O LIVRO DA MISCELÂNEA

SE VOCÊ QUISER LER O LIVRO DIRETAMENTE DO

MONITOR, FAÇA O QUE SEGUE:
.
1 - DESCONECTE A INTERNET  SE DESEJAR
2 - VÁ PARA O ÍNDICE  (use o "edit" + escreva
o título +localizar nesta página)
 
PREFÁCIO

        Faz  já  muito  tempo  que Amoramon tem guardado

o material constante deste livro. Um livro bem diferente
do comum deles. Não  há  seqüência  lógica  entre  os 
vários  títulos  do  índice, é uma miscelânea de fatos
interessantes. Eles aparecem como flashes jornalísticos. `
No ano 2000, aproveitando a flexibilidade imaginada para
O Livro da Miscelânea, Amoramon decidiu fazer uma
seleção de artigos no idioma Inglês que vão chegando ao
seu conhecimento de tempos em tempos. É importante que
os leitores aprendam a ler nesse idioma para aproveitar a
integridade deste livro. Não será feita tradução para o
Português.
        Não há nenhuma intenção oculta do autor ao
apresentar os temas deste livro. Salta aos olhos o fato de
que  o  objetivo  principal de Amoramon, é demonstrar
que houve uma apostasia liderada pelo grande adversário
espiritual de Jesus Cristo. E que ele usou,  imediatamente
após o estabelecimento da Igreja de Jesus Cristo no
Meridiano dos Tempos, todo o seu poder para destruir a
obra. Para isso, seu instrumento principal na terra foi a
Igreja Católica Romana. Pela razão clara e evidente de
que  o  poder  temporal  que  facilitaria  sua ação estava
nas mãos dos cézares romanos.
        Associando-se a eles para obter seus favores e 
beneplácido, realizaria  sua obra de corrupção  com 
grande  facilidade.  Naturalmente,  procurando destruir  a
todos os  que  tivessem qualquer senso de justiça cristã.
Amoramon, ao escrever os seus livros, associa-se ao
trabalho e às palavras do apóstolo Paulo quando declara
que a nossa guerra não é contra nossos irmãos de carne e
sangue, mas sim contra os príncipes do mundo tenebroso
que se manifestam  nos ares (na região dos espíritos).
Deus ama os católicos da mesma forma que ama todos os
Seus filhos, mas Ele declara estar irado com os sistemas
religiosos do mundo; porque todos eles  afastam a
humanidade do correto entendimento de Deus e Seus
Convênios celebrados com os homens desde os patriarcas
para o benefício de todas as gerações.
        A Verdade de Deus justifica-se por si mesma. Uma
vez divulgada, aqueles que a rejeitam postam-se como
inimigos de Deus. cuide-se pois o homem que ouvir Sua
palavra pela boca ou escrita dos Profetas de Israel; pois
por essas mesmas palavras ele será julgado no último dia.
.
        A malignidade extrema que a igreja romana alcançou
e manteve por  muitos  séculos, foi  gradualmente  sendo 
aplacada  pelo  espírito  de  esclarecimento que  muitos 
homens iluminados foram trazendo esparçamente sobre os
povos. Até que eles chegaram a um número suficiente para
deflagrar uma reforma, tendo  o  apoio  e garantia  de
sobreviver, vindo da parte de outros governantes. Isso foi 
o que permitiu aos mais esclarecidos enfrentar a ira do
vociferante clero dirigente da igreja romana.
        Os tempos mudaram, os métodos também, mas o
engano e a falsidade que governam a igreja dos papas são
os mesmos.  Apenas,  o  inimigo  de Deus não pode mais
torturar e matar como fazia à luz do dia . Mas  ele 
continua  hoje  matando  suavemente os espíritos para a
vida eterna. Fazendo-os pensar que agradam a Deus nos
seus credos, quando diante Dele,  manifestam  apenas 
uma  aparência  de  religiosidade.
      Quando,  em  verdade,  nas palavras  do  próprio Deus,
negam o  Seu  poder  ao  não  aceitarem  as  revelações 
dadas especificamente para os seus dias; quando jogam no
lixo o Livro de Mórmon e o anjo que o trouxe  à  luz  por 
ordem  de  Cristo, e todos os demais seres celestiais que
vieram com as chaves  do sacerdócio para abrir a última
dispensação  do  evangelho  à  terra,  tendo  por
instrumento  um  profeta chamado pelo Pai e pelo Filho ...
um sagrado e duplo testemunho, que  veio  dos  céus  para 
levar  às  alturas a todos os que o receberem.  E  a  uma 
triste condenação aos que o rejeitarem.

      Enfim, quem ama a verdade de Deus será amigo de

Amoramon. Quem se irrita ou se enraivece  com  ela, 
precisa  urgentemente  se  arrepender ...  porque  Cristo,  
"já  está dobrando a esquina"  vindo ao nosso encontro.
  

                                                    ÍNDICE
     TÍTULOS  SEM LINK´s  (usar o seguinte artifício para
chegar a cada título:
    1. Clicar em "Edit, depois em "Localizar nesta página";
escrever na janela que abre
        o título ou uma palavra escolhida do título e clicar
"localizar próxima" quantas
        vezes for preciso para chegar ao título no texto)
    
    Abraão
Lincoln..................................................................................
.....................Lin
    Os povos
índios....................................................................................
...................ind
    As três
premissas..............................................................................
.....................prem
    A hipótese de
Deus......................................................................................
............. hip
    As meditações de
Amoramon............................................................................
......med
    A batalha do
Armagedom........................................ .................................
...............bat
    O verdadeiro dia da morte de Jesus
Cristo...............................................................dia
    A poligamia ou o casamento plural dos mórmons no
século passado...................... pol
    Amoramon dialoga com uma
amiga.......................................................................dialo
    Os OVNI’s e o espaço-tempo da
terra......................................................................ovn
    O Velho Testamento sua
importância.......................................................................V
T
    O
Pentecostes...........................................................................
..............................pent
    As denominações
religiosas...............................................................................
..denom
    As ideologias e a guerra
final.................................................................................ide
ol
    Quem é Deus? Como é Deus? O que é
Deus?................ .......................................Deus
    O Livro de Adão e
Eva........................................................................................
.Adão
    Homossexuais, lésbicas e
simpatizantes...........................................................homose
x
    A ciência quando é sábia é
humilde......................................................................sábia
    O princípio do fim das obras deste
mundo........................................................... princ
    
     TÍTULOS  SEM LINK´s  (usar o seguinte artifício para
chegar a cada título:
    1. Clicar em "Edit, depois em "Localizar nesta página";
escrever na janela que abre
        o título ou uma palavra escolhida do título e clicar
"localizar próxima" quantas
        vezes for preciso para chegar ao título no texto)
    
    A Conversão de um Bispo
Católico.............................................. The Catholic
Bishop              
    The Lost Tribes of Israel in Outer
Space...................................................... The Tribes
    Gematria and the Book of
Mormon................................................................Gematria
    The Mormon
Moment................................................................................
The Moment
    Relativism and the Homosexual
Agenda........................................................Relativism
    Parallel
Universes..............................................................................
.................Parallel
    The Economic Principles of
Heaven........................................................The Economic
    The Holes in Evolutiorary
Theory...................................................................The
Holes
    Freedom and the Recent Social
Trends..................................................... Social Trends
    Anti-
Semitism ..............................................................................
................antisemitism
     Be
Prepared................................................................................
..................  beprepared
    The Great
Flood.....................................................................................
.....thegreatflood
    Studying
Paul.......................................................................................
........studyingpaul

ABERTURA
ABRAHAM  LINCOLN:

Não criarás a prosperidade se desestimulares a poupança.

Não fortalecerás os fracos se enfraqueceres os fortes.

Não ajudarás o assalariado se arruinares aqueles que o

pagam.

Não estimularás a fraternidade humana se alimentares o

ódio de classes.

Não ajudarás os pobres se eliminares os ricos.

Não poderás criar estabilidade permanente baseada em

dinheiro emprestado.

Não evitarás dificuldades se gastares mais do que ganhas.

Não fortalecerás a dignidade e o ânimo se subtraíres ao

homem a iniciativa e a liberdade.

Não poderás ajudar os homens de maneira permanente se

fizeres por eles aquilo que eles podem
e devem fazer por si próprios.

OS POVOS ÍNDIOS
.
        Quando  uma  premissa  falsa  é  assumida,  e  a 
partir  dela  tentamos chegar a uma conclusão sobre
qualquer assunto, nossos raciocínios posteriores passam a
depender dela, o resultado será sempre um mal julgamento
e uma falsa conclusão.
         É  precisamente  isso  o  que  tem  ocorrido  com  as 
idéias  que  nossa  civilização desenvolveu sobre as
origens dos índios americanos do norte, do centro  e  do 
sul;  sobre como tratá-los no presente e quanto ao que
esperar do seu futuro.
.
         De  tudo  o  que  Amoramon  tem  lido  sobre  o 
assunto,  as  melhores  posições que encontrou vão aqui
relatadas nesse pequeno tópico de suas miscelâneas.
          No jornal Ombro a Ombro de novembro de 1989, p.
3,  Fernando  Vergueiro, que se apresenta como um
índio aculturado, mameluco da quarta  geração  e  com 
plena  consciência cívica de brasileiro integral, dá sua
preclara posição:
          "Os  mitos  mais diversificados se criam à volta da
imagem do índio ... O enigma do índio é um retrato de
como os fatos são corrompidos pelas interpretações, e sua
dimensão é amplificada para ganhar ressonância
mundial ... A grande indagação no tocante ao índio é se ele
deve ser integrado à nossa civilização ou  ser como um
animal de  mostruário  em um grande zoológico chamado
reserva indígena ... a  segunda  grande  pergunta,  é  qual o
valor  preponderante:  a  "cultura" indígena ou o 
desenvolvimento  da  Amazônia?...          Mais cedo ou
mais tarde, inexoravelmente, (os índios) serão como nós."

         Ainda bem que Vergueiro saiu do triste degredo

numa reserva indígena, aculturou-se e pôde iluminar seu
pensamento  com  tão clara  e  justa posição.  Vamos 
juntar  a  essas palavras de Vergueiro às palavras de dois
outros homens proeminentes,  Spencer  Lewis, um grande
líder entre os rosacruzes, e Spencer Wooley Kimball,
um presidente d' A Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos
Últimos Dias. Disse Lewis:

         "Embora  essa  raça  se  divida  em  tribos ...  as 
características  raciais  e  os muito vínculos que as unem,
provam que todas descendem de uma raça original. Assim,
os índios que Colombo encontrou no Continente
Americano, e os índios encontrados mais tarde ...
no Canadá, ... na América Central ... ou na América do
Sul, tinham parentesco com um dos ramos dessa raça (os
israelitas) e tinham muitos hábitos e costumes em
comum ..."; "Rituais,  feriados,  sons  vocálicos,  nomes  e 
cerimônias comuns a todas as tribos, eram praticados pelo
povo de Israel ... a  conclusão  a  que  se  chegou  foi  a de
que os povos do Mundo  Ocidental,  chamados  índios 
americanos,  eram  descendentes  diretos  daqueles jovens 
de  Israel,  que  saíram  de  suas  terras  nativas  e 
acabaram  chegando  a  países estrangeiros."
.
         Amoramon retirou este sumário de uma publicação
rosacruz moderna!
.
        Disse Spencer W. Kimball:
.
         "Temos cerca de meio milhão de filhos de Leí 
(israelita  que emigrou de Jerusalém com a família e
outros para as Américas,  no  ano 600 a. C.) nas ilhas do
mar, e  cerca  de sessenta milhões deles nas Américas do
Sul e do Norte, ... talvez um terço deles de índios puros e
dois terços de mistura de raças, mas eles têm o sangue de
Jacó em suas veias ... os índios e outros filhos de Leí ainda
se erguerão com poder e força ... os índios não serão mais  
confundidos,   e   serão   retirados   do  cativeiro  e  da 
obscuridade  ...  não   mais "aprisionados em reservas ...".
.
         Desvendado o enigma de sua origem, os índios
avaliarão corretamente sua posição no  mundo 
contemporâneo,  aprenderão  a  ter  grandeza nas suas
metas como quaisquer civilizados  esclarecidos.  O 
destino  do  israelita  decaído e destituído do progresso
como silvícola:  vivendo  sua  subcultura  ou 
pseudocultura "nativa", não é andar nu ou seminu pintado
de urucum. Sua verdadeira pré-ordenação é a de receber o
sacerdócio de Deus; é "vestir-se de astronauta e rumar
para os astros!"

         Esses três homens falaram a verdade, portanto

falaram pelo Espírito de Deus!
.

AS TRÊS PREMISSAS
.
         No ano de 1836, um homem muito versado na
Bíblia, foi convidado a tomar parte num debate em que se
pretendia demonstrar qual a Igreja verdadeira de Jesus
Cristo.
         O  tal  homem  estabeleceu  três  premissas  para 
pesar  quaisquer  Igrejas  que   se apresentassem com essa
pretensão:
    1. Ela deveria ser composta de apóstolos, profetas,
élderes, mestres, e de membros que tenham sido batizados
em nome de Jesus Cristo e recebido o Espírito Santo pela
imposição das mãos dos seus apóstolos ou servos
autorizados;
    2. Ela deveria crer em visões, anjos, espíritos, profecias,
revelações,  curas  e  milagres, conforme descritos no
Novo Testamento;
    3. Qualquer credo ou corpo religioso que diferisse desse
padrão do Novo Testamento,  não poderia ser considerado
como sendo A Igreja de Jesus Cristo, por mais sinceras
que fossem as suas crenças.
 .
         Como  o  referido  senhor  foi  o  primeiro  a  falar 
naquele  debate; diante  de  tão esmagadoras verdades,
contidas em cada uma dessas três simples premissas, 
ninguém mais pôde reivindicar coisa alguma. Não houve
debate! Ele foi o único a falar, do princípio ao fim!
         Os oponentes  ficaram  inteiramente  paralisados, 
perplexos,  mudos,  incapazes  de reivindicar para sua
congregação qualquer pretensão de ser a verdadeira Igreja
de Jesus Cristo.
         Se qualquer um deles admitisse publicamente a
verdade daquelas premissas, seria o mesmo que declarar o
fim para sua congregação, e de quaisquer outras seitas que
houvessem ignorado essas premissas, na sua pretensão de
serem a Igreja verdadeira do Mestre.
        Por  outro  lado,  se  as  negassem,  estariam 
negando  a Bíblia, o padrão que haviam adotado para o
debate.
.
         O preclaro cidadão colocou a todos  "no mato sem
cachorro":  "A quem corresse o bicho pegaria; a quem
ficasse o bicho comeria".
.
          O fato é que todos foram comidos pelo "Bichão" da
verdade de Deus!
.
 Hoje, em 1996, quando Amoramon relê esta maravilhosa
seleção e medita sobre esse fato ocorrido há 160 anos,
admirado vê  quão  poderosas  foram  as  premissas 
escolhidas  por aquele homem! Quão atuais e eliminatórias
elas foram, são, e serão para sempre!
.
         Qual a igreja no mundo que poderá confirmá-las sem
destruir a si mesma? Qual delas poderá negá-las sem estar
negando as escrituras, por quem diz ter zelo e  nelas  crer 
como sendo a própria palavra de Deus, escrita por Seus
profetas e apóstolos?
.
         Naturalmente,  se  houver  alguma  Igreja  que  
possa   confirmá-las   sem  estar destruindo a si própria,
essa, poderá abrir sua  boca  bem  alto  e  declarar-se   a 
única verdadeira em toda a terra,  pois  seria  impossível 
que  duas  ou mais  igrejas  diversas  pudessem ser as
"únicas verdadeiras". A verdade tem que  ser  uma  só  ... 
ou  não  há verdade!
.
         Isso que Amoramon selecionou para o leitor é luz, e 
é  luz  poderosa!  É  uma  luz desafiante, porque, como
disse o presidente Lincoln:

"Não podeis ajudar os homens de maneira  permanente  se 

fizeres  por  eles  aquilo  que podem e devem fazer por si
próprios".

*
A HIPÓTESE DE DEUS
.
 Hoje é dia 27 de janeiro de 1996, Amoramon acaba de ler
nas  páginas  4 e 5  do  caderno "Idéias e Livros" do Jornal
do Brasil (está na moda o assunto):  A origem do 
universo,  a reaproximação de cientistas e religiosos,  frei 
Beto  e  o  físico Mário Novello discutem  a relação entre
ciência e religião; Frank Tipler lança seu livro: A Física da
Imortalidade - diz esse autor que por cálculos
matemáticos,  concluiu  que Deus existe e é o Ponto
Ômega do Universo. O assunto  do  artigo  passa  pelas 
Meditações  de  Marco  Aurélio,  imperador romano e
filósofo que viveu entre 121  e 180 d.C. e vai terminar
com um artigo escrito para o  Los  Angeles  Times  pelo 
filósofo  egípcio  e  cristão  copta,  doutorado  em 
filosofia  pela Universidade da California, Ralph Georgy.
        Nesse artigo,  ele  ironicamente  diz  ( espera
Amoramon)  que  a   religião  tornou-se obsoleta e inútil
para o homem do século 20 e que  "A  morte  de  Deus 
não  é  mais  uma possibilidade metafísica, mas a realidade
de nossa era".
.
           Marco Aurélio escreveu para si mesmo suas
reflexões, mas  elas  acabaram  sendo publicadas e
republicadas. Agora,  novamente  contaremos  com  elas 
em  edição  de  120 páginas. Perguntou então Amoramon a
si mesmo,  por  que  não  teria  também  o  mesmo direito
de escrever as próprias meditações,  diante  do  que  ele 
tem  vivido  deste  mundo moderno que Marco Aurélio
jamais sonhou ver?
.
         Todos conhecemos o seu mundo porque ele é do
passado; mas ele, nos seus 59 anos de vida, o que
conheceu deste mundo futuro que hoje Amoramon
conhece nos seus 68?
         Os desafios espirituais do mundo de Marco Aurélio,
foram semelhantes  aos  nossos nos seus fundamentos, e
por isso sua obra é grandiosa, até mesmo nos nossos dias.
        Mas o progresso e o  orgulho  dos  pseudo-cientistas 
modernos  (não de todos)  têm lançado sobre nossa fé,
neste final do século 20, desafios maiores do que os
enfrentados por Marco Aurélio no século II. Por isso, aqui
vão algumas meditações mais:
.
AS MEDITAÇÕES DE  AMORAMON
.
· - Nas ciências humanas, o único vetor imutável é o do
progresso eterno.
· - A ciência não pode negar-se à idéia de progresso
infinito no entendimento do universo, sem antes negar a si
mesma, e deixar de ser ciência.
· - A meta da ciência só pode estar no futuro ... e ele é
eterno!
· - O progresso eterno do homem e da ciência, torna Deus
uma viabilidade real, mas inalcansável pela ciência do  
homem.
· - Se Deus se detivesse à espera de quem o segue,
deixaria de ser Deus.
· - Deus só se pode "deter" para ser alcançado, por meio da
revelação.
· - A revelação é a  "aceleração"  que  Deus  aplica  à 
visão  espiritual  do  homem,  para, momentaneamente,
alcançá-lo em Sua marcha eterna;e vir a  saber por
conhecimento próprio que Ele vive e é o galardoador de
quem o serve em retidão.
· - A revelação é um ato decisório  de  Deus  por  Seu 
Espírito ...  Ele  só  "acelerará",  o espírito humano, como, 
quando e até onde quiser.
· - Não poderia haver uma religião verdadeira, se ela não
fosse a única.
· - Não haveria uma religião verdadeira se as falsas não
existissem.
· - Todas as religiões falsas estão unidas por um só
princípio fundamental: a falsidade.
· - Só um princípio fundamental define a religião
verdadeira: a perfeita unidade com Deus.
· - A maior meta do homem é encontrar a religião
verdadeira, a única que poderá religá-lo ao Seu Deus.
· - Só a religião verdadeira tem crédito na eternidade.
· - Por isso, a maior meta do adversário de Deus é impedir
que o homem  encontre  a  única maneira de obter a sua
religação com Deus. E isso, o Adversário consegue
fundando muitas igrejas para alienar nosso espírito de
encontrar a "porta estreita" referida por Cristo.
*
A BATALHA DO ARMAGEDOM
.
         Tratamos aqui da Batalha e não da Guerra do
Armagedom, de duração muito maior e envolvendo área
também maior, isto é 42 meses, 3 anos e meio ou 1.260 
dias, e por  todo  o Oriente Médio.
         Cerca de 100 quilômetros ao norte de Jerusalém está 
a  cidade  chamada  Tell  El - Mutesellim, a antiga
Megido. De lá é avistado um vale de nome Esdraelom,
uma área de 32  por  22  quilômetros,  (como  é  a 
Baixada  de  Jacarepaguá  no  Rio  de  Janeiro,
aproximadamente) onde grandes batalhas aconteceram no
passado. Esse vale também é conhecido como o Vale de
Josafá ou da Decisão.
.
         O profeta  Joel   fala no  papel desse  vale  nos 
últimos dias, quando diz que o Dia do Senhor está
próximo no Vale da Decisão. Mais  próximo  21  anos do
que o Dia do Senhor para toda a terra (21 anos
correspondem a 30 minutos  do tempo celestial, ver Joel 
4: 1-16 para as profecias sobre os preparativos para o
desencadeamento dessa batalha).
.
         Está profetizado por Ezequiel no capítulo 38 que o
povo  de  Israel,  nos  últimos  dias caracterizado na
Palestina pelos judeus (o povo do Senhor, o povo que, no
seu erro, ainda o espera) verá vir contra si, Gog da terra de
Magog, príncipe e ao mesmo tempo o cabeça de Mesec  e 
Tubal,  e  com  eles  a Pérsia, Cushe e Fute;  Gomer com
todas as suas tropas; e Togarma  com  todas  as  suas.
        Ezequiel nos diz que todos esses  povos  virão 
contra  os  que vieram de entre muitos povos (da dispersão
entre muitos povos)  onde  foram  reduzidos  à ruínas por
longo tempo, mas que conquistaram as terras à espada
(força das armas) e nelas  se  estabeleceram  em colônias
indefesas; os inimigos virão para saqueá-los, para 
apoderar-se  dos  seus  bens  e fazer um grande despojo.
.
         O que diremos agora, julgue o leitor se é mera
coincidência:
.
         Os judeus lutaram contra os árabes em 1948, 1956,
1967 e 1973; destruíram a central nuclear iraquiana em
1981 e  foram  bombardeados  pelo  Iraque  em  1991,  na 
Guerra  do Golfo Pérsico.  Nessas  guerras  os judeus,  que
haviam vindo de entre as muitas nações da terra,  onde 
foram  arruinados  por muitos  anos,  conquistaram  terras 
e  estabeleceram colônias  em terras palestinas
conquistadas pela espada ( palavra  que  simboliza  a 
força militar); essas colônias estão desprotegidas do
ataque de grandes forças militares que se aglutinem para
conquistá-las todas e despojá-las.
.
         As nações citadas na profecia de Ezequiel com seus
nomes antigos e que virão contra os judeus nos  últimos
dias, estão quase todas perfeitamente identificadas, entre
as nações dos nossos dias:
.
         Cushe e Pute são filhos  de  Cam,  filho  de  Noé 
que  originou  os  cananeus.  Cushe estabeleceu-se na
Etiópia, os povos negros do sul da África descendem de
Cushe.
 (Daniel 11: 36-45; Eze 30: 4,5; Isa 19: 5,6 e 19:4).
.
         Os filhos de Pute se estabeleceram no Egito e
originaram os povos líbios, algerianos, tunisianos e
marroquinos, enfim, as nações árabes no norte da África.
(Eze 38: 6-15 e 39: 2).
.
         Gomer, filho de Jafé, que era filho de Noé, foi o pai
de Asquenaz Rifá e Togarma.
         Asquenaz  deu  origem  aos  cimérios,  as  nações 
ao  norte  da  Eurásia - Polônia Checoslováquia, ex
Alemanha Oriental, e toda a Europa  Oriental  que  estava 
atrás  da cortina de ferro (Eze 38: 5-7; Joel 3: 9-14).
.
         Togarma originou os povos que se estabeleceram ao
norte do Mar Negro e migraram depois  para  o  Oeste, 
até  as  fronteiras  da  Europa.  São hoje os povos do Sul
da Rússia, entre eles os cossacos com seu grande exército
de cavalaria ( Eze 38: 15).
.
         Meseque  do  hebraico  significa  o  mesmo  que 
Mesquis  no  grego  e  Moscou  em Português.
         Assim, temos a Rússia como o Rei dos povos que
virão Norte, e o Egito como o Rei dos que virão do Sul,
serão eles os líderes dessa multidão de povos que virá
contra Israel na Batalha do Armagedom.
.
        As  nações  que  atacarão  Israel,  com  seus  nomes 
modernos: As nações do sul da Rússia até o Mar Cáspio,
Turquia, Irã, Iraque, Egito, Etiópia, Líbia, Algéria,
Tunísia, Marrocos e outras mais que não estão melhor
identificadas.
.
         Gog e Magog é a designação dada ao conjunto de
nações que se unirão para destruir o  remanescente  da 
semente  escolhida pelo Senhor. Em Ezequiel,  capítulos
38 e 39,  são fornecidos  muitos   detalhes dessa  batalha;
lá é dito que Gog e  Magog  virão  do  norte contra a
Palestina;  em  tal  multidão,  que cobrirão toda aquela
terra, e que esses inimigos serão destruídos pelo poder do
Senhor nas montanhas de Israel.
        Essa  mesma  designação  Gog e Magog  é usada no
Apocalipse para caracterizar os inimigos da obra de Deus
que se manifestarão no final do sétimo milênio, na Batalha
final do Grande Deus.
.
         Embora a Batalha  do  Armagedom envolva essa
designação de nações como  Gog e Magog, ela 
acontecerá  do  fim  do  sexto  para  o  início  do  sétimo 
milênios. Enquanto a Batalha do Grande Deus, embora
envolva essa mesma designação, será travada contra  os
que se tornarão filhos de Satanás, por ele arregimentados 
dos  quatro  cantos  da terra  já bem no final do sétimo
milênio; o número dos quais será tão grande,  que  o 
Senhor  declara  em  figura  de linguagem: "como os grãos
das areias do mar".
        Nessa batalha final, os inimigos não serão destruídos
por pestilência, fome, terremoto ou chuva de pedras, como
na primeira batalha;  e  sim  por  fogo  enviado  do  céu 
que  os devorará. (Apo 20: 7-9; D&C 88: 111-116).
         Como curiosidade:
         A palavra magog do hebraico está relacionada com a
palavra cítia do grego; a cítia é onde  estão  as  montanhas 
do  Cáucaso,  e  a  palavra  citas  refere-se  ao  povo  russo.

         Sem,  filho  de  Noé originou os povos que se

estabeleceram na Arábia, ao longo da costa Síria  do 
Mediterrâneo  e  depois  na Mesopotâmia, foram os
conhecidos na Bíblia como filhos de Heber, os Hebreus.
         Jafé foi o filho de Noé que originou os gentios da
antigüidade,  inicialmente  eles  se localizaram na Ásia
Menor, próximo do Mediterrâneo.
*
O VERDADEIRO DIA DA MORTE DE JESUS CRISTO

.
         A morte de Jesus Cristo deve ter acontecido numa
sexta feira do ano  36,  dia  3  de abril, pelas seguintes
razões:
         O  texto  das escrituras bíblicas em Êxodo 12: 2, 14,
22 e 46, demonstra que Moisés recebeu instruções
específicas que deveriam marcar a libertação do cativeiro
egípcio.
        Cada  um  dos  procedimentos  determinados por
Deus  ao  profeta  eram  símbolos  do  que aconteceria no
futuro; o  que  daria  testemunho  real  do poder  da
profecia e do controle que Deus tem sobre todas as coisas.
De tal forma  que os homens de fé tivessem mais fé ainda,
e os incrédulos tivessem uma condenação justa (pois a
evidência da profecia e do seu cumprimento, seria a força
da justiça sobre a incredulidade deles, em outras palavras,
terão descrido por querê-lo, mesmo  tendo   todas as
evidências que Deus ordenou  que  fossem postas diante
de suas consciências).
.
         Foi a origem da festa da Páscoa, um símbolo da
futura libertação  espiritual  do  povo israelita e de toda a
humanidade.
         Um cordeiro sem mancha (símbolo do Messias)
deveria ser morto ao cair da tarde do 14o. dia do nisan,
mês judeu contado de  lua  nova  a  lua  nova e
correspondente ao nosso mês de abril.
         Diz o astrônomo Ronaldo Rogério de Freitas Mourão
num artigo do Jornal do Brasil de 20 de março de 1989,
"Os Eclipses da Crucificação":
          "...Ora, a crucificação  ocorreu  em  14 Nisã,  ou
seja,  14 dias  depois  da lua  nova, quando já era lua cheia.
Por outro lado, sabemos que o sacrifício de Cristo se deu
durante a páscoa, que pela tradição judaica, ocorre sempre
na lua cheia. Assim, como os eclipses do sol  só 
acontecem na lua nova,  o  escurecimento  do  dia  da 
crucificação,  não  poderia  ter  sido causado por um
eclipse do sol ...  Durante  toda  a  vida  apostólica  de 
Jesus, compreendida provavelmente entre 29 e 33 d. C.,
ocorreu um só eclipse total do sol ... 24 de novembro do
ano 29, de acordo com o calendário Juliano... por outro
lado, o eclipse da lua no dia da crucificação, 3 de abril de
33, começou às 15:40 horas, quando a lua ainda se
encontrava abaixo do horizonte em Jerusalém.  O  meio 
do  eclipse, quando o disco lunar esteve 60% eclipsado, 
foi às 18:20 horas ... 34 minutos, depois o eclipse
terminou.
        De fato, no dia da paixão, a lua nasceu eclipsada no
Monte das Oliveiras".
.
         Além dessas informações de grande pertinência, o
astrônomo explica porque uma lua eclipsada surgindo
perto do horizonte, toma a coloração vermelho-sangue,
como consta que aconteceu, pelo testemunho de Pilatos.
.
         O evangelho de João, diz que a crucificação ocorreu
no dia 14 de nisan, enquanto os outros três evangelistas
dizem que foi no dia 15. Mas é João quem está certo; tanto
pela coerência com a profecia, quanto pelo fato do dia 15
do nisan, jamais ter acontecido numa sexta feira durante o
governo de Poncios Pilatos (entre 26 e 36 da nossa era).
.
         De acordo com o astrônomo, o dia 14 do nisan, entre
os anos 26 e 36, caiu numa sexta feira apenas duas vezes,
e foi nos anos 30 e 36, respectivamente nos dias 6 e 3 de
abril.
.
          Optamos pelo dia 3 de abril do ano 36 para o dia da
morte do Senhor. O livro dos mórmons conhecido como
Doutrina & Convênios ensina que Jesus Cristo nasceu a 6
de abril, exatamente 1830 anos antes da data em que
restaurou a Sua Igreja na terra, isto é, no dia 6 de abril de
1830. Assim, a morte teria ocorrido três dias antes do seu
aniversário de 33 anos. A diferença de 3 anos até o ano 36
não sabemos explicar.
.
         O presente de aniversário que  Jesus  recebeu  de 
seu  povo  foi  a  morte  na  cruz;  na véspera do  dia  que
os judeus comemorariam a libertação dos egípcios; que o
próprio Jesus lhes deu, como o Jeová do Velho
Testamento.
.
         Mas o Pai Eterno  deu a Ele  a  Ressurreição  e  a
Vida  Eterna,  as  quais  ele  nos  oferece; a primeira total 
e incondicionalmente, e a segunda, mediante à obediência
a toda a palavra que sair da boca de Deus; ou seja, a todas
as revelações que Ele houver por bem dar ao homem
através dos seus profetas.
*
A POLIGAMIA OU O CASAMENTO PLURAL DOS
MÓRMONS NO SÉCULO PASSADO
.
(Referências de A História da Igreja em Seis Volumes de
B.H.Roberts)
         Como os mórmons explicam essa prática da Igreja
nos dias de Joseph Smith?
.
         Dizem eles que tal prática só é justa quando
ordenada por Deus a um profeta; que Joseph  Smith 
recebeu  a  ordem  de  Deus  para  pô-la  em  prática, 
exatamente  como receberam no passado essa mesma
ordem os profetas Samuel e Natan que atuaram no tempo
dos reis de Israel - Saul, David e Salomão.
        Por esse mesmo princípio é que Abraão, Isaque e
Jacó, e depois Moisés, tiveram esposas e concubinas.
         Na  época  inicial,  dizem  os  mórmons  na  História 
da  Igreja,  entre  outras razões eternas,  estavam  na 
mente  de  Deus  a  necessidade  de  estabelecer  direitos
sociais e espirituais de inúmeras mulheres e crianças da
nascente  comunidade  mórmon,  os  quais, não os teriam
caso elas se unissem a homens incrédulos, corruptos e
rebeldes contra Deus.
.
         Na doutrina dos mórmons, é necessário  que  toda 
mulher  digna seja  selada  a  um homem portador do
sacerdócio e preparado para viver na presença de Deus.
        Se não houver número suficiente de homens nessa
condição (e não havia na época, como  em  geral  não  há 
em  qualquer  época,  porque  as  mulheres  justas  têm 
sido, coletivamente falando, sempre em maior número do
que os homens justos), a única solução possível para haver
justiça é a dos casamentos plurais.
.
         Como  jamais  haverá  par para todas,  já  que  as 
mulheres  são  mais  propensas  à espiritualidade  e  à
obediência aos mandamentos;  torna-se  óbvio  que  os 
homens,  para serem  exaltados  na  presença  de  Deus, 
terão  que  aceitar  esse  convênio  eterno  do casamento;
no qual, por todas essas razões superiores, está embutido o
princípio da multiplicidade de esposas.
Da mesma forma, a primeira esposa, para ser digna da
exaltação ao  lado  do  seu  marido, terá de aderir ao 
mesmo  convênio  que  ele  fez  com  Deus;  ela  deverá 
ter  a  grandeza espiritual de não  preferir que suas  irmãs 
fiquem  sem  chance  de  alcançar  as  bênçãos  da
exaltação; o  que  será  impossível  se  elas  não forem
casadas pela lei de Deus, e que assim  possam  gerar filhos
espirituais para Ele, na semente do seu esposo.
        As  mulheres que não tiverem em si essa grandeza de
metas e propósitos, nem mesmo chegarão lá ...
permanecerão separadas  e  solteiras  para  toda  a 
eternidade,  da  mesma forma os homens que não
alcançarem o estado da exaltação.
.
         Se os casamentos plurais não houvessem sido
abolidos entre os  mórmons, por  força das leis do
Congresso Norte Americano, numa estimativa grosseira,
eles hoje seriam cerca de  2 bilhões em todo o mundo em
vez de 8 milhões.
.
         Em Utah, na época final da poligamia, somente 2%
dos  mórmons  eram  polígamos, embora todos apoiassem
a doutrina. Eles representavam 85% do eleitorado, os
gentios e apóstatas eram apenas 15%. A única maneira que
essa  minoria tinha  para  impedir  os mórmons
continuassem a crescer em população e a  obterem cargos
governamentais, era conspirar para desqualificá-los como
eleitores.  Isso eles conseguiram, tanto pela prática da
poligamia entre 2% dos mórmons quanto pela crença geral
deles  de  que  aquele  era  um princípio divino. Usaram
isso para arregimentar os congressistas em Washington.
        Por meio de intrigas e  mentiras  conseguiram  que 
os  congressistas  se  tornassem injustos e iníquos como
eles mesmos, ao declararem a inadimplência política de
85% dos cidadãos votantes de Utah, por motivo de não
crerem da forma que  eles  criam,  e  dessa forma
favorecendo 15% de eleitores preconceituosos e
mentirosos.
.
         Se os mórmons, só os nascidos de pais da Igreja, 
fossem  2 bilhões, quantos seriam hoje os conversos em
todo o planeta? - Talvez o dobro.
.
         Se Utah e Salt Lake City são hoje o que sabemos ser,
a despeito da interferência dos gentios, o que seria o
mundo hoje se os mórmons prevalecessem em toda a sua
extensão?
        Este mundo que é hoje um paraíso para o diabo, seria
para ele um inferno de retidão e verdade. Ele não
suportaria mais ficar por aqui e se teria recolhido às
profundezas ... num Milênio de Paz antecipado.
.
         É  por  isso  que  o  diabo investiu contra a divina
poligamia da Igreja e consolidou o adultério, a fornicação,
a poliandria e a prostituição no seu próprio domínio, o 
mundo.

