Religion vs No Religion

In today's world it seems many feel religion, especially organized religion is un-needed.

I strongly disagree with this notion.  I would like to explain:

The Spirit, voice 
Of goodness, whispers to our hearts
A better choice 
Than evil’s anguished cries.
Loud may the sound 
Of hope ring till all doubt departs,
And we are bound 
To him by loving ties.3

Back in 1978 I was 17 years old and full of energy with the need to break out of the religious culture I was brought up in. For me music was what life was all about. At that time new "Christian Contemporary" music was looked down on by the older people of my Church. My generation was trying so hard to express themselves without loosing the the new found Rock and Roll explosion. I call it the Holy Music War. 

I was always encouraged to listen to conference every six months. I hated it but because my Mom asked me I tried: I'm glad I did because now those talks and inspirations are coming back to me and helping me understand the craziness in the world today.

I remember clear back in 78 the Prophet's warnings:

We shall see in our life time a maxim ... effort ... to establish irreligion as the state religion. [These secularistes will use] the carefully preserved ... freedoms of Western civilization to shrink freedom even as  [They reject] the value ... of our rich Judeo-Christian heritage.

also

Your discipleship may see the time come when religious convictions are heavily discounted ... This new irreligious imperialism [will seek] to disallow certain ... opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions.2

Anyone with eyes can see the truthfulness of these prophesies over 40 years ago is coming about more and more every day all over in the world!  Hostilities and/or indifference's toward religious practices, or expressions, and in some cases religious belief itself. 

David Brooks hinted at this but put it much too mildly when he wrote in his New York Times column, “Take away [the] rich social fabric [that religion has always been,] and what you are left with [are] people who are uncertain about who they really are.”17 My point about “too mildly” is that a rich social fabric, important as that is, says absolutely nothing about the moral state of one’s soul, redemption from physical death, overcoming spiritual alienation from God, the perpetuation of marriage and the family unit into eternity, and so forth—if anyone is considering such issues in a postmodern world.

In fact, religion has been the principal ­influence—not the only one, but the principal one—that has kept Western social, ­political, and cultural life moral, to the extent that these have been moral. And I shudder at how immoral life might have been—then and now—without that influence. Granted, religion has no monopoly on moral action, but centuries of religious belief, including institutional church- or synagogue- or mosque-going, have clearly been preeminent in shaping our notions of right and wrong. Journalist William Saletan put it candidly: “Religion is the vehicle through which most folks learn and practice morality.”6

Looking through history, The greatest works of literature and music came from inspiration from religious means. The Bible, Prayer, even the wrenching questions of sin, society, and salvation. Great Authors like Emily Dickinson, William Faulkner and Flannery O' Connor; C S Lewis was an Athiest who through his own deductions and writings found that the true inspiration came from truth of a God and a Savior. 

The legendary German sociologist Max Weber once described such a loss of religious principle in society as being stuck in an “iron cage” of disbelief.4 And that was in 1904!

It is my observation that throughout history, religious faith has proven itself the most powerful and enduring force in human history. Roman Catholic scholar Robert Royal made  the same point, reaffirming that for many, "religion remains deep, widespread, and persistent, to the surprise and iffitation of those who claimed to have cast aside [religious] illusion to those who under estimate the power of faith.

The power of faith is the most powerful and enduring force in human history. The influence for good in the world.  It is the link between the highest in us and our highest hopes for others. That is why RELIGION MATTERS. Voices of religious faith have elevated our vision, deepened our human conversation, and strengthened both our personal and collective aspirations since time began. How do we even begin to speak of what Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Peter, James, John have given the world?

Not to mention The Prophet Joseph Smith- my Ancestor has given me and my family. 

