$6 for every $1000 of Net Worth Is the Proper Tithe

The heading to section 119 of the Doctrine and Covenants says the following:

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Far West, Missouri, July 8, 1838, in answer to his supplication:

“O Lord! Show unto thy servants how much thou requirest of the properties of thy people for a tithing.”

…The Prophet asked the Lord how much of their property He required for sacred purposes. The answer was this revelation.

Here is the text of the revelation:

^{D&C 119:1}Verily, thus saith the Lord,

I require all their surplus property to be put into the hands of the bishop of my church in Zion, ²for the building of mine house, and for the laying of the foundation of Zion and for the priesthood, and for the debts of the Presidency of my Church.  ³And this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people.  ⁴And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood,

saith the Lord.

⁵Verily I say unto you,

it shall come to pass that all those who gather unto the land of Zion shall be tithed of their surplus properties, and shall observe this law, or they shall not be found worthy to abide among you.

⁶And I say unto you,

if my people observe not this law, to keep it holy, and by this law sanctify the land of Zion unto me, that my statutes and my judgments may be kept thereon, that it may be most holy, behold, verily I say unto you,

it shall not be a land of Zion unto you.

⁷And this shall be an ensample unto all the stakes of Zion. Even so. Amen.

The individual judges what is surplus property

An excerpt from “The Tithing of My People”:

Shortly after Joseph received the revelation in section 119, he assigned Brigham Young to go among the Saints “and find out what surplus property the people had, with which to forward the building of the Temple we were commencing at Far West.” Before setting out, Brigham asked Joseph, “‘Who shall be the judge of what is surplus property?’ Said he, ‘Let them be the judges themselves.’” (“Discourse,” Deseret News, June 20, 1855, 117; punctuation modernized. )

That covers “the beginning of the tithing of [the Lord’s] people,” now what about the standing law, which concerned the meaning of interest?

Interest = interest; (plain and precious knowledge lost)

Apparently, the revelation said what it meant and meant what it said.  In other words, the words were plain to the understanding of the men who lived in the day in which the revelation was given.  As Joseph had asked regarding “how much the Lord required of the properties of His people for a tithing,” he received an answer regarding their properties, and this is why we find Bishop Partridge explaining the plain and precious meaning of the words in terms of property in a letter written a few days after the revelation was received:

“Bishop Partridge understood ‘one tenth of all their interest’ annually to mean 10 percent of what Saints would earn in interest if they invested their net worth for a year,” Harper wrote. He cited an example from Partridge who was reportedly in the room when Smith received the revelation.

“If a man is worth a $1000, the interest on that would be $60, and one/10. of the interest will be of course $6. thus you see the plan,” Partridge wrote in a letter just days after the revelation was received.

According to Harper, six percent was a common interest rate at the time.  (New historical information reveals original meaning of LDS tithing – KUTV.com)

Unfortunately, the saints apparently did not obey the law of tithing, as evidenced by Lorenzo Snow’s much later administration, in which the church found itself in dire financial straits.  As a result of this disobedience on the part of the saints, a gospel principle was invoked:

^{Alma 12:9}And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying:

It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.  ¹⁰And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.  ¹¹And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell.

^{1 Ne.13:26}And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.  ²⁷And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men.  ²⁸Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God.  ²⁹And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them….⁴⁰And the angel spake unto me, saying:

These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.

^{2 Ne.28:30}For behold, thus saith the Lord God:

I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say,

We have enough,

from them shall be taken away even that which they have.

^{D&C 1:33}And he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received; for my Spirit shall not always strive with man,

saith the Lord of Hosts.

^{D&C 43:8}And now, behold, I give unto you a commandment,

that when ye are assembled together ye shall instruct and edify each other, that ye may know how to act and direct my church, how to act upon the points of my law and commandments, which I have given.

⁹And thus ye shall become instructed in the law of my church, and be sanctified by that which ye have received, and ye shall bind yourselves to act in all holiness before me—¹⁰that inasmuch as ye do this, glory shall be added to the kingdom which ye have received.  Inasmuch as ye do it not, it shall be taken, even that which ye have received.

^{D&C 60:3}And it shall come to pass, if they are not more faithful unto me, it shall be taken away, even that which they have.

^{D&C 83:39}And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers.

So the Lord took away from His saints the plain and precious meaning of this scripture, removing this light from them, because their minds had become dark, through disobedience.

Interest = increase; (from Brigham Young onward)

After Joseph Smith’s death, we find this new meaning of the revelation’s use of the word interest among the saints.  This is the meaning that I used for my 4-part tithing series on this blog, it being the earliest meaning I could find to Joseph’s time.

Interest = income; (1970 First Presidency statement onward)

Here is the part of that First Presidency letter that deals with tithing:

What is a proper tithe?

For your guidance in this matter, please be advised that we have uniformly replied that the simplest statement we know of is that statement of the Lord himself that the members of the Church should pay one-tenth of all their interest annually, which is understood to mean income. No one is justified in making any other statement than this. We feel that every member of the Church should be entitled to make his own decision as to what he thinks he owes the Lord, and to make payment accordingly. (First Presidency Statement, 19 March 1970)

Interest = interest; (plain and precious knowledge restored*)

On 13 January, 2016, the scholars broke the news of their new historical research, which essentially restored the light we had at the first.  So, now we are posed with a question, even the same question that the First Presidency of 1970 asked in their letter: In the light of this newly restored knowledge, what is a proper tithe?

6% is the divinely approved rate for calculating tithing

I suppose it will be tempting for people to think that since interest rates fluctuate, that one can use whatever is the current interest rate to calculate tithing, whether it is smaller or greater than 6%, and still be in full compliance with this law.  But not necessarily.  We don’t know whether the Lord approved of any other interest rate for calculating tithing, other than the one which was had among the saints in the day the revelation was given.  So, using any other interest rate would be using an unknown variable.  In other words, you’d just be guessing.  It may be that the Lord would be okay with using fluctuating interest rates to calculate tithing, but it also may be that the Lord would not be okay with that.  So, why venture into unknown territory?

What we know is this: the revelation was given according to the circumstances of the people of the day it was given in.  During that day, 6% was the common interest rate, and this is the rate that had divine approval for calculating tithing.  Regardless of what the current fluctuating interest rates may be, six percent will always be a known, divinely approved rate for calculating tithing.  So, use it!

The individual judges what is net worth

Just like the surplus property, you, the individual, must be the judge as to what is your net worth.  This assessment must be made on a yearly basis, for all stewards must and will give an accounting of their stewardship, and assessing is one of the functions of stewards.  This, then, is the only part of the equation that may fluctuate from year to year.

Once you know your net worth, you just multiply that number by 0.006, and that is what you give to your bishop as tithing.  That will satisfy the law of heaven and you can then answer truthfully to your bishop, “I am a full tithe payer,” without either under-paying or over-paying.

What is a proper tithe?

To recap: you first assess what is your surplus property, and give that to the bishop.  Then you assess, on a yearly basis, your net worth, and for every $1000 of net worth, you give $6 to the bishop.

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*This same “light given, light removed, light restored” pattern and process can also be seen in regards to D&C 89, which is the revelation known as the Word of Wisdom.  When that revelation was given, it was understood to be, in its entirety, a revelation of God.  Later on light was removed and the first three verses were thought to be “originally written as an inspired introduction and description by the Prophet.”  Thus, when Brigham Young used the law of common consent to cause the church to make D&C 89 a commandment of God, the saints could (and did) conveniently ignore those first three verses.  But then light was restored, and we now know that those verses were and are part of the revelation, which verses (and knowledge) nullify the common consent commandment the saints made, reverting the revelation back to a word of wisdom, and not a word of commandment!

Learning of the Real Meaning of Tithing Should Be like Finding the Book of the Law

I am a little late to this party.  I found out just yesterday that there has been new historical research done and published on the church web site (lds.org) about the original meaning of the word interest as found in the revelation on tithing (D&C 119).  I have come across three online articles about this, so far:

“The Tithing of My People” – LDS.org, posted on January 13th, 2016

Understanding “Interest” in Joseph Smith’s Original Tithing Revelation – Juvenile Instructor, posted on February 2, 2016

New historical information reveals original meaning of LDS tithing – KUTV.com, posted on February 9th, 2016

Here is a relevant quote from the KUTV news article:

“Bishop Partridge understood ‘one tenth of all their interest’ annually to mean 10 percent of what Saints would earn in interest if they invested their net worth for a year,” Harper wrote. He cited an example from Partridge who was reportedly in the room when Smith received the revelation.

“If a man is worth a $1000, the interest on that would be $60, and one/10. of the interest will be of course $6. thus you see the plan,” Partridge wrote in a letter just days after the revelation was received.

According to Harper, six percent was a common interest rate at the time.

Each of the articles above are quick to note that this has no bearing, whatsoever, on modern Mormons, who practice the law of tithing in a different way, according to how their leaders currently dictate and understand it.  In other words, they treat this revelation as just an interesting historical note, of no possible bearing on the current crop of LDS.

Compare that response to king Josiah’s reaction to the finding of the Book of the Law.

Josiah

(1) King of Judah, 641–610 B.C. (see 2 Kgs. 22–24; 2 Chr. 34–35). While still young, he made, under the guidance of Hilkiah, a thorough religious reformation, which extended to the northern tribes. He restored the temple, destroyed idolatrous images and the high places, put down the idolatrous priests, and celebrated a great Passover (2 Kgs. 23:21–23). During this reformation a book of the law was found by Hilkiah (2 Kgs. 22:8–9; 2 Chr. 34:15–16). It made at once a great impression and led to the centralizing of all sacrificial worship at Jerusalem and the abolition of local idolatrous sanctuaries or high places.  (Bible Dictionary entry on Josiah.)

2 Kings 22:8-13 says,

¶⁸And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe,

I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord.

And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.  ⁹And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said,

Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord.

¹⁰And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying,

Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book.

And Shaphan read it before the king.  ¹¹And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.  ¹²And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king’s, saying,

¹³Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

So then king Josiah sets to work getting the people to covenant to obey the laws found in the newly discovered Book of the Law, so that their forms and rites of worship would exactly match what the Lord had previously revealed.

Again, compare that to the current situation among the latter-day saints.  The very best understanding of the original intent and meaning of how the law of tithing was intended by the Lord to operate among His latter-day saints is discovered and published last month (Jan. 2016), and we get a *ho-hum* and yawn.

My take on this

There are factions who are trying to “take back the restoration” and create a reformation of some sort among the saints.  But, I have been expecting not a reformation, but an actual restoration.  And it seems to me that this historical research publication is the hand of the Lord, starting to work a restorative preparation among the saints.

Remember the new research on the Word of Wisdom revelation, where we learned that the first three verses were as much a part of the revelation as the rest?  And the implication of that was that now we could partake of all those “prohibited” things mentioned in the revelation?  That, also, in my view, was the hand of the Lord, beginning to do a Josiah and Book of the Law thing among the saints.  (And I suppose that all of this, and perhaps more stuff to come, is a preparation by the Lord for the appearance of His Josephite restorer among us, perhaps as a sort of new Josiah to set us right in the eyes of the Lord again.)

So, everything I said about the meaning of the word interest on this site, is now null and void.  I wrote with limited understanding and knowledge, just as everyone else did. We now have a fuller and more complete understanding, due to better facts.  My recommendation to the saints, then, is to conform to Bishop Partridge’s understanding, and not to the one I put up on this blog previously, nor to anyone else’s.

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Tithing the Widow’s Mites

It may be because tithing settlement is upcoming in my local ward, but I recently had my attention drawn to a particular story in the scriptures.  To be frank, I know that my position with how I relate to the church is idiosyncratic.  My opinion about the present order of things is far too critical for most of my mainstream peers [I admit they’re problems with how Mormonism is governed by the men in Salt Lake and I admit there are alternate ways for people to legitimately be “LDS”] — but I’m far too generous for any among the critical crowd [I believe that the LDS church is literally the true church of Jesus Christ and don’t support an “All is lost, corrupt-apostasy, JUMP ship” view of things].

In any event, this last week I was reminded of the story of the widow and her two pennies.  At a point when Jesus had already condemned the religious establishment of his day as corrupt,

woe unto you
scribes and
pharisees
hypocrites!

and when he had already tossed his hands up in derision at the apostasy he saw present in the management of God’s temple,

behold
your house is left unto you desolate
and truly I say unto you
you shall not see me
until the time come when you shall say

blessed is he
that comes in the name of YHVH

the scriptures say that:

he looked up
and saw rich men casting their gifts into the treasury
and he saw also a certain poor widow
casting in two pennies
and he said

truly I say unto you
that this poor widow has cast in more than they all
for all these have given
of their abundance unto the offerings of God
but she
out of her poverty
has cast in all of the living that she had

Here we see Jesus referring to what was obviously an abused receptacle of money as “the offerings of God”.  Here we see Jesus approving of an impoverished widow submitting what little money she had into the coffers of a corrupt and wealthy religious establishment.