*
AMORAMON DIALOGA COM UMA AMIGA
.
- Não gosto da idéia de ter quue fazer as coisas que Deus
manda, para poder  esperar  isso ou aquilo que Ele
promete. Procuro obedecer Sua palavra, simplesmente
porque acho que é Justo e sinto nisso amor por Ele; sem
nenhuma outra conotação de interesse pessoal na forma 
estar sempre a  esperar  alguma  retribuição.  Acho  que 
os  crentes  em  geral  são  muito interesseiros, sempre
falando em herdar reinos de glória e mundos celestiais. Eu
não penso nessas coisas, elas não são a minha motivação
para amar a Deus espontaneamente.
.
    A: - Foi um bom discurso, entendi devida e
completamente. Vê bem! Acabas de declarar que amas a
Deus sem te importares com as grandiosas promessas que
Ele  te  faz;  e  que estarão condicionadas à tua obediência
aos Seus mandamento. Dizes, sem perceber, que não 
pensas  em  coisas  que  Ele  te  incentiva  a  pensar pelas
escrituras; dizes que amas a Deus espontaneamente porque
O achas justo! E se eu te perguntasse por que O tens por
justo, o que me responderias?
    - Naturalmente  respondo: É  porque  Ele  ama  aos 
que  o  obedecem  e  se aborrece com os rebeldes e
desobedientes. E porque me esforço por não ser
classificada entre esses últimos.
    A: - Mas de que forma  Ele  manifesta  Seu  amor 
pelos  que  Lhe  obedecem  e  o  Seu aborrecimento com
os outros?  Não é  verdade  que Seu amor manifesta-se
pelas  bênçãos que concede aos obedientes? Que  mal 
pode  haver  em  ter  cada  vez  maior  consciência dessas
bênçãos prometidas, e  obedecer  com  o  conhecimento 
de  causa  de  que elas nos estão garantidas? E os que
obedecem com receio do castigo de não recebê-las?
        Não estarão esses,  também  demonstrando  fé  na 
palavra  de  Deus?  É mal  estar grandemente interessado
nas promessas de futuras bênçãos  celestiais;  tão grandes, 
que são inavaliáveis a nós neste estado decaído de
corrupção da carne e morte física?
        Não será para nós um mal maior estar desinteressado
delas; não amaremos melhor a Deus conhecendo Suas
promessas?
.
         Digamos que Ele não houvesse preparado nada para 
nós  no  porvir  eterno  ou  que nada soubéssemos das Suas
promessas. Obviamente  nada  poderíamos  esperar  de 
Sua parte em troca da fidelidade aos Seus mandamentos.
        Como, dessa forma, poderíamos imaginá-lo justo, se
Ele fosse  apenas  um  Deus  de mandamentos; sem
promessas nem bênçãos que nos dessem  o  testemunho 
do  Seu amor por nós?
.
         Nesse caso, o que mais teríamos a  esperar Dele além
de grande e cega expectativa, incógnita e angustiante?  
Em  tal  circunstância  só  poderíamos  ter  dúvidas; 
nenhuma esperança firme, não haveria a fé nem
poderíamos amá-lo em tal relacionamento distante e
inatingível ... viveríamos a desgraça que  vivem  os 
incrédulos,  para  os  quais  Deus  não existe ou, se existir,
não se importa com a humanidade.
.
         Ensinou o apóstolo Paulo: "Não subiu ao coração do
homem ...  as  maravilhas  que Deus preparou para aqueles
que O amam."
.
         Se sabemos que Deus nos preparou  coisas 
maravilhosas,  e  que  condicionou  seu recebimento à
nossa fidelidade, exatamente por isso, devemos cultivar
essas promessas como a nossa motivação correta para
perseguir a meta da vida eterna.
        Mesmo sem podermos avaliar, nem mesmo de perto 
o  que  elas  serão,  o  fato  de sabermos  que  nos estão
garantidas,  nos  levará  a  obedecer por motivos justos,
pois:
.
 "Eis que todas as coisas existem, pela sabedoria Daquele
que tudo conhece".
*
OS OVNI’s E O ESPAÇO TEMPO DA TERRA
.
(Algumas referências foram tiradas do livro de Charles
Berlitz, O Triângulo das Bermudas, p.103/104 e 120)
         M. K. Jessup, famoso  cientista  americano,  autor 
do  livro  O  Caso  dos  OVNI’s, astrônomo descobridor de
estrelas duplas, suicidou-se após período de forte
depressão.  Houve suposições de que ele teria sido
assassinado. O cano de descarga do seu automóvel estava
entubado para dentro do compartimento de passageiros;
foi encontrado ainda com vida dentro do carro,
estacionado no Parque Dade Country.
         De acordo com alguns mais íntimos que  o 
conheceram,  ele  morreu  ou  foi  morto, devido às suas
teorias sobre os OVNI’s e as técnicas que eles  empregam 
para  entrar  e sair do espaço-tempo da terra; como
também devido à experiência secreta realizada pela
marinha dos EUA com um destroyer na Filadélfia.
         Se as conclusões dessa experiência forem
verdadeiras, e vamos admitir que sejam,  para associá-las
com alguns outros conhecimentos pertinentes e com
algumas revelações declaradas pelo profeta mórmon
Joseph Smith.
.
         A terra é envolvida por um  poderoso  campo  eletro-
magnético-gravitacional.  Esse campo unificado é
responsável por nosso "aprisionamento"  no  espaço-
tempo  do  nosso presente estado de vida; esse campo ou
E-T, estaria contido em outro E-T mais refinado e veloz; o
qual estaria contido em outro ainda mais refinado e mais
veloz  ...  até  chegar  ao E-T onde Deus está - O E-T do
astro Kolob. (1)
         Sabemos  haver  anomalias  nas  correntes 
atmosféricas,  marítimas,  nos  campos elétricos,
magnéticos e gravitacionais. Seria justo admitir haver
anomalias no nosso E-T, como que "buracos que nos
ponham em contato com  o  E-T  adjacente,  e  dele  a 
outros acima.
         Assim como as anomalias magnéticas e as da sua
parentela, variam ciclicamente por efeito de causas
maiores, como as manchas solares nos seus  ciclos 
próprios,  poderíamos concluir que os buracos do nosso E-
T possam variar em  posição  e  extensão,  dentro  dos
espaços mais comuns de suas ocorrências.
        Em conseqüência, o homem poderia criar buracos
artificiais em locais determinados.   Esse teria sido o caso
da experiência ultra secreta com o destroyer da Filadélfia.
.
         O poder que geraria esses buracos, teria como efeito
uma espécie de cúpula luminosa localizada, cuja "glória"
demonstrada seria proporcional ao  poder  da  fonte 
causadora,  e que transportaria os objetos envolvidos e
interpenetrados por seu campo de força,  ao  E-T que
corresponderia a essa força. Cessada a aplicação  da 
força,  o  objeto  voltaria  à  sua própria dimensão ou E-T.
         Na  experiência  de  Filadélfia,  consta  que  o 
destroyer  e  sua  tripulação  foram envolvidos  e 
dominados  por  um  altíssimo  campo  eletro-magnético 
propositalmente aplicado. O destroyer e todos os seus
ocupantes teriam  desaparecido  do  nosso  E-T  e depois
voltado. Foi verdadeiramente assustador e incrível a
descrição dos fenômenos que teriam sido observados pelos
que participaram da experiência.
.
         De forma semelhante é que a terra teria caído de sua
posição perto de Kolob, onde está o mundo celestial em
que Deus o Pai habita. Ela  não  teria  caído 
simplesmente  no conceito do nosso entendimento
newtoniano; e sim no entendimento einsteniano.
.
         Consta num dos livros canônicos dos mórmons, que
Deus revelou ao profeta Joseph Smith que o tempo da
terra foi alongado, significando  que  fomos  retirados  do 
E-T  onde Deus e nós estávamos no princípio, antes da
fundação do mundo em que vivemos.
         As visões de Deus pelos profetas, são sempre
precedidas de intensa manifestação de luz ou glória, muito
mais brilhante que a luz do nosso sol. Os profetas se dizem
envoltos na glória (vivificados no espírito por essa luz), o
que os conduz ao  E-T  onde  está Deus  e  a contemplar a
Sua glória.
.
         O livro de Berlitz, diz que os desaparecimentos  no 
Triângulo  das  Bermudas,  são precedidos pela
manifestação luminosa característica, que prenuncia o
buraco no E-T da terra. Diz mais, que quando ocorre do
buraco ser apenas tangenciado, pode acontecer o
fenômeno experimentado pelo Boeing 727 da National
Airlines, que  não  chegou  a  ser sugado pelo buraco mas
sofreu algumas rebarbas.
.
         Se é verdade que já podemos provocar buracos em
lugares determinados do nosso E-T, o que não podem
fazer nesse sentido os povos alienígenas que nos visitam
nos seus OVNI’s  desde os seus E-T?
.
         Quantos E-T’s os OVNI’s da presença de Deus têm
que atravessar para chegar a nós? Quantos E-T’s
atravessam os que vêm de regiões inferiores às celestiais?
.
         Manipulando o nosso E-T foi que Deus teria feito a
sombra recuar no relógio solar do rei Acaz; Elias teria sido
arrebatado num turbilhão de luz para outro E-T, com
corpo e tudo.
        Da mesma forma Cristo teria subido em seu corpo de
ressurreição.  Assim  também  toda  a cidade de Sião nos
dias de Enoque.
        Assim mostraram-se o Pai e o Filho a Joseph Smith;
assim vieram e se foram todos os seres celestiais que Deus
enviou aos profetas nas diversas dispensações do
evangelho até os nossos dias.
          Assim descerá Cristo com todas as suas hostes no
Monte das Oliveiras.(2)
        Tudo isso será uma "simples" questão de poder e
"know how", o que Deus tem de sobra.

*
O VELHO TESTAMENTO, SUA ORIGEM,
IMPORTÂNCIA E IDADE
.
         Desde a queda de Adão, o homem não foi deixado
em ignorância de sua origem.  Desde aquele princípio ele
foi ensinado por Deus a ler e escrever, para poder registrar
sua história e seu relacionamento com Deus ao longo dos
milênios.
         Um faraó da 13a. dinastia que viveu muitos anos
antes  de  Cristo,  escreveu  estas importantes palavras:
        "Meu coração se extasia em contemplar os mais 
antigos  livros  de  Atum  (Adão). Abri-los diante de mim
para busca diligente, para que eu possa conhecer a Deus
como ele realmente é!".
.
         O velho testamento foi  dado  ao  homem  por 
decreto  divino,  como  a  ferramenta essencial para
prepará-lo para a salvação. O padrão da escrita continuou
de  patriarca  a patriarca. Enoque, tendo sido
contemporâneo de Adão, escreveu: "...escrevemos um
livro de lembranças entre nós, de acordo com o modelo
dado pelo dedo de Deus; e foi dado em nosso próprio
idioma."(Moisés 6: 46)1
         Abraão testificou do  processo  do contínuo
adicionar de escrituras, mesmo  após o dilúvio:
"...tentarei ... delinear a cronologia que data desde mim 
ao  princípio  da  criação, porque os relatos chegaram até
minhas mãos ... os registros dos pais, mesmo os patriarcas,
concernentes  aos  direitos  do  sacerdócio,  o  Senhor 
meu  Deus  preservou  em  minhas próprias
mãos."(Abraão 1: 28,31) (2) .
.
         Diz o Dr. Nibley: "O alfabeto semita quase que 
parece  ter  sido  concebido  para  o exato propósito  de 
registrar  as  escrituras ... As  letras  são  formas 
convencionais  dos símbolos originais nos quais a
mensagem foi primeiramente entregue aos homens ..."
         "Muito da história de Israel gira em torno da falha do
povo em lembrar sua origem e as mensagens da lei, e em
aderir aos convênios registrados."
         Os profetas de Israel pagaram um alto preço para que
tivéssemos as escrituras (Jer 20: 7-9).
         Antes da torre de Babel era somente a língua
adâmica, depois vieram os registros em hebraico, a seguir
aramaico depois do cativeiro babilônico,  em  400 a.C.; 
mais  tarde  em grego na época de Alexandre  o Grande,
ao surgir a Septuaginta em 250 a.C.;  depois  em latim e
finalmente nas línguas modernas.
         A escritura básica dos primeiros cristãos foi  a
Septuaginta, a  tradução  do  hebraico para o grego feita
pelos 70 judeus de Alexandria (3). Ela tornou-se como um
missionário para as nações gentias. (4)
         Os judeus não convertidos ao cristianismo no
meridiano dos tempos, continuaram a crer que seus
registros continham toda a palavra de Deus necessária à
sua salvação, por isso rejeitaram mais palavras. Rejeitaram
a revelação necessária e progressiva contida na pregação
dos apóstolos chamados para os seus dias. Mas os judeus e
gentios convertidos ao evangelho sabiam ter superado o
entendimento dos  judeus  tradicionais,  ortodoxos  e
fundamentalistas.
         Dizem os mórmons, que hoje, às portas da segunda
vinda de  Jesus  Cristo,  daquela mesma  forma  que 
procederam aqueles judeus zelosos  e  tradicionais  do 
meridiano  dos tempos, assim procede a cristandade
tradicional moderna; ela também se nega a receber mais
palavras que Deus lhe  comunica  por  Seus  profetas  e 
apóstolos  atuais.  Seu  zelo  pelo tradicional não permite
que ela  compreenda o testemunho dado pelos dois
testamentos, o Velho  e  o  Novo,  onde  vemos  que  a 
revelação  de  Deus  é necessariamente oportuna,
progressiva e coerente com as necessidades dos povos nos
seus próprios momentos.
.
         Se os patriarcas escreveram seus livros, é evidente
que eles, uma vez encontrados e comprovada sua
autenticidade, farão parte integrante do Velho Testamento.
Sabemos que ambos os testamentos foram definidos pelos
livros que estavam à disposição dos homens que fizeram
sua filtragem e seleção; e que os declararam canônicos ou
não. Prova está no número de livros considerados
canônicos pelos católicos, maior que os assim
considerados pelos protestantes.
         Desde a década de  30 do século  passado,  os 
mórmons  têm  declarado  saber,  por revelação de Deus,
que Adão e os demais patriarcas escreveram cada um os
seus livros; e que  eles  mesmos  possuem  parte  do 
Livro  de  Abraão (muito  usado  nos  seus estudos
teológicos).
         Pelo próprio texto dos dois testamentos bíblicos,
sabemos terem  sido  usados  pelos judeus no passado
distante, livros inspirados que não chegaram  às  nossas 
mãos  (pelo menos de forma reconhecida, para passar a
fazer parte do cânone).
         Quando  os judeus já estavam dispersos pelo mundo
então conhecido, os que estavam em Alexandria
traduziram o cânone judaico para o grego e acrescentaram 
alguns  escritos que não eram reconhecidos pelos judeus 
de  Jerusalém.  Isso  originou  a  diferença  entre eles, os
de Alexandria considerando mais seis livros no cânone:
Tobias, Judite, Sabedoria, Eclesiástico, Baruc, alguns
suplementos ao Livro de Daniel, e Ester.
         Os protestantes tomaram a mesma posição dos
judeus de Jerusalém, e rejeitaram os demais  livros,  como 
sendo  livros  de  autores  não  inspirados  por  Deus,  os 
chamados apócrifos.
          Que o leitor procure ler esses  livros  declarados 
apócrifos,  segundo  os  judeus  de Jerusalém e os
protestantes. Julgue então por si mesmo se são ou não
inspirados.
         Dois séculos antes de Cristo, os judeus consideravam
canônicos:
.
- A Lei (Torah): Gênesis, Êxodo,, Levítico, Números e
Deuteronômio.
- Os Profetas: Os profetas e os Livros Hist&óricos.
- Os Escritos: Salmos, Provérbios, J&ó, Cânticos, Rute,
Lamentações, Eclesiastes, Ester, Daniel, Esdras, Neemias,
e Crônicas.
.
         Outros livros foram depois acrescentados ao cânone
judaico,  demonstrando  que  a revelação é de fato
progressiva.
        E mais tarde, isso também se provou no Novo
Testamento, quando  o  evangelho  de João  foi  escrito  e 
incorporado  ao  cânone,  depois  de  ter  sido  entregue 
por  Deus  o Apocalipse ao mesmo João.
        Aparentemente, o Apocalipse foi a última revelação
de Deus incorporada ao Novo Testamento, mas a verdade
é outra, pois o Evangelho de João veio depois.
.
         Por isso, os mórmons têm ensinado que  o  cânone 
não  esteve,  não  está  e  jamais estará completo, pois a
palavra de Deus nunca cessará de ser proferida aos
profetas que enviar à terra, para dar curso ao Seu Plano de
Progresso Eterno.
.
         Modernamente  têm  sido  encontrados  muitos 
livros  antiquíssimos  entre  os pergaminhos do Mar
Morto. Em outros locais foram achados parte do Livro de
Enoque e O Livro  de  Jasher.  O  livro  Apócrifos  II, 
recentemente  lido  por  Amoramon,  fala  da descoberta
de O Livro de Adão e Eva, onde estão escritas coisas
interessantíssimas sobre a condição inicial de vida dos
dois primeiros pais da raça adâmica, e que nos trazem
muitos esclarecimentos.
         Tudo o que houver sido escrito por profetas de Israel
nesses livros, se foram escritos inspirados pelo Espírito
Santo, terão de ser recebidos como a palavra de Deus e,
portanto, serão novas escrituras a serem adicionadas ao
cânone atual, seja ao Velho seja ao Novo Testamentos.
 *
O PENTECOSTES
.
         Pentecostes é uma palavra grega que significa o
qüinquagésimo dia. Na antiga Israel era uma festa prevista
em Êxodo 34:22 e Deuteronômio 16:10, a festa das
semanas ou a festa da colheita (Êxodo 23:16), ou também
o dia dos primeiros frutos (Números 28:26).
.
 O pentecostes era celebrado 50 dias após a páscoa dos
judeus. A saída do Egito foi no mês das espigas (abib),
mais tarde chamado mês de nisan, corresponde ao nosso
mês de abril.
         Já vimos na página 15 desta miscelânea, que Jesus
Cristo foi crucificado numa sexta feira dia 3 de abril e
ressuscitou num domingo,  5  de  abril.  Donde  o 
pentecostes  para  o cristão deveria ser comemorado no dia
25 de maio. Por que não é assim?
         - Em 325 d. C. o Concílio de Nic&&éia determinou
que  a páscoa entre os  cristãos  seria celebrada no
primeiro domingo após a lua cheia, durante  o  equinócio 
vernal  ou  logo  em seguida a ele (aproximadamente 21 de
março).
        Equinócio é o tempo em que o sol cruza o equador e
faz com que a duração do dia seja igual à duração da 
noite  em  todas  as  partes  da  terra.  O  equinócio  do 
outono  ocorre aproximadamente entre 22 e 23 de
setembro.
         E o que tinha esse equinócio vernal a ver com a
ressurreição de Cristo?
          - A resposta é nada! Absolutamennnnte nnada!
.
         Havia entre os povos pagãos uma comemoração em
honra da  deusa  nórdica  pagã Eastre, cujo festival era
celebrado no equinócio vernal.
        O nome desse festival era conhecido  por  Easter,  o 
qual  passou,  por  decreto  de Constantino, a ser
comemorado pelos cristãos em lembrança da ressurreição
de Cristo.
         O rei Constantino era um heliólatra, um pagão que se
fez cristão por conveniência, e que antes de ser batizado
fez-se o cabeça da Igreja, nomeando seus oficiais
eclesiásticos!
          Não é de admirar que ele tenha imposto a data da
festa de uma divindade pagã com seu equinócio vernal,
para comemorar a grandiosidade impar da ressurreição de
Cristo.
.
         No Novo Testamento, a única referência à páscoa
entre os cristãos,  está  em  Atos 12:4, mas, seguramente,
ela nada tinha a ver com o equinócio vernal.
.
         Obviamente a Easter ou a Páscoa, conforme é hoje
observada,  não  passa  de   um comprometimento
tradicional entre um festival pagão e a cristandade 
desviada  já  desde antes dos tempos do rei Constantino,
que convocou o Concílio de Nicéia.
.
         Como Cristo foi crucificado um dia antes da  páscoa 
dos  judeus,  e  ressuscitou  no terceiro dia, a páscoa dos 
cristãos  deveria  ser  comemorada  bem  próximo  da 
páscoa judaica, isto é, no primeiro dia após ela. Os judeus 
num  sétimo  dia  e  os  cristãos  num primeiro dia da
semana.
.
         Essa parece a Amoramon a razão misteriosa pela
qual o Senhor em Êxodo 12: 16 ordenou aos israelitas que
fizessem uma santa convocação no 1o. e no 7o. dia. Para
os judeus, seria a observância do sétimo dia, mas para os
cristãos  no futuro, começaria a observância do primeiro
dia da semana, conforme os apóstolos começaram a
observar, após a ressurreição.
 .
         Como o ano judeu é de 354 dias devido à sua
contagem dos meses ser de lua nova a lua nova; à cada três
anos, é necessário acrescentar um  mês  ao  calendário 
judeu  para acertá-lo com o calendário romano (a
diferença de 365 para 354 dias).
.
*
AS DENOMINAÇÕES RELIGIOSAS
.
         Vamos desenvolver a questão usando duas
denominações, mas o  que  for  verdade para essas duas, 
será para 20, 200 ou 2000 outras delas.
.
         Analisaremos as denominações: A Igreja Universal
do Reino  de  Deus  e  A  Igreja Católica.
 Perguntamos: A primeira pretende significar que é a
Igreja do total Universo ou apenas do "universo" da terra?
.
         Se é para significar apenas da terra, o nome
apropriado seria  A Igreja do  Reino  de Deus na Terra. Se
é para significar a Igreja do total Universo, e a
denominação  Reino  de Deus, sem especificar na  Terra, 
automaticamente  já  significa  que  abrange  todo  o
universo. Por que então a impropriedade  do pleonasmo?
         Sem o pleonasmo, ela passaria apropriadamente a ser
chamada A Igreja Universal.  Mas, nesse caso surgiria um
impasse - É que A Igreja Católica também significa A
Igreja Universal.
         Teológica e corretamente falando portanto, a
denominação: A Igreja de Jesus Cristo, seria o nome
apropriado a ser adotado,  tanto por uma quanto por outra,
já que A Igreja de Jesus Cristo  é  em  si  mesma  uma 
Igreja  Universal  e  Eterna,  pois Jesus é ambas as coisas,
Universal e Eterno.
.
         Por que então, em sã coerência, seriam dados nomes
diferentes à verdadeira Igreja De Jesus Cristo?
         Uma igreja fundada por  Moisés, seria  a  Igreja  de 
Moisés;  uma  fundada  por Amoramon,  seria  a  Igreja 
de  Amoramon.
.
         Por que a Igreja fundada por Jesus Cristo não se
chamará exclusivamente pelo seu nome?  Poderá haver
algum outro nome ou denominação a ser dada que seja
mais alto e mais apropriado do que esse?
         Será que o grande Jesus Cristo cometeria tal
impropriedade, a de dar outro  nome que não o Seu
próprio à Sua Igreja?
         Diz o Deus Pai que a ninguém  cederá a Sua Honra;
Jesus, o mais uno de todos com o Pai o faria?  Ou será que
as impropriedades de todas as miríades de denominações,
estão aí para nos mostrar que elas não são,
definitivamente, A Igreja de Jesus Cristo?
.
. Poderia hoje uma igreja  reivindicar essa denominação?
.
         - A resposta é simples: - N&atilddde;o pode ... Não
d&p;aaccute; mais! A não ser que a primeira cedesse
legalmente o seu nome honroso. Mas isso seria impossível
da parte de Quem a ninguém cederá a Sua honra!
        Dessa forma superior de pensar e pesar as coisas, a
questão da denominação estaria plenamente resolvida.
.
         Uma vez encontrada a Igreja que tenha a correta
denominação, restará saber se ela segue os preceitos de
Deus.
         Como o homem não é o juiz de Deus para  julgar  os 
Seus  atos  por  suas  opiniões carnais, terá que procurar
saber Dele o que Ele pensa dela ... De acordo com as
escrituras, isso só é possível ao homem por meio do
Espírito Santo.
.
         Como  diria  o  preclaro  Sherlok  Holmes  ao  seu 
eterno  amigo  Watson:  "Isto  é rudimentar meu caro
Watson!".

*
AS IDEOLOGIAS E A GUERRA FINAL
.
        Devido às grandes diferenças ideológicas na política
sócio-econômica, ou seja, na arte de governar social e
economicamente os povos, formaram-se os dois poderosos
blocos de nações na terra: As nações democratas e as
comunistas.
.
         As nações totalitárias, formadoras do eixo
Alemanha-Itália-Japão, foram abatidas para sempre na
Segunda Grande Guerra. Restaram aqueles dois grandes
blocos com as capitais em Washington e Moscou.
.
         Em setenta e dois anos, a ideologia comunista, foi
derrotada pela força econômica do outro bloco de nações,
sem que a guerra real chegasse a eclodir.
        A guerra fria e a conseqüente corrida armamentista,
depois de chegar ao desvario em ambos os lados, acabou 
por  exaurir  os  recursos  econômicos  de  quem  tinha 
vitalidade menor.
.
         Deus enviou à terra o seu servo Mikhail Gorbachev,
marcou-o na testa com um sinal ostensivo e característico;
para iluminar sua mente e dar  o  recado  do 
desarmamento  ao mundo; para reconhecer o erro daquele
sistema  assassino  e  castrador  da  iniciativa,  da
criatividade e da liberdade de consciência do homem (Ver
a denúncia de Gorbachev no seu livro,  Perestroika).
.
         Aquelas grandes diversidades ideológicas entre os
dois blocos, bem  justificaram a existência das suas forças
estratégicas.
         Com a queda do comunismo soviético, aquela
ideologia  perdeu  espaço  em  muitas outras nações da
terra, embora ainda não entre todas. Mas o fato é que onde
o comunismo cedeu, as diferenças ideológicas tenderam a
se minimizar e, eventualmente, até mesmo a
desaparecerem totalmente.
         Agora, as grandes diferenças são as religiosas, elas
definem dois  grandes blocos disputantes de nações em
toda a terra : o cristianismo e o islamismo e mais um
terceiro grande bloco separado - o budismo. Entre eles está
uma pequena nação e que congrega, ainda disperso, um
pequeno povo: o Estado de Israel e o povo judeu.
.
         A guerra final, será fundamentalmente uma guerra
religiosa entre esses dois blocos, tendo ao centro essa
pequena nação.
         Os cristãos, jamais tomarão  o  partido  dos 
muçulmanos n um  conflito  de  grandes proporções que
vise a destruição de Israel.
.
         A terceira guerra mundial será de pouca duração, 
talvez  uns  poucos  meses,  pela terrível violência
estratégica que desencadeará, será uma guerra atômica.
         Um pouco depois, na Guerra e na Batalha final do
Armagedom, a luta será entre os seguidores de Moisés e 
os seguidores de Maomé.  As  nações  cristãs 
tradicionalmente aliadas nas grandes guerras mundiais,
como  EUA,  França  e  Inglaterra; além  de  outras nações
européias, estarão dando seu apoio a Israel.
.
          Para salvar os poucos que restarem entre os judeus
de Jerusalém. Cristo, o primeiro dos cristãos, no ponto
culminante da batalha, descerá e lutará contra os
seguidores de Maomé.
 *
QUEM É DEUS? COMO É DEUS? O QUE É DEUS?
*
         Dizem as escrituras que Ele é o nosso Pai; que é O
Todo-Poderoso; que é amor, que é luz, que é Espírito; que
é o Princípio e o Fim (O Alfa e o Ômega) que é um fogo
devorador ... e também dizem que Deus é O Senhor dos
Exércitos.
         Ele é todas essas coisas e  tudo o mais que ainda não
podemos compreender.
A palavra revelada de Deus, traz-nos o testemunho das
manifestações  de  todos  os  seus atributos; atuando no
passado, presente e futuro.
        Nenhum deles é antagônico ou contraditório, apenas
sua aplicação é condicionada às necessidades de momento
das humanidades.
          Há porém um ponto focal que une em propósito a 
aplicação  de  todos  e  cada  um deles: Salvar os
indivíduos e os povos no melhor estado que permitirem a
misericórdia e a justiça  de  Deus,  diante  do  livre-
arbítrio  de  cada um.  E  nisso  agiganta-se  a faculdade
infinita do Amor que Deus tem por todos os homens.
         A pregação do verdadeiro evangelho, leva convite,
exortação, testemunho, estímulo e promessas. mas leva
também advertências, ameaças e a força  dos  julgamentos 
sobre  os rebeldes, tanto os acontecidos quanto a
acontecer.
.
         Neste pequeno artigo, vamos analisar nosso Deus
como O Senhor dos Exércitos:
.
         O Espírito de Deus favorece ou desampara às nações
que Ele quer.  Na  paz  ou  na guerra ele trabalha
continuamente para levar a cabo o Seu Grandioso Plano de
Salvação. Para isso, Deus usa exércitos, marinhas e
aviação para subjugar os povos que inconscientemente
prejudicam o Seu Plano. Quando não é por guerras e
forças militares, é por forças econômicas e pelo
desmantelamento interno das economias nacionais dos
povos que Lhe são desafetos.(Muitas vezes os governantes
é que são os inimigos).
         Todas essas ações de Deus estão mescladas e
mascaradas entre  os interesses das várias nações e não são
percebidas pelo comum da humanidade. Mas os profetas
sabem ler nas entrelinhas da História, e identificar a mão
de Deus nas guerras  e  batalhas  da terra.
         Acontece porém, que nos Seus atos finais, Deus
usará suas próprias tropas celestiais, num ato inteiramente
inusitado para a experiência mortal da raça  adâmica; 
acostumada que está com escaramuças entre pessoas
mortais somente.
         Torna-se muito difícil acreditar nessa quebra de
rotina, da parte de Deus. Por isso, suas palavras
apocalípticas parecem inverossímeis ao comum da
humanidade. A filosofia do "nunca aconteceu, portanto,
não acontecerá", vence a revelação.
         Nos diz Isaías, que após a vitória da milícia celestial,
os homens não mais aprenderão as artes da guerra, e que
transformarão o ferro dos seus aparatos de guerra  em`
foices e arados.
         Isso significa que não mais haverá exércitos,
marinhas e aviações nacionais com sua parafernália de
guerra e as hipóteses quanto aos inimigos potenciais. A
força militar  que garantirá  a  paz  no planeta será a
milícia  celestial  de  Sião  na  terra,  com  seu  poderio
devastador, nas  palavras  de  Isaías.  Ela  será  a garantia
eterna das nações ... para que  Sião nas Américas  faça
cumprir a lei em toda a terra, honrando a palavra do
Senhor que sairá de Jerusalém.
         O planeta terra, terá sua força militar única, um
"corpo de exército celestial" tendo o Senhor  como  o 
comandante  supremo, para  promover  a  paz  milenar  na 
terra,  contra inimigos externos ou internos que se 
manifestem ... e  sabemos  por  revelação,  que  um terrível
inimigo se levantará ao final do sétimo milênio.
         "... Chegam  de  um  país  longínquo  da 
extremidade  dos  céus,  o  Senhor  e  os instrumentos do
Seu furor, para devastar toda a terra"(Isa 3: 4-5) ; "O
Senhor manifestará aos Seus servos o Seu poderio, e aos
inimigos Sua cólera. Pois o Senhor virá no meio do fogo,
com Seus carros de guerra semelhantes ao furacão, para
satisfazer Sua cólera num braseiro, e cumprir Suas
ameaças em chamas ardentes ..." (Isa 66: 14-15)

*
O LIVRO DE ADÃO E EVA
.
         De  acordo  com  o livro Apócrifos  II,  entre  os 
pergaminhos  do  Mar  Morto,  foi encontrado  "O Livro
de Adão e Eva". No texto desse livro, há coisas muito
significativas quanto à natureza dos seus corpos. Palavras
que nos trazem um entendimento muito mais claro sobre a
Gênesis, quando diz ter feito Deus o homem à sua imagem
e semelhança, e que os fez homem e mulher (significando
um homem e uma mulher) à semelhança de Deus, O Qual,
também não seria completo sem a mulher:
         "...Eles eram cheios de graça e de uma  natureza 
luminosa" (p.29)  Portanto,  seus corpos  eram  luminosos
como luminoso é o corpo de Deus e  de  Sua  Mulher,  só 
assim haveria semelhança.
.
         "...E me fizeste (fizeste do meu osso) uma mulher de
carne luminosa"(p.33)
.
         "Quando eras obediente a mim, tinhas uma  natureza 
luminosa  e,  por isso,  podias  ver coisas muito
distantes ... Mas, após tua  desobediência,  a  natureza 
luminosa  foi-te retirada; e não foi mais possível ver coisas
distantes ... pois esta carne é grosseira."(p.36)
.
         "Ao Norte do Jardim havia um mar de água, claro e
puro  ao  paladar,  como  nada iguala ... através de sua
transparência, pode-se olhar para as profundezas da terra"
(p.27)
 A terra era como o cristal, Adão podia ver através dela
como  se  ela  fosse  um  Urim  e Tumim - aquelas pedras
usadas pelos videntes&nnbssp; bíblicos  para  receberem 
revelações  de Deus.
.
         "Os seus corpos passaram a necessitar de água ao
deixarem o Jardim" (p.37)
.
         "Enquanto estávamos no Jardim, nem nos
importávamos com esta água nem dela necessitávamos;
mas desde que viemos para esta terra não podemos passar
sem ela".(p. 38; ver mais as p. 8-10).
.
         "Eu (Deus) o privei da natureza luminosa e ele se
tornou opaco". (P.41)
.
      4. "E quando ele estava nos céus, nos domínios da luz,
não conhecia nada escuridão"
      5. "Mas Eu o fiz cair do céu para a terra; e foi (quando)
esta escuridão lhes sobreveio"
.
         Essas palavras esclarecem qual foi a natureza da
queda de Adão: Além de espiritual, pelo afastamento da
presença de Deus, ela também foi física - dos domínios da
luz para a opacidaddde, a qual gera a escuridão,
impossível de experimentar por quem possui um corpo
luminoso e reside num globo da mesma natureza.
.
         O Livro de Adão e Eva também esclarece muito
melhor  a  questão  da  imagem  e semelhança no
momento da criação dos seus corpos. O Jardim era uma
parte do planeta que ainda foi conservado como o estado
inicial de  sua  criação.  A  queda  de  estado  do planeta
foi para continuar servindo de residência ao casal decaído.
         Outra coisa que esse livro nos traz é o entendimento 
de  que  o  relato  da  Gênesis conforme nos foi entregue
atualmente, está incompleto; tem imprecisões  e  lacunas; 
tem cancelamentos  de  partes  claras,  preciosas  e 
sumamente  importantes  para  nossa compreensão daquele
relato.
*
HOMOSSEXUAIS, LÉSBICAS E SIMPATIZANTES -
A OPÇÃO SEXUAL SUBSTITUI O PECADO SEXUAL
.
         A geração atual acha muito estranha a inflexibilidade
das leis de Deus reveladas no Deuteronômio, e a rapidez
com que os castigos estipulados eram aplicados. Mas
esquecem de considerar quão intimamente ligado estava
Jeová àquele povo; quão grandes eram as demonstrações
ostensivas de poder que colocava diante do povo, tornando
assim, tão grave o pecado na rebelião.
         "Também no deserto viste que Jeová ...te levou,
como um homem leva seu filho ... Apesar disso, ninguém
dentre vós confiava em Jeová ...que vos precedia no
caminho, ... de noite por meio do fogo, para que pudésseis
enxergar o caminho que percorríeis, e de dia na nuvem".
         Jeová conduzia de perto aquele povo, com o 
propósito  de  fazê-lo  herdeiro  do  Seu descanso, mas na
dificílima condição de ter que expô-lo à convivência com
os povos pagãos e grandemente corrompidos das terras
que lhe seriam  dadas  por  herança...  A  influência desses
povos poderia destruir a muitos dos israelitas para a Vida
Eterna. Por isso, as leis separatistas deveriam ser
rigorosamente observadas, ou a mesclagem seria fatal.
         Foi revelado o Decálogo como a lei fundamental e
geral. Depois vieram as  leis  mais particularizadas. No
caso deste nosso escrito, citaremos o contido em todo o
capítulo 18 do Deuteronômio, o referente aos pecados
sexuais de que os  israelitas  deveriam  fugir,  sob pena de
serem cortados da Vida Eterna. A lista de pecados é
grande, mas nos vamos deter apenas em Levítico 18, no
versículo 22:
          "Não te deitarás com um homem como se deita com
uma mulher.
            É uma abominação." E ao final dessa listagem nos
versículos 24 a 29:
            "Não  vos  torneis  impuros c om  nenhuma 
dessas  práticas:  foi  por  elas  que  se tornaram impuras
as nações que expulso diante de vós. A terra se tornou
impura, eu puni a sua falta e ela vomitou os seus
habitantes... Se vós a tornais impura, não vos vomitará  ela
como  vomitou  a nação  que  vos precedeu?  Porque 
cada  um  que  cometer  uma  dessas abominações,
qualquer que seja, ... será extirpado do seu povo".
.
         O pecado da sodomia vem do nome Sodoma, a 
cidade onde esse  pecado  era  geral, irmã  da cidade de
Gomorra. Ambas destruídas pelo fogo na época de
Abraão.
         Esse mesmo pecado foi cometido mais tarde em
larga escala pelos gregos e romanos, o que deu motivo a
estas palavras candentes do apóstolo Paulo na sua carta
aos romanos":
         "Por isso Deus os entregou, segundo os desejos dos
seus corações, à impureza em que eles mesmos
desonraram os seus corpos.  Eles  trocaram  a  verdade  de 
Deus  pela mentira ... por isso Deus os entregou a paixões
aviltantes:  suas  mulheres  mudaram  as relações naturais
por relações  contra  a  natureza;  igualmente  os  homens, 
deixando  a relação natural com a mulher, arderam em
desejo uns  para  com  os  outros,  praticando torpezas
homens com homens e recebendo em si m esmos a paga
de sua aberração.
         E  como  não  julgaram bom ter  o conhecimento de
Deus,  Deus  os  entregou  à  sua mente incapaz de
julgar ... Apesar de conhecerem a sentença de Deus que 
declara dignos de morte os que praticam semelhantes
ações, eles não só as fazem, como ainda aplaudem os que
as praticam". (Romanos 1: 24-32)
         Quando Jeová vier novamente conviver de perto com
o seu povo na terra, no esforço final de prepará-lo para o
encontro com o Pai Eterno, o rigor  de  Sua  lei  será 
novamente estabelecido entre os homens. Os que
estiverem preparados para ela, se deleitarão.  Mas os que
se tiverem entregue às impurezas que Jeová abomina,
serão vomitados da terra pelo ardor dos Seus julgamentos.
         "Ai dos que ao mal chamam bem e ao bem mal ... Ai
dos que  são  sábios  aos  seus próprios olhos e inteligentes
na sua própria opinião ... Por isto, como a  chama  devora 
a palha, como o feno se incendeia e se consome, assim a
sua raiz se reduzirá a mofo ... Eles rejeitaram a lei de
Jeová dos Exércitos, e desprezaram a palavra do Santo de
Israel".
(Isa 5: 20-24)

