THE DEVIL IN THE DUST

ARMIES & NAVIES

Should members of modern society follow the example of the Anti-Nehpi-Lehies, and if so, how?  Does it require gun owners to give up those guns or even increasingly tighter government control of guns and by extension their owners and the general populace? Are weapons used rarely and only for purposes of protection able to be correctly termed “weapons of war” or is this only a gross error and ploy being pushed in the media today? For any unfamiliar with the Book of Mormon story, let me clarify that the word ‘Anti’ in this context does not mean against. It refers to the Reformed Egyptian reflex of an ancient Khemetian (Egyptian) word ‘N-T-Y’ which is used grammatically to connect a relative clause to an undetermined antecedent. It would translate as “One With”, “One Of” or “One who” depending on the relative clause which followed. Note that they did not take on the name Anti-Laman-Ishmael-Jacob-Zoram-Nehphi-Lehies, aligning themselves as a friend to all the various groups and subgroups of the area. So after but not in consequence of their conversion, they essentially took sides in a war. The story of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies or at least the people who later choose to be designated by that title is presented in a deeply moving way. What did they do first? Well, they were converted in their hearts and mightily at that. Okay so assuming one or even a group of individuals among us today have experienced a similarly mighty change of heart. What would the naturally ensuing fruits be which would identify them as truly repentant?

The converted Lamanites buried their weapons of war. How can you and I do that? Do you or I have access to the literal weapons of war? If the answer is no, does this mean we don’t have anything to do as an outward token of our repentance? Even the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, as they later came to be called, were protected by a standing army of large in stature Nephites – a standing army sometimes supplemented by their own stripling sons. How convenient! Don’t you just love modern sin systems? I guess we were never personally guilty in the first place, eh? Wow, how wonderful. So basically I can shed a tear over the dead children in the so-called Middle East and other parts of Africa and Asia and I’m good? I like that. Surely God will understand when I continue, business as usual, with my way of “life” which is not a lifestyle at all but rather a deathstyle, but HEY, what can I do about that? I take the sacrament every Sunday. Along with my fellow ‘Drunkards of Ephraim’ First we eat (Wonderbread) then we drink (Tapwater) and next we are “merry” (mingling in the foyer), for tomorrow, we die (physically that is, since we have already died as to things of the spirit today, Sunday, our Holy Day of worship/warship). We engage in these ongoing “dead works” so that we may take up the weapons of war and oppression again and again -That we may always have “the poor” to be with us. Amen!

But are our hands truly clean? If so, great! If not….how does one truly rid his or her garments of the Latter-Day Stains from the blood of this generation? It turns out it is not that complicated. We determine what has been our role in the sins of our day, which is more often than not a simple carrying on of false traditions of our fathers, and we STOP DOING IT. Oh but the momentum created by our time-honored sin cycles is too great. Surely JESUS, the PEACE-maker would not expect us to do something so simple yet drastic as withdrawing financial support from monetized murder. He said “render unto Caesar” didn’t He? So that’s what I’m doing.

Take a look at the coin that Jesus referred to when they tried to corner him on this “tax issue”. If it was indeed the Denaruis of Tiberius, as many scholars have suggested, then there are a couple details that are very noteworthy. On one side there was a picture of Caesar with an inscription that claimed Caesar was divine. On the other was the image of a female depiction of Pax (Peace). So I guess we CAN promote peace by paying taxes. Sure we can, for as the great Roman lawyer and historian, Publius Tacitus quotes his father-in-law as having said: “They rob, kill, plunder and usurp under false titles. They call it empire. They make a desolation and they call it peace.” Yep, that’s Pax Romana for ya. That is American foreign and domestic policy. In the modern-day version of the Roman Empire, and the latter-day version of the Holy Roman Church, we have a son-and-father, attorneys-at-law duo (Josh and Ron Madsen) who speak out against the same evils as they see them taking place currently. But they are bold in speech only. They, like their ancient Roman counterparts, fail the age-old Chinese test for insanity. Though they see the picture clearly – that of a stream of water flowing into a pool – when asked how they would set about draining the pool, they do not include cutting off the current/currency streaming into it. Thus, according to ancient Chinese wisdom, they can be judged to be insane. I ask again: Can we promote peace while still paying taxes? Sure – Peace “as the world giveth”. But Jesus was not interested in the Nobel Peace Prize, nor any other type of Medal or Metal. Whether the Tribute Penny was the Denarius of Tiberius, the Antiochan Tetradrachm, the Denarius of Augustus or any other of the various possible coinage which was used as a visual aide by the Master Teacher in his example…The most important detail to consider, so obvious it might be overlooked, is the material of which this coin was made. SILVER or if we are to read the Gospel of Thomas then the coin in question is described as being of GOLD. Either way, those of us who have been offered the light of truth more clearly than any people since the post-resurrection Nephites ought to see a connection appearing in crisp clarity before our eyes.