To me, the same applies to the criticisms that people make about things like the encouraging of leader-worship, relying on the corrupt works of our own efforts, the lack prophecy and revelation coming from the men sustained as prophets and revelators, using the tithing funds to have sufficient for our needs and then investing the difference for usury, etc., etc.

Do I think such concerns are valid?  Absolutely.  But it is my belief that it is still the church of God that is doing those things.  We have not ceased to be the Lord’s people because of these condemnable works.  The church of Christ can remain “true” while being “dead” and “damned” [see D&C 84:54-57].

For the last couple years, there’s been a lot of attention on blogs about the “corporate Church”, [the “Church™” as opposed to “the church”, etc.] — and more especially since the whole City Creek Center things was announced, built, and opened.  Although it is true that none of us [except Thomas Monson] is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints™ corporation — it is my understanding that every latter-day saint was confirmed a member of “the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints.”

While we know how to spell the name of the corporate Church, including where the capitalization and the dash goes [it’s a trademarked letterhead and defined in the corporate charter] — on the other, the name of the Lord’s true church is never spelled, it is only spoken as hands are laid on a person’s head and they are confirmed a member of it and commanded to receive the Holy Ghost.  This latter church may, or may not, contain a dash and capitalization — we don’t know.

When the Lord refers to his “church”, it is always in reference to a living body of people — not to some non-existent, non-living, non-corporeal, legal corporate entity.  That’s why you see Jesus not giving a hoot whether the temple treasury where the widow was submitting her pennies was “corrupt” or not.

Of real concern to me, is not the corruption and break-up of the corporate LDS Church — but the corruption and break-up of the latter day church [meaning seeing the members dividing into a plurality of separate, wicked churches].  That is where my focus is, on the LDS church — on the people.  We cannot call the LDS church [people] out of the LDS Church [the corporation], because they were never a part of it to begin with [the Church President is always ever the only member].

We, like the widow that Jesus observed, must assert our rights as confirmed members of “the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints” and turn the tide in the Lord’s favor — allowing for the wicked and corrupt influences to be exposed in the open light, right smack in the middle of the church, where observant people can be influenced, so that they can make an informed decision as to who they will follow [whether that be Jesus Christ or other men].

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Should I produce a silver “tithing” coin?

Recently the silver bartering currency has again been on my mind.  Specifically, the production of a “tithing” coin, meaning a silver coin that latter-day saints could use to pay their tithing, instead of using U.S. currency.

Since the production of the first silver bartering currency coin (the 1/2 oz piece) in 2008, until now, I have taken an “if you build it they will come” approach.  I designed and ordered the creation of the first coin and then I essentially sat back to see what would happen.  Not much did happen.  Some people bought coins as part of their silver collection.   One guy promoted the currency by making a secular web site and developing a valuation model for it, but other than getting a few businesses to say they would receive it as payment, no coins circulated.  Also no one, other than myself, was paying tithing using the 1/2-oz coin.  And that was that.

The vision that I had in my head, remained there, mostly unfulfilled.    (Now, that’s okay,  since I like to operate by faith, so this stagnation hasn’t and doesn’t phase me one bit.)

Back in 2012, after pondering the currency and that promoter’s model, I got an idea about producing a very small tithing coin that I saw could jump start the currency and launch it into the stratosphere, allowing me to make all the dies and distribute and circulate the coins potentially around the entire world.  On October 2, 2012, I wrote a comment about it:

I have been tempted, of late, to create a 1/100th ounce silver coin, based on the above design, specifically for people to pay tithing, but I do not know that there would be enough interest in it to sustain the investment in the dies. A 1/100th ounce silver coin would cost around $400 for 100 coins. That is likely within the tithing budget of many LDS couples. (Because silver has gone up in price so much, the 1/2-oz coin is too expensive to purchase 100 coins. You’d need around $2000 for 100 coins.)

The 1/100th oz coin would be specifically for tithing for two reasons: #1, because it will be within the tithing budget of many people and, #2, because it would deal a financial blow to the corporate Church. This is because although you would pay around $4 per coin, the silver content in the coin would only be worth 30+ cents. So, although you would have fulfilled the law of tithing, thus keeping your good standing before the Lord, you would have simultaneously reduced the tithing revenue of the corporate church. How’s this for a campaign?:

Reduce the tithing revenue of the corporate Church by paying your tithing in silver!

(Using the 1/2-oz coin or any other silver coin won’t reduce the tithing revenue much, since the price of the coin so closely matches the value of the silver content.)

If anyone is interested in paying their tithing with such a 1/100th ounce coin, let me know via Wireclub and I will consider making the dies. If enough people decide to make the switch to silver for tithing payment, I will have to create the dies.

One last thing: for those who are currently paying tithing in silver or gold, assuming there is anyone out there doing that, I recommend that you only pay tithing in silver, not fast offerings. Pay your fast offerings in U.S. currency, since that goes to the poor in your ward, and they need all the value they can get.

It has been about a year and a half since I had that “temptation.” No one ended up contacting me about it on Wireclub and I let it drop, although it stayed in the back of my mind ever since.  If it was bona fide inspiration, given of the Spirit, and not just my own idea, there would come a time that it would be used, so I didn’t worry myself about it.

Recently I got that “tithing coin” feeling again, and never one to wait on impressions, I immediately contacted the mint to get the details concerning making a 1/100-oz coin. That’s when I found out that it can’t be done. That is, not for a 1/100th of an ounce coin. But it can be done for a 1/20th-oz coin.  (Now, don’t get me wrong.  I still have a plan in place to produce a 1/100-oz piece.  But that will have to wait.  The expedient coin is the 1/20 ounce.)

The mint has told me that the mold to the original dies for the 1/2-oz coin, which was made in the last quarter of 2008, is still good, and can still be used to make all the other sizes, so that everything matches up perfectly.  It also turns out that there may be some potential distributors who would be willing to invest in purchasing the coins in bulk (100 or more pieces), so that they can sell them to the public individually.

I’ve run the numbers and it looks like if you buy 100 or more pieces, it’ll cost (in total) about $4.25 a coin. So, a distributor would invest around $425. If the distributor turns around and sells them for $5.25 a piece (which is what I recommend), he or she gets a small profit and people get themselves a tithing coin, which potentially could fund the creation of all the dies of the entire currency, in both gold and silver and in both coin conditions and in all languages.

The reason why it could fund everything is that tithing is ten percent and Mormons typically pay it every time they get a paycheck. That is a very steady source of income which, to a potential distributor, reduces the risk of investing in the tithing coin considerably. After selling 425 coins, they would have covered their initial investment money completely, so that there would be no more risk involved, whatsoever.

In the case of a tithe-payer, let’s say he had a minimum wage job and his income was $320 a week, or $640 every two weeks, contributing $64 to tithing every paycheck. If he sent that money to the distributor, instead of directly to his bishop, he could purchase 12 of these 1/20-oz coins (at $5.25 a piece) and then he could give those coins to the church as tithing. As this is tithing, this routine would be repeated every paycheck for as long as he is employed. Multiply that by ten people, all earning minimum wage, and the distributor would sell his entire supply of coins every time within a two-week period. If the tithe-payer is not a minimum wage earner, but makes a lot more money, then the stash gets bought up that much more quickly, allowing die creation to proceed at a much faster rate.

Working after this fashion takes away the need for anyone (other than the distributor) to fork over enough money to purchase 100 coins. Any tithe-payer would be able to convert money into silver for as little as $5 and some change. If enough people started doing this, the church would begin to be starved* and the prophecies** concerning contributing to the church in silver would start to be fulfilled. Also, the bartering currency*** would take off in a big way.

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* Although it is true that the wheat and tares must grow together until they are ripe, at some point there will be a real division and the tares will become angry with the wheat.  For all I know, one of the reasons for this anger will be because the wheat will engage in a monetary practice that does not contribute greatly to the church coffers, such as paying tithing in silver.

** For example:

And all moneys that you receive in your stewardships, by improving upon the properties which I have appointed unto you, in houses, or in lands, or in cattle, or in all things save it be the holy and sacred writings, which I have reserved unto myself for holy and sacred purposes, shall be cast into the treasury as fast as you receive moneys, by hundreds, or by fifties, or by twenties, or by tens, or by fives.

Or in other words, if any man among you obtain five dollars let him cast them into the treasury; or if he obtain ten, or twenty, or fifty, or an hundred, let him do likewise; and let not any among you say that it is his own; for it shall not be called his, nor any part of it. (D&C 104:68-70)

The revelations of Joseph Smith equate “moneys” to “dollars.”  A “dollar” at the time of these revelations was defined as a certain amount of silver.

***  There are also prophecies concerning the great and abominable church of the Gentiles, and the widespread use (and accumulation) of gold and silver:

And it came to pass that I saw among the nations of the Gentiles the formation of a great church…And it came to pass that I beheld this great and abominable church; and I saw the devil that he was the founder of it.  And I also saw gold, and silver, and silks, and scarlets, and fine-twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing; and I saw many harlots.  And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the gold, and the silver, and the silks, and the scarlets, and the fine-twined linen, and the precious clothing, and the harlots, are the desires of this great and abominable church.  (1 Ne. 13:4,6-8)

For all I know, it may be that this prophecy will be fulfilled only when gold and silver are once again used as the medium of exchange.  If so, the bartering currency may the catalyst for its eventual fulfillment.

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Recent blog trends

There have been, for quite some time now, on very many blogs, many negative posts concerning the Church’s use of tithing funds, such as its for-profit investments.  I am concerned about these posts, not that they are not giving accurate information, but that people as a result of this information have been choosing to stop paying tithing and thus are violating their covenants.

My hope is that people will continue to pay their tithing, to the church as they are supposed to, but if they are concerned about all these church expenditures, then starve the Church of money while still contributing silver, as I explained in the quote above. It may be that this reasoning will not be good enough for many latter-day saints who are upset at these things, but perhaps some will accept it.

“Upon my house shall it begin”

We all are familiar with the prophecy concerning the order of God’s judgments, (or at least we should be), namely that they are going to start with God’s people:

Behold, vengeance cometh speedily upon the inhabitants of the earth, a day of wrath, a day of burning, a day of desolation, of weeping, of mourning, and of lamentation; and as a whirlwind it shall come upon all the face of the earth, saith the Lord.   And upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord; first among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house, saith the Lord.  (D&C 112:24-26)

This is spoken concerning the judgments of God, but the same principle may also hold true concerning God’s blessings, that they will first be poured out upon the Lord’s people and then go forth to others.  What we latter-day saints do, or do not do, may end up having a world-wide effect, the world mirroring our actions, according to this principle.  Thus, if we start using silver to contribute church offerings or as currency, the world may indeed follow suit.

Checking to see if the time is right

Anyway, the purpose of this post is to find out if anyone wants this church monetary starvation and prophecy fulfillment to happen and so wants to pay their tithing in these silver coins.  If so, please leave a comment and I’ll contact you by email. If one says, “I can buy 10 coins every two weeks” and another says, “I can buy 15 coins on the 1st and the 15th of every month” and so on and so forth and it becomes obvious that a distributor could easily recoup his investment, it should be quite easy to find someone to become a distributor. In fact, if you yourself want to be a distributor, then leave a note about that and I’ll email you, too.

(Please keep in mind that the dies are not yet made for the 1/20th ounce coin. This is just a preliminary “blood pressure” check, to see if the time is right for the introduction of a “tithing” coin…)

Following the example of the corporate Church

Denver Snuffer once wrote the following:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a three-year system for collecting and spending tithes.

In the first year the funds are collected.

In the second year the funds remain invested while a budget is prepared for spending the tithing.

In the third year the funds are spent.

During the time when the funds are collected (first year), they are put to use in investments or deposits which yield a return. Similarly, while they remain invested during the second year, they also yield a return. When the third year arrives, and the funds are being spent on budgeted expenses, until the day they are spent they continue to collect interest or a return.

The amount of tithing collected in the first year is the amount designated “tithing” contributions. This is the amount that is budgeted and spent in the third year. All of the return on tithing yielded in the form of interest or return on investments is treated as “investment income” not tithing.

When the church spends “tithing” on temples, chapels, publications, etc. those monies are confined to the original amount collected as “tithing” only.

When the church spends “investment money” those include the interest, return, etc. collected on the tithing money during the three year cycle from when originally collected until the time it is spent. It also includes the returns on the returns as they accumulate over the years.

Therefore, when the church announces that a project (like the large reconstruction of downtown Salt Lake City) is not “tithing” but is “investment income” of the church, this is the distinction which is being made.