*
A CIÊNCIA QUANDO É SÁBIA É HUMILDE

.
         No caderno Idéias e Livros do Jornal do Brasil de 27
de janeiro de 1996, p. 5 saiu  um artigo publicado no
Washington Post.
         O  diretor do M.I.T. (Massachussetts Institute of
Technology)  na  conferência  anual da instituição, trouxe
aos presentes uma "pequena amostra"  das muitas
perguntas que a ciência ainda não conseguiu responder
sobre: a mente humana, a energia, a saúde, o clima, o
espaço, a economia e a informação.
         Sendo  o  M.I.T.  uma  organização  das  mais 
prestigiadas  no  mundo  na  área  das ciências, essa
humilde confissão é muito importante para dar aos homens
a justa avaliação do  quanto  estão  distantes  de 
compreender  as  coisas que estão além da física, química,
biologia, astrofísica, astronomia ... e além, da teologia
revelada.
         As  respostas  para  todas  essas  questões,  com 
toda  a  certeza existem; porque os fenômenos observados
continuam a ocorrer, obedecendo às suas leis e
independentemente do homem poder ou não explicá-las.
         Muito  antes mesmo  de  compreendermos  os 
fundamentos,  podemos  utilizar-nos  do  comportamento 
observado  dos  fenômenos  nos  seus  efeitos 
matemáticamente esperados.
         A ciência não pode criar leis naturais, porque elas
lhe  são  anteriores.  Diz  Salomão que Deus desdobrou os
céus pela Ciência.
         Podemos dizer que os homens de ciência apenas
descobrem alguns  dos mistérios que cercam as leis
naturais e depois inventam os processos para aplicá-las  no
enriquecimento da vida (ou para destruir vidas).
         Quando a ciência fecunda artificialmente um óvulo,
ela não está mais do que usando um artifício para
empregar uma lei natural que impele atavicamente o
espermatozóide em busca de penetrar o óvulo.
         As leis que regulam o comportamento das partículas
atômicas e subatômicas, existem desde  a  eternidade. 
Mas  o  homem,  usando  o  conhecimento  do 
comportamento  das partículas, conseguiu inventar um
processo para fissurar o átomo numa reação em cadeia
explosiva e produziu a bomba.
.
         "Há mais mistério entre a terra e o céu, do que pode
imaginar a nossa vã filosofia"
         "Depois que tudo desta vida cessar, aí mesmo é que
recomeçará tudo aquilo que nunca terminou e jamais
terminará".
*
O PRINCÍPIO DO FIM DAS OBRAS DESTE MUNDO,
MAS NÃO DO PLANETA
.
    Na verdade, o princípio do fim do governo dos homens
sobre este mundo, já teve o seu começo decretado desde o
momento em que o Pai e o Filho chamaram Joseph Smith
e lhe falaram dos céus.
        Depois disso, todos os grandes eventos mundiais que
sucederam, tiveram todos essa direção - conduzir as coisas
deste mundo para o grraaande desfecho final;  quando 
diante  de Cristo serão dobradas as nações e o orgulho dos
seus governantes.
        Para  fazer  este  trabalho  porém,  começamos  de 
um  ponto  bem  mais avançado no processo,    partimos
de acontecimentos mais recentes.
.
1989:  200.000 judeus emigram para Israel / queda do
comunismo na Rússia / queda do muro de Berlim
(9/11/89) / fragmentação da União Soviética /
perplexidade mundial ...
.
1990:  unificação da Alemanha / queda do comunismo
europeu / judeus intensificam a emigração para Israel (Isa
27: 12-13; 11:16) / persiste o comunismo na China, Coréia
e Cuba / O comunismo russo foi abatido pelo discurso de
Gorbachev e o fracasso econômico dos setenta anos de
totalitarismo / Tudo indica que os comunismos chinês e
coreano do norte, serão abatidos pela força das armas das
nações democráticas na terceira guerra mundial ... salvo
melhor juízo de Deus.
.
1991: Guerra  do  Golfo  contra  o  Iraque (16/1/91),  a 
antiga  Babilônia  (ver Isa 13) / gigantesca poluição
atmosférica e dos , mares, enorme mortandade da fauna
marítima e das aves, por derrame de petróleo e incêndio
dos poços...
.
1992 :  prevista  a  emigração  de  1,5  milhões  de  judeus 
da  Rússia  para  Israel /
.
1993 : em setembro é proposto o  acordo  de  paz  entre  o 
estado  de  Israel  e  a  OLP /
1994 /95: guerra mortal na antiga Yugoslávia (cristãos
contra muçulmanos) / terremoto em LosAngeles  e  no 
Japão / guerras sangrentas na África, genocídios, fome, 
pestes,  secas, inundações  e  terremotos  em  diversos
lugares / corrupção  governamental  generalizada /
crescimento  do  crime  organizado  em  toda a terra /
proliferação de religiões,  feitiçaria  e satanismo / crimes
hediondos em todos os países / grande iniqüidade sexual
nas sociedades humanas / domínio das drogas /
proliferação  de  homossexuais  e lésbicas  /  destruição da
instituição familiar de forma acelerada / os judeus
continuam sua emigração para Israel / o evangelho
restaurado vai sendo pregado de forma crescente em quase
toda a terra, passo a passo / consolidam-se  as iniciativas
de paz entre judeus e palestinos / cresce  a  ira  dos
fundamentalistas dos dois lados / o risco de eliminação
dos líderes  que estimulam a paz no Oriente Médio é
grande / (I Tess 5: 3) "... Paz e segurança!?"
.
1995 : em junho o presidente do Egito, Mubarak, sofre
atentado e no fim do ano o primeiro ministro  de  Israel, 
Yitzhak  Rabin  é  morto  por  um  extremista  judeu/ o 
terrorismo internacional chega aos EUA, os culpados são
condenados à prisão perpétua / todas as mazelas 
espirituais  que se  enraizaram  poderosamente  em  1994, 
consolidaram-se  e cresceram neste ano também  /  as 
diferenças  entre  pobres  e  ricos  atingem  índices
escandalosos / as  forças  federais  e  estaduais  vêem -se 
em  inferioridade  dddiante  do crescente poder dos
traficantes de drogas / a AIDS continua imperando e
dizimando muitos milhares de pessoas / o falso
cristianismo de toda a terra está  crescendo   para  todos 
os lados; algumas das maiores facções já começam a lutar
entre si / outras estão unindo  suas forças, e cumprindo a
palavra do Livro de Mórmon, quando diz que elas  se 
unirão   para combater a Igreja do Cordeiro de Deus / a
Igreja restaurada continua e  expandir-se  por toda a terra /
a emigração dos judeus continua a cumprir as profecias
para os últimos dias - Isa 10:33-34: 11: 11-16, que falam
daa exppansão territorial; Isa 27: 12-13 e 54: 2-3)
.
1996: Em  22 de janeiro Yasser Arafat, arquiteto da paz, é
eleito o primeiro governante da nova nação palestina com
a esmagadora porcentagem de 88,1 ... pobre Arafat!
.
TODOS ESSES ACONTECIMENTOS SÃO SINAIS DA
PROXIMIDADE DA VOLTA DE CRISTO E  DO 
CUMPRIMENTO  DAS  PROFECIAS  SOBRE  AS 
GRANDES CATÁSTROFES   QUE   SE  ABATERIAM 
SOBRE  O  MUNDO  DOS  GENTIOS
IMEDIATAMENTE ANTES DA DESCIDA DO
SENHOR SOBRE O MONTE DAS OLIVEIRAS, E
LOGO DEPOIS SOBRE TODA A TERRA. FALAMOS
SOBRE  AS COISAS   PROFETIZADAS   QUE   JÁ  
SE   CUMPRIRAM   E   QUE   SE   ESTÃO
CUMPRINDO NO MOMENTO.  AGORA 
PASSAREMOS  ÀS  PROFECIAS   QUE AINDA SE
CUMPRIRÃO:
.
        A partir da terceira Guerra Mundial começará o
colapso geral do mundo dos gentios / recrudecimento de
grandes catástrofes naturais, fome, peste e grande
mortandade - J.S. 1:29-34 (Mateus 24) / guerras locais na
Palestina precederão a Guerra do Armagedom, com
duração de 3,5 anos (42 meses ou 1260 dias).
.
        Pouco  depois  de  terminar  a  Guerra  do 
Armagedom,  duas  coisas  importantes sucederão: o início
do governo de um outro DAVID, descendente de Judá e
de José, e o chamado dos 144.000 sumo-sacerdotes (D&C
77:11-12 e 133: 17-18) / Um pouco após o grande
terremoto, ao final da batalha em Jerusalém (Apo 7: 3)
144.000 sumo-sacerdotes serão chamados e selados (Apo:
7: 1-4 e D&C 77:7-11) para irem entre as nações pregar
o  evangelho  restaurado  pela  última  vez / grande parte
desses sumo-sacerdotes  serão escolhidos entre os
representantes das 10 tribos perdidas, as quais virão a pé,
pela estrada que se erguerá do leito do Oceano Atlântico
depois do terremoto, em demanda da cidade da Nova
Jerusalém, a qual  será  em  breve  construída  pelos 
gentios,  lamanitas  e  os peregrinos das 10 tribos perdidas.

        Pouco antes  de  Cristo pisar o Monte  das  Oliveiras, 

prestes  a  ocorrer  o  grande terremoto ao final da batalha,
as  duas  testemunhas  do  Senhor  que  serão  mortas  em
Jerusalém, e cujos corpos ficarão insepultos por três dias,
serão levantadas pelo poder de Cristo e subirão para o
encontro com o Senhor nos ares, no momento  de  Sua 
descida  no Monte (Apo 11: 3-12) / Depois da construção
da Nova Jerusalém  e  do  seu  Templo,  os componentes
das dez tribos seguirão para a Palestina,  a  fim  de 
receberem  sua  herança territorial / antes da construção da
cidade da Nova Jerusalém, o Senhor fará Sua aparição
discreta no concílio em Adam-Ondi-Ahman (D&C 78:15;
116 e 117:11) /
        Sobre a Nova Jerusalém, consultar: D&C 133: 26-34;
Isa 11: 15-16; 35: 3-10; 51: 9-11; 2Ne 29: 12-14.
        Por ocasião da descida de Cristo no Monte das
Oliveiras, acontecerá a primeira parte da primeira
ressurreição; daqueles únicos a serem ressuscitados no
momento e  daqueles únicos vivos na carne a serem
elevados,  de onde quer que estejam nos quatro  cantos  da
terra,  para  descerem com Cristo e Suas hostes ( D&C
133: 56-58).Nesse ponto, é que se cumprirá a parábola das
dez virgens, 5 sábias e 5 néscias, 50% serão retirados,
50% serão deixados. Isso se refere especificamente aos
membros da Igreja, e significa  que  entre  os batizados, a
metade será deixada para sofrer os julgamentos;  por  não 
ser  digna  de  ser arrebatada para o encontro com o
Senhor nos ares, a fim de descer com  Ele  entre  os  da
primeira parte  da  primeira  ressurreição. Até que venha
esse quarto  aparecimento,  terão ocorrido  três outros 
aparecimentos  discretos:  no bosque,  no  templo  de 
Kirtland  e  no concílio  em  Adam-Ondi-Ahman.  Dois 
desses  já aconteceram, aguardamos para breve o terceiro. 
O  quarto  aparecimento  de Cristo,  será  ostensivo.  Ele 
descerá  no Monte das Oliveiras  para  salvar  1/10  dos 
judeus  sitiados  em  Jerusalém,  o  resto  terá sido morto
durante a  Guerra do Armagedom até essa batalha final.
(Isa 10: 20-24)
        Quando Cristo pisar o Monte, a batalha será
interrompida pelo poderoso terremoto que se abaterá por
toda a terra e causará as grandes mudanças geográficas
profetizadas (Eze 39: 1-6 e 17-21; Isa 13:10; Zac 14: 1-7
e12-15; Apo 16:21; Joel 1:15; Joel 2, Joel 3: 2-19)
Provavelmente causará o eixo da terra voltar à vertical; o
leito do oceano Atlântico será elevado e as terras serão
novamente unidas como nos dias de Peleg que
antecederam à divisão. (será O DIA DO SENHOR NO
VALE DA DECISÃO). Os julgamentos que se
desencadearão quando Cristo pisar o Monte,  serão 
dirigidos  principalmente  contra  os gentios e judeus
envolvidos na batalha naquele vale, os primeiros a estarem
maduros para o julgamento; porque terão sido
suficientemente avisados, e o serão ainda, até mesmo num
determinado momento do desencadear da batalha.  Esse
dia, será parecido com o DIA DO SENHOR , 
GRANDIOSO  E  TERRÍVEL para toda a terra,  mas  que 
só  virá  21  anos depois.  E  por  que  esse  depois?  -
Porque  o  evangelho  ressttaurado  ainda  precisará ser
pregado para todos os povos que dele ainda não  tiverem 
ouvido,  antes  que,  em justiça, desça sobre toda a terra
esse DIA GRANDIOSO E TERRÍVEL.
        Quando Cristo pisar  o  Monte, t odos  os  povos 
verão  e  ouvirão  ao  Senhor  de  forma sobrenatural e
simultânea. Terão portanto um testemunho  de  que  Deus 
vive  e  de  que Jesus é o Cristo, mas nada saberão ainda
sobre o evangelho restaurado e seus convênios,
continuarão com muitos dos credos abomináveis  a Deus. 
Precisarão  ainda ouvir  a  pregação do evangelho pelos
missionários, os  144.000  selados  com  poder  do Espírito
para poderem seguir incólumes entre os povos que
restarem dos julgamentos, e até que venha a queima final
dos telestiais que ainda estejam vivos sobre a terra. Esses
144.000 pregarão aos povos árabes e aos  islamitas em
geral (Zac 14: 16-21)
        Quando Cristo pisar o Monte, será a  abertura  do 
sétimo  milênio  (Apo 8: 1-2),  a abertura  do  sétimo  selo 
referido  no  Apocalipse; será iniciada uma nova contagem
do tempo. A  Velha  Jerusalém  começará  a  ser 
reconstruída (D&C 133: 35).  Milhares  e milhares  de 
carros  de  fogo  descerão  dos  céus  na  chegada   de
Cristo ao Monte das Oliveiras (Isa 66:  3-4 e 14-16; Isa 13:
3-5; Salmos 67: 18,34,35)). Embora o Milênio tenha sua
abertura com a chegada de Cristo ao Monte, ainda não
haverá paz na terra ... até que dela sejam retirados todos os
telestiais.
        Será inaugurado um período de grandes tribulações
sobre toda a terra, já dentro do Milênio,  após  o  chamado
e selamento  dos  144.000  sumo-sacerdotes ( Joel 2:
10,31;
3: 12-15; Apo 6: 12-14; Prophecy Key to the Future
p.148-150 ). Esse período é o definido como o de trinta
minutos de silêncio nos céus.
        Por  que silêncio nos céus? - Porque,  anteriormente 
e  imediatamente  antes  desse período, terão acontecido
tão poderosos sinais vindos dos céus,  que  a  cessação 
dessas poderosas revelações, serão como se os céus se
houvessem silenciado completamente.
E isso será necessário, pois os povos que restarem deverão
ser novamente chamados pela suavidade  da  palavra  do 
Espírito  na  boca  dos  144.000,  e  não  pela  voz  dos 
trovões, relâmpagos e terremotos  (recurso  final  que 
Deus  emprega  para  tentar  salvar  alguns poucos dos
empedernidos em espírito). Mesmo assim, ao final desse
período, novamente a voz de Deus chamará pela última
vez dos céus os povos ao arrependimento; antes que as
sete trombetas do Apocalipse comecem a ser tocadas pelos
anjos designados (Apo 8: 5-13; 16: 18-21 e cap. 9),  as
quais,  darão  o  sinal  de  comando  para  que  outros  sete 
anjos designados como detentores das sete taças, contendo
as sete pragas preparadas (Apo 15 e 16), comecem  a 
derramá-las   sobre  a  terra  e os seus  habitantes, os que 
não quiserem aceitar os mandamentos de Deus como
código de vida. Mesmo com todas essas pragas, da
primeira à última, os telestiais não se arrependerão.
        E, por isso mesmo, serão exterminados  na  carne 
para  possibilitar  ao  nosso  Deus, começar  o 
estabelecimento  da  paz  milenar  prometida. 
(estimativamente, entre 2.031 e 2.036).
        Ao  final  desses  trinta  minutos  de  silêncio (21
anos da terra),  quando  os  pagãos houverem tido sua
plenitude de  oportunidades  para  reconhecerem  a 
verdade,  como  os gentios e judeus tiveram, Cristo
mandará os anjos descerem para a ceifa final  em  toda  a
terra (Apo 9: 13-21, 200 milhões de anjos). Nesse tempo,
os iníquos  estarão  inteiramente separados   dos   que  
forem   considerados   por  Deus    suficientemente 
justos    para permanecerem na terra durante o Milênio.
        Os telestiais que houverem  restado  de  todos  os 
julgamentos  anteriores,  estarão prontos para a queima.
Será o cumprimento da parábola do joio e do trigo.  (D&C
63:54;
Isa 13: 9-16, 65: 11-15; Jer 25: 15-38). A população da
terra estará então reduzida a 1/3
da existente imediatamente antes do início do milênio, e
entre os membros da Igreja, a população feminina adulta
será sete vezes maior do que a masculina adulta ( é o que
se infere de Isa 4:1; ver também Isa 65: 9-10 e 16-25).
        Eliminados os herdeiros da salvação menor, os
telestiais do planeta, só restarão os terrestriais e celestiais.
Depois que os telestiais forem sepultados, no início do
Milênio, não haverá mais a morte como conhecemos, pois
os corpos dos herdeiros terrestriais e celestiais   que  aqui  
viverem,   ao   chegarem   aos   100   anos,  serão 
transformados instantaneamente  para  o  estado  da 
ressurreição. Ninguém mais será enviado para o mundo
dos espíritos. Lá estarão apenas os espíritos telestiais, no
inferno, aprendendo a pôr em autosujeição os seus
espíritos;  para,  depois  de  pagarem  suas  dívidas,  serem
ressuscitados e salvos no mundo de glória telestial, de
acordo com as suas obras no tempo da provação. Nesse
período é que o maior número de espíritos nascidos na
terra alcançará a salvação na glória celestial, mais que em
todos os milênios anteriores somados.
        O estabelecimento definitivo da teocracia de Cristo
virá  gradualmente no decorrer dessa fase do Milênio.
Estará completada inteiramente depois da saída dos
terrestriais também. A glória do Espírito no Milênio irá
aumentando passo a passo.
        A insuflação  do  Espírito  será  o  remédio  final para
todos os males que afligem a humanidade neste estado
telestial. As impurezas físicas químicas e espirituais o
planeta, serão  consumidas  por  irradiação do Espírito, 
que também tem o poder renovador das coisas e dos
corpos físicos de toda a criação que permanecer. O
conhecimento de Deus será geral no fim do Milênio.
Como o diabo será solto por um tempo no final, entendo
que os inimigos de Deus serão tornados filhos da perdição;
também em maior número do que aqueles que se tornaram
em vasos de cólera no decorrer de todos os milênios
anteriores somados. Depois virá a ressurreição dos
injustos, dos que herdarão o reino mais baixo de glória, os
herdeiros telestiais; para , ao final de  tudo  e  já  fora  do 
tempo  de  salvação estipulado pelo  Senhor, serem
ressuscitados os que se tornaram filhos da perdição, para
irem  gozar  daquilo  que  fizeram jus ... a  plenitude do
espírito do diabo, e por isso serão vasos de cólera.
        A batalha que será travada entre Miguel e seus anjos
contra Satanás e os seus, antes da segunda ressurreição, já
ao final do Milênio, também será chamada de  Gog  e 
Magog, mas não deverá ser confundida com a batalha
desse mesmo nome que sucederá antes do Milênio da paz.
( estimativamente, entre 2.010 e 2.015) Só então o planeta 
estará   pronto para ser  dissolvido e ressuscitado - refeito
nos seus  elementos,  para  poder  suportar  a plenitude  da 
glória  do  Espírito  e passar a ser mais um dos muitos
mundos celestiais do universo. Então, ele e os seus
habitantes reverberarão a mesma luz gloriosa que
reverbera do mundo onde o Pai e o Filho habitam, e Cristo
será o seu rei eterno.
.
        P.S. A construção da Nova Jerusalém, começará pela
construção do templo da estaca central de Sião, em
Jackson County, Missouri. Isso deverá acontecer um
pouco antes ou simultaneamente com o desenrolar da
Guerra do Armagedom. Mas o templo de Jerusalém será 
construído  antes  do  início  dessa  Guerra. O  terreno  já
está arrendado pela Igreja desde  28  de  abril  de  1994,
através do apóstolo James E. Faust.  Na chegada de Cristo,
muitos  SUD,  vivos  e  mortos,  ainda  não  terão 
recebido seus endowments e feito seus selamentos;  eles 
não  poderão ser ressuscitados de imediato; porém é meu
entendimento que não deixarão de estar no pilar de fogo
com Cristo, se o merecerem.
.

CONVERSÃO DE UM BISPO CATÓLICO

    DURANTE a Segunda Guerra Mundial HELMUT

MAAS estudou e tornou-se Doutor em Teologia e foi
ordenado Padre na Igreja Católica Romana, Igreja da
Polônia. Logo ele se tornou íntimo do Bispo que era seu
superior na época. A seguir seu supervisor foi promovido
a Arcebispo, e ajudou o Padre (que lhe era altamente
recomendável) a assumir o seu lugar no bispado.

    Quando a guerra terminou a União Soviética, que

ocupou a Prussia, Polônia, e a Alemanha Oriental,
anunciou que a Prússia e a parte oriental da Polônia eram
propriedades Soviéticas, mas em troca para sua
apropriação da Polônia Oriental eles dariam a ele parte da
área da Alemanha ocupada. Muita gente das áreas sendo
anexadas, temerosas de viver sob domínio Soviético,
partiu a-pé de seus lares deixando seus pertences, levando
apenas o que podiam carregar ou podia ser colocado em
carros de mão ou em carroções ( em caso de serem
afortunados o bastante para terem carros de mão ou
carroções ). Eles tinham de procurar novos lares em países
já quase desprovidos de abrigo em razão da guerra. Muitos
poloneses dirigiram-se às novas áreas recebidas da União
Soviética na Alemanha Oriental uma  que pudesse
satisfazer suas necessidades espirituais na nova área
ocidental da Polônia e Alemanha Oriental; a Igreja
Católica determinou aos padres de fala polaca que fossem
para lá.
    A maneira com que o Senhor realiza "Seus propósitos"
é maravilhosa a nossos olhos. Seu conhecimento perfeito
de todas as coisas e Seu Poder Onipotente torna fácil a Ele
realizar seu trabalho. Certo dia Dr. Maas descia
caminhando certa rua em Dresden (bem a oeste da nova
fronteira designada à Polônia) quando ele teve urgente
necessidade de ir ao banheiro. Ele conhecia o caráter da
vizinhança e sabia ser inconveniente para um servo de
Deus ser visto entrando ou saindo de qualquer das casas ao
longo daquela rua. Mas do outro lado da rua havia uma
Capela da Igreja Mórmon; era uma das capelas construídas
antes da guerra e tinha sido preservada miraculosamente.
Ele então decidiu que seria bem melhor para ele sair ou
entrar em uma Capela do que de qualquer outro lugar. Ao
entrar na Capela SUD (Santos dos Últimos Dias) ele foi
recebido gentilmente. Quando pronto para partir ia
agradecer ao homem que o havia ajudado, o irmão
replicou: "É um grande prazer servir-lhe. Por favor sinta-
se à vontade para retornar quando quiser. Antes de partir,
eu tenho alguns livros que gostaria de presentear-lhe - o
senhor os leria?" O Bispo respondeu::: ""Naturalmente eu
os lerei!" Assim ele os colocou em sua batina e partiu.

    De volta a seu apartamento tirou os quatro livros que

prometera ler. Eles intitulavam-se: Das Buch Mormon (o
Livro de Mórmon), Die Lehre und Bundnisse und Kostlich
Perle (Doutrina e Convênios e Pérola de Grande Valor,
Jesus der Christ (Jesus o Cristo), e Em Wunderbar and
Seldsames Werk (Uma Obra Maravilhosa e Um
Assombro). Ele leu os livros e ficou chocado ante a
angústia de compreender que ele não fazia parte da Igreja
do Senhor. Assim sendo, ele aposentou-se como Bispo.
    Quando alguém termina sua vida produtiva na
Alemanha Oriental ele se torna livres para deixar o País
caso o deseje. Por que o governo da Alemanha Oriental
pagaria uma pensão a alguém que desejaria deixar o País e
partir? Naturalmente, a pensão não vai com eles!

Em razão de seus filhos e netos não poderem visitá-los até

que também se aposentem - e também não podem voltar
para visitá-los, (no tempo da ocupação Soviética da
Alemanha Oriental - N.T. ), poucos partem. Embora o
governo da Alemanha Ocidental provê uma pequena
pensão para aqueles que desejam deixar a Alemanha
Oriental, poucos a aceitam. Mas Dr. Maas não tinha filhos
e sua pensão vinha da Igreja Católica, assim sendo ele
decidiu partir e estabelecer-se em Kaiserslautern; Esta
talvez seja a única cidade na Europa onde há uma capela
SUD na rua principal, no centro da cidade. Dr.Maas
imediatamente reconheceu-a e se apresentou lá no
domingo seguinte para assistir à Escola Dominical, no
horário ali exibido. Entretanto, ele não conseguiu
conversar com ninguém, eles eram todos estrangeiros
falando alguma língua estrangeira, Inglês!
Kaiserslaughtern localiza-se na floresta próxima à base do
Exército Americano, onde muitos homens SUD estavam
servindo. Esses soldados haviam construído a capela, e
eram os primeiros a usá-la nas manhãs de domingo.

    Dr.Maas saiu desapontado, e voltou ao apartamento.

    Entretanto, um dia duas jovem senhoritas missionárias
vieram à sua porta.

    Quando abriu a porta uma delas segurava um Livro de

Mórmon e perguntou-lhe em alemão: "O senhor já viu este
livro?" Ao que ele respondeu: "Por favor , entrem." As
jovens missionárias ensinaram-lhe as palestras, e ele
concordou em ser batizado. Mas uma delas então notou
uma foto de um homem em trajes clericais e perguntou
quem era ele, "Sou eu. Como vê, sou um Bispo
aposentado da Igreja Católica". As missionárias ficaram
paralisadas. Será que a Igreja SUD permitiria o batismo de
um Bispo Católico aposentado? Que tipo de perseguição
ele sofreria se o fizesse? E será que essa perseguição
realmente ocorreria? (pela sua anterior filiação). Mas sua
constatação era de que os alemães não eram um povo
muito inclinado à religiosidade, uma vez que poucos
aceitavam ouvir sua mensagem. Alguns missionários
completavam seu tempo de missão sem conseguir que uma
única alma ouvisse sua história a respeito da restauração e
aceitasse o batismo.

    Quando o problema foi levado ao Presidente da Missão

ele perguntou: "Ele cré em Jesus Cristo? Sim. "Ele
acredita em Joseph Smith como sendo um Profeta de
Deus?" Sim. "Ele acredita ser o Livro de Mórmon a
palavra de Deus?" Sim. "Ele está disposto a cumprir os
mandamentos de Deus, incluindo o pagamento de dízimos,
e ajudar na construção do Reino?" Sim. "Existem
transgressões imperdoáveis em sua vida que o impeça de
ser membro da Igreja?" As missionárias não acreditavam
nisso. "Vocês não podem impedir o batismo de um fiel e
obediente seguidor de Cristo, apenas porque ele foi um
Bispo Católico." Assim, o Dr. Maas foi batizado; o ano era
1976.

    Na Alemanha Ocidental a filiação religiosa de uma

pessoa é assunto de registro do Estado, porque o governo
coleta a renda de certas igrejas advinda das deduções da
folha de pagamento e que são denominadas "Taxa da
Igreja" A Igreja SUD é uma das quatro igrejas
reconhecidas pelo governo da Alemanha Ocidental. Assim
sendo, os dízimos podem ser deduzidos se a Igreja assim o
desejar. Dessarte, quando Dr.Maas foi batizado ele foi à
Prefeitura e mudou sua filiação da Igreja Católica para
Santo dos Últimos Dias. Quando a Igreja Católica foi
notificada de que Dr.Maas tinha retirado seu nome dos
registros da Igreja eles cancelaram sua pensão.
2
    Dr.Maas teve de requerer a "Pensão dos Idosos", como
refugiado da Alemanha Oriental. Entretanto, a pensão dos
Idosos nem de longe atingia o montante da que ele recebia
como Bispo Católico aposentado. - mas, acerca de dois
anos mais tarde Dr. Maas recebeu uma carta pessoal do
novo Papa, João Paulo II, que dizia:

    Caro Dr. Maas,

        Fiquei sabendo que sua pensão foi cancelada porque

você deixou a Igreja. Gostaria de convidá-lo a vir a Roma
como hóspede da Igreja para discutirmos a possibilidade
de restaurarmos sua pensão."

    Dr.Maas respondeu que ficaria feliz em visitar o papa.

O Vaticano fez os arranjos necessários, incluindo uma
entrevista de hora e meia de certo dia, para os velhos
amigos se encontrarem. Lembre-se, o Papa João Paulo II,
é o primeiro papa não italiano desde 1523. Ele era
polonês. De fato ele havia mesmo sido o Bispo e mais
tarde o Arcebispo que fez de Dr. Maas um Bispo na
Polônia.
A hora e meia passou como um relâmpago e à 1:30 o Papa
disse a seu Secretário, "Remarque meus compromissos"!
Pois ele estava ouvindo a história de Joseph Smith Jr., do
Livro de Mórmon, e sobre a Restauração através de seu
velho amigo, Dr. Maas. Novamente às 2 horas, 2:30, 3:00
hs. 3:30, 4:00, 4:30 ele disse a seu secretário para remarcar
seu próximo compromisso! Ele discutiu a Restauração até
às 5:00 hs quando então disse: "Tenho de ir agora; não
posso cancelar meu próximo compromisso. O que será às
5 horas? Você vai restaurar sua pensão?" "Não, agora
possuo o Sacerdócio de Deus e você não. Se eu tivesse que
deixar a Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Últimos
Dias, eu perderia tudo que realmente importa. Mas antes
de eu partir eu tenho alguns livros que gostaria de dar-lhe.
Se eu lhos der o senhor os lerá?" O papa disse que sim,
então Dr. Maas deu-lhe o Livro de Mórmon, Doutrina e
Convênios e Pérola de Grande Valor, Jesus o Cristo, Uma
Obra Maravilhosa e Um Assombro. e partiu.

    No decorrer dos anos a Igreja SUD tem enviado

Dr.Maas a Roma em várias ocasiões, para cuidar de
assuntos com o Papa. Em sua última visita , em 1986, João
Paulo II prometeu a Dr. Maas que enviaria uma diretriz a
todas as Dioceses para cooperarem com os Santos na
microfilmagem de nacimentos, casamentos e motes
registrados pelas Paróquias Católicas. Dr. Maas disse que
o Papa convidou-o a jantar com ele naquela noite, e foi um
acontecimento de gala com muita gente. O papa assentou-
se ao lado de seu velho amigo e quando acomodado
ergueu uma taça de vocka, diante de Dr. Maas e disse,
"Dr. Maas, todos temos uma taça de vodka esta noite, mas
você é um mórmon agora, assim sendo não pode beber
nem um pouco."

    Dr. Maas virou-se para David Horn ao final da

entrevista acima e disse: "Naturalmente, eu não queria
nenhuma vodka de qualquer maneira."
  (História do Dr. Professor Helmut Maas; nascido a 25 de
agosto de 1918, na Polônia. Entrevista conduzida por
David H. Home, Ph.D. BYU. Na Alemanha Ocidental -
Julho de 1987) The Bible and the Book of Mormon leia
em com  

 ESCLARECIMENTO FINAL:
.
        Este trabalho de Amoramon é o resultado de uma
pesquisa muito longa. Ela começou em  fevereiro  de 
1970  e  se  prolongou  por quase 27 anos.  Muitos  livros 
foram  lidos, comparados e meditados -  A  Bíblia  em 
várias versões,  O  Livro de Mórmon em várias edições, 
Doutrina & Convênios,  O Livro de Moisés,  O Livro  de 
Abraão,  O  Livro  de Joseph Smith. Regras de Fé, A
Grande Apostasia e Jesus O Cristo de James E. Talmage.
God Man and the Universe, Doctrines of the Kingdom e
Principles of Perfection de Hyrum L. Andrus.  Doctrine 
and  Covenants  Compendium de Sidney B. Sperry.  The
Millennial Messiah de Bruce R. McConkie. Prophecy Key
to the Future de Duane S. Crowther.
        Há muitos outros livros que o autor deste resumo
consultou no  referente  ao  assunto da Segunda Vinda De
Cristo.  O tema é muito vasto, e estabelecer uma
cronologia perfeita é tarefa impossível; mesmo para os
maiores teólogos reunidos.  A melhor  correlação  que
Amoramon conseguiu fazer entre esses autores e os livros
canônicos é a  que  segue  neste resumo - O Princípio do
Fim - incluso em O Livro da Miscelânea.
    *
ACRÉSCIMOS

Os presentes acréscimos, são os primeiros que entram

depois que o Livro da Miscelânea foi colocado na
WWWeb. Os textos estão em Inglês, exatamente como
escritos por seus respectivos autores. Amoramon espera
que muitos membros da Igreja sejam capazes de entender
o idioma Inglês.
O assunto das Dez Tribos Perdidas, imediatamente abaixo,
já foi abordado várias vezes em outros livros contidos na
Página Pessoal deste autor. Mas este, escrito por Richard
C. Shipp é mais completo.

THE LOST TRIBES OF ISRAEL

IN OUTER SPACE

This title was given by me, Amoramon, the matter written

by Richard C. Shipp below, is in green font.
       (received on e-mail, Amoramon has formatted it in
Microsoft Word to facilitate reading and printing)

            Joseph Smith's Teachings on the Terrestrial World

and the   Return of the Ten Tribes

            "All these references to the 'dividing of the earth'

have to do with the priesthood power of translation . . . "
            | Events & News | Discussions | Archives |
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         Joseph Smith's Teachings on the Terrestrial World

and the Return of the Ten Tribes
            Compilation by Richard C. Shipp
            M.A., LDS Church History and Doctrine
 
            President Joseph Smith:

            Now this Enoch God reserved unto Himself, that

he should not die at that time, and appointed unto him a
ministry unto terrestrial bodies, of whom there has been
but little revealed. He is reserved also unto the presidency
of a dispensation and more shall be said of him and
terrestrial bodies in another treatise. . . .
            Now the doctrine of translation is a power which
belongs to this Priesthood. There are many things which
belong to the powers of the Priesthood and the keys
thereof, that have been kept hid from before the
foundation of the world; they are hid from the wise and
prudent to be revealed in the last times.
            Many have supposed that the doctrine of
translation was a doctrine whereby men were taken
immediately into the presence of God, and into an eternal
fullness, but this is a mistaken idea. Their place of
habitation is that of the terrestrial order, and a place
prepared for such characters He held in reserve to be
ministering angels unto many planets. . . .
    . . . But we shall leave this subject and the subject of the
terrestrial bodies for another time, in order to treat upon
them more fully. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith,
p. 170-1;
TPJS hereafter); 1840; italics and bracketed material
added in this and all quotes unless noted otherwise.)
 ___________

 President Joseph Smith:

            There will be wars and rumors of wars, signs in the
heavens above and on the earth beneath, the sun turned
into darkness and the moon to blood, earthquakes in divers
places, the seas heaving beyond their bounds; then will
appear one grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But
what will the world do? They will say it is a planet, a
comet, etc. But the Son of Man will come as the sign of
the coming of the Son of Man, which will be as the light
of the morning cometh out of the east. (TPJS, p. 287;
1843. It appears Christ returns with one of the terrestrial
portions of earth as His Second Coming, most likely the
City of Enoch. Compare Joseph Smith-Matthew 1:36;
Moses 7:62-3; Mormon 9:2.)
            ___________
 

Elder Parley P. Pratt:

            Question 7th. -- How can the stars fall from heaven
to earth, when they (as far as we know) are much larger
than the earth?
[Referring to John's prophecy in Revelation 6:13 that says
the stars fall "unto the earth," and Isaiah 34:4.]
            Answer. -- We are nowhere given to understand
that aaall the stars will fall or even many of them, but only
"as a fig tree casteth her UNTIMELY figs when she is
shaken with a mighty wind." The stars which will fall to
the earth are meteors, fragments, which have been broken
off from the earth from time to time, in the mighty
convulsions of nature. Some in the days of Enoch, some
perhaps in the days of Peleg, some with the ten tribes, and
some at the crucifixion of the Messiah. These all must be
restored again at the "times of restitution of ALL
THINGS." This will restore the ten tribes of Israel, and
also bring again Zion, even Enoch's city.
It will bring back the tree of life [and the Garden of Eden]
which is in the midst of the paradise of God, that you and I
may partake of it. (See Revelation 2:7.) When these
fragments (some of which are vastly larger than the
present earth) are brought back and joined to this earth, it
will cause a convulsion of all nature; the graves of the
Saints will be opened, and they rise from the dead; while
the mountains will flow down, the valleys rise, the sea
retire to its own place, the islands and continents will be
removed [as they rejoin], and the earth be rolled together
as a scroll [through the orbiting of these returning portions
of earth as they come together]. The earth will be much
larger than it is now. -- "If I have told you of earthly things
and ye believe not, what would you think if you were to be
told of heavenly things?" (Millennial Star, 1:258; rather
than being "broken off" by the "convulsions of nature,"
these portions of earth were translated off by priesthood
power.)
            ___________

 Samuel H. Rogers:

            I was baptized on the 22nd day of Jan--1839 by

Stephen M. St John and confirmed by William Marks. I
was ordained a Seventy Oct.  4th 1840 by Joseph Young.
            The Winter following, I attended a public meeting
held in Vincent Knight's house, at which the Prophet,
Joseph Smith gave the following instruction. When this
world was first made it was a tremendous big thing. The
Lord concluded it was too big [!]. We read in the
Scriptures that in the days of Peleg the earth was divided
so the Lord divided the earth When the Ten Tribes of the
children of Israel went into the North Country He divided
it again, so the earth has been divided and subdivided. We
also read in the Scriptures that the earth shall reel to and
fro like a drunken man. What will cause the earth to reel to
and fro like a drunken man [?] We read that the Stars shall
fall to the earth like a fig falling from a fig tree.
            When these stars return to the place where they
were taken from, it will cause the earth to reel to and fro.
Not that the planets will come squarely against each other,
in such a case both planets would be broken to pieces, but
in their rolling motion [when the earth is "rolled together
as a scroll"] they will come together where they were
taken from, which will cause the earth to reel to and fro.
            (Samuel H. Rogers Journal entries for the Winter
of 1840-1; p. 7-8 of original; p. 17 of typescript; BYU
Special Collections.)
            ___________

 Wandle Mace:

            I have listened to the Prophet Joseph in public, and

in private, in sunshine and shower--as many others have
done as he taught from the stand--At my own house, and
at his house, I have been familiar with him, from the time
he escaped [sic] from prison in Missouri in 1839 until his
martyrdom in 1844, and do know that no man could
explain the scripture[s]--throw them wide open to view, so
plain that none could misunderstand their meaning--except
he had been taught of God.
            I have felt ashamed myself sometimes, having
studied the scriptures so much, that I had not seen what
which was so plain when He touched them, He as it were
turned the Key, and the door of knowledge sprang wide
open, disclosing precious principles, both new and old.
            I have many times been pondering upon a subject,
and seemed to come to a stand-still, not knowing how to
gain farther [sic] information relating to it, when upon
going to meeting on the sabbath [sic], the key would be
touched by Joseph and the subject would be so plain I
wondered why I had not seen it before.
            I was in this situation in relation to the Ten lost
tribes of Israel. I had read everything I could find relating
to them. I had carefully studied the statistics of the Jews,
and not withstanding [sic] they had been persecuted for
hundreds of years, being murdered and driven, until they
were now scattered all over the known world, yet they
numbered several millions. I reasoned thus, had the "Ten
Tribes," suffered equal disaster, and they had increased in
number, in the same ratio as the Jews, they would number
nearly ten times as many--or nine times and a half as it is
nine & a half tribes instead of ten--If they have increased
in this proportion, where is there habitable earth for this
vast amount of people who are hidden from the rest of
mankind? I could not see.
            I was in this train of thought, unable to obtain
further information from any source, when as usual on a
Sunday morning, I took my skiff and crossed the river to
Nauvoo, to attend meeting.
            Joseph addressed the congregation, and as if for
my special benefit, touched upon this subject, which
opened a new field for reflection to me. His subject was,
The "restitution of all things spoken of by all the Holy
Prophets since the world began," quoting the twenty first
verse of the third chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.
            In the course of his remarks He spoke of the Earth
being divided [sic] at various times. He said, "When
Enoch and his City was [sic] taken away, a portion of
earth was taken and would again be restored. Also in the
days of Peleg, the earth was divided [sic], see Genesis
10th Chapter 25[th] verse." He then referred to the "Ten
Tribes," saying, "You know a long time ago in the days of
Shalmanezer King of Assyria when the Ten Tribes was
[sic] taken away, and never been heard of since." He said,
"The Earth will be restored as at the beginning [sic], and
the last taken away will be the first to return, for the last
shall be first, and the first shall be last in all things." He
illustrated the return by saying:
            "Some of you brethren have been coming up the
river on a Steamboat, and while seated at the table, the
Steamboat run[s] against a snag which upset[s] the table
and scatter[s] the dishes; so it will be when these portions
of earth return. It will make the earth reel  to and fro like a
drunken man," quoting 24th ch[apter of] Is[a]iah  20th
v[erse]. When speaking of the return of the Ten Tribes, he
said,   "The mountains of ice shall flow down at their
presence," and ["]a highway shall be cast up in the midst
of the great deep."
            These remarks satisfied me, it was no longer
necessary [sic] to hunt the place on this earth where the
Ten Tribes were so long hidden, for the earth was divided
and [they were] taken away, and [their portion of earth]
will be the first to return, as it was the last taken away. [He
then quotes D&C 133:23-4 and then inserts Sister Eliza R.
Snow's poem entitled "An Address to the Earth," from the
Millennial Star of 1851, (13:272), which became the LDS
Hymn #322 cited in this collection.] (Journal of Wandle
Mace, BYU Special Collections typescript of original, p.
48-9.)
            ___________

Bathsheba W. Smith:

            I heard [Joseph Smith] say, "Per adventure, the

Ten Tribes were not on this globe, but a portion of this
earth had cleaved off with them and went flying into
space, and when the time comes when the 'earth reels to
and fro like a drunken man and stars from heaven fall,' it
would join on again." (Bathsheba W. Smith, wife of
George A Smith, First Counselor to President Brigham
Young, and 4th President of the LDS General Relief
Society; in Juvenile Instructor, 27:344-5.
           "Peradventure" (archaic) means, "it may be; maybe;
possibly;  perhaps.")
            ___________

President Brigham Young:

            Enoch "obtained [priesthood] power to translate

himself and his people, with the region they inhabited,
their houses, gardens, fields, cattle, and all their
possessions. He had learned enough from Adam and his
associates to know how to handle the elements . . . and he
obtained power to take his portion of the earth and move
out [into outer space] a little while, where he remains to
this day."
(Journal of Discourses, 3:320; 1856.)
            ___________

 Elder Wilford Woodruff:

            [Symbol of a key.] President [Brigham] You[n]g
said he he[a]rd Joseph Smith say that the Ten Tribes of
Israel were on a Portion of Land separated from this Earth.
(Wilford Woodruff Journal, 8 September 1867 entry; from
microfilm of original.)
            ___________

Daniel Allen:

            I heard Joseph the Prophet say that he had seen

John the Revelator and had a long conversation with him,
who told him that he, John, was their leader, Prophet,
Priest, and King, and said that he was preparing that
people [the Ten Tribes] to return, and further said that men
might hunt for them, but they could not find them, for they
were upon a portion of this planet that had been broken off
and which was taken away, and the sea rushed in between
Europe and America, and that when that piece returns,
there would be a great shake; the sea would then move to
the north where it belonged [as] in the morning of
creation. (Minutes of the School of the Prophets--
Parowan; 17 August 1872; p. 156-7. I have not yet verified
this source. Being a translated being, it would be plausible
that John would minister to those translated in the
terrestrial world. Compare D&C 133:23, 24, 27.)
            ___________

 Elder Wilford Woodruff:

            [Symbol of two crossed keys.] President [Brigham]

Young said Joseph the Prophet told me that the garden of
Eden was in Jackson County Missouri & when Adam was
driven out of the garden of Eden He went about 40 Miles
to the Place which we Named Adam Ondi Ahman & there
built an Alter [sic] of Stone & offered Sacrifice, that alter
[sic] remains [there] to this day I saw it as Adam left it as
did many others. . . . Joseph also said that when the City of
Enoch fled & was translated it was where the gulf of
Mexico now is, it left the gulf a body of waters. . . .
(Wilford Woodruff Journal, 30 Mars 1873 entry; from
microfilm of original.)
            ___________

Joseph Young, Sr:

            Ten years subsequently, [in 1842,] at Nauvoo,

while naming historical incidents of antiquity, [the Prophet
Joseph Smith] alluded to the Church, or Zion of Enoch,
and discoursed some time upon the nature of its
organization, order, and progress. He spoke with a view of
correcting the teachings of some of the elders who had
maintained the doctrine that the people of that church had
passed through the ordeals necessary to consummate the
work of complete immortality, and that they would be
prepared to enter into the [Celestial] presence of the Father
and the Son. This idea the Prophet took up, and revealed it
in a different light--in what may be styled a divine
philosophy. He declared of the Church of Enoch "that they
did not die; that they had not then gone through their last
changes and greatest refinement; and that they had,
nevertheless, triumphed over death. That the people, and
the city, and the foundations of the earth on which it stood,
had partaken of so much of the immortal elements,
bestowed upon them by God through the teachings of
Enoch, that it became philosophically impossible for them
to remain any longer upon the earth; consequently, Enoch
and his people, with the city which they occupied, and the
foundations on which it stood, with a large piece of earth
immediately connected with the foundations and the city,
had assumed an aerial position within the limits of our
solar system; and this in consequence of their faith."
            He further said, "that inasmuch as they did not pass
through all the refinement which was necessary, as the
Lord lives, they would return to the earth, when they and
the city would pass through the same fiery ordeals that yet
await the earth; when it shall be transformed into a sea of
glass, mingled with fire, and their preparations for a
celestial abode of the glorified Saints shall be perfected.*
            * Joseph Smith said, on another occasion, in the
hearing of some of the saints still surviving, that the City
of Enoch would again take its place in the identical spot
from which it had been detached, now forming that chasm
of the earth, filled with water, called the Gulf of Mexico.
(History of the Organization of the Seventies, by Joseph
Young, Sr., President of the First Quorum of Seventy and
older brother to President Brigham Young; 1878; p. 11-2.)

            ___________

Charles Walker:

            Fri., Feb. 11 [1881]. At night went to prayer

meeting. . . Some remarks were made by Sister Green
stating that she heard Eliza Snow speak of the 9 1/2 lost
tribes being on an orb and would eventually come back to
their former place and we should know when they came
by certain signs, etc.
            Thur., Mar. 10 [1881] . . . at night paid Sister Eliza
R. Snow a short visit and had some conversation with her
on the dividing of the Earth. She told me that she heard the
Prophet [Joseph Smith] say that when the 10 tribes were
taken away the Lord cut the Earth in two, Joseph striking
his left hand in the center with the edge of his right to
illustrate the idea and that they (the 10 tribes) were on an
orb or planet by themselves and when they returned with
the portion of this earth that was taken away with them the
coming together of these 2 bodies or orbs would cause a
shock and make the "Earth reel to and fro like a drunken
Man." She also stated that  he said the Earth was now
ninety times smaller now than when first created or
organized. (Exact typescript of the Charles Walker Journal
entries under dates for 1881; p. 37-8; BYU Special
Collections.)
            ___________
 
Eliza R. Snow poem:

            1 Thou, earth, wast once a glorious sphere

            Of noble magnitude
            And didst with majesty appear
            Among the worlds of God.

            2 But thy dimensions have been torn

            Asunder, piece by piece,
            And each dismembered fragment borne
            Abroad to distant space.

            3 When Enoch could no longer stay

            Amid corruption here,
            Part of thyself was borne away
            to form another sphere.
            4 That portion where his city stood
            He gained by right approved;
            And nearer to the throne of God
            His planet upward moved.

            5 And when the Lord saw fit to hide

            The "ten lost tribes" away,
            Thou, earth, wast severed to provide
             the orb on which they stay.

            6 And thus, from time to time, thy size

            Has been diminished, till
            Thou seem'st the law of sacrifice
            Created to fulfill.

            11 A "restitution" yet must come,

            That will to thee restore,
            By the grand law of worlds, thy sum
            of matter heretofore.

            12 And thou, O earth, wilt leave the track

            Thou hast been doomed to trace;
            The Gods with shouts will bring thee back
            to fill thy native place.

            (Sacred Hymns and Spiritual Songs for The

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; LDS hymnal,
fourteenth edition, 1871; hymn   #322, p. 386-7.)

            ___________

 Commentary
   During his lifetime, the Prophet Joseph Smith gave
numerous public lectures on the terrestrial world and the
doctrine of translation.
            He taught that just as Enoch and his people
achieved the power of translation, and translated
themselves off the earth with a portion of it, so were other
portions of earth translated off over time. He was specific
in itemizing several of these portions. He taught  that as
part of the "restitution of all things," (Acts 3:21), the
return of these portions of earth would produce many of
the "signs of the times" of the last days. I therefore believe
the Prophet's teachings in this area are significant for our
time.
            Having an LDS Church History degree, I have
personally gone to all but one of the primary source
documents to verify the accuracy of these quotes, (as you
can see in their documentation). The witnesses were
faithful Latter-day Saints. President Brigham Young's
statement  quoting the Prophet Joseph Smith is perhaps the
most impressive in the collection. You will see that there
is sufficient historical evidence to prove that the Prophet
Joseph Smith taught the Ten Tribes are not on earth, but
were taken off with a portion of earth--and that they will
return as the first of the returning  portions of earth in the
last days. As these bodies return, the Prophet taught that
they would not "come squarely against each other, in such
a case both planets would be broken to pieces, but in their
rolling motion they will come together," (Samuel H.
Rogers Journal), thus fulfilling the scriptural prophecy that
in the last days the "earth shall be rolled together as a
scroll," (3 Nephi 26:3; Mormon 5:23; 9:2). The return of
these portions of earth, (as translated terrestrial bodies--
they will be shining with terrestrial glory), will be the stars
that fall "unto the earth," (Rev. 6:13; D&C 29:14: 33:49;
34:6-9, 11; 45:42; 88:87). As they orbit the earth before
their "touchdown," the earth will "tremble" and "reel to
and fro as a drunken man," (D&C 45:48; 49:23; 88:87;
Isaiah 24:20; Moses 7:61). Their close proximity to earth
and their gravitational force will also cause the oceans to
"[heave] themselves beyond theirbounds," (D&C 84:114;
88:90), just as the gravity of the moon now causes the
earth's tides. In their return, "all things will be in
commotion and "men's hearts shall fail them," "for fear
shall come upon all men," (D&C 88:91). Finally, the
Scriptures are very specific that the gathering of Israel
must extend into outer space:
            ". . . the Son of Man shall come, and he shall send
his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet,
and they shall  gather together the remainder of his elect
from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other,"
(Joseph Smith--Matthew 1:37; italics added.)
            As the Scriptures teach, when the Ten Tribes
return, they will be a great host; they will be led by their
Prophets, (D&C 133:26), and bring their scriptures with
them, (2 Nephi 29:13), which will include an account of
the resurrected Messiah's visit to them in the meridian of
time. We will then have an account of them receiving their
Redeemer, their subsequent "golden age" of peace and
prosperity, and unlike the Nephites, their becoming a
"Zion society" and achieving "Zion power" sufficient to
translate themselves off the earth with a portion of the
planet.
            We have misunderstood the phrase that the earth
"was divided," (thinking it meant divided into continents).
It is true that the continents were all one land mass when
first created, but the "dividing of the earth" refers
scripturally to portions of earth being "translated off" from
time to time, and the earth as a whole being divided. For
instance, Joseph Smith changed the reference to Peleg to
read,
            "And Peleg was a mighty man, for in his days was
the earth divided,"
            (Genesis 10:16 Joseph Smith Translation).
            The use of the word "for" connotes cause and
effect. The dividing of the earth was cited as proof that
Peleg was "a mighty man."
What's the connection? How was the earth being divided
connected with Peleg being "a mighty man?" Another
significant addition in the Joseph Smith Translation of
Genesis illuminates the Peleg passage:
            "For God having sworn unto Enoch and unto his
seed with an oath by himself; that every one being
ordained after this order and calling [of the priesthood,]
should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide
the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course;
to put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth,
to break every band, to stand in the presence of God.
             And men having this faith, coming up unto this
order of [the priesthood of] God, were translated and taken
up into heaven."  (Genesis 14:30-2, JST; italics added).
            Hence, the power "to divide the earth" was
connected with the priesthood, and is specifically defined
as the power of translation.
            Three verses later, the reference is made to
Melchizedek and his people who ". . . wrought
righteousness, and obtained [the terrestrial] heaven, and
sought for the city of Enoch which God had before taken,
separating it from the earth, having reserved it unto the
latter days, or the end of the world; and hath said, and
sworn with an oath, that the [terrestrial] heavens and the
earth should come together; and the sons of God should be
tried so as by fire (Genesis 14:33-35 JST; italics added).
            All these references to the "dividing of the earth"
have to do with broken portions of the earth that were
translated and so the earth was divided in his day;
Melchizedek and his people were caught up to Enoch's
city by the power of translation; and Peleg was a mighty
man in priesthood power, and so through the power of the
priesthood he divided the earth again, (meaning he
translated off a portion of earth), in his day.
Hence, the references in scripture to "the dividing of the
earth" mean just that: the earth, by the priesthood power of
translation, has been divided several times, and righteous
people, with their portions of earth, have been translated
off.
            In conclusion, besides the scriptures cited above
about the dividing of the earth, and the signs of the times
connected with the return of these portions of earth, their
is sufficient historical evidence to prove that the Prophet
Joseph Smith gave several public discourses on this
subject area, and was very specific in those teachings. His
teachings were common knowledge in the early days of
our dispensation, even to the point that a hymn on this
subject was included in the LDS Hymnal, (Hymn # 322 by
Eliza R. Snow Smith, wife of the Prophet Joseph Smith,
who was obviously her source for this information).
Again, the President Brigham Young statement that he
personally "he[a]rd Joseph Smith say that the Ten Tribes
of Israel were on a Portion of Land separated from the
Earth," (Wilford Woodruff Journal, 8 September 1867
entry), is perhaps the most authoritative statement of all.
That statement alone proves what Joseph Smith taught
about the Ten Tribes: they are not on the planet--and when
combined with the other LDS witnesses who were
personally present for the Prophet's public discourses on
the subject, this evidence provides conclusive "eye and
ear" witness of his teachings.

            © 1998-9 Richard C. Shipp. All Rights Reserved.

Permission granted to individuals to copy this work, but
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*  *  *
A GEMATRIA E O LIVRO DE MÓRMON

 INTRUDUÇÃO

Este assunto foi recebido por Amoramon em Novembro de

2.000, foi encaminhado  pelo irmão Ronaldo A. Oliveira,
pedindo a nossa avaliação, a qual, aqui está registrada:
Na medida que liamos o artigo, acordamos para uma
solicitação semelhante  vivida há dois anos - o amigo Raul
Vahia Netto pediu que   lêssemos e avaliássemos um livro
de 300 páginas escrito sobre os "códigos" contidos no
texto hebraico da Torah, a avaliação consta do nosso livro
"As Cartas de Amoramon".

A maneira com que Joseph Neil Fairbanks apresenta este

artigo, pareceu-nos uma acusação à liderança da Igreja -
de não ensinar aos membros o Hebraico, a Cabala e a sua
aplicação na tradução dos textos - sem o que, segundo ele,
não se pode entender os escritos do Livro de Mórmon!
Com essa posição erudita, ele está desmerecendo o
testemunho do Espírito que os homens simples conseguem
obter do Livro.
Não parece ter sido essa a intenção do autor por ele citado
- Lowell L. Bennion - ao escrever o seu artigo - "How to
read The Book of Mormon".>;>
Nem a nós parece que Deus esteja exigindo que todos
aprendamos o Hebraico e a Cabala judaica para poder ler e
entender o Livro.
Se o Livro de Mórmon houvesse sido escrito só para os
eruditos judeus,  concordariamos com a posição de J.N.
Fairbanks, mas ele mesmo  afirma que o Livro foi escrito
para o mundo todo. Assim, para que o povo mórmon
alcance o entendimento que ele advoga, é preciso dar
tempo ao tempo.
Mesmo com o pouco ou o nada  que os mórmons
conhecem de Cabala Hebraica, guiados pelo Espírito de
Deus, construiram uma poderosa Igreja (ver "The Mormon
Moment", em seguimento)

***

GEMATRIA AND THE BOOK OF MORMON

©Joseph Neil Fairbanks

----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------

The June 1996 Sunstone Magazine contains an excellent

article by Lowell L. Bennion on "How to read The Book
of Mormon." Unfortunately, I believe that the problem is
more pervasive even that presented by the late Lowell L.
Bennion. Mormons have lost the drive and the knowledge
of how to read The Book of Mormon. We need to learn to
search the scriptures in general, but The Book of Mormon
in particular. The following is going to present some of the
methods that need to be employed to be able to achieve
this goal.
The Book of Mormon is one of the unique religious books
in the world. The information contained therein enlivens
the entire spectrum of religious belief, and is uniquely
positioned to bring all peoples to an understanding of the
importance and position of Jesus the Messiah in the
universal scope of the gospel. Unfortunately, it has long
been hoarded by those who would be called "Mormons" in
violation of the strict covenant that they were given that
accompanied its release to the world.In January of 1832,
less than 2 years after the publication of The Book of
Mormon, the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jun., in solemn prayer
with six other elders, received the following admonition in
what Joseph called "A revelation of Jesus Christ,"
designating it a "Revelation on the Priesthood."(1)
54. And your minds in times past have been darkened
because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly
the things you have received--
55. Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole
church under condemnation.
56. And this condemnation resteth upon the children of
Zion, even all.
57. And they shall remain under this condemnation until
they repent and
remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon
and the former commandments which I have given them,
not only to say, but to do according to that which I have
written--
58. That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father's
kingdom; otherwise
there remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out
upon the children of Zion.
59. For shall the children of the kingdom pollute my holy
land? Verily, I say unto you, Nay.(2)
Few in the Church or the world understood the import of
that warning. The Book of Mormon is not a possession of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is a gift
of the Lord unto mankind. Every person may be enriched
by studying its precepts, incorporating its principles into
their lives, and by adherence to the doctrine explicit
therein, regardless of one's religious belief structure. Every
single person on the face of the earth should receive The
Book of Mormon in practically the same manner that all
should receive The Holy Bible. The goodness contained
therein exceeds the boundaries of religious denominations,
and ought not be associated with any single sect.
In 1985, upon his ascendancy to the Presidency of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ezra Taft
Benson pleaded with the members of the Church to return
to The Book of Mormon, and to flood the earth with The
Book of Mormon. I shall not here replicate that discourse,
because it is easily available to every member of the
Church who cares to look it up. Most members of the
Church thought that by speed-reading The Book of
Mormon they had fulfilled their responsibility before the
Lord. I categorically state here that the Spirit dictates that
we have not fulfilled our responsibility before the Lord.

Part of the difficulty lies in the members of the Church

insistence in reading The Book of Mormon as a historical
narrative. It is not. Part of the difficulty lies in the
members establishing barriers to their own eternal
progression.(3)

Simply put, they do not want to pay the price to find out
the will of God. The Church itself has exacerbated the
problem by emasculating the Institute and Seminary
programs and replacing them with a program of
indoctrinating orthodoxy.(4)
They have further injured the program by insisting on the
placement of C.E.S. personnel in high ecclesiastical
positions, effectuating a paid clergy within the ranks of the
so-called lay Priesthood. It has the effect of stifling
spiritual and intellectual inquiry.

Let us take a look at The Book of Mormon. In the very

first two verses, Nephi is going to tell us how he
composed his work:

1. I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parentshaving a

knowledge ofthe
mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my
proceedings in my days.
2. Yea, I make a record in the language of my father,
which consists of the
learning of the Jews.(5)  (Italics added)
Now, I would ask you, what exactly is the "learning of the
Jews?" Considering the extent of the writings of the
Talmud, I think we can get a glimmer of what exactly
constitutes the "learning of the Jews." The esoteric
Kabbalah, and its various interpretive systems remain with
us today, as the testimony of what constitutes the "learning
of the Jews." Joseph studied the Kabbalah. He taught the
Kabbalah. He wrote much of the Doctrine and Covenants
in Kabbalic tradition. So what do the Mormons know of
the Kabbalah, or the "learning of the Jews?"
I am constrained to testify here and now that The Book of
Mormonis true. It is true here and now. It is true in
eternity. It is just as true on Aldeberan as it is here on
earth. It is a true religious work laid on a historical matrix,
much as The Old Testament is. The truth is not in the
historicity of the planet earth. The truth is in the historicity
of the mystical journey, of the path to eternal life. Until
the Mormons turn to the "learning of the Jews" in the
Kabbalah, they cannot even begin to see the treasures that
lay before them. The challenge herein is to open the
discussion on the Kabbalic tradition of Nephi, as well as
Joseph Smith, Jun.

I have long contemplated why the Prophet Joseph Smith,

Jun. would bother to renumber the verses of scripture
when he "translated" The Bible. The first and most
obvious change was the inclusion of the last verse of
Matthew chapter 23 in his chapter 24 "translation." If the
position of the verse were meaningless, why take the
trouble of challenging the Christian world by the bold
statement that the verse belonged in Chapter 24? It was
not until I was introduced to the Hebrew interpretation
called "Gematria" that it made any sense to me.

Gematria is a word of Aramaic origin, related to the

Gemara, one of the principal divisions of the Talmud. The
Gemara is essentially a commentary on the Mishna, the
other division of the Talmud, consisting of the text of the
Oral Law. Gematria is the study of the numerical value of
Hebrew letters, and by extension, Hebrew scripture. In
Hebrew, each letter has a specific numerical value,
musical note, color, planetary association, zodiacal
symbol, direction, intelligence and element. If a scripture
is "true," it must correspond to these elements, and they
will in turn reveal to us the nature of the scripture. In a
numerical system, we say "It adds up."

For example, verse 1 must have a numerical value of 1,

adding together the value of the individual Hebrew letters,
and then adding the digits of the resulting number together
until only 1 digit remains. Verse 2 must add up to 2, verse
3 adds up to 3, and so on. This is extremely crucial in
Hebrew texts because there were no punctuation marks
nor verse divisions, neither vowels. One could only know
one had arrived at the end of verse 1 by adding up the
numerical values until they "added up." Furthermore, each
verse's position in a specific chapter had a numerical
significance. The number 4, for example, is the "door," or
the entryway where one could access the ascended
knowledge. Misuse of the door resulted in mistranslation
and misunderstanding. One had to know how to utilize the
door in order to reach the higher, hidden knowledge of the
scripture. Jacob put it this way:

6. Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many

revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these
witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh
unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the
name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the
mountains, or the waves of the sea.(6)
Hardly the kind of knowledge that one obtains by speed-
reading The Book of Mormon.
Joseph Smith's movement of verse 39 into chapter 24 of
Matthew as verse 1 has the effect of moving the third
verse into the position of verse 4. Without this movement,
one could never access the door, and therefore never come
to understand the application of the chapter. Joseph was
the first Christian since the apostolic era to correctly
understand chapter 24 of Matthew. Mormons have added
it to their canon of scripture, but I dare say nary a single
contemporary Mormon can correctly state why the
movement of this verse is important.

But, first, let us take a look at a simple scripture, to apply

gematrian techniques and see if it adds to our
understanding. For the purposes of this discussion, I have
chosen I Nephi 2:15:

15. And my father dwelt in a tent.

Simple enough - straightforward. But why would Nephi,
ever conscious of the space occupied by his writing take
time to include such an inane statement? Consider that he
valued the statement enough to make it precisely:
"And" is rendered in Hebrew as Vav
Vav = 6 and represents the Nail, as the Nail in the Sure
Place. Value: 6

"Father" is rendered Aleph Bayth

Aleph = both 0 and 1, the breath of life, the coming into
existence, and unity.
Bayth = 2 and represents both life and death, and duality.
Value: 3

"My" is added as an addendum to the end of Aleph Bayth

to indicate possession by adding the letter Yod = 10 and
represents the pillar of fire Value: 10

"Dwelt" is rendered Yod Shin Bayth

Yod = 10
Shin = 300 and represents the element of fire, as the
presence of the Spirit.
Rauch Eloheim is the Hebrew rendition of the Spirit of
God and = 300
Bayth = 2 Value: 312

"Tent" in Hebrew is rendered Aleph Hey Lamed

Aleph = 0 and 1 - This is the dark Aleph, representing 0,
or the spirit being that
became physical.
Hey = 5 and represents the faculty of sight, especially
spiritual sight.
Lamed = 30 and constitutes work & action (faith) Value:
35
Total Value: 366.

366 = a completed cycle. A year is 365.242 days. The

transit of the sun around the ecliptic takes 365.242 years.
Enoch dwelt in Zion 365.242 years (365 years, 88 days, 9
hours, according to ancient texts). It is the Prophet Joseph
Smith that reveals that this is the number of years he dwelt
in Zion.(7)
The specific difference between Enoch and his company
with their covenant of consecration and The Book of
Mormon peoples and their covenant of consecration was
that Enoch and his people kept the covenant a complete
cycle, in contrast with the people of The Book of
Mormonwho kept it about 200 years. The great sin of The
Book of Mormonpeople was that they knowingly cast it
aside and apostatized. In further contrast, the Church in
Kirkland kept the law of consecration about 2 years, and
we throw stones at the Nephites for failing to keep the
covenant. It is an aside, but interesting to note that the
Great Pyramid in Egypt's base side is 365.242 sacred
cubits, and was considered to constitute the most
important number in stone. The Mayan calendar, based
upon the sun cycles is the only calendar ever devised by
man that required no adjustment.

3 + 6 + 6 = 15. The translation of the verse must

necessarily add up to 15. By Gematria one can verify the
translation of the verse to see if it "adds up" to the value
intended. In Kabbalic terms, the tent represents the
tabernacle of the mother. In other words, Lehi dwelt
within the tabernacle of the left hand of God. It is another
manner of stating that Lehi was a visionary man. The
bottom of the left column is the place of the reception of
the spirit of prophecy. All these things state the same
thing. Lehi was in constant reception of prophecy from the
Holy Spirit. It was by this that he was aware of the
impending fall of Jerusalem, and knew to flee into the
desert. Nephi, by making this statement: "And my father
dwelt in a tent" is stating his own knowledge of the source
of the understanding of his father.
The individual meaning of all the letters all point to the
same interpretation. It is interesting to note that Mormons
are generally confused and frustrated by a Jew's inability
to understand and accept the message of the gospel. Let
me tell you that to a Kabbalic Jew it just doesn't "add up."
We insist that we have the spirit, but generally refuse to
allow others to test the spirit. For example, a Jew will pick
up our Old Testament and begin at Genesis reading:

In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.

Joseph Smith tells us in his King Follett Sermon that it
should read:
Berosheit barau Eloheim ha shaumahyeem ha eretz
In Hebrew it is rendered thusly, reading from right to left:

(final)MimYodHeyLamedAlephAlephReshBaythTavYod
ShinAlephReshBayth
[(final)TsadeReshAlephHeyTavAlephVav(final)MimYod
MimShinHeyTavAleph
And Joseph gives us the interpretation thereof: The head
God (Resh) called together the Gods and sat in grand
council to bring forth the heavens and the earth. I would
also call your attention to the fact that Joseph broke the
words down into their Hebrew letters to obtain a correct
understanding.(8)
A Kabbalic Jew, reading this in Hebrew, and seeing our
feeble translation (In the beginning, God created the
heavens and the earth) knows very well that our
translation is false. It simply does not add up.

The value of the Hebrew letters is:

2+200+1+300+10+400+2+200+1+1+30+5+10+40+400+1
+5+300+40+1+40+6+1+400+5+1+20 0+90 = 2701
without counting the final letters.
2701 = 10 = 1

But the scripture contains 3 final letters, whose value

differs from the regular letters:
in final form Mim = 600, Tsade = 900. Net differential:
1930 = 4361

Notice this does not add up to 1. Since the total does not
equal 1, we have not yet arrived at the correct translation.
But since the value without the final letters does equal 1,
we must look within the verse itself for a coded or hidden
meaning. Rendering the word Eloheim as Yod Hey Vav
Hey (or YHVH), the ineffable and hidden word, which
most often is indeed written as Eloheim, we arrive at a
value of 4015, which does equal 10, which equals 1. The
Kabbalic Jew now knows that he has arrived at a correct
translation.

How could he then depart from this true knowledge

imparted by his own scripture? Only in ignorance, or by
direct revelation. The latter would lead him back to his
own scripture anyway. Just ask the Prophet Joseph. Joseph
further stated that the scripture should start directly with
the letter Resh, and not with Bayth, and that "Sheit" only
constituted a grammatical termination. Taking this at face
value, and adding the final letters for Mim and Tsade, one
obtains a value of 3412 which indeed = 10 which = 1.
Since the translation first calculated above admits no final
letter values, it is only the rendition of the Prophet Joseph
Smith that allows us to arrive at the correct gematrian
value utilizing the word Eloheim. However, also let it be
noted that the addition of the letter Bayth had the effect of
veiling the entire scripture, and is the only manner that the
translation "in the beginning" might be obtained. To
penetrate the veil, one has to know the gematria of the
individual letters, or in the words of Nephi, one needs to
know the "learning of the Jews."

All of this is introduced to allow the reader to understand

both the complexity of the Kabbalah and why it is
essential to understandingthe gospels. I would like to take
a seemingly incoherent scripture from the Old Testament
and give it a Kabbalic rendering without utilizing the
gematria of the chapter, verse or letter numbers. I Kings
2:23-24:

And he (Elisha) went up from thence unto Beth-el: and as

he went was going up by the way, there came forth little
children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto
him, Go up, thou bald head; go up thou bald head. And he
turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the
name of the Lord (YHVH). And there came forth two she
bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of
them.
This scripture is an enigma for most Christians, many of
whom criticize Elisha for being so mean to the children.
But let us take a look at the scripture itself. Elisha was
going up to Beth-el, or what St. Augustine called "Civitas
Dei" or what we today would call the City of God. In
order to make this ascension, he was going up the middle
pillar of the Tree of Life as stated "as he was going up by
the way".(italics added). In fact he had ascended beyond
the cities of the fallen gods. The little children represent
the prejudices and ignorance of the fallen gods, who
taunted the true heir by calling him bald. Kabbalically, one
of the frustrations of the fallen gods was the inability to
make an offspring capable of receiving the spirit,
represented by the hair of the head, which is why the
scriptures call the hair of the woman her glory. Here, then,
we have the children of the fallen gods scoffing at the true
heir who had been able to ascend beyond themselves.
They could not accept any ascension beyond their own.
We know that Elisha had ascended beyond them because
he turned back to look on them. Because they represented
the distortion of the ascension, blocking the paths to
Godliness, as Christ accused the Pharisees in Matthew
23:13, Elisha cursed them in the name of the Lord
(YHVH). The two she bears are representative of Ursa
Major and Ursa Minor, or the local gates to our solar
system. The gods within these gates obeyed the voice of
YHVH as stated through the Priesthood by the mouth of
the Prophet Elisha. They tare(9) forty (representing
Neptune, or the gods of the underworld), and two,
(representing the first two steps of ascension, Malkuth and
Yesod controlled by the fallen gods). Four also represents
Daleth, the Door to eternity, and two represents Bayth, the
camel, or the eye of the camel, meaning the Law. In other
words, Elisha cursed the fallen gods and their offspring,
took the Law and the Door and hmmm...4 + 2 = 6, or Vav,
the Nail in the Sure Place. In effect, Elisha realigned the
local solar system to the Universe by placing the Law and
the Door back on the Nail in the Sure Place so that man
could make the ascension into eternity. Suddenly this
obscure scripture is rich with meaning, and we have hardly
begun to make a full Kabbalic interpretation.
All of this needs to be applied to The Book of Mormonas
we scour it for the higher meaning that is only revealed to
those who are willing to search out the mysteries of
godliness. Some of the easier recognized aspects in The
Book of Mormon are the names utilized, because many of
them are retained in their Hebrew originals. For example,
Lehi is rendered, spelling from right to left Yah El (ly) (he
who has ears to hear, let him hear!) Helaman comes from
the Egyptian meaning Priest of Ahman. Helorum is the
Priest of the Urim, or the records. He represents the same
calling as Ishmael does to Nephi. An astute student noted,
as recorded in the Sunspots of the June Sunstone that
Nephi and neophyte both stem from the same source and
mean candidate. Zarahemla is Hebrew for Alma ha Aretz,
obviously retained in its reverse order by the Prophet
Joseph, as was the name Lehi. ?ra h mla meaning the
virgin of the earth. So I ask you, how many of you have
read The Book of Mormon? How many of you know how?
Why, then, do you sit in Church meetings ad nauseum and
not cry out for this learning?

Notes:

1. Doctrine and Covenants 84: 1 and comments in the

preface of that section
2. Doctrine and Covenants, Section 84
3. I would here refer the reader to the discourses of August
1843 of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jun. regarding
Mormons placing limits to their own eternal progression.
See especially The Words of Joseph Smith. Compiled and
edited by Andrew F. Ehat & Lyndon W. Cook. Provo,
Utah: Religious Studies Center, B.Y.U., 1980.
4. Compare, for example, the programs of B. H. Roberts
for the Seventy, and Dr. Tanner for the University of
Idaho Institute's program of Comparative Religions with
the pablum now served up by C.E.S. and the Church
handbooks and manuals. What ever happened to teaching
by the Spirit, ala Doctrine and Covenants 42:14.
5. The Book of Mormon, I Nephi 1:1-2
6. The Book of Mormon, Jacob 4:6
7. Doctrine and Covenants 107:49
8. History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 307.
9. Archaic form or tear in the past tense, meaning tore or
destroyed.
 
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
 
THE MORMON MOMENT
 
The Church of Latter-day Saints grows by leaps and
bounds

By Jeffery L. Sheler
 
  The gleaming white spire of luna pearl rises high above
the tree line, topped by a golden angel that glitters in the
hot Texas sun. Deep inside the air-conditioned chambers
below, white-clothed Mormons pad about in luxuriously
decorated rooms, performing secret rituals aimed at
securing eternal rewards for themselves, their families,
and their ancestors.

To the casual observer, this new temple of the Church of

Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints may seem strangely out
of place in a Texas bastion of Baptists and Big Oil. But the
recent dedication of the massive $17 million edifice in a
northwest Houston suburb, like the 31 other Mormon
temples that have opened so far this year (bringing to 100
the number of Mormon temples worldwide), is a tangible
sign of the rising fortunes of this unique American
religious movement. Once an obscure and isolated sect,
born and bred in controversy, the Salt Lake City-based
church is finding a home in the least likely places, from
Houston to Helsinki and from Tampa to Tokyo.

By almost any measure, the Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints is one of the world's richest and fastest-
growing religious movements. In the 170 years since its
founding in upstate New York, the LDS church has
sustained the most rapid growth rate of any new faith
group in American history. Since World War II, its ranks
have expanded more than 10-fold, with a worldwide
membership today of 11 million–more than half outside
the United States. In North America, Mormons already
outnumber Presbyterians and Episco-

palians combined. If current trends hold, experts say

Latter-day Saints could number 265 million worldwide by
2080, second only to Roman Catholics among Christian
bodies. Mormonism, says Rodney Stark, professor of
sociology and religion at the University of Washington,
"stands on the threshold of becoming the first major faith
to appear on Earth since the prophet Mohammed rode out
of the desert."

Church leaders express little surprise. The LDS message

"strikes a spiritual resonance in people," says Elder Neal
Maxwell, one of the church's 12 Apostles, a body of lay
leaders near the top of the LDS hierarchy. Indeed, say
religion experts, Mormonism's unique doctrines along
with its emphasis on family and wholesome living may
help explain why so many spiritual seekers are drawn to
the LDS church. But there are other, more mundane
reasons. Among them, say the experts, are an aggressive
missionary program that enlists more than 60 percent of
all young Mormons; a powerful hierarchy of lay leaders
who maintain organizational discipline and marshal the
church's vast resources with a businesslike efficiency
unrivaled in other religious movements; and a highly
motivated membership that submits in overwhelming
numbers to the church's strict moral code and to its taxing
demands on their time, money, and allegiance. "We have a
demanding religion," says Gordon B. Hinckley, the
church's president, prophet, and chief spiritual leader, "and
that's one of the things that attracts people to this church."

Being flush with cash doesn't hurt either. The church

keeps a tight lid on its financial records, but bits and
pieces of information extracted over the years by
journalists and former church members offer a tantalizing
glimpse into the depth and breadth of the Mormon
financial empire. In their 1999 Mormon America: The
Power and the Promise, journalists Richard N. Ostling and
Joan K. Ostling estimate the church's assets at $25 billion
to $30 billion, and annual revenue approaching $6 billion,
at least $5.3 billion of which comes from member
contributions (officials say tithing–the giving of 10
percent of one's income–remains the primary source of
church revenues). In recent years, the church has divested
itself of some commercial assets, including banks,
hospitals, and manufacturing plants. But it continues to
amass farm and ranch land, is heavily invested in stocks
and securities, and operates a far-flung media empire that
includes two television stations, more than a dozen radio
stations, and a newspaper. Besides its opulent temples,
traditionally located in major Mormon population centers,
the church owns and operates more than 12,000 local
churches, or meetinghouses, throughout the world. Its real
estate holdings are valued in the billions.

Yet as Harold Bloom noted in his 1992 book, The

American Religion, beyond the inner circle of the
Mormon hierarchy, "no one really knows what portion of
the liquid wealth in America's portfolios is held by the
Latter-day Saints Church." Even so, it is clear, wrote
Bloom, that "Mormon financial and political power is
exerted in Washington to a degree far beyond what one
would expect from one voter in 50."

That influence has been hard won. In its early years, the
LDS church was widely regarded by outsiders with
suspicion and outright disdain. Its members, many of
whom practiced "the divine principle" of polygamy, were
run out of Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois. The movement's
leader and founding prophet, Joseph Smith, was murdered
by an angry mob in 1844. Years later, the stronghold
where the Mormon faithful had settled, now Utah, was
denied statehood until after the church officially
abandoned its practice of polygamy in 1890.

Although violent opposition has long since faded, the

church has continued to face almost unrelenting
controversy over its origins. From the beginning, critics
have disputed and ridiculed Smith's claim that an angel led
him to a set of golden plates hidden in a woods near his
home in Palmyra, N.Y. The plates were said to contain the
sacred history of an ancient Israelite civilization in North
America, along with teachings said to have come from
Jesus during a post-Resurrection visit to America. Smith
published his translation as the Book of Mormon.

