THEIR KINGDOMS COME, THEIR WILLS ARE DONE, BUT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8

In a piece on Curing Depression with Spirituality by Stephen Knapp, which is definitely worth taking a look at, I read a line which not only applies directly to thoughts but to the resulting ideological dynasties and physical societies which build upon the thoughts of man.
The last line of the piece reads:

“every problem is only a temporary illusion. They may have a cause, a beginning, but they also have an end. They are all temporary and it is not to our advantage to get so wrapped up in the illusion or temporary nature that we forget the real goal of life, which is to focus on our spiritual progress.”

Focusing on our “Spiritual Progress” may seem a vague and ambiguous term to many of us. Or worse yet, we may “think” we know what it means. Jesus warned the Nephites against this mental stumbling block when speaking about the failure of those at Jerusalem to grasp what He was saying to them. Jesus said,“And they understood me not, for they supposed…”  (3Nephi 15:22) To suppose (sub-pose) means literally to “put under” and in our supposition (sub-position), we end up “trampling UNDER foot” the “things of God” or in this case the thoughts of God.

“For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth, both to the body and soul, others set at naught and trample under their feet. Yea, even THE VERY GOD OF ISRAEL do men trample under their feet; I say, trample under their feet but I would speak in other words—they set him at naught, and hearken not to the voice of his counsels.”                                                                                                                   1 Nephi 19:17

So we should stand under, not put under. True UNDER-standing stems from a man standing UNDER his God. One good example of the Latter-Day Gentile’s arrogance in ignorance is the commonly quoted but not commonly understood scripture, Mosiah 3:19 –“ For the natural man is an enemy to God.” The scripture states clearly that this has been the case only since The Fall, prior to which, man enjoyed an intimate and proper connection to “Nature”. Yet in pride, in our minds, we imagine that modern man has somehow seen “progress” since The Fall of Adam. The modern man, who has not been redeemed from the effects of The Fall then, is an enemy to God. Our supposition is worse than the so-called superstition of peoples across the earth who we would label as primitive. Talking about knowing is not the same as knowing, in fact it is blasphemy. The One True and Living God is not glorified nor does He delight in the bearing of testi-phonies.

Con-formity to externally enforced rules and regulations is a hindrance to the establishment of Zion. This conflict with our outer Nature (Environment) is unnecessary. The struggle with our own inner nature is most debilitating. To deny our inner nature ironically keeps us locked in struggle with the flesh when Paul specifically explained that we “Struggle NOT against flesh and blood” least of all our own. In BRIGHAM – THE BUILDER & THE BUTCHER Pt. 2, I paraphrased several translations of Paul’s words to give us a fuller understanding of just what it is that we are to be fighting against.

“We feel the kingdom of God within us and we know if we stand in its way then we will be swept aside in the destruction……We DO fight against the rulers, against the authorities, even general authorities, against the powers, the cosmic powers over this darkness presently filling the world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms, yea the spiritual wickedness in high places. Those “high places” are first and foremost in our own heads atop our bodies.”

This silly double minded-state and the resulting state of being alternate between delusional and depressing and testify of a fallen nature. We are at war with the God of Nature (both inner and outer). Lets call it what it is; a lack of faith and a rebellion against God. To rebel means to wage war again. Our fallen senses have cut themselves off from the presence of the Lord and still suppose that they know how to interpret their surroundings better. When King Benjamin says that “The natural man is an enemy to God” he is not talking about people who enjoy camping or being in ‘NATURE’. Nor is he saying anything of those who follow their NATURAL inclination to “multiply and replenish the earth”. Other passages in the Book of Mormon are very clear on the effects of The Fall, which King Benjamin cites as the point where the problem began. In speaking of The Fall, Alma says:

“Therefore, as they had become carnal, sensual, and devilish, by nature, this probationary state became a state for them to prepare”                                                                                                                              Alma 42:10

When Alma says ‘sensual’ he does not mean ‘sexy’ or even ‘sexual’, as our modern minds would interpret it. It was God who made us to be sexual, or life giving beings. No, he means simply that we are controlled by the carnal senses. We trust the OUTER senses OVER the INNER sense and have therefore fallen out of touch with the reality of our mission. Our mission to be stewards over the outer nature and establish Heaven ON Earth.

Once again, we have succeeded in turning the natural order on its head. Reversing the positions of Heaven and Earth does not establish Zion, except maybe as an illusion in our own minds. But we deceive ourselves when we set our thoughts higher than His thoughts. We must do as the scripture advises, put off the natural man and become saints through the at-one-ment of Christ. If our inner and outer natures are not AT ONE with each other, then we will forever be AT ODDS with ourselves. We will be enemies to God. In our double-minded teetering between inner and outer nature, the outer seems to OVERtake us most of the time. This is why, while Adam and Eve were redeemed from The Fall (in this life!) the Pearl of Great Price testifies that we, their children, “loved Satan more than God” and “BEGAN from that time forth to be carnal, sensual, and devilish.”  But remember, that which has a BEGINNING has an end.

