Proposition 8 and LDS Church

I recently ran across the following disturbing statement at newsroom.lds.org

The following letter was sent from the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Church leaders in California to be read to all congregations on 29 June 2008:

Preserving Traditional Marriage and Strengthening Families

In March 2000 California voters overwhelmingly approved a state law providing that “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” The California Supreme Court recently reversed this vote of the people. On November 4, 2 008, Californians will vote on a proposed amendment to the California state constitution that will now restore the March 2000 definition of marriage approved by the voters.

The Church’s teachings and position on this moral issue are unequivocal. Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God, and the formation of families is central to the Creator’s plan for His children. Children are entitled to be born within this bond of marriage.

A broad-based coalition of churches and other organizations placed the proposed amendment on the ballot. The Church will participate with this coalition in seeking its passage. Local Church leaders will provide information about how you may become involved in this important cause.

We ask that you do all you can to support the proposed constitutional amendment by donating of your means and time to assure that marriage in California is legally defined as being between a man and a woman. Our best efforts are required to preserve the sacred institution of marriage.

I knew they leaned this way politically for quite a while, but I am quite shocked that they are being so direct about it now. I feel the need to clarify my own position:

Owing to this and previous similar activities, I have ceased to pay tithing or offerings to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and I do not support the evil political designs of this institution in any way. I believe in equal rights for all people. As long as TCoJCoLDS maintains these policies it is evidence that the leaders of the Church are going astray from the teachings of Jesus and are diverting their focus away from what should be their highest goals. I encourage all others who are or have been members of this Church to make a similar statement so that your voice may be heard. I do not want to be counted as one among the "millions" of members who are backing discriminatory, damaging behavior.

If any of the leaders in SLC read this, I have one word of advice: PRAY.

A Gentle Tugging at My Soul

Every day lately, it seems like I've been feeling a gentle tugging at my soul, to go out and share with others the religious knowledge that I have found.  Like I'm supposed to hit the streets and share the original message of Jesus, ethical behavior, the Kingdom of God.  To help set them free from the deception of Paul.  Also, to teach about the restoration, modern revelation, and the priesthood.

My last post about not having a name, is one of my excuses.  I don't feel equipped to do this if I don't have a name to ascribe to the work.  The Hebrew word Kevod popped into my mind today.  It means Glorious.  That isn't a name, though.

Maybe I should go out without a name. How to start? What a humbling feeling.

Morality of Deuteronomy and Joshua

I read the Torah portions for the entire year, starting over yesterday on Genesis 1 again. Instead of just starting on Genesis 1, I decided to continue reading forward in addition to the portions this year, so I read the beginning of Joshua.

In my readings, I have come to the conclusion that the ethics presented in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers are superior to those presented in Deuteronomy and Joshua (thus far.)

Deuteronomy appears to be a much later book, attempting to convince the Israelites that they have fallen astray, and get them to abide by a much harsher law. I don't think Deuteronomy really contradicts Torah much if at all, it just extends it in a dark way.

Joshua, curiously, begins where Deuteronomy left off, and seems to be using its opening passages as an argument to persuade people to believe in Deuteronomy.  I see this as evidence that Deuteronomy and Joshua are nearly contemporary, Joshua following because Deuteronomy may not have picked up much traction at first.

The purpose of Deuteronomy seems to be to build up the kingdom, (or, if it is retrospective, to explain how it was built, in possible hopes that it can be built even larger) to give more authority and power to the Priests, to abolish formal worship outside of the official national sanctuary and to promote certain theological points.

I feel pretty good about Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, but Deuteronomy remains unconvincing to me as a "good book." Although, it does have certain passages that could be considered cherished and are very good by their own merit, but as a complete work, it just doesn't add up.

It seems a shame to end the Torah reading each year with such a "forgery" to the good name of Moses, and such an ethically challenged book.

Learning True Good - Ethics as a Tool of Spiritual Discernment

This is only a partially developed thought, but I wanted to share it.

Somewhere out there on a planet in Alpha Centauri there is a being so Superior to us that we call Him God. He is not alone. There are many Supreme Beings out there - the Elohim. Some are good, and some are evil. Well, what makes our God special? He, together with our Mother, seeded our world.

If any of these Elohim visited us on earth, we would be tempted to worship them as God. It has been revealed to us that our Deity is one of Goodness. If an Evil being came it would seek out this worship, and try to be recognized as God, but it is our duty to know the Good from the Evil so that we can detect such an impostor.

Any other Good being would not try to take that which is not rightfully theirs. No Good God would come to a planet not under his or her authority and usurp it.

While this example may not be correct in its technical details, it is illustrative of the principle: If we properly learn Ethics we can discern between God and all Impostors. Therefore, to know Ethics is to know God. To know Ethics will cause us to practice them. If we know God we will know ourselves. To show it another way, if we understand the Ethical teachings of Jesus, we will know the Father when we see Him.