Now, taking this as a pattern, a network of tithing coin distributors can be easily set up.  From January to December, those who wish to distribute the coins to others would set aside their monthly or bi-weekly tithes until they have enough to purchase 100 coins (about $425.)  After they purchase 100 coins, (which is now their tithing), they would list themselves as a distributor, and invest the tithing coins by selling them to others at a $1 profit.  The profit ($1) from these coins is treated as “investment income,” not “tithing,” and is re-invested by buying more coins to distribute.  After 425 coins have been moved in this way, only “investment income” (and not “tithing”) could be used to purchase 100 coins to distribute.  The initial accumulated tithing (of 100 coins) and any other tithing converted into these silver coins afterward, would be considered the tithing to be payed by the distributor to the church at the end of the year (December), or whenever the distributor wanted to pay it during the year.  Also, at the end of the year, the stash of investment returns, in the form of silver coins, could also be tithed, meaning one-tenth of them could be given to the church.

Using this strategy protects the tithing a distributor has set aside at all times, because even if only part of the stash of 100 coins (or however many coins you’ve set aside as your tithing) are sold, and you don’t have enough money to buy another set of 100 coins, you can still pay your tithing, part of which will be in silver coins, and part of which will be in U.S. currency.

That’s all for now.  Let the comments roll.

Complete List of Articles authored by LDS Anarchist

The faith of God, part thirteen: How charity fits in

Continued from part twelve.

Charity on a series about faith?

On December 20, 2007, I wrote the following on this blog:

Mormon also talked about faith (and hope and charity) in Moroni 7. Like Ether and Helaman, quoted in the previous part, Mormon explains that faith precedes hope. (See Moroni 7: 41-42 “…ye shall have hope…because of your faith…” and “…without faith there cannot be any hope…”) In fact, the order of these three grand principles is always given as “faith, hope and charity” because faith precedes hope, or allows hope to be engendered and then faith and hope allow charity to be engendered. (This is a topic for a different post and will not be covered here. I mention it merely to show that faith is different than hope and charity and required in order to obtain the other two necessary principles.) (The faith of God, part three bold type added.)

I had originally intended to address charity in a post separate from the faith of God series, but as I’ve researched the topic, I see now that it belongs here.

Paul’s definition of charity

Paul gives the universal definition of charity, used by all the Christian world, including us, found in the entire 13th chapter of Corinthians:

Paul said, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. (1 Cor. 13)

Mormon’s definition of charity

Mormon also gives his definition of charity, which is nearly identical to that of Paul, except that Mormon expounds upon the principle a bit more, taking up the entire chapter of Moroni 7:

Mormon said, “And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—but charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.” (Moro. 7: 45-47; see also the entirety of chapter 7)

Charity encompasses all good things

All principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ are found within charity. Using Paul and Mormon’s words, we find: patience (“suffereth long”), kindness (is kind), slowness to anger (“is not easily provoked”), joy in truth (“rejoiceth in the truth”), strength (“beareth all things”), belief (“believeth all things”), hope (“hopeth all things”), and endurance (“endureth all things”).

Charity has none of the evil gifts or principles. There is no envy (“envieth not”), boasting (“vaunteth not itself”), vanity and pride (“is not puffed up”), bad behavior (“does not behave itself unseemly”), stinginess (“seeketh not her own”), quick anger (“is not easily provoked”), evil thoughts (“thinketh no evil”) or joy in iniquity (“rejoiceth not in iniquity”).

In all cases, the principles encompassed by charity are in their fulness: “all things” not just some things. This means that charity is not given in portions (in one sense of that word), as are other gifts of the Spirit. You either have charity, or you don’t.

Charity is not the sum total

The gifts and principles of the gospel which are found within those who have charity do not equate to charity. In other words, merely possessing these gifts and principles in their fulness does not mean you automatically have charity. Charity, then, are these gifts plus something more. It is not the sum total of the gifts alone. This is why Paul says you can have a fulness of (name of principle or gift), but if you don’t have charity, you are nothing.

Mormon’s progression to charity

In chapter 7 of Moroni, Mormon gives a progression from faith to charity. He declares that “no man can be saved, according to the words of Christ, save they shall have” and then he lists 5 necessary principles: 1^st, faith; 2^nd, hope; 3^rd, meekness and lowliness of heart; 4^th, confession by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ; and 5^th, charity. He demonstrates by his progression that it is impossible to have faith without the word of God, and that it is faith that allows one to lay hold on every good thing (see Moro. 7: 21-25; see also The faith of God, part four: the word of God), or, in other words, it is through faith (see the following note) that every good gift (which is “sent forth by the power and gift of Christ”—see Moro. 7: 16) is obtained from God, including the greatest of all the gifts of God, which is charity.

(Note: Mormon taught that the way to obtain charity is to “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love” (Moroni 7: 48.) Christ said, “Whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall be done unto you” (Moroni 7: 26.) This shows that charity is obtained by the prayer of faith.)

Salvation = Charity and Charity = Salvation

Some may take issue with my statement that charity is the greatest of the gifts. They may bring up the following scripture:

The Lord said, “If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God; for there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation.” (D&C 6: 13)

For most LDS, the interpretation of the word “salvation” in this verse means “exaltation,” which all understand to be the greatest gift of all. Nevertheless, Mormon clearly states that charity “is the greatest of all.” (See Moro. 7: 46.) Paul also states the same in 1 Cor. 13: 13. There is no contradiction in these scriptures between Mormon, Paul and the Lord because charity and salvation are the same gift. I will explain why this is so later on.

Charity and Perfectness

Paul, Moroni and the Lord all aligned charity with perfectness:

Paul said, “And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” (Col. 3: 14)

Moroni said, “And I am filled with charity, which is everlasting love; wherefore, all children are alike unto me; wherefore, I love little children with a perfect love; and they are all alike and partakers of salvation.” (Moro. 8: 17)

The Lord said, “And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.” (D&C 88: 125)

These scriptures indicate that charity is not your average love.

No inheritance without charity

Ether chapter 12 also talks of charity. Moroni in this chapter said the following:

And now I know that this love which thou hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father. (Ether 12: 35)

Moroni makes it clear that charity is a prerequisite to salvation. No charity? No salvation. Have charity? Have salvation. This is why Mormon states in Moro. 7: 47 that “whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.” In other words, if you possess charity at the day of judgment, you are guaranteed salvation because charity is all you need. You may possess anything else, in fact, you may possess all other things (gifts) possible to possess, but if you don’t possess charity, you don’t get saved. In other words, the possession of charity is the only thing that saves.

In the final chapter of the Book of Mormon, Moroni reiterates this point:

And except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God. (Moro. 10: 21)

The Nothing and things of naught

One of the more curious aspects of charity is that without it we are “nothing.” Paul said, “Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing” (1 Cor. 13: 2). Mormon said, “If [a man] have not charity, he is nothing” (Moro. 7: 44). Nephi said, “Except [men] should have charity they were nothing” (2 Ne. 26: 30). The Lord said, “And if you have not faith, hope, and charity, you can do nothing” (D&C 18: 19).

Keep in mind that Lehi also spoke of “a thing of naught” which has no power, purpose or even existence. (See 2 Ne. 2: 11-13. This is a bit deeper doctrine than I will discuss here but if the reader wants more information, you can read the Deep Waters category articles, Lehi’s model of the universe and Creatio ex nihilo, creatio ex materia and creatio ex deo are all true doctrines.)

Weak things and strong things

Charity is associated with strength and makes weak things become strong or all-powerful. Said the Lord to Moroni:

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of all righteousness. (Ether 12: 27-28)

Moroni then goes on to explain that the Lord “hast prepared a place for man…among the mansions of [His] Father” and that the whole purpose of the Lord’s atonement and resurrection was “to prepare a place for the children of men” so that they could “inherit that place which [He] hast prepared in the mansions of [His] Father” through men having charity. (See Ether 12: 32-34.) Thus, those who possess charity stay in the kingdom of God (see Moro. 10: 21), become strong and inherit a prepared place, while those who do not possess charity “must go down to hell” (Moro. 8: 14). These latter people lose all power and become nothing.

The pure love of Christ

When asked, “What is charity?” LDS will typically quote Moroni 7: 47 and say, “Charity is the pure love of Christ.” Obviously, this is a correct and scriptural answer, but it doesn’t exactly explain what charity is. Yes, it is love. Yes, it is the type of love that Christ demonstrated and possessed. But what the heck is it? And why is it so all important that its possession makes us saved beings?

All are alike

Moroni, in the above quote, when explaining that he possessed charity, made a point to state that “all children are alike unto [him].” For most of us, love comes in degrees and is prioritized. We love our wives more than anyone. We love our wives and children more than our own brothers and their wives and children. We love our brothers and sisters more than our in-laws, and more than our friends. We love our friends more than our acquaintances. We love our neighbors more than strangers. We love our fellow citizen more than foreigners. In other words, “all are not alike” unto us. This demonstrates that most, if not all, of the love that we manifest is not charity.

The opposite of charity

If you look at past and present history, and review the brutal murders, genocides and other atrocities committed by mankind, you will find that one of the ways these men, women and even children justified their actions against their fellow men was to view their victims as aliens. They viewed them as less than human, as animals even, as vermin, as alien invaders to be fought and exterminated at all costs. In other words, they viewed them not as “alike unto them,” but as completely different and even opposite in all things. This hatred, inspired by Satan, is the opposite principle of charity. It views others as altogether different and seeks to destroy such different “things.” Charity, on the other hand, views all things as part of the family and creation of God, and alike unto ourselves, and seeks to edify, save and exalt all things.

Between charity and hatred

The prioritized love that we feel towards those whom we consider worthy of our love, known to us as our “loved ones,” is not exactly charity and not exactly hatred. It is a mix. It has conditions. “As long as you don’t hurt me, I’ll love you.” Etc. But the moment one of our loved ones hurts us real badly, then the love we feel evaporates to be replaced sometimes by hatred. So, when circumstances are going good, the love we feel can manifest great pleasure and happiness, but when times are tough or people around us are making agency choices that hurt us, often that same loving feeling can disappear in an instant and cause us great emotional pain and anger, even hate.

Satan, who knows that the principal of hate allows him to control people, also knows that it is okay for a person to possess love, as it can easily be turned into hate, by simply changing the circumstances of the person from good to bad. It is only charity—which remains constant, or perfect, regardless of the circumstances—which altogether removes Satan’s hold upon men.

What charity really is: the LDS Anarchist definition

Charity is an over-whelming desire and willingness to share all that you have with everyone else.

In the beginning

A visitor named Doug once asked me,

This brings up the point, why is God all powerful? It’s because the intelligences TRUST him, because he never lies. Trust + a healthy dose of smarts is the key to Godliness. The intelligences not only trust God, but they adore him and do whatever he asks.

To which I answered,

All you write here is very true, but there is another, prime reason that precedes these other reasons as to why all things trust and obey God. I’m currently writing another article on this other reason. I’ll link this comment to that future post (if I remember to do so.)

God is motivated by charity and charity alone.  In fact, our current scriptural translations go even farther by saying that God is love, (or God is charity.)  Charity is the divine motivation behind both the atonement and plan of salvation and also the creation of all things.  God desires to bring the nothing into existence (or creation) so that all the many created things can share in everything He has.  It’s like a rich man in a mansion, opening his doors and saying aloud to all in the streets,

“Come in, one and all, and partake of all these riches!  Sit with me, dine with me, walk with me, learn of me and enjoy all the wealth and pleasures I have!  What is mine is yours if you but come!”

Everything He does is to facilitate the gathering of all things around Him, into His mansions, so that they can share in His treasures with others.  This is charity.  God, therefore, is the personification of charity.  In other words, God literally is love.

Man is also motivated by charity, God’s charity.  In fact, all things obey God because God has charity.   We, in the beginning, being on the outside of the mansion, in the streets (in outer darkness), entered into the kingdom of God, or came into existence, because of the offer He made of sharing all He has with us.  Who in their right mind would turn down the offer to enter into a rich man’s mansion and live there in wealth and prosperity for the rest of eternity?  And not just living there, but partaking of all of the riches as if you were the rich man, meaning unbridled sharing of all there is, with no stinginess, whatsoever.  Who would turn such an offer down?  None of us did.  No one ever does.  It is not in our nature.

Charity brought us into existence

When God first gave us awareness of the inner sphere of light, it wasn’t His intelligence or His trustworthiness or any of His many other qualities that caused us to leave outer darkness and enter into our existence in the inner sphere of light (the kingdom of God). It was that noble offer of His, His charity, His desire and willingness to share all He had with us, that caused us to enter His created mansion.  This is how created things get created, or are brought into existence.  God has a two-fold mission, one directed at the already created things which exist within the bounds of the kingdom (sphere) of light and one directed at the nothing found in outer darkness.  To the created universe, He works to facilitate their obtainment of all that He has through the atonement and plan of salvation.  To the nothing, he extends the offer of entering His sphere of light and partaking of everything He has.

The creation is ongoing because the nothing cannot resist the charitable offer.  And so the Universe expands.