Detractors have dismissed Smith's story as religious

fantasy and the Book of Mormon as coarse fiction filled
with clumsily reworked passages from the King James
Version of the Bible. They argue that there is no
archaeological evidence of an ancient Israelite sojourn in
America–although some Mormon scholars say a link may
exist to the ancient Mayan culture. Other critics contend
that Smith, a former Mason, drew upon Masonic rituals
rather than divine revelation when he instituted Mormon
temple rites.

But today, religion experts note, the LDS church is widely

respected for its devotion to faith and family, and its
pioneer past is celebrated as an integral part of the
American saga. Such a dramatic shift in public perception
has not come easily or by accident. In 1995, leaders hired
an international public-relations firm to combat what they
saw as unfair characterizations of Mormons in the media.
One of its first efforts was to encourage the redesign of the
church's logo to emphasize the centrality of Jesus Christ in
LDS theology. "We don't see it so much as PR," says
Maxwell, "as trying to define ourselves, rather than . . .
letting others define us." Church headquarters is gearing
up for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and
plans to take full advantage of the limelight.

The afterlife. Savvy media relations aside, LDS leaders

emphasize the church's unique doctrines and beliefs.
Among LDS teachings, say church leaders and others,
none has proved to be more attractive to potential converts
than the church's view of the afterlife. Mormons teach that
only "sons of perdition"–lapsed Mormons who betray the
church and its teachings–face eternal punishment.
Everyone else will at least make it into the "telestial
kingdom," a sort of third-rate Paradise where one spends
eternity apart from God. The most faithful attain the
"celestial kingdom," where they commune directly with
God and may themselves become gods and inherit
universes to rule and populate with their own spiritual
offspring.

Even those who die outside the faith will get a second
chance in the afterlife to hear and respond to the Gospel,
according to Mormon doctrine, and will receive eternal
rewards if they accept it. To pave the way for such
postmortem redemption, Mormons believe they can
undergo proxy baptism on behalf of ancestors who died as
nonbelievers. Mormon temples are typically busy six days
a week with the comings and goings of members taking
part in the ritual. The church's world-famous genealogical
library in Salt Lake City has hundreds of millions of
microfilmed records, many of them available on the
Internet, to help church members identify non-Mormon
ancestors for proxy baptism.

A strong focus on traditional families is a central feature

of Mormon teaching, one many converts find appealing.
As in other faiths, marriage is sacred and couples are
encouraged to bear children and build strong, stable
homes. But Mormons also teach that families can be
bound together "for time and eternity" by undergoing a
special "sealing" ritual in the temple. In the here and now,
families are expected to conduct once-a-week "family
home evenings" during which parents and children play,
pray, and study Scripture together. Most local
congregations, or "wards," sponsor Scout troops, youth
recreation programs, and other family activities.

For a devout family–like David and Mary Driggs and their

four children, of Salt Lake City–church activities dominate
the week, from worship, classes, and committee work on
Sundays to youth activities, temple visits, and
volunteering at church-sponsored charities during the rest
of the week. "It's no burden," says Driggs, 38, a University
of Utah fundraiser and fifth-generation Mormon. Because
so many church activities involve the entire family, he
says, "it means we're able to spend more time together, not
less. And it gives my life and my family's life tremendous
order and peace and blessings."

Faithful Mormons also are expected to adhere to a strict

moral code that, among other things, emphasizes modest
dress and rules out gambling, premarital and extramarital
sex, and the consumption of alcohol, tobacco, or
caffeinated beverages. The church's heavy emphasis on a
"wholesome lifestyle" is so pervasive, one academic
observer wryly notes, that while many of their young peers
get into trouble experimenting with sex, drugs, and
alcohol, when Mormon teenagers rebel, "they sneak off
and drink a Pepsi."

Despite a birthrate higher than the national average,

church officials say more than two thirds of new members
each year are converts, making the Mormon church one of
the most aggressive and successful at proselytizing. Last
year, the church dispatched 58,600 missionaries–about
three fourths of them 19- or 20-year-old males–across the
United States and to 119 other countries. Each spent from
three to eight weeks in "boot camp" at the Missionary
Training Center in Provo, Utah, or at one of 14 satellite
centers in other countries, where they study foreign
languages and polish their door-to-door skills. Then they
set out in pairs, at their own expense, on two-year
assignments of teaching and preaching. Last year Mormon
missionaries won more than 306,000 converts.

Inspiration. Beyond a bountiful harvest of new recruits,

the church's massive missionary program pays the
Mormon church another important dividend. During a
recent Sunday service at the LDS 7th Ward in Fruit
Heights, Utah, a bedroom community of tract houses and
neatly manicured lawns some 23 miles north of Salt Lake
City, 21-year-old Brett Jones–just back from a two-year
mission to France–told how he helped convert a Russian
banker living in Paris. "I was fascinated to see someone so
influential accept the Gospel," Jones said. "When I started
out on my mission, I really believed that the church was
true. I came back knowing it was true." Indeed, says Stark,
the Mormon missionary program may well have "more
impact on Latter-day Saint commitment than it does on
LDS conversion."

At least part of the Mormons' international success is the

result of the church's efforts to nurture good relations with
government authorities. Unlike some religious groups that
have been known to circumvent government resistance by
smuggling Bibles or dispatching missionaries under cover,
says LDS apostle Maxwell, "we go in the front door or we
don't go in at all." But the church's expansion has not been
without growing pains. At the end of World War II, a
renewed and heightened emphasis on missionary work
sparked a sudden growth spurt that the church's
bureaucracy was not ready for. By the 1960s, the church
was getting more members by conversion than by birth,
creating a huge demand for new meetinghouses, more
support services, and greater attention to training members
unfamiliar with traditional Mormon ways. As local and
national church leaders struggled, says Jan Shipps,
professor emeritus of history and religious studies at
Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, church
decision making often suffered from a lack of internal
communication and coordination. The Mormon church
faced the prospect of devolving into "little more than an
institutional umbrella" over a family of diverse
congregations.

Determined to prevent the "disintegration of Mormonism

into a diversity of Mormonisms," says Shipps, the LDS in
the 1970s installed a more centralized system that placed
nearly absolute power over church life in the hands of the
top LDS officers. The result of this "correlation" process,
says Shipps, was not only a more efficient and coordinated
church bureaucracy but "a more standardized and
simplified brand of Mormonism" that emphasizes families,
temple work, and the pre-eminence of the Book of
Mormon. But the "cookie cutter" effect of correlation,
notes Shipps, has meant less tolerance for diversity and
dissent. A move among some LDS scholars in the mid-
1980s, for example, to critically re-examine the church's
history and origins drew a decisive crackdown from
church headquarters, resulting in the termination of at least
one Brigham Young University professor and the
departure of several others. Members who publicly
question church teachings or criticize church leaders risk
excommunication. All of this has had "a chilling effect on
academic inquiry" within the church, says Elbert Peck,
editor of Sunstone, an independent Mormon journal.
Scholars have become more circumspect in their historical
pursuits. Their work goes on, says Peck, "but the joy and
enthusiasm are no longer there."

Even now, LDS leaders pay close attention to the potential

pitfalls of the church's rapid international growth. Some of
it even hits close to home. Utah ranks fourth among the
states in population of Pacific Islanders–immigrants or
descendants of immigrants from Tonga, Samoa, and other
islands where Mormon missionaries historically have been
active. Many came to the Salt Lake City area out of
religious devotion. But their assimilation has not been
easy. School dropout rates, unemployment, and domestic
violence are growing problems. And while Pacific
Islanders make up less than 2 percent of Salt Lake City's
population, police say they account for 9 percent of its
youth-gang members.

In Africa, says Dennis Simmons, a corporate lawyer from

Las Vegas who until recently headed church operations in
southern and eastern Africa, the church already has lost
control over the process. In some villages in Mozambique,
Malawi, and Angola, he says, small pockets of Mormons
are practicing without the services of any official LDS
organization. Some church members warn that polygamy
may come back to haunt the church as it expands under
conditions like this in countries that have their own
polygamist traditions. "The problem will come," says
Peck, "as those people find polygamy in our Scriptures
and ask, 'Why not?' "

Mormons number some 114,000 and counting in Japan,

and many openly participate in annual observances of o-
bon–a "Festival of the Dead," with some Buddhist
trappings, when the souls of ancestors are believed to
return to their graves. At the Mormon temple in Tokyo,
the entrance is marked with an ishidoro, an ornamental
stone lantern typically found in Shinto temples. But
church officials say such observances are cultural–much
like Halloween in America. When Mormons participate in
o-bon, says Norman D. Shumway, an American LDS elder
based in Japan, "they do not do so because of any religious
significance, but rather as traditional, cultural events." The
church in Japan, he says, "does not make concessions for
the sake of cultural adaptation."

Yet there is clear precedent for the LDS church to alter its
teachings in the face of strong cultural tides in order to
survive and flourish. It abandoned the practice of
polygamy–which had been instituted as a "divine
principle" by Smith and other church leaders–in the face
of congressional opposition to Utah's statehood. And only
in 1978, as the church began making inroads into Africa
and South America and amid strong pressure at home, did
then LDS President Spencer W. Kimball receive a divine
revelation declaring blacks eligible for the Mormon
priesthood–a title bestowed on all faithful males. In the
aftermath, church leaders even revised the Book of
Mormon to eliminate a passage deemed particularly
offensive to blacks.

Big in Africa. Those adjustments made a world of

difference. In South Africa, where the church historically
had been a white institution, the church's black
membership has skyrocketed since 1978. Within 10 years
officials expect a majority of LDS members in South
Africa to be black. Now the church faces other obstacles.
In Africa, says LDS leader Simmons, "some husbands tell
us not to teach their wives. They say, 'Teach me, and if I
join, she'll join.' " Some village chiefs, Simmons says,
have expressed the same attitude toward their tribes.
"They say, 'I'll decide if it's a good idea.' But we tell them
it's an individual decision and that we have to teach
everyone."

So what will happen if the LDS church continues to grow

at this rate? While their wholesome lifestyle and careful
attention to families may seem to make Mormons ideal
neighbors, in Utah and other parts of the West where LDS
influence is strongest, not everyone appreciates the result.
Close-knit Mormon families often result in close-knit
Mormon communities, and in places where the LDS
church is dominant, non-Mormons sometimes feel left out.
Amy Rowland, 39, a Roman Catholic, remembers as a
teenager when her family moved to the Salt Lake City
suburb of Cottonwood Heights from Wyoming in 1974,
she and her siblings often felt ostracized by the Mormon
majority at school. "At first they invited us to their homes
or to social events," Rowland recalls. "But once they
realized we weren't going to convert, they weren't
interested in us, and we were left pretty much alone. Those
were difficult years." Now, Rowland and her husband live
in a more diverse downtown neighborhood and send their
8-year-old son to a private school where Mormons are in
the minority. "It works much better this way," she says.

Being non-Mormon also can be a drawback in the LDS-

dominated business community. "I go into a business
meeting and someone asks, 'What ward are you in?' " says
Claudia O'Grady, a housing executive in Salt Lake City.
"As soon as they discover I'm not Mormon, a barrier goes
up. I have to establish a level of trust that would be
automatically assumed if I were LDS."

In the political arena, LDS leaders are outspoken in

opposing what they call negative influences on families,
such as pornography, abortion, gambling, and alcohol
abuse. In California, Alaska, and Hawaii, they mobilized
Mormon voters against propositions to legalize gay
marriage. And in Utah, where Mormons are 76 percent of
the population and dominate state and local governments,
liquor laws are among the most restrictive in the nation.
Outside of restaurants, which may serve alcohol only with
food, only state-licensed private clubs can serve liquor by
the glass, and new licenses are difficult to obtain.
Packaged liquor is sold exclusively in state-run stores. "It's
frustrating sometimes," says Vickie McCall, the only non-
Mormon on the state's Alcohol Beverage Control
Commission, "when you have people making these
decisions who have never had a drink in their life." At the
same time, the American Civil Liberties Union is fighting
the church's $8.1 million acquisition of a public plaza next
to its headquarters in Salt Lake City where smoking,
skateboarding, and distributing non-LDS literature will be
forbidden. Such restrictions, argues an ACLU spokesman,
would turn the space into "a little bit of Beijing."

The LDS church also continues to run up against other

religious groups that challenge the Mormon claim to be a
Christian church. Earlier this year, for example, the 8.4
million-member United Methodist Church declared that
Mormonism "by self-definition, does not fit within the
bounds of the historic, apostolic tradition of the Christian
faith." Mormon leaders readily concede that LDS doctrine
differs substantially from that of traditional Christianity,
which, they believe, went badly astray soon after the death
of Jesus's Apostles. Those differences, says church
spokesman Michael Otterson, "are an essential part of our
message to the world, that the Church of Jesus Christ has
been restored in this latter-day period of the Earth's
history" through Mormon teachings. Nonetheless, LDS
officials get rankled by the accusation that Mormons are
not Christians. Says Otterson, "We revere Jesus Christ as
the Son of God, the Redeemer and Savior of the world."

God's image. Critics contend that while Latter-day Saints

may use much the same vocabulary as mainstream
Christians, they frequently attach radically different
meaning to the terms. While both Mormons and non-
Mormon Christians accept the biblical statement that
humans are created in God's image, for example,
Christians traditionally have interpreted that to mean that
humans, like God, are free moral agents. Mormons, on the
other hand, teach that God has a physical body, is married,
and begets children; humans are made quite literally in
God's image. Mormon founder Smith even declared in
1844 that God "is an exalted Man" who "was once as we
are now" and that humans, in the afterlife, may progress to
become gods who create and sustain universes of their
own.

It's unlikely that conflicts between Mormons and other

religious groups will go away anytime soon, as the church
continues to expand. And so far, experts say, there is little
reason to expect a reversal of Mormonism's fortunes. "The
nation," wrote The American Religion author Bloom, "will
not always be only 2 percent Mormon. The Saints outlive
the rest of us, have more children than all but a few
American groups, and convert on a grand scale, both here
and abroad. . . . Their future is immense."
 
With Peter Hadfield in Tokyo and Rena Singer in South
Africa

© U.S.News & World Report Inc. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
 
  M E R I D I A N     M A G A Z I N E

Relativism and the Homosexual Agenda

by James R. Birrell, Ed.D.
Associate Professor of Teacher Education, BYU

(Click here to read the earlier articles to which this

question refers: The Rise of Relativism and the Decline of
Freedom and Virtue in America Relativism, New Meaning
of Tolerance in America’s Culture Wars . and Relativism
and America’s Culture Wars, Relativism and the Rise of
Big Government in America, Relativism, Social Justice,
and our Declining Freedoms in America , Relativism,
Absolutism, and the Wizard of Oz)
Americans may change their laws, but they cannot change
God’s truth.

Introduction

In this series of articles on relativism, which is the belief

that man is the maker of meaning and truth, I have been
discussing the consequences of this belief system on
society.  One consequence is the normalization of
Humanism.  Humanism is, among other things, the
religion of human compassion and the gospel of unfettered
freedom from external oppression, religion, ignorance,
poverty, judgment and such. It is the noble honoring of
individuality, of diversity, and of authenticity- the doctrine
of “do your own thing,” and “be who you are; be real.” 
Since the relativist revolution of the 60’s and 70’s, no
group has as effectively or fiercely used humanist logic to
promote themselves as authentic, i.e., born that way, more
than homosexuals.  “Born that way” is the ultimate
argument of authenticity.  By making this claim, those
who participate in gay sex and relationships work to
convince us - and themselves that they are normal - with
respect to their sexual urges and exppressions; and, as
such, are just like the rest of us.  It is the ultimate self-
definition and self-affirmation in a Humanist sense - each
man alone and individually deciding the truth of
homosexuality.

In this article, I will discuss key agendas and arguments of

homosexual activists, particularly the cunning notion of
sameness between those who participate in gay sex and
relationships and those who engage in relationships that
are normal with respect to an individual’s biological
nature and reproductive organs.

The Politics of Homosexuality

Have you ever noticed how people who demand tolerance

are often models of intolerance themselves?  Consider the
ways that activists for the normalizing and legalizing of
gay sex and relationships have treated Dr. Laura, a well-
informed and outspoken critic of gay sex.  “[We want] to
help them recognize that they didn’t buy controversy when
they bought this show, they bought trouble.”  These were
the words of GLAAD’s executive director, Joan Garry,
who was instrumental in leading the hostile and hateful
protests that eventually led producers to cancel Dr.
Schlessinger’s television program.

These attacks on Dr. Laura began in May 1997, when a

newspaper article quoted her as saying that homosexuality
is a “biological faux pas” and that lesbian and gay
parenting is “inferior” to the traditional, two parent,
heterosexual model (see Tammy Bruce, 2001).  GLAAD
also took issue with Dr. Laura’s use of such terms as
“biological error,” “dysfunction,” and “disorder” to
describe gay sex and relations on her radio programs and
in her newspaper columns.  The press pounded Dr. Laura
by publishing accusations from gay sex and relationship
activists that described her as the epitome of “intolerance”
and “double standards” (see “Welcome…”available
at:www.stopdrlaura.com/home.htm).  Some even went so
far as to suggest that her personal opposition and public
position on gay sex and relationships was partly
responsible for the deaths of Matthew Shepard and
Brandon Teena (Tammy Bruce, 2001).

Dr. Laura’s professional opinion about gay sex and

relationships was taken out of context and discredited,
despite her being a certified family and marriage
therapist.  She did not hate gays and lesbians; she was
opposed to gay sex.  Here’s the statement that was so often
taken out of context by homosexual activists:

I’m sorry; hear it one more time perfectly clear: if you’re

gay or a lesbian, it’s a biological error that inhibits you
from relating normally to the opposite sex.  The fact that
you are intelligent, creative, and valuable is all true.  The
error is in your inability to relate sexually, intimately, in a
loving way to a member of the opposite sex.  It is a
biological error.  People who are gay or lesbian are not to
be hated or attacked.  I spent most of my career supporting
groups like Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
because I didn’t want families to throw out their children
simply because they were gay or lesbian.  They are still
decent and functional human beings - or maybe they’re
not, because that indecency goes everywhere.  A bunch of
guys having sex with each other after leaving bars is
indecent.  Likewise, a bunch of heterosexuals leaving bars
with each other and having sex with each other is
indecent. I don’t care which way it flies (Available at:
www.glaad.org/org/publications/documents/index.html?
record=2286).

In her off misquoted statement, Dr. Laura separates the

person from the act.  Gay is not what you are, it is what
you do, and it is based upon a set of desires that run
counter to our divine and biological natures. She is also
right in saying that no one struggling with same sex
attractions should be mistreated.  President Hinckley has
weighed in on this issue. He suggests that compassion is
the best response to this situation, given that the pursuit of
gay sex and relationships comes at such a cost to
individuals.

Homosexuality and Health

While gay sex and relationship activists were successful at

shutting down Dr. Laura’s television program, using
among other things threats of violence (see Tammy Bruce,
2001), they cannot stop the truth from moving forward. 
Even if gay sex and relationships are pronounced legal,
their lethal consequences remain unchanged.  Those
consequences are among the most deadly known to
mankind.  They include, as reported by Dr. Jeffery
Satinover, M.D. (1996):

·        A significantly decreased likelihood of establishing

or preserving a successful marriage

·        A twenty-five to thirty-year decrease in life

expectancy

·        Chronic, potentially fatal, liver disease- infectious

hepatitis, which increases the risk of liver cancer

·        Frequently fatal rectal cancer

·        Inevitably fatal immune disease including associated

cancers
·        Multiple bowel and other infectious diseases

·        A much higher that usual incidence of suicide

·        Higher than usual alcoholism rates

Dr. Satinover mentions others, but these are sufficient to

express his (and my) concerns about promoting gay sex
and relationships.  And while I am on the topic of health
issues and homosexuality, why adopt children into high
risk situations where one (or more) of their gay or
homosexual parents face a higher risk of serious illness or
premature death?  Furthermore, the Family Research
Council (FRC.Org) reports that children raised in gay or
homosexual homes are four-times more likely to adopt this
lifestyle as they mature, placing them at risk of these same
health and death issues. Gay sex is not merely a lifestyle
issue.  For too many participants, it is a death sentence!

Gay sex risks are often the result of frequent and careless
sexual expression within an arguably encapsulated
community.  Some studies have suggested that men who
participate in gay sex may have between 500 and 1,000
different partners in a lifetime (Bell & Weinberg, 1978). 
This makes sexual fidelity unlikely, if not a near
impossibility.  In a carefully researched study called The
Male Couple, McWhirter and Mattison (1984) found that
of the 156 couples studied, only seven had been able to
maintain sexual fidelity; of the hundred couples that had
been together for more than five years, none had been able
to maintain sexual fidelity.  The results of this sexually-
defined lifestyle is a host of health issues that invite
serious and deadly emotional and health risks, leaving an
estimated 30 percent of all twenty-year-old homosexual
males HIV- positive are dead of AIDS by the time they are
age thirty (Odets, 1994).

Diversity Propaganda and the Gay Agenda

Over the years, I have watched the diversity movement,

under the guise of multiculturalism, expand and embrace
the homosexual activist agenda.  Advocates of gay sex and
relationships have moved into mainstream thought by
using the logic of race arguments of discrimination and
abuse to portray gays as a victim class in need of special
protection and privilege: there are times that gays are
victims of brutality, and this ought not to be. Yet these
arguably rare events do not justify the unprecedented
cultural changes some gays advocate.  The more radical
among them have sought after laws and norms that more
fully punish individuals and organizations that physically
harm or verbally disrespect gays- hate crime
enhancements, or resist their political agenda to normalize
gay sex within the culture.  These powerful groups are not
without confidence, or consequence.

Consider that in 1963 the New York Academy of

Medicine, concerned about an increase in homosexual
behavior, charged its Committee on Public Health to
report on the subject of homosexuality.  The Committee
noted that:

Homosexuality is indeed an illness. The homosexual is an

emotionally disturbed individual who has not acquired the
normal capacity to develop satisfying heterosexual
relations.
 It also noted that:

Some homosexuals have gone beyond the plane of

defensiveness and now argue that deviancy is a “desirable,
noble, preferable way of life (Socarides, 1992).

Ten years later, despite any new scientific evidence, the

American Psychiatric Association (APA) voted to strike
homosexuality from the officially approved list of
psychiatric illnesses.  This was not the result of years of
scientific investigations that altered their conclusions, but
of intimidating activist threats to disrupt APA
conferences- and careers that placed politics ahead of
science (Satinover, 1996).  Today, as an organization, the
APA balks at the idea of reparative therapy that might
successfully reverse the condition, calling into question
therapists who use this successful strategy to help gays
become “normal” with regards to their reproductive
choices.

In truth, nothing has helped to advance the gay activist

cause in mainstream society- public schooling, more than
Multiculturalism - the relativist movement to normalize all
that is different and minimize all that is traditionally
dominant (White, Western and Judeo-Christian) in
American culture.  The diversity curriculum now fully
honors homosexuality - especially in school and the
media.&nnbsp;; By embedding itself into arguments
against discrimination, gay activists have aligned with the
militant forces that are behind the social changes espoused
in multicultural arguments.  Multiculturalism, an offspring
of humanism, promotes the lie that homosexuals and
heterosexuals are alike.  This is cunning sophistry because
it has a degree of truth.  Those attracted to gay sex and
relationships can, on average, be just as talented, artistic,
caring, athletic, and so forth as heterosexuals.  However,
being gay is not about being artistic or loving and such; it
is about whom you choose to have sex with.  Being gay is
defined by engaging in gay sex.  That’s it!  Eliminate gay
sex or desires and you have a heterosexual.  Thus, when
our children learn to be sensitive to gays merely because
they are equally talented, loving and such, the truth about
homosexual sex and health is obscured.  Being gay is
about seeking gay sex, and seeking gay sex has enormous
social, moral, emotional and medical consequences.

I tell my BYU students - who are becoming elementary

school teachers, to be thoughtful about how they promote
homosexuality as a component of celebrating diversity.  I
ask them how they could promote, as equal, a set - any set
of sexual norms and behaviors that are dangerous and
deadly - gay or straight?  I have them immaginne which of
their young school children, particularly the young males,
would they encourage down a path that leads to so much
heartache and illness - and premature death?  I ask them
how they could promote a lifestyle that carries more
arguable health risks than smoking; yet, we would never
consider promoting cigarettes in school?  When they
consider the consequences of gay sex, my students quickly
see that true compassion requires them to be more
thoughtful about the ways they teach impressionable
young children tolerance for gay sex and relationships.

Moreover, when you consider that, according to Dr. James

Dobson of Focus on the Family, half the men who have
AIDS in America had their first sexual encounter with
another male by age 16, and twenty-percent by age 10,
you encounter another reason not to encourage any
behavior that promotes gay sex - pedophilia.  North
American Man Boy Love Association and the likes of
Judith Levine, the author of Harmful to Minors: The Perils
of Protecting Children from Sex, and a sexually
permissive popular culture media are among those
dedicated to eliminating social, legal and moral obstacles
that prohibit child-adult sexual relations- gay or straight. 
The result is an entire generation of children being raised
now to believe that homosexuality is acceptable; to resist
this idea is presented as abnormal, mean, and bigoted.

And children are being taught in subtle and salient ways

that any sexual relationship is acceptable.  The federally
approved sexuality education information curriculum for
the United States (SEICUS.Org) endorses such views by
including provisions for teaching elementary school-aged
children about masturbation and oral sex, abortion and
homosexuality.  The normalizing of all sex, but especially
gay sex, takes us one step closer to the sexually liberated
society some envision where children and adult alike can
explore- even and especially together, their eroticism
without fear of social, parental, legal or ecclesiastical
judgment or constraint. History attests to the truth that a
society unwilling to confine its sexual urges to a lawful
marriage will ultimately seek an awful expression of those
urges in the innocence of its children. All sin is predatory!

Conclusion

No one really knows why roughly 2.8 percent of men are

homosexual and 1.4 percent of females are lesbian (see
FRC.Org).  Theories abound.  But psychological theories
cannot replace sound doctrine in our minds.  As I have
argued, gay sex is wrong.  The golden rule is right.  Let
the doctrines of Christ guide you through the fog of social
change.  For normalizing gay sex in the society is not
merely a confirmation of yet another form of diversity,
though it is different.  Just because something is different,
however, does not make it desirable or equally as valuable
as something else.  When we embrace gay sex arguments,
we weaken the cultural ground surrounding the taproot of
our Church.

I conclude with a sobering thought. If in the name of

democracy, gays are given the legal rights to marry, be
clergy, and such as they desire in order to enjoy a full
expression of life on their terms, and if it becomes a
violation of hate speech laws to call homosexuality a sin,
what will become of the Church when the full force of the
federal law and popular opinion comes down upon us for
allegedly discriminating against gays in matters of
obtaining temple sealings and holding certain church
positions?  This problem is coming at us like a runaway
train, and our testimonies had better be strong if we are to
avoid being derailed in our faith or seduced by secular
arguments.

Bell, A., & Weinberg, M. (1978). Homosexualities: A

Study of Diversity Among Men and Women.  New York:
Simon and Schuster.

Bruce, T. (2001). The New Thought Police: Inside the

Left’s Assault on Free Speech and Free Minds.  New
York: Forum- Random House.
Odets, W. (1994). A Report to the American Association
of Physicians for Human Rights.  In E.L. Goldman
“Psychological Factors Generate HIV Resurgence in
Young Gay Men,” Clinical Psychiatry News, October, p.
5.

Satinover, J. (1996). Homosexuality and the Politics of

Truth.  Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

Socarides, C. (1993). Sexual Politics and Scientific Logic:

The Issue of Homosexuality.  The Journal of
Psychohistory, 10(3), p. 308.

McWhirter, D., & Mattison, A. (1984). The Male Couple:

How Relationships Develop. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:
Prentice-Hall Publishers.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------

© 2003 Meridian Magazine.  All Rights Reserved.

 
M E R I D I A N     M A G A Z I N E

Parallel Universes
 
Modern physics may help explain visions warning of
future disasters which could be prevented.

Probably each of us has had a dream or other premonition

warning us of some future danger. Sometimes we have
ignored such warnings and suffered the consequence and
other times we have heeded and been allowed to see just
how close we came to calamity. Because we obeyed the
warning, we apparently changed our future, perhaps to
having a long life rather than an untimely death. In turn,
that change could affect many others whom we would
influence, perhaps including our yet unborn children. Let
us consider in this article just how "real" the future was
which did not occur.

Visions of the Future

Nephi had a vision of Jesus Christ. Just what did he see? 

Let us begin by considering a vision of the future
described in the scriptures. Some of the best are those of
Nephi, who was privileged to have detailed visions that
included all of the history of his descendants. Consider
any specific detail, such as when he saw the crucifixion of
the Savior (1 Nephi 11:33). Just exactly what did he see?
Was he seeing some sort of super-DVD presentation of
what was very likely to occur, as calculated by God's
super computer? Or was his spirit actually transported into
the future which truly would occur? Every instance of
visions of the future of which this author is aware is
described as if it was an actual journey into the future
which the participant was allowed to witness for himself.
Admittedly, I'm sure God could create a great "virtual
reality" of the future which would look extremely real to
any prophet, but let us, for the sake of argument, accept
the more straightforward interpretation that Nephi actually
saw the real future.
 

We have been told that the Lord knows the end from the
beginning (Abr. 2:8). He knows exactly what will happen
in the future. If he didn't, his plans could be frustrated, and
he has told us always to remember that his plans are never
frustrated, but only those of men (D&C 3:1-3). In fact, in
the time of Moses, he commanded that if any man made a
prediction in the name of the Lord which failed, that he
should be executed as a fraud (Deut. 18:20-22). So we
have the assurance that God knows the future, which he
has repeatedly demonstrated.

With God having such an impeccable record at prediction,

there is a tendency for us to think that every vision had by
every prophet must necessarily come to pass. But is that
true? Consider Jonah.

Jonah's Disappointment
The ancient prophet Jonah was called on a mission to
Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. That was highly unusual
for an Israelite prophet because Assyria was not part of
Abraham's descendants.[1] Nineveh was located in
modern day Iraq, one or two hundred miles upstream on
the Tigris River from modern Baghdad. It would have
been a lot like a modern day Israelite being called to
preach repentance to Saddam Hussein. It didn't sound very
promising and Jonah was free to decline the call, so he
fled in the opposite direction. Of course God is also free to
act to fulfill his purposes, so he prepared a dark, secluded
location and gave Jonah some time to reconsider (Jonah
1:17). Sure enough, Jonah repented and accepted the call
when it came again (Jonah 3:2-3).

Jonah preached a strong sermon, saying "Yet forty days,

and Nineveh shall be overthrown" (Jonah 3:4). In the
Biblical account, the usual "... unless you repent" clause is
not explicitly stated, but the king repented in sackcloth and
ashes and commanded all to do likewise, which sounds as
if Jonah mentioned something about repentance. It is clear,
however, that Jonah did not expect them to repent, and
that he was hoping for this enemy of Israel to be
eradicated: "it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was
very angry" (Jonah 4:1). He then left the city and set up a
booth hoping to see the city destroyed, but was
disappointed. The prophecy had been conditional upon
repentance, and the united actions of the majority of
inhabitants prevented the foreseen disaster from occurring.
Here we have a classic example of what is very common
in the scriptures: a warning prophecy intended to induce
people to repent to avoid coming calamity.

Now let us turn to the question of whether or not Jonah

might have had an actual vision of what did not occur, but
what would have occurred had they not heeded the
prophetic voice of warning. In other words, if Nephi had a
vision of what would occur in the future, might it be
possible for a prophet to have a vision of what might occur
in the future, but doesn't necessarily have to occur? Is it
possible that a prophet can have a vision from God of a
future that is every bit as real as the one Nephi saw, but
which never happens? It was hard to find an example in
scripture because the Lord usually has the prophets only
publish the visions which he knows will definitely come to
pass, unless they explicitly include the "unless you repent"
clause. Otherwise, his prophets would have been executed
as frauds. Let us consider at least one example of a
prophet's true vision which was never fulfilled.
Wilford Woodruff's Vision

All the temples might have been closed.  There is an

excellent example in modern history of a very vivid vision
which was given to L.D.S. Church President Wilford
Woodruff which did not occur and for which the time has
now passed in which it might have occurred. It was given
as a warning, specifically designed to induce the prophet
to change the course of the entire Church, which was
headed for disaster.

Shortly after the October Conference in 1890, at which the

Manifesto ending the practice of polygamy was adopted,
Pres. Woodruff explained:
 
The Lord showed me by vision and revelation exactly
what would take place if we did not stop this practice. If
we had not stopped it, you would have had no use for...any
of the men in this temple at Logan; for all ordinances
would be stopped throughout the land of Zion. Confusion
would reign throughout Israel, and many men would be
made prisoners. This trouble would have come upon the
whole church, and we should have been compelled to stop
the practice. Now, the question is, whether it should be
stopped in this manner, or in the way the Lord has
manifested to us ... (D&C Official Declaration 1).

Thus, he states that he was shown in a vision exactly what

would occur if the Church did not stop the practice of
polygamy. We know that the vision was never fulfilled
because the Church obeyed the Lord's command to end the
practice. The question which concerns us in this article is,
was that vision any different from Nephi's vision? That is,
was this vision of the future that would not happen, but
which would have happened, any less real than a vision of
the future that would occur? Now that we are delving into
mysterious topics, it is time to consider what bizarre
contributions modern physics has to offer.

Parallel Universes
Perhaps the most startling result of modern physics comes
from the area of quantum mechanics. At the beginning of
the last century, many physicists believed that the laws of
physics were deterministic. That means that if the position
and velocity of every particle in the universe were known,
then the entire future could be accurately predicted from
calculations using physical laws. It was believed there
could only be one future, and that it was already
determined. We only lacked a supercomputer to calculate
just what it would be.

That arrogant dream was shattered by about 1930 with the

advent of "quantum mechanics." It was discovered that
even in principle we cannot know the exact position and
velocity of even one particle, let alone all the particles in
the universe. What could, however, be known very
accurately is the probability of the outcome of certain
experiments. Since then, experiments based on the laws of
quantum mechanics, which was developed to calculate
those probabilities, have been so successful that it would
be difficult to find a serious scientist who questions what
they predict.

The pendulum has now swung to the other extreme in the

prevailing scientific view from a totally deterministic
universe to one in which nothing is determined.
Probability has been enthroned as the new king. In modern
physics, "free will" now has ample room to modify the
future, if it can modify probabilities.

While scientists agree on the results of quantum

mechanical experiments, there is a wide diversity of just
how they are to be understood. Without going into details
here, let us simply note that there are two popular
interpretations, but we must caution that the results of
quantum mechanics are so bizarre than neither of the
interpretations is really believed by a majority of
scientists.
 
Is the cat alive or dead?  One surprising result was that
very act of observing an experiment seems to influence
how it turns out. That led to the first interpretation of
quantum mechanics, that the observer was always part of
the equation. Many found that a distasteful addition to
physics, where the objective observer had never before
been considered in the laws of physics. The paradox of
"Schroedinger's Cat" illustrates the problem. Suppose a cat
is hidden in a box, which might be killed by a device
triggered by a random quantum mechanical event. The
scientist would not know whether the cat was dead or alive
until he opened the box. The first interpretation led to the
idea that somehow the cat was neither dead nor alive, but
rather some sort of probability wave of being one or the
other, until the scientist opened the box. At that time, the
cat wave would "collapse" into being in the state of either
life or death. That seemed absurd to many scientists who
felt the cat would know whether it was alive or dead
before the scientist opened the box and that the scientist's
observation really had nothing to do with when the
quantum event was triggered.
 
This paradox led to another interpretation proposed in
1957, called the "Many Worlds," or better, the "Parallel
Universes" interpretation. In this view, multiple universes
all occur simultaneously, which are all equally real. In the
cat experiment, at each instance when the quantum event
has some probability of happening, a universe splits off in
which the cat dies at that time. The good news is that now
the scientist opening the box has been removed from the
equation. That bad news is that now we have what most
scientists find even more ridiculous, that zillions of
equally valid universes are all really happening
simultaneously. In this universe you are reading this
article, but another version of you in a different universe is
not. That's pretty hard to take seriously.

Okay, so now you are glad that you've never studied

quantum mechanics because it all sounds absurd. The lead
article in Discover for September, 2001, was entitled
"Quantum Shmantum." It included Nobel laureate Steven
Weinberg's summary of the parallel universes idea,
paraphrasing Winston Churchill's quip about democracy:
"It's a miserable idea except for all the other ideas."[2]
Scientists clearly have a long way to go before they even
come to a consensus, much less actually hit on what really
is happening. But hopefully science is making progress
toward understanding what is going on.

Multiple Futures
The Parallel Universe interpretation may indeed help us to
understand visions of futures which don't occur, at least in
our realm. What if there really are many possible different
futures for us, and for the world? Without going all the
way to the Parallel Universe interpretation in which there
are an infinite number of different futures, and presents,
and pasts, let us restrict our thinking for now just to the
future. What if there is only one past for us (that which
happened), and one present for us (now), but many
possible futures? Some of those futures are more probable
than others, but what if they are all equally "real" in the
sense that someone in the spirit world to go to visit
different possible futures and "see" what would happen?
What if we really have the possibility of choosing which
future we will have among the options presented to us?
Everyone's individual future would merge into what would
be the most probable future for the planet. Certain key
people or groups of people could perhaps sway the entire
course of a nation or of the world to change an improbable
future into the one which will happen. Of course, God
with his infinitely better vantage point, can just look and
"see" which is the future which will really happen, and
thus his prophets are always right. But remember that he is
not forcing us to do anything. We have the ability to
choose our course as best we can, but God will make sure
that his purposes are fulfilled. He sometimes intervenes
and gives us a vision, or maybe just a feeling, that we are
on a dangerous course. Or he might just remove someone
by death who has chosen poorly and has become an
obstacle to God's designs. Thus we are free, and so is God.
This is what appears to me at this time to be the most
likely "correct" interpretation, but I reserve the right to
change my mind at any time on this complicated issue.

Psychics
There are many people, perhaps most people, who have
some ability to predict the future at least at times. The
basketball player who is in "the zone" just has a feeling
that his long 3-point low percentage shot will go in. And it
does! He might even break his coach's rules of when it is
prudent to try such a shot, and risk the tongue lashing he
might get if he misses. Those who follow their spiritual
impressions are often rewarded with success, even in
temporal pursuits.

Those who can apparently predict the future are often

scoffed at by scientists, but as quantum mechanics
progresses, we might well see an acceptance of psychics
into the formal scientific arena. Psychics usually only
claim to see the "most probable" future, and hence prefer
not to be executed if their prediction fails. Often people
with this gift try to help others by warning them to avoid
danger, such as not to take a certain plane which has a
high probability of crashing. Somehow they can sense a
future which is very real even though it has not yet
occurred.

