It's OK to Be Wrong about Elements of Our Beliefs

I think the purest definition of faith allows us to be wrong about many things we believe.

I think the purest definition of the Atonement requires that we be wrong about some things we believe - and allows us to be wrong quite often and even spectacularly wrong sometimes.

I think the key is our adherence to the dictates of our own consciences and our willingness to construct that adherence to take into account sacrifices for the good of others. especially those who see some things differently than we do. 

Analyzing Scripture: John 15:13 - "Greater Love . . . Lay Down His Life"

John 15:13 is quoted often throughout Christianity as the great example of Jesus’ willingness to die for his disciples and all who would accept him as their Lord and Savior, but I believe this singular perspective robs that verse of much of its power and actual message.  I think there is a huge difference between “laying down his life” and “dying” – and I think it is fundamental and deeply important difference in how people view Jesus and the concept of the Atonement.  John 15:13 says:

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

There is much that might be gained by parsing this verse word-by-word, but I am going to focus strictly on one phrase (“lay down his life”) - and begin simply by pointing out that this does not say “die”.

What does it mean to “lay down one’s life”?  There are two possible meanings – the literal and the figurative.

The literal would be to die.

An example of the applicability of this particular phrase to death would be that of the Anti-Nephi-Lehis, who literally “laid down” their bodies and were killed in the process of praying to their God.  An application of doing so “for his friends” would be running into a street and pushing someone out of the path of an oncoming car – or jumping in front of a bullet meant for someone else – or being killed while rescuing someone from a burning building – or any number of other scenarios I could envision.  Perhaps the most oft repeated yet overlooked example is a mother’s willingness to risk death to give life. Surely, that is “laying down one’s life for a friend.”

In this sense, Jesus certainly laid down his life for his friends when he allowed himself to be tortured and killed in the Garden and on the cross – “dying” spiritually and physically to keep us from eternal death spiritually and physically.  That is profound and important, but it isn’t the Atonement in full, in my opinion.

Psalms 55:22 says, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord.” There is a powerful symbolism in that phrasing, and I look at John 15:13 in much the same way.  In order to illustrate that more directly, I am going to focus first on the actual mortal life of Jesus.

We have very little recorded about his life – and I believe that is due mostly to the fact that is was HIS life.  The writers of the Gospels were not interested in teaching about the carpenter’s son; they wanted to teach about the Messiah.  They had no desire to teach about the man prior to his ministry; they wanted to teach about the Miracle Worker during his ministry and the God after his resurrection.  They really didn’t care about the life he crafted for himself; they cared about the life he lived for them, his friends. They cared deeply about more than His dying for them; they cared equally about His living for them.

We read about his birth, about the visit of the wise men when he was a young child living in a house, about his family’s flight to Egypt after the visit of the wise men and about their later trip to the temple in Jerusalem when he was twelve years old – then nothing for the next 18 years.  Nothing.  Not a word.  Interestingly, over the course of the next 3 years covered in the Gospels, we only get glimpses into those missing years when circumstances make it impossible to avoid those glimpses – like the wedding feast where he turns the water into wine and we learn a little of his mortal family.

(Similarly, the only reason we are aware that any of his disciples was married is that there is a very brief mention of Peter’s mother-in-law being sick.)

He was the carpenter’s son, but what did he do to earn his living?  Did he marry?  If so, to whom; if not, why not?  Did he have children?  If so, how many, and what happened to them; if not, why not?  If he married, was he widowed prior to his ministry?  Is that why he had no home or place to lay his head?  How often did he return to the temple – or did he live completely away from the politics and intrigue of Jerusalem?  Was he raised with or near his cousin, John – and was he taught of that twin miracle of birth?  Did he wrestle or race?  Did he attend school, or was he taught to read by his parents?  As an adolescent, did he love and face rejection?  We have no idea what occurred during those 18 years. I am left to ask:

“Why are those things missing from our record?”

Again, I believe it was because those 18 years were HIS life – the life He “laid down for his friends” in order to “take (His Father’s) yoke upon (Him)”.  I see in that example the statement that there is no greater love than this – to leave the life you have crafted for yourself and dedicate yourself to the service of others – to lose your own life and live for your friends.  I see full-time missionary service in this light, including the young men and women who serve, the retired couples who serve and the Mission Presidents (both husband and wife) who serve.  I see the concept of priests and nuns dedicating themselves to Christ and the Catholic Church in this light, even as I don’t accept many of the aspects of that service that have developed over time.  I see this foundation concept interwoven into the lives of those who walk away from prestige and power and influence in order to work for the common good and live lives of relative poverty – substituting what they could have for what they want others to have.  I see my father’s sacrifices for my mother and their children in that same light.  (My Niece Died This Morning)

I hearken back to the mother risking death for her child and see it in the decisions of those who set aside their own lives for a season to serve and raise their children – and I include in this last group those fathers who choose to stay home while their wives return to their occupations (or couples who restructure their occupational arrangements to share more equally in the time spent with their children – when that means neither of them will rise as far in their chosen field).

