and see man as he came forth." I looked in the direction indicated and saw an innumerable line of God's children extending further than I could see. They were arranged in pairs, male and female, and passed in front of the Eternal Father who named them; and they were clad in long white robes with girdles tied around the waists; each pair seemed to have been created mates. "

"When thus clothed; they were arranged in classes of about two hundred; the males sitting in front and the females behind them. They were taught in the arts and sciences, and everything necessary to make the heart happy The teachers of the classes received the instruction they imparted from certain notable ones, who in turn got their directions from the Father and the Son- I thought I was one to overlook the classes; I also saw Joseph, Brigham and many others engaged in this work of education. I thought as some became more efficient than others they were advanced from class to class I thought my name was Mosiah, and the names of the other brethren there were the same as upon the earth. All at once there was a gathering of these spirits and the voice of the Great Eternal (for that is what we called God there) spoke: "Oh, ye my children," and His voice penetrated throughout space, so countless were His offspring "We have an earth prepared for you, on which you can dwell and have a chance to come up, thru obeying our Heavenly laws."

"I there heard the question asked: "Who will go down and set an example of humility and faithfulness to these my children, that they may be brought, thru obedience to our laws, back into our presence?"

"I thought I saw one in the express image of the Father say, "Father, I will go down and set a pattern of humility and patience that your children, thru my example, may be brought back again." How noble, I thought, He looked when He offered Himself to patient before the children of our Father

I saw another, who seemed to be a very high military officer who arose and said: 'I will go down to yonder earth and surely I will bring all your children back to you so none of them shall be lost.'

The plan of the first was accepted as being the only sure plan for an exaltation The plan of the second was rejected with great kindness, but the second was not satisfied; and while the first stood in great humility by the side of the Father, the second with many who stood in with him, went about among the Heavenly hosts to advocate the plan, that was put forth as the rights of the second. This one was Lucifer, a son of the morning, for any had been with the Father for countless ages, and learned their lessons well, and he had been no dull scholar. Finally Lucifer openly rebelled against the Father and the Son and six other mighty ones who stood faithful with them and declared, ''I will have it my way." I saw the faithful ones gather around the Father and the Son, and Lucifer's workers gathered around him, when one of the notable ones, who was called Michael, arose and said, 'We will decide the contest' It seemed that a platform was extended into space,. upon which we could operate, by what power I could not tell. We who were faithful to the Father and the Son, had a white star upon us, and the others chose a red star, about one third of the males and females would not accept of either star, but withdrew from the conflict, the females taking the males by the arm, said, "Come, let us not take part with either side. Let us retire-" (When they were cast out after the manner of spiritual warfare,) they had no power to return. When they were all cleared from the platform and Satan and his followers were all cast down, their female companions wept, and we all wept. "

"No females took part against the Father and the Son, but all took sides in their favor, except the. neutral ones already mentioned. After the tears were dried, from our eyes, the voice of the Great Eternal spoke again and said, 'Hear, O ye my children;' His voice penetrating the immensity of space so that all could hear it; it is decreed by the Great Eternal that the females shall not follow their males in their banishment, but for every male that has kept his first estate and fought valiantly for the Father and the Son, there are two females. Again it is decreed that those males who have taken no part in this great conflict shall keep their females and a race of servants shall they be.' I then saw that the notable ones who had taken such an interest in the rights of the Father and the Son were appointed to gather up those lone females whose companions had been cast down They were again placed in classes. each man having two females in the ranks behind him. I there saw that they were again taught in their classes, which now contained about three hundred. I next saw Michael and his companion proceed a long way off, to people the earth where Lucifer and his FOLLOWERS HAD BEEN CAST. As time passed, other notable ones followed as they were appointed. During all this time the classes met frequently, being taught by instructors appointed. Each member knew his or her own-place, and took it each time, and the best of order prevailed. They were asked, first the males, and then the females behind them, 'Will you obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ, when you go to that earth?' Some would answer, yes, but not all. Some could be asked, Will you obey that law which placed the Gods on high? And in very few cases I would hear the females say, 'I want my own mate' Sometimes the question would be asked of a male, "Will you obey that higher law? and he would answer, 'I wish to enjoy myself with the females' Sometimes when the question would be asked of the females she would reply 'I wish to enjoy myself with the males.' Again the question would be asked of the males, 'If you will not join the Church of Christ, what do you wish to be? He would sometimes say, 'I wish to be a judge, or an officer of high rank among the people ' Then he would be asked, 'Will you sustain the laws of God and also the rights of all mankind?' and the answer in every instance was, 'yes. ' I saw there that those who were proficient in their classes were advanced more rapidly until they became most perfect in those heavenly teachings, but some males, even there in Heaven would neglect their females and their classes and not meet with them. They would go off, arm in arm, as men now go, not having any desire for their duties. I never saw a female leave her place in the class assigned her by the Heavenly powers. I saw Abraham, when he came back from the earth, and many of the notable ones, when they came back to be crowned I saw them step upon the platform of the Gods and receive their crowns, and enter into their exaltations. At last I saw the time when Joseph was to go forth, and the voice of the Great Eternal said, 'Oh, my neglected daughters, gather around these my faithful servants who have been faithful in teaching you the principles of righteousness and of our kingdom, that others may come up and have the chance to be glorified-'' I saw many of them gather around Joseph and form a ring with him and the Savior in the center. They made a covenant with him that they would meet him on the earth and help him establish that great work upon the earth. I saw many of them gather around Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and many other notable ones, and around many who have not become so notable. They formed rings around each of them with Christ in the center each time, for He rehearsed to them the Covenant. They would take each other by the hand, in the circle and bow their faces down to Him, in the center, and in the most solemn manner agree to meet them here, until every one of those neglected daughters was provided for; and they were filled with such joy that their songs made a paradise of the realm."

"At last The time came for me to go to the earth. The Savior came to me and said, 'Mosiah, it is time for you to prepare to go. You have been faithful so long here it is time for you to go, that you may return and be as we are.' As I beheld Him, I thought, 'How is it that I am not as you are now? For it seemed, that I knew nothing of the earth or the changes a probation there would make in me. However, I said, 'Who will go down to that earth, and be my father, and help me that I may be brought in the ways of truth and righteousness?'' A male by the name of Levi stepped forth, in the presence of the Son, and said, 'I will go down to yonder earth, and by the help of the Great Eternal, I will try to do as well by you as you have done for me, for I am grateful to you for all your kindness to me.' He returned to his place, being an instructor of a class. I was one among others who was appointed to instruct him and the other teachers of classes. A female came out of the class and bowing before the Savior and me, said, 'I will go down and be your mother.' In a short time the man disappeared and was immediately followed by the woman. I knew my departure was near at hand and I asked, 'If on my return I could have the same position I then held.' Then the Savior said, Yes, and greater, but you have to go down to the earth, and take a lowly position and be misunderstood by man, even your brethren and endure many hardships ant set many examples of humility and patience, that you may return and enter the glory, even such as I have.' He then added, 'Your time is now come to take your mission to the earth,' and He laid His hands on my head, as He had done to others, and set me apart for that important mission. He again said to me, 'I will see you safely thru until you return again.' I fully believe on that promise. It seemed as though a way was opened before me, and I dived down toward the earth with the speed of lightening and awoke while sailing thru space.

The End.

Mosiah Hancock

IRAN'S THREATS - CAN OR WILL THEY MAKE GOOD??

For the most part, I dismiss the likes of Castro, Chavez and Iran's leader (don't even care to learn his name....) because they are just too far into the freak zone.

One guy that really does make me uneasy is Iran's nutcase prez. Here is the article:

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.d73b000b856f02a55ee524fc9fff94e4.611&show_article=1

My concern is that we have statements from people like Sarah Menet who said 15 years ago that Iran would launch a nuke to Israel from Northern Africa (probably the Shahab 3 shown above - thanks N Korea and Russia....) and nail Tel Aviv (a rather worldly city - the Las Vegas of Israel). I do not doubt that as completely possible, given what has transpired in the last 15 years.

Time will tell - and I think prove her words correct.....

