Thursday, October 30, 2014

Meeting the devil

"Falling in love" really ought to be "choosing to love".

Men seem to "fall in love" while women seem to "choose to love". I think that's because women tend to be more biologically invested in any affair. They force themselves to be rational about it because, after all, they bear the children! Most men -- in matters of love, at least -- regard children only as an after-thought. In this day of "the pill", that is certainly truer than ever. Many men -- and, unfortunately, many women now -- are choosing to do without children altogether. After making the choice to forego (or postpone) motherhood, women are no longer "bound" to "choose to love"; they can now "fall in love" with reckless abandon! (The welfare state and an accommodating, condoning, corrupt culture likewise promote such poor decision-making.)

No wonder the world is going to hell.

*****

That reminds me...

I've met the devil precisely once (that I know of).

As usual, it was in a dream.

I was standing against the wall of a brilliantly lit room, with several others like myself. All were dressed in gleaming white. (This was surely a temple.) It was announced that the Savior would soon be joining us.  The next few moments were filled with anxiety! I looked at all those who waited with me. We were trepidatious!

I could see from my position near the doorway that three personages approached! One in the middle wore red. I turned away as soon as I saw the hem of his robe.

Surely this is the Christ! I imagined.

When the red-clad entity entered the room, I dropped to my knees, head bowed. Overwhelming sensations of unworthiness enveloped me! I could remember all of my failures, all of my transgressions, all of my sins and abuses. I felt utterly unworthy to be in his presence! I did not dare to look up at him, but wept uncontrollably, pleading for mercy.

He was more than willing to grant it.

He placed his hands upon my head, ostensibly to give me a blessing. As he spoke, I was startled by what I heard. It wasn't what he said...or how he said it...or even the tenor of his voice. It was that his voice wasn't the voice I recognized. It wasn't the voice I knew.

I looked up.

The personage in red placed his hands over my eyes, preventing me from clearly seeing him. I struggled with him, moving my head and pushing his hands away. When I finally caught a glimpse of his face, I was surprised!

It was a woman.

This entity I endeavored to worship was, in fact, a woman.

I stood up.

The personage in red protested, demanding that I kneel again before him (her). I would not. The personage said "I am Jesus Christ!" I accused him (her) of being an imposter.

Before my eyes this woman transformed into a very handsome man -- a George Clooney-esque fellow with a toothy grin and well coifed, jet-black hair. In his power he commanded me to worship him, but I refused. Instead (as one who has witnessed such things should know), I commanded him to depart and the wall behind him vanished. He trotted off, in his anger and malice and hatred for me, ranting and raving as he went.

****

What did I learn from this?

That my "god" was a woman. I had made woman my god.

I worshipped "her". (I doubt that I am the only man to ever do this!) I placed my love for her above all else, even above my love for the true God. I wanted woman more than anything else.

I am keenly susceptible to placing this "idol", this "false god" upon the altar of my heart. She is woven, as it were, into the fabric of the "natural man". If I ever let him gain control again, she will manifest herself, no doubt.

My love for Jesus precludes me from letting that happen. I cannot...I must not...allow it.

*****

There were times in my youth when I wanted to be "good" even when everyone else, it seemed, was bad.

There were times in my youth when I desperately wanted to be "bad", but others, seeing my "goodness", determined to keep me that way. (I really should be grateful to them!)

I'm grateful for such people today.

26 comments:

  1. Will,
    Interesting thoughts. I doubt there is any man, anywhere, who has not worshipped "a woman" or perhaps the idea of "woman" in general. Thank you for sharing and please know you are not alone.
    The idols we worship are not always ones made with hands, those may just be the easiest to identify.
    JRU

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  2. I suppose if women, unlike men, can truly love by volition, then lesbianism would seem a valid choice for them.

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  3. We can all "love" by volition. In fact, we are required to. It's just that such love is less ardent, perhaps, in the sexual sense when it goes against our "natural" inclinations.

    What we commonly call "love" is often merely lust.

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  4. Can we "love" by volition? Have you the secret to commanding your heart?

    And how knowest thou that what "we" commonly call "love" is often merely lust?

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  5. "Unnatural" love begins with blessing them that curse you, doing good to them who hate you, despitefully use you and persecute you.