But make no mistake about it, what we have been offered and what we have received are two very different things, and so the plain and precious things that Jesus said unto the Nephites in person remain mostly unwritten, and this for a reason -damage control. We have already condemned ourselves sufficiently. If and as the fullness of the Gospel as taught to the mixture of Nehpites and Lamanites commonly referred to as ‘The Nephites’ during Christ’s visit to what is now known as the Americas, is revealed as prophesied, by “men inspired of Heaven” it will only serve the purpose of condemning more fully the majority of gentiles who choose to reject the fullness, vainly pretending to already possess it. Kind of hard to prove possession based upon written records alone anyway, since it has to be written on our HEARTS for us to be “found possessed of it in the last day” (in which case we are numbered among the remnant and it will be well with us) but it’s even harder to prove when our own Book of Mormon is so undeniably, blatantly, purposefully, and stoically silent as to the juicy details of what Jesus spoke unto the multitude that instructed them on how to live PEACEFULLY. They were specifically commanded not to write them. And they happen to mention that GREATER THINGS STILL were spoken to them by the mouth of the babes. Will records containing specifics on how to build a Zion be “brought forth” to us? The real questions are:  Have they already? Are they out there or in here? And most importantly when we come across them what do we do, accept or reject? I guess that is why Jesus, in speaking to the ancient inhabitants of “this land” about us in “this time” called it the strange work or act of The Father.

DUST DEVILS

This is the strange act of the same Father who stood not in conflict but in conversation with Lucifer. Notice even in the super-sacred-secret, copyrighted, intellectual property of the Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Corporation Sole) video production of the Temple Drama, how cool and collect Elohim is in his correspondence with Lucifer. Lucifer ap-PARENT-ly sees his own PARENT as an enemy. But, God The Father appears to not be distressed in the slightest. Lucifer says “If you do that then I’ll do this!”  God responds with a “Works for me” tone. Everything and everyone, including, yes, The Devil, works for Elohim. God is ALL knowing. God is ALL powerful. God is ALL there is. Beside (Elo)Him, there is no one. At least that is what a scribe once said to Jesus. “And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.” (Mark 12:34) It is discrete because the Truth that was known by Jesus and that scribe was communicated between them and for all the world to discover but between the lines. There is a photograph of the Honorable Elijah Mohammed founder of the Islamic Restoration Movement in Latter-Day America. The photo was taken in the early 60s and also features the famous boxer Ali Mohammed and activist Malcolm X. The photographer was obviously more concerned with capturing the image of these three iconic figures in one shot but to me the slightly blurry background holds more interest. There was a sign posted at this speaking engagement which read “There Is No God But Allah.” But in this image the sign, not being the focal point, was cut off by an audience member’s head. So it contained an interesting message for those with “eyes to see”. THERE IS NO GOD BUT ALL. God is THE Creator and as such is in everyone and everything.

So if God is almighty then who is this guy Lucifer who considers himself an opponent of God. And who are we to side with him. It most certainly seems that Lucifer delivered on his threats. And if we are honest we will admit that we have all fallen into this plot in one way or another. But HOW is his scheme working on us? Remember it all ends up working for GOD working for GOOD. So who is this guy anyhow? I thought he rebelled and lost his first estate so what kind of state is he in to be talking to The Father like that? Abraham 3:28 says that Lucifer was “angry, and kept not his first estate; and, at that day, many followed after him.” It is helpful to think of this word ‘estate’ in terms of states of matter (gas, liquid, solid). That ‘First Estate’ was a SPIRIT BODY. Joseph Smith explains that Spirit is Matter, only more refined. So it stands that the matter we call flesh is spirit, just less refined, fallen. The ancient gospel tradition which has managed to survive through the Lamanites, if nothing else can teach us that EVERYTHING has spirit. And this alone is a mighty important thing to know and live by. The Lord tells us this in the D&C as well, just in case we are wont to ignore His voice speaking through the Lamanites, like the Nephites dismissed Samuel – Just in case we are tempted to disregard the collective voice of the Book of Mormon prophets speaking to us “from the DUST.” The dust too has spirit and is in fact what composes our FLESH. Now we find Lucifer, cursed worse than all the beasts of the field, or we could say made lower than all the forms manifesting on the universal grid of existence. The serpent is representative of a low frequency wave form as it goes along, upon its belly, eating DUST.

Dust is about the worst form of existence for infinite intelligence to inhabit, at least when viewed from the mentality of being stuck. Certainly one who subscribes to scientific materialism or the idea that only visible matter really matters, does not feel that he may meet the measure of a man from within this very “particular” state of affairs. Dust particles do not rank high in terms of visibility. In order to get noticed they must make mortals sneeze. But the sneeze itself and the almost automatic “Blessing” which follows it in most cultures, ensures a strong defense and immunity to the wiles of any would-be trouble makers at this level of life. From this limited view-point, a soul is molested by monstrous mites as one mourns what might have been, like Dicken’s chain laden “Ghost of Jacob Marley”. But this would be especially true of any soul who retains memory of former glory. Even sand is a step up from the perspective of one who is fallen in the dust. Sand grains, although small and shifty, array themselves in splendid spreads reminiscent of the stars in the Milky Way. Both noble gases and gritty glasses nobly represent parts of the great, innumerable Seed of Abraham. But dust, dust is loose, lowly and lonely.