We need to consider the world-shaping views and moral force that have come to us from a Martin Luther or a John Calvin or a John Wesley in earlier times, or from Billy Graham or a Pope Francis or a Dalai Lama, or my favorite Mother Theresa who continually quoted the Lord Jesus Christ in her philosophy. How about Martin Luther King Jr. who continued the quest for racial and civil justice through religious eloquence at the pulpit and in the street. George Washington prayed at Valley Forge, and Abraham Lincoln's most cherished volume in his library, which he read regularly, was his Bible -- out of which he sought to right a great national wrong and from which , in victory, he called for "malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right."

True religion brings understanding of and loyalty to our Father in Heaven and His uncompromised love for every one of His spirit ­children—past, present, and future. True religion engenders in us faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and hope in His Resurrection. It encourages love, forbearance, and forgiveness in our interactions with one another, 

True religion, the tie that binds us to God and to each other, not only seals our family relationships in eternity but also heightens our delight in those family experiences while in mortality. Well beyond all the civic, social, and cultural gifts religion gives us is the mercy of a ­loving Father and Son who conceived and carried out the atoning mission of that Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, suturing up that which was torn, bonding together that which was ­broken, healing that which was ill or imperfect, “proclaim[ing] liberty to the captives, and . . . opening . . . the prison to them that are bound.”5

I am so very thankful for Religion! It is not just a word, it is the fabric of which humanity comes from. Man may have created the word and organized religions but not without the help of God and His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost.

If one turns away from faith, he/she will pay a much larger price than  prepared to pay .... Its kind of like taking down the protective fence that surrounds your property not realizing that there are ravaging wolves outside ready to attack.

The one truth of every religion is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Gospel meaning "Good News" Jesus Christ meaning "Love and Light".

I am thankful to belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. All other Christian religions have truth. But this church has the full Gospel of Jesus Christ meaning the keys of His Priesthood..The power of healing and moving mountains.  

Like my Daddy always said. "Everyone should at least have a piece of the pie, but for me I want the whole pie."  

Embracing the Gospel of Jesus Christ enables us to recognize the truth. This is such an important blessing in this day as we are getting information from every direction and it is very difficult to sort the truth out of all the lies and miss information. We have a modern day Prophet living today President Russell M Nelson who we can turn to for truth and guidance. I am so very thankful for this.

1. BYU Devotional Jeffery R. Holland  "Religion"
2. Elder Neal A. Maxwell was—clear back in 1978  BYU devotional
3. Song "Our Saviors Love" 2nd verse
4.  Max Weber, “Asceticism and the Spirit of Capitalism,” The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, trans. Talcott Parsons (London: Routledge Classics, 1930, 2005), 123; see “Iron cage,” Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_cage.
5. Isaiah 62:1
6.  David Brooks, “How Covenants Make Us,” The Opinion Pages, New York Times, 5 April 2016, nytimes.com/2016/04/05/opinion/how-covenants-make-us.html?rref=collection/column/david-brooks&action=click&contentCollection=opinion®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=
   20&pgtype=collection.

Easter is Real this year!

No commercial Easter bunnies, and running all over to get the best egg.

At home in hiding and keeping family safe just as the apostles were doing on the very first Easter

He Lives! My Savior and King!

The new symbol ... Christ Centered 

And a new Proclamation to the World

Hallelujah!!

I want you to know that Russell M Nelson is truly God's  Prophet.

I knew this man when I was a little girl. He was a friend to my father.

Not only the top heart surgeon that helped invent the artificial heart, but he saved countless lives

So very intelligent, full of love for mankind and the Lord.

It did not surprise me in the least that the Lord chose him to be the Prophet for these times.

If we listen to him we can save our sanity, our souls, and our lives ...

I am so very thankful to be living in these times, I'm thankful for my wonderful children, and so very thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

By the way, Gospel means "Good News"

Happy Blessed Easter!!!!

We are in the Last Days  But no worries we got this!

Wow! we are living in such an exciting time!  It is the most scary so far. In fact terrifying for those that may not have the knowledge 

or/and testimony of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The world is preparing and changing all in preparation for the second coming of Christ.  If you look for it in the scriptures, and in the teachings of the Prophets, you will find that everything that is going on has been predicted. We, all our lives have been told to prepare both physically and mostly spiritually.