A NIBLEY ROAST ON PRIDE AND ARROGANCE

I have never much been into pomp and circumstance - to the point I did not attend my own graduation at BYU. It was about the knowledge gained, not the stupid piece of paper and the ridiculous clothes worn.

So, to read this is really rich. I love Hugh Nibley and others who just say it the way that it is:

Leaders to Managers: The Fatal Shift
Hugh W. Nibley
Provo, Utah: Maxwell InstituteThe views expressed in this article are the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the position of the Maxwell Institute, Brigham Young University, or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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Leaders to Managers: The Fatal Shift

Hugh W. Nibley

This speech was delivered at the BYU commencement ceremony on 19 August 1983 after Nibley had received an honorary doctor of letters degree; it was published as "Leaders to Managers: The Fatal Shift," Dialogue 16/4 (Winter 1983): 12—21.

Twenty-three years ago today, if you will cast your minds back, on this same occasion I gave the opening prayer in which I said: "We have met here today clothed in the black robes of a false priesthood . . ." Many have asked me since whether I really said such a shocking thing, but nobody has ever asked what I meant by it. Why not? Well, some knew the answer already; and as for the rest, we do not question things at "the BYU." But for my own relief, I welcome this opportunity to explain.

Why a priesthood? Because these robes originally denoted those who had taken clerical orders; and a college was a "mystery," with all the rites, secrets, oaths, degrees, tests, feasts, and solemnities that go with initiation into higher knowledge.

But why false? Because it is borrowed finery, coming down to us through a long line of unauthorized imitators. It was not until 1893 that "an intercollegiate commission was formed . . . to draft a uniform code for caps, gowns, and hoods" in the United States.1 Before that there were no rules. You could design your own; and that liberty goes as far back as these fixings can be traced. The late Roman emperors, as we learn from the infallible DuCange, marked each step in the decline of their power and glory by the addition of some new ornament to the resplendent vestments that proclaimed their sacred office and dominion. Branching off from them, the kings of the tribes who inherited the lands and the claims of the empire vied with each other in imitating the Roman masters, determined to surpass even them in the theatrical variety and richness of caps and gowns.

One of the four crowns worn by the Emperor was the mortarboard. The French kings got it from Charlemagne, the model and founder of their royal lines. To quote DuCange:

When the French kings quitted the palace at Paris to erect a Temple of Justice, at the same time they conferred their royal adornments on those who would preside therein, so that the judgments that came from their mouths would have more weight and authority with the people, as if they were coming from the mouth of the Prince himself. [That's the idea of the robe of the prophet, descending on his successor.] It is to these connections that the mortarboards and the scarlet and ermine robes of the Chancellors of France and the Presidents of Parlement are to be traced. Their gowns or epitogia [the loose robe thrown over the rest of the clothing, to produce the well-known greenhouse effect] are still made in the ancient fashion. . . . The name "mortarboard" is given to the diadem because it is shaped like the mortarboard which serves for mixing plaster, and is bigger on top than on the bottom.2

But where did the Roman emperors get it? For one thing, the mortarboard was called a Justinianeion, because of its use by the Emperor Justinian, who introduced it from the East. He got his court trappings and his protocol from the monarchs of Asia, in particular the Grand Shah, from whom it can be traced to the khans of the steppes and the Mongol emperors, who wore the golden button of all wisdom on the top of the cap even as I do now. The shamans of the North also had it, and among the Laplanders it is still called "the Cap of the Four Winds." The four-square headpiece topped by the golden tassel—the emergent Flame of Full Enlightenment—also figures in some Buddhist and Lamaist representations. But you get the idea: this Prospero suit is pretty strong medicine—"rough magic" indeed!3

Another type of robe and headdress is described in Exodus and Leviticus and the third book of Josephus's Antiquities, i.e., the white robe and linen cap of the Hebrew priesthood, which have close resemblance to some Egyptian vestments.4 They were given up entirely, however, with the passing of the temple and were never even imitated after that by the Jews. Both their basic white and their peculiar design, especially as shown in the latest studies from Israel, are much like our own temple garments. This is not the time nor the place to pursue a subject in which Brother Packer wisely recommends a judicious restraint. I bring it up only to ask myself, "What if I appeared for an endowment session in the temple dressed in this outfit I'm wearing now?" There would be something incongruous about it, perhaps even comical. But why should that be so? The original idea behind both garments is the same—to provide a clothing more fitting to another ambience, action, and frame of mind than that of the warehouse, office, or farm. Doctrine and Covenants 109 describes the function and purpose of the temple as much the same as those of a university: A house where all seek learning by study and faith, by a discriminating search among the best books (no official list is given—you must search them out), and by constant discussion—diligently teaching "one another words of wisdom"; everybody seeking greater light and knowledge as all things come to be "gathered in one"—hence university (D&C 109:7, 14; 42:36).

Both the black and the white robes proclaim a primary concern for things of the mind and the spirit, sobriety of life, and concentration of purpose removed from the largely mindless, mechanical routines of your everyday world. Cap and gown announced that the wearer had accepted certain rules of living and been tested in special kinds of knowledge.

What is wrong, then, with the flowing robes? For one thing, they are somewhat theatrical and too easily incline the wearer, beguiled by their splendor, to masquerade and affectation. In the time of Socrates, the Sophists were making a big thing of their special manner of dress and delivery.5 It was all for show, of course, but it was "dressing for success" with a vengeance, for the whole purpose of the rhetorical brand of education which they inaugurated and sold at top prices to the ambitious youth was to make the student successful as a paid advocate in the law courts, a commanding figure in the public assemblies, or a successful promoter of daring business enterprises by mastering those then irresistible techniques of persuasion and salesmanship which the Sophists had to offer.

That was the classical education which Christianity embraced at the urging of the great St. Augustine. He had learned by hard experience that you can't trust revelation because you can't control it—the Spirit bloweth where it listeth (John 3:8); and what the church needed was something more available and reliable than that, something commodior et multitudini tutior ("handier and more reliable for the public") than revelation or even reason, and that is exactly what the rhetorical education had to offer.

At the beginning of this century, scholars were strenuously debating the momentous transition from Geist to Amt, from spirit to office, from inspiration to ceremony in the leadership of the early church, when the inspired leader, Peter, was replaced by the typical city bishop, an appointed and elected official—ambitious, jealous, calculating, power-seeking, authoritarian, an able politician, and a master of public relations. We have an immense literature on this in the Patrologia. This was St. Augustine's trained rhetorician. At the same time, the charismatic gifts (the gifts of the Spirit), not to be trusted, were replaced by rites and ceremonies that could be timed and controlled, all following the Roman Imperial model, as Alföldi has shown, including the caps and gowns.6

And down through the centuries the robes have never failed to keep the public at a respectful distance, inspire a decent awe for the professions, and impart an air of solemnity and mystery that has been as good as money in the bank. The four faculties of theology, philosophy, medicine, and law have been the perennial seedbeds, not only of professional wisdom, but of the quackery and venality so generously exposed to public view by Plato, Rabelais, Molière, Swift, Gibbon, A. E. Housman, H. L. Mencken, and others. What took place in the Greco-Roman as in the Christian world was that fatal shift from leadership to management that marks the decline and fall of civilizations.

At the present time, that grand old lady of the Navy, Captain Grace Hopper (the oldest commissioned officer in the Navy), is calling our attention to the contrasting and conflicting natures of management and leadership. No one, she says, ever managed men into battle. She wants more emphasis in teaching leadership. But leadership can no more be taught than creativity or how to be a genius. The Generalstab tried desperately for a hundred years to train up a generation of leaders for the German army; but it never worked, because the men who delighted their superiors, i.e., the managers, got the high commands, while the men who delighted the lower ranks, i.e., the leaders, got reprimands.

Leaders are movers and shakers, original, inventive, unpredictable, imaginative, full of surprises that discomfit the enemy in war and the main office in peace. For the managers are safe, conservative, predictable, conforming organization men and team players, dedicated to the establishment.