Despite this demotion the Devil still strives to be worshipped. If there is anything we can say to advocate the adversary, it is that he at least seems to understand the idea of “dusting” yourself off and trying again. His methods are desperate and futile. However there is a Redemptive Plan put into motion simultaneously with The Fall. So we find him saying “If you do this to me” and delivering his infamous threats which we have already seen him make “good” on. But take a close look at the logical order this back n’ forth between Elohim and Satan follows. The Devil says: “I will take the spirit(s) that follow(s) me and [they shall] possess the bodies thou createst for Adam and Eve.” Elsewhere in the dialogue Elohim Himself verifies that those bodies are made of the dust of the earth, to which realm the rebellious one was previously cast. So how does Satan eventually succeed in getting the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve to love him more than God as we read in Moses 5:13? It is the old natural man trick. It is important to understand that the “Natural Man” that Alma speaks of in Alma 42:10 is “carnal” so were speaking of the flesh which brings us back to dust (literally).

ENMITY – EYBAH & EYAH

Continuing with the dialogue between Elohim and Lucifer in the LDS Endowment Ceremony, we see that after Lucifer’s threat to possess the bodies created for Adam and Eve, Elohim counters by placing “enmity” between Lucifer and the woman; between his seed and her seed. The Hebrew word translated in the Bible as “enmity” is “eybah” (pronounced ay-bawh). An LDS seminary teacher in Montana made the honest mistake of confusing the word “eybah” with “eyah” – a Hebrew word which translates as “I am”. I am grateful for the seminary teacher’s error, because it gives us deep truth to ponder when considering God’s strategic placement of enmity between daughter and devil.

‘Eyah’ is in fact the word that GOD speaks to Moses when He utters the famous “Eyah aser Eyah” – “I AM that I AM.” But when we use the phrase “I am” we typically mean something very different. Man’s individualistic use of these words speaks as well to the feeling one has for another who he considers his or her enemy. Enmity is the “firewall” which we put up against everything and everyone who we consider to be “other” as we fall further from our Heavenly Home and child-like natures, typically within the first few months of mortal life when self-cognizance kicks in and we begin disassociating ourselves from so much. When the effects of this fall first start to set in, a baby will often cry intensely when the mother or father leaves the room whereas before this time they barely noticed any difference, feeling his or her ‘self’ in every way a part of the parents. Once we go from feeling a part of to feeling apart from our Heavenly Parents then all Hell can break lose in our minds during even the shortest temporary absence of one or both of The Parents. This is evident from the drama that develops when Father exits with a promise to return momentarily and Up Jumps the Devil.

We all learn that “I AM” myself and “YOU ARE” yourself. “This” is “MY body” and “That” is “my environment” We view this as a normal healthy development, however, Jesus tells us: “This is my body which is given for you”. We hear Jesus saying we have to become as little children if we want to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. So just how close to Heaven do we want to get? In Ephesians 2:14-15, Jesus is spoken of as the one “who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace.” Eventually the baby grows accustomed to the ‘difference‘ and as he advances into adulthood he is actually digressing towards ‘indifference‘; thus the need for rebirth and being made new in Christ. We seem to be caught in a silly tug-o-war that reduces warriors to worriers. Either we are worrying excessively over what to eat, what to wear, what others think of us or we are justifying a selfish expansion of what we see as our personal empire; rolling over people and consuming things in our lust for power. This all equates to nothing more than a faulty view of our surroundings. Any power we think we gain while in acting on these hallucinations is nothing more than a hopeless attempt to compensate for a lack of spiritual power. It is the Spirit that suffers the most from a near total diversion of our attention to all things physical. Speaking on Scientific Materialism, Quantum Activist Amit Goswami has said:

“This is a very exclusive world view because it excludes all the other things that we experience like mind, vital energies, feelings, intuition, and only holds on to that one thing, sensory experience, matter. So this, of course, creates a denigration, denigration of values, denigration of meaning. Because it is mind that gives meaning and the supramental that gives us values. If you ignore those compartments of experience, obviously it will become oriented towards separateness. In this view we are separate beings. We are just the physical body. The more we come to believe in scientific materialism, the more we give up values like love, beauty, justice, truth and goodness.”

The Prophet’s journal for November 6, 1835, records:

“I was this morning introduced to a man from the east. After hearing my name, he remarked that I was nothing but a man, indicating by this expression, that he had supposed that a person to whom the Lord should see fit to reveal His will, must be something more than a man. He seemed to have forgotten the saying that fell from the lips of St. James, that [Elijah] was a man subject to like passions as we are, yet he had such power with God, that He, in answer to his prayers, shut the heavens that they gave no rain for the space of three years and six months; and again, in answer to his prayer, the heavens gave forth rain, and the earth gave forth fruit [see James 5:17–18]. Indeed, such is the darkness and ignorance of this generation, that they look upon it as incredible that a man should have any [dealings] with his Maker.”

What is the subtle but essential difference between “Eyah” and “Eybah” that prevent us from having any dealings with our Maker? What is it that makes it so easy for us to slip from an all inclusive spiritual view to a physical focus that turns our back on God and pits us against our own flesh and blood, literally; starting with our own bodies and spreading like an infection to our brothers and sisters?