Gandhi said “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” We all like the sound of that but do we realize the possibilities? Do we understand how to establish Zion? I would suggest that anyone interested in not skipping steps and letting Zion ‘BEgin’ with themselves, read Moses 5:9-13 and also D&C 29:31-34. It may be helpful for our confused minds to view the simple yet seemingly perplexing flow of ETERNITY in a linear and even HIStorical TIME frame. Then we can understand how the Kingdom of God is not something we need to or can construct with concepts which originate with the philosophies of men. It is something that IS and always has been, something which, in truth, we previously had. We need only then remember, regain and retain it.

“The Kingdom of God is within you.” said Jesus. So learning what the outer nature of life has to teach us we can clearly see that if Jesus is right and Zion is within us, then it must be stuck. Looking at and admitting the severity of our case of spiritual congestion is the proper place to focus our attention, awareness and effort, so that we may achieve life-sustaining, spiritual circulation through the Blood Flow of the Lamb. When we feel both our inner and outer natures come together, this COMMON ground establishes a mini Zion and a sense of expansiveness comes over us. Zion is the most natural thing ever!

So lets revisit that quote from the piece posted by Stephen Knapp …

“every problem is only a temporary (carnal) illusion. They may have a cause, a beginning, but they also have an end. They are all temporary (non-eternal) and it is not to our advantage to get so wrapped up in the illusion or temporary (fallen) nature that we forget the real (royal) goal of Life, which is to focus on our spiritual progress. (advancement of the Kingdom of Heaven onto Earth)”

Our minds need not be troubled and our thinking is not an obstacle when put in its proper place, beneath God’s thinking. Our Left Brain/Minds are to serve a holy purpose in helping us to focus on “The Mark”. Then thought will become a laser beam directing the Powers of Heaven with enough intensity to melt glaciers and send waters rushing down as the 12 tribes are literally gathered after the prerequisite gathering of our scattered thoughts. Here is something to THINK on. A lengthier and therefore less likely to be used on bumper stickers but none the less beautiful quote from Gandhi says:

“When I despair, I *remember* that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a *time* they can *seem* invincible, but in the end they always *fall*. THINK of it —– ALWAYS.”

Body modesty is not a principle of the gospel

This blog is going to have its 3^rd birthday next month, October 7^th, and since its inception one subject that I have intentionally avoided is the topic of body modesty. From what I’ve read on other Mormon blogs, I’ve always come to the conclusion that Mormons are, essentially, prudes. How, then, could I speak of my understanding of body modesty without offending the sensibilities of my audience? Hence the silence.

Recently, though, I was searching for information on the Maitreya and I came across a different Maitreya whose organization was seeking to change the laws of the land to put the sexes on a more equal standing. I found the legal arguments fascinating and began to write a blog post on just that topic alone. But then I stopped again, realizing that I was mentioning body modesty without going into any depth, as I probably should. It would inevitably come up in the comment section, but without a proper treatment in the post.

So, as is usual for me, after giving it sufficient re-consideration, I made a split-second decision and with a verbal, “oh, what the hell,” I’m now diving head first into this topic.

What I teach my children

I knew that eventually, as my children attended church, they would be taught by their Sunday school teachers and advisers that body modesty is a part of the law of chastity, so I have been especially careful that they are instructed on that law so as to be able to discern truth from error. (I have covered the law of chastity previously on this blog, so I won’t go back into that topic, but I’ll just say here and now that it doesn’t mention how one is supposed to dress.) They understand that body modesty is a man-made societal norm that changes over time to suit the conditions among men, their customs, cultures, climate, biases, preconceived notions and so on and so forth. It has no basis in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Wikipedia has an excellent entry on modesty and I don’t want to extensively quote from it, so please click here to read it and learn about how the standards of body modesty have varied and changed over time.

From here on out I will just use the term “modesty” with the understanding that I am referring only to “body modesty,” meaning that modesty which deals with the covering up of the body with clothing. Okay, back to what my kids are taught.

Heavenly Father’s rule of modesty

I teach my children to hold up the pattern of modesty given by their Father in heaven as the ideal standard. Usually, when my kids ask me a question, I’ll answer them with another question and have them figure out the answer themselves. In this case, I’ll do the same to explain the heavenly pattern:

Question: How does heavenly Father clothe us when He sends us here to Earth?

Answer: He sends us here naked, or clothed in flesh.

 

Question: Is any part of our physical bodies clothed or covered when we get here?

Answer: Yes, the male penis is covered by a foreskin and the female clitoris is covered by a hood.

 

Question: As the body matures into adulthood, does anything become covered?