    By "we" I meant most of us mere mortals, not angels like yourself. :-)

    Charity, after all, is the pure love of Christ -- a gift to be received from God.

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  6. Even that isn't love, sez Paul -

    "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

    And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

    And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."

    Recognizing that charity is a gift and not something we develop - not, in other words, an innate trait susceptible to being enlarged by our own efforts - why is it supposed that love of any other kind is any different?

    I'm tired, Will. Where is Zion?

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  7. Log,

    I suspected you might quibble! Are you suggesting that what most adolescents feel is true love and not lust? We have talked about this! Virtually every song on the radio speaks of lust, not love! Why would you even dispute this point?

    We can willfully choose to serve our neighbor. We can willfully pray with all the energy of our soul to receive thr pure love of Christ. We can choose to be loving even when we don't feel loving.

    But, you're right, we must receive the gift.

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  8. Will,

    I haven't a clue what they're feeling. Do you have a heart- and mind-reading device? But I will say I notice distinctly different things being spoken of in, say, Whitesnake's "Is This Love" vs. Elton John's "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."

    Why would I question your assertion? Because I have noticed something different. Again, check Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" vs. Morrissey's "How Soon Is Now."

    What, one wonders, does Morrissey and Elton have in common?

    I wish I had room to suggest analyzing George Michael's back-catalogue (no pun intended). Which category do you suppose his songs belong in? How about "Father Figure?"

    I try real hard not to make assertions I can't back up because, as I have said before - in this realm, people die when we're wrong. Inasmuch as people look to us for light, we need to be absolutely darn sure before we offer it up publicly that it is light and truth.

    And you can willfully choose to act loving even when you don't feel loving; you can, in other words, be an hypocrite, and what does that get us?

    "For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that which is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing.

    For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness.

    For behold, if a man being evil giveth a gift, he doeth it grudgingly; wherefore it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God.

    And likewise also is it counted evil unto a man, if he shall pray and not with real intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such.

    Wherefore, a man being evil cannot do that which is good; neither will he give a good gift."

    So yes, pray with all the energy of heart for love and the Spirit, and serve God if you want to but not otherwise, for he doesn't receive grudging service and grudging prayers. Part of the problem today is we are taught hypocrisy, literally.

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  9. Log,

    I feel "chastened" by you without being "corrected"...because we have always agreed about this. It's not "mind reading" I employ when I discern the world operates by lust, not by love. God's gift is not enjoyed by the masses. Our fallen world testifies of this at every turn.

    As for "willingly" loving, we choose to do the works of righteousness, pray, etc. How we feel about doing so may not always be "sweetness and light". That feeling may, in fact, be the gift...so that our actions match our emotions and we become guided by the Spirit, the law being written in our hearts. (See 2 Nephi 8:7.)

    I agree with the scriptures: that the grudging giver is not profited thereby "except he shall do it with real intent". Intent implies volition. If we intend to serve God, love our fellow man, come unto Christ, be good (even if we don't), it is accounted unto us for righteousness. We are moving in the right direction. This is what Nephi meant when he said:

    "But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul." (2 Nephi 32:9.)

    Again, this implies volition. We are not automatons -- at least not yet. We are striving to be filled with the Spirit (like unto Jesus), demonstrated by our willingness to do the things which we have seen Him do.

    Again: "13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel." (2 Nephi 31:13.)

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  10. "With full purpose of heart." Not partial, not withholding anything.

    "Acting no hypocrisy." "No deception before God."

    "Then shall ye receive."

    Hypocrisy, such as acting loving while not feeling loving, doesn't count. Anything less than one's all is insufficient.

    You quoted the right verse - you have of yourself provided the correction you asked for, even if with your selective bolding the correction might get missed.

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  11. I’m going to depart from the scriptures to add to this commentary. I like this definition of Love as expressed by author Scott Peck in his book, “The Road Less Traveled.” It is one that I can get my head around... as Moroni’s counsel is a goal that I’m reaching for.

    “The will to extend one’s self for the purpose of nurturing one’s own or another’s spiritual growth.”