Hebrew is a language layered with meaning starting with each of the 22 letters of the alphabet. Breaking down the two words and analyze the meaning letter by letter we get:

EYAH =  ע – to arc י – to manifest א – to begin ח – to define
EYBAH =  ע – to arc י – to manifest ב – *amid* א – to begin ח  – to define

Obviously they are practically identical in phonetics and this equates to very similar embedded meanings. But there is one difference inserted smack dab in the middle, halving the Great‘I AM’ as it were; dividing Man and Maker in a duel of duality. The marker between the two halves is fittingly represented by the Hebrew letter ב (pronounced beyt) an ancient pictogram representing the concept of inside/outside. If we end where our skin begins then why is so little of our daily attention focused inwardly. Are we really that disinterested in our inner selves? And if the truth of the matter which Jesus tried to share with us, shows us that we do not end where our skin begins but extend well beyond connected with other life forms around us through the Holy Spirit; why the animosity towards our outer selves? Are we afraid of a little dirt? Do we feel threatened by the elements? We’re all just earth, air, water and fire after all.

“I have intended my remarks for all, both rich and poor, bond and free, great and small. I have no enmity against any man. I love you all” – Joseph Smith Jr.

GOLD & SILVER – PRECIOUS METALS vs. PREC[AR]IOUS METALS

What is Old Lucifer going to do now? He announces menacingly: “with that enmity I will take the treasures of the earth, and with gold and silver I will buy up armies and navies, false priests who oppress and tyrants who destroy, and reign with blood and horror on the earth!” But can we trace the current state of violence in the world to trace metals? Metals are no more responsible for the violence in this world than are the weapons forged with them. Things are things, they are neutral. It is the intentions of man which direct power to or through these things. This is why God’s teaching should clarify “things” for us. Seek – ye – first – the kingdom of God – and all these things – shall be – added unto you. It is not then the metals but the concept behind medals of honor which is capable of pulling men’s honor away from the kingdom of God, which resides inside them and attaching it to external things.This is why soldiers are given medals made of shiny metals for their commendable (command-able) performance, their bloody human sacrifice. Demons are all so easily commanded. What is more limited to following commands generated from outside influence than a computer? As we enjoy our man made machines. Daemons are downloaded and they too enjoy seeing man made machine. To overcome artificial intelligence, we need only act from our eternal intelligence. The time is coming when we will need to call upon our eternal intelligence and rescue those who have watched too many terminator movies from perishing in fear while real-life robo-cops patrol the street apprehending people; persecuting and prosecuting the saints for thought crimes. For, the Devil’s end-game is not in this threat to “take the treasures of the earth and with gold and silver buy up armies and navies”. It’s not in his “false priests who oppress”, nor his “tyrants who destroy, and reign with blood and horror”. The precious metals, the blood, they’re all just cogs in his trance-humanist scheme to do what he threatened at the outset-To thoroughly possess the bodies created for Adam and Eve.

Here we have the whole plan of the Evil One laid bare before us. There is no justification for being bought off. Even with all the riches in the world, we could not afford to ignore our divine calling. Gold and silver were Lucifer’s elements of choice due to their special Solar and Lunar qualities. They are elemental representations of the Universal Pre-Stood Power’s Masculine and Feminine aspects, respectively. If he did not first trick mankind into externalizing the innate powers inherited through the spiritual genes from a Heavenly Father and Mother, the Trickster would not have got very far. Blood was another necessary element to Lucifer’s design. Islamic lore maintains that trace levels of demonic blood flow through the veins of all the races of the human family. Mormon theology asserts that blood is not a component of resurrected and perfected bodies. This “lone and dreary world” where man sojourns and Lucifer is Lord is aptly titled. The descriptive word “dreary” comes from the Old English dreorig meaning “bloody, blood-stained” from dreor “gore, blood”. The blood of the saints cries out to the Lord from the dust. Blood and dust seem to share a mysterious relationship throughout scripture.

“What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?” – Psalms 30:9

Well we certainly see the profit for the leaders of this misled world when they spill the blood of innocents in their endless wars. But is it possible that there is another side to the story that we do not see. Does the blood of Christ cleanse, condemn or both? Is the Dust of the Earth redeemable? We had better hope it is.

“And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men.” – Mosiah 4:2

The role of agency in political systems

The heavenly principle of agency is fundamental to both the plan of salvation and the gospel of Jesus Christ

Agency is the ability to act for oneself¹, and not to be acted upon².

All created things are given agency³, but this article addresses only the agency of man.

The Lord taught that agency was given to man from the very beginning⁴. In fact, it is the very reason we exist⁵.

Agency is tied to awareness⁶. Both light and truth allow us to become aware and the more light and truth we possess, or the more aware we are, the greater agency we have⁷.

The scriptures indicate that agency was given twice. First, it was given at the beginning⁸, when we first came into existence or when we first became aware of our existence⁹. The second time it was given was in mortality¹⁰, after we passed through the veil of forgetfulness and became newly aware of our existence, as at the beginning.

Agency is power and, in fact, it is the very power of God, as well as our own power¹¹. It can be increased until one becomes as God is, namely, omnipotent or almighty, or it can be decreased until it reaches zero, in which case, the sorry being who has lost all his agency is acted upon¹², instead of acting. (This is what Lehi spoke of when he mentioned that we were created to act and not to be acted upon, except for those who receive the punishment at the last day. This is why some are cast down, or thrust down, or fallen, terms which signify that the agency or power to keep themselves in the presence and kingdom of God is lost, due to their own actions.)