I believe, in the heat of the moment, it is MUCH easier to die for someone than it is truly to live for someone – to lose your life in their service.  I honor and respect and stand in awe of the crucifixion and death of Jesus, but I view the greatest expression of His LOVE for us as His willingness to lay down his own life, shoulder the yoke His father had prepared for Him, walk away from that old life and live with single-minded focus from then until His death – working only to serve and bless and uplift and teach all with whom he came in contact and, ultimately, seal that work with his sweat, blood, tears and very breath.  I believe he laid down his life by letting go of the desire to gain more for himself and live instead to give to others.

None of us are asked to pick up that exact same yoke, but all of us are asked to mourn with those who mourn, comfort those who stand in need of comfort, bless those that revile and persecute us, pray for them that despitefully use us and, in very real and practical ways, lay down our own lives and live a new life for others.  That, in my opinion, is the yoke that makes His burden light and brings abiding rest to our souls.

Sunday School Lesson Recap: When Does Revelation (Personal and Prophetic) Normally Come

Last Sunday, we wrapped up the monthly theme of "Prophets and Revelation" by focusing on two scriptural stories that describe very different situations but the same action: killing someone else. I used these stories (Abraham & Isaac and Nephi & Laban) to explore what revelation really means and when people generally receive revelation, specifically to address personal revelation in the future of each of the students.

We started by revisiting the story of Abraham being tempted to kill Isaac. (See last week's lesson for a discussion of the word "tempt" in the scriptural account.)  I asked everyone to pinpoint the "revelation" in this story - to tell me what the revelation was. One of the students immediately answered: "Obedience brings blessings." I pointed out that the story can lead to a lesson about obedience, but obedience wasn't the revelation - since obedience had been taught for a long time prior to that moment. At that point, they were stumped, so I altered the question a bit to be: "What was revealed to Abraham that had been hidden / unknown previously?" After some discussion, they understood that the revelation was that human / child sacrifice was to be discarded as a form of worship - and that animal sacrifice was to take its place.

So, in a very real way, the revelation in the story was a clear statement of what would be worded in Moses' time as:

"Thou shalt not murder (your children)" - with an additional understanding of the Atonement that Abraham hadn't possessed previously.

We then turned to the account of Nephi and Laban, and I asked again what the revelation was in this story. Since nobody could answer that immediately, we read the main verses in 1 Nephi 4 that talk about it. We talked about what it means to be "constrained" ("confined; restrained; compelled; etc."). We talked about Nephi's reaction to the idea that he needed to kill Laban ("No way! I've never killed anyone and can't do it.") - and then we talked about the difference between that reaction and Abraham's reaction first thing the next morning. ("Okay, let's get going so I can do this.")

We discussed the concept that Abraham had to be "constrained" NOT to kill Isaac (since he was inclined naturally by his upbringing to kill his son), while Nephi had to be constrained TO kill Laban (since he lived with a long-time practice of animal sacrifice, not human sacrifice) - and how the Isaac story might have been different if Abraham had reacted like Nephi did. (Since the change in sacrificial ordinance was the intended outcome, God might have gone ahead and revealed that to Abraham right away, without all the drama.)

We read the verses that explain Nephi's justifications of his actions, ending with the "revelation" (the new understanding) in verse 13:

It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.

I pointed out that, up until the time when Nephi was faced with doing something he would not have done naturally, he simply was "honoring his father" and "being a good son". His dad told him they needed to get the plates, so he tried to do that. They asked for the plates, and they tried to buy the plates. Finally, he went into the city on his own and discovered Laban passed out drunk. It only was when he was faced with killing Laban (something that went beyond being a good son) that he was able to see WHY he had to get the plates - beyond the generic, "God commanded it." The revelation wasn't the command to get the plates; rather, it was gaining an understanding of the reason for the command.

In Abraham's situation, likewise, the revelation came ONLY when he was ready to do something that he didn't understand naturally - NOT killing his son. He had "gone through the motions" of blind obedience and, unlike Nephi, had to be stopped from killing because he followed his natural instincts rather than thinking and questioning first.

(Note: I think there is a very reasonable justification for Nephi killing Laban, especially for that time period and the overall story.  I wrote that post this past Wednesday.)