The leader, for example, has a passion for equality. We think of great generals from David and Alexander on down, sharing their beans or maza with their men, calling them by their first names, marching along with them in the heat, sleeping on the ground, and being first over the wall. A famous ode by a long-suffering Greek soldier, Archilochus, reminds us that the men in the ranks are not fooled for an instant by the executive type who thinks he is a leader.7

For the manager, on the other hand, the idea of equality is repugnant and even counterproductive. Where promotion, perks, privilege, and power are the name of the game, awe and reverence for rank is everything, the inspiration and motivation of all good men. Where would management be without the inflexible paper processing, dress standards, attention to proper social, political, and religious affiliation, vigilant watch over habits and attitudes, that gratify the stockholders and satisfy security?

"If you love me," said the greatest of all leaders, "you will keep my commandments. "If you know what is good for you," says the manager, "you will keep my commandments and not make waves." That is why the rise of management always marks the decline, alas, of culture. If the management does not go for Bach, very well, there will be no Bach in the meeting. If the management favors vile sentimental doggerel verse extolling the qualities that make for success, young people everywhere will be spouting long trade-journal jingles from the stand. If the management's taste in art is what will sell—trite, insipid, folksy kitsch—that is what we will get. If management finds maudlin, saccharine commercials appealing, that is what the public will get. If management must reflect the corporate image in tasteless, trendy new buildings, down come the fine old pioneer monuments.

To Parkinson's Law, which shows how management gobbles up everything else, he added what he calls the "Law of Injelitance": Managers do not promote individuals whose competence might threaten their own position; and so as the power of management spreads ever wider, the quality deteriorates (if that is possible). In short, while management shuns equality, it feeds on mediocrity.

On the other hand, leadership is an escape from mediocrity. All the great deposits of art, science, and literature from the past, on which all civilization has been nourished, come to us from a mere handful of leaders. For the qualities of leadership are the same in all fields, the leader being simply the one who sets the highest example; and to do that and open the way to greater light and knowledge, the leader must break the mold. "A ship in port is safe," says Captain Hopper speaking of management, "but that is not what ships were built for," she says, calling for leadership.

To quote one of the greatest of leaders, the founder of this institution, "There is too much of a sameness in this community. . . . I am not a stereotyped Latter-day Saint and do not believe in the doctrine . . . away with stereotyped 'Mormons'!"8 Good-bye all. True leaders are inspiring because they are inspired, caught up in a higher purpose, devoid of personal ambition, idealistic, and incorruptible.

There is necessarily some of the manager in every leader (what better example than Brigham Young himself?), as there should be some of the leader in every manager. Speaking in the temple to the temple management, the scribes and pharisees all in their official robes, the Lord chided them for one-sidedness: They kept careful accounts of the most trivial sums brought into the temple; but in their dealings they neglected fair play, compassion, and good faith, which happen to be the prime qualities of leadership.

The Lord insisted that both states of mind are necessary, and that is important: "These ought ye to have done [speaking of the bookkeeping], and not to leave the other undone." But it is the blind leading the blind, he continues, who reverse priorities, who "strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel" (Matthew 23:23—24). So vast is the discrepancy between management and leadership that only a blind man would get them backwards. Yet that is what we do. In that same chapter of Matthew, the Lord tells the same men that they do not really take the temple seriously, while the business contracts registered in the temple they do take very seriously indeed (Matthew 23:16—18). I am told of a meeting of very big businessmen in a distant place, who happened also to be the heads of stakes, where they addressed the problem of "How to stay awake in the temple." For them what is done in the house of the Lord is a mere quota-filling until they can get back to the real work of the world.

History abounds in dramatic confrontations between the two types, but none is more stirring than the epic story of the collision between Moroni and Amalickiah, the one the most charismatic leader, the other the most skillful manager, in the Book of Mormon. This is both timely and relevant—that's why I bring it in here. We are often reminded that Moroni "did not delight in the shedding of blood" and would do anything to avoid it, repeatedly urging his people to make covenants of peace and to preserve them by faith and prayer. He refused to talk about "the enemy." For him they were always "our brethren," misled by the traditions of their fathers. He fought them only with heavy reluctance, and he never invaded their lands, even when they threatened intimate invasion of his own. He never felt threatened, since he trusted absolutely in the Lord. At the slightest sign of weakening by an enemy in battle, Moroni would instantly propose a discussion to put an end to the fighting. The idea of total victory was alien to him—no revenge, no punishment, no reprisals, no reparations, even for an aggressor who had ravaged his country. He would send the beaten enemy home after battle, accepting their word for good behavior or inviting them to settle on Nephite lands, even when he knew he was taking a risk. Even his countrymen who fought against him lost their lives only while opposing him on the field of battle. There were no firing-squads, and former conspirators and traitors had only to agree to support his popular army to be reinstated. With Alma, he insisted that conscientious objectors keep their oaths and not go to war even when he desperately needed their help. Always concerned to do the decent thing, he would never take what he called an unfair advantage of an enemy. Devoid of personal ambition, the moment the war was over he "yielded up the command of his armies . . . and he retired to his own house . . . in peace" (Alma 62:43), though as the national hero he could have had any office or honor. For his motto was, "I seek not for power" (Alma 60:36), and as to rank he thought of himself only as one of the despised and outcast of Israel. If all this sounds a bit too idealistic, may I remind you that there really have been such men in history, hard as that is to imagine today.

Above all, Moroni was the charismatic leader, personally going about to rally the people, who came running together spontaneously to his title of liberty, the banner of the poor and downtrodden of Israel (Alma 46:12, 19—21). He had little patience with management. He let himself get carried away and wrote tactless and angry letters to the big men sitting on their "thrones in a state of thoughtless stupor" back in the capital (Alma 60:7). And when it was necessary he bypassed the whole system, and "altered the management of affairs among the Nephites," to counter Amalickiah's own managerial skill (Alma 49:11). Yet he could apologize handsomely when he learned that he had been wrong, led by his generous impulses into an exaggerated contempt for management; and he gladly shared with Pahoran the glory of the final victory, one thing that ambitious generals jealously reserve for themselves.

But if Moroni hated war so much, why was he such a dedicated general? He leaves us in no doubt on that head—he took up the sword only as a last resort. "I seek not for power, but to pull it down" (Alma 60:36). He was determined to "pull down [the] pride and . . . nobility" (Alma 51:18) of those groups who were trying to take things over. The "Lamanite brethren" he fought were the reluctant auxiliaries of Zoramites and Amalickiahites, his own countrymen. They "grew proud . . . because of their exceedingly great riches," and sought to seize power for themselves (Alma 45:24), enlisting the aid of "those who were in favor of kings . . . those of high birth . . . supported by those who sought power and authority over the people" (Alma 51:8). They were further joined by important "judges [who] had many friends and kindreds" (the right connections were everything) plus "almost all the lawyers and the high priests," to which were added "the lower judges of the land, and they were seeking for power" (3 Nephi 6:27; Alma 46:4).

All these Amalickiah welded together with immense managerial skill to form a single ultraconservative coalition who agreed to "support him and establish him to be their king," expecting that "he would make them rulers over the people" (Alma 46:5). Many in the church were won over by Amalickiah's skillful oratory, for he was a charming ("flattering" is the word used by the Book of Mormon) and persuasive communicator. He made war the cornerstone of his policy and power, using a systematic and carefully planned communications system of towers and trained speakers to stir up the people to fight for their rights, meaning Amalickiah's career. For while Moroni had kind feelings for the enemy, Amalickiah "did care not for the blood of his [own] people" (Alma 49:10). His object in life was to become king of both the Nephites and Lamanites, using the one to subdue the other (Alma 46:4—5). He was a master of dirty tricks, to which he owed some of his most brilliant achievements as he maintained his upward mobility by clever murders, high-powered public relations, and great executive ability. His competitive spirit was such that he swore to drink the blood of Alma, who stood in his way. In short, he was "one very wicked man" (Alma 46:9), who stood for everything that Moroni loathed.

