The Remnant is Lit

#LightTheRemnant

What does a society of prophets look like?

hey guys...I'm getting kinda nervous here...




Given that failure is definitely an option for us...

Are we deferring too much to Dave and in so being darkened in our minds?  A comment from Denver holds a lot of weight in deciding relatively inconsequential matters:

Some thoughts shared with me from a conversation Denver had with one of the committee members indicated that the chronological order of that particular talk (OUR DIVINE PARENTS) is not critical.

While I believe Dave has stood before the divine council, part of me wonders if we should not be ascribing special weight to his opinions in places where he is not claiming any revelation.

I don't say this to call out others for their deficiencies, I see this in myself.   We need a society of prophets, where no one says "Know ye the Lord?" but I am not a prophet.  And the reason why we all  defer to Denver is that we don't trust anyone else to be a prophet for us.

I think the solution isn't for me to be able to trust your revelations, or for you to trust my revelations.

Therefore, let every man stand or fall by himself, and not for another, or not trusting another. (RE Mark 5:17, LE JST Mark 9:44)

It is for us to each get our own revelations.  For every man to stand or fall by himself, and to allow his neighbor to stand or fall by himself. To have the law written on our hearts. (Romans 2:15).  For me to trust you to get revelations for you, and for you to trust me to get revelations for me.

A Common starling.  Not much to look at. 

But what would our society look like if we were all our own prophets?  We've never seen such a society, and the scriptures are scant on the issue.

It seems likely that we would be in each others' business a bit less, trusting that each can hear God's advice.  And for those who can't hear God's voice, that would be job one for that person.

But sometimes a covenant body needs to coordinate to accomplish something, like write a statement of principles or build a temple.

Murmuration of Starlings.  Beautiful. 

How on earth do we coordinate to build a temple?  If the temple is our bodies housing the Spirit of God, then the answer is well-known.  But if it's a physical building that a corporeal Jesus will visit, then there will need to be coordination among a body of believers.  But I suspect the command to build a temple will not come until the covenant body has the law written on each member's heart, where each of us (or enough of us) is led by the Spirit.  If a command to build a temple comes and we do not have the law written on our hearts, then it will end like Nauvoo.  If our hearts aren't right, none of this matters.  If our hearts were right, we could coordinate like starlings, with no one in charge but the Lord.  I think Dave is really tired of being the head guy in this movement.

Matters of governance such as which of Dave's quotes to include in our scriptures are only practice in learning to get along at this point.   Keep in mind that if the movement succeeds, we get Jesus and an unsealed Book of Mormon.  A hundred years from now, our yak leather bound set of remnant scriptures will either be replaced with white stones, or it will be kept in an Lamanite museum next to Brigham's walking cane and the conference center podium made from GBH's tree as a reminder of the hubris of failed dispensations.

None of this matters if we aren't individual prophets.  It just doesn't matter if we include words denoting that a loving Mother was behind the word of wisdom.

It just doesn't matter if we get the scripture project exactly perfect.

It just doesn't matter if we got the best Guide & Standard or not.

It just doesn't matter if Dave is a truer prophet than Russ.

It only matters that we each become the kind of people who can live in peace, because those are the people that the angels can gather to Zion.

Many of us (myself included) have forgotten why we got on this spiritual path in the first place.  It was because we each discovered that the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel, and he employeth no servant there.  That we should follow no man.

But now we are in real danger of being The Church Of Denver, "but receiv[ing] not the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant.”  Against Denver's wishes, ironically.

If we fail, let's at least fail differently from the LDS from which we came.

Musical Extravaganza Oct 6

The Servant David's 66th Birthday Celebration

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October 6, 2019
Location:  Chuck-A-Rama in Murray, UT

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A gala celebrating the 66th birthday of The Servant David will be held Sunday, Oct 6, 2019, at 8:00 p.m. mountain daylight time at the Chuck-A-Rama in Murray and will be broadcast live in nine languages on youtube.