Finally, to follow the concept of really studying scriptures to understand the people, their stories and the actions of prophets (not just what they taught), I briefly summarized (since we were almost out of time) the story of King Mosiah changing the government structure at the end of his life.

1) Mosiah had taken leadership of a people more numerous than the Nephites. That simple fact opens all kinds of issues relative to his government-altering actions before he died.

2) If one of his sons wasn't going to take his place, there was a good chance that one of the people of Mulek who already was influential and popular would do so - especially if the kingship was determined by popular vote. Again, it is stated clearly in the text that the people of Mulek greatly outnumbered the descendants of Nephi in that area. In fact, the moment Mosiah's sons rejected the throne (and Alma the Younger also did), those other influential Mulekite contenders might have started agitating for the position very quickly.

3) Nehor is described as being another King Noah, in philosophy and intent. Amalici was one of his disciples. They are said to have gained a following FAR too quickly to have started a grass-roots campaign from scratch at the end of Mosiah's life.

4) If Mosiah knew either of them was likely to become the king, it would have provided the best possible motivation to change the system.

5) If you think about it, the best possible reason for Nehor, and then Amlici, to be extremely upset and demand what they had assumed they would attain would have been what they would have seen as an attempt to perpetuate the minority rule of the Nephites over them. Consider the situation in some Islamic countries even today; there are striking parallels.

6) It's easy to condemn Nehor and Amlici, given the descriptions we have of them, and I'm not trying to endorse them in any way - but it's harder to realize that they might have had a very compelling legal argument and an incredibly strong emotional appeal to a majority people ruled by those of the minority.

Many things are more complex than we tend to assume - and many things in the Book of Mormon are pretty amazing when looked upon a bit more comprehensively than we tend to do.

I emphasized that prophets often do things not from revelation (though Mosiah wasn't a prophet, he might have seen his decision as revelatory) but rather from a perceived need at the time. [Another example I didn't share in the class would be Moses' interaction with the daughters of Zelophehad - where he first allowed them to keep the lands of their inheritance when they married (since their father had died without having sons) and then restricted them to marrying only someone in their own tribe (so their tribe would not lose the lands of their father's inheritance when they married).] There is nothing wrong with leaders making non-revelatory decisions, since leaders often have to make decisions for organizations on their own, based on their best understanding - but we need to be careful not to confuse those decisions and personal views as "revelation" and accept everything they do and say, by default, as the pure word of God.

I ended the lesson by mentioning that I believe all of the students will be faced in the future with something(s) that requires them to gain new understanding (to have something "revealed" to them) and that I believe most of those revelations will come to them only when they have thought, pondered, questioned, considered, discussed, studied, prayed, etc. diligently - when they are at the point where they simply can't understand something better through their own efforts. At those times, through patiently "enduring to the end", a new insight will hit them and they will understand FAR better than if they simply had followed conventional wisdom and relied on the testimonies / understanding of others. Those times hopefully won't involve an impression to kill someone, but the deepest insights generally will come in the times of deepest struggle and trial. I told them I hope they don't give up before the revelation they need comes to them, no matter how it comes to them - even if it seems to be only an idea that makes sense as a solution to what they face at the time.

Avoiding Becoming Weary (or Burned Out) in the LDS Church

In his wonderful talk, "Concern for the One", Elder Wirthlin mentioned that some people stop coming to church and become "lost" because they are weary.  I was struck by that when he said it, and I have thought a lot about it since then - as anyone knows who has read this blog for some time, since I reference that talk quite often.

I want to share how I avoid becoming weary in the way that Elder Wirthlin describes, and I want to use my situation while living in Missouri specifically because it highlights how I easily could have become weary - or "burned out", as one friend described his experience to me years ago.

1) I keep from getting burned out by limiting what I do to what I can do without getting burned out. I know that sounds a bit silly and obvious (and very difficult for many, given the assumptions held my some members), but it works for me. It "helped" in Missouri that our finances and distance from the church created automatic barriers to doing too much, but I held to the principle even when we used to live 1.5 miles from the church and I made plenty of money. Bottom line: It's a hard-core commitment I've made - to do as much as I can but not get burned out by trying to do too much - to not try to do everything.

Some people don't like that I do that, and some people don't get it, but most people (the large majority) really do understand.

2) Having said that, I am MUCH more open to making an exception for unique service opportunities than for "regular, run-of-the-mill" stuff. I couldn't drive 40 minutes there and 40 minutes back - and pay for the gas to do so - just to be involved in an activity where there are plenty of other people there to handle it. Financially, I just couldn't. However, I could do that - occasionally - to help someone who needed my individual help. I could do that largely because I wasn't doing all the other stuff that would have sapped my time and money and energy - and that's really, really important to understand.