It is at this time in Book of Mormon history that the word management makes its only appearances (three of them) in all the scriptures. First there was that time when Moroni on his own "altered the management of affairs among the Nephites" (Alma 49:11) during a crisis. Then there was Korihor, the ideological spokesman for the Zoramites and Amalickiahites, who preached that "every man fared in this life according to the management of the creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius [ability, talent, brains, etc.], and . . . conquered according to his strength; and whatsoever a man did was no crime" (Alma 30:17). He raged against the government for taking people's property, that "they durst not enjoy their rights and privileges, Yea they durst not make use of that which [was] their own" (Alma 30:27—28). Finally, as soon as Moroni disappeared from the scene, the old coalition "did obtain the sole management of the government," and immediately did "turn their backs upon the poor" (Helaman 6:39), while they appointed judges to the bench who displayed the spirit of cooperation by "letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money" (Helaman 7:5). (All this took place in Central America. the perennial arena of the Big People versus the Little People.)

Such was the management that Moroni opposed. By all means, brethren, let us take Captain Moroni for our model, and never forget what he fought for—the poor, the outcast, and the despised; and what he fought against—pride, power, wealth, and ambition; or how he fought—as the generous, considerate, and magnanimous foe, a leader in every sense.

At the risk of running overtime, I must pause and remind you that this story of which I have given just a few small excerpts is supposed to have been cooked up back in the 1820s and somewhere in the backwoods by some abysmally ignorant, disgustingly lazy, and shockingly unprincipled hayseed. Aside from a light mitigation of those epithets, that is the only alternative to believing that the story is true; for the situation is equally fantastic no matter what kind of author you choose to invent. This must be a true story.

That Joseph Smith is beyond compare the greatest leader of modern times is a proposition that needs no comment. Brigham Young recalled that many of the brethren considered themselves better managers than Joseph and were often upset by his economic naiveté. Brigham was certainly a better manager than the Prophet (or anybody else, for that matter), and he knew it; yet he always deferred to and unfailingly followed Brother Joseph all the way while urging others to do the same, because he knew only too well how small is the wisdom of men compared with the wisdom of God.

Moroni scolded the management for their "love of glory and the vain things of the world" (Alma 60:32), and we have been warned against the things of this world as recently as the last general conference.9 But exactly what are the things of the world? An easy and infallible test has been given us in the well-known maxim, "You can have anything in this world for money" If a thing is of this world you can have it for money; if you cannot have it for money, it does not belong to this world. That is what makes the whole thing manageable—money is pure number. By converting all values to numbers, everything can be fed into the computer and handled with ease and efficiency. "How much?" becomes the only question we need to ask. The manager "knows the price of everything and the value of nothing," because for him the value is the price.

Look around you here. Do you see anything that cannot be had for money? Is there anything here you couldn't have if you were rich enough? Well, for one thing you may think you detect intelligence, integrity, sobriety, zeal, character, and other such noble qualities. Don't the caps and gowns prove that? But hold on! I have always been taught that those are the very things that managers are looking for. They bring top prices in the marketplace.

Does their value in this world mean, then, that they have no value in the other world? It means exactly that. Such things have no price and command no salary in Zion; you cannot bargain with them because they are as common as the once-pure air around us; they are not negotiable in the kingdom because there everybody possesses all of them in full measure, and it would make as much sense to demand pay for having bones or skin as it would to collect a bonus for honesty or sobriety. It is only in our world that they are valued for their scarcity. "Thy money perish with thee," said Peter to a gowned quack (Simon Magus) who sought to include "the gift of God" in a business transaction (Acts 8:20).

The group leader of my high priests' quorum is a solid and stalwart Latter-day Saint who was recently visited by a young returned missionary who came to sell him some insurance. Cashing in on his training in the mission field, the fellow assured the brother that he knew that he had the right policy for him just as he knew the gospel was true. Whereupon my friend, without further ado, ordered him out of the house, for one with a testimony should hold it sacred and not sell it for money. The early Christians called Christemporoi those who made merchandise of spiritual gifts or church connections. The things of the world and the things of eternity cannot be thus conveniently conjoined; and it is because many people are finding this out today that I am constrained at this time to speak on this unpopular theme.

For the past year I have been assailed by a steady stream of visitors, phone calls, and letters from people agonizing over what might be called a change of majors. Heretofore the trouble has been the repugnance that the student (usually a graduate) has felt at entering one line of work while he would greatly prefer another. But what can they do? "If you leave my employ," says the manager, "what will become of you?" But today it is not boredom or disillusionment, but conscience that raises the problem. To seek ye first financial independence and all other things shall be added, is recognized as a rank perversion of the scriptures and an immoral inversion of values.

To question that sovereign maxim, one need only consider what strenuous efforts of wit, will, and imagination have been required to defend it. I have never heard, for example, of artists, astronomers, naturalists, poets, athletes, musicians, scholars, or even politicians coming together in high-priced institutes, therapy groups, lecture series, outreach programs, or clinics to get themselves psyched up by GO! GO! GO! slogans, moralizing clichés, or the spiritual exercises of a careful dialectic, to give themselves what is called a "wealth mindset" with the assurance that (in the words of Korihor) "whatsoever a man did was no crime" (Alma 30:17). Nor do those ancient disciplines lean upon lawyers, those managers of managers, to prove to the world that they are not cheating. Those who have something to give to humanity revel in their work, and do not have to rationalize, advertise, or evangelize to make themselves feel good about what they are doing. It is only when their art and their science become business oriented that problems of ethics ever arise. Look at TV. Behind the dirty work is always money. There would be no crime on Hill Street if people didn't have to have money. Paul was absolutely right: The drive for money is "the root of all evil" (1 Timothy 6:10); and he's quoting, incidentally, the old book of Enoch.

In my latest class, a graduating honors student in business management (who is here today) wrote this—the assignment was to compare one's self with some character in the Pearl of Great Price, and he quite seriously chose Cain:

Many times I wonder if many of my desires are too self-centered. Cain was after personal gain. He knew the impact of his decision to kill Abel. Now, I do not ignore God and make murderous pacts with Satan; however, I desire to get gain. Unfortunately, my desire to succeed in business is not necessarily to help the Lord's kingdom grow [now there's a refreshing bit of honesty]. Maybe I am pessimistic, but I feel that few businessmen have actually dedicated themselves to the furthering of the Church without first desiring personal gratification. As a business major, I wonder about the ethics of business—"charge as much as possible for a product which was made by someone else who was paid as little as possible." You live on the difference. As a businessman will I be living on someone else's industry and not my own? Will I be contributing to society or will I receive something for nothing, as did Cain? While being honest, these are difficult questions for me.

They have been made difficult by the rhetoric of our times. The Church was full of men in Paul's day teaching that gain is godliness and making others believe it. Today the black robe puts the official stamp of approval on that very proposition. But don't blame the College of Commerce! The Sophists, those shrewd business- and showmen, started that game 2,500 years ago, and you can't blame others for wanting to get in on something so profitable. The learned doctors and masters have always known which side their bread was buttered on and have taken their place in the line. Business and "Independent Studies," the latest of the late-comers, have filled the last gaps; and today, no matter what your bag, you can put in for a cap and gown. And be not alarmed that management is running the show—they always have.

Most of you are here today only because you believe that this charade will help you get ahead in the world. But in the last few years things have got out of hand. The economy, once the most important thing in our materialistic lives, has become the only thing. We have been swept up in a total dedication to the economy which, like the massive mudslides of our Wasatch Front, is rapidly engulfing and suffocating everything. If President Kimball is "frightened and appalled" by what he sees, I can do no better than to conclude with his words: "We must leave off the worship of modern-day idols and a reliance on the 'arm of flesh,' for the Lord has said to all the world in our day, 'I will not spare any that remain in Babylon' (D&C 64:24)."10 And Babylon is where we are.

In a forgotten time, before the Spirit was exchanged for the office and inspired leadership for ambitious management, these robes were designed to represent withdrawal from the things of this world—as the temple robes still do. That we may become more fully aware of the real significance of both is my prayer.

Notes

1. Encyclopedia Americana, International Edition, 30 vols. (New York: Americana,1965), 8:49.

2. D. P. Carpenter, "Des Couronnes des rois de France," Dissertation 24 of Dissertations ou réflexions sur l?histoire de Saint Louys, in Charles du Fresne DuCange, Glossarium Mediae et Infimae Latinitatis, 10 vols. (Paris: Didot, 1840?50; reprinted Graz: Akademische Druck- und Verlagsanstalt, 1954), 10:83; cf. essays on crowns in the supplement.