We as Christians, are being taught and prepared to love, heal, and possibly help save those who are less fortunate in these great and dreadful times and the times to come.

Proverbs 16:1  The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.

Ephesians 6:15  15.And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

Doctrine and Covenants 27:16  16. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, which I have sent mine angels to commit unto you;

This is just a few of the scripture quotes that I studied that helped me understand that each step of life, each generation, has been given the preparations through the generation before.

Our day is here! 

Below in part of the teachings by Brigham Young. The Prophet that brought my ancestors out of persecution, as well as many others to dwell in peace in the desert which is now UTah. He served the lord as a Prophet and Leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for 40 years. President Young taught the Saints to continue in the Lord's redemptive work and to be unafraid of the turmoil prophesied for the last days.

The last days will be a period of great turmoil

All we have yet heard and we have experienced is scarcely a preface to the sermon that is going to be preached. When the testimony of the Elders ceases to be given, and the Lord says to them, "Come home; I will now preach my own sermons to the nations of the earth," all you now know can scarcely be called a preface to the sermon that will be preached with fire and sword, tempests, earthquakes, hail, rain, thunders and lightnings, and fearful destruction. What matters is the destruction of a few railway cars? You will hear of magnificent cities, now idolized by the people, sinking in the earth, entombing the inhabitants. The sea will heave itself beyond its bounds, engulfing mighty cities. Famine will spread over the nations and nation will rise up against nation, kingdom against kingdom and states against states, in our own country and in foreign lands; and they will destroy each other, caring not for the blood and lives of their neighbors, of their families, or for their own lives (DBY, 111 --12).

Righteousness will triumph at the end of the world.

The time will come when every knee will bow, and every tongue confess to and acknowledge him, and when they who have lived upon the earth and have spurned the idea of a Supreme Being and of revelations from him, will fall with shamefacedness and humble themselves before him, exclaiming, "There is a God! O God, we once rejected thee and disbelieved thy word and set at naught thy counsels, but now we bow down in shame and we do acknowledge that there is a God! and that Jesus is the Christ." This time will come, most assuredly. We have the faith of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus(DBY, 112--13

It has been taught and it is in my experience that we will have nothing to fear in these times and the times to come. There will be peace in our hearts if we will but listen to the words of the Prophets, listen or read the scriptures, and work to do what they say to prepare our bodies and hearts. Most of all Pray with all our hearts to our Father in Heaven with our hearts open to the quiet whispering of the Spirit.

I am so very thankful to my Parents for teaching me to love Jesus and how to pray to my Heavenly Father, teaching me the difference between right and wrong. I'm also very thankful to my sunday school teachers, primary teachers, and my Uncle Paul for teaching me how to become close to the Lord  through study and prayer. 

God is not the bad guy when things go wrong. He doesn't punish. We are all his children and he loves us and wants us to learn how to be closer to him. He knows what the consequences of bad choices are and he knows what the consequences to the good choices we make. He wants us to have the blessing that good choices bring. But when we do make wrong choices ... and we do, he doesn't love us any less. If we let him he will help us learn from the consequences of those choices so that we can move on in life and become who we were meant to be.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ

~Rosie

I listened to a Pastor today, Wonderful Godly man by the way.  I go to this church everytime I go back to Williston to see my kids as it is where they go for church.

Today he did something that I have never seen other Christian Churches do …  He had the congregation take of the sacrament or “communion” as he called it. He taught the true meaning of the sacrament as it is from the Bible. He also explained the right heart to have when taking it.

Pointing out the true meaning of not being worthy to take of it;  “Taking the holy name of Jesus upon your heart and promising to be a disciple and let go of any anger and forgiving those that might  have offended you in the past”. I was so impressed. 

He talked about the change of heart that happens when one accepts Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.  The only thing that he said that I feel was a little upseting was while talking about someone who he knew that “left the Mormon Church to accept Jesus” 

I wanted so badly to first thank him for the most inspiring sermon. I wanted to tell him how much I always enjoy his sermons. And that I have always felt the Spirit while listening to his sermons.

