I listen to talk radio, as much as a talking clock as for the information it provides.
I heard one caller who got the wheels turning, this morning.
I have had the perception that there are three main arena's of action today:
Information, Energy, and Value.
Information:
Perception is Reality - control perception and you control reality. Control the information a person receives, you control their perceptions.
Energy
Control and consumption of energy influences the standard of living, and by extension happiness.
Value:
A thing's worth is relative to the individual using the thing.
The underlying principle: Control.
Power to destroy a noun is power to control that noun. "Destruction" can mean to damage a physical thing to the point of it being unusable and useless: or to deny access to a thing, or method, etc.
---
This as an underlying foundation I had some thoughts about ideas in discussion as I hear them today.
"Capitalism" equals "Greed"
"Greed is Good," to paraphrase Gordon Gekko.
'I don't want to work for someone else, or for a for-profit-organization, because that is only furthering someone's greed.'
Therefore do not work for anything that has a profit motive.
"Sex" is "Natural"
'Love the one you are with.'
'They are going to do it anyway, teach then to do it right, and give them a safe place to do it.'
Therefore encourage the gratification of appetites, without consideration of consequences thereof.
"Religion" is corrupt and and useless.
Organized Religion is just a bunch of pedophiles and power mongers who are seeking to subject people to their false traditions.
Therefore if one feels the need, pursue 'Spirituality'; since there is no 'truth' anyway anything will do.
Individuals do not have power, except as part of a group.
Therefore to have power, one must suborn himself to a group.
WRONG.
Truth does exist.
Yes, Greed is bad. But the profit motive is what drives Man to provide for His family. The question becomes how do you measure 'profit'?
By acquisition of power and control over a group? "I am the KING."
By accumulation of property and things? "He who dies with the most toys wins"
By the behavior of others? "You taught me to do this."
These are useful measures, but not fully based in truth.
Profit is an increase in value, after the costs have been paid. The attack on Profit is an attack on Value. Increase profit, and you increase the value of society.
Sex is natural, else there would not be any kind of propagation of any species.
BUT Actions have Consequences.
Self control is much more attractive and successful in promoting the propagation of any species than just gratifying appetites is or will be.
In properly ordered societies, of beasts or of Man, rogues without self control are always driven out or destroyed; this to maintain the proper order of the society.
Religion is the connecting of the individual to the divine, by a discipline that is defined by a mythology. The mythology teaches the whys and applications of what the discipline teaches the hows of. Through the shifting of meaning in the use of language, many will take
the words used here as denigrating and derogatory toward True Religion,
rather than as a starting point in defining the general categories.
True Religion is revealed by GOD, through modern prophets; it will seek to purify the corrupt by teaching correct principles and allowing Man to govern himself accordingly.
False Religion is created by men; it will seek to empower the corrupt by teaching philosophies of men, and compelling Man into subjugation.
Organized Religion, as with any power-structure attracts the corrupt. As with any organization, without careful guards about who does what and has what authority, it will drift from its original stated goals into maintaining and increasing the power of the corrupt within its structure.
In Religion, the guards are its mythology and discipline. When corrupt men seek to change the mythology and discipline of True Religion, other men who are true to the principles either rise up to stop those who are seeking the change, or depart and go elsewhere.
Individuals have much power and ability in themselves, but as each is an individual, how that power and ability is manifest is unique to each one. Groups are useful for making an increase in energy over time, but not all can give the same effort or same value in the effort.
Summary:
Information: the mythology and discipline of religion inform how a person is to behave in the society defined by the adherents of that religion.
Energy: the efforts of the people in the society have consequences, behave good and the society moves to greater peace and order; behave badly and disorder and conflict result.
Value: the nouns that a society values are sought for, and energy is expended to increase the value of those nouns.
Today I see a growing conflict between two general religious groups:
One has a mythology and discipline for teaching and distinguishing correct principles of information, energy, and value, and allowing the individuals to choose for themselves how to apply these. It fights with truth, honor and morality.
The other has a mythology and discipline for controlling information, energy, and value, and thereby controlling the behavior of individuals, and breaking them into isolated manageable groups. It fights by lies, deception and license, among other tactics.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
Election aftermath
Some thoughts about what has happened, as I see them:
This last US Election was about Freedom vs. Free Stuff.