3. William Shakespeare, The Tempest, act V, scene i, line 57.

4. Cf. Exodus 28:4; 39:1—31; Leviticus 8:7—9; and Josephus, Antiquities III, 7, 1—7.

5. Plato, Protagoras 309a—d.

6. András Alföldi, A Conflict of Ideas in the Late Roman Empire, tr. Harold Mattingly (Oxford, Clarendon: 1952).

7. Archilocus, frag. 58.

8. JD 13:153, 55.

9. For example, see Thomas S. Monson, "Anonymous," Ensign 13 (May 1983): 55—57.

10. Spencer W. Kimball, "The False Gods We Worship," Ensign 6 (June 1976): 4, 6.

THE CREATIVE AND PROCREATIVE POWERS OF HEAVEN

I have been preoccupied in the extreme with other pursuits (that will put me a leg up if things get dicey this November), but have started to get back into my normal groove of blogging again, now that my preparations are in order.

This is a letter from a father to a son who was serving a mission. I really thought it was a great encapsulation of the doctrine of how this earth and we as humans came to be (including that controversial Adam-God doctrine - its spelled out in there, look for it).

Enjoy it (or click here):

http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B_uHDLGqSJW9YTQ1YmI1Y2ItMDYyZC00NjRlLThmYzktMWQ1MDA5NjUwNWVh&hl=en&pli=1

INTERNATIONAL GADIANTONS - ARE THEY AMONG US NOW?

I glanced casually at this link and thought it might be worth looking at (even though this is not a political blog, this does deal with the complete moral collapse of the US and the World:

http://100777.com/node/575

Let the Lord come quickly and take this trash to the curb!!

And, for those who may not be initiated, here is a much deeper look into who the Gadiantons were and how they operated (from one of my favorite sites):

http://www.believeallthings.com/2877/gadianton-robbers/

Enjoy!!

ANCIENT WARRIOR PEOPLE LORDING OVER EGYPT

I think the article title might better read, "The Ancient Capital City of the Israelites Discovered"......

Lets see;
Semitic origin
In the Nile Delta region
Warlike (conquering people)
Hated by the Egyptians
Most references to their time in Egypt destroyed/covered up by the Egyptians......

When will these archeologists ever become politically incorrect and state the facts or make a minor jump to the logical conclusion and say what is truth??

I have zero respect for that community who mostly pushes their own sectarian agenda at the public expense:


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/egypt/7842443/Buried-ancient-Egyptian-city-revealed-by-radar-imaging.html

BOOK OF MORMON AND THE DNA EVIDENCE LIES

I dedicate this read to my former Scoutmaster who decided to leave the church over DNA evidence - oh, and then decided to leave his wife for another woman. OR did I get that wrong?? Sorry, it was commit adultery and then use the whole hokey DNA thing as a convenient excuse to make a clean escape from the truth.....without the searing conscience eating away at you quite so hard - at least until the final smackdown at the judgment bar.
Sometimes, you can just see through people....
I would have some pity or compassion on the guy - but it was a complete and total coup by the lefties and something-for-nothing-throw-your-hands-in-the-air-say-Jesus-I'm-saved-while-ravishing-the-neighbors-wifie BACs- but-that's-okay-cuz-I-found-Jesus.... types that I grew up with. My former Scoutmaster was so well known (and liked by all in the community) that the damage to the Church due to his "defection" was quite far reaching (on a local scale). It could forseeably take decades for the effects to completely wear off. Not unlike William W. Phelps apostasy that ended up with far-reaching consequences for the Prophet Joseph and his incarceration in the oxymoronically-named "Liberty" Jail.....
Here is a great teaser from the attached expose which is going in the blog (and I watched the Nova special on this and came to the same conclusion about the age of our ice sheets/earth and the whole DNA thing, in general - before I read this). Why is it, the more I find out about these supposed global warming 'scientists' and their associated ilk, that I feel I need to take a shower. For the most part - they are complete idiots and goons - oh, and then there is Al Gore.... Who can blame Tipper?? But I digress; read the whole thing and you will know why I feel the way I feel:

For several years scientists have been drilling ice core samples in the arctic regions of the world. The ice accumulating in areas such as Greenland and Antarctica are often several thousand feet deep. There are an alternating series of light and dark rings found every few inches on these ice core samples pulled up from the ice. Scientists believe these rings are are laid down annually. They believe the light rings are indications of winter when the ice accumulates, and the dark rings are indications of summer when the top layer of the ice slightly melts. They have counted hundreds of thousands of these rings in the ice, which they believe proves the earth is at least hundreds of thousands of years old.
The scientists have used these rings to predict global climate changes from the past stretching back what they believe is hundreds of thousands of years. By measuring the thickness of the ice layers, they believe they are able to predict periods of warm and cold periods throughout the earth's history. DNA researchers have used this data in conjunction with their own DNA data to predict migration patterns of people, based upon when they believe "ice ages" occurred.
Many scientists and Christians have gone so far as to say this evidence irrefutably proves the earth is at least hundreds of thousands to millions of years old. Unfortunately for these scientists and Christians, there is a remarkable story, that is now sixty years in the making which completely disproves the entire ice core theory.
During the second world war, an entire squadron of p-38 aircraft en-route from the United States to Europe had to make an emergency landing while over Greenland. The flight crews were rescued, and the planes have been sitting intact on the ice ever since.
Fifty years later, in 1992, a group of individuals thought they could retrieve the aircraft, and restore them. They launched an expedition to Greenland to retrieve the aircraft. When they finally located the planes, they were surprised to find that they were under 263 feet of ice. They then set up camp and bored a hole down through the ice and brought one of the planes up piece by piece. While they bored the hole they found hundreds of these ice rings above the planes. If these layers were annual rings as suggested by the scientists, then there should not have been more than fifty layers of ice above the planes. But there were hundreds of layers. They could not possibly be considered annual layers. In the twelve years since this recovery, an additional sixty feet of ice, and dozens more ice rings have accumulated over the level of their camp in 1992. The layers do little more than count the number of storms that hit the area. These are not tree rings we're counting.
Yet, thousands of scientists have devoted their entire lives toward studying these layers of ice. Uncounted numbers of theories concerning the earth's history have been formulated in part from using this mis-interpreted data. For years, atheists have been beating creation scientists over the head with this ice core theory. Yet now the tables are turned, the atheists now deliberately ignore this evidence promoted by the creation scientists.
The fact that so many scientists could so badly bungle evidence as simple as counting ice rings, does little to bolster one's confidence in other scientists ability to interpret far more complex data such as DNA samples. The more complex the data, the greater the potential for error. The greater the potential for error, the more elaborate a web one must weave.

HERE IS THE ENTIRE POST:

Does DNA evidence Disprove the Book of Mormon? DNA Experts, and Christians Attack the Bible as Well as the Book of Mormon.