All things love God

Why?  Because God loves all things.  He demonstrates that love by desiring to, being willing to, offering to, and working to give us everything He has.  This is what God is all about.  Giving.  Not selling.  Not having things earned (a meritocracy.)  But an unearned gift.  This is charity.  He likes to give gifts to all that like to receive them.  As long as we enjoy receiving, He’ll keep on giving.  He is willing to give us everything there is, without any degree of selfishness.  Not giving us a replica of what He has, but the very things He has, we becoming joint-owners of His things, or as the scriptures say, joint-heirs.  This is the greatest love there is.  There is nothing greater than God’s love, called charity.  Thus, it is the most powerful motivator, in all cases.  It motivates God and it is designed, or it is His design that charity be our motivation, also.  For all the created Universe, it is also their motivation.  They obey Him in all things because they love Him for His love for them, which defies all comprehension, for once it is even remotely understood just how much God has and is willing to give to us, all things are humbled by the magnanimity of God and all things bow the knee and bend the head in humble reverence and worship of the divine Lover of all things.

There are no two ways about it

There is only one type of charity: God’s charity.  If you don’t have an overwhelming desire and willingness to share everything you have with everyone else, you don’t have charity.  (See the Deep Waters post,  How many wives?  How many husbands?, for how charity works in divine relationships).  Any degree of stinginess gets you kicked out of the kingdom.  The law of heaven is having all things common, or sharing all things with everyone else.

Sharing.  We learn this as children in the nuclear family.  Share your toys, our mothers teach us.  This is, in fact, a sure-fire way to make quick friends.  The more open and sharing you are with others, the more friends you’ll end up having.  The minute you say, “No, it’s mine!  I’m not sharing!” suddenly even close friends don’t want anything to do with you.

As adults, we learn to share with our spouses and children.  Parents provide for their children their necessities: food, clothing, shelter, nurture, protection, education.  We do this freely, as gifts.  The family is designed to be a gift society, so that we can better inculcate charity, which saves us.  The more generous and charitable we are, the more importance we put on people and the less we put on things.  Charity is the only lesson we need to learn here on earth.  Those who learn it qualify themselves for entering into the charitable society that exists in heaven.  They also prepare themselves to establish that society here on earth, otherwise known as Zion.

What charity is not

Charity is not giving of your surplus to a church, the poor or the needy.  It is not fast offerings or tithing.  Those things are important, but they are not what is charity.  We call them charitable donations because they mimic the work that charity does.  Nevertheless, unless a person has “an overwhelming desire and willingness to share everything” he or she has with everyone else, what they have is something less than charity.  The love of a mother or father for his or her children is close to charity.  A parent will give everything, even their own life, for their children, and will share all that they have with them.  But until they have the desire and are willing to do the same for everyone, they don’t possess charity.

In the absence of charity

Without charity, men go through various stages of selfishness and stinginess.  Babylon thrives in the absence of charity.  When charity enters the hearts of men, Babylon disappears and Zion becomes established.  In Zion’s absence, men have power to do all manner of wickedness and can be partially or totally controlled by the devil.  Once charity becomes the motivating impulse in men, Satan loses all power and God rules on earth in their hearts.  This is because charity is 100% divine.  It is not a human concept, principle or emotion.  It comes only from God.  As charity overwhelms with desire, its possession makes men relinquish all the less than perfect human emotions and allows them to embrace the divine nature.

Charity can only be obtained, as Mormon explained above, through faith, hope, meekness, etc.  So, as a strategy, the devil does all in his power to destroy faith, hope, etc.  Faith, in and of itself, is useless against Satan.  So is hope.  None of these principles can stop him. Only charity can.

“Let all men have faith, hope and the rest of the gifts of the Spirit,” says the evil one.  “As long as they possess no charity, these things are powerless to save them and can be a useful means of deception.”

The fastest way to obtain the gifts

As it is through faith that all other gifts are obtained, including charity, and as charity encompasses every other gift, it may be tempting to use one’s faith to seek all other gifts first and when one has fully developed them, to seek for charity. This is actually the slowest way to obtain the gifts because it puts the one seeking the gifts within Satan’s grasp.

It is not given that one man should possess that which is above another, wherefore the world lieth in sin. (D&C 49: 20)

This principle applies equally to the gifts of God. When we possess more gifts of God than our fellowman, or gifts which we believe are better than the one’s our neighbor has, Satan can lead us to sin in our thoughts by tempting us to think we are the better, or more righteous, man. Such thoughts can lead to sinful behavior and attitudes, which will end up damning us, despite our gifts.

The antidote is to first seek for charity and then, once it is obtained, to seek for the other gifts. This nullifies the devil’s power and facilitates and expedites the receipt of all the other gifts, for the Lord readily bestows His gifts upon possessors of charity because He knows already that they will use them to bless His other children.

The rewards in heaven will be based upon how close we came to charity

Those who enter into their exaltation are those whose lives on earth were denoted by this divine desire and willingness to share everything with everyone.  These men and women who actually obtained the divine gift of charity will receive everything God possesses and will become gods and goddesses themselves.

All others will receive according to how close they came to charity.  In the day of judgment, we will be assessed only by charity or our lack thereof.  Did we possess the desire but not the willingness to carry out the desire?  When presented with the opportunity, did we share all, most, a lot, a little or none at all?  Did we play favorites, sharing with him, her and them but not with those?  Or were we totally selfish, sharing nothing with no one and with an unwillingness and no desire to bless those around us with the good things of life?  Did we discard charity altogether and seek for its opposite, desiring and willing that others receive nothing but evil from our own hands or the hands of others?

Locations in heaven will be based upon charity or its lack

Those who receive the reward of exaltation (the ones who possessed charity in mortality) will reside in the midst of all things, like God Himself, at the center of the sphere of light (the created Universe or the kingdom of God).  Like God, they will receive all power (agency) from all things and all things will look to them (the center) and obey them for they have the same desire, willingness and now power to share everything they possess (which is everything) with all.

Persons who were less charitable in mortality will receive inheritances in other mansions or kingdoms (planets) which are located more towards the edges of the sphere of light.  These will possess less power (agency) than those who reside more towards the center of the Universe.

Repentance brings salvation (charity)

Obviously, almost all mankind will be saved through the atonement of Jesus Christ, which means that just about everyone will eventually repent of their sins and go through Mormon’s steps, acquiring faith, hope, meekness, lowliness of heart and confessing by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ.  This means that they will finally obtain charity and become saved in the kingdom of God.  With this charity they will share all of what they have with everyone around them.  In the case of those exalted, “all of what they have” is everything there is to possess, even all that the Father has.  For everyone else, “all of what they have” is of a limited nature, but still everything that they were willing to receive, they not wanting or desiring to receive any more than the reward or gift which they obtained.

Only the sons of perdition lose out entirely, as they remain firm in their impenitence, refusing to receive charity, and being cast back into outer darkness.

Charity is not based upon a church

Baptism into a church is not what qualifies a person for the reception of the gift of charity.  It is one’s desires and willingness to share all with all.  Anyone who uproots the selfish spirit from their soul through Jesus’ words and the Holy Ghost’s actions, humbling him or herself before God, whether they are members of the baptized, covenant people of the Lord or not, can and will receive this gift and if so, they will receive the corresponding reward in heaven.  There will be many charitable “heathens” who will enter into greater rewards than uncharitable church members, regardless of how much tithing, fast offerings, service projects, temple work, meetings or callings they accept, attend or contribute.

The goal is charity

It may seem weird to bring up charity in the faith of God series, but I felt it was important to give an understanding of how charity fits in to God’s faith.  The faith of God is not the end of the matter.  It is merely a means to an end.  Through faith God obtains and maintains all things, granting Him possession of all things.  But possession is not the end all and be all.  The things possessed are to be used for a divine purpose.  Why get all if not to give all?  Underlying all that immense, godly power, knowledge and holiness is the divine motivation, which precedes both our own faith as well as God’s, for God works by faith in order to be able to share all that He has with everyone.  Charity, then, is God’s goal for both Himself and mankind.  Charity is both the first and the last principle.  It brought us into existence, it keeps us in existence, and using it, it can bring others into existence.  It is the reason for the happiness that is existence, the sharing of all things with all.  Charity is the Zion principle.

Everything that leads to charity is to be motivated by charity, thus, the Savior’s command of “freely ye have received, freely give” is according to the principle of charity and is to apply to all the gifts of God.  We are to use all that God gives us to benefit all His children and creations, freely, generously and openly, without reservation or respect to persons.  All are to be alike to us.

Next Faith of God article: The faith of God, part fourteen: God is a miracle worker, not a scientist

Previous Faith of God article: The faith of God, part twelve: Truth

Complete List of Articles authored by LDS Anarchist

Spicing up your church experience

Combating Cultural Mormonism with a Little Anarchy

In my estimation, there seems to be a growing number of LDS that are starting to recognize the difference between doctrinal Mormonism and cultural Mormonism, with a discontent concerning the latter.

I, personally, worry that cultural Mormonism is killing too many of these good people with boredom.  So, if there are any out in Cyberspace who are tired of the Utah culture being exported to every part of the globe, here are some suggestions from your friendly, neighborhood LDS Anarchist to spice up your church experience and bring a little leavening to the doughy masses.

Feel free to run with any of them and to encourage your LDS and, depending on the suggestion, non-LDS friends to do the same.  With enough people doing the following small things, the church will quickly be de-culturalized, leaving only doctrinal Mormonism left.  But even if only a very few people do these things, it will still cause a tremendous shift of attitude among the saints and bring about significant cultural change.  Lastly, if it is only you working, and you are not having any effect, at all, upon the Cult of Conformity, at least you will have de-culturalized yourself and removed much of the boredom you might have been going through.

Bring back the visual cues of manhood

• Men and boys, grow your beards out.

This is a very easy thing to do, as there is nothing that needs to be done.  It is a passive act.  You simply allow the facial hair to grow out.  This will save you time, energy, electricity (for electric shavers), damage to the skin (no more nicks and cuts) and money (no more shaving equipment needed.)

Many men desire to grow a beard but use the excuse that it grows out in patches and ends up looking horrible, so they cut it.  The truth of the matter is that if you just let the hair grow, even the patches start to sprout hair and eventually everything looks even and full, but sometimes it may take six months for a very patchy man to have a full beard.  A little patience is all it takes.

Teenage boys of 15 and 16, when they start to notice that their peach fuzz is turning into terminal hairs, will immediately start shaving it off.  This is a mistake, as the facial hair is a visual cue that manhood is now upon them.

Young men, aren’t you tired of people treating you like a child?  Grow your facial hair out and watch how quickly people begin treating you as a more mature individual.  Watch the reaction of your parents, male peers, school teachers and the young women of your age.  A beard is a very strong visual cue of manhood and everyone will start to treat you as an adult, especially when your voice deepens.  Remember, things should match.  A deep voice goes with a full beard.  A high pitched voice goes with a clean-shaven (boyish) face.  These visual and audible cues were given to us by God on purpose.

Men, unless you are in a profession that requires you to be clean-shaven, let the hair grow out into a full, bushy beard.  Ditch the fads and trends of trimming into this or that beard style.  You don’t need a goatee, you need a full beard.  You were created in the image of God.  He’s got a full beard.  You’re supposed to have one, too.  Be like God in heart and look like God in image. Don’t trim his image.  If the mustache gives you trouble when you eat, or if you find that the beard becomes a “flavor saver” (because food gets stuck in it), just exercise the patience of the saints and let it grow until it is long enough to no longer get in the way.

Now, I say grow a full, bushy, untrimmed beard because that is the most manly of beards. Short beards, even when full, indicate young men, whose beards have not yet attained the length of a fully grown man.

Women, compliment your husbands and sons on the fine beards they are growing.  You are hard-wired to find beards attractive.  Why?  Because beards are manly, and women love manliness.  So, dump all the (beardless) Roman and (beardless) homosexual propaganda that has filled your head and embrace the real image of Christ. You don’t want a beardless Roman, now do you?  Remember, the beardless Romans killed the bearded Christ.  You want a Christ-like man, right?  So, encourage the growing of the beard, ladies.  Besides, you know that women constantly complain of how grown, adult men act like immature 12-year olds, right?  Well, have you ever considered that they act like 12-year olds because they still look like 12-year olds?  Can you really expect your men to grow up and be adults if they just look like bigger versions of beardless kids?

Men, women and children should consider the functions of the full beard and respect them.  Here are some examples:

• Beards come in quite handy during intimacy.  (I ain’t gonna elaborate on this one.)

• Beards help to develop the manual dexterity of infants and toddlers, who, as they are held by their fathers, grasp the beard, which fully develops the hand and fingers of the child.

• Beards help to distinguish the father from the mother in the eyes of the child, causing them to view the sexes as very, very different.  (“Viva la difference!” as the French say.)  This causes young girls to develop into very feminine women and young boys to develop into very masculine men.