Free Stuff won.
This Election was about 'Freedom To Choose for One's Self' vs. 'Freedom From Responsibility for One's Choices.'
Freedom From Responsibility for One's Choices won.
After the last Presidential Election, I commented to a coworker that I was less worried about political constructs, as these could be rebuilt, than I was about the morals and values these constructs are built on.
Mitt Romney was harassed about a "47%" comment he made.
As near as I can see, that comment was dead on.
On the other hand, there are those who say that the GOP did not get their Conservative Base out, because of Romney being a 'New England Moderate.'
You vote for who is available, and support them, and do your best to get them to lead in the direction you want them to go. Or you run yourself.
Refusing to vote and allowing the other side to win, you may as well vote for your political enemies. "Evil prospering by Good Men doing nothing" anyone?
---
The following is doing the rounds in my extended family:
For the past twenty-three years, Ed Lauritsen has been in private practice
as a psychologist and family therapist. He has also taught continuing
education seminars to mental health professionals nationally. He and his
wife Ann have been happily married for 36 years and have five children and
eight grandchildren. The Lauritsens reside in Arizona and are active
members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Dr. Lauritsen
has served as a branch president and as a counselor in two branch
presidencies, four bishoprics and a stake presidency. He also has served as
a seminary instructor and stake mission president. Both he and Ann have
served Spanish-speaking missions and currently hold leadership positions in
a Spanish-speaking branch. Dr. Lauritsen can be reached at
edlauritsen@msn.com.
A post-election epiphany: The real winner in campaign 2012
By Dr. Ed Lauritsen.
It is Election Night 2012, and I'm sitting here at my computer listening to
Governor Romney's concession speech, trying to come to grips with his
defeat---our defeat. And into my mind comes three interesting thoughts. The
first comes with a scripture:
"Behold, I will hasten my work in its time." (D&C 88:73).
If the Lord's "work" is to "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life
of man" (Moses 1:39), and if that process begins by hearing about the
Church and seeing its members, then the sooner and the faster the greatest
number of people can see and hear about the Latter-day Saints--especially
about exemplary Saints like the Romneys--the more the work is hastened.
And though the Church has 55,000+ missionaries who are quietly and
patiently roaming the world knocking on doors, the Lord has brought the LDS
Governor and his LDS family into the very homes of millions of people
around the U.S. and the world via TV, radio, and Internet for more than a
year now--people who might never have received or accepted the missionaries
or LDS neighbors, let alone have learned about the LDS way of life. But now
they have listened, watched, and learned, and many of them will likely be
more curious and receptive to the missionaries in the future. And that
also goes for many of the Evangelicals, Protestants, and Catholics who
locked arms with the Latter-day Saints (thanks to Glenn Beck) during this
long presidential campaign. Bottom line: the Romneys lost a hard-fought
political battle, but they--and the Church--won a decisive, long-awaited
cultural and spiritual victory in opening the minds and hearts of millions.
Another post-election thought: "Be careful what you pray for."
Had Romney won, it is highly doubtful that he and his team would have been
able to rescue the nation's wounded economy from the purposeful destruction
that Obama has intentionally inflicted upon it, Obama having done so in
order to "fundamentally transform" our free enterprise system into a
Socialist state. Had Romney won, the only possible way to have saved the
nation and its economy would have been to make deep cuts in the welfare and
entitlement programs--cuts that would have been branded "murderous,
discriminatory and racist" at every turn by the Liberal mainstream media.
And the ever-increasing drumbeat of these accusations over the next four
years would have given license to thousands--perhaps millions--of
malcontents to take to the streets in "civil unrest" (aka anarchy).
As such, Romney's never-ending vilification in print and in the electronic
media would have soon painted him---and his fellow Mormons--as the enemies
of America, with all the resulting antagonism, stress, and persecution of
the Church, both at home and abroad.
As is, over the next four years, right-wing zealots--not Christian
Conservatives--will likely become increasingly resistant, confrontational,
and possibly violent in response to the creeping Socialism. Thus, "social
unrest" may begin at the other end of the political spectrum, likely
precipitating equally violent responses from the pro-Socialist masses.