God does all things through agents¹³. All who possess agency are known as agents¹⁴.

Agency, being a gift¹⁵ from God, is centered in God, meaning that the more God-like we are, the more agency we possess, and vice versa.

First faith, then agency

The precursor to agency is faith, another gift of God. It is faith that allows agency to be possessed, even faith centered in God. The more faith we possess, the more agency is granted, the less faith possessed, the less agency. If we lose all faith, we lose all agency and thus become like Satan, who is devoid of both faith and agency. If we gain all faith, we gain all agency, and thus become entirely like God.

Faith and agency are heavenly principles and the entire kingdom of God operates on them. This is why all things are done (the action or power to do being agency) according to the faith of men and why God works (the action or power to work being agency) according to the faith of the children of men. (Nevertheless, the link between faith and agency is not the topic of this article and I will refocus my remarks on agency alone.)

Agency’s counter-principle

The power of God, agency, is based upon the actions of agents, which voluntarily cooperate to get things done, with no means of compulsion employed. God has granted that all creation act for itself and not be compelled to do his will. Compulsion, or force, then, is anti-god, or against the nature of God and thus is the opposite of agency.

Satan claims all things diametric to the principles and character of God. The devil works not just on different principles than God, but also on completely opposite principles. He has embraced force and coercion and all things that have his stamp upon them inevitably work to a greater or lesser degree on the principle of compulsion, slavery and bondage. Coercion is as much power as is agency; both principles get work done. Nevertheless, there is a world of difference between doing something voluntarily and being forced to do the same thing. In this way, what is of God and what is of Satan can be easily recognized.

Jesus was for agency, Satan was for force

In the pre-mortal existence, at the council in heaven, both Jesus and Satan desired and offered to become our Savior, the Only Begotten of the Father. The difference in their approach, though, was that Jesus wanted to keep our agency intact, whereas Satan wanted to remove it and replace it with compulsion, making us his slaves. His amendment to the Father’s plan would have changed the state of things entirely and we would have been forced to obey his will.

Rebellious spirits in heaven lost their agency

Agency, as always, was active in the pre-mortal existence and two thirds of the heavenly host supported or sustained the Father’s calling of Jesus as our Savior, whereas one third went with Satan. Due to their rebellion, the one-third lost their agency, something they had sought to destroy anyway, and are now temporarily residing upon this planet under the control of Satan, who uses them to tempt us to commit sin. They have no free will of their own and all of their actions, words and thoughts are done, spoken and thought under duress, which is why all the temptations of these devils are directly attributed by the scriptures to Satan himself. Although these fallen spirit children of heavenly Father have become like the devil in nearly all ways, becoming devils themselves, they are not co-equal with him in his kingdom, but are merely angels to the devil, for they are his slaves.

How Satan destroys agency

It is important to understand that Satan’s heaven-originated plan to destroy the agency of man and compel them to obey him, which was 33% successful in the courts on high, is also used here on earth. I quote one of the paragraphs above to illustrate how this is done:

Agency is tied to awareness⁶. Both light and truth allow us to become aware and the more light and truth we possess, or the more aware we are, the greater agency we have⁷.

As Satan cannot compel man in any way, because men who are born on this planet still have their agency, nor can he forcefully take away a person’s agency, his tactic is to deceive men into giving away their agency (to him), thus gaining control over them or compelling them to do his will. If Satan can reduce the amount of light and truth we possess and/or substitute them with darkness and falsehoods, he can succeed in reducing or eliminating our agency.

It is agency that stops Satan from gaining control over us. If you eliminate agency altogether, he gains full control over us. If you reduce agency partially, he gains partial control over us. Whatever happens, one form of power will reside in us: either agency or coercion. If the power is agency, we are in control, meaning we can act and not be acted upon. If the power is coercion, the devil is in control, meaning we act only under duress by the devil, becoming his slaves.

As agency nullifies the power of the devil, it is the major obstacle to Satan’s plan to rule the universe. In heaven Satan could not compel anyone to do his will, nor could he deceive anyone, but on earth the rules are different. Those who come under Satan’s power and influence can use their physical bodies to force others to do things they would not otherwise do. They can also use their influence to spread lies. Thus, Satan’s approach here on earth is two pronged: first, get as many of the children of men sinning through the temptations of devils (his angels), thereby giving up portions of their agency to Satan and making them his servants and slaves, to do his bidding; and secondly, to use these mortal servants to enslave the masses physically and to surround them in an environment of sin and deception, thereby making it easier to destroy the agency of mankind.

Satan got his wish

Satan desired (or sought) the opportunity to destroy¹⁶ the agency of man while he still resided in heaven. He effectively destroyed the agency of one third of the children of God, but the other two thirds he couldn’t touch, as they would not follow him. Afterward, he was placed in a position by God whereby he might destroy the agency of the other two thirds. In other words, God granted Satan according to his desire¹⁷. He wanted to enslave the children of God and he was given the opportunity to do so. Had Satan and his angels been immediately banished into outer darkness, the spirits who chose Jesus in the pre-mortal existence (the two-thirds) would have come down to earth without a devil to tempt them. This would have been akin to living in the Millennium, whereby infants grow up without sin and live to the age of a tree. It is only because God placed Satan upon the earth that it is possible for agency to be destroyed and for men to become captives¹⁸.