• Bearded men (full, bushy beards, mind you, not the sissy trimmed beards) elicit an involuntary reaction upon all who see them.  Beards emit power and virility and evoke instant respect.  Big, clean-shaven men with tattoos all over the place, piercings, etc., who look for confrontations, involuntarily avoid bearded men because they don’t feel manly in the presence of bearded men.  In point of fact, bearded men look upon beardless men as less manly.

• When two bearded men enter an area and spot each other, they are naturally drawn to each other, involuntarily complimenting the other for their fine facial hair.  (This is significant, as men normally do not give compliments of appearance to one another.)  A bearded man talking to another bearded man feels like he is talking to a man. A bearded man talking to a beardless man feels like he is talking to a boy. All beardless men know this, or feel this inferiority of manliness when in the presence of fully bearded men.  There is no worse feeling to a man than to feel less than manly.

• Conversely, there is no greater feeling to a woman than to feel feminine, but femininity must be contrasted with masculinity to get its greatest effect.  A fully bearded man gives the highest contrast of manliness to a woman, which is why women who have experienced fully bearded men don’t want them to ever cut the beard off.  They feel supremely feminine in the presence of such a manly man.  (Of course, cultural conditioning can take away this natural affinity that women have towards manly beards.)

• Fully bearded men have an air of authority around them that children and women (and beardless men) respond to.  There is something in our psyche that still remembers Heavenly Father and that responds to His bearded image.

• There may be many other reasons to grow a beard, but I’ll end with this one: if the Lord ever wants to send you out among the people to prophesy like one of His prophets of old, shouldn’t you look the part?

Worldly trends to eliminate beards Can you imagine a homosexual male with a full beard?  Kind of hard to picture, isn’t it?  Ever wonder why adult, homosexual males are almost always clean shaven, or have a minimum of facial hair?  Every wonder why the “playboy” image, started by Hugh Hefner, is clean-shaven (kind of like the homosexuals?)  Homosexual males don’t have children because they don’t get into long-term, committed relationships with females (otherwise known as “marriage.”)  “Playboys” (or nowadays the term is “players”) don’t get into long term, committed relationships with females, either.  (No marriage.)  You think the parallels between homosexual males and players is mere coincidence?

How about the sex performers and industry?  The only hair on their bodies (male or female) is found on their heads (and sometimes not even that for the men.)  Ever wonder why all this shaving of armpit hair, pubic hair and facial hair?  All of the visual cues of adulthood (for men and women) are snipped off by this industry, by the homosexuals and often by the playboys.  But think about it, if you take away this hair, what does an adult look like?  Answer: A large child.

None of this is coincidence.  Just as the hair that develops during puberty is designed by God to be a visual cue that the body is becoming an adult and getting ready for its sexual function between ADULTS, the world would remove all this hair so that it looks like CHILDREN are performing these sacred acts.  Thoughts to consider.

(After writing the above, which is based upon my own, personal observations, I did some Internet surfing and came across the following web site that confirmed what I had perceived about beards.)

All About Beards (beards.org)

Pay your tithing in silver

Stop writing checks or paying in cash.  Take whatever cash amount you would spend on tithing and convert it into silver coins, specifically, this silver.  Package and mail the coins off to your bishop, along with a tithing slip inside.  Make sure the slip is filled out so that you are anonymous.

Leave boring sacrament meetings after partaking of the sacrament

If you are tired of banal, boring, lame sacrament meeting talks and seriously consider going inactive, don’t.  Just go to church, partake of the sacrament, and as soon as the priests and deacons are dismissed to sit with their families, walk out and go home. You can return later to attend the Gospel Doctrine class, Relief Society or Priesthood Meetings, if you want or need to.  If Gospel Doctrine is lame, skip that, too. (However, to remain in good standing, priesthood holders must attend their priesthood meetings, even if they are boring.)

Doing this will allow you to keep your sanity for a few more years.  Also, if enough people in your ward participate in collective ditching, the bishopric may get the message that boredom is not a generally accepted principle of the gospel and may make needed improvements to the sacrament meeting.  But don’t hold your breath on that one.

Ditch the necktie and white shirt

Last I checked, you can’t be ex’d for that, or even disfellowshipped.  But some anally retentive bishops may decide that you are no longer worthy to bless or pass the sacrament, give talks, teach classes or perform ordinances of church record, so, if you are looking for a breather from a heavy church load, conveniently make sure that every Sunday your white shirts and ties are too dirty to wear and dress in nice, comfortable, casual clothes, instead.  And if you are called to give a priesthood blessing to some sick person in the ward, don’t be anally retentive yourself and rush home to get dressed in a white shirt and tie.  Just go as you are and bless them.

Grow your hair long

Jesus did it.  Samson did it.  Who is more manly than those two?  Long hair and a full, bushy beard complement each other.  If you have the Roman hair (short cut) and the Israelite beard (full and bushy), it will almost look hypocritical, like having one foot in Babylon and one foot in Zion.  Put both feet in Zion and grow the hair out.  You’ll look a whole lot more handsome and manly if you do.  Plus, you’ll save on all the barber shop money you spend.  (Or, to appease a wife that is unaccustomed to long hair, tell her that you are going to the barber, but instead come back with chocolates and roses…and uncut hair.  She’ll soon look forward to your “barber shop” excursions and will end up being the one insisting you never cut your hair.)  If anyone asks you why you are not cutting the hair, say you are trying to be like Jesus, or that you have taken a Nazarene vow, or that you’ve noticed that your strength increases the longer your hair is, and you’ve decided to enter a strongman contest.

Call everyone brother and sister so-and-so

And I do mean everyone.  Bishops, presidents, missionaries, apostles, prophets and all General Authorities.  Everyone.  And make it part of every sentence, too, when you are called out on the practice.  So, for example: “Hello, Brother Brown.’  “Uh, I’m the bishop, Brother Green.”  “Yes, I know, Brother Brown.”  “Well, it is customary to call one’s bishop by the title bishop and not brother.”  “I was aware of that, Brother Brown.  But thanks for the information, anyway.”  You get my drift, right?  If anyone asks why you are doing this, just get all emotional and, if you are able to, shed a few tears while giving him (not her) a big hug and saying that you love him as your own brother.  Fairly quickly, no one will ask you again about it.

Print out your own set of scriptures

Include whatever canon you want.  Let it contain the four standard works (any version of the Bible you want, or multiple versions, or the red-letter version, etc.), the Apocrypha, the Inspired Version, etc.  Use a desk-top publishing program and a good printer and take it to a binding shop to get it professionally bound.  Remember, the saints set the canon.  You are a saint, so set your own canon.

Reverse the order of prayer

Instead of ending “in the name of Jesus Christ,” make it a habit of starting with “Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, …” and then end with a simple “Amen.”

Reverse the order of priesthood blessings

Instead of saying, “John Smith, by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood, we lay our hands on you…etc.” and then ending with, “…and we leave this blessing with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen,” just begin with, “John Smith, in the name of Jesus Christ and by the authority of…” and end with, “amen.”  Sure, you”ll undoubtedly get elders telling you afterward that you screwed up the blessing and must do it again because the order was reversed, but stick to your guns and teach them a thing or two, namely, that stating the authority is what is required, not the order in which the authority is stated.

Drop all the archaic expressions of prayer

Don’t worry, you won’t tick God off by calling him “you” instead of “thee.”  Lol.  That is a Mormon cultural artifact, nothing more.  Use plain, modern English when talking to God and drop all the thees, thous, wilts, etc.  Do this in private and in public, after all, it’s going to take practice to get out of this habit.  But it’ll be well worth the effort both to witness the expressions of horror by the LDS around you after you’ve said your prayer, as well as seeing how more accepting Christians are of you when you’ve said a prayer without archaic, “holier-than-thou” expressions.

De-McConkie-ize the church: stop ending talks with “In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

This practice was started by Bruce R. McConkie.  The early saints just said, “Amen.” to end a talk, or just ended it however they wanted to end it and then sat down.  Surely you don’t think your entire talk speaks for Jesus, now do you?  So, leave off speaking in His name except for ORDINANCES which require speaking in His name and for those times when you are filled with the Spirit and are prophesying in the name of God.  (Now how many times has that happened, huh?)

Build an altar in your home

Purchase bottles of vodka and leave them out to be seen

Use the vodka to wash your bodies, as directed by the Word of Wisdom.  Make sure they are conspicuously displayed and then invite some church members over for dinner.  Have fun with the discussions that ensue.

Other ideas

Obviously, these are just ideas to get you started.  Cultural Mormons will probably call you a sinner for doing these things.  But then, they also see anarchy as evil, which it isn’t.  Just smile and do them anyway.  Eventually, the tide of Mormon cultural crap will turn.  If you have any other ideas to offer, or if you are already doing some of these or other things, feel free to leave a comment and inform us all of your experience.

Next Anarchism/Anarchy article: Anarchism

Previous Anarchism/Anarchy article: Let Us Unite Our Efforts to Establish Gift Societies Based Upon Tribal Anarchism

Complete List of Articles authored by LDS Anarchist

Complete List of Articles authored by LDS Anarchist

The LDS Anarchy blog began on 7 October 2007.
This complete article list will be updated as new articles are published.

Explanatory Introduction

There are two (2) lists on this page: a Chronological List and a Topical List.

The Chronological List is numbered first to last and contains the date the article was first published on the LDS Anarchy blog  This list is useful if you want to follow the progression and evolution (and some might say, regression and degeneration) of my thoughts over time. I have not included the guest posts in this list. If you want those, look under the Guest Contributor section of the Topical List.

If you know the title of a particular essay, or any of the words in the title, most browsers have a “Find on this page…” function which allows you to locate any word on the page.  Usually, to access this function, you just need to press (Control + F) and then there should be a place appear in your browser that allows you to type out the word you are looking for.  This browser function makes an Alphabetical List of my posts obsolete, so I have opted not to include one on this page.

The Topical List is a work in progress.  Some posts cover more than one topic, therefore you can expect repeated listings of a post.

I have the habit of writing new ideas, concepts and understandings in the comment sections, which often enhance, elaborate on, expound upon, and sometimes even correct, the principles found in a post, so if anyone is confused by what I write, read the comments.  There may be an explanation in there that will clear up your confusion.  (Unfortunately, I also do this in the comment sections of the other blog contributors’ posts, so if you cannot find what you are looking for in my posts and comment sections, then you’ll have to review the comments of the other contributors’ posts, which means you’ll have to review the ENTIRE BLOG.  Happy surfing! 😉

For usage rights, please review the following article:

LDS Anarchist’s Posts Are “Open” Copyright

Chronological List

1. (7 October 2007) About

2. (7 October 2007) Biblical Anarchism

3. (7 October 2007) Scriptural Discussion #1: Priesthood Ordinations—By The Power Of The Holy Ghost

4. (8 October 2007) Scriptural Discussion #2: Scriptures—Men To Be Judged By

5. (8 October 2007) The Return of Polygamy

6. (9 October 2007) Scriptural Discussion #3: Sexual Sin—Among Members/Among Investigators

7. (10 October 2007) Scriptural Discussion #4: Sick—Faithless Members/Faithful Saints

8. (10 October 2007) Contributors

9. (10 October 2007) Is our procedure for sustaining a rubber stamp?

10. (11 October 2007) Book of Mormon Anarchy

11. (11 October 2007) Scriptural Discussion #5: Teachers—Must Be Sanctified

12. (12 October 2007) What does the phrase “only true and living church” mean?

13. (12 October 2007) Scriptural Discussion #6: Tribulation Upon Church

14. (13 October 2007) The Secrecy of Patriarchal Blessings

15. (13 October 2007) Scriptural Discussion #7: Afflictions—Can Be Swallowed Up In Joy Of Christ

16. (14 October 2007) Discharging Priesthood Duties

17. (14 October 2007) Scriptural Discussion #8: Anarchism—Approved And Prophesied

18. (15 October 2007) Joseph Smith’s Daguerreotype—An Appeal for Help

19. (15 October 2007) Scriptural Discussion #9: Equality

20. (16 October 2007) The interpolation of a footnote

21. (16 October 2007) Scriptural Discussion #10: Faith—Living By, Better Than Living By Knowledge

22. (17 October 2007) Why I started this blog

23. (17 October 2007) Scriptural Discussion #11: Gifts And Power Of The Spirit—Defined As Good Works

24. (18 October 2007) Charitable gifts: investment of earthly or heavenly benefit?

25. (18 October 2007) Why do LDS still circumcise their boys?

26. (19 October 2007) Romans 13: 1-7 and Joseph Smith

27. (19 October 2007) Stateless in Somalia: How Clannish Anarchy Works

28. (20 October 2007) Why voting is so important to the State

29. (20 October 2007) Scriptural Discussion #12: War—To Be Renounced

30. (20 October 2007) Free-church vs. state-church

31. (20 October 2007) Scriptural Discussion #13: Anger And Insults—Are Forbidden

32. (20 October 2007) The law of tithing (part one)

33. (20 October 2007) Scriptural Discussion #14: Sacramental Prayers—Church Should Be Kneeling During

34. (21 October 2007) The Mormon Worker and the LDS Anarchy Blog: the hand of the Lord or just a coincidence?