And this foregoing scenario brings me to the third and final thought
tonight, one which also was accompanied by the written word, this time in
the form of a powerful metaphor by Hugh Nibley. I close with it:
“On the last night of a play, the whole cast and stage crew stay in the
theater until the small, or not so small, hours of the morning striking the
old set. If there is to be a new opening soon, as the economy of the
theater requires, it is important that the new set should be in place and
ready for the opening night; all the while the old set was finishing its
usefulness and then being taken down, the new set was rising in splendor to
be ready for the drama that would immediately follow. So it is with this
world. It is not our business to tear down the old set--the agencies that
do that are already hard at work and very efficient--the set is coming down
all around us with spectacular effect. Our business is to see to it that
the new set is well on the way for what is to come--and that means a
different kind of politics, beyond the scope of the tragedy that is now
playing its closing night. We are preparing for the establishment of Zion.”
Nibley, Hugh. Nibley on the Timely and the Timeless: Classic Essays of Hugh
W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center,
1978, p. 302
This last US Election was about Freedom vs. Free Stuff.
Free Stuff won.
This Election was about 'Freedom To Choose for One's Self' vs. 'Freedom From Responsibility for One's Choices.'
Freedom From Responsibility for One's Choices won.
After the last Presidential Election, I commented to a coworker that I was less worried about political constructs, as these could be rebuilt, than I was about the morals and values these constructs are built on.
Mitt Romney was harassed about a "47%" comment he made.
As near as I can see, that comment was dead on.
On the other hand, there are those who say that the GOP did not get their Conservative Base out, because of Romney being a 'New England Moderate.'
You vote for who is available, and support them, and do your best to get them to lead in the direction you want them to go. Or you run yourself.
Refusing to vote and allowing the other side to win, you may as well vote for your political enemies. "Evil prospering by Good Men doing nothing" anyone?
---
The following is doing the rounds in my extended family:
For the past twenty-three years, Ed Lauritsen has been in private practice
as a psychologist and family therapist. He has also taught continuing
education seminars to mental health professionals nationally. He and his
wife Ann have been happily married for 36 years and have five children and
eight grandchildren. The Lauritsens reside in Arizona and are active
members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Dr. Lauritsen
has served as a branch president and as a counselor in two branch
presidencies, four bishoprics and a stake presidency. He also has served as
a seminary instructor and stake mission president. Both he and Ann have
served Spanish-speaking missions and currently hold leadership positions in
a Spanish-speaking branch. Dr. Lauritsen can be reached at
edlauritsen@msn.com.
A post-election epiphany: The real winner in campaign 2012
By Dr. Ed Lauritsen.
It is Election Night 2012, and I'm sitting here at my computer listening to
Governor Romney's concession speech, trying to come to grips with his
defeat---our defeat. And into my mind comes three interesting thoughts. The
first comes with a scripture:
"Behold, I will hasten my work in its time." (D&C 88:73).
If the Lord's "work" is to "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life
of man" (Moses 1:39), and if that process begins by hearing about the
Church and seeing its members, then the sooner and the faster the greatest
number of people can see and hear about the Latter-day Saints--especially
about exemplary Saints like the Romneys--the more the work is hastened.
And though the Church has 55,000+ missionaries who are quietly and
patiently roaming the world knocking on doors, the Lord has brought the LDS
Governor and his LDS family into the very homes of millions of people
around the U.S. and the world via TV, radio, and Internet for more than a
year now--people who might never have received or accepted the missionaries
or LDS neighbors, let alone have learned about the LDS way of life. But now
they have listened, watched, and learned, and many of them will likely be
more curious and receptive to the missionaries in the future. And that
also goes for many of the Evangelicals, Protestants, and Catholics who
locked arms with the Latter-day Saints (thanks to Glenn Beck) during this
long presidential campaign. Bottom line: the Romneys lost a hard-fought
political battle, but they--and the Church--won a decisive, long-awaited
cultural and spiritual victory in opening the minds and hearts of millions.
Another post-election thought: "Be careful what you pray for."
Had Romney won, it is highly doubtful that he and his team would have been
able to rescue the nation's wounded economy from the purposeful destruction
that Obama has intentionally inflicted upon it, Obama having done so in
order to "fundamentally transform" our free enterprise system into a
Socialist state. Had Romney won, the only possible way to have saved the
nation and its economy would have been to make deep cuts in the welfare and
entitlement programs--cuts that would have been branded "murderous,
discriminatory and racist" at every turn by the Liberal mainstream media.