A description of the kingdom of heaven

The governments of God and Satan are both called kingdoms. In the case of God, his heavenly government is based upon the voluntary cooperation of his subjects, with himself as their King, their God, their Father, their Judge and their Lawgiver. He holds these titles and positions because his subjects choose him to hold them. He does nothing without the consent of the governed. There is no compulsion, whatsoever, only complete and utter freedom, all things being done by agency and voluntary cooperation. On a political scale, although it would rightly be called a kingdom, it resembles more tribal anarchy, with the tribal Chief being God himself and the tribal or customary law used in the anarchy being given by the tribal chief and voluntarily accepted by the tribal members.

Advancement in the kingdom of heaven is determined by the individual. As all members of the kingdom are given unfettered agency and the possibility and opportunity to possess more of it, or less of it, due to their own actions, each person can, of his own free will, choose to advance to the highest rung in the kingdom by acquiring and exercising great faith, by which they obtain great agency (power.) While others, exercising less faith, obtain less agency. None are constrained in any way to reach the top or stay at the bottom. All are created with an equal footing and all have an equal chance to obtain whatever measure of happiness and joy they so desire.

A description of the kingdom of the devil

Lucifer, in his rebellion, established a new order, setting himself up as king, with the one third who followed him giving up their agency to him, becoming slaves and servants to him, or as the scriptures say, angels to the devil. They are forced to do his will and he is in complete control of his kingdom. This concept is important to understand, as there is a common misconception that the angels to the devil have agency. They don’t. Many have heard of, and perhaps even read, The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis, which is a fictional account about a senior demon advising his nephew demon on how to tempt a Christian. Although it is a fine piece of literature, it is, nonetheless, entirely fictional. The kingdom of the devil belongs solely to the devil, not to any of his angels. They do not decide what they do, how they do it, where they go, etc. All the reigns of control are in the hands of the devil (Lucifer) and he directs his mindless, soulless minions, compelling them to do his will in all things.

Divisions are non-existent, for different reasons

Neither the kingdom of God, nor the kingdom of the devil, is divided. Both kingdoms have kings, both kingdoms have laws, both kingdoms have order, but the difference is that those in God’s kingdom follow him willingly, based on agency and common consent, whereas those in the devil’s kingdom are his captives and slaves and servants and are compelled to do his will. The spirits that followed the devil are called devils themselves, but they are never equated with him, as they are merely angels to a devil. Thus, Satan is the only ruler of his kingdom, not sharing the rule with anyone else. On the other hand, God is willing to bring us all up to his level, so that we become joint heirs with Christ. The one is generous and sharing, the other is stingy and selfish.

In the 1962 film The Manchurian Candidate, with Frank Sinatra, U.S. servicemen were kidnapped and programmed (brainwashed) by the Chinese government, to be later used in a plot to control the United States. The mind-control consisted of hypnosis and was triggered with certain images and code-words, after which the mindless robot of a man would do his master’s bidding without hesitation, no matter what it was. The 2004 remake of the film, with Denzel Washington, had essentially the same plot, although brain and body chip implants (such as the VeriChip) were added to bring it up to technological speed. The recent Jason Bourne films followed the same pattern, except that it was our government creating the mindless assassin. Jason Bourne, in the last film, The Bourne Ultimatum, finds out that he made a choice to give up his agency and to do the bidding of the government, no matter what it was, so that he could more fully serve his country. Once that agency was given over, he became not much more than a programmed robot.

Although these films appear to be science fiction, this is in fact how Satan’s spiritual kingdom functions. All of his angels initially gave up their agency to Lucifer so that he became their master controller. Unlike human brainwashers, who control certain aspects of their victims or only at certain times, such as when the need to control them arises, Satan’s control and programming over his legions is continual and absolute. This is why all of the evil deeds mentioned in the scriptures are directly attributed to Satan only and not to his angels. As they have no agency and are compelled in all things to obey their master, all of their actions are what he would do in that very moment. They do nothing, say nothing, feel nothing and think nothing of their own free will. They are commanded in all things.

(In case there are any questions as to how Satan is able to remotely control these fallen spirits and his mortal servants, the Lord has explained through Amulek that the devil possesses a spirit¹⁹ which allows such action at a distance. This “spirit of the devil” is both similar and dissimilar to the Holy Spirit in certain ways. The Spirit of Christ, or Light of Christ, being spirit matter, fills the immensity of space²⁰, governs all the kingdom of God, defines the boundaries of that kingdom and is light itself. The spirit of the devil likewise controls the kingdom of the devil, defines its boundaries and is composed of spirit matter, but it is darkness. Just as in science there is positive and negative (electricity), north and south polarity (magnetism), upspin and downspin (electrons), and glow/arc and dark modes (plasma discharge), so the spirit of the devil is the opposite of the Spirit of Christ.)