Unpublished Warning Revelations

One application of these principles is to acknowledge the
possibility of true visions being given to true prophets
which will never occur because they were warnings
designed to lead to actions which prevent that future from
happening. We have already seen one such revelation
given to Wilford Woodruff. What if he had not ever
published that revelation? What if it had been included in
his journal, and was later discovered there? What if
members of the Church passed around unofficial copies of
a revelation attributed to Wilford Woodruff, which stated
that all temple ordinances would be stopped and that many
church leaders would be imprisoned? The point here is
that even though a true revelation is given to a true
prophet, we should remember that it may not be fulfilled.
As far as I know, the only time we should really believe
that a prophecy is certain to be fulfilled is when it is
included in canonized scripture with no conditional "if"
clauses, or when it appears over the signature of the First
Presidency, being best when also attested to by the
Quorum of the Twelve. Then we may be sure that the Lord
is telling us just which of the probable futures will indeed
occur. The scriptures are replete with such prophecies, and
we are commanded to study them and to be looking for the
signs of the times.

Unfortunately, many of the books which collect

prophecies about the future do not distinguish between
formal canonized scripture and other statements by
General Authorities, or even second hand accounts or
visions to Stake Presidents. Let us now consider just one
such prophecy as an example, which has gained some
popularity. It has all the earmarks of having been a
warning prophecy, which describes a future which didn't
happen, partly because of actions taken by the prophet
who received it.

The "Greek President" Prophecy

A vision of World War III?  A son of Pres. George Albert

Smith's cousin claims that Pres. Smith shared a vision with
his family shortly after the end of World War II.[3] He
describes it as a vision in which he "saw" future events.
Here are some key points which he alleged stated:
It was a vision of another terrible war which would make
World War II look like a "training exercise."

The Soviet Union would have military power dwarfing

that of the U.S.

The U.S. withdrew its missiles with atomic war heads

from Europe, and then the war began.

The U.S. had its missiles in deep holes which looked like
grain silos.

The U.S. President would be the first one to be of Greek

extraction.

People in the U.S. would have their weapons taken away.

Russia would position thousands of tanks in big trucks.

The worst time in the depression would look like a picnic

in comparison.

I have not personally taken the time to verify the source of

this so-called vision, but for the sake of this argument, I
will entertain the possibility that it describes a true vision
which Pres. Smith received and did indeed share with his
family, and that it is being reported accurately. Does that
mean we should all be looking for a Greek President?
Should we postpone getting our food storage until we have
a Greek President? Was this a vision of what would
happen or of what could happen?

Why would President Smith be given such a vision? If it

was a vision of what would happen, it might have been for
him to begin to prepare. If it was a vision of warning, then
we would expect him to have taken action which might
help erase that future.

Statements he made in October Conference of 1946

support both the idea that the vision indeed occurred and
that it was a warning revelation because the word "if" is
always associated with it. He stated, "I fear that the time is
coming ... unless we can call the people of this world to
repent of their sins and turn from the error of their ways,
that the great war that has just passed will be an
insignificant thing, as far as calamity is concerned,
compared to that which is before us."[4]

The 1980 Which Wasn't

Allow me now to venture into the realm of wild
speculation, which seems permissible in an article about
parallel universes. What if the vision of President Smith
helped to change the course of the world in a way that
prevented World War III from happening about 1980?

In 1980 Brezhnev was in power in Russia, having

agressively expanded the Russian nuclear missile arsenal.
We were going through a period of Russian appeasement
by disarmament. There was much pressure to remove the
Pershing 1 missiles, which had atomic warheads, from
Europe. Our Minuteman missiles were in deep holes,
which are indeed still called "silos." Also, it has since been
found that Russia had plans to strategically place tanks
around Europe by transporting them in large trucks.
Michael Dukakis, of Greek extraction, had been elected
governor of Massachusetts in 1974, and would later run
for President against George Bush in 1988 on a strong
platform of gun control. Thus, many of the points of the
prophecy were bulls-eyes.
 

Michael Dukakis, of Greek extraction, ran for president. 

But the rest of the prophecy was not fulfilled. Dukakis
didn't even run for President until 1988, and when he did,
he lost. Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980, and
he strengthened our missiles in Europe by deploying the
Pershing 2 missiles in 1984. Our guns have not been
confiscated. Russia did not push the button to start a war,
but there is evidence that they came close to it in 1983
because they were at the peak of their power, and they
wanted to prevent us from upgrading the Pershing
missiles.[5] Most importantly, World War III still has not
commenced, nearly a quarter-century later.
 

Did President Smith do anything that might have helped to

change world history? Since we are in the realm of
speculation, here's one possibility. After World War I,
strong reparations were put on Germany to punish them
and it caused a huge amount of resentment. In a very
oversimplified analysis, that resentment fomented until it
produced a Hitler who retaliated with World War II. The
Allies might well have followed a similar course of action
after World War II which could have resulted in the World
War III in the vision. After the war ended in 1945, acting
President Smith sent the apostle Ezra Taft Benson to
Europe in early 1946 to reopen the missions and to head
up a huge war relief effort, for members on both sides of
the conflict. The LDS Church provided many needed
supplies to the war victims. Elder Benson induced the
devastated saints in victorious countries to donate needed
supplies to their enemies who had so violently abused
them.[6] Thus, the Church set the example of forgiving
ones enemies, which was nearly unheard of as a post war
procedure. That example may have influenced the United
States to follow suit with the Marshall Plan to reconstruct
Europe in 1947.[7] Under that European Recovery Plan,
13 billion dollars was given to 16 European countries,
with the most going to Great Britain, France, Italy, and
Germany. Clearly Elder Benson's work was noticed
nationally because he was called to be Pres. Eisenhower's
Secretary of Agriculture from 1953-1960. Because
Germany was not punished for the war, it is much more of
a friend to us now. So it seems just possible that the vision
of George Albert Smith might have led him to contribute,
along with many others, to changing the course of history
in a way that prevented that particular scenario for World
War III. I believe the Dukakis was the Greek President
who never was, and that it is now too late for that vision to
be fulfilled. Of course, all the prophecies in scripture will
still be fulfilled, and a different World War III is still very
possible, but we would do well not to wait for a Greek
President to be elected before obeying the living prophet's
counsel to obtain a year's supply.

Conclusion
One interpretation of modern physics is that there are
parallel universes in which not only our "real" future
occurs, but also other futures which do not happen to us in
our universe, but which are just as valid. The scriptures
include accounts of prophets who have some visions of
events which are fulfilled and also some visions of events
which are not fulfilled. These latter are usually warning
prophecies given to induce the prophet to take actions
which will prevent that undesirable future from occurring.
When we see any prophecy which appears to be
legitimate, we should consider the possibility that it might
be either a vision of a future or of the future. We should
look first to see if it is scripture or an official proclamation
endorsed by the First Presidency. Then we should look for
"if" clauses, which usually offer us the hope of having a
better outcome if we repent. And we can remember that
we personally can usually change the future for the better,
and that we will be judged for our thoughts, words, and
actions accordingly.

Notes

The nation of Assyria comprised descendants of Asshur,

second son of Shem, whereas Abraham descended from
Aphaxhad, his third son. See Pratt, J.P., "Genealogy from
Adam to the Twelve Tribes," at
http://www.johnpratt.com/items/docs/adam_gen/shem.htm
l.

Folger, Tim, "Quantum Shmantum," Discover, vol. 22, no.

9 (September 2001). Another good summary is found in
the cover article "Parallel Universes" in this month's
Scientific American, (May 2003), pp. 40-51.
http://www.sciam.com/
This vision was summarized by David H. Horne is
reprinted, for example, in R.K. Young, "..As a Thief in the
Night" (Salt Lake City: LCG Publications, 1991), p. 56.
Conference Report, Oct. 9, 1946, p. 149.
See "Cruise and the Common,"
http://www.megspace.com/politics/greenham/index_0000
06.htm.
Babbel, Frederick W., On the Wings of Faith (Salt Lake
City: Bookcraft, 1972) is an entire book documenting the
many miracles occurring during this effort.
A good summary of the Marshall plan is currently found at
http://www.marshallfoundation.org/about_gcm/marshall_p
lan.htm
 
 
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----------

© 2002 Meridian Magazine.  All Rights Reserved.

 
The Economic Principles of Heaven
by H. Wallace Goddard

In the marketplace, we trade something we have for

something we want. This system is built on the ancient
premise that you can buy anything in this world with
money---or gold or land or . . .. Those who succeed in this
system are those who have (and control the distribution of)
something that others deem valuable. Contrast this with
the Lord’s management of His resources:

Come, my brethren, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the

waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea
come buy wine and milk without money and without
price. 2 Nephi 9:50

It is obvious that a market system is vulnerable to

distortion, corruption, and manipulation. Prosperous
operators inflate the perceived value of goods or create
high prices by limiting supply. It is intriguing to look at
those who have been business heroes in our country. Many
who were splashed on the cover of news magazines with
titles of adulation are today facing lawsuits and
humiliation.

Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no

worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. 2
Nephi 9:51

In capitalistic societies we suffer an interesting moral

quandary: Are people who make the most money the ones
we admire most because of their success at capitalism or
the ones we disdain because of the moral and personal
compromises they made along the way? Our admiration
for business leaders rests on the unsteady ground of
selective perception.

The ungodly are described as those who preach up unto

themselves their own wisdom and their own learning, that
they may get gain and grind upon the face of the poor. 2
Nephi 26:20

Capitalism thrives on the supposition that more is better.

When grundles of stuff fails to satisfy, we set our sights on
still more stuff. Or we distract ourselves with empty
amusements—before we return to the mall. Materialism is
the hunger that is never satisfied, the thirst that is never
slaked.

One remedy is to control our wants. Should such lack of

envy become popular, traditional capitalism would stall—
unless we actually became a Zion society and began to
produce for the sake of those who could not buy. But,
then, that isn’t capitalism. Some might call it Christianity.

And all that believed were together, and had all things
common. And sold their possessions and goods, and
parted them to all men, as every man had need. Acts 2: 44-
45

The most famous test of moral development is a story

created by Lawrence Kohlberg called the Heinz dilemma.
In the dilemma, a pharmacist has developed an effective
medication for cancer. Heinz is a poor man whose wife
has the disease. The pharmacist will not provide any
medication without first exacting an exorbitant price
which Heinz does not have and cannot borrow. Should
Heinz allow his wife to die? Should he steal the
medication? What should he do? Kohlberg examined a
person’s reasoning in the dilemma to decide that person’s
moral maturity.

It is probably no accident that moral dilemmas often pit

our free-market rules against human well-being. The most
common real-world form of the dilemma today may be in
balancing work and family. How can I make a good living
(or progress in my career or pay for the new car or . . .)
and still have time for my family?” It is harder to imagine
a better test for whether our focus is mortal or eternal.

. . . and the wise, and the learned, and they that are rich
who are puffed up because of their learning, and their
wisdom, and their riches—yea, they are they whom he
despiseth; 2 Nephi 9:42
Socialism has claimed the moral high ground over
capitalism because it professes to value people over
money. Unfortunately, research has shown that socialism’s
professions have not been effectively operationalized in
socialist countries; the inequities there are as glaring as
those in capitalist countries. Apparently power, greed, and
self-interest are the natural inheritance of mortals. They
define our fallenness.

Roy Baumeister, a psychologist with keen insights, has

observed an even further decline in values in recent times:
“modern economic life is based on the individual, rational
pursuit of self-interest, which gradually came to replace
the older patterns that were based on the cooperative,
moral pursuit or the collective welfare” (1991, p.96). Has
this earth’s history gotten us to a better place as we
increasingly cast all decisions in self-serving terms?

Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words

which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of
Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can
be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness.

God’s kingdom runs on very different principles from

those that govern capitalism. We are only prepared to
enter the kingdom when we “are willing to bear one
another’s burdens, that they may be light, [and] comfort
those that stand in need of comfort” (Mosiah 18: 8-9). In
fact, any who hold back graciousness in the name of
undeservingness, are warned that they have “great cause to
repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done
he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom
of God” (Mosiah 4:17-18).

While a forgiveness approach may not work well in the

accounts receivable office, it clearly is the guiding
principle for the kingdom of God. Maybe the only ones
who will qualify for God’s presence in the eternal worlds
are those who can practice the law of abundance in a
world focused on competition for scarce resources.

There is a keen irony in Satan’s “victories.” Every time he

wins a mortal to his realms, he loses power (since every
mortal who follows him will have a body and therefore
will have power over him). Every time he wins in his foul
purposes, he loses. The one who is obsessed with gaining
power is perpetually losing it. That must be hell.

In contrast, every time God wins, all of His followers win.

All of His disciples are enlarged by the blessing of adding
more souls to the heavenly realm. We rejoice with those
who rejoice.

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure,

pressed down, and shaken together, and running over,
shall men give into your bosom. For with that same
measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you
again (Luke 6:38).

It is noteworthy that this invitation to abundance is offered

in the context of counseling us to have mercy and to
forgive rather than to judge and condemn. Love is the
stock in trade in Heaven.

It is intriguing when good science confirms the Lord’s

counsel. Martin Seligman, the prominent psychologist has
made a recent summary of research related to happiness.
He concludes that the pleasant life is the result of “a life
that successfully pursues the positive emotions about the
present, past, and future.” It is filled with appreciation of
beauty and pleasure all around us.

All things which come of the earth, in the season thereof,

are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please
the eye and to gladden the heart. D&C 59:18

Still better than the pleasant life, the good life derives
from “using your signature strengths to obtain abundant
gratification in the main realms of your life.” As we are
counseled in sacred contexts,

Fill the measure of your creation and have joy therein. See
D&C 88:19

But, says Seligman, “a meaningful life adds one more

component to the good life—the attachment of your
signature strengths to something larger. The meaningful
life [entails] using your signature strengths and virtues in
the service of something much larger than you are”
(Seligman, 2002, pp.262-3).

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and
whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Matthew 16:25

When we live for ourselves, we will never enjoy the

blessings available to those who dedicate themselves to
God, His children and His work. While the journey can be
pleasant even for those who are not fully committed to
service, but fulness of joy is reserved for those who lose
themselves in something larger than themselves.

This defies the laws of economics. But, it seems,

everything of eternal value transcends those pedestrian
laws. Turning again to Seligman’s observations about
happiness:

The tedious law of homo economicus maintains that

human beings are fundamentally selfish. Social life is seen
as governed by the same bottom-line principles as the
marketplace. So, just as in making a purchase or deciding
on a stock, we supposedly ask ourselves of another human
being, “What is their likely utility for us?” The more we
expect to gain, the more we invest in the other person.
Love, however is evolution’s most spectacular way of
defying this law. (pp. 185-6, emphasis added)

We love in families. We love at church. We love in the

community. Love is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It is not
even a good profitable business investment. It is an
evidence that we believe in something beyond the
tangible. It is the living evidence of our understanding of
God’s plan.

There is a well established spiritual pattern in human

affairs. When someone is flooded by the spirit, their
immediate concern is the welfare of brothers and sisters (2
Nephi 6:3, Enos 1:9, Mosiah 25:11, ). That is the influence
of Heaven. In contrast, priestcraft is scripturally defined as
seeking gain and praise instead of the welfare of Zion (2
Nephi 26:29). Ah, ZION! The place where we can be of
one heart and one mind, and [dwell] in righteousness and
there [will be] no poor among [us]. Moses 7:18

The communal spirit defines heaven just as self-service

defines fallenness. The true believer yearns for the well-
being of all God’s children.

In mortality, we all make a choice between the two ways.

We may follow Satan’s system in which we greedily grab
for more—and every gain is a loss. Or we may follow
God’s plan in which we are enriched by giving away. Of
course the perfect example is Jesus Himself. He laid down
everything and now rules in Eternity.

. . . he descended below all things . . . that he might be in

all and through all things, the light of truth. D&C 88:6

In everything that really matters, charity trumps

capitalism, discipleship transcends profit, goodness
overcomes fairness. We must never let the philosophies of
humans keep us from the blessings of Zion. Many of those
who are preeminent in this world will be obscure in the
next while those who reign with Him will have quietly
dedicated themselves to succoring the weak, lifting up
hands which hang down, and strengthening the feeble
knees (See D&C 81:5).

. . . save they shall cast [learning and riches] away, and

consider themselves fools before God, and come down in
the depths of humility, he will not open unto them. 2
Nephi 9:42

Jesus made a very unbusinesslike proposition to the young

rich man. It underscores the process by which any of us
find our Eternal Home.
If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give
to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and
come and follow me. Matthew 19:21

Those who Jesus holds up as moral models are children,

the poor, the heartbroken and humble. Undoubtedly there
is a lesson for us in that: Money is useless where He
dwells. Love is the currency of the Realm.
 
References

Baumeister, R. F. (1991). Meanings of life. New York:

Guilford Press.

Seligman, M. E. P. (2002). Authentic happiness. New

York: Free Press.
.
 
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---------

© 2002 Meridian Magazine.  All Rights Reserved.

 
 About the Author:
 
H. Wallace Goddard is a son, a husband, a dad, and a
grandpa. He works as a Family Life Specialist for the
University of Arkansas Extension Service in Little Rock
and has written several books and programs including The
Frightful and Joyous Journey of Family Life (Bookcraft)
and Principles of Parenting (Alabama Cooperative
Extension System). He claims to be living proof that a
person who makes lots of mistakes can still be blessed
with joy beyond any deserving.

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The Holes in Evolutionary Theory

by Geoffrey Biddulph

One of the first things religious skeptics ask you when you
say you are religious, is, in one form or another, "how can
you believe those fairy tales in the Bible?"

The basic argument that non-believers have made in the

last 150 years or so is that researchers have clearly proven,
through exhaustive study and experiment after experiment,
that evolution is the only “scientific” explanation for
human existence on this planet. Their position is that
evolution is an unfailing truth and that the scriptures are
nothing more than stories.

Given the way that we were all raised in the 20th century,
most religious people are forced to immediately go on the
defensive. They either mumble something about having
faith or they say that the scriptures could be metaphorical
and that it doesn't need to be factually true for it to be true
to them. It is, after all, very difficult to find a common
ground on which to defend the idea that Adam lived for
more than 900 years and that the world was actually
covered by a flood, given the current level of skepticism in
our culture.

It seems to me religious people should be stepping up their

efforts to go on the offensive on these issues. Before I
actually began to look at the evidence, I threw my lot in
with the non-believer, pro-evolution crowd. But it turns
out that when you begin poking around at the evidence
and look at the philosophical and logical issues involved,
the argument for evolution is filled with Grand Canyon-
sized holes.

This article will look primarily at the problems with

evolution from a philosophical context, although I will
take a short look at some of the scientific issues as well.
There are literally thousands of books and articles looking
at evolution from the “creationist” and “evolutionist”
sides, and the amount of information is staggering. Yet it
appears to me that both camps are guilty of not seeing the
forest because they are counting the trees. When you take
a step back and take a look at the philosophical and
historical issues involving evolution, I believe you become
pretty much convinced that it’s simply too early for
evolutionists to declare victory. And I seriously doubt if
they every will be able to do so.

It is worth pointing out right here that it is possible to

believe in evolution and still believe in God. God could
have started the evolutionary process and guided it along,
and there’s no way to prove He did not. Still, I think the
argument for evolution is, quite simply, very weak, and
the evidence for scriptural truth is growing with time as
new discoveries come to light (that evidence will be
addressed in future articles).

But first, some definitions. When I say evolution, I am

primarily talking about macro-evolution, the idea that men
evolved from other species, as opposed to micro-
evolution, the idea of evolution within a single species.
Latter-day Saints are more than happy to accept the idea
that we humans can evolve into better humans. It is worth
pointing out that much of the evidence for micro-evolution
is problematic, but I think it is easier to accept the idea of
individual species improving themselves rather than
species evolving to become completely different types of
animals.

Another important point: there is no reason for Latter-day

Saints to get caught in silly arguments about the literal
interpretations of scripture. God created the world in six
days, but we don't need to join the creationists who say a
"day" can only be 24 hours. Modern-day revelation has
made it very clear that a day to the Lord is different that it
is for us (see Abraham 3:4). I like to think of the “days” of
the scriptures as six distinct periods of time.

The first Grand Canyon-sized hole in the evolutionary

argument is actually quite simple: evolutionists are caught
in logical and philosophical dead-end by arguing that just
because they have "proved" evolution in the lab or by
studying how species evolve or through archeology they
KNOW that human beings actually evolved that way. The
reality is that evolutionists are not humble enough to admit
that no matter how many thousands of experiments they
do now, there is no way to prove that conditions on Earth
millions or billions of years ago were anything similar to
the conditions for their current experiments. They simply
have no way of knowing what conditions were like at the
times described in the evolutionary process; all they have,
and all they ever will have, is conjecture.

Based on that conjecture, they have built up a scientific

theory that professes an astounding amount of certainty.
They are certain that life evolved from single cells in some
sort of primeval soup; they are certain that this process
continued until apes evolved into men. This is in itself not
surprising; scientists have a long history of believing their
unproven theories are fact. But evolutionists seem to have
forgotten this history: they seem to ignore the grand
history of science which has shown time and time again
that any scientific discovery is, in the words of Karl
Popper, "tentative forever."

This is pretty easy to prove. There was a time when

scientific conventional wisdom in the West was absolutely
convinced that most diseases were caused by "bad blood"
and that you should treat illnesses by placing leeches on
the body to suck out the offending corpuscles. Of course,
there was also a time when science was certain that fevers
in tropical areas were caused by "bad air" (we still call it
malaria). It took science until the late 19th century to learn
that mosquitoes were responsible for transmitting these
diseases, not "bad air."

So, today there are many scientists, perhaps a majority,

who are absolutely convinced that we human beings are
descended from single-celled organisms and apes. Perhaps
50 years from now, this theory will be so discredited as to
make it as laughable as using leeches to treat diseases. Or
perhaps evolution will be refined and more believable. But
the point is that 50 years from now people will be talking
about evolution very differently than they do today.

By the way, what exactly is “science?” There are many

definitions, but one of the best is “a branch of study of
phenomena that are observable, testable and repeatable.”
If you give 50 laboratory rats saccharin, and 45 die, you
have a phenomenon that is observable, testable and
repeatable. You have arrived at a scientific truth and can
announce results with some level of certainty. Given that
nobody on Earth is ready to begin populating other planets
with life forms, we have no scientific certainty of any kind
surrounding evolution.

Atheists love evolution because it helps them build a

worldview without God. Little do they realize that it takes
much more faith to believe in evolution, with all of its
huge missing links, than to believe in God. Again, this is
easy to prove: no matter how much atheists profess to
believe in evolution, they always will have a nagging
doubt that perhaps there really is a God. They will go to
their deaths denying their creator with their lips, but they
will always, always have fears about eternity. Some of
them have the humility to admit this; most of them do not.

Even the most ardent evolutionary fundamentalists admit

that they cannot explain many of the steps involved in the
evolutionary process. They don’t know how life actually
got its start, although they have some theories about the
primeval soup. They don’t know how the cells evolved
from species to species over time. They have no idea how
monkeys involved into men. The most honest of the
evolutionists will admit there had to be some scientific
processes that we simply don’t understand or have not yet
uncovered. In effect, these evolutionists believe in
miracles.

In fact, they are willing to admit there were lots of

miracles involved. What are the chances of life
spontaneously generating on this planet without a Creator?
Estimates vary, but even the most optimistic evolutionists
admit it’s trillions to one. What are the chances that life
could then evolve the way evolutionists describe. Again,
trillions to one. There are lots of miracles there, lots of
miracles that, as far as we know, nobody was around to
witness.

Why is it that evolutionists are willing to believe in

trillions of miracles that nobody was around to witness or
record yet they are unwilling to believe in the miracles of
the Bible and the Book of Mormon that were witnessed
and recorded by many people? The scriptures give atheists
and agnostics a real challenge: there are people being
healed and raised from the dead, food miraculously being
produced for thousands, waters being parted, and there’s
all these people around who testify they actually saw these
things. And some of them wrote down their testimony
with the clear intent it be passed on to future generations.

The existence of the Book of Mormon itself raises an

insurmountable problem for religious skeptics. If you
study the historical facts involved, there is no logical
explanation for the existence of the Book of Mormon
except that it was revealed supernaturally to the young
unlearned Joseph Smith. Its very existence is a miracle. In
fact, there are at least 12 witnesses, actual live, breathing
people, who saw the gold plates from which the Book of
Mormon was translated. One is Joseph Smith, and the
other 11 are people who signed their names to their
testimonies at the front of the book. None of them has ever
recounted this testimony. This is 12 more people than ever
witnessed evolution taking place.

This argument may seem fanciful at first, but I believe

God wants us to believe in things for which there are
testimonies and witnesses. I believe He has, through the
scriptures, prepared us for this time, when a majority of
people would ignore the witnesses around them and cling
to the philosophies of men. “In the mouth of two or three
witnesses every word may be established,” says Matthew
18:16. This message is so important that the scriptures
repeat it time and again, in Deuteronomy 17:6, in 2
Corinthians 13:1, in Ether 5:4 and D&C 6:28 and 128:3.

Is there a better, more complete set of witnesses than the

scriptures? The contents of the Old Testament have been
confirmed by at least three independent sources: the
Masoretic texts, the Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls.
There are four separate testimonies of Jesus’ life in the
New Testament and literally hundreds of different original
copies of the writings in the New Testament. There were
only two copies made of the original translation of the
Book of Mormon, but there were 12 witnesses who gave
written testimonies that they saw the plates. Of course, the
Book of Mormon contains an important fourth source
confirming some of the writings in the Old Testament.
In contrast, evolution has no witnesses and no
confirmation. So, I have a choice: I can either believe in
the once-in-a-gazillion possibility that maybe some life
form billions of years ago evolved to become the human
race, a process to which there are no witnesses and no
proof, or I can believe in the restored Gospel, to which
there is ample proof. Choice 1 gives me no hope for the
future (our very existence on Earth is simply an accident)
and no understanding of our unique role in the universe.
Choice 2 gives us hope, fills our hearts with love for our
magnanimous and brilliant Creator and gives us a
definable purpose. Hmmm, I think I’ll choose Choice 2.

Just on the outside chance that my philosophical

arguments are not compelling, it’s time to look at some of
the science of the evolution argument. The point here is to
highlight a few of the most egregious examples of
uncertainty in the supposedly “scientific” world of pro-
evolution promoters. Remember, you can take it to the
bank that no matter what evolutionists are saying today
they will be saying something different in the future.

Neanderthals. Remains from one of the first “man-apes”

were found in the Neander Valley of Germany in the
1850s and was later called a “Neanderthal.” Given the
growing interest in Darwinism, scientists decades later
jumped on this “man-ape” as evidence that men did in fact
evolve from apes because of the Neanderthal’s low
eyebrow ridges and stooped over posture. In fact
Neanderthals were considered human ancestors by many
until the mid-20th century, when embarrassed
evolutionists had to head back to the drawing board. It
turns out the Neanderthal’s brain capacity was larger than
modern mans, and that did not fit any of the models. Now,
evolutionists have hit on another theory: Neanderthals
were simply an evolutionary dead end. (see note 1)
 
Piltdown Man. Evolutionists have a long history of trying
to make discoveries fit their theories (a somewhat
backwards kind of science, you could say). When Charles
Dawson reported finding a human skull and parts of an
ape-like lower jaw in Piltdown, England, evolutionists
jumped on the discovery to claim they had found a
missing link. Nobody ever checked to see if the skull and
the jaw ever belonged to the same individual until 1953,
when it was proven that the skull belonged to a modern
human and the jaw belonged to a modern orangutan.
Oops! It turns out the jaw had been chemically treated to
make it look like a fossil, and its teeth had been filed down
to make them appear human. (see note 2)
 
Toumai skull. In a more recent case, jubilant evolutionists
announced in July 2002 that they had discovered a pre-
human ancestor believed to be at least 6 million years old
in the African nation of Chad. They insisted the skull
showed signs of evolution from ape to human. Now,
scientists are saying the skull is simply that of a female
gorilla or a chimpanzee or another species that has since
become extinct. There is no evidence to indicate the skull
is humanoid, these scientists say. (see note 3)
 
Single-ancestor doctrine. Evolutionists were convinced for
decades in Darwin’s theory that all organisms are derived
from a single primordial ancestor. Now, some biologists
are saying that three cell types arose from three forms of
proto cells that swam together in a dense genetic soup. For
those of us who are not evolutionary fundamentalists,
these arguments are just another example of how little we
really know about the details of the foundation of life.
When will evolutionists admit they simply don’t know and
probably never will all of the details of life’s origins? (See
note 4)
 
The Miller-Urey Experiment. Everybody knows scientists
have supposedly recreated the conditions for
spontaneously generating life in a primordial soup, right?
At least most biology textbooks say they have, and so do
most of the science journals. In fact, it has become such an
accepted “fact” that nobody questions it anymore. Except
for a few intrepid scientists who have raised some nasty
questions. It turns out that the original experiment by
Stanley Miller and Harold Urey in the early 1950s has
been completely discredited. The Miller-Urey experiment
was based entirely on the supposition that primitive Earth
lacked oxygen, but all recent scientific evidence points to
the existence of oxygen. Chemists now admit there is no
evidence that the conditions postulated by the Miller-Urey
experiment accurately describe how life could have been
generated. (see note 5)
 
The Galapagos Finches. Peter and Rosemary Grant began
studying finches in the Galapagos Islands in the early
1970s. They observed that during droughts many of the
finches died, and the ones that survived had larger beaks
so they get at the tough seeds that were available. The
Grants speculated that the finches’ beaks would continue
to grow from drought to drought and would be examples
of new species. There was only one problem: the beaks
actually decrease in size during the non-drought years, so
the size of the beaks remains stable over time. The facts
didn’t fit the theory. The finches were good examples of
natural selection in the wild, which is basic common sense
(a stronger animal will survive) but they were not
examples of the creation of new species. In fact, the
evidence simply states that individual species will
sometimes adapt to difficult environmental circumstances.
Yet to this day the Grants, science textbooks and leading
science journals manipulate the results of the Grants’
research to claim that it proves evolutionary theory. (see
note 6)

I have encountered literally hundreds of other examples

that raise questions about the “truth” of evolution. But
don’t believe me: just pick up your daily newspaper in the
next year and count how many new discoveries
completely change the way paleontologists and other
scientists think about evolution. In the last few years, I
have noted new discoveries on literally a monthly basis.
Why should I put my faith in a theory that is that inexact?

Right about now, the rabid evolutionist reading this is

blurting out, “Well how do you explain all those skeletons
of people on Earth who look humanoid before Adam? And
how do you explain the dinosaurs?” And I very calmly and
humbly respond: “I don’t know.” I am very comfortable
with the fact that I simply have no idea what the Lord was
doing with the material he used to create the Earth before
he decided to place Adam here, beyond what the scriptures
have revealed.

My personal opinion is that we are not yet supposed to

know many things about the Lord’s creations. The size
and expanse of the universe is simply staggering; it is
impossible for the human mind to comprehend our place
in the vast expanse of the cosmos. Whenever I think of all
of the mysteries in the universe, I always bring to mind
Moses 1:33-35, in which the Lord says: “worlds without
number have I created; and I also created them for my
own purpose…but only an account of this earth, and the
inhabitants thereof, give I unto you.” God did not try to
explain everything to Moses. He gave him a relatively
small amount of information, most of it having to do with
the Gospel. There are simply many things about the
universe, and even the creation of this world, that we are
not yet ready to know.

I am not saying we should not study these things and try

our best to understand them. The Lord through modern
revelation has made it clear that we are expected to study
all types of learning: “study and learn, and become
acquainted with all good books, and with languages,
tongues and people.” (D&C 90:15). Survey after survey
has shown that Latter-day Saints are the most intellectual
of religious people, with a love of all types of learning,
including all of the sciences.

But I believe we are meant to use our intelligence to

distinguish between atheistic propaganda masquerading as
incontrovertible scientific fact and real scientific
discoveries. I would encourage scientists to continue to
explore the issue of human origins. Someday we may get
some real answers. Unfortunately, evolutionists’
declaration of victory is akin to Columbus announcing he
had discovered the Americas when he really had only
made it to the Azores: there is a big, wide ocean there of
scientific discovery that needs to take place before we can
officially say that evolution is the answer.

To see what I mean, take a look at the attached article

from the Scientific American, which is the most concise
pro-evolution argument I have encountered. Scientific
American is one of the country’s most respected science
journals and a regular campaigner in favor of evolution. A
skeptical reader may want to note how many times the
article says that a given scientific theory “could” prove
evolution to be true. The basic point of the article appears
to be to repeat again and again how scientists are certain
that evolution is true (just as they were certain through
most of the 19th century that “bad air” caused malaria).
 
Response number 3 is directed at evolutionary theory’s
weakest point, which is that it is so, well, unscientific to
claim something is factual on a mountain of unproven
suppositions. Let’s see how many falsehoods and logical
lapses are in just this one five-paragraph response.

1) The response tries to build a “straw man” argument by

claiming that because microevolution has been “proven”
macroevolution must also be true. There is a huge
difference between microevolution and macroevolution.
Evolutionary theory must be accepted as factual when
macroevolution is proven (an impossible task, given the
fact that we don’t know for sure what happened on the
Earth millions of years ago).

2) We have already addressed the issue of the Grants’

finches above. Does Scientific American know it is
deliberately twisting research results in an attempt to
“prove” evolution?

3) The entire argument in favor of macroevolution is, by

Scientific American’s own admittance, based on
“inference.” Anybody who has done the most basic
research on any subject knows that you can prove
anything you want by bringing certain evidence to the
forefront and suppressing contradictory evidence. That is
exactly what evolutionary fanatics have done. Scientific
American claims that “evolution implies that between the
earliest-known ancestors of humans…and the appearance
of anatomically modern humans…one should find a
succession of hominid creatures with features
progressively less apelike and more modern, which is
indeed what the fossil record shows.” In fact, the fossil
record shows no such thing. The fossil record shows that
there have been many claims that ancient fossils are
hominid, when in fact they mostly turn out to be apelike
(see the Toumai skull above). The fossil record is in fact
far from conclusive on this issue. There appear to be lots
of ape-like beings throughout history, and evolutionary
fundamentalists have done everything possible to twist the
evidence into a structure that supports their theory.

4) The fourth paragraph is filled with a truly remarkable

piece of evolutionary propaganda: we are expected to
believe that evolution is true because nobody has been
able to prove that complex species spontaneously generate
from inanimate matter or that aliens started life on Earth.
Huh? Well, if we can’t prove these two theories than
evolution MUST be true! After all, how else do you
explain how we got here? (God of course is not even a
possible answer, despite the fact that he has left some
pretty good records explaining exactly how we got here).

The bottom line impression I get after carefully reading

the Scientific American article (and many, many other
articles and books on evolution) is that evolution is simply
an act of faith. Atheists and agnostics do not want to
believe the God of the Bible, so they have built up an
alternate philosophy and claimed it is “scientific” and
therefore “true.”

This issue is particularly pertinent today. Evolutionists

pretty much owned the 20th century. Our schools are filled
with teachers and textbooks claiming that evolution is
“fact.” Even remarkable Christian minds such as C. S.
Lewis never put up a serious challenge to evolutionist’s
claims that their worldview was the “scientific” one while
the alternative was filled with fantasy.

Lately, we’ve seen a fair share of school boards in

Georgia, Ohio, Kansas and elsewhere begin to challenge
the conventional wisdom on evolution. They are opening
space for the “intelligent design” movement, which is a
rational, scientific alternative to evolutionary group-think.
Jonathan Wells’ “Icons of Evolution” shows very
convincingly that all of the major textbooks used in
schools include a long series of falsehoods and
exaggerations regarding evolution. Wells suggests that
these textbooks include warning labels pointing out how
unscientific the evidence is in favor of evolution. I find
Wells’ evidence incontrovertible and would encourage all
parents to read his book before letting their kids accept
pro-evolutionary propaganda.
Eighteenth century theologian-naturalist William Paley
made one of the best arguments ever for our existence
being the work of a Creator. Paley said that if we were to
cross a field and encounter a rock, we could speculate that
it was part of a bigger rock or part of the field itself. We
would not have to think that somebody made the rock.
However, if we were to cross a field and encounter a
pocket watch on the ground, logic would dictate that
somebody must have made the watch. A complex piece of
machinery like that couldn’t spontaneously generate or be
the work of an accidental accumulation of molecules.
Human beings are billions of times more complex than a
pocket watch; it is simply not logical to assume that beings
as complex as humans are here by accident. Somebody
must have made us. Over the years, the best anti-theists --
Hume, Darwin and the late Stephen Jay Gouuld – have
tried to overcome this argument. In my humble opinion,
they have all failed.

We know that the theory of evolution will look very

different 50 years from now than it does today. But let’s
say that someday down the road evolutionists prove their
case beyond a reasonable doubt. Even then, their theory
has one huge whole that is impossible to overcome: they
cannot prove that God did not start the whole process and
is not overseeing it today.

In the end, evolution is an extremely flawed theory with

huge holes. And even if it is right, it could never be used
to prove or disprove the existence of God. So, why are
religious believers letting those arguments go
unchallenged? It’s time to change the game.
Bibliography and Notes: Evolutionists will often claim
that no respected scientists believe in intelligent design, as
if by repeating it again and again it will somehow become
a fact. Nothing could be farther from the truth. There are
literally hundreds of books by intelligent design
proponents and others discussing the flaws of evolution.
The author recommends the following: Jonathon Wells’
“Icons of Evolution, Science or Myth” (Regnery
Publishing, 2000) is an excellent look at the many claims
that evolutionists make that simply don’t hold water. The
research notes are simply astonishing. I also recommend
“The Creator and the Cosmos” by Hugh Ross, PhD
(NavPress, 2001) and “In Six Days,” edited by John F.
Ashton, PhD (Master Books, 2000). “In Six Days” has
writings by 50 scientists who reject evolution.

Note 1: “The Myths of Human Evolution,” Niles Eldredge

and Ian Tattersall (New York: Columbia University Press,
1982), p. 76.

Note 2: “The Piltdown Fraud: Available Evidence

Reviewed,” American Journal of Physical Anthropology
12 (1954), pp. 1-7.

Note 3: Associated Press article, “Earliest hominid skull

challenged,” Oct. 10, 2002.

Note 4: “New Theory of Cell Evolution Rejects Single-

Ancestor Doctrine,” Scientific American.com, June 19,
2002.

Note 5: “Icons of Evolution,” Jonathon Wells (Regnery

Publishing, 2000), pp. 9-27.

Note 6: “Icons of Evolution,” pp. 159-175.

 
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-----------

© 2002Meridian Magazine.  All Rights Reserved.