Performing artists CuvBruvz, one of Gladys Knight's former Pips, the group of people who say "Welcome to the Denver Snuffer Podcast", and Wayne Osmond will join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (It's just a bunch of Adrian Larsen's family--but why not since the name is no longer taken).

The birthday celebration will share insights into the life, ministry, and service of The Servant Formerly Known as Denver. A puppet show will focus on how his career, family, and ministry have shaped who he is as a special witness of Jesus Christ. 

Log will jump out of a birthday cake and sing "Happy Birthday Mr. Servant Dave."

While the obsequiousity is free, and the fun and feelings will be complimentary, dinner will cost $15.99 for adults, $13.59 for seniors over 60, and children at the rate of $1.15 per year of the child's age.  As always, children 3 and under eat free.

Abinadi & Sidney

Compare these two firebrand preachers:

Yea, wo be unto this generation! And the Lord said unto me: Stretch forth thy hand and prophesy, saying: Thus saith the Lord, it shall come to pass that this generation, because of their iniquities, shall be brought into bondage, and shall be smitten on the cheek; yea, and shall be driven by men, and shall be slain; and the vultures of the air, and the dogs, yea, and the wild beasts, shall devour their flesh. And it shall come to pass that the life of king Noah shall be valued even as a garment in a hot furnace; for he shall know that I am the Lord. And it shall come to pass that I will smite this my people with sore afflictions, yea, with famine and with pestilence; and I will cause that they shall howl all the day long.

Yea, and I will cause that they shall have burdens lashed upon their backs; and they shall be driven before like a dumb ass. And it shall come to pass that I will send forth hail among them, and it shall smite them; and they shall also be smitten with the east wind; and insects shall pester their land also, and devour their grain. And they shall be smitten with a great pestilence—and all this will I do because of their iniquities and abominations.

And it shall come to pass that except they repent I will utterly destroy them from off the face of the earth; yet they shall leave a record behind them, and I will preserve them for other nations which shall possess the land; yea, even this will I do that I may discover the abominations of this people to other nations. And many things did Abinadi prophesy against this people.

One cause of our heavy persecutions, is the influence which those have in the world, whom we have separated from the fellowship of the church for their wickedness; who attempted to gratify their vengeance on us, and also to hide their own shame, by foul slanders and base calumny. We were at one time represented by them, as having all things common: at another as being enemies to the government: and in other places we were reported to be abolitionists, and indeed any thing, they thought best calculated to stir up the public mind, and to excite popular indignation; and if possible, put an end to the work, by sacrificing some of those who were considered as most active in supporting and defending the cause. But through the mercy of God, we are still in existence, and have the opportunity of joining with you in the privileges of this day.

Our cheeks have been given to the smiters, and our heads to those who have plucked off the hair. We have not only when smitten on one cheek turned the other, but we have done it, again and again, until we are wearied of being smitten, and tired of being trampled upon. We have proved the world with kindness; we have suffered their abuse without cause, with patience, and have endured without resentment, until this day, and still their persecutions and violence does not cease. But from this day and this hour, we will suffer it no more.

We take God and all the holy angels to witness this day, that we warn all men in the name of Jesus Christ, to come on us no more forever, for from this hour, we will bear it no more, our rights shall no more be trampled on with impunity. The man or the set of men, who attempts it, does it at the expense of their lives. And that mob that comes on us to disturb us; it shall be between us and them a war of extermination, for we will follow them, till the last drop of their blood is spilled, or else they will have to exterminate us: for we will carry the seal of war to their own houses, and their own families, and one party or the other shall be utterly destroyed.

On the left, we have Abinadi, and on the right we have Sidney Rigdon.  Both were preaching hellfire & damnation to a wicked generation.  Abinadi did so by God's request.  Sidney did so on his own errand.

Abinadi's words, while they got Abinadi burned, lit a fire in the heart of Alma and created a movement that swept the Nephite nation.  Sidney's words enflamed the hearts of the Missourians with anger to burn the homes of many saints.