    He talks about physical attraction or sexual attraction “which serves to increase the probability of sexual paring and bonding so as to enhance the survival of the species.” “....falling in love is a trick that our genes pull on our otherwise perceptive mind to hoodwink or trap us into marriage.... and is inevitably temporary.”

    He states: “Love is not a feeling.... love is an action, an activity.” A genuinely loving individual will often take a loving and constructive action towards a person he or she consciously dislikes, feeling no love toward the person at the time.”

    “True love is not a feeling by which we are overwhelmed, It is a committed, thoughtful decision.” "In a committed relationship, partners must regularly, routinely and predictably, attend to each other and their relationship no matter how they feel.” “However it is a lot more fun to love with a feeling.”

    Again.... “The WILL to extend one’s self for the purpose of nurturing one’s own or another’s spiritual growth.”

    I agree with Will... After Falling in love... one chooses to love. In our youth and in so much of the worlds' point of view, “Love” is attached to our hormones rather than one’s own and another’s spiritual growth.

    Isn’t it wonderful that in God’s mercy he allows us time to “Grow Up”... to change, to repent, to mature our love to the point that our love becomes “Charity, the pure love of Christ.”

    Log... I disagree that love is not something we cannot develop. We so often stumble and fall in our efforts to love and be loving... but we learn, and sometimes by very hard lessons that there is a different way to love that produces wholesome results. We get to choose again.

    There is no doubt that the “Pure love of Christ” is the ultimate goal and cannot be attained except through the atonement. It is a gift that is bestowed upon us as we seek, repent, try, choose to love again and again. Like repentance, and forgiveness, the finals gift is given because of the mercy of Christ.

    Log... I think it is my responsibility to judge whether actions display love or not. Yes.. I do have a “mind reading-devise.” When actions are taking in the name of love that do not manifest kindness, long-suffering, gentleness, and meekness... it is not Love. When I see a parents beat the “hell out of their kids” under the guise of loving them and knowing what is best for them... my heart and mind-reading-devise” (the spirit) can manifest otherwise.

    When I see unnatural paring that cannot produce the survival of the species, in which the creation of posterity and creation is the ultimate goal of my Father in heaven cannot be realized... my heart and mind-reading-device (the spirit) testifies to me that this type of paring is not based on love.

    You boldly quote scriptures... but perhaps have missed the word “Evil.”

    "For behold, God hath said a man being EVIL cannot do that which is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing.”

    There are plenty of EVIL people who appear to Love but are covert and their intentions are to destroy. Their intent and actions are the embodiment of hypocrisy. And yes, their kind of love profit them nothing.

    However, because we make mistakes or cannot perfectly love as Moroni counseled, does not mean that all loving efforts are not counted. It does not mean we are hypocritical in our intent. Not all men have EVIL intent.

    I believe God is merciful, and as long as we recognized our mistakes, repent over and over again as we move up “Jacobs” ladder, we have great hope... even in our efforts to love... until we receive the “Gift.”

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    1. All are free to disagree.

      "2 O Lord, thou hast said that we must be encompassed about by the floods. Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee; for we know that thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens, and that we are unworthy before thee; because of the fall our natures have become evil continually; nevertheless, O Lord, thou hast given us a commandment that we must call upon thee, that from thee we may receive according to our desires."

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    2. If it were possible to develop love, there would be no need for the Atonement.

      Hence, this.

      "48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen."

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    3. Since I'm on the subject...

      "19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."

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  12. Lest anyone say differently, I personally have not a care in the world whether anyone agrees with the scriptures on this subject or any other. I never present this stuff without giving people the way out - repent and call upon the name of the Lord unto the remission of your sins.

    What you believe - beyond Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God - doesn't matter if you will do the commandments of the Lord. Obey the teachings of the Savior with full purpose of heart and pray always with full abandon to receive the Spirit and continue this until you receive.

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  13. Rather than dispute, why not obey?

    40 And it came to pass that the Lamanites said unto him: What shall we do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from overshadowing us?

    41 And Aminadab said unto them: You must repent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ, who was taught unto you by Alma, and Amulek, and Zeezrom; and when ye shall do this, the cloud of darkness shall be removed from overshadowing you.

    42 And it came to pass that they all did begin to cry unto the voice of him who had shaken the earth; yea, they did cry even until the cloud of darkness was dispersed.