 About the Author:

 
Geoffrey Biddulph lives and works in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil. He is the First Counselor in the bishopric of the
Jardim Botanico ward. He is proud of his beautiful wife
Sara, his two lovely daughters, Camila and Isabella, and
his stepson Edgard.

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 M E R I D I A N     M A G A Z I N E

Anti-Semitism is Leaking into Public Discourse

by Geoffrey Biddulph

Those of us who thought the world had finally stamped

out anti-Semitism are getting rude awakenings lately.
The most publicized case of anti-Jewish comments
involves Jim Moran, a Democratic congressman from
Virginia who said American Jews are behind the moves to
make Saddam Hussein live up to United Nations
commitments. "If it were not for the strong support of the
Jewish community for this war with Iraq," he argued, "we
would not be doing this."

Moran moved to apologize, but many pointed out he has a

history of shooting from the lip and has taken political
contributions from Muslim organizations that federal
authorities at one time suspected of having ties to terrorist
groups.  He later returned the contributions.

But while the Moran issue continues, there are all other
kinds of signs that anti-Semitism is leaking its way back
into public discourse, more so than at any time perhaps
than the 1930s.  Back then, anti-Jewish groups urged the
United States to avoid involvement in World War II,
saying that America was being dragged into the war by a
Jewish cabal.  The anti-war movement in the late 1930s
was so strong that many historians believe the United
States would never have joined the war if not for the
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

And what do you know; a prominent Republican is again

talking about a cabal.  Pat Buchanan, a former presidential
candidate, writes that "a cabal of polemicists and public
officials" are "colluding with Israel" to "ensnare our
country in a series of wars that are not in America's
interests."  From the far left, pro-Palestinian writer and
Columbia Literature Prof. Edward Said writes, "An
immensely wealthy and powerful republic has been
hijacked by a small cabal of individuals."

These comments are not accidental.  The nativist right

wing and the “anti-war” extreme left are on the same side
of this issue.   They are deliberately using code words,
such as “cabal,” that are meant to call up images of
wealthy men in yarmulkes and prayer shawls sitting
around dividing up the world between them.

This trick has been played on the public for centuries.  The
disaffected are often quick to look for scapegoats for war
and economic malaise.  Rulers are happy to give them
scapegoats, and for centuries the scapegoats have always
been the Jewish people.  I’m fearful it may be happening
again.

Skeptical?  Let’s look at the evidence.

*Most Europeans and many extremists in the United

States continue to blame the Jewish state exclusively for
the current violence in the Holy Land.  Wild stories about
Israeli massacres of Palestinians – completely without
factual basis – are still bandied about as if they were truth. 
Critics of Israel love to complain about checkpoints and
other Israeli self-defense measures but are completely
silent about Palestinian homicide bombers.

*A large percentage – perhaps a majority – of Muslims

continues to believe that Sept. 11 was carried out by Jews
trying to make Muslims look bad.  This conspiracy theory
is readily accepted by extremists throughout the world,
despite that fact that al Qaeda terrorists have repeatedly
and proudly taken credit for the terrorist attack.
*Some ”anti-war” protesters in the United States have
recently begun shunning Jewish sympathizers of their
cause in an attempt to disassociate themselves from Jews. 
The “anti-war” movement is increasingly becoming an
anti-Israel movement, with anti-Zionist placards as
prominent as nonsensical “No Blood for Oil” claims.

*Last year, Jewish peace demonstrators at San Francisco

State University were surrounded by Arab and other anti-
Jewish demonstrators who said Hitler should have finished
the job and killed all Jews.

*The new Palestinian candidate for Prime Minister is a

prominent anti-Semite who has published claims that the
Holocaust never took place.

These and many other events are part of an alarming

pattern.  Islamists and extremists worldwide are
increasingly buying into a fantasy ideology that is quick to
reject reality and instead look for easy answers based on
supposedly easy solutions.  In this world view, Jews are
causing most of the world’s problems.  The easy solution,
of course, would be to get rid of the Jews, which would be
relatively simple because most of them are in Israel and
the United States.

U.S. intelligence officials are convinced that Iraq and Iran

are intent on getting nuclear weapons so they can strike
first at Israel.  The thinking, expressed publicly by Iranian
mullahs, is that the Muslim world is a clear winner in any
nuclear exchange.   There are 1 billion Muslims and only
about 6 million Jews in Israel.  If Iran or Iraq could strike
first and wipe out the Jews, they could lose tens of
millions of Muslims and still be on the “winning” end of
the battle.

I believe Latter-day Saints have a special responsibility to

recognize these alarming trends and do our best to combat
them.  The primary reason, of course, is that Jesus
commanded us to love one another, and anti-Semitism is
hate speech.  But beyond that, the Book of Mormon
reminds us that the Jewish people are God’s chosen.

“Oh ye Gentiles, have ye remember the Jews, mine

ancient covenant people?  Nay; but ye have cursed them,
and have hated them, and have not sought to recover
them.  But behold, I will return all these things upon your
own heads; for I the Lord have not forgotten my people.” 
(2 Nephi 29:5)

I believe the gathering of Israel and the founding of the

modern Jewish state started because of Joseph Smith, who
was given the keys for this purpose.  Remember D&C
109:61-62, which says:  “But thou knowest that thou has
great love for the children of Jacob, who have been
scattered upon the mountains for a long time, in a cloudy
and dark day.  We therefore ask thee to have mercy upon
the children of Jacob, that Jerusalem from this hour, may
begin to be redeemed.”

It is interesting to note that the political machinations in

the Ottoman Empire and Britain which eventually ended
with the foundation of the Jewish state in 1948 began in
the late 1830s and 1840s, soon after Joseph Smith gave the
prayer that is D&C 109.  Coincidence?
Must we be reminded that the Book of Mormon was
specifically written to help Jews accept their Messiah? 
We should not forget that our entire eschatology is based
on the joining of two promised lands – Israel and America.

Anti-Semitism has alarming parallels to anti-Mormonism. 

The same arguments that have been used against the Jews
throughout the modern era were employed against the
Latter-day Saints in the 19th century.  We were not
Christians; we were clubby and didn’t mix with others; we
had strange customs; we used different scriptures than the
rest of society; we were led by a “cabal” of plotting
leaders, and on and on.  These rumors helped justify the
actions of the mobs that forced the Saints from Ohio, then
Missouri and then Illinois.

Latter-day Saints are enjoying a moment of relative peace

and prosperity today, as are many of the world’s Jews. 
Will it last?

I wonder when I walk through the religion sections of

large book store chains and see that the only books
available on our church are prominent anti-Mormon
tomes.  I wonder when I receive e-mails saying that
Elizabeth Smart’s kidnapping was the result of the
Church’s “un-Christian” beliefs.  I wonder when I talk to
investigators who tell me they have been repeatedly
warned not to join the Church because it is a “cult.”

Any Latter-day Saints unsympathetic to Jews should re-

read the book of Esther chapter 3 and look at the
machinations of Haman, the king’s advisor.  Haman
whispers cruel things about the Jews -- that they are
disloyal to the king and have their own separatist laws --
and tries to have them destroyed in Persia.  Purim – which
took place on March 18 – celebrates the victory of the
Jews over Haman.

The anti-Semitic whispers taking place today have the

same character as those of Haman 2500 years ago.  Some
things never change, and anti-Semitism is one of them.
 
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© 2003 Meridian Magazine.  All Rights Reserved.

M E R I D I A N     M A G A Z I N E

 People Who Love Freedom Should Be Outraged at

Recent Social Trends
By Geoffrey Biddulph

Never in human history has there been as much personal

liberty on the planet as there is today.  Because of this
great expansion of personal freedom, many Westerners are
rightly zealous to maintain it.  “Live and let live” has
become the byword of the day and people are constantly
warned not to be judgmental or intolerant of others, lest
someday those others become intolerant of them.

A great mass of Westerners have become “civil

libertarians,” who regardless of their political affiliation or
religious ideals believe in personal freedom as a supreme
right that should not be trampled.

At the same time, there is a growing cultural war going on

in Western societies.  On one side of the cultural war is a
group I will call for simplicity’s sake “liberal secular
humanists.”  On the other side is a group I will describe as
“Biblical-based conservatives.”  Civil libertarians are
often caught in the middle of the battle between these two
groups but usually feel more sympathetic toward the first
group.   This is a huge and ultimately costly mistake for
civil libertarians.   The ascendance of liberal secular
humanist ideas will inevitably lead to greater and
intractable restrictions on personal freedom, and many of
the victims will be people who are civil libertarians.

Defining Terms

First, let’s define some terms.  Who are civil libertarians? 

They are people whose lives have been made better by the
expansion of personal freedom living primarily in the
modern, industrialized societies including the United
States and Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and
Israel.  These people recognize they have more personal
liberty to believe as they want, travel as they want and
work as they want than any other time in human history. 
Regardless of whether or not these people believe in a
Creator, they agree with the Declaration of
Independence’s credo that freedom is an “self-evident,”
“inalienable” right.

Because of this love for freedom, some civil libertarians

take more extreme positions such as opposing any public
religious expression at all.  The ACLU is one of these
groups.  But the silent majority of civil libertarians are
people of basic common sense who understand that
freedom is a precious commodity that is often the first
victim in any disagreement.  These people understand that
people with power will often lash out against those who
contradict them and that a just society should protect the
rights of the minority to express opinions, including
religious opinions.

So, the first goal of true civil libertarians should be to be

on the lookout for tyrants and potential tyrants, groups or
individuals who try to suppress opinions that don’t agree
with those in power.

Who are liberal secular humanists?  This is a broad

coalition of groups that may not even realize it is a
coalition.  But in general, these are people who hold up
standards like “tolerance” and “nondiscrimination.”   This
group believes that the human race is progressing due to
the inevitable evolution of secular humanistic ideas.   This
group believes that all of the most important recent
improvements in society – the end of slavery, better race
relations, more income equality – are due to its efforts to
create a more humane and just paradigm.  This group
believes that moral standards will change over time and
that people should adjust to the new moral standards as
they come about.  But the primary foundation of the belief
system of this group is human “reason,” the supreme
ability of human beings to create new and more just rules
and standards over time.

This group completely dominates European and Canadian

politics.  At its core are Greens and other
environmentalists, “progressives,” Social Democrats,
radical feminists and pro-homosexual groups.

The other group, “Biblical-based conservatives,” is

diametrically opposed to the secular humanist ideal
because it believes that moral standards do not change
over time.  This group sees history as cyclical rather than
an inevitable progression toward some man-made
paradise.  This group believes that human beings are
flawed and have a tendency toward making mistakes and
need guidance from a Creator to know the difference
between right and wrong.  This group believes that many
recent improvements in society have taken place because
they are part of the Creator’s plan and points out that good
religious people played an important role in all of the most
important societal advancements.

Most importantly, this group believes in something called

the “Laws of Nature,” which are right there in the first
sentence of the Declaration of Independence.  This group
believes that the Natural Law, which basically corresponds
to the 10 commandments, is something implanted on
human consciences by the Creator.   This group states that
violating the Natural Law will lead to anarchy and
unhappiness and recommends that societies worldwide
accept the Natural Law so they can function well.  This
group holds that belief in the Creator is the anchor that
helps societies through difficult times and warns that
marginalizing or ignoring the Creator will inevitably lead
to chaos and loss of personal freedom because human
beings are incapable of maintaining a justice society
without Divine guidance.
The group currently dominates politics in the United
States and Israel and is a shrinking minority as a serious
political force in the rest of the Western world.

Today’s Key Battlefield

The key battlefield issue today between secular humanists

and Biblical-based conservatives is homosexual marriage
and the supposed “discriminatory” behavior of private
groups such as the Boy Scouts that exclude open
homosexuals.  An honest study of this and other key
causes of the secular humanist group will show that while
they claim to promote “tolerance” and
“nondiscrimination” their true goal is to repress and
prohibit the free speech of those who dare to disagree with
them.  People who truly love liberty should be appalled.

Let’s consider the Boy Scouts of America first.  The Boy

Scouts are a group that wholeheartedly subscribes to the
Biblical worldview.  Their motto includes the Scout Oath,
which is that the scout will do his “duty to God and my
country” and will keep himself “morally straight.”  The
Boy Scouts have stated repeatedly that “an avowed
homosexual cannot serve as a role model for the
traditional moral values espoused in the Scout Oath.”

This position is clearly at odds with the secular humanist

worldview and its pro-homosexual wing.  Given the
difference between the secular human worldview and the
Boy Scouts’ worldview, the secular humanists had some
choices.  They could have ignored the Scouts altogether or
they could have formed their own, separate Gay Scouts
group.
A Vital Point

There is a vital point that has been missed by most of the

media in this debate:  the United States Constitution
provides the right for private groups to choose their
membership based on their own standards.   Private chess
clubs have the right to be filled with chess players, not
checkers players.   Private men’s clubs have the right to
exclude women.  Private black clubs have the right to
exclude whites.   That is what being a private club is all
about.

There is a crucial point here:  it is basic common sense and

a very foundational precept of social justice that people
should be able to choose their own friends and the type of
people with whom they associate.  If we trample on
people’s rights to choose their own friends, and form their
own “club” including these friends, we are undermining
one of the key pillars of human liberty that is so dear to
most people in the West.

If the homosexual lobby were truly interested in human

liberty, it would simply leave the Boy Scouts alone and
form its own group of Gay Scouts.  But that is clearly not
the goal.  The goal is the destruction and censorship of a
group with which it disagrees.  The goal is to end the
freedom of the people who belong to the Boy Scouts to
decide with whom they choose to associate.  The goal is
tearing down something, not building up something.

The relentlessness of this campaign is mind-boggling. 

Pro-homosexual groups are systematically moving from
city to city trying and often succeeding in badgering
groups that support the Boy Scouts – such as the United
Way – to end this support.   The Boy Scouts have bravely
stood up against this battle, but liberal secular humanists
and their allies in the media have succeeded in painting the
Boy Scouts as the bad guys when in fact they are simply
the victims.

People who love freedom of personal choice should

consider this issue extremely carefully.  Today it’s just the
Boy Scouts.  Tomorrow it could be another group that is
more important to you.  The point is that if we allow the
Boy Scouts to be persecuted we are opening the door for
others to determine for us what groups we can and cannot
belong to.  Is that really the kind of society we want to
build, where anybody who doesn’t like my values can
determine for me with whom I associate?

Marriage Attacked

So, today it’s the Boy Scouts.  Tomorrow it’s marriage. 

Because that’s the next target of secular humanists.

In our modern culture, you are free to have a wide variety

of lifestyle choices.  Gays are free to be out of the closet
and prideful.  Transexuals are free to flaunt themselves.  
People who live together without being married are not
harassed or questioned.

Even amidst the most sexually liberal groups, there has

been a tacit understanding that marriage either stands for
something or it stands for nothing.  Social liberals often
make the choice not to get married because they are not
willing to make that type of commitment and they are not
interested in having children.  Until recently, even the
most liberal social experimenters understood that marriage
meant a commitment that usually involved raising
children.

Biblical conservatives understand that marriage is the very

foundation of a society.  In this worldview, God created
Adam and Eve and asked them to populate the Earth
because the man and the woman have unique,
complementary roles.  The man is not complete without
the woman, nor the woman without the man in a family
setting.  Study after study has shown that children are
happier, more respectful, learn better and adjust better to
society when being raised by their mother and father.

Homosexual marriage has now been legalized in Canada,

in addition to at least two European countries.  The
Massachusetts Supreme Court is expected to decide to
legalize homosexual marriage.  So, what’s the big deal?

Marriage is a heterosexual club.  It’s very purpose has

always been to support the traditional family:  father,
mother, children.  Homosexuals have until recently not
been part of that club.   Gays and lesbians can have
“public commitment ceremonies.”  They have the
complete right to live together and revel in their lifestyle.  
And given the very nature of the majority of homosexual
relationships, where the commitment level is significantly
lower than in heterosexual relationships, gays and lesbians
have chosen not to pursue marriage because it is a foreign
experience.
Until now.  Now, they want in the club.  But, just as
allowing homosexual troop leaders into the Boy Scouts
would change the very nature of what the Boy Scouts are
and what they stand for, allowing homosexual marriage
would change the very nature of what marriage stands for.

What possible legal justification could any court use to

refuse a woman from marrying two men if the definition
of marriage is changed to allow homosexual marriage? 
Wouldn’t that be “intolerant” and “discriminatory” toward
that polyandric group?

The Pro-pedophila Movement

It’s worth reminding ourselves that the pro-pedophilia

movement is growing in lockstep with the increasing
normalization of homosexuality.  Groups such as the
“Man-Boy Love” organization are asking for “tolerance”
and are insisting on the decriminalization of sex acts
between adult males and young boys.  If current trends
continue, it will be legally impossible to justify keeping
pedophilia a criminal act.  And why not?  After all, if men
can marry other men, then men should be able to marry a
17-year-old boy.  And if he can marry a 17-year-old boy,
shouldn’t he be allowed to marry a 15-year-old or a 13-
year-old?  And if they’re married, they should obviously
be allowed to have sex.  And if he can have sex with a boy
he’s married to, shouldn’t he be allowed to have sex with
any boy at all, including the ones that catch his fancy
while walking around the mall?

The horror with which thinking people greet this situation

is appropriate.  What exactly is going to happen to our
culture when we begin normalizing this type of behavior? 
Is this really the type of society we want, where any and
all sexual behavior goes?  If raising children is difficult
today, imagine a culture where pederasts roam free
scoping out potential “dates” among teenagers and even
younger children with complete impunity and legal
protection.

How exactly will this scenario lead to greater freedom for

anybody except for sexual deviants?  The majority of
people will huddle in their homes afraid to let their
children out of their sight.

Is This Scenario Extreme

Is this scenario too extreme?  It would appear not.  

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia pointed out in his
dissent to the recent Court decision shooting down anti-
sodomy laws that the court’s position opens the doors for
gay marriage.  The point is clear:  any attempt to
normalize any non-traditional sexual behavior will
inevitably lead to normalizing all non-traditional sexual
behavior.

Again, the tactics of the secular humanists who support

gay marriage do not create greater human freedom.  Gays
have the freedom to be with other gay adults with or
without homosexual marriage.  The strategy is purely
destructive.  The strategy is to force their way at gunpoint
into a club that has until now been somebody else’s club,
not because they want to really join the club but because
they want to destroy the club entirely.
It is worth noting that all democratic considerations of gay
marriage have ended in failure for the homosexual lobby.  
State after state that has voted on gay marriage has turned
it down.  So, the gay lobby has turned to the courts to
overcome the will of the majority of people.   And the gay
lobby has mounted a massive propaganda campaign to
demonize anybody who disagrees with its position.

People who dare to defy the gay lobby are labeled as

“homophobes” which is really a very clever code word
that means “afraid of homosexuals because he thinks he
might be one.”  Stop and think about this for a second. 
The key insult that the homosexual lobby uses against pro-
family groups is that they are afraid of gays because they
all secretly feel they might have gay tendencies.  Inherent
in that insult is the recognition that there is simply not
right, not natural, about homosexual activity.  By throwing
around the code word “homophobe,” gays are tacitly
admitting that there is something wrong and unnatural
about their acts, but they are insisting on the right to do it
anyway.

There is a pattern at work here that is worth noting. 

Secular humanists have mounted a series of campaigns on
key social issues, and their tactics are very similar in each
campaign.

A Pattern

Let’s look at the pattern:

1)First, ask for tolerance for acts that are wrong.

2)Second, ask for decriminalization of the acts that are
wrong.
3)Third, marginalize and intimidate those who question
the acts that are wrong.
4)Use the courts or other non-democratic means to impose
the minority will on the majority.
5)Discriminate against and be intolerant toward those who
remind the world that the acts that are wrong are still
wrong.
6)Use criminal sanctions against the people who still say
the wrong acts are wrong.
7)Make illegal the institutions that still dare to teach that
these acts are wrong.
8)Take away the property of those who dare to continue to
insist that these acts are wrong.

This precise process was proceeding beautifully for the

pro-abortion lobby until recently.  The pro-abortion cause,
a favorite of secular humanists, is today at step 5 of this
plan.  The key step of the pro-abortion lobby was to make
it wrong to be against abortion by painting everybody who
is against legalized abortion as a violent fundamentalist
extremist.  But the horrifying reality of 40 million
murdered babies in America since Roe v. Wade made
abortion legal against the majority will has begun to
change the political landscape.  Miraculously, more and
more young people are growing up to understand the basic
wrong with abortion, and the recent decision against
partial birth abortions is a sign that the pendulum may be
swinging the other way.

Now, let’s consider the pro-pornography crowd.  Today,

we are at number 5 of the pro-pornography crowd’s plan
to flood the world with sexual images.  Despite the recent
Supreme Court decision in favor of anti-pornography
filters on Internet access at libraries, the anti-pornography
movement has been successfully marginalized.  Major
universities now offer classes that require students to
watch and even participate in pornography as part of the
class.  Consider for a moment Hollywood’s law suits
against Cleanflicks and other companies that try to cut
pornography out of movies.   It is only a matter of time
until speech limits are imposed on speaking out against
pornography and institutions that oppose pornography will
be criminalized and their property confiscated.

The Campaign Against Free Speech

Skeptical?   Ponder for a moment the issue of “hate

speech” against homosexuals.  In Canada and some
Western European countries, it is illegal to oppose
homosexual activity.  Media are prohibited from
publishing Biblical passages condemning homosexuality
(you know we are in trouble when Western countries are
censoring the Bible).  Biblical conservatives who have
dared to challenge this law have been prosecuted, fined
and thrown in jail.  Unless the pendulum swings back, it is
only a matter of time until churches or any organization
that point out that homosexuality is a sin will be subject to
prosecution in these countries and the United States.

Again, is this the type of society people who love freedom

are willing to tolerate?  Do we really want to criminalize
the beliefs of others?

Time and again, secular humanists use extremist tactics to

force their agenda upon the world.  Take for example, the
European Commission’s consideration of legislation that
would make it illegal for broadcasters and advertisers to
show sexist images.  The law would ban “stereotyping”
women’s roles, a definition so broad that a huge
bureaucracy would need to be developed just to monitor
and approve television content.  The key proponents of
these laws are radical feminists who are offended by the
things they see on television and want to force everybody
else to accept their values.

It is worth noting that many Biblical conservatives are also

offended by many of the things on television, but, in
contrast to radical feminist groups in Europe none of the
major Biblical conservative groups today supports
censorship.    These groups have asked broadcasters to
tone down the mind-numbing amount of sex and violence
on television today and have asked for “children’s hours”
and other steps to protect the young, but they do not
support censorship.   They pressure advertisers and try to
appeal to moral standards, but they do not take the radical
steps that the feminists in Europe support, because, unlike
the secular humanists, Biblical conservatives believe in the
basic right of human freedom.

One of the most poignant examples of the extremes that

secular humanists are willing to go to to pursue their
agendas involves institutes of higher learning.  Because of
the complete domination by secular humanists of the
faculty and administration at almost all campuses,
conservative thoughts and opinions have practically
disappeared.   Conservatives or libertarians at major
university fight pathetic battles for free speech against an
unending tide of dissent that refuses to allow them to be
heard.

It is worth noting that most of the elite universities in the

United States started out as Christian-based institutions. 
Until very recently, students were encouraged to read the
Classics and explore a wide variety of different
viewpoints.  Students with radical viewpoints were not
shouted down but were allowed to pursue their studies as
part of the learning process.  Today, of course, universities
have simply become training center for people with
secular humanists worldviews.  The only opinions that are
allowed to be expressed are those that fit that worldview.

The tyranny of the secular humanist viewpoint should be

expected.   The vast majority of human existence has
involved despotic leaders suppressing anybody with the
temerity to oppose them.   This is simply part of human
nature: people with power do not enjoy being
contradicted.   Once secular humanists gain control of an
institution such as a university, they feel an overwhelming
desire to make sure their ideas dominate.

Civil libertarians need ask themselves if Biblical-based

conservatives would be any different.  And the answer for
modern times would, surprisingly for some, be yes.

The Major Difference

The major difference between Biblical-based

conservatives and secular humanists is, of course, their
view of man’s relationship with Deity.  Secular humanists,
whether they are nominally “religious” or not, believe that
human reason should dominate decision-making, and
Biblical conservatives rely on God-given tradition and the
Natural Law.

Biblical-based conservatives believe they will be held

accountable before God for their actions on Earth.  They
believe a society should be run on certain unalterable
principles, the majority of which are expressed in the
Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. 
Most conservatives believe God Himself inspired the
principles framed in our founding documents.  That is why
conservatives constantly want to hearken back to the
original meaning of the Constitution in looking at how a
society should be administered.  To run a truly just
society, we must constantly ask ourselves how the
Founding Fathers would have adjudicated these issues.

The Founding Fathers were clearly aware that there was

something special about the Judeo-Christian tradition. 
They understood that Biblical-based values created just
the right mixture of liberty and virtue to promote freedom
and happiness.  The very nature of these religions, which
for the most part did not force religious conversions, were
unique at the time.

Over time, the uniqueness of the Judeo-Christian tradition

has continued and become more marked.  While Muslims
are threatened with death for converting to another
religion and Hindus suffer persecution, Christians and
Jews are given complete freedom to believe as they
please.   Yes, America produces tens of thousands of
evangelist and Latter-day Saint missionaries who travel
the world trying to convert people, but the process is
completely voluntary.  If somebody does not want to be
converted, the missionary will accept the rejection and go
on his way.

The Judeo-Christian tradition insists that its followers hate

the sin but love the sinner.  Forgiveness and loving your
enemy are basic precepts.  Jesus ordered Christians not to
judge others without first looking at your own failings. 
And Jews and Christians are also told to follow the
Natural Law, which includes the 10 commandments.

Central to the Judeo-Christian tradition is the idea that the

freedom we have achieved as a society is unique and God-
given.   Consider carefully President Bush’s statement at
the 2003 State of the Union:   “Americans are a free
people, who know that freedom is the right of every
person and the future of every nation. The liberty we prize
is not America's gift to the world, it is God's gift to
humanity.”   This quotation is central to understanding the
Biblical-based conservative viewpoint:  it is against God’s
will to restrict the liberty of others.

Secular humanists have no such foundational philosophy. 

Their morality changes with time. One day something is
wrong and then because a small group of people decide
that it’s actually right, it becomes right.  Then opposing
what has always been wrong becomes an intolerant and
discriminatory position because the minority view has
decided on its own that morality has to change to suit the
new, “modern” viewpoint.

A Shifting Worldview

So, in the “modern” viewpoint, what is right and what is

wrong?  Well, it depends.  Murder is sometimes wrong –
except when you want to murder an inconvenient baby or
an inconvenient old person – and then it becomes right. 
Stealing is sometimes wrong – except when you are
stealing from people who deserve to have their things
stolen, such as rich people and people whose viewpoints
disagree with your own.  Discrimination is wrong – unless
you discriminate against conservatives, Christians and
white people – in which case it is right.  Is respecting your
mother and father right or wrong?  Well, sometimes it’s
right but sometimes in our modern culture the kids simply
know best.  Don’t they?

Consider for a moment the decades of denial of liberal

secular humanists regarding the evils of Communism. 
Today most thinking people, including some secular
humanists, have begun to recognize exactly how horrific
Communism was under Stalin and Mao and how terrible it
continues to be under Castro.  Millions were murdered in
the name of “reason” and “progress,” killings that were
really about the maintenance of tyranny.  Why did liberal
secular humanists spend decades defending these
systems?  Why do some of them still have the effrontery
to defend Castro today, in the wake of the recent murders
of people who dare to speak out against the dictator?

The reason it is difficult for liberal secular humanists to

find their moral bearings is that they have no centered
system of beliefs.  They have no moral anchor on which to
determine right and wrong.  Ethics become situational, and
justifying behavior that most people understand as
immoral becomes easier and easier.
People who value personal freedom should consider this
issue with extreme care.  In a secular humanist-dominated
world, it is only a matter of time until the group that is
persecuted is one that is important to you.
 
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© 2003 Meridian Magazine.  All Rights Reserved.

M E R I D I A N     M A G A Z I N

Yet Another Warning to Be Prepared

By Geoffrey Biddulph

The first thing that popped into my mind when I heard

about the blackouts last week in the northern United States
and Canada was, “I hope all of the Saints in the affected
areas have food storage.”

Of course, the blackouts did not last long enough for

anybody to dig into their long-term food supplies.  But
they could have, and maybe some day they will.

What will you do if you are without power for a week, two
weeks or longer?  Will you be prepared with food storage
or not?

I happen to know a lot about this subject because I lived in

Miami during Hurricane Andrew.  This was the huge
tropical cyclone in August 1992 that hit land just south of
Miami and destroyed literally thousands of homes and
businesses with 150-mph winds.
I lived north of the most affected areas, and I was without
power for two weeks.  All of my perishables in the
refrigerator were destroyed, and I literally had nothing to
eat in the house after two days.  This was, of course,
before I was a member of the Church, so I had no idea
about being prepared.  I had to drive an hour to go
shopping.

Just 10 miles south of me, thousands of people lived

without power for months.  It was 90 degrees outside and
humid.  They had no ice, no milk for their babies, no
potable water.  Thousands of them ended up living in
trailers set up next to their homes for up to a year.  They
traveled literally two hours each way through streets filled
with debris to go shopping for food, ice and water.

The people who handled it best were Church members

who had prepared by storing food and water.  They were
able to be calm while everybody else panicked and paid $5
each for gallons of water sold by speculators.

The natural response for most people when contemplating

future calamities is to say that it won’t happen to them. 
They feel they will be able to find a way to barter their
way through any disaster and won’t need stored food. 
Supermarkets will be open somewhere, they reckon.

Maybe so.  But based on my experience, I would like the

calming feeling that comes from knowing I have enough
food and water set aside for at least a month or two. All
the people reading this article have gone through
blizzards, or power outages or tornadoes, hurricanes or
earthquakes.  What if the damage is so widespread that
there is no food for hundreds of miles?  What if looters
take everything?

Latter-day Counsel

Clearly, latter-day prophets and general authorities have

warned us to be prepared.  Spencer W. Kimball said in
May 1976:  “We encourage families to have on hand this
year’s supply; and we say it over and over and over and
repeat over and over the scripture of the Lord where He
says, “Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things
which I say?”  How empty it is as they put their
spirituality, so-called, into action and call him by his
important names, but fail to do the things which he says.”

Elder Orson Hyde said:  “There is more salvation and

security in wheat, than in all the political schemes of the
world.”

The First Presidency warned in a 2002 letter:  

“Priesthood and Relief Society leaders should teach the

importance of home storage and securing a financial
reserve. These principles may be taught in ward councils
or on a fifth Sunday in priesthood and Relief Society
meetings.

“Church members can begin their home storage by storing

the basic foods that would be required to keep them alive
if they did not have anything else to eat. Depending on
where members live, those basics might include water,
wheat or other grains, legumes, salt, honey or sugar,
powdered milk, and cooking oil. … When members have
stored enough of these essentials to meet the needs of their
family for one year, they may decide to add other items
that they are accustomed to using day to day.

“Some members do not have the money or space for such

storage, and some are prohibited by law from storing a
year’s supply of food. These members should store as
much as their circumstances allow. Families who do not
have the resources to acquire a year’s supply can begin
their storage by obtaining supplies to last for a few
months. Members should be prudent and not panic or go
to extremes in this effort. Through careful planning, most
Church members can, over time, establish both a financial
reserve and a year’s supply of essentials.”

Can we count on the bishop’s storehouses to take care of

our needs?  The answer is no.  I recently went for the first
time to the bishop’s storehouse in the Miami area, and it is
a site to behold.  I was impressed with its cleanliness and
efficiency.  But it is not intended to take care of the needs
of the thousands of members who will be without food in
a generalized disaster.  Church members need to have their
own supplies on hand.

Ezra Taft Benson wrote in the November 1980 Ensign:

“I speak with a feeling of great urgency. I have seen what

the days of tribulation can do to people. I have seen
hunger stalk the streets of Europe. I have witnessed the
appalling, emaciated shadows of human figures. I have
seen women and children scavenge army garbage dumps
for scraps of food. Those scenes and nameless faces
cannot be erased from my memory.

“I shall never forget the Saints of Hamburg who appeared

on the verge of collapse from starvation, or their small
children whom I invited to come to the stand as we
emptied our pockets of edibles. Most had never seen these
items before because of the wartime conditions. Nor can I
forget the expectant and nursing mothers whose eyes
watered with tears when we gave them each an orange.
We saw the terrible physical and social side effects of
hunger and malnutrition. One sister walked over a
thousand miles with four small children, leaving her home
in Poland. She lost all four to starvation and the freezing
conditions. Yet she stood before us in her emaciated
condition, her clothing shredded, and her feet wrapped in
burlap, and bore testimony of how blessed she was.

“I cannot forget the French Saints who, unable to obtain

bread, used potato peelings for the emblems of the
sacrament. Nor will I ever forget the faith of the Dutch
Saints who accepted our suggestion to grow potatoes to
alleviate their own starving conditions, and then sent a
portion of their first harvest to the German people who had
been their bitter enemies. The following year they sent
them the entire harvest. The annals of Church history have
seldom recorded a more Christ-like act of love and
compassion.

“Too often we bask in our comfortable complacency and

rationalize that the ravages of war, economic disaster,
famine, and earthquake cannot happen here. Those who
believe this are either not acquainted with the revelations
of the Lord, or they do not believe them. Those who
smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they
somehow will be set aside because of the righteousness of
the Saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored
such a delusion.

“The Lord has warned and forewarned us against a day of

great tribulation and given us counsel, through His
servants, on how we can be prepared for these difficult
times. Have we heeded His counsel?”

I have been in the middle of riots in Venezuela and

Panama that caused stores to shut down for days.  I have
gotten caught in blizzards and in hurricanes.  Yet, I didn’t
heed the counsel of the prophets and I was not prepared. 
The power outages in the northern United States and
Canada show us once again how important this advice is. 
I, for one, plan on being prepared from now on.

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© 2003 Meridian Magazine.  All Rights Reserved.

M E R I D I A N     M A G A Z I N E

Astronomical Witnesses of the Great Flood

by John P. Pratt

A precise date for Noah's Deluge is indicated by sacred

astronomical calendars and confirmed by witnesses of
Enoch, his father Jared, and even the Savior.

In last month's article, "Venus and the Beginning of

Mortality," we saw that a precise date for the expulsion of
Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden was indicated by
a holy day alignment between the Venus calendar and the
Hebrew calendar, which was verified by several other
witnesses.[1] The day Sun 9 Apr 4001 B.C. on our
calendar was Passover on the Hebrew calendar and 1
Creation on the Venus calendar. That establishes the
beginning date from which we can measure all of the
chronology provided by the Lord for us in the Book of
Genesis. This month's article will proceed using that same
method to calculate dates for the birth and translation of
the prophet Enoch, and for the Great Deluge of Noah. The
Lord's method of using multiple witnesses will again be
recognized in synchronisms with events from the life of
Enoch's father Jared, as well as with the date of the
baptism of Jesus Christ. These multiple testimonies should
leave no doubt about the correctness of the dates proposed.

Enoch
The part of Genesis which most of us skip over are those
long lists of "begats." Those records do, however, provide
the key to the chronology of the history of the human race.
The usual method for calculating dates based on those
genealogies is simply to add up the ages of fathers at the
births of their sons.[2] That approach is fine for an
approximation, but with the methods discussed in these
articles, the exact dates of the births of some of those
patriarchs are indicated on sacred astronomical calendars.
Those dates may differ by a year or so from the
approximation because of how the fractional parts of the
years add up.
An important point to consider is that only a few of the
patriarchs were born on a holy day on the Venus calendar,
even though it appears at this time that all of them were
born on Hebrew calendar holy days. There are indications
of calendars for each of the planets (except Pluto), and
many of those patriarchs may have been born on yet
undiscovered holy days on other planetary calendars.
Because it is only the Venus and Mercury calendars which
are understood at the present time, clues will be sought to
discover which patriarchs may have been born on holy
days on the Venus calendar.

The Prophet Joseph Smith provided a big clue in the case

of Enoch. In his inspired translation of the Bible, he made
the only change in the length of the life of any patriarch in
Genesis when he corrected Enoch's age from 365 years to
be 430 years (Moses 8:1, compare Gen. 5:23). It turns out
that 430 years is a period in which the Venus and Hebrew
calendars may possibly have holy days mark both the
beginning and end of the interval.[3] Since such pairs of
alignments are rare, if one can be found in the years
indicated for Enoch, then it is evidence that we have found
the correct dates.

Enoch's Birth Date

The search for Enoch's dates was productive indeed. The
day indicated for his birthday is Fri 19 Sep 3378 B.C. pm*
(where pm* means after 6 p.m.). That date is about a year
after the date indicated by simply adding up the ages of
the patriarchs given in Genesis, [4] and hence well within
the range of possible dates. That evening began the Feast
of Tabernacles (15 Tishri) on the Hebrew calendar sabbath
day (Saturday). It was also the day 1 Eagle on the Native
American Sacred Round.[5] Both of these dates align with
Adam because, as we saw last month, he apparently first
breathed the breath of life on the day Sat 17 Oct 4070
B.C., which was also 1 Eagle and 15 Tishri. Enoch's
proposed birth date was also most likely the Autumn
Equinox (0 Autumn) on the Enoch calendar.[6] On the
Venus calendar, the day was 1 Lord, the day beginning the
last 13 days of the Venus cycle, and which symbolizes
becoming one with God.[7] That seems especially
appropriate for Enoch, who would be the first to be
translated and even have his entire city taken up into
heaven (Moses 7:69). Thus, the day was a holy day on
four different sacred calendars.
Enoch's Translation
Having a proposed date for Enoch's birth and the clue that
the 430-year length of his life might have been a Venus
cycle, we can immediately find the day indicated for his
translation. It is either Wed 12 Oct 2948 B.C. or the day
following, being the days 0 Lord and 1 Lord on the Venus
calendar. The first choice would mark the exact
completion of 269 Venus cycles. We saw a similar
symbolism with Adam, whose first day in the mortal
world was on the first day of the Venus cycle (1 Creation),
and who died on the last day (0 Creation). But in the case
of Enoch, the following day 1 Lord would also seem
appropriate, being the day on which to become one with
God.
Do we have other witnesses that either of these days is
correct? In particular, was either of those two days also
holy on other sacred calendars? The proposed birthday
was sacred on four calendars and one would expect that
Enoch's translation date would be no less important. Here
we are not disappointed because Wed 12 Oct 2948 B.C.
was also a holy day on four sacred calendars. First, it was
13 Reed on the Sacred Round. As currently understood,
Reed symbolizes the perfection of body achieved after
resurrection,[8] and 13 also symbolizes completeness. The
day was 0 Resurrection on the Mercury calendar, a second
witness of that symbolism. And finally, on the Hebrew
calendar, the day was 17 Heshvan, a minor holy day,
which will now be discussed. Thus both the birth and
translation dates of Enoch form a matched set of sacred
dates, which is so improbable to have occurred by chance
that it constitutes a strong witness that we have these two
dates correct. Now let us turn to the date of the Great
Deluge.