It's a balancing act, and it's MUCH harder in many ways than trying to do everything - but I believe it's important to be the one doing the acting and not just be acted upon.

"May God in his mercy bless and preserve us."

The following is a summary of some of the events that led up to the deaths that occurred among the Martin and Willie handcart companies - with a focus on an amazing statement by one of its members.  It was written by a friend who shared it with me.

There are many ways to react to this quote, but I am choosing to emphasize the loyalty, love and compassion of a man who knew he might die as a result of his choice in Omaha, Nebraska - but who decided to take that chance in order to try to save others, if possible. 
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James Willie was the leader of the group. Levi Savage was a sub-captain. Having served previously in the Mormon Battalion, Savage was a valuable resource for the journey because of his knowledge of the trail. It was getting late in the year, and everyone knew they needed to head west. There was trouble obtaining wood for the handcarts, and they weren’t sturdy. Willie led a campfire meeting to discuss the departure and promised that God would be with them. He asked Levi Savage to give a few words. Savage expressed concern to the group that they were leaving too late in the year, and stating that he felt many would die along the way if they left. He encouraged everyone to stay put in Omaha.

Willie scolded Savage for a lack of faith and asked for a vote on whether the group wanted to head west. Most of the group responded that they wanted to go; approximately 100 people stayed in Omaha. Savage responded with a passionate speech. In a journal, James Chislett records that Savage said,

“What I have said I know to be true; but seeing you are to go forward, I will go with you, will help all I can, will work with you, will rest with you, and, if necessary, will die with you. May God in his mercy bless and preserve us.”

There's a complexity in this quote that is powerful and really resonates with me.

Understanding Sacrifices that Seem Strange to Us

All of us - every single one of us - sacrifices in some way that seems ludicrous and laughable to someone else. That is extremely important to remember. 

If I don't believe something is important, it isn't important in any practical way for me - no matter how passionately someone else believes it.

If I do believe it is important, it is important for me - no matter how passionately someone else disagrees.

If I don't believe it is important, I can choose to mock it and belittle it - or I can choose to disagree and honor the effort to live according to the dictates of the other person's own conscience.

I'm much more interested "spiritually" in how I respond to what I consider to be absurd than in the one engaged in the absurd - although I am very interested in the absurd on a purely intellectual level.

Again, I fight the urge to view others and what I see as their "weird" beliefs in a way that is inconsistent with how I want others to view me and what they see as my own "weird" beliefs. That's really, really important to me personally - actually one of my most fundamental efforts.

Motes and beams and kettles and pots and all that jazz.

A Wonderful Sacrament Meeting Experience: God Bless Truly Humble and Selfless Saints

The following experience happened some time ago, but it came to mind tonight - so I thought I would write a post about it.  I hope it touches someone and is an answer to prayer in some way:

I normally like to arrive at least 30 minutes early when I am visiting a ward or branch as part of my calling, but, due to circumstances I don't need to detail here, I arrived at the branch I was visiting with only about 5 minutes to spare. When I walked in and spoke with the Branch President, he told me that they had just realized as the young men were preparing the sacrament this morning that they were out of cups for the water. They were discussing what to do as a result.

They had decided to shift the sacrament to the end of the meeting, so the Branch President could drive home and bring a bunch of small drinking cups from his house. It would be a bit awkward and difficult to manage, but it was the only solution that came to mind. I suggested they go ahead and follow that plan, but that I would call someone in my home ward (which met at the exact same time as the branch) and see if they had any extra sacrament cups - and ask if anyone in that ward would be willing to miss their own meetings and attend the branch that day in order to allow the branch to use regular cups for the sacrament at the end of their meeting. The Branch President left to go home to get his cups, and I called a few numbers I had on my cell phone until I reached the High Priests Group Leader.

He stepped out of the chapel to take my call just as my ward was singing the opening hymn. He then went back into the chapel, spoke with someone in the Young Men's Presidency, called me back and told me he would bring four sleeves of cups to the branch right away - enough that they could use them again for a couple of weeks if they were unable to get more of their own right away. This good man told his wife and sons what was going on, left Sacrament Meeting before the sacrament was passed, drove 40 minutes to the branch, handed me the cups, then turned around and drove back to his ward without taking the sacrament in the branch - because he had to get back in time to teach the lesson during the last hour to his own high priests.

I took the cups to the priests at the sacrament table in the middle of the final talk, and they finished preparing the trays and the table just as the final special musical number was ending - an absolutely gorgeous solo about the birth of Jesus. They literally were lowering the covering on the sacrament as the final note was ending.