Also explain to him that the Mormon Church does not keep people from accepting Jesus as their personal Savior.  No Church really does that unless they are non Christian. AND THE MORMON CHURCH IS CHRISTIAN AS YOU CAN GET.

All Churches have many people at different spiritual stages in their life.  Only the Lord God knows each individual’s heart. Therefore when they are ready, after they have experienced certain trials in their life that opens up their heart ,  He leads them to whomever He has prepared to deliver the message that will go straight to their heart where they can really know that “He Lives” and that He loves them. Everyone has their own individual way and path that they need to follow to discover who they are and who Jesus really is..

Children normally only learn the nature of God through their parents or whoever raises them. Unfortunately, If a parent, especially a Father, treats a child with no forgiveness, and harshly, or abuses them, that is the way they see God. Therefore, finding Jesus can be much harder and take longer. In these cases, whatever Church they may belong to doesn’t always reach their heart. As the Pastor said many “Christians” can believe that Christ exists and know all about about their Church and the Gospel, but for their heart to actually accept Jesus as their own personal Savior, this is something that can take a long long time and sometimes it never happens in this lifetime. However, God promises that even if they didn’t in this lifetime, they will have that opportunity in the next. 

So not all is lost of someone you love has past away without accepting the truth.  You might have the privilege to teach them and bring them to Jesus on the other side. Or perhaps you will be pleasantly surprised to find that they did anyway. We really do not know the hearts of our brothers and sisters. This is why one of the commandments are not to judge one another.

Just love one another. I am so very thankfull for Pastors like this one as well as my own late Uncle Paul who was a Baptist Minister. They continue to bring the lost sheep back, pointing the way to their Shepherd and Savior Jesus Christ.

Why was the herb Cannabis Outlawed in the first place?

This was my question, so I set out on an answer and this is what I found out....

Like most other Latter Day Saints and Christians alike I was brought up being told that the use of “Pot” was evil and bad for me, the gateway for drugs and sex, and because I am a Latter Day Saint it was violating the Word of Wisdom which was a big sin,not to mention very bad and unhealthy. The biggest problem is it is breaking the law and no good can come out of that.

Most people do not realize how manipulated they are by the media and politics as you will understand why I say this later in this article.

First of all the Word of Wisdom is Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, February 27, 1833. As a consequence of the early brethren using tobacco in their meetings, (stinky and dirty) the Prophet was led to ponder upon the matter; consequently, he inquired of the Lord concerning it. This revelation, known as the Word of Wisdom, was the result.

As stated in D & C 89:2 “ To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the word of wisdom, showing forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days”

Just as what it is “a word of wisdom” And yes if you realize that our Heavenly Father gives us commandments just as a loving parent will give a child a “commandment” that if followed will bring the child protection and/or great joy in the long run. So you can interpret this as a commandment.

Nowhere in the Word of Wisdom will one find anything that gives warning against any herbs. In fact quite the opposite. Read D & C  89:10-11

10 And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—

11 Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving.

Now I am not saying that smoking marihuana can't be bad for a person. There are synthetic substances added to cause stronger effect just like things are added to wine and cigarets, it all comes to the money that can be made without regard to to health and wellness.

D & C 89:4 Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation—

We need to understand the real reasons things are put into place ...

The Cannabis herb also called hemp was used by the Saints as well as most of the population of the United States as a medical pain reliever as well as a relaxant along with other herbs.

So how did it end up an “evil” “illegal” drug?

To understand how we ended up here, it is important to go back to what was happening in the United States in the early 1900’s just after the Mexican Revolution. At this time we saw an influx of immigration from Mexico into states like Texas and Louisiana. Not surprising, these new Americans brought with them their native language, culture and customs. One of these customs was the use of cannabis as a medicine and relaxant.