The Flood
 
The day the dove returned with the olive branch was
recorded.

 It is easy to look for a date for the Great Deluge because
not only is an approximate year given in the Bible, but
also the very day on which the Flood began. In fact, one of
the most surprising aspects of the account of the Flood is
that so many precise dates are included. Until that point in
Genesis, not one date is given to the very day, but only the
ages of the patriarchs. Then suddenly we are told the day
on which the ark was loaded, the day the flood began
when the fountains of the deep erupted, the day the rain
stopped, the day the water crested, the day the ark rested,
the day the first mountain top was visible, the days on
which Noah sent various birds out to retrieve evidence of
the water abating, the day he removed the covering from
the ark, and the day the earth was dry (Gen. 7:7-8:14).
Now what is all that about? The day the earth was dry?
What does that even mean? No puddles? Why would the
Lord reveal this incredibly detailed list of dates? It must be
a very important pattern.
For now, let us content ourselves with the question of
simply determining at least one of these dates: the day on
which the Flood began. That day is so important we shall
refer to it simply as the "Flood."

The year given for the Flood is the 600th year of Noah's
life (Gen. 7:11), which, according to adding up the ages of
the patriarchs should be about 1,656 years after the
Beginning of Mortality, or about 2,345 B.C. The day
indicated is 17 Heshvan, at that time the second month,
and the traditional Hebrew understanding of when the
Flood began.[9] Checking the various sacred calendars
near that year leads to a date which will be shown to have
overwhelmingly strong support: Sat 16 Nov 2343 B.C.
Counting 17 Heshvan as a minor holy day, the day was
also a holy day on only one other known sacred calendar,
being the Last Day of Tabernacles on the Enoch Fixed
calendar (21 Autumn). But the important alignment date
on the Venus calendar was the day on which the ark was
loaded, one week earlier.

Noah's Ark
 
The day the ark was loaded was the Venus alignment date.

 The scripture states that the ark was loaded one week
prior to the Flood (Gen. 7:7-10). Why should the detail of
that date be included? It appears to be because that was the
date of the Venus alignment for the Flood, which was a
holy day on four calendars. The day Sat 9 Nov 2343 B.C.
was 13 Reed (Sacred Round), 14 Autumn (Feast of
Tabernacles, Enoch Fixed), 0 Prime (Venus), and 0
Creation (Mercury). That alignment alone, although rare,
is not compelling that we have the dates correct yet. What
is compelling, however, is the array of other witnesses
which testify of this date. It is so important that it needs a
name, so let us refer to that day as "Noah's Ark." Now let
us consider its relation to the baptism date of the Savior.
Baptism of Jesus Christ
As we have seen in earlier articles, the date of the baptism
of Jesus Christ was most likely Sat 6 Oct A.D. 29.[10]
That date was indicated because it was the Day of
Atonement on the Hebrew calendar, the proper day to
reconcile oneself with God. It is the most sacred day of the
Hebrew year, and the fact that John the Baptist was
preaching repentance to a large congregation who came
forth to be baptized fits most perfectly with it having been
on that day. Moreover, the very voice of God was heard
on that day testifying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I
am well pleased" (Mat. 3:17). The Savior made a point of
fulfilling the law of Moses to the very letter and would
have been baptized on the proper day for it. Confirmation
in astronomical cycles was found in both the Enoch Fixed
calendar and also the Mercury calendar.[11]
 
The day Jesus was baptized was a holy day on all seven
sacred calendars.

 At the time that date was first proposed, not all of the
seven sacred calendars being referenced in this article
were even recognized. Now a further witness to the
correctness of that date is found in the fact that it was a
holy day on all seven of the sacred calendars. It was 10
Tishri (Atonement on Hebrew), 13 Water (Sacred Round),
14 Autumn (Tabernacles on both the Enoch and Enoch
Fixed), 0 Prime (Venus), 0 Creation (Mercury) and 1
Hakkoz (Priest, provided that the baptism was in the
afternoon). Such a date only occurs about once per
century, so it is remarkable that the date of the Savior's
Resurrection was also holy on all 7 calendars and it
occurred only three and a half years later. But what does
the baptism of Jesus Christ have to do with Great Flood?

Baptism of the Earth

L.D.S. Church presidents and apostles have taught that the
Great Flood was the baptism of the earth by water. For
example, Elder Joseph Fielding Smith summarized the
idea thus:
FLOOD WAS BAPTISM OF EARTH. Now a word as to
the reason for the flood. It was the baptism of the earth,
and that had to be by immersion. If the water did not cover
the entire earth, then it was not baptized, for the baptism
of the Lord is not pouring or sprinkling.[12] (capitalization
and emphasis his)
 
"All the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were
covered." (Gen. 7:19)

He went on to quote President Brigham Young, President

John Taylor, and Elder Orson Pratt who also taught that
the Flood was the earth's baptism. He was well aware of
the line of reasoning against a universal Flood based on
arguments about the current heights of mountains and
current amounts of water, but he strongly testified that,
notwithstanding the wisdom of man, the Flood did indeed
cover every mountain top at least briefly.[13] Now
consider the following which supports this teaching.

The proposed date for Noah's Ark is on a day 14 Autumn

(Enoch Fixed), 0 Prime (Venus) and 0 Creation (Mercury).
The proposed date for the Savior's Baptism is also on a
day 14 Autumn (Enoch Fixed), 0 Prime (Venus) and 0
Creation (Mercury). How rare is such an alignment? Using
my current models for the calendars, there are only 22
dates during the 7,000 years of the earth's history which
meet those criteria. That means there is only about one day
every 350 years so similar to the day of the Savior's
baptism. The fact that Noah's Ark day, which was
determined to the very day from the Biblical account,
happens to be one of those rare days should establish that
the alignment is not due to blind chance.
 
Figure 1. The interval from Noah's Ark to Christ's Baptism
was the best alignment of Venus with the Enoch Fixed
calendar in 7,000 years.

 But the alignment of Venus with the 364-day year of the

Enoch Fixed calendar is even better than that. The two
dates are separated by exactly 2,379 Enoch Fixed years of
364 days, or 865,956 days.[14] Amazingly, that is a
"realignment cycle" for Venus with the Enoch Fixed
Calendar. That means that there is no shorter period which
is so nearly an exact number of Venus cycles. Stated
differently, 1,483 Venus cycles of 583.92166 days each =
865,955.82 days. Thus, the average position of Venus only
differs by 0.18 days between the two dates. No smaller
multiple of 364 days is so accurate.[15] Of the 20 other
aligning dates, there is no better match in 7,000 years to
the proposed date of the Flood than is the date of the
Savior's baptism. Thus, this one alignment alone is
compelling evidence to establish both of the proposed
dates, as well as the concept that the Flood was the
baptism of the earth. The unique relationship is illustrated
in Figure 1.

Let us now consider the next witness: the alignment with

Enoch's translation date.

Enoch's Witness
As we saw above, Enoch's proposed translation date is on
17 Heshvan (Hebrew) and also 13 Reed (Sacred Round).
Now we see that the proposed flood dates are 13 Reed for
Noah's Ark, and 17 Heshvan for the Flood. Either one of
these coincidences alone could be by chance, but to have
Enoch's translation link to two Flood dates seems worthy
of more investigation.
Why should Enoch's translation date align with the Flood?
It is most likely a secondary effect. As we've seen in
earlier articles, there is a pattern the Lord seems to use that
parents' vital dates are linked to those of their children.[16]
Enoch's father was Jared. As we shall now see, it is really
Jared who is the grand witness of the date of the Flood,
and his death date is linked to his son Enoch, and so
Enoch's dates are indirectly tied to the Flood. Let us now
turn to our star witness.

Jared's Dates
 
Jared's birth, ordination, and death dates testify of the
Flood.

 The ancient patriarchs had meaningful names. The

research being presented here is a work in progress, but at
the current time it appears that the vital dates of the
antediluvian patriarchs all relate to Jesus Christ. In
Hebrew the name "Jared" means "to descend." It is the
same root (has same consonants) as "Jordan," which is
said to be the lowest river on earth. When the Savior was
baptized in the River Jordan, in a sense he was descending
into the deepest depths. Thus, it is proposed that the name
Jared signals us that he is related to the baptism of Jesus
Christ, and hence indirectly to the baptism of the earth.

Enoch was born when Jared was 162 years old (Gen.
5:18), which would put his birth about 3540 B.C.
according to our above birth date for Enoch. His birth date
may or may not have anything to do with the Venus
calendar. The expectation that it might is based on the fact
that the Savior's baptism was on a holy day on the Venus
calendar.
Jared's Birth Date
Searching through the year 3540 B.C., an ideal date for
Jared's birth is found: Mon 30 May 3540 B.C. pm*. That
was 1 Sivan (Hebrew, on which the first day of every
month is a minor holy day), 1 Eagle (Sacred Round), and
1 Prime (Venus). Thus we have a Venus holy day
coinciding with a Hebrew holy day, and the Venus day
happens to be the one corresponding to the Savior's
baptism. Another witness that this date is correct is that
there is a link to his son Enoch, who was also born on 1
Eagle.
Jared's Death Date
Jared lived 962 years, the second longest life listed in the
Bible. Looking for his death date is also fruitful: Mon 3
Nov 2578 B.C., which was 17 Heshvan (Hebrew), 13
Jaguar (the holy day preceding 1 Eagle on the Sacred
Round), and 0 Prime (Venus). Here we see another link to
his son who also left earth on 17 Heshvan, two links to the
Flood (17 Heshvan and 0 Prime), and one link to the
Savior's baptism (0 Prime). These are all witnesses that we
have found the right date and that both his birth and death
dates are related to the two great baptisms of the earth and
Savior. It is astounding that by simply believing the Bible
enough to search the indicated year that these rare dates
can be found which interlock with each other like gears in
a perfectly designed timepiece.
 
Figure 2. The many interlocking father-son relationships
between Jared and Enoch.

One startling result for the length of Jared's life is that it an

exact number of Sacred Rounds (starting on 1 Eagle and
ending on 13 Jaguar), and also of Venus cycles (beginning
on 1 Prime and ending on 0 Prime). That is very difficult
to do. Don't try this at home unless you plan on living
97.52 years. That is the first interval in which the Venus
cycle comes out even in Sacred Rounds (61 x 583.92166 =
137 x 260 days). An even better realignment interval of
Venus with the Sacred Round occurs at 301 x 583.92166 =
676 x 260 = 175,760 days, which is about 481 years.
Arguments for creation arise spontaneously just from how
organized these numbers are. For example, that interval
equals 4 x 13 x 13 Sacred Rounds of 13 x 20 days each,
rather than simply being some random number. Both of
these intervals were known to the Mayans who used them
to reset their Venus calendar.[17] Jared lived for exactly
two of those realignment intervals to the very day.[18]
Most of these amazingly rare alignments required
patriarchs who lived many hundred years. Figure 2
illustrates the intricate father-son alignments between
Jared and Enoch, as well as how Jared's life aligned with
both the Venus calendar and the Sacred Round. It is
amazing to me that so many rare father-son alignments are
even possible. It is not just that we have found rare dates
in the very years indicated. The interaction between the
birth-death date pairs, coupled with the interaction
between father-son pairs is overwhelming evidence that
these dates are correct, and that an omniscient God
scheduled these lives to perfectly fit his solar system
timepiece.

Realignment Lifetimes
It might be worth a moment here to note how many lives
of the prophets we have found so far realign astronomical
cycles to the very day. Those cycles are summarized in the
following table. Again it must be emphasized that the odds
against any one of these pairs of dates just happening by
blind chance to occur in the years indicated in the Bible
are staggering. The fact that Jared's lifetime aligns two
different cycles to the very day is astonishing.
Prophet Cycles Cycle Dates
Adam 582 Venus Cycles 1 Creation - 0 Creation
Jared 602 Venus Cycles 1 Prime - 0 Prime
Jared 1,352 Sacred Rounds 1 Eagle - 13 Jaguar
Enoch 269 Venus Cycles 1 Lord - 0 Lord
Jesus Christ 33 Hebrew Years 15 Nisan - 14 Nisan
Table 1. The lives of some prophets were an exact number
of astronomical cycles.

Jared's Ordination Date

The Lord went to the trouble in our day to reveal all of the
ordination dates of the antediluvian prophets. The date for
Mahalaleel (Jared's father) was given to the very day
(D&C 107:46). Why would we possibly care that he was
497 years and 7 days old when he was ordained? We are
to live by every word that proceeds forth from the mouth
of God, but what are we supposed to do with these
ordination dates?
Let us begin by considering Jared's ordination date. The
Lord says he was age 200 at ordination, and that he was
blessed on the same day (D&C 107:47). Some prophets
were ordained and blessed on different days, such as his
son Enoch, (D&C 107:48), so that may have been a very
important day indeed.

The indicated day in the implied year of Jared's ordination

was Sat 6 April 3340 B.C. This day was a real winner. It
was 13 Water (Sacred Round), 14 Spring (Passover,
Enoch), 14 Autumn (Tabernacles, Enoch Fixed), and 0
Prime (both Venus and Mercury). It was also sacred on the
Priest calendar, so it was holy on 6 of the 7 known sacred
calendars (all but Hebrew).

The following table summarizes all of the data so far

relating to Jared, Enoch and both baptisms.

Event Hebrew S. R. Venus Merc. Enoch Enoch Fixed

Jared b. 1 Siv 1 Eagle 1 Pri — — —
Enoch b. 15 Tis 1 Eagle 1 Lrd — 0 Aut —
Jared o. — 13 Water 0 Pri 0 Pri 14 Spr 14 Aut
Enoch t. 17 Hes 13 Reed 0 Lrd 0 Res — —
Jared d. 17 Hes 13 Jaguar 0 Pri — — —
Noah's Ark — 13 Reed 0 Pri 0 Cre — 14 Aut
The Flood 17 Hes — — — — 21 Aut
Baptism of Christ 10 Tis 13 Water 0 Pri 0 Cre 14 Aut 14
Aut
Table 2. Events calendrically aligned with the Great
Deluge and the baptism of Jesus Christ.

Jared's Witnesses of Two Baptisms

Now let us consider how these three dates in the life of
Jared testify both of the date of the Great Deluge and of
the Savior's Baptism.
 
Figure 3. Jared's Venus alignments with both Noah's Ark
and Christ's baptism testify of those dates.

Five Venus Calendar Alignments

Jared's proposed birth date is on the day 1 Prime of the
Venus cycle, and the dates of his ordination and death, of
Noah's Ark, and of the baptism of Christ all occur on 0
Prime, the last day of a Venus cycle which began on 1
Prime. Thus, all of the known dates for Jared align on the
Venus Calendar with both baptisms, as shown in Figure 3,
which is totally beyond chance.
From Jared's Ordination to Noah's Ark
 
Jared's ordination testifies of loading the ark.

 The interval from the ordination of Jared to Noah's Ark

was 364,364 days. The principal realignment interval of
the Venus cycle with the day is 7,007 days (12 Venus
cycles of 583.92 days = 7,007.04 days). That number
7,007 is equal 7 x 7 x 11 x 13 days. The fact that it is such
an accurate interval, and that it is divisible by 13, is what
enables it to be the basis of the Venus calendar. It is also a
miniature of all of history because it can be thought of as 7
periods of 1,001 days each, similar to seven millennial
days of 1,000 years each. The interval of 1,001 days is
very useful as a long "day" because it comes out even in
both weeks and 13-day intervals and also increments by
one on the 20-cycle. For example, beginning from the day
Sun 1 Light, a 1,001 day interval later falls on Sun 1 Wind
(Wind is the glyph following Light).
With that in mind, the interval from Jared's ordination to
Noah's ark can therefore be thought of in at least three
different ways. It was a) 52 Venus realignment cycles of
7,007 days each, or b) 1,001 Enoch Fixed years of 364
days each, or c) one "Grand Enoch Year" of 364 "long
days" of 1,001 days each.

Jared's Ordination to the Baptism of Christ

 
Figure 4. Jared's Ordination, Noah's Ark, and Christ's
Baptism are separated by multiples of 13 Enoch years of
364 days, with the outer interval also even in Sacred
Rounds of 260 days.

 Even more impressive is the relationship of Enoch's

ordination date to the date of the baptism of Jesus Christ.
He was baptized on a day 13 Water (Sacred Round), 14
Autumn (Enoch Fixed), and 0 Prime (Venus), all of which
match the ordination date. The fact that it was the same
Venus day on both the Sacred Round of 260 days and also
the Enoch Fixed calendar of 364 days is rare indeed. The
exact number of days between the two dates is impressive
in itself. The dates of Jared's ordination and the Baptism of
Christ are separated by exactly 13 x 260 x 364 days.[19]
The number 13 is foundational to both the Sacred Round
(260 = 20 x 13) and the Enoch Calendar (364 = 28 x 13),
so the fact that 13 times their product just happens to be an
exact number of Venus cycles is yet another argument for
the design of the orbit of Venus to fit these calendars,
which is just what the Mayans believed.[20] Figure 4
illustrates these numeric relationships of Jared's ordination
date both to Noah's Ark and also to the Savior's baptism.
Note that both of the intervals to Noah's Ark are multiples
of 13 Enoch Fixed years of 364 days, but that the overall
interval is also a multiple of 260 days.
 
Picture drawn from eye-witness accounts of the ark on Mt.
Ararat.

 Jared's Death and the Flood

Jared died exactly 235 years before the Flood according to
the Hebrew calendar, both dates being on 17 Heshvan.
That interval is not fully understood at this time, but it
appears to be the best interval to align not only the sun and
moon (Hebrew calenar), but also the planets Mercury,
Venus, Mars, and Saturn with the Priest cycle of 168 days.
The relationships with Mars and Saturn are beyond my
understanding at this point, as well as the apparent tie to
the Priest cycle, but this information is included here to
show the richness of the planetary interactions, and of yet
undiscovered witnesses and symbolism.[21]

Conclusion

We have found an interlocking set of eight dates for Jared,

his son Enoch, the Flood, and the Baptism of Jesus Christ.
Each by itself is only one thread which may not be
convincing. But the many interrelations between those
threads create a tapestry, forming a vivid picture that
testifies of all of those events together. The probability of
those interlocking alignments occurring by blind chance in
the very years indicated by the Bible is so small that one is
compelled to conclude that the proposed dates are correct.
Moreover, it implies that the Creator scheduled the lives of
those patriarchs according to an incredibly complex
design, to leave a record of the great events of history,
according to his foreknowledge. These results vindicate
the Book of Genesis as a true historical and inspired
document. There should be no doubt that there indeed was
a Great Flood and that it began on Sat 16 Nov 2343 B.C.
Moreover, what began as simply a chronological exercise
to determine the date of the Great Deluge resulted in much
more. At first there was no thought of extending the
discussion into the realm of asking whether or not the
Flood was truly worldwide. The surprising result was that
the Flood is so closely tied to the baptism of Jesus Christ
that there seems to be no escaping the comparison of the
Flood to the baptism of the earth. Thus, it may be time for
us to rethink any arguments we may have entertained
about a localized Flood, and also of civilizations which we
assume existed without interruption in the year 2343 B.C.,
when the fountains of the great deep erupted, and "the
world that then was, being overflowed with water,
perished" (2 Peter 3:6).

Notes

Pratt, John P., "Venus and the Beginning of Mortality,"

Meridian Magazine (9 Jul 2003). The Venus and Hebrew
calendars are briefly described in that article.

See Pratt, John P., "Genealogy from Adam to the Twelve

Tribes," (Salt Lake City: HandKraft, 1968).

430 years of 365.242 days = 157,054 days, and 269 Venus

cycles of 583.92166 days = 157,075 days. The 21-day
difference between these numbers allows an occasional
coincidence between the Venus and Hebrew calendars
because the Venus calendar always aligns with 13-day
intervals, and the Hebrew differs from the solar year by as
much as a month. Thus, the 430-year period only
occasionally allows for both the beginning and end dates
to be holy days on both calendars at the same season of the
year.

The sum of the ages is 130+105+90+70+65+162=622

years (Gen. 5:3-18). 622 years after 4001 B.C. is 3379
B.C.

See Pratt, John P., "A Native American Easter", Meridian

Magazine (28 Mar 2001), for an introduction to the Sacred
Round.

See Pratt, John P., "Enoch Calendar Testifies of Christ",

Meridian Magazine (11 Sep 2001) for an introduction to
the Enoch Calendar. Enoch's proposed birth date is the
Autumnal Equinox (0 Autumn) only if the day began at
6:00 p.m. (or sunset) which now appears to be the case. In
that first article I suggested that the Enoch day probably
started in the morning, and even now the evidence is not
conclusive.
1 Lord is the first of the minor holy days to be mentioned
in my articles and deserves a note of explanation. It
currently appears that on both the Venus and Mercury
calendars, in addition to the 8 major holy days (1 Creation,
1 Birth, 1 Prime, and 1 Resurrection, and the days
preceding them), there are also 8 minor holy days: 1
Quickening, 1 Adult, 1 Death, and 1 Lord, and the days
preceding them. Each of these has a counterpart on the
Sacred Round having the same symbolic meaning of a day
in the cycle of life: Creation = Light (conception),
Quickening = Wind (when spirit enters the unborn), Birth
= Temple (birth), Adult = Dragon (maturity), Prime =
Serpent (prime), Death = Skull (death), Resurrection =
Grass (resurrection), and Lord = Flower (divinity). In
Mayan, Flower is called Ahau, meaning "Lord." Mayan
priests explained that "On the twentieth and last day Ahau
(god), he becomes one with the divinity." (Irene
Nicholson, Mexican and Central American Mythology,
New York, Hamlyn Publishing, 1967, p. 52).

Reed is the glyph following Grass, which symbolizes

resurrection. The reed apparently represents the grass later
when it is fully grown. In the resurrection, children will
grow to maturity after they resurrect (See Teachings of the
Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 200, including fn. 4), so this
glyph may represent the day one receives the fully mature
resurrected body. The Reed was associated with Jesus
Christ because he was born on the day 1 Reed. He is "the
resurrection and the life" (John 11:25), and of course, he
was fully mature on the day of his resurrection. But the
day on which he was presented to the priest at the temple
as an infant, which was his "birthday" on the Enoch Fixed
calendar, was the day 1 Grass. Perhaps that signified that
even as an infant, he was "the resurrection."

Since the time of Moses, Heshvan (formerly Heshwan or

Marheshwan) has been the eighth month, rather than the
second, because the Lord changed the numbering at that
time to begin in the spring (Ex. 12:2). The traditional
Jewish date for the Flood is 17 Heshvan: "The duration of
the flood was a whole year. It began on the seventeenth
day of Heshwan . . . " (Louis Ginzberg, The Legends of
the Jews, vol. I, p. 163.)

Pratt, John P., "What Every Mormon Should Know About

Astronomy," Meridian Magazine (12 May 2000), section
3.

Pratt, John P., "Enoch Calendar Testifies of Christ",

Meridian Magazine (11 Sep 2001), Section 5.

Smith, Joseph Fielding, Jr., Doctrines of Salvation (Salt

Lake City: BookCraft, 1955), Vol.2, p.320.

It has recently been proposed that the Mid-Atlantic Ridge,

the gash in the ocean floor which runs thousands of miles
down the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, may be where the
fountains of the deep erupted, rather than merely being a
source of slow ocean-floor spreading as believed by most
scientists (see, for example, Walt Brown, In The
Beginning, Phoenix, 2001). We might also note that the
same prophets who taught that the earth was baptized by
immersion in water also foretold the baptism of the earth
by fire still yet to come. Those hoping that this future
baptism is also not by immersion might support their
position with calculations that there is not enough fire
today to engulf the entire earth. Of course, the rest of us
are confident that the Lord can create whatever flames are
needed.

Astronomers use "Julian Day Numbers" to facilitate such

calculations. They simply assign a consecutive number to
every day, beginning with Mon 1 Jan 4713 B.C. (Julian
calendar) being Julian Day 0. The day Sat 9 Nov 2343
B.C. was Julian Day 865,975, and Sat 6 Oct A.D. 29 was
Julian Day 1,731,931. The difference between those
numbers is 865,956 days.

Such calculations can be verified on my web site at

http://www.johnpratt.com/items/calendar/mathutil/realign.
html. In this case choose "2" realignment cycles, with one
cycle being "Enoch" and the other "Venus." The second
realignment cycle is seen to be 865,956 days.

Pratt, John P., "From Martyrdom to Celebration!"

Meridian Magazine (6 June 2002), section 5.

To verify the calculations at the link given in footnote 15,

enter "Sacred" and "Venus" to see both realignment cycles
of 35,620 and 175,760 days. See also Anthony Aveni,
Skywatchers of Ancient Mexico (Austin: U. of Texas
Press, 1980) for a discussion of how the 61 Venus cycles
are actually used in the Mayan Dresden Codex (p. 192),
and for the claim that "the Maya astronomers had
succeeded in tabulating the motion of Venus to .08 part of
a day in 481 years" (p. 191).

Again using Julian Days as explained in footnote 14, Jared

was born on 428,617 and died on 780,136, so he lived
351,520 days (one more than their difference), which is
twice the interval of 175,760 days.

The Julian Day of the ordination was 501,611 and the

Julian Day of the Baptism is given in footnote 14, and the
difference between them is 1,230,320 = 13 x 260 x 364
days.

Roys, Ralph, The Book of Chilam Balam of Chumayel

(Norman, OK: U. of Oklahoma, 1967), p. 116: "This is a
song of how the uinal came to be created before the
creation of the world." Uinal is the Mayan word for what
is now called the vientena, the 20-day cycle.

Moreover, including the star background shows that on

both of the dates of Jared's death and the Flood, there was
a close conjunction of Mercury and Saturn in the Archer,
as well as Mars accompanying Venus in the Water Bearer.
It may be significant that at the Flood, Venus is right at the
stream that the Water Bearer is pouring out. Much more
research is required to understand the rich symbolism of
the "signs" in the stars of which the Lord spoke (Gen.
1:14).

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© 2003 Meridian Magazine.  All Rights Reserved.

 STUDYING PAUL
 EXTRACTED FROM MERIDIAN MAGAZINE

By Taylor Halverson

Why can´t scripture study be like the latest diet fad? 

Hmmm, good question.  
Maybe I should try the high powered sales pitch I often
hear on the radio.
  Ok, do I have something to sell to you!!!  I developed
this unique formula in my garage using true imitations of
fake natural products to boost your immune system against
the power of the destroyer and open your mind to the
scriptures like never before!  Simply pop two of these
placebo pills a day, drink a lot of water, say your prayers
and wazaam!  You will be a true scholar of the scriptures!

Well, sorry folks, I don´t have the magic pill for making
the scriptures come alive in your heart without any effort. 
Instead, I do have a few suggestions that if coupled with
honest searching of the scriptures, humility and prayer will
help you to find greater meaning and purpose in your
scripture study.
There are several objectives in sharing an article such as
this.  First, I wish to briefly encourage everyone to read
Paul.  Second, I want to encourage everyone to use more
than one translation when reading Paul.  Third, I wish to
shed light on the work of Biblical scholars, such as those
who made the King James Translation, who labor to make
the Bible more accessible and more understandable.  The
Bible is worthless if it is inaccessible or
incomprehensible.  It is in this light that I wish to elucidate
the efforts and motives of Biblical scholars.
First: Why should we read Paul?  Well, the most obvious
answer is that more than ½ of the New Testament is
attributed to him.  More importantly, Paul is probably the
most formative figure in establishing and expounding the
doctrines of Christianity after the death of Christ.  If then,
Paul is the author of such a vast corpus of inestimably
important material on Christ and Christianity, we should
study him and his words as an additional witness of the
mission and ministry of Christ.
Second: Once we are motivated to study the words of such
an important apostle we must overcome the obstacles that
hinder understanding Paul.  Some of the obstacles are of
our own making; they are in our own mind.  We fear
reading Paul (perhaps like we fear reading Isaiah), thus we
do not venture forth and thus we lose the opportunity to
experience that we can indeed understand this key witness
of Christ.  
Now our fears concerning Paul are not without reason. 
My goodness, we must be in good company when even
Peter the mighty apostle admitted in one of his epistles
that Paul can be hard to understand: So also our beloved
brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given
him, speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are
some things in them hard to understand (2 Peter 3:15-16;
NRSV translation)
Having admitted the real challenges that Paul´s writing
can pose, let me offer a way that our comprehension is
magnified and enhanced.  
Perhaps one of the best methods for understanding Paul is
to use the synoptic method.  We are all familiar with this
approach as applied to the four Gospels.  
They are called the synoptic Gospels because each offers a
unique view and testimony on the mission of Jesus Christ. 
In other words, each synoptic perspective offers additional
information and insights that may not be expressed by
other witnesses.  Each perspective plays a crucial role in
informing the whole.  And who among us does not benefit
from a 2nd opinion, from a different viewpoint, from
another way of seeing a matter?  The synoptic viewpoint is
a way of seeing together through a chorus of harmonious
witnesses.  And what better example of harmonious
witnesses do we have then the synoptic Gospels
themselves?
 They offer unique access into the powerful doctrines
taught by the Master Teacher.  Through these accounts we
learn of his miraculous birth, his unparalleled mission and
his all encompassing charity of everlasting kindness
known the world over as the Atonement.
Let us now change focus and consider the concept of the
synoptic perspective from another angle and see how such
an approach to the Bible, and to the Pauline epistles, can
enhance our insight and understanding.  Let us apply this
concept to Bible translations (or versions if you will). 
Would we gain additional perspective and insight if we
read more than just one translation of the Bible?  
May I submit that just as our insight and understanding
have been greatly enhanced through the seeing together
offered to us by the synoptic Gospels, so too can our
insight and understanding be enhanced by reading various
translations of the Bible?  Such is the case with the
Pauline writings as well.
There are, of course, literally hundreds of available
English translations of the Bible.  Our King James Version
(KJV) is one example (and the one officially approved by
the Church, with JST enhancements, footnotes, dictionary,
etc).  
Other prominent examples include the following list:
                                                               The New
Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
                                                               The New King
James Version (NKJV)
                                                               The New
International Version (NIV)
                                                               The New
American Bible (NAB)
                                                               The New Revised
Standard Version (NRSV)

As you can see, many of these Bible translations have new

in the name.This reflects that as our understanding of
Biblical texts and languages increases there is a need to
update our translations.[1]  
Now the task of translating the Bible is an extremely
arduous one.  What goes into such an effort?  The answer
will fulfill the third objective of this article, i.e. to shed
light on the work of Biblical scholars who labor to make
the Bible more accessible and more understandable.
Translating the Bible is a truly monumental effort.  First,
all available ancient documents and versions of the Old
and New Testament must be reviewed and analyzed. 
There are literally thousands of ancient documents that
contain portions of the Old and/or New Testament and
variations of text and composition number in the tens of
thousands!  Scholars carefully examine each version, each
text, each verse, and sometimes down to even the very
letters of each word to determine which texts are most
authentic and most reliable.  Just as a detective seeks for
the best evidence to make a case and rejects that which is
unreliable, so too the Biblical scholars work tediously and
carefully to determine which ancient manuscripts are most
authentic to the original authors.  Hey, we dont want
someone like me out there composing Biblical texts,
inserting them into the mix of other ancient texts only to
find that I fooled the Biblical scholars into getting me
published!
Once the most reliable ancient Old and New Testament
texts have been identified, scholars then begin the careful
process of translating the texts into the target language (in
this case English) in a form that is both readable and
understandable.  This requires a thorough understanding of
at least one ancient language, whether Hebrew, Greek or
Aramaic.[2]  Do they slavishly stick to literal translation? 
Of course not, that would be impossible because of the
nuances of words and grammar that do not easily cross
over cultural barriers.  
If you don´t believe me just ponder for a moment why
foreign diplomacy often fails.  Sometimes words can have
multiple meanings depending upon context.  In this case,
the scholars seek to understand the meaning and intent of
the passage as a whole, or they appeal to what is known of
ancient cultures or customs of those times to make an
appropriate translation.  Each translation is reviewed many
times by many people so as to ensure accuracy as well as
consensus among experts.   Believe me, the process is
tedious and time consuming and usually does not offer the
type of financial rewards one would get through an IPO.  
Why, then, would anyone labor so intensely on such a
project?  What is the reward?  In most cases, these
translators are people like you and me who care deeply
about the Bible and the power it has to inform and
enhance our lives. Thus they strive to make the Bible both
available and understandable to all people through
translations.  These translators and scholars realize that
most people in this world will not take the many years
necessary to learn half a dozen ancient languages and to
master some 4000 years of history in order to gain access
to the meaning of the texts in their original languages and
contexts.
Granted that most Biblical scholars are God-fearing and
well-intentioned individuals, it is unavoidable that their
fingerprints get left on the final product.  Every new
translation of the Bible is essentially a new version that
reflects the attitudes, values, and ideals of the time period
in which it was translated.  
This is an inescapable fact.  For example, the King James
Version (KJV) is reflective of 17th century English
culture.  How?  This is most strongly reflected in the
language and grammar employed in the translation itself,
though this is somewhat of circular reasoning for what
other options did the translators have than to render the
original Hebrew and Greek texts into the common tongue
of their place and time?  But that is exactly the point. 
Every time we translate the Bible we cannot help but place
our own fingerprints upon the work.  That does not
necessarily mean that we have smudged the Bible or
corrupted it; we should have no fear of translating and
transmitting the Bible so that it continues to inform our
spiritual lives today.  In most cases today, new translations
depend upon the most ancient and authentic sources
(usually Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic) and not the
translations of our own times.  In other words, if I was
attempting to translate the Bible into Spanish I would not
use the English KJV to do so.  Such an approach would
preserve the fingerprints of the King James translators into
the Spanish version as well as adding the new fingerprints
of Spanish culture and values embedded in the language of
the translation.  Rather it would be best to go back to the
original languages of Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic and
make a fresh translation from those documents into
Spanish.  That way the intervening fingerprints of the KJV
translators are not preserved and transmitted.  This is not
to sleight the KJV translators.  What we are simply
attempting to do is to get back to the most original and
authentic versions of the Biblical text. So it is important to
realize that fingerprints come in various forms.  Some
translators seek to be politically correct in their
translations.  Other translations attempt to render the
English in such a colloquial way as to make the Bible read
as though it was the product of the lowest common
denominator of meaning and vocabulary.  Hence, no
translation is without its deficiencies.  
Nevertheless, with some study, faith, prayer and humility
supporting; witnesses can be selected to facilitate reading
the Bible, especially Paul.
Before I close I will offer but one example of how reading
a synoptic translation of Paul can enhance our study and
understanding.  Read both translations of 1 Corinthians
14:1-12 below and then ask yourself if this exercise
increases your comprehension of Paul´s explanation of the
gifts of the Spirit.  If you can answer; then you are already
on your way to  experiencing the value of using various
translations in the synoptic approach.[3]

      THE STANDARD VERSION (OUR ACTUAL KING

´S JAMES TRANSLATION)
1 Corinthians 14:1-12:
    Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather
that  ye may prophesy.
       2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh
not unto men, but  unto God: for no man understandeth
him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
       3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to
edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
       4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth
himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
       5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather
that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than
he that speaketh with tongues,  except he interpret, that the
church may receive edifying.
       6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with
tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to
you either by revelation, or by  knowledge, or by
prophesying, or by doctrine?
       7 And even things without life giving sound, whether
pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds,
how shall it be known what is piped  or harped?
       8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who
shall prepare himself to the battle?
       9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words
easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is
spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.
       10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in
the world, and none of them is without signification.
       11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I
shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that
speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.
       12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of
spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the
church.Pursue love and strive for the spiritual gifts, and
especially that you may prophesy.
 
 THE NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION

 (King James Version - The New Revised Standard

Version)

       2 For those who speak in a tongue do not speak to

other people but to God; for nobody understands them,
since they are speaking mysteries in the Spirit.
       3 On the other hand, those who prophesy speak to
other people for their upbuilding and encouragement and
consolation.
       4 Those who speak in a tongue build up themselves,
but those who prophesy build up the church.
       5 Now I would like all of you to speak in tongues, but
even more to prophesy. One who prophesies is greater
than one who speaks in tongues, unless someone
interprets, so that the church may be built up.
       6 Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking
in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you in
some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?
       7 It is the same way with lifeless instruments that
produce sound, such as the flute or the harp. If they do not
give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is being
played?
       8 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will
get ready for battle?
       9 So with yourselves; if in a tongue you utter speech
that is not  intelligible, how will anyone know what is
being said? For you will be speaking into the air.
       10 There are doubtless many different kinds of sounds
in the world, and nothing is without sound.
       11 If then I do not know the meaning of a sound, I
will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a
foreigner to me.
       12 So with yourselves; since you are eager for
spiritual gifts, strive to excel in them for building up the
church.

 NOTAS:

[1]  Here is an example of how the names change as the

Bible translations are updated.  First there was the
Standard Version.  Then there was the Revised Standard
Version.  And now there is the New Revised Standard
Version.  I have often quipped that if there is a standard
Bible translation why does it need to be revised?  And if
the standard version has been revised why does it need to
be new?  And what will happen if the translation needs to
be updated in the future?
     Perhaps they will just do what Cheerios makers have
been doing for years (without significantly changing
anything but the box display on the shelf) they will call it
The New and Improved Revised Standard Version
(NIRSV)!
[2] Usually Biblical scholars are competent not just in
Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic but other languages as well
such as Ugaritic, Akkadian, Egyptian, Moabite, Edomite,
Syriac, Coptic, Latin, Arabic or dozens of other languages.
[3] If you are interested in using additional translations of
the Bible in your scripture study you will find them for
purchase most bookstores.  Or if you wish to save the
money, there are several internet sites that have different
translations available online for free.  One that I like,
which allows you to read different translations in parallel
columns, is found at http://www.bibles.net/.
NOTA DE AMORAMON:
    Se Amoramon fosse traduzir este excelente artigo para o
Português Brasileiro, forçosamente deixaria suas
"fingerprints" nessa tradução; pois se o fizesse, o que está
excelent e no Inglês Americano, deixaria de o ser no
Português Brasileiro. Porque as expressões de um idioma,
perdem sua força quando traduzidos em idioma diverso. A
não ser que o tradutor encontre no seu próprio idioma
expressões correspondentes, as quais, geralmente não
podem ser traduções literais.
 

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*  *  *

POSFÁCIO

.
         Amoramon espera ter levado ao leitor alguns
pensamentos esparsos que o convide a refletir um pouco
mais sobre coisas da terra e dos céus.  Coisas  que 
possam  levá-lo  a entender um pouco mais sobre o
passado, o presente e o futuro do homem nesta astronave
chamada Terra.
*  *  *  *
   amoramon@mls.com.br
amoramon@bighost.com.br
 ATÉ NOVOS ACRÉSCIMOS!

AMORAMON
 
 

    

.