There's something amazing about hearing the sacrament prayer said immediately following a beautiful musical number - when the Spirit is so strong you can feel it almost tangibly. There's also something truly touching about listening to that prayer ("are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son") while picturing the good man who made it all possible driving alone for another 40 minutes back to his own building, having missed participating himself so that he could make it happen for others and still perform the very mundane tasks of his calling.

I know it's a "small thing" in the grand scheme of things, but it certainly brought to my mind the verse:

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

The Strong Need to Be Charitable Toward the Weak - in All Areas of Differing Strength

There is no way to know, unless someone explains, why someone follows the Word of Wisdom - whether it is out of strength or weakness - charity or necessity. I believe deeply that those who are strong in an area should exhibit that strength in meekness by not offending or risking harm to the weak - in areas that the strong don't see as critical to their eternal salvation.

I use the Word of Wisdom and the Sabbath as prime examples - and I am willing to bet that many members know they could be "responsible social drinkers" but don't drink socially in order to support the communal standard and avoid creating an environment in which the weak would become alcoholics or simply drink to excess. I believe anyone who follows the Word of Wisdom out of a sense of concern for the weak is exhibiting charity - and those who fight the Word of Wisdom SIMPLY because it is inconsequential to them are not being charitable in this regard.

I could say the exact same thing about taking an R-rated movie to a house where the people there abstain from watching such movies -- or serving pork to your Muslim friends -- or refusing to take off your shoes in the house of Japanese friends who follow that custom -- or serving Coke and Pepsi at a ward party in some units -- or wearing a french-cut bikini to a ward pool party -- or insisting on watching porn at almost any religious gathering - ad infinitum. I believe it is the responsibility of the strong to prove their strength by not flaunting it in front of the weak - no matter the level of their commitment to any religious organization. (I also will add that if someone can't do this with regard to a particular issue, perhaps they aren't as strong in that area as they believe.)

In the Bible, Paul urges members to establish their own moral compass internally - but then he says to respect the moral compasses that those around them have established, as well. Notice, he said that it is the responsibility of those who would partake to abstain with those who would abstain - not that those who would abstain should partake with those who would partake. That is an important distinction in Paul's words - that the strong need to sacrifce for the weak, not the other way around.

A Tremendous Charity that I Believe All LDS Stakes Should Consider Supporting

As I have written this month, my New Year's Resolution for this month is to exercise a little more faith in the redemption of Jesus Christ.  I have been thinking about that topic all month, and I read a post that crystalized for me an aspect of "redemption" that I have not pondered enough in my life.   

As I was thinking about how to introduce the post I have linked below, it struck me that one of the most important aspects of exercising faith in the redemption of Jesus is to accept His life as my example and do for others what He did for me - to believe that He can "redeem" me from my "natural" desires and make me into something that I would not become on my own and, through that belief, extend that same belief to others.

One of the most striking things about Jesus' ministry is that he served it among the poor, despised and rejected.  As a friend online once phrased it, he created a "kingdom of nobodies".  Sometimes we forget that part of the "redemption" he offered was very practical - "redeeming" IN THIS LIFE those whom others had discarded. 

In that light, I am linking the following post that appeared only two days ago on By Common Consent.  Reading it has had a profound impact on me, and it is going to take some time to digest exactly what that impact will mean - but, in the meantime, I want to share it with everyone who reads my blog. 


Approaching Zion: Solving the Problem of Malnutrition - nmiles (By Common Consent) 

If I can do nothing else to assist, at least I can share it with my own Stake leaders and those with whom I have a small degree of influence.  If you are touched as I am, please consider sharing it with your own stake or ward/branch leaders. 

Loving Enough to Lose All

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

I believe learning to love people enough that you would be willing to give up heaven so they could reach it is the heart of the concept articulated in this verse - and the best way to determine if you have reached that type of love is if you are giving up your picture of the ideal life HERE on earth in order to make others’ lives more ideal HERE on earth.

I believe in the idea of creating Heaven on earth - and that those who "really get it" are far more focused on helping those around them in the here and now than on securing a reward in the hereafter, specifically because they know their Father and love Him enough to sacrifice their all, if necessary, to do what His Son did when He was here. He spent His life ministering to the poor and despised and rejected - giving up the comforts He could have enjoyed in order to mourn with those who mourned and comfort those who stood in need of comfort.

One simple, minimal example: I believe that someone who can afford to pay a generous fast offering and does not do so does not understand the Gospel very well. That person, in my opinion, has put his own luxuries ahead of others' needs and is not living the foundational heart of the Gospel.