While the duty is upon us to warn our neighbor, it is not our duty to poke the beast. Warn your neighbor one on one as the Spirit suggests.  If God asks us to publicly recite the abominations of LDSCorp, then, of course we should do so.  But your friends and family are less likely to listen to you after you get excommunicated. Provoking a billion dollar church with its own semi-secret police will likely turn out badly, nor will it bring Zion.  My uneducated opinion is that Zion gets established quietly, gathered by angels.  The LDSCorp should worry about John Dehlin more than it should worry about the remnant.

Be charitable and patient and labor to reach others. They will judge you harshly, but nevertheless be kind to them. They are going to grow to fear you, but that’s only part of how darkness responds to light. Give them no reason to fear you. The time will come for us to gather, but between now and then, be leaven. Preserve the world. Be salt. Preserve the world, even if it hates you.

Never go Full Abinadi (unless God asks you to).

Don't gladly anticipate the destruction of the wicked.  Make intercession for them.  Love your enemies, or you might share their fate.

Life is Unfair, But You Knew That

Note:  Tim Malone was kind enough to post this on his blog for me some years ago here:

https://latterdaycommentary.com/2015/08/21/life-is-unfair-but-you-knew-that/

I just wanted to repost it here in my blog.

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Why is there suffering? And why is life so unfair? Why do some have bigger burdens than others? Why do so many people live in poor wartorn countries?

One possibility is that the abused deserve their abuse—that perhaps they were an abuser in a previous life.  This kind of thinking, even if true, can enable abusers—“You totally deserve my abuse, who am I not to fulfill God’s will?"  This is the dark side of Hindusim--"we have a caste system because God wills it--we brahmins are on top because of our exceeding righteousness in the past life and you losers are living in squalor because you weren't as righteous in the last life.”  Even modern prophets seers and/or revelators can fall victim to this kind of thinking:

"This privilege of obtaining a mortal body on this earth is seemingly so priceless that those in the spirit world, even though unfaithful or not valient, were undoubtedly permitted to take mortal bodies although under penalty of racial or physical or nationalistic limitations…."  Harold B. Lee

On the other hand, was Jesus abused because He was an abuser?  What about Abinadi, Paul, Peter, and Joseph?

There is another possible explanation why people endure horrible things in life:  Before the earth is created, God says, "I have to respect free will, and some jerk is going to be an abuser.  Who will volunteer to take this douche's abuse?  Who will volunteer to starve in Africa? Under the volunteerism explanation, it really flips around the question of who the elect really is, and all of us might be found wanting.  

[Never mind, we're totally the elect, not those other guys who are suffering.]

Either explanation is possible, maybe some are abused as punishment and others volunteered for abuse.   We can't judge.

I suggest a third possibility: some of the abused neither deserved it nor volunteered for it.  Life isn't fair, and that might be part of the test--can we love and accept a God who set up a rigged game?

Look at the 9th parable in Dave's 10 parables. My interpretation of it is, basically, that those who followed Lucifer in the premortal life are invited back into the kingdom. Many who were righteous were upset by this and walked out on God. The test is not what we think it is.

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From the 9th_Parable:

After the days of the competition ended, a great feast was called. For the feast, the King invited not only those citizens who participated in the games, but also those who had fled the city rather than participate. Those who had remained loyal and participated in the games were troubled by this.

“Why are those who rejected your plan allowed to be among us?” they inquired. 

“For a wise purpose,” said the King. 

Many of those who participated resented the presence of those who had fled. Some who fled returned in anger, urging those who stayed to join them in their anger at the King. Some who did not do well were persuaded by the arguments of the returning dissidents.
The great feast turned into a great argument among the residents who stayed and those who had fled. Eventually the people divided themselves into two groups. In one, the King was beloved and his plan was held in esteem. In the other, the King was resented, or worse, hated. They found fault with the King, with his plan, and with the uproar caused among the citizens by the King’s great folly. 