Introduction:
One of most basic tenets of the LDS faith maintains that the Book of Mormon is a literal history of the ancestors of the present day American Indian peoples. The Book of Mormon teaches that the ancestors of the present day American Indians were led out of Jerusalem by the wisdom and power of God to live here in this land - the Americas. The Book of Mormon plainly teaches that this land is given unto the present day American Indian peoples for their inheritance. The Book of Mormon teaches that the present day American Indians are the literal descendents of Abraham, that they are a remnant of the House of Israel, and they are God's Covenant people, whom God will redeem in the last days, and they shall be a righteous people.
Joseph Smith said that:
"The Book of Mormon is a record of the forefathers of our western tribes of Indians; having been found through the ministration of an holy angel, and translated into our own language by the gift and power of God, after having been hid up in the earth for the last fourteen hundred years, containing the word of God which was delivered unto them (the ancestors of the American Indians). By it we learn that our western tribes of Indians are descendants from that Joseph who was sold into Egypt, and the land of America is a promised land unto them, and unto it all the tribes of Israel will come, with as many of the Gentiles as shall comply with the requisitions of the new covenant." (History of the Church, volume 1, page 315)
There can be no question as to what Joseph Smith and all the early Church leaders plainly taught concerning who the Native American peoples really are. The American Indians will be the principal builders of the City of New Jerusalem, which will be built here on this continent. There can be no question as to what the Book of Mormon plainly teaches and prophesies concerning the American Indian people, who were anciently called Lamanites. Joseph Smith also emphasized that any man in the church who teaches a Doctrine different than what he taught would be cursed. Yet, in spite of all this, over the last several years, we have been witnessing a remarkable change taking place in the LDS Church; where the learned men in the Church, including B.Y.U. professors and the Church leaders themselves have begun to deny the American Indians as the covenant people of God.
Recently, much attention has been given to the latest attacks against the Mormon religion by certain DNA experts, who claim the American Indians are not descended from the House of Israel as the Book of Mormon teaches, but they allege that they originated from Eastern Siberia. Genetic researches have tested the DNA of several tribes in Eastern Siberia and found them to be related to American Indian tribes. Scientists have formulated a theory that tens of thousands of years ago, there must have been a land bridge which enabled people to travel from Asia to America, and when this land bridge somehow disappeared under water, the people in Asia and the Americas were seperated with no further contact. They have attempted to hold this as proof that the Native Americans have originated in Asia.
Many Christians have celebrated this so-called "DNA evidence" to refute the Book of Mormon. Some Christian ministries have spent large sums of money spreading and promoting this idea among the Mormons. If these Christians came to the realization that their efforts are also attacking the Bible, would they stop doing this and begin looking at the reasons that refute this argument? Or are these people part of a growing "Christian" movement who believe that the Bible is merely an inspirational "story", and not a factual history of the world?
Likewise, the many learned defenders of the Mormon faith, have attempted to reconcile this new DNA evidence into their faith; by claiming the Book of Mormon history only took place in a small area of Central America, and did not involve the entire continents and people as the Book of Mormon teaches. These scholars now say that Joseph Smith was wrong, when he taught that the present day American Indians are the direct descendants of the Lamanites mentioned in the Book of Mormon. Many Mormon scholars now believe the Lamanites merely blended in over the generations with the Siberian "immigrants" who "already" populated the Americas. These learned scholars say this explanation best fits in with the "evidence" provided to us by the geneticists, and they have adopted it as their belief, in spite of it's many contradictions with the Mormon religion. Many LDS Scholars have gone so far as to say the Book of Mormon is not a historical record, but merely an inspirational story written by Joseph Smith.
This rationalization and many other "stories" currently being promoted within the LDS Church, have caused many of the Mormons who are not knowledgeable in the basic precepts of their faith, to lose what little testimony they have left, and turn against their religion.
For years, these prominent men in the LDS Church have been contradicting the teachings of Joseph Smith, and all of the other early Church leaders, who clearly taught that the American Indians truly are of the House of Israel, as taught in the Book of Mormon. Unfortunately, to our knowledge, there is now absolutely no one in the LDS Church who is defending the original teachings of Joseph Smith, and the Book of Mormon on this matter. Not one single Mormon do we know of, is remaining true to their beliefs.
Not many years ago, the church was filled to overflowing with people who believed the American Indians were Lamanites. They believed that not only was Joseph Smith a true prophet of God, but the principles he taught were the literal truth. As for today, one can travel from one end of Mormondom to another, and scarcely find a truly believing member. The vast majority have now come to believe in the opinions of the genetic researchers, BYU professors and Church leaders who teach a totally different doctrine than what Joseph Smith taught. Where did all the true Mormons go? Why did they change?
________________________________________
Contents:
1. The historical record has always indicated Siberians and American Indians are very similar people, who have been trading and intermarrying with each other for centuries. So what does DNA evidence tell us we shouldn't already know? These theories that American Indians migrated from Siberia to the Americas, rely heavily on "ice age" and "land bridge" theories which requires the earth to be at least hundreds of thousands to millions of years old. For all the Christians who have lauded these theories, how do they reconcile them with their belief in a young earth according to Genesis?
2. The Bible declares that the wisdom of the wise will perish at the coming of the Lord. If Christians realize this then why do they constantly use the theories of men in an attempt to disprove the Book of Mormon?
3. Many geneticists have claimed that they can trace certain genetic markers back through thousands of generations, or tens of thousands of years. They claim through their studies that there are no significant relationships to be found between Jews and American Indians If some Christians do believe in a young earth, and believe we are all descended from one family just over four thousand years ago, how do they reconcile this belief with the theories of the Geneticists? Don't these DNA theories attack the Bible just as much as the Book of Mormon?
________________________________________
The historical record has always indicated Siberians and American Indians are the same people. So what does DNA evidence tell us we shouldn't already know? These theories that American Indians migrated from Siberia to the Americas, rely heavily on "ice age" and "land bridge" theories which requires the earth to be at least hundreds of thousands to millions of years old. For all the Christians who have lauded these theories, how do they reconcile them with their belief in a young earth according to Genesis?
These genetic researchers have treated the obvious relation between Native American and the Siberian tribes as some sort of revolutionary discovery that no one ever considered before. They claim that during an "ice age" tens of thousands of years ago, a land bridge existed which connected Siberia and Alaska which enabled the Siberian tribes to migrate into the new world. The ice then subsided, filling the oceans with more water and submerging this "land bridge." Over the next thirty thousand years, these now isolated Siberian tribes in Alaska eventually populated the Americas. They claim their DNA research proves that these Siberian tribes are the ancestors of all American Indians. And they say their research from annual ice ring layers taken from ice core samples proves the existence of an "ice age" tens of thousands of years ago. These scientists believe that the Siberian and American tribes have been "isolated" from each other since the loss of this land bridge so many tens of thousands of years ago after this "ice age" receded.
But recorded history tells us a far different story than the one laid out by these so-called scientists. History tells us that the tribes in Siberia, and North America have been trading and intermarrying with each other for many centuries. Whaling boats from the tribes in the Northwest from California to Alaska have been known to travel hundreds of miles across the sea on their hunting trips. Native American tribes have colonized hundreds of remote islands throughout the Canadian Arctic. Some of these islands are accessible only by hundreds of miles of journey by boat. Islands which are far more remote and difficult to reach than Siberia, which is only a journey of about fifty five miles from Alaska. Relative to this, a thousand years ago, the Viking colonists in Greenland encountered Native American tribes already living in the region. Yet Greenland is much more remote and harsh than Siberia.
During the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries, when the Russian Empire expanded it's boundaries eastward into Siberia, the Russian army engaged in armed conflicts with the native tribes in Siberia. It is a story that is strikingly similar to the plight of the American Indian tribes in the United States, during the same time period.
The major case in point is the Chukchi tribe in Eastern Siberia. Much of their traditional coastal lands in Eastern Siberia lie within a short few hundred miles of the American Indian tribes in Alaska. This is the tribe that is most often quoted by geneticists as being the ancestors of the American Indians, that they believe were cut-off and "isolated" by the receding of the land bridge.
At one point during the Chukchi war against the Russian army during the eighteenth century, the entire tribe consisting of some ten-thousand members fled across the Bering straits by boat to spend the winter in Alaska with their Eskimo cousins. They regrouped, and many returned again back to Siberia the following spring to continue their war against the Russians.
One website at http://www.eki.ee/books/redbook/chukchis.shtml gives a short history of the chukchi people in Siberia. This website describes how the the Eskimos, Itelmens, Evens, Kereks, and other tribes were long accustomed to traveling to Chukchi lands in Siberia to speak in the Chukchi language and carry on extensive trading with them. It describes how many of the people in these Alaskan tribes even became Chukchis. It describes how there has always been a lively trade between all the peoples. This website also says that if the Russian government did not enter into a peace treaty with the Chukchis when they did, all the wayward Chukchis would have ended up in Alaska.