Zion and Babylon

The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of the devil have their counterparts here on Earth. The kingdom of heaven on Earth is known as Zion. The kingdom of the devil on Earth is known as Babylon. When Zion exists on this planet, it exactly corresponds to the kingdom of heaven, whereas Babylon exists wherever Zion does not exist. Zion, then, is a copy of the heavenly kingdom, whereas Babylon does not have to be a replica of the kingdom of the devil. All it need be is the Zion model altered in some way so as to make it not quite Zion. Nevertheless, it is the goal of Satan to destroy agency, so any time Babylon exists, the tendency will be to make it a replica of the spiritual kingdom of the devil, complete with mind-controlled human drones.

The State, a tool of the devil

There are many tools Satan uses to destroy agency: temptation, sin, deception, drugs, technology, etc. But the main instrument used is the State. (By the term “State” I mean a compulsive government, one which uses violence, force, propaganda or threat of violence and force to control the actions, words or thoughts of its citizens.) Only with the inception of a State can Satan duplicate the spiritual kingdom he has set up and control every aspect of those who pertain to it.

Prisons follow the satanic blueprint

The kingdom of the devil is one, gigantic, spiritual prison. The angels to the devil do not possess free will, or freedom of choice (agency), but are compelled to obey the will of Satan in all things. They are prisoners and he is the warden. As all earthly States are inspired by the devil, inevitably, with the establishment of a new State, prisons will start popping up.

It is the doctrine of the devil to imprison everyone; however, he starts with what he can. At first, the prisons are for the law-breakers, meaning those people who violate the laws of the State. But eventually, as the State becomes more centralized and totalitarian, Satan starts inspiring those under his control to make the State resemble ever more closely the spiritual kingdom of the devil. Soon, the State itself is converted into a prison and its geographical boundaries become the walls keeping everyone in. It is the ultimate goal of the devil, though, not to have separate State prisons on this planet, but to merge all States into a single Super-State and convert this world into a prison planet. Nevertheless, way before that ever happens, the handiwork and inspiration of the devil can be seen in the building and use of prisons for law-breakers.

The gospel is “anti-prison”

It is noteworthy that Jesus came to “free the prisoners.” (See D&C 128: 22 and Isaiah 49: 9.) Most of us are conditioned (by State propaganda, which is inspired by the devil) that those who commit crimes should be imprisoned, but we have no evidence that the revealed laws of the Lord ever contained provisions for prisons. Under the Law of Moses, there was no prison system set up, nor is there any evidence of prisons under the full law of Christ (revealed during the Lord’s visit to the Nephites.) However, in virtually every instance of an earthly State, there are always found prisons. Always.

The State: a means to limit and destroy agency

Although Satan owns and controls every State²¹, none are identical to each other. Each one varies in the degree in which it controls the lives of its citizens. Those that control to a greater degree, are under a greater amount of influence of the devil, while those that control to a lesser degree, have less demonic influence, but all States, even minimalist ones, that exercise any degree of compulsion upon the children of men, immediately come under Satan’s influence²².

In two of the movies I mentioned above (the Frank Sinatra original of The Manchurian Candidate and the last Jason Bourne flick,) it is instructive that the State was responsible for all the mind-control techniques employed which destroyed the agency of the characters of the films. This is because the State is the most natural mechanism of mind control (agency destruction), as its only function is to limit the agency of those who fall under its jurisdiction. Let me say that again: the State’s only function is to limit the agency of those who fall under its jurisdiction. As it already limits agency, the tendency is to limit it even more and eventually to destroy it altogether through mind control, chip implantation, false State propaganda and other brainwashing techniques.

Any search on the Internet or in a good bookstore under brainwashing and mind-control will bring up a plethora of supposed eyewitnesses who testify that these techniques exist and that they are being employed by secretive organizations and governments right now. Whether these witnesses are credible or not is not the point. The point is that we can reliably bet on Satan pursuing technology and methods that allow him to totally control us, whether that be drugs, chemicals and other poisons in the water we drink, genetically-altered food supply, alterations in the medicines we routinely take, chip implants, false propaganda, violence techniques and scare tactics, electromagnetic manipulation, sound, light or other types of devices. We can be assured that if something can be used to limit or destroy agency, Satan is going to use it. His goal, after all, is to make Babylon exactly conform to his spiritual kingdom.

One of the reasons why the State is the preferential device used in the hands of the devil is that the resources of a State are vastly superior to any organization existing within its boundaries. As a State can gain jurisdiction into virtually every aspect of our lives, with the creation of new laws, it can amass money, raw materials, labor and technology very quickly, and perform horrendous things all under the guise of legitimacy.

Anarchy (Agency) is the Antidote

Typically the solution proposed to the problem of the wickedness of Satan, his spiritual kingdom and his earthly kingdoms (States) is restriction of agency. More laws are passed to restrain wickedness and force people to be good. This just plays into Satan’s hands, though, as it feeds or gives power to his main creature of agency destruction, the State.

The real solution is agency, more of it, not less. Unfettered agency nullifies Satan’s power to destroy, to deceive and to cause misery. Politically, only one system is representative of unfettered agency: anarchy.

Anarchy is decentralized power shared by all – Anarchy is based upon the spiritual kingdom of God, in which power (agency) is shared by everyone and not just found in the hands of one individual. It naturally prohibits the concentration of power into one or a few hands, thereby checking all attempts at tyranny.