When the body was divided, the King addressed them all with these words, “I have been working for some time to determine who I can trust among our people and who I cannot trust. Using wise counsel I have adopted this great plan to decide the matter. 

“I knew when the competition was devised it would divide the people. I knew, too, that some would flee rather than participate. I also knew if I invited back to a feast all of the citizens, both those who stayed and those who fled, that it would result in a great division. This was my purpose all along. 

“We are faced with many challenges. Some are in forms which you do not understand. 

They will test all of us. I must know before we confront the coming challenges who I can trust to remain loyal in my kingdom. Today I know.

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The game is rigged. On purpose. And not because God is incompetent. Or evil. God wants to see who will not be upset if He rewards people unfairly.  Consider Jesus' parable of the laborers:

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Matthew 20:1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

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But why? Why is the test about enduring unfairness rather than testing who will obey the commandments the most?

When we perceive that we are treated unfairly, we seek compensation to make up for our unfair treatment. We think it will be just if something is taken from the person who has more and given to the person who has less. Well, maybe we only think it is unjust if we are the person who has less. (When we have more, we pat ourselves on the back and assume that we totally earned it.) This motivation is at the heart of those who seek revenge for mistreatments, either real or perceived.

In the eternities, God offers us everything. He wants to share His glory and power with us. But what if that isn't fair? Why should someone who didn't do the same awesome righteous works as I did get the same reward? Why should a laborer who showed up at the 11th hour get the same pay as I did for working all day?

And more importantly, what can I do to stop this slacker from getting a reward he doesn't deserve? Well, God did give me His power, right? So I can use that to make his eternal reward less than mine. Although it might be hard, since he also has God's power, so if I break any of his stuff he can fix it. But I could probably find ways to make his eternal reward less rewarding. One way (maybe the only way) I could do him harm would be to tempt his children into doing wickedness.

At this point I have become a devil.

This might be why only the best of feelings (charity) can prevail between people if they will enter into a true order of prayer—prayer doesn’t become a true order just because the person praying repeats signs and tokens while wearing symbolic clothing. A true order of prayer means that a person has received the power to ask any blessing they want from God. People will only get this power if they have the best of feelings toward their neighbor (charity). People without the best of feelings might ask God to curse their neighbor as compensation for unfairness.

So life is unfair because God cannot save people who are upset by unfairness, or those who will not forgive their neighbor. 

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Here’s the 9th parable in it’s entirety:

There was a King who loved his people. He also loved the competition of games. He called his advisory council together and asked them how he might improve the health and vigor of his people. They considered the matter and decided upon a great plan.

The King called his city together and told them of a great competition he and his council had devised. “All the city would compete,” he announced. They would proceed in turns to go into the coliseum and compete on the field. All were welcome to watch before or after they participated, but all would have to compete. The competition would test the citizen’s loyalty, while also improving the lives of the citizens.

“I haven’t the strength to compete. I am old and past my day and cannot hope to win in competition with younger men,” said one.

The King responded, “Not all the competition will be of strength, some will be of intellect, some of patience, some of music. It will develop the skill of each individual from my kingdom and will improve every citizen.”

“I refuse,” said the one. He and those who agreed with him departed in anger.

The day arrived and the competition began. Men, women and children all entered in turns into the coliseum. Some sang, some threw spears, some lifted heavy weights, and some recited poetic works of beauty and wisdom. The people not competing at any given time would watch from the seats. They gained as much from watching as they did competing.

Many were reluctant or afraid entering the competition, but found when they competed their fears were unfounded. Some believed it would be fun to compete. However, upon entering the competition failed to do as they hoped, and regretted their poor efforts.

After the days of the competition ended, a great feast was called. For the feast, the King invited not only those citizens who participated in the games, but also those who had fled the city rather than participate. Those who had remained loyal and participated in the games were troubled by this.

“Why are those who rejected your plan allowed to be among us?” they inquired.