35. (22 October 2007) 1930’s Spanish Anarchy

36. (23 October 2007) What the Lord has said about the Constitution

37. (24 October 2007) Anarchy does not require perfect people

38. (25 October 2007) LDS make the best anarchists

39. (26 October 2007) The law of tithing (part two)

40. (26 October 2007) Are there Clergy Response Teams in the LDS Church?

41. (26 October 2007) Deep Waters: Disclaimer

42. (27 October 2007) Daily repentance

43. (28 October 2007) The law of tithing (part three)

44. (29 October 2007) The law of tithing (part four)

45. (30 October 2007) Deep Waters: How many wives? How many husbands?

46. (31 October 2007) Deep Waters: What would have happened if Lucifer had won the vote?

47. (1 November 2007) The oath and covenant of the priesthood

48. (2 November 2007) The LDS weep not for Zion

49. (3 November 2007) The gift of tongues (part one)

50. (4 November 2007) The gift of tongues (part two): a Book of Mormon account

51. (5 November 2007) The gift of tongues (part three): tongues and administrations

52. (6 November 2007) Is the topic of “secret combinations” taboo in the LDS church?

53. (7 November 2007) The real meaning of the promise in Moroni 10: 3-5

54. (8 November 2007) There is no conflict between science and religion

55. (9 November 2007) A small break

56. (11 November 2007) The sun “borrows” its light and the planets or stars were “fixed”

57. (12 November 2007) The Noachian Flood, Part One: The Role of Plasma

58. (13 November 2007) The plasma aspects of the First Vision and Moroni’s visits

59. (14 November 2007) Is anarchism compatible with D&C 134?

60. (15 November 2007) The Title of Insufferable, Self-Righteous Prigs

61. (16 November 2007) Strong drinks, mild drinks, hot drinks, wine, etc.

62. (17 November 2007) The faith of God, part one

63. (18 November 2007) Abraham Lincoln

64. (21 November 2007) The Anarchy of Alma

65. (22 November 2007) 300 + years of Nephite anarchy

66. (23 November 2007) The prophetic counsel against having kings (ruler)

67. (24 November 2007) Introducing another LDS plasma theologue

68. (26 November 2007) Deep Waters: Lehi’s model of the universe

69. (26 November 2007) Special Comet Holmes James M. McCanney Broadcast

70. (3 December 2007) The hollow earth theory, the plasma model and Mormon theology

71. (5 December 2007) Anonymity, encryption and privacy on the net

72. (7 December 2007) The faith of God, part two

73. (17 December 2007) Power of the Law of Common Consent

74. (18 December 2007) No, I haven’t abandoned the blog…

75. (19 December 2007) A basic right denied

76. (20 December 2007) The faith of God, part three

77. (21 December 2007) To LDS women: beware of kissing

78. (27 December 2007) Lakota independence—prophecy starting to be fulfilled?

79. (30 December 2007) How the scriptural “helps” brainwash you

80. (2 January 2008) The tribal nature of the gospel

81. (13 January 2008) The Compassionate Empathy Model of the Atonement

82. (16 January 2008) How the atonement of Jesus Christ solves the “victim” problem

83. (18 January 2008) Are we commanded to confess to ecclesiastical authorities without witnesses?

84. (23 January 2008) What did Jesus Christ look like?

85. (24 January 2008) The law governing confession

86. (30 January 2008) Poll: Who is the most prophetic?

87. (1 February 2008) Gordon B. Hinckley’s scripturally-based legacy

88. (3 February 2008) Confidential annotations on membership records

89. (5 February 2008) The faith of God, part four: the word of God

90. (14 February 2008) The faith of God, part five: belief

91. (16 February 2008) The faith of God, part six: the Holy Spirit

92. (19 February 2008) Is Molly right?

93. (21 February 2008) The faith of God, part seven: prayer and fasting

94. (25 February 2008) The faith of God, part eight: the Atonement is the word

95. (29 February 2008) What best gifts do you have?

96. (2 March 2008) The faith of God, part nine: the ingredients of faith

97. (16 March 2008) Thanks to Thailer

98. (16 March 2008) The role of agency in political systems

99. (26 March 2008) Breaking News: Joseph Smith’s Daguerrotype is scanned and uploaded

100. (30 March 2008) Extended fasting: a cure for all spiritual AND PHYSICAL ailments

101. (31 March 2008) The faith of God, part ten: the relationship of faith to agency (power)

102. (2 April 2008) The anarchic laws of D&C 98

103. (2 April 2008) LDS Anarchy blog listed as Best Radically Faithful Blog by SLWeekly.com

104. (4 April 2008) Intellectuals

105. (9 April 2008) Follow the leader: satanic in nature?

106. (10 April 2008) My extended fast journal

107. (11 April 2008) The faith of God, part eleven: Why knowledge doesn’t save

108. (14 April 2008) Other prophets and their scriptures

109. (15 April 2008) Why the long process

110. (22 April 2008) My take on the FLDS raid

111. (24 April 2008) The faith of God, part twelve: Truth

112. (28 April 2008) How the Lord will clean His church: a possible scenario

113. (2 May 2008) What the Word of Wisdom says and what it doesn’t say

114. (8 May 2008) Introducing a new contributor

115. (16 May 2008) Bringing Stan Tenen and The Meru Foundation to the Attention of all LDS [alternate title: Doing what4anarchy’s Job]

116. (19 May 2008) Scriptural Discussion #15: Abortion

117. (12 June 2008) Complete List of Articles authored by LDS Anarchist

118. (14 June 2008) “It has always been given to the elders of my church from the beginning, and always shall be, to conduct all meetings.”

119. (21 June 2008) what4anarchy’s in charge

120. (8 July 2008) The Noachian Flood, Part Two: Electrically manufacturing OH

121. (9 July 2008) Introducing yet another new contributor

122. (11 July 2008) How I get out of jury duty

123. (12 July 2008) CAP Reports

124. (20 July 2008) Deep Waters: Creatio ex nihilo, creatio ex materia and creatio ex deo are all true doctrines

125. (6 August 2008) The many definitions of adultery

126. (6 August 2008) Is the church under attack?

127. (8 August 2008) Is the King James Version still the best?

128. (15 August 2008) The Law of the Harvest: a reality check

129. (18 August 2008) Let the Aaronic Priesthood Do Hometeaching and Let the Elders Administer the Sacrament

130. (19 August 2008) The dissolution of the corporate LDS church via “gay marriage”

131. (20 August 2008) Anarchy in action: congregational nullification

132. (23 August 2008) Anarchy in Education

133. (25 August 2008) Scriptural Discussion #16: David and Solomon

134. (27 August 2008) If voting could change things, it would be illegal

135. (29 August 2008) 50,000 hits and LDS Anarchy stats

136. (29 August 2008) Monson and his constipated physics redux; or, how electric gravity makes hollow earthers happy

137. (30 August 2008) Apathy is not a problem; it’s a symptom and a solution

138. (2 September 2008) The voice of the people signifies a majority

139. (3 September 2008) We are not doing our business by the voice of the people

140. (4 September 2008) LDS Anarchy Blog Readership Poll

141. (8 September 2008) Two voices crying in the wilderness (on the Internet)

142. (9 September 2008) The Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th Edition (1910-1911)

143. (10 September 2008) Does legalized, same-sex “marriage” break the law of chastity?

144. (28 September 2008) The Root Cause of the Current Financial (Monetary) Crisis and Its Solution

145. (1 October 2008) Liberty Dollar Alert #29

146. (25 October 2008) The practice of hiding up treasures unto the Lord

147. (21 November 2008) Introducing a new bartering currency—the first coin: 1/2 Troy oz pure silver .999 fine

148. (15 December 2008) A Gospel Outline—Without Explanations

149. (21 December 2008) What if…the Lord brought the Prophet Joseph Smith back from the dead to lead the church?

150. (6 January 2009) “And Thus They Did Obtain the Sole Management of the Government”

151. (16 January 2009) The End of the State of Israel

152. (25 January 2009) 3 Nephi 21, expounded

153. (2 February 2009) Slim pickings is not the problem with the single adult program: FAT women are

154. (8 February 2009) TAV Pre-Genesis Revelation to Joseph Smith

155. (9 February 2009) TAV Matthew 1

156. (11 February 2009) D&C 87, expounded

157. (14 February 2009) Bartering Currency Pictures

158. (2 April 2009) If you could read only 3 chapters or sections…

159. (21 May 2009) Plasma Rods: A Theoretical Concept

160. (7 June 2009) A sign of the times?

161. (13 June 2009) Keep your eye on the planets!

162. (4 July 2009) (No Uncle) S.A.M.M.s

163. (10 July 2009) The Split-Brain Model of the Gospel

164. (30 July 2009) Establishing the tribes of Israel: the real reason for plural marriage

165. (9 August 2009) Let Us Unite Our Efforts to Establish Gift Societies Based Upon Tribal Anarchism

166. (18 August 2009) The Law of Chastity: What It Is and What It Isn’t

167. (30 August 2009) Why I Believe the Plates of Brass Are Next

168. (16 September 2009) “David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me”

169. (25 September 2009) Damnation

170. (29 September 2009) There are no “higher” or “lower” laws; there are only expedient laws

171. (20 January 2010) “And they understood me not, for they supposed”

172. (28 January 2010) Manasseh’s future leadership role

173. (2 February 2010) Opening old wounds

174. (3 February 2010) Spicing up your church experience

175. (6 February 2010) The Anarchist Version (TAV) of the Scriptures

176. (10 February 2010) TAV Comments

177. (13 February 2010) Was John the Baptist on Dope?

178. (24 February 2010) The Priesthood

179. (26 March 2010) Apprising In Verse — A Short Poem

180. (27 March 2010) A note from Stan Tenen

181. (5 April 2010) LDS Anarchist’s Posts Are “Open” Copyright

182. (27 April 2010) An alternate view of the keys

183. (8 May 2010) Anarchism

184. (9 May 2010) “And thus, with the sword…”

185. (14 May 2010) Become a Contributor

186. (18 May 2010) So John the Baptist Smoked Pot, What of It?

187. (21 May 2010) The Hailstorm Soon Cometh, pre-post

188. (27 May 2010) Isaiah Explained: Isaiah Institute Translation with audio commentary by Avraham Gileadi

189. (2 June 2010) Mormonism as the coming state religion and other crazy thoughts

190. (7 June 2010) The Holy Ghost is a Woman

191. (16 June 2010) I am wary of the priestcraft among us

192. (22 June 2010) Every one of us had a perfect, wonderful and happy childhood

193. (28 July 2010) Anarchy in action: sending 2-cent letters and 1-cent postcards

194. (20 August 2010) Lehi’s Josephite Prophecy

195. (10 September 2010) Body modesty is not a principle of the gospel

196. (14 September 2010) The seeds of the powers of godliness

197. (22 September 2010) Tribal worship services

198. (7 October 2010) Happy 3rd Birthday, LDS Anarchy Blog!

199. (11 October 2010) Marriage without a marriage license is ordained of God

200. (29 October 2010) The Parable of the Redemption of Zion (D&C 101: 43-62): a Series of FUTURE (not Past) Events

201. (2 November 2010) The Parable of the Redemption of Zion (D&C 101: 43-62), Take Two: a Purely Planetary/Plasma Interpretation

202. (16 November 2010) Wives, follow your husbands! – Patriarchy, androcracy and the egalitarian tribe

203. (20 November 2010) Unlicensed marriages and what the Brethren can do about them

204. (26 November 2010) The faith of God, part thirteen: How charity fits in

205. (27 November 2010) Mormon.org profiles: enhanced membership tracking?

206. (28 November 2010) Priesthood Offices in a Tribal Setting

207. (3 December 2010) The nature of authority: the Lord’s stewardship law

208. (4 December 2010) New thoughts on prayer

209. (23 December 2010) All About Christmas

210. (22 January 2011) Teachings on hell and the spirit world

211. (6 March 2011) The role of angels in Nephite preaching

212. (11 March 2011) How to receive what you ask for

213. (9 May 2011) The doctrine of destruction

214. (30 May 2011) The Baptism of Fire

215. (14 June 2011) Blog Chronology

216. (17 June 2011) “Every elder, priest, teacher or deacon is to be ordained according to the gifts…of God unto him.”

217. (21 June 2011) GEMTAM Book Collaboration

218. (20 August 2011) Abrahamic Concubinage as an Inter-Tribal Function

219. (23 September 2011) The Book of Mormon Is a Litmus Test

220. (4 October 2011) The real Jonah: holy prophet and type of Christ

221. (27 October 2011) GEMTAM (Chapter 3) Multihusband-Multiwife

222. (18 November 2011) Selections from the Book of Laman

223. (22 November 2011) LDS Anarchy Chat Room

224. (3 December 2011) Lehi’s Trek to China and North America

225. (20 December 2011) “…and the labor which they had to perform was to look…”

226. (17 February 2012) “Why do you call me a Christian when you believe in a Restoration?”