    43 And it came to pass that when they cast their eyes about, and saw that the cloud of darkness was dispersed from overshadowing them, behold, they saw that they were encircled about, yea every soul, by a pillar of fire.

    44 And Nephi and Lehi were in the midst of them; yea, they were encircled about; yea, they were as if in the midst of a flaming fire, yet it did harm them not, neither did it take hold upon the walls of the prison; and they were filled with that joy which is unspeakable and full of glory.

    45 And behold, the Holy Spirit of God did come down from heaven, and did enter into their hearts, and they were filled as if with fire, and they could speak forth marvelous words.

    46 And it came to pass that there came a voice unto them, yea, a pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper, saying:

    47 Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world.

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  14. 3 Nephi 9:20
    20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.

    31 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will declare unto you my doctrine.

    32 And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me; and I bear record of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me.

    33 And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God.

    34 And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned.

    35 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy Ghost.

    36 And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the Holy Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one.

    37 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things.

    38 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.

    39 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.

    40 And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and the winds beat upon them.

    41 Therefore, go forth unto this people, and declare the words which I have spoken, unto the ends of the earth.

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  15. Log

    No one is disputing the ultimate end that the scriptures counsel. They are the ultimate guide in reaching a goal. But, Log, you never allow for growth, line upon line, and mercy.

    It feels like you use the scriptures as a sword not as a teaching tool... which may be your intent... but it does not come across that way. ("All are free to disagree." BUT...... "Rather than dispute, why not OBEY!" "I never present this stuff without giving people the way out - repent and call upon the name of the Lord unto the remission of your sins.")
    There is no gentleness in your effort to persuade.

    And you are in a position to call me to me to repentance? If the spirit has borne witness that it is your calling.... so be it... but I do not feel your concern... only your effort to be "Right."

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  20. To Whom It May Concern:

    Nana may well have a point. Maybe it is because people keep reading malice or pride into my words - what few of them there are, interspersed within scriptural citations - that keeps people from being persuaded to obey the plan of salvation.

    Maybe if I gently asked people to lay aside all claims they have to anything in this world - to lay aside all claims to one's spouse, one's children, one's reputation, one's relationships, one's property, one's career, one's educational "knowledge," and, in fine, every last thing they possessed, or seemed to possess, and to pray with all the energy of heart until they had true, genuine faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, laying their whole soul and every sin upon the altar of prayer, forgiving all men of all offenses against them, that God consumes their offering by fire from heaven - people would do it.

    I don't know how much more gently it can be asked - will you, the reader, who does not know if they are clean before God, please do exactly this?

    Will you please call upon God until he answers you?

    Will you please, if you haven't the strength, faith, or desire to obtain the remission of your sins right now, adopt a conscious and permanent policy of being charitable to the poor, while you pray without ceasing to be made clean, pure, and perfect before God?

    Will you please, please, please do these things?

    Remember - you don't have to tell me you have done, or are doing these things. I'm not the boss of you. You can do these things, or not do these things - I don't "win" either way. Or, rather, I do "win" if you do them, but only in the sense that I gain a brother or sister in Christ, one with whom I may see eye-to-eye with in matters spiritual.

    Oh, I would love that.

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  21. Log,
    This is a side of you I have not sensed before. Your statement earlier about pride, etc. is pretty much what I had thought of you. Sorry for the blunt honesty but it is true.
    NOW I see there is truly a depth to you I had not supposed before.
    Please accept my apology for any past offenses I may have served up in our conversations on the various blogs where we have interacted in the past. You are indeed speaking truth in these posts and in THAT I find love for you indeed...because truth is what I love and worship because our LORD is the living embodiment of LOVE and TRUTH.
    James Russell Uhl (JRU)

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    1. Jim,

      I have met Log several times. He possesses wonderful gifts and has greatly blessed my life with his ministry. Is he arrogant? Who would not be, with such great knowledge? He is like a boy standing astride a stream, trying to hold back the waters with his hands. Living water flows out of him. He can hardly contain it. His enthusiasm and excitement are sincere and infectious. And he has been touched by the Holy Spirit. He wants all men to enjoy what he has received.

      He is living proof that God works with us and in us.

      I would be much poorer were it not for his influence. I love the man.

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