Mexican immigrants referred to this plant as “marihuana”. While Americans were very familiar with “cannabis” because it was present in almost all tinctures and medicines available at the time, the word “marihuana” was a foreign term. So, when the media began to play on the fears that the public had about these new citizens by falsely spreading claims about the “disruptive Mexicans” with their dangerous native behaviors including marihuana use, the rest of the nation did not know that this “marihuana” was a plant they already had in their medicine cabinets.

The demonization of the cannabis plant was an extension of the demonization of the Mexican immigrants. In an effort to control and keep tabs on these new citizens, El Paso, TX borrowed a play from San Francisco’s playbook, which had outlawed opium decades earlier in an effort to control Chinese immigrants. The idea was to have an excuse to search, detain and deport Mexican immigrants.

That excuse became marijuana.

This method of controlling people by controlling their customs was quite successful, so much so that it became a national strategy for keeping certain populations under the watch and control of the government.

During hearings on marijuana law in the 1930’s, claims were made about marijuana’s ability to cause men of color to become violent and solicit sex from white women. This imagery became the backdrop for the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 which effectively banned its use and sales.

While the Act was ruled unconstitutional years later, it was replaced with the Controlled Substances Act in the 1970’s which established Schedules for ranking substances according to their dangerousness and potential for addiction. Cannabis was placed in the most restrictive category, Schedule I, supposedly as a place holder while then President Nixon commissioned a report to give a final recommendation.

The Schafer Commission, as it was called, declared that marijuana should not be in Schedule I and even doubted its designation as an illicit substance. However, Nixon discounted the recommendations of the commission, and marijuana remains a Schedule I substance. (How much $$ was he making off of it)

In 1996, California became the first state to approve the use of marijuana for medical purposes, ending its 59 year reign as an illicit substance with no medical value. Prior to 1937, cannabis had enjoyed a 5000 year history as a therapeutic agent across many cultures. In this context, its blip as an illicit and dangerous drug was dwarfed by its role as a medicine. (drugpolicy.org)

With all the Social Media out there today I feel there are to many out there making decisions based only on the manipulations of the media.  We need to get our facts straight and quit believing everything we hear ...

Christianity!!!!

What is it?  Who is Christ?  Who am I?

Ok here is my opinion. You can take it or leave it.....

Jesus Christ was born to a young innocent, possibly 14 year old virgin girl named Mary. Mary coming from royal descent, but now humble from humble means due to the Roman rule. The conception happened as God through the Holy Ghost impregnated her without any sexual connection called "the immaculate conception" ( you just need to have some faith as to how that happened)

Jesus is the Son of God, who is our elder brother. He agreed to come to Earth and get a mortal body to and give the ultimate sacrifice in order to bridge that gap between us and God that Adam brought about by the great fall. Now there was another who wanted to do this, however, his reasons were selfish and self glorifying. Of Course God the Father chose Jesus as he was pure of heart and desired only the salvation of all.

He is the way, the only way by which we can make our way back into God's presence after living in the flesh.  He loves us with an unconditional love greater than any creature can imagine!
We are all born with the light of Christ in us.

There is a war that began in Heaven and that still rages here on earth. We are warriors thrown into a playing field with blinders on. Chirst is our captain with always an outstretched hand holding a torch in the darkness. But it is the law of the Universe that we must work to remove the blinders ourselves and reach out and take His hand and look toward that light. It is the Light of Christ that protects us and gives us the strength to fight the darkness.

He gives us commandments, not to rule over us or to limit our experience, but for our own good. When we do our best to follow and keep His commandments, we gain strength and protection in a world of pain and affliction. No He will not take our troubles away or stop bad things from happening to us and around us. He can't for that would be taking away the lessons and trials of which we came to live in the flesh to experience. This is our proving ground. Our School. But what He will do is change our hearts and strengthen our Spirits so that we can work through the tradgedies and trials and strengthen ourselves and those around us. The blessings are so needed and so amazing if we only do what He asks us to do. I call it the strength and know how to make lemon-aid out of the lemons this life hands us.