227. (23 February 2012) The Real Missionary Discussions

228. (14 March 2012) Vigilant Citizen web site link added to the blog

229. (5 April 2012) The Two Authors of the Book of Abraham

230. (9 April 2012) The Strength of the Lord

231. (15 April 2012) Various recent insights

232. (4 May 2012) Sperm Sorting Function

233. (12 September 2012) “Because it hardens the heart.”

234. (6 October 2012) Happy 5th Birthday, LDS Anarchy Blog!

235. (9 October 2012) Who is supposed to take the lead of meetings?

236. (12 October 2012) Evil speaking of the Lord’s anointed

237. (21 October 2012) Do we really need a standing army?

238. (22 October 2012) WISTB, part two: because the By Common Consent blog banned the LDS Anarchist

239. (25 October 2012) More church anarchy: autonomous quorums

240. (28 October 2012) Let them grow together

241. (9 November 2012) Talking to myself

242. (14 November 2012) | they must suffer | even as i |

243. (13 December 2012) King Noah and the Redemption of Zion

244. (14 December 2012) America, let the results of this shooting be a rush to HOMESCHOOL, not GUN CONTROL!

245. (21 December 2012) It is a SIN to infringe on the people’s right to keep and bear arms

246. (28 December 2012) Ideas for fighting gun rights infringement

247. (29 December 2012) 1 Nephi 13 & 14 commentary, using CTC’s view

248. (31 December 2012) 2012 in review

249. (11 January 2013) How to Easily Repeal the Federal Income Tax

250. (22 January 2013) Join the Movement to Repeal the Federal Income Tax in 30 days

251. (14 February 2013) The divine pattern of citizen militias

252. (21 February 2013) Russian Chelyabinsk meteor-to-ground connections

253. (10 March 2013) The 2013 edition of the scriptures has unintentionally added new scripture to the canon

254. (26 March 2013) The daughters of Zion shall rule over the people of the Lord

255. (30 March 2013) The orders of the priesthood

256. (24 April 2013) The root and divine pattern of the damsel in distress

257. (28 May 2013) The faith of God, part fourteen: God is a miracle worker, not a scientist

258. (31 July 2013) Mormon as a restoration prophet

259. (13 August 2013) Why the Gospel Requires Embodied Proxies

260. (19 August 2013) The significance of captain Moroni

261. (22 August 2013) “Doubt not” is a commandment of God based on agency

262. (23 August 2013) What “Renounce War and Proclaim Peace” Means

263. (24 August 2013) Nephi slaying Laban in light of D&C 98

264. (25 August 2013) Denver Snuffer’s “Passing the Heavenly Gift”: Does its publication constitute an act of apostasy?

265. (30 August 2013) A Perfect Understanding

266. (4 September 2013) The doctrine against dissent

267. (23 March 2014) Should I produce a silver “tithing” coin?

268. (25 March 2014) A commandment to practice polygamy found in the New Testament

269. (29 March 2014) The Noachian Flood, Part Three: Oceans above, below and within

270. (2 April 2014) The scattering of Israel ain’t over, yet

271. (6 May 2014) A curious reading of Alma 12:8-18

272. (4 September 2014) The brides of Satan

273. (4 December 2014) Book of Mormon surnames: the meaning of the -ites and “people of”

274. (9 December 2014) 2 Nephi 3 expounded: the real Josephite restorer

275. (13 January 2015) The Second Seer

276. (5 February 2015) The Nephite Artifacts

277. (5 February 2015) They did it for prosperity, dominion, discovery, diversity, defense and memorial

278. (12 February 2015) No middle ground and no middle kingdoms

279. (11 May 2015) Sam was Nephi’s identical twin brother

280. (21 May 2015) The Right to Abolish, Revert and Replace Amendment

281. (24 June 2015) The New Articles of Confederation (NAC)

282. (8 July 2015) The U.S. Constitution (USC) Sucks, The New Articles of Confederation (NAC) is Better: Part 1 of an Open Debate—USC 2nd Amendment vs. NAC Article II, Section 2.1-2.3

283. (9 July 2015) The U.S. Constitution (USC) Sucks, The New Articles of Confederation (NAC) is Better: Part 2 of an Open Debate—USC 3rd & 1st Amendments vs. NAC Article II, Section 2.4-2.8

284. (14 July 2015) The U.S. Constitution (USC) Sucks, The New Articles of Confederation (NAC) is Better: Part 3 of an Open Debate—USC 4th-8th,13th Amendments vs. NAC Article II, Section 2.9-2.24

285. (15 July 2015) The U.S. Constitution (USC) Sucks, The New Articles of Confederation (NAC) is Better: Part 4 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Marriage Sections

286. (20 July 2015) The U.S. Constitution (USC) Sucks, The New Articles of Confederation (NAC) is Better: Part 5 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Family Sections

287. (23 July 2015) The U.S. Constitution (USC) Sucks, The New Articles of Confederation (NAC) is Better: Part 6 of an Open Debate—NAC’s Article IV Confederacy vs. USC’s National Government

288. (30 July 2015) The USC Sucks, etcetera: Part 7 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Article VI & Conspiracies

289. (3 August 2015) The USC Sucks, etcetera: Part 8 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Article V & other Money Sections

290. (6 August 2015) What would a Nephite-based youth program look like?

291. (25 August 2015) The USC Sucks, etcetera: Part 9 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Articles VII-IX (Judiciary, Powers & War)

292. (31 August 2015) The USC Sucks, etcetera: Part 10 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Article X

293. (3 September 2015) The USC Sucks, etcetera: Part 11 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Article XI (The American Jubilee)

294. (8 September 2015) Confederalist Paper #1 – Introduction

295. (9 September 2015) The USC Sucks, etcetera: Part 12 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Article XII (Citizenship & Immigration)

296. (10 September 2015) The USC Sucks, etcetera: Part 13 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Article XIII (The Rules of the League)

297. (10 September 2015) Confederalist Paper #2 – One United Confederacy

298. (15 September 2015) Thoughts on the One Mighty and Strong

299. (16 September 2015) Confederalist Paper #3 – Peaceful Strength

300. (17 September 2015) A Comparison Between the AOC, NAC & USC

301. (18 September 2015) Whisper and Write

302. (23 September 2015) Surely the Lord God will do nothing, until he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

303. (28 September 2015) “Keep your mouth shut and hold your tongue!” (Leave the leadership alone.)

304. (7 October 2015) Happy 8th Birthday, LDS Anarchy Blog! – Significant Posts Edition

305. (19 October 2015) Nehor’s and Amlici’s origin and plan

306. (26 October 2015) Re-assignment of Parentage

307. (9 November 2015) It’s okay to drink wine

308. (10 November 2015) My experiences with the discerning of spirits

309. (30 November 2015) Asthma is Officially Cured

310. (7 December 2015) Homosexuality, Sodomy, Rape, Rape Culture & Pedophilia

311. (21 December 2015) O Lord, give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound

312. (30 December 2015) 2015 in review

313. (25 February 2016) Learning of the Real Meaning of Tithing Should Be like Finding the Book of the Law

314. (29 February 2016) $6 for every $1000 of Net Worth Is the Proper Tithe

315. (14 March 2016) The definition of eternal

316. (21 March 2016) Where We Are on the Prophetic Timeline: The Times of Types and Shadows

317. (7 April 2016) The “dispensational counting” thought

318. (14 April 2016) Word-for-word vs. functional translations

319. (26 April 2016) Thou shalt not “covet”

320. (28 April 2016) I’ve changed my mind

321. (9 May 2016) Shutting the mouths of false teachers

322. (20 May 2016) The Testimonies of Denver Snuffer and Louis Steiner Naegle

323. (15 June 2016) A First Resurrection Has Already Occurred

324. (12 July 2016) What It Means to Bind Up the Testimony and Seal Up the Law

325. (17 September 2016) Recent Thoughts on the Prophecies

326. (24 September 2016) The Proclamation: An Appeal for Prayer

327. (7 October 2016) The Meridian of Time

328. (26 July 2017) John the Revelator is not the Elias who restores all things

329. (29 August 2017) The Prophet who is like unto Moses

330. (28 November 2017) King Abaddon, the destroying angel: the Father’s royal executioner and emissary of justice

331. (16 January 2018) The five stages of the church

332. (5 April 2018) A new interpretation of Psalms 110

333. (16 August 2018) “The Davidic Servant” Error

334. (14 January 2019) Calculating the End Times

335. (15 January 2019) The desolating scourge

336. (25 February 2019) The ordinances must match the final state

337. (15 March 2019) Resurrection for one; translation for the other

338. (26 March 2019) What “if any provide not for his own” is really talking about

339. (3 May 2019) Vertical sealings of two kinds: salvation and exaltation

340. (30 May 2019) Spiritual necrosis

341. (21 October 2019) Reconciling Daniel with John

342. (28 October 2019) The seraphim and cherubim are plasmoids

343. (25 November 2019) The demonic duo: the beast and the false prophet

Topical List

Anarchism/Anarchy (38 Total)

Anarchism

Biblical Anarchism

Book of Mormon Anarchy

Stateless in Somalia: How Clannish Anarchy Works

Why voting is so important to the State

Free-church vs. state-church

The Mormon Worker and the LDS Anarchy Blog: The hand of the Lord or just a coincidence?

1930’s Spanish Anarchy

What the Lord has said about the Constitution

Anarchy does not require perfect people

LDS make the best anarchists

Is anarchism compatible with D&C 134?

Abraham Lincoln

The Anarchy of Alma

300 + years of Nephite anarchy

The prophetic counsel against having kings (rulers)

A basic right denied

Lakota independence—prophecy starting to be fulfilled?

The tribal nature of the gospel

Is Molly right?

The role of agency in political systems

The anarchic laws of D&C 98

My take on the FLDS raid

How the Lord will clean his church: a possible scenario

How I get out of jury duty

The dissolution of the corporate LDS Church via “gay marriage”

Anarchy in action: congregational nullification

Anarchy in Education

If voting could change things, it would be illegal

The Root Cause of the Current Financial (Monetary) Crisis and Its Solution

Introducing a new bartering currency—the first coin: 1/2 Troy oz pure silver .999 fine

Bartering Currency Pictures

A sign of the times?

(No Uncle) S.A.M.M.s

Establishing the tribes of Israel: the real reason for plural marriage

Let Us Unite Our Efforts to Establish Gift Societies Based Upon Tribal Anarchism

Spicing up your church experience

Anarchy in action: sending 2-cent letters and 1-cent postcards

Apostasy (2 Total)

Denver Snuffer’s “Passing the Heavenly Gift”: Does its publication constitute an act of apostasy?

The doctrine against dissent

Arm of the Flesh (3 Total)

How the scriptural “helps” brainwash you

Follow the leader: satanic in nature?

The Strength of the Lord

Bartering Currency (4 Total)

The Root Cause of the Current Financial (Monetary) Crisis and Its Solution

Introducing a new bartering currency—the first coin: 1/2 Troy oz pure silver .999 fine

Bartering Currency Pictures

Should I produce a silver “tithing” coin?

Bill of Rights (4 Total)

What the Lord has said about the Constitution

Talking to myself

It is a SIN to infringe on the people’s right to keep and bear arms

Ideas for fighting gun rights infringement

Blog Notes (19 Total)

Why I started this blog

A small break

No, I haven’t abandoned the blog…

Thanks to Thailer

LDS Anarchy blog listed as Best Radically Faithful Blog by SLWeekly.com

Introducing a new contributor

Complete List of Articles authored by LDS Anarchist

what4anarchy’s in charge

Introducing yet another new contributor

50,000 hits and LDS Anarchy stats

LDS Anarchy Blog Readership Poll

Two voices crying in the wilderness (on the Internet)

The Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th Edition (1910-1911)

Happy 3rd Birthday, LDS Anarchy Blog!

LDS Anarchy Chat Room

Vigilant Citizen web site link added to the blog

Happy 5th Birthday, LDS Anarchy Blog!

WISTB, part two: because the By Common Consent blog banned the LDS Anarchist

2012 in review

Character Education (2 Total)

If you could read only 3 chapters or sections…

The Words of Jehovah-Saves Anointed-One, Spoken During His Nephite Ministry: DAY ONE — Private

Chastity (7 Total)

The Return of Polygamy

Why the long process?

The many definitions of adultery

Does legalized, same-sex “marriage” break the law of chastity?

The Law of Chastity: What It Is and What It Isn’t

“David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me”

Marriage without a marriage license is ordained of God

Children (4 Total)

CAP Reports

Every one of us had a perfect, wonderful and happy childhood

Evil speaking of the Lord’s anointed

What would a Nephite-based youth program look like?

Circumcision (1 Total)

Why do LDS still circumcise their boys?