And the ever-increasing drumbeat of these accusations over the next four
years would have given license to thousands--perhaps millions--of
malcontents to take to the streets in "civil unrest" (aka anarchy).
As such, Romney's never-ending vilification in print and in the electronic
media would have soon painted him---and his fellow Mormons--as the enemies
of America, with all the resulting antagonism, stress, and persecution of
the Church, both at home and abroad.
As is, over the next four years, right-wing zealots--not Christian
Conservatives--will likely become increasingly resistant, confrontational,
and possibly violent in response to the creeping Socialism. Thus, "social
unrest" may begin at the other end of the political spectrum, likely
precipitating equally violent responses from the pro-Socialist masses.
And this foregoing scenario brings me to the third and final thought
tonight, one which also was accompanied by the written word, this time in
the form of a powerful metaphor by Hugh Nibley. I close with it:
“On the last night of a play, the whole cast and stage crew stay in the
theater until the small, or not so small, hours of the morning striking the
old set. If there is to be a new opening soon, as the economy of the
theater requires, it is important that the new set should be in place and
ready for the opening night; all the while the old set was finishing its
usefulness and then being taken down, the new set was rising in splendor to
be ready for the drama that would immediately follow. So it is with this
world. It is not our business to tear down the old set--the agencies that
do that are already hard at work and very efficient--the set is coming down
all around us with spectacular effect. Our business is to see to it that
the new set is well on the way for what is to come--and that means a
different kind of politics, beyond the scope of the tragedy that is now
playing its closing night. We are preparing for the establishment of Zion.”
Nibley, Hugh. Nibley on the Timely and the Timeless: Classic Essays of Hugh
W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center,
1978, p. 302
Monday, November 5, 2012
WHY TO VOTE
Some words from Prophets of God.
At the time of the end of the exodus:
Joshua 24
15 And if
it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will
serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side
of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me
and my house, we will serve the LORD.
16 And the
people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve
other gods;
From the Saviour himself, during the mortal phase of his ministry:
Matthew 22
17 Tell us
therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or
not?
18 But
Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
19 Shew me
the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
20 And he
saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
21 They
say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar
the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
22 When
they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
From the inhabitants of the American continents, in the century prior to the Saviour's mortal ministry:
Mosiah 29:
25-27, 39
25 Therefore,
choose you by the voice of this people, judges, that ye may be judged according
to the laws which have been given you by our fathers, which are correct, and
which were given them by the hand of the LORD.
26 Now it
is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that
which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire
that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your
law--to do your business by the voice of the people.
27 And if
the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the
time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he
will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land.
39 Therefore,
it came to pass that they assembled themselves together in bodies throughout
the land, to cast in their voices concerning who should be their judges, to
judge them according to the law which had been given them; and they were
exceedingly rejoiced because of the liberty which had been granted unto them.
From a modern prophet, in 1835:
Doctrine &
Covenants, Section 134: 1-5
1 We
believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and
that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in
making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society.
2 We
believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and
held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience,
the right and control of property, and the protection of life.
3 We
believe that all governments necessarily require civil officers and magistrates
to enforce the laws of the same; and that such as will administer the law in
equity and justice should be sought for and upheld by the voice of the people
if a republic, or the will of the sovereign.
4 We
believe that religion is instituted of God; and that men are amenable to him,
and to him only, for the exercise of it, unless their religious opinions prompt
them to infringe upon the rights and liberties of others; but we do not believe
that human law has a right to interfere in prescribing rules of worship to bind
the consciences of men, nor dictate forms for public or private devotion; that
the civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience;
should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of the soul.
5 We
believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments
in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights
by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming
every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly; and that all
governments have a right to enact such laws as in their own judgments are best
calculated to secure the public interest; at the same time, however, holding
sacred the freedom of conscience.
Want to read the surrounding versus, and references, go ask someone who has the scriptures.
Or go look them up at LDS.ORG.
In summary: GO VOTE, that you may answer your accountability before God with a clear conscience that you did so.
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