“For a wise purpose,” said the King.

Many of those who participated resented the presence of those who had fled. Some who fled returned in anger, urging those who stayed to join them in their anger at the King. Some who did not do well were persuaded by the arguments of the returning dissidents.

The great feast turned into a great argument among the residents who stayed and those who had fled. Eventually the people divided themselves into two groups. In one, the King was beloved and his plan was held in esteem. In the other, the King was resented, or worse, hated. They found fault with the King, with his plan, and with the uproar caused among the citizens by the King’s great folly.

When the body was divided, the King addressed them all with these words, “I have been working for some time to determine who I can trust among our people and who I cannot trust. Using wise counsel I have adopted this great plan to decide the matter.

“I knew when the competition was devised it would divide the people. I knew, too, that some would flee rather than participate. I also knew if I invited back to a feast all of the citizens, both those who stayed and those who fled, that it would result in a great division. This was my purpose all along.

“We are faced with many challenges. Some are in forms which you do not understand. They will test all of us. I must know before we confront the coming challenges who I can trust to remain loyal in my kingdom. Today I know.

“All those who have been loyal have been identified. They will remain in my kingdom. All those who have rejected my plan, or spoken against me in hatred, will be removed from my kingdom. Those who leave are free to follow their own course. However, they cannot be among my people any longer, for they have been tested and failed in their loyalty.”

It required a battle to remove those who were to be exiled. Many argued they had endured all the King had asked and only spoken ill of him when the disaffected exiles returned. They claimed it was unfair to have been put through this final test of loyalty after allowing the return of the exiles. They argued a feast that included those who refused the King’s request was unfair. It rewarded all alike; the loyal and the disloyal. They claimed their final disloyalty came only as a result of their original loyalty later proving to be of no value, since even the exiles came to the final feast.

Others complained that the King was mad. His whole course was destructive of a people who had once lived in harmony and peace. They claimed it was the King who should be thrown in exile; not the citizens who were discomforted by the King disturbing their peace.

Still others complained the King was never honest with them. Had they known this was to be the result, they would have been loyal throughout. They thought it unfair he kept his counsel to himself and thereby lulled them into disfavor.

Yet others complained the King gave them too hard a test. It was unfair. Although they had passed the test, they had family members and friends who failed and if these whom they loved had failed they would refuse for their loved ones’ sake to remain with the King.

Some even said that the original test was supposed to improve the citizen’s “health and vigor” and not their loyalty. It was unfair to claim to test for one virtue when actually testing for another.

And finally, some claimed there could be no future test coming for which this test of the citizens would prepare; that the only thing this great plan tested was the patience of the citizens. If there is some great future test coming, then the King ought, in fairness, to share that information with them rather than to hide it and make claims which cannot be proven.

All the arguments were unavailing. The King expelled them all. When the kingdom was set, and none but the loyal remained, the King again called a great assembly of his people. To all those who remained the King announced, “I discovered long ago the power to make my kingdom last forever. I am now prepared to share the secrets of all I know with my people. From this day forward you will no longer be citizens in my kingdom, but you will be kings and queens, sharing with me in life which will never end.

“Before making you all kings and queens with me, I needed to have a people who would live in peace together.

Immortality without peace among us would be a great punishment and not a great prize.

“All of us who remain in this kingdom have lost friends, family members and others whom we love. However, all who remain will be able to live in peace, forever.”

The King did as he planned from the beginning. He and his counselors were able to find those who could live in peace, and for whom life would endure in peace forever.

There is not now, and never has been, a kingdom more stable, more happy, more at peace, and more enduring than this King’s. Though he ceased to reign as a king, he continued to be loved above all others. For he was the one who brought to life the happiest people of all.

Ezekiel & Kurt

To them you are like a singer of love songs, one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; they hear what you say, but they will not do it. 

He’s the one who likes all our pretty songs

And he likes to sing along

And he likes to shoot his gun

But he knows not what it means