Everyone has a fear or a hardship that keeps us from doing what we know down deep inside what we should do. We rationalize and convince ourselves why it is ok for us not to follow through: Me, it has always been my fear of rejection or ridicule. I have always been different and unable to get along socially...I am very emotional and when I try to express my feelings into words, the words come out wrong and others interpret it as offensive or down right stupid.


The beginnings:

Only being able to hear certain tones growing up, most of the time I did not understand verbal instructions from teachers, I was to bashful and fearful to ask them to repeat so I would just look at them and not really know what to do. So when they lost patience with me, I would be hurt and begin to cry. This kind of behavior caused my peers to make fun of and bully me. So many years of this gave me a deep fear of going anywhere that I would be in mixed crowds with people I didn't know.
As I grew up, I learned to pretend that I knew what others were saying when I really could not hear them correctly. I got very good at faking it. I didn't realize that I was even doing this until recently when I had a true in depth hearing test. Now I see that through the years many people assumed that I was being dishonest with them and judged me harshly. This just furthered my social anxiety disorders.  Doing this exhausts me and when I go out to church, or any social function, I get home so tired that I cannot function.
All my life I have let this stop me from socializing, going to church, and going to auditions etc...Not to mention the anxiety of feeling that others are misunderstanding me and judging me. Then getting angry at myself.

Through the love of Christ expressed to me in the past 10 years though family and dear friends, I have been able to carry my cross and recognize His promised blessings that  really do come when we do our best to follow His commandments.  One of which is so very important is to Love one Another. and along with that do not judge our fellow man.  When I do my best to serve others and think of and pray for others, He is in turn taking care of me, giving me strength and taking care of my daily needs.  I am so thankful for the basic Christian up bringing that my Parents gave me.

In the name of My Savior Jesus Christ Amen!

I haven't blogged for a while, I'm sorry for that. A lot has been going on in my life! For one thing My best friend and sole-mate had a very bad and unexpected stroke. This happened while I was in the hospital having major back surgery. Now we both had no one but each other. You can imagine my terror at being told my one and only had a major stroke and his condition is unknown as I had just come out of surgery! He wouldn't be coming to take me home that's for sure.
Now here is why I know that the Lord has his hand in all things and everything happens for a reason:
As soon as I finally calmed down and realized what had happened. I began to pray and give thanks for my life and the blessings that have been bestowed on me. I thanked Heavenly Father for the wonderful times I had with my friend Jim and then expressed my faith that "not my will, but thy will" and gave it to God and cried myself to sleep feeling helpless and alone.
The next day my friends came to the rescue; comforting me and letting me know that Jim's condition was stable and that he was going to make it. My doctor agreed to keep me a few more days until my daughter could come from Texas and care for me at home. Home was a basement apartment down 8 cement stairs with a very small bathroom that had black mold.
 Over the weeks I healed much faster than expected. My daughter took me to see Jim as soon as I was able. The people at the hospital were so wonderful in helping Jim. After about 10 days he was laughing and talking with a wonderful positive attitude. His left side was paralyzed but day by day things slowly were coming back. This all made us both realize just how precocious life is and we decided to get married. This decision set a whirlwind in motion. By the end of July I found an apartment close by with wheelchair access and a gym for rehabilitation. With help from my children and wonderful friends I was able to move all of Jim's and my belongings. We had the most beautiful wedding. The whole staff of the hospital along with the people in our church put it together in the chapel in the hospital.
 A choir put together by some young adults in the area would sing every Sunday to all the patients in the hospital and they agreed to sing at our wedding... and it gets even better... they accompanied me singing the song that Jim wrote for his own baptism. This was my wedding present to him.

Now I'm not saying any of it was easy. It has all been very difficult. I was alone for a long time. Trying to get to the hospital and rehabilitation place he was at every day was very trying. But somehow I did it. I truly believe that I have had angels on both arms at all times holding me up.
Jim came home on Jan 1st 2018. We are finally together! Apart we are disabled but together we are one and can accomplish anything.