The assumptions and theories of these scientists could not contradict the historical record more! All the arctic peoples have been freely traveling, trading and intermarrying with each tribe in both Siberia and North America for more centuries than anyone can possibly know. Their numerous colonies stretch across an enormous arctic region from Siberia to Greenland. There should little doubt in any reasonable person's mind that all of these tribes from Siberia to Greenland, and even across most of the Western Hemisphere are very similar genetically, and are basically all the same people.
It is a very interesting but shocking display of ignorance on the the part of these scientists to suddenly come along and study the DNA of these people in Eastern Siberia, and "discover" that their DNA is similar to the American Indians living across the Bering Straits. It is interesting how they treat this as "evidence" which somehow "disproves" the Book of Mormon.
It is interesting to note how these "scientists" draw an imaginary line down the Bering Straits between Siberia and Alaska, and then ignorantly conclude that that this narrow body of water has kept the sea faring tribes on both sides of the straits in "isolation" from each other since the loss of this supposed "land bridge." This concept of "isolation" is a very important point for these scientists. In order for them to say that American Indians came from Siberia, they must maintain that the Siberian and American tribes have been living in isolation from each other for a very long time. Without this very important point, their theory simply does not hold water.
Everyone reading this article should seriously ask themselves how absurd it is to label the tribes on the west side of the straits as "Siberian" or "Asian," and then treat them as if there is some sort of distinction from the American Indian tribes living on the east side of the straits who are for the most part, the exact same people.
Several times during the twentieth century, dog sleds have even successfully traveled across the Bering Straits when it is frozen in the winter. On a clear day, Siberia can be seen from Alaska.
It is simply a fallacy to believe as these scientists do, that the American and Siberian tribes have remained genetically isolated for tens of thousands of years. It is not reasonable to believe that seafaring American Indians could reach as far as Greenland, yet, never colonize into Siberia. There is absolutely no valid evidence a land bridge ever existed between Alaska and Siberia. The people who made up this land bridge theory had to have a reason for how the American Indians came to be on this continent, and they considered the ancestors of American Indians too primitive and inept, to figure out how to build a boat. In a way it is quite insulting to the intelligence of the Native American People. It was totally unacceptable to them to entertain the idea that they arrived by boat, because it might also provide evidence to support the Book of Mormon. They decided there had to be some connection by land which enabled them to arrive on this continent. Hence the land bridge theory was born. The historical record plainly contradicts the strange beliefs of these scientists. We know for an absolute certainty, that nearly all the Native Americans living in coastal and river regions from Alaska to Peru, had the complete ability to travel by water craft. It is long overdue that this land bridge theory be put to rest.
Mormons should not be surprised and shocked to learn that there are tribes of American Indians living in Siberia any more than they should be surprised and shocked to learn there have been tribes of American Indians living in Greenland. This does absolutely nothing to refute the Book of Mormon in any way.
Scientists have found that the deeper into Asia they go, the less related the people become to American Indians. How did these so called "experts" come to the conclusion, that they originated in the mostly uninhabited areas of eastern Siberia, and then migrated across a "land bridge" to Alaska, then built a huge civilization in Central America thousands of miles away? How did they rule out that it was not the other way around? That they originated in Central and South America, where the bulk of population clearly has it’s base, and then migrated north into North America, and eventually into Eastern Siberia, and mingle with the people there? The Arctic regions of the world are harsh, and for the most part, uninhabitable. There have been mysterious catastrophes there in the past which has destroyed all life in the region. How have the geneticists reversed logic, and rule out that migrations did not begin in the major population centers in Central and South America, and eventually reach as far north as the uninhabited areas of eastern Siberia?
The "ice age" theories also do not hold up to the facts. A member of an anti-Mormon "Christian" ministry wrote to us that the earth is at least four hundred thousand years old, based on ice core evidence.
For several years scientists have been drilling ice core samples in the arctic regions of the world. The ice accumulating in areas such as Greenland and Antarctica are often several thousand feet deep. There are an alternating series of light and dark rings found every few inches on these ice core samples pulled up from the ice. Scientists believe these rings are are laid down annually. They believe the light rings are indications of winter when the ice accumulates, and the dark rings are indications of summer when the top layer of the ice slightly melts. They have counted hundreds of thousands of these rings in the ice, which they believe proves the earth is at least hundreds of thousands of years old.
The scientists have used these rings to predict global climate changes from the past stretching back what they believe is hundreds of thousands of years. By measuring the thickness of the ice layers, they believe they are able to predict periods of warm and cold periods throughout the earth's history. DNA researchers have used this data in conjunction with their own DNA data to predict migration patterns of people, based upon when they believe "ice ages" occurred.
Many scientists and Christians have gone so far as to say this evidence irrefutably proves the earth is at least hundreds of thousands to millions of years old. Unfortunately for these scientists and Christians, there is a remarkable story, that is now sixty years in the making which completely disproves the entire ice core theory.
During the second world war, an entire squadron of p-38 aircraft en-route from the United States to Europe had to make an emergency landing while over Greenland. The flight crews were rescued, and the planes have been sitting intact on the ice ever since.
Fifty years later, in 1992, a group of individuals thought they could retrieve the aircraft, and restore them. They launched an expedition to Greenland to retrieve the aircraft. When they finally located the planes, they were surprised to find that they were under 263 feet of ice. They then set up camp and bored a hole down through the ice and brought one of the planes up piece by piece. While they bored the hole they found hundreds of these ice rings above the planes. If these layers were annual rings as suggested by the scientists, then there should not have been more than fifty layers of ice above the planes. But there were hundreds of layers. They could not possibly be considered annual layers. In the twelve years since this recovery, an additional sixty feet of ice, and dozens more ice rings have accumulated over the level of their camp in 1992. The layers do little more than count the number of storms that hit the area. These are not tree rings we're counting.
Yet, thousands of scientists have devoted their entire lives toward studying these layers of ice. Uncounted numbers of theories concerning the earth's history have been formulated in part from using this mis-interpreted data. For years, atheists have been beating creation scientists over the head with this ice core theory. Yet now the tables are turned, the atheists now deliberately ignore this evidence promoted by the creation scientists.
The fact that so many scientists could so badly bungle evidence as simple as counting ice rings, does little to bolster one's confidence in other scientists ability to interpret far more complex data such as DNA samples. The more complex the data, the greater the potential for error. The greater the potential for error, the more elaborate a web one must weave.
There is no historical evidence in existence, that the earth is older than six thousand years. Many Creation scientists have proven that not only are many of the theories of contemporary science wrong, and totally unsupportable; but they have provided sufficient evidence that these theories were concocted for the express purpose of destroying Christianity. Christians have clearly documented the overwhelming bias against religion in the halls of academia. They provide numerous cases of scientists and professors losing their jobs because they expressed a belief in the Bible, and questioned the validity of the atheists’ theories. These geneticists trying to disprove the Book of Mormon are hardly the unbiased, open minded intellectuals they try so hard to portray themselves as. These geneticists simply have an agenda, and they diligently search for any "evidence" or statistics that can be manipulated to support their agenda.
These geneticists are also making the claim that humans and Chimpanzees are 99.9% the same genetically and should be classified as the same species. They say that humans are nothing more than a sub-species of chimpanzees. How do these Christians honestly reject the geneticists argument on the one hand, and then openly accept and support their posturing against the Book of Mormon on the other hand.
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The Bible declares that the wisdom of the wise will perish at the coming of the Lord. If Christians realize this then why do they constantly use the theories of men in an attempt to disprove the Book of Mormon?
It is written in the Bible that the wisdom of the wise shall perish at the coming of the Lord. The Doctrine and Covenants states that all knowledge shall pass away, save that knowledge which comes from God.
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." 1 Cor. 1:18-21.
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Many geneticists have claimed that they can trace certain genetic markers back through thousands of generations, or tens of thousands of years. They claim through their studies that there are no significant relationships to be found between Jews and American Indians If some Christians do believe in a young earth, and believe we are all descended from one family (Noah's) just over four thousand years ago, how do they reconcile this belief with the theories of the Geneticists? Don't these DNA theories attack the Bible just as much as the Book of Mormon?