Answer: Yes, the genitals and armpits of both sexes becomes covered in hair. The face of males also becomes covered in hair.

This is the standard of modesty I give my children. As long as you still have your pubic hair and clitoral hood and penile foreskin coverings, there is no need for shame, for you are dressed modestly.

Everything above and beyond that standard is man-made.

Moroni the naked angel

Said Joseph of the angel Moroni:

He had on a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness. It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant. His hands were naked, and his arms also, a little above the wrist; so, also, were his feet naked, as were his legs, a little above the ankles. His head and neck were also bare. I could discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe, as it was open, so that I could see into his bosom. (Joseph Smith-History 1: 31)

So, Joseph could see that Moroni was totally naked, except for the open robe he was wearing. Why in the world would God allow Moroni to show Joseph his nakedness? Didn’t he know that robes need to be tied closed, so that no one can see the chest and genital area? Why wasn’t Moroni ashamed to show his nakedness to Joseph?

Isaiah, the naked prophet

In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it; at the same time spake the Lord by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot. And the Lord said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia; so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt. (Isaiah 20: 1-4)

Shouldn’t Isaiah have felt ashamed to show his nakedness for three straight years?

Our first parents naked

Adam and Even “were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”

“And I, the Lord God, said unto Adam: Who told thee thou wast naked?”  (Moses 4: 17)

Let’s answer the question. Who told them that they were naked? Who taught them to be ashamed of their nakedness? Who originated body modesty?

LUCIFER: See–you are naked. Take some fig leaves and make you aprons. Father will see your nakedness. Quick! Hide!  (Source: The Garden.)

Satan did.

Why Satan told our first parents to clothe themselves

I think Bette Davis said it best:

“I often think that a slightly exposed shoulder emerging from a long satin nightgown packed more sex than two naked bodies in bed.”

She is right, of course. And Satan knew this from the beginning. It is his intention to have everyone break the law of chastity. If everyone were naked, the law of chastity would be broken less, not more. He needed to first cover our parents up and create the illusion of shame, so that the enticement of sin could allure people into uncovering “the sinful parts,” followed by the guilt of acting shameful.

Satan works by using secrets. Occult knowledge is secret knowledge. Secret combinations can only work in the dark. Devilish logic follows that genital parts must become “secret parts.” Thus, we have the (apparently) strange command of the devil to our first parents to abide by the principle of modesty!

Notice, though, that now the devil has made even the breast a “secret part.” Adam and Eve originally covered up only their genitals with fig leaves. Now, society will have us believe the exposure of the female (not male) breast is immodest.

The Lord looks upon the heart

But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. (1 Samuel 16: 7)

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.  (Hebrews 4: 13)

Such truth, though, is not very useful to the devil. So, clothing is used to entice, to create the illusion of sexiness, to flaunt power and prestige and money, to say I am better than you, more beautiful than you. It is used to create situations of judgment, so that mankind judges each other based upon what they are, or are not, wearing. It is used to despise the poor who cannot afford the better garments, or any garments, at all. Etc.

The Lord, though, uses clothing for other, righteous purposes. Clothing can protect from the elements, hence we find the Lord making coats of skins for Adam and Eve so that when they enter the fallen world they can survive. It can convey spiritual symbolism, hence the priesthood garment. And there are other righteous purposes, as well, that do not necessarily equate to “hiding one’s nakedness”, which was Satan’s deceptive intention for clothing. (Remember, the angel Moroni wore a robe that did not hide his nakedness from Joseph. What, then, was the purpose of the robe?)

Not all Mormons are prudes

For example:

LDS Skinny Dippers Forum

These are LDS who are “interested in chaste, wholesome, recreational nudity.” They have no problem with privately or publicly going completely nude. They are, however, most likely a very small minority.

The rest of the LDS are prudes, pure and simple, who quibble over the length of a sleeve or pant leg or skirt. Who are shocked when there is an exposed shoulder. Who cannot even conceive of a painting of a bare chest, stripling warrior whose nipple hasn’t been airbrushed out.

The audience of all modesty talks

The target of virtually all modesty talks is the female population. She is told how and how not to dress. She is taught this by her mother, by her Sunday school teachers and advisers, and by her priesthood leadership. All of this repression, if ever let out, leads to rampant breaking of the law of chastity (Satan’s plan). And if it isn’t let out, it leads to depression (again, Satan’s plan, the misery of all).

Guys, for the most part, hardly get a mention in modesty talks. I don’t recall ever being told I had to cover up my chest or nipples, or had to wear shorts below a certain length, or keep my shoulders and back covered, etc. Modesty oppression is mainly a girl thing.

Of course, the males get oppressed in other ways, such as the insistence on wearing white shirts, flaxen cords about their necks (ties), being clean-shaven and having short hair.