Anarchy is voluntary – Anarchy is always voluntary. Those who want to participate, do, while those who do not want to participate are not forced to. Like the kingdom of heaven, all things are done according to the desires of the children of men.

Anarchy is ordered – In anarchy, there are private, traditional, customary, tribal or clannish laws that inevitably become established, that allow order to flourish.

Anarchy is mutually beneficial – In anarchy, all have a voice, all have an influence, all have a choice and there is no compulsion. Every decent trait flourishes while wicked ones tend to be naturally restrained. Voluntary cooperation, mutual benefit, compassion, kindness, politeness, common decency, and private, traditional and customary laws: these are the things that attend and make up ordered anarchy.

Anarchy is the political system of agency – As anarchy is based upon voluntary cooperation, freedom of choice and mutual benefit, with no compulsion to obey, anarchy and agency go hand in hand.

I return to the heading at the beginning of this article:

The heavenly principle of agency is fundamental to both the plan of salvation and the gospel of Jesus Christ

As that statement is absolutely true, anything that destroys or limits agency is inspired by the devil, whereas anything that increases it is inspired by God. By using the fundamental principle of agency as a gauge to measure the political systems of the day, we can plainly see that anarchy is the only system that preserves agency in its entirety, all others destroying or limiting it to a greater or lesser degree. Anarchy, therefore, is the only political system that is fully compatible with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

References

1. All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence. Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. (D&C 93: 30-31)

Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. (2 Nephi. 2: 16)

2. And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given. (2 Nephi 2: 26)

3. All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence. (D&C 93: 30)

4. Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. (D&C 93: 31)

5. All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence. (D&C 93: 30)

6. Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. (D&C 93: 31)

7. Light and truth forsake that evil one. (D&C 93: 37)

8. And it came to pass that Adam, being tempted of the devil-for, behold, the devil was before Adam, for he rebelled against me, saying, Give me thine honor, which is my power; and also a third part of the hosts of heaven turned he away from me because of their agency; and they were thrust down, and thus came the devil and his angels; and, behold, there is a place prepared for them from the beginning, which place is hell. (D&C 29: 36-38 )

Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. (D&C 93: 31)

Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; and he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice. (Moses 4: 3-4)

9. The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency; and unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood; and the fire of mine indignation is kindled against them; and in my hot displeasure will I send in the floods upon them, for my fierce anger is kindled against them. (Moses 7: 32-34)

10. The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency; and unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood; and the fire of mine indignation is kindled against them; and in my hot displeasure will I send in the floods upon them, for my fierce anger is kindled against them. (Moses 7: 32-34)

11. And it came to pass that Adam, being tempted of the devil-for, behold, the devil was before Adam, for he rebelled against me, saying, Give me thine honor, which is my power; and also a third part of the hosts of heaven turned he away from me because of their agency; and they were thrust down, and thus came the devil and his angels; and, behold, there is a place prepared for them from the beginning, which place is hell. (D&C 29: 36-38 )

[God’s power is his honor because all things honor him, or obey him, giving him deference, of their own agency. The great “secret” to God’s power lies in that he accomplishes all things through agents who obey his will. As all things honor him, he has all power. Man’s power likewise comes from the things which honor him, meaning obey him. Man’s honor is obviously less than God’s honor. Agency and honor are both descriptions of the same thing: power. Agency is power because it is the ability to act and it is only increased as the agents that surround an individual heed or obey him (cooperate), allowing further actions to occur. Honor is power in that it is what the agents do towards the one they are honoring, namely, heeding (cooperating with) his instructions. Thus, agency and honor both describe the same power, but from different perspectives.]

12. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given. (2 Nephi. 2: 26)

13. Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; and he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice. (Moses 4: 3-4)

14. See D&C 29: 35, 39; 58: 28; 104: 17; Moses 6: 56.

15. Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; and he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice. (Moses 4: 3-4)

The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency; and unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood; and the fire of mine indignation is kindled against them; and in my hot displeasure will I send in the floods upon them, for my fierce anger is kindled against them. (Moses 7: 32-34)

16. Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; (Moses 4: 3)

17. I ought not to harrow up in my desires, the firm decree of a just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction. (Alma 29: 4)

18. Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; and he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice. (Moses 4: 3-4)

19. For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth deal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked. (Alma 34: 35)

20. Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space- (D&C 88: 12. See also D&C 88: 4-13.)

21. And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. (Luke 4: 5-6)

22. Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson-that the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness. That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man. Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God. (D&C 121: 34-38 )

[When the heavens withdraw themselves, Satan moves into the spiritual vacuum and begins to exercise control over the individual. This is why the man starts exercising compulsion, under Satan’s power and influence, and starts kicking against the pricks, persecuting saints and fighting against God. It is important, also, to understand that the heavens withdraw themselves prior to a man exercising compulsion, not after. It is when a man merely undertakes to exercise compulsion, or starts the planning and process to go about doing it, that the heavens withdraw and the gates of hell enter the picture, as compulsion is jurisdiction of the devil. It is how the devil works and is the power he operates under. Agency (non-compulsion) is the power of God, whereas compulsion (non-agency) is the power of Satan. Keep this in mind to understand these scriptures.]

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