For anyone who literally believes the Bible to be an accurate and inspired history of the world, both of the Christians and of the Mormons; the claims of these geneticists presents a number of challenges to them. The Bible teaches that the Earth was created about six thousand years ago, and Adam and Eve were our first parents. The Bible teaches us that these were the first two people on the Earth, and there were no other people prior to this time. Adam and Eve had many children, and over the next two millennia the entire earth was populated with people. The Bible also teaches that about 4,000 to 4400 years ago, there was a great flood of water that covered the entire surface of the earth, and every one on earth was drowned save Noah and his family, who were preserved in the ark. After the flood, Noah’s children replenished the earth with people. The Bible teaches that every person now living on the earth, without exception is directly descended from Noah.
The Book of Mormon teaches that about 2600 years ago, God led a number of Israelite people out of Jerusalem, prior to it's destruction and captivity of the Jews by the Babylonians. Led by Lehi, these Israelites came to the Americas, and eventually populated the entire Western Hemisphere with their descendants. These people were the direct descendents of Joseph who was sold into Egypt, and who was the brother of Judah, who is the father of the Jews. The Book of Mormon teaches that the present day American Indians are the direct descendants of these Israelites, who are of the tribe of Manasseh and that great blessings are promised to them in the last days by God.
In contrast, these geneticists maintain that the American Indians migrated into the Americas from Siberia thirty thousand years ago. This attack against the Book of Mormon should be of great concern to any Bible believing Christian, because it attacks the validity of the Bible as well. The geneticists say that certain DNA markers pass from father to son with little change. They claim they can trace these DNA markers back for tens of thousands of years, and thousands of generations, far longer than the Bible teaches how old the earth is. The geneticists claim there is no significant relationship or common ancestry between all the races of people on the earth going back these tens of thousands of years, long before the time of Noah. Yet it is the Christian ministries themselves who are some of the prime supporters and promoters of this so called "evidence."
The Bible records in Genesis Chapter 11, 1 Chronicles Chapter 3 and Matthew Chapter 1, most of the generations between Noah and Christ. Probably around 60 to 80 generations. If we assume that the average generation span in the two thousand years since Christ is about 25 to 35 years, then there is only an additional 60 to 80 generations until the present day. That leaves a total of only about 120 to 160 generations between Noah until the present day. People cannot honestly lay claim to a belief in the Bible, without also believing that all the races and wide variations of men, are directly descended from one family about 4000 years ago.
In spite of this DNA research which many "Christian" ministries now believe in, some Christians still hold the Genesis account in the Bible to be the infallible word of God. All the early Mormon Church leaders considered this account in Genesis to be the gospel truth as well. On the other hand, many atheists do not believe in the Bible, and have carefully crafted their own philosophies with the purpose of refuting the Bible, and destroying many peoples belief in God. As everyone is aware, there has been a war going on for quite some time now between those who believe in God, and those who try to destroy that belief. The fields of science have been one such battleground.
If we believe the Bible is true, that everyone now living on the earth is descended from one man 4,000 years ago, and if we take the claims of these DNA experts to their logical conclusion, then DNA research should be able to prove a common DNA heritage to every man in the world. If they make the claim that they can trace heritage back tens of thousands of years, because certain genetic markers remain little changed over that period of time, then every male in the world should have elements of a common father from four thousand years ago. But there is a very diverse variety found in all the races of people today. This makes the beliefs and motives of the Christians who support these geneticists' theories, contradictory and confusing.
It is no doubt true that certain genetic markers do remain little changed and can be traced from parent to offspring. But given the extremely numerous variations of people present in the world today, using such means to accurately trace a person’s heritage over thousands or even hundreds of generations is a claim that is highly questionable,
If every man in the world has a common father from four thousand years ago, and these genetic markers remain little changed over this length of time, then why are there so many variations in the people that allows them to find distinctions in every race in the world? Why are Christians supporting these geneticists claims that there is no relation between American Indians and other races of people for tens of thousands of years, if everyone in the world had a common father in Noah 4000 to 4400 years ago? What is the Christian's explanation for how the people of the earth have come to be so varied over the generations, and so "unrelated" by geneticists standards?
Lehi came to this continent 2600 years ago, only about 1400 to 1800 years removed from Noah, which is not very long at all by geneticists standards. His children who are now the population of American Indians have remained mostly isolated from the rest of the world ever since. This makes American Indians about the most isolated population in the world. Assuming all these uncountable variations of people in the world today came from one man four thousand years ago, and assuming that variations increase from generation to generation as fast as the Bible suggests it does; then would it not be reasonable to assume that the American Indians so isolated would have developed traits unique to the world, over the past 2600 years?
It is most unfortunate that the Christians proudly point to the work of these geneticists, in an effort to disprove the Book of Mormon, knowing full well what these same geneticists beliefs are concerning the Bible. These geneticists do not believe in the Bible. In order for their theories to work, they cannot accept that every person in the world has a common father in Noah, just over four thousand years ago. In order for their theories to work, they must put their faith in the dubious claim that they can accurately trace the genetic markers of people back tens of thousands of years.
These DNA researchers must completely disregard the account in Genesis; because the Bible records Abraham was born 292 years, and only 9 generations after the flood. Abraham was 58 years old when Noah died, and may even have known Noah personally. One of the basic premises of these DNA theories against the Book of Mormon is that Abraham could not have been related to the rest of the world. The reason being is because these geneticists claim that the present day Jews have a common genetic makeup which is traceable from son to father through the Y-chromosome all the way back to their father Abraham who had his own unique DNA from the rest of the races then living in the world. Yet, if the Bible is true, and Abraham was only nine generations after Noah, then Abraham would still be closely related to everyone then living on the earth.
The Book of Mormon records that Lehi is a descendant of Joseph, while the Jews are descendants of Judas who were both great grandsons of Abraham.
If the Bible is true, it would not be possible for the world to "unrelate" itself by geneticists standards in the approximately 300 years or 9 generations between Noah and Abraham, and then according to geneticists standards maintain a common relation or heritage for each of the 120 to 160 generations of the past 4000 years. In order for the DNA experts' theory to work, the Bible must be thrown out the window alongside the Book of Mormon, and the history of the World must be thrown back tens of thousands of years, in order for the world to "unrelate" itself to the point that would fit the geneticist theories. How do the Christians reconcile this, because the very claims the geneticists are making attempts to disprove their own beliefs in the Bible as well?
For all of you Christians who have bought into this DNA argument in your lifelong attacks against the Book of Mormon, you better be aware of just what you are doing, because you are unwittingly attacking the Bible with your arguments, and contradicting your own beliefs. You either believe the Bible, that the earth was flooded 4400 years ago or you don’t. There is a world of evidence that the flood really happened, you can’t prove there wasn’t a flood. That overwhelming evidence for a worldwide flood blows a major hole in the geneticists’ theories. So if you are a Christian who has bought into the fairy tale that there were nomadic tribes of people wandering the earth 30,000 years before Adam and Eve, and say the Bible is not really history, but was just mythology written down, you better start honestly asking yourself why you even bother to call yourself a Christian.
Likewise the Mormons who have bought into this DNA argument, and are attempting to reconcile these DNA posturings into the fabric of their religion, should take a history lesson from B.H. Roberts. Mr. Roberts tried to reconcile the theory of evolution into the fabric of L.D.S. church doctrine, because he considered evolution too overwhelming to ignore. He eventually lost his testimony in the Church, and became an apostate over the issue. Evolution seems like a foolish reason to reject the Church; considering how preposterous the theory of evolution has come to be regarded by honest people. We are told in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon to not put our trust in the arm of flesh, but to trust in God only, so our doctrines may be sound, and we are not cursed. The Book of Mormon is a precious gift from God, which the world rejects with the same enthusiasm as when the world rejected the Messiah when he walked the earth. There is no known provable fact, no unalterable scientific law which conflicts in any way with anything written in the Book of Mormon. But the Book of Mormon conflicts with petty opinions and philosophies of nearly everyone alive, including most Mormons.
Everyone reading this article should honestly ask themselves which religion is more reasonable and logical, and which is more absurd and contrary to the facts. You can choose to believe in the religion that says humans are descended from chimpanzees millions of years ago, and crossed an imaginary land bridge between continents 30,000 years ago if you want, but don't expect honest people to take you seriously for much longer. The wisdom of the wise will truly be confounded, very shortly.
The American Indians truly are a branch of the House of Israel, and the day is soon coming that the American Indians will be convinced of the truth, which has already gone forth among them, as prophesied in the Book of Mormon. The time will soon come when the hearts of the American Indians will turn to their fathers in the Book of Mormon who prayed so hard for their children of these last days. With so many Mormons now turning themselves away, and rejecting the truth of their religion; the American Indians remain the greatest hope for the future of the Mormon Church.
(page created 02/22/04)