Legal public nudity is coming soon to a city near you

Now this brings me to that web site I spoke of above, about equalizing the sexes. If you click the below link, be forewarned that you will see pictures of top free men and women.

GoTopless.org

Here are some quotes from the web site:

Welcome to GoTopless.org! – We are a US organization, claiming that women have the same constitutional right to be bare chested in public places as men.

Maitreya, Rael, spiritual leader and founder of GoTopless.org states: “As long as men can be topless, constitutionally women should have the same right, or men should also be forced to wear something hiding their chest.”

Why a National GoTopless Protest day? Gotopless.org claims constitutional equality between men and women on being topless in public. Currently, women who dare to be topless in public in the US are repeatedly being arrested, fined, humiliated, criminalized. On SUNDAY AUGUST 22nd, 2010, topless women will rally in great numbers across the USA to protest this gross inequality in the law and will demand that their fundamental right to be topless be acknowledged where men already enjoy that right according to the 14th amendment of the Constitution (please see our exact legal argument on the right to be topfree for women under “14th amendment” in news section.)

Why in August? On August 26, 1920, following a 72-year struggle, the U.S. Constitution was amended to grant women the right to vote. And in 1970, as an ongoing reminder of women’s equality, Congress declared August 26 “Women’s Equality Day.” But even in the 21st century, women need to stand up and demand that equality in fact – not just in words. Note that in 2010, GoTopless will have a large rally nationwide in honor of the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment and Women’s Equality Day.

Why having GoTopless actions in cities where top-less freedom for women is already legal? Those programmed with puritanical values find it difficult to change. This “mentality hurdle” applies to both women and men.

How are we helping women? GoTopless is committed to helping women perceive their breasts as noble, natural parts of their anatomy (whether they are nursing or not). Breasts shouldn’t have to be “modestly” or shamefully hidden from public view any more than arms, legs or feet.

How are we helping men? GoTopless is also committed to helping men differentiate between nudity and sexuality. If the presence of a topless woman in public triggers a sexual impulse, it can easily be controlled in the same way men control themselves when they see a woman wearing a mini skirt or revealing ample cleavage. Men manage to appreciate these things while still showing respect! Choosing consciousness above hormones leads to a peaceful, respectful society providing additional freedom and beauty.

Why do you talk about femininity rather than feminism? In the past, women often had to act like men when fighting for their rights, so they repressed their femininity. Today, GoTopless women see their femininity as a powerful asset as they struggle for equal rights in a masculine-dominated world.

What happens on National GoTopless day? Across America, topless women and men peacefully rally in the streets, parks, on the beaches of their towns and cities. Topfree performances are given by various artists to honor women’s right to be top free, body painting is be available. Chalk street artists also paint Art works from Old Masters (or new ones) without any nipple censure. The aim is to convey that the sight of a top free women in public is as natural as the sight of top free men. Please write to us if you are an artist (performance or visual) who would like to participate in one of future events.

Participating cities for Go Topless Day 2010 are : Please see our news section to learn the details about the events in each city.

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

VENICE BEACH, CALIFORNIA

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA

AUSTIN, TEXAS

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

OAHU, HAWAII

DENVER, COLORADO

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

14^th Amendment to the US Constitution The 14th amendment guarantees equal protection under law and properly interpreted it guarantees women the right to be top-free where men are allowed to be topfree. Unfortunately, some jurisdictions do not recognize that right, and there is a less stringent test in the courts (called intermediate scrutiny) for gender based differential treatment than for e.g., racial classifications (which are analyzed under what’s called strict scrutiny).

Our rights under the 14th Amendment guarantee and include the one to be top free where men are allowed to – We seek to see legislation (or court decisions where arrests are made for being top free) in all jurisdictions to make explicit what should already be understood as implicit within the meaning of equal rights.

Please see the above web site for information about the states and cities where being top free (or even totally nude, such as Portland, Oregon) in public is legal.

What will the LDS ever do?

In the changing legal environment, I wonder what the LDS will do if suddenly they find themselves living in a city where anyone can legally walk around stark naked or bare-chested. Our arguments about skirt length seem kind of silly faced with legal public nudity, as in the right to be nude. Will we be champions of people’s rights, or shame them all as sinners?

And what I really wonder is this: if this changing legal environment is setting the stage for the appearance of naked prophets and angels, are we going to be among those who reject them because of their immodest appearance?

Eyelids, necks and feet to the rescue

Don’t like what you see? Don’t like how that person is dressed? Don’t like it that a woman is going around topfree? Don’t like that that man or woman is walking around in the nude? Well, have no fear. God gave us eyelids with which to close our eyes, and necks with which to turn our head, and feet with which to walk away. This is the proper response.

Don’t make laws to force people to conform to your standards. Don’t make laws to remove people’s rights. Don’t do the devil’s work for him.

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