Common Consent (8 Total)

Is our procedure for sustaining a rubber stamp?

Power of the Law of Common Consent

Anarchy in action: congregational nullification

Apathy is not a problem, it’s a symptom and a solution

The voice of the people signifies a majority

We are not doing our business by the voice of the people

How to Easily Repeal the Federal Income Tax

Join the Movement to Repeal the Federal Income Tax in 30 days

Current Events (1 Total)

America, let the results of this shooting be a rush to HOMESCHOOL, not GUN CONTROL!

Deep Waters (5 Total)

Deep Waters: Disclaimer

Deep Waters: How many wives? How many husbands?

Deep Waters: What would have happened if Lucifer had won the vote?

Deep Waters: Lehi’s model of the universe

Deep Waters: Creatio ex nihilo, creatio ex materia and creatio ex deo are all true doctrines

The Faith of God (14 Total)

The faith of God, part one

The faith of God, part two

The faith of God, part three

The faith of God, part four: the word of God

The faith of God, part five: belief

The faith of God, part six: the Holy Spirit

The faith of God, part seven: prayer and fasting

The faith of God, part eight: the Atonement is the word

The faith of God, part nine: The ingredients of faith

The faith of God, part ten: The relationship of faith to agency (power)

The faith of God, part eleven: Why knowledge doesn’t save

The faith of God, part twelve: Truth

The faith of God, part thirteen: How charity fits in

The faith of God, part fourteen: God is a miracle worker, not a scientist

This series is not finished, yet.

Fasting (2 Total)

Extended fasting: a cure for all spiritual AND PHYSICAL ailments

My extended fast journal

Gifts of the Spirit (5 Total)

The gift of tongues (part one)

The gift of tongues (part two): a Book of Mormon account

The gift of tongues (part three): tongues and administrations

What best gifts do you have?

The seeds of the powers of godliness

The Gospel-based, Egalitarian, Multihusband-Multiwife, Tribal Anarchy Model (4 Total)

GEMTAM Book Collaboration

Abrahamic Concubinage as an Inter-Tribal Function

GEMTAM (Chapter 3) Multihusband-Multiwife

Sperm Sorting Function

Guest Contributor (5 Total)

The Apostasy of the LDS Church by Curtis R. Porritt

Why (Heavenly) Father is an Anarchist by Jahnihah Wrede

What The Priesthood Is by Jahnihah Wrede

Congruence vs. Obedience by Jahnihah Wrede

Agency: The Single Principle of a Continuous War by Jahnihah Wrede

Holy Ghost (1 Total)

The Holy Ghost is a Woman

Jesus Christ (5 Total)

The Compassionate Empathy Model of the Atonement

How the atonement of Jesus Christ solves the “victim” problem

What did Jesus Christ look like?

“…and the labor which they had to perform was to look…”

| they must suffer | even as i |

John the Baptist (2 Total)

Was John the Baptist on Dope?

So John the Baptist Smoked Pot, What of It?

Joseph Smith (4 Total)

Joseph Smith’s Daguerreotype—An Appeal for Help

Romans 13: 1-7 and Joseph Smith

Breaking News: Joseph Smith’s Daguerrotype is scanned and uploaded

What if…the Lord brought the Prophet Joseph Smith back from the dead to lead the church?

Josephite Restorer: Joseph-Nephi-Lehi (8 Total)

Lehi’s Josephite Prophecy

Book of Mormon surnames: the meaning of the -ites and “people of”

2 Nephi 3 expounded: the real Josephite restorer

The Second Seer

The Nephite Artifacts

They did it for prosperity, dominion, discovery, diversity, defense and memorial

Thoughts on the One Mighty and Strong

Whisper and Write

Modesty (1 Total)

Body modesty is not a principle of the gospel

New Articles of Confederation (NAC) (19 Total)

The New Articles of Confederation (NAC)

The Right to Abolish, Revert and Replace Amendment

A Comparison Between the AOC, NAC & USC

The U.S. Constitution (USC) Sucks, The New Articles of Confederation (NAC) is Better: Part 1 of an Open Debate—USC 2nd Amendment vs. NAC Article II, Section 2.1-2.3

The U.S. Constitution (USC) Sucks, The New Articles of Confederation (NAC) is Better: Part 2 of an Open Debate—USC 3rd & 1st Amendments vs. NAC Article II, Section 2.4-2.8

The U.S. Constitution (USC) Sucks, The New Articles of Confederation (NAC) is Better: Part 3 of an Open Debate—USC 4th-8th,13th Amendments vs. NAC Article II, Section 2.9-2.24

The U.S. Constitution (USC) Sucks, The New Articles of Confederation (NAC) is Better: Part 4 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Marriage Sections

The U.S. Constitution (USC) Sucks, The New Articles of Confederation (NAC) is Better: Part 5 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Family Sections

The U.S. Constitution (USC) Sucks, The New Articles of Confederation (NAC) is Better: Part 6 of an Open Debate—NAC’s Article IV Confederacy vs. USC’s National Government

The USC Sucks, etcetera: Part 7 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Article VI & Conspiracies

The USC Sucks, etcetera: Part 8 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Article V & other Money Sections

The USC Sucks, etcetera: Part 9 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Articles VII-IX (Judiciary, Powers & War)

The USC Sucks, etcetera: Part 10 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Article X

The USC Sucks, etcetera: Part 11 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Article XI (The American Jubilee)

The USC Sucks, etcetera: Part 12 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Article XII (Citizenship & Immigration)

The USC Sucks, etcetera: Part 13 of an Open Debate—The NAC’s Article XIII (The Rules of the League)

Confederalist Paper #1 – Introduction

Confederalist Paper #2 – One United Confederacy

Confederalist Paper #3 – Peaceful Strength

Patriarchal Blessings (1 Total)

The secrecy of patriarchal blessings

Plasma Cosmology (1 Total)

Russian Chelyabinsk meteor-to-ground connections

Plasma Theology (16 Total)

There is no conflict between science and religion

The sun “borrows” its light and the planets or stars were “fixed”

The Noachian Flood, Part One: The Role of Plasma

The Noachian Flood, Part Two: Electrically Manufacturing OH

The Noachian Flood, Part Three: Oceans above, below and within

The plasma aspects of the First Vision and Moroni’s visit

Introducing another LDS plasma theologue

Special Comet Holmes James M. McCanney Broadcast

The hollow earth theory, the plasma model and Mormon theology

Monson and his constipated physics redux; or, how electric gravity makes hollow earthers happy

Plasma Rods: A Theoretical Concept

Keep your eye on the planets!

The Parable of the Redemption of Zion (D&C 101: 43-62), Take Two: a Purely Planetary/Plasma Interpretation

Teachings on hell and the spirit world

The Baptism of Fire

Various recent insights

Prayer (2 Total)

New thoughts on prayer

Various recent insights

Preaching the Gospel (4 Total)

The real meaning of the promise in Moroni 10: 3-5

The Law of the Harvest: a reality check

The role of angels in Nephite preaching

The Real Missionary Discussions

Pride (4 Total)

The Title of Insufferable, Self-Righteous Prigs

Intellectuals

I am wary of the priestcraft among us

Selections from the Book of Lamans

“Because it hardens the heart.”

Priesthood (12 Total)

Discharging Priesthood Duties

The oath and covenant of the priesthood

Let the Aaronic Priesthood Do Home Teaching and Let the Elders Administer the Sacrament

“It has always been given to the elders of my church from the beginning, and always shall be, to conduct all meetings.”

The Priesthood

An alternate view of the keys

Tribal worship services

Priesthood Offices in a Tribal Setting

“Every elder, priest, teacher or deacon is to be ordained according to the gifts…of God unto him.”

Who is supposed to take the lead of meetings?

More church anarchy: autonomous quorums

The orders of the priesthood

Privacy (2 Total)

Anonymity, encryption and privacy on the net

Confidential annotations on membership records

Prophecy (6 Total)

Apprising In Verse — A Short Poem

Mormonism as the coming state religion and other crazy thoughts

The Parable of the Redemption of Zion (D&C 101: 43-62): a Series of FUTURE (not Past) Events

The Book of Mormon Is a Litmus Test

Do we really need a standing army?

The daughters of Zion shall rule over the people of the Lord

Prophets (5 Total)

Poll: Who is the most prophetic?

Gordon B. Hinckley’s scripturally-based legacy

Other prophets and their scriptures

Mormon as a restoration prophet

The significance of captain Moroni

Redemption of the Dead (1 Total)

Why the Gospel Requires Embodied Proxies

Relationships (5 Total)

To LDS women: beware of kissing

Slim pickings is not the problem with the single adult program: FAT women are

Unlicensed marriages and what the Brethren can do about them

The nature of authority: the Lord’s stewardship law

The root and divine pattern of the damsel in distress

Repentance (4 Total)

Daily repentance

Are we commanded to confess to ecclesiastical authorities without witnesses?

The law governing confession

How to receive what you ask for

Scriptural Discussions (16 Total)

Scriptural Discussion #1: Priesthood Ordinations—By The Power Of The Holy Ghost

Scriptural Discussion #2: Scriptures—Men To Be Judged By

Scriptural Discussion #3: Sexual Sin—Among Members/Among Investigators

Scriptural Discussion #4: Sick—Faithless Members/Faithful Saints

Scriptural Discussion #5: Teachers—Must Be Sanctified

Scriptural Discussion #6: Tribulation Upon Church

Scriptural Discussion #7: Afflictions—Can Be Swallowed Up In Joy Of Christ

Scriptural Discussion #8: Anarchism—Approved And Prophesied

Scriptural Discussion #9: Equality

Scriptural Discussion #10: Faith—Living By, Better Than Living By Knowledge

Scriptural Discussion #11: Gifts And Power Of The Spirit—Defined As Good Works

Scriptural Discussion #12: War—To Be Renounced

Scriptural Discussion #13: Anger And Insults—Are Forbidden

Scriptural Discussion #14: Sacramental Prayers—Church Should Be Kneeling During

Scriptural Discussion #15: Abortion

Scriptural Discussion #16: David and Solomon

Scriptural Expositions (33 Total)

What does the phrase “only true and living church” mean?

The practice of hiding up treasures unto the Lord

The End of the State of Israel

3 Nephi 21, expounded

D&C 87, expounded

Why I Believe the Plates of Brass Are Next

Damnation

There are no “higher” or “lower” laws; there are only expedient laws

“And they understood me not, for they supposed”

Manasseh’s future leadership role

“And thus, with the sword…”

Lehi’s Josephite Prophecy

The real Jonah: holy prophet and type of Christ

Lehi’s Trek to China and North America

The Two Authors of the Book of Abraham

Talking to myself

1 Nephi 13 & 14 commentary, using CTC’s view

“Doubt not” is a commandment of God based on agency

What “Renounce War and Proclaim Peace” Means

Nephi slaying Laban in light of D&C 98

A Perfect Understanding

The doctrine against dissent

A commandment to practice polygamy found in the New Testament

The scattering of Israel ain’t over, yet

A curious reading of Alma 12:8-18

The brides of Satan

Book of Mormon surnames: the meaning of the -ites and “people of”

2 Nephi 3 expounded: the real Josephite restorer

The Second Seer

The Nephite Artifacts

They did it for prosperity, dominion, discovery, diversity, defense and memorial

No middle ground and no middle kingdoms

Sam was Nephi’s identical twin brother

Scripture Translations (4 Total)

Is the King James Version still the best?

The Anarchist Version (TAV) of the Scriptures

TAV Comments

Isaiah Explained: Isaiah Institute Translation with audio commentary by Avraham Gileadi

Secret Combinations (5 Total)

Are there Clergy Response Teams in the LDS church?

Is the topic of “secret combinations” taboo in the LDS church?

“And Thus They Did Obtain the Sole Management of the Government”

Opening old wounds

Mormon.org profiles: enhanceed membership tracking?

Stan Tenen (2 Total)

Bringing Stan Tenen and The Meru Foundation to the Attention of all LDS [alternate title: Doing what4anarchy’s Job]

A note from Stan Tenen

Tithes and Offerings (7 Total)

Charitable gifts: investments of earthly or heavenly benefit?

The law of tithing (part one)

The law of tithing (part two)

The law of tithing (part three)

The law of tithing (part four)

Learning of the Real Meaning of Tithing Should Be like Finding the Book of the Law

$6 for every $1000 of Net Worth Is the Proper Tithe

Unity (4 Total)

The Split-Brain Model of the Gospel

Wives, follow your husbands! – Patriarchy, androcracy and the egalitarian tribe

Let them grow together

The root and divine pattern of the damsel in distress

War (2 Total)

The divine pattern of citizen militias

The significance of captain Moroni

Word of Wisdom (4 Total)

The interpolation of a footnote

Strong drinks, mild drinks, hot drinks, wine, etc.

What the Word of Wisdom says and what it doesn’t say

The 2013 edition of the scriptures has unintentionally added new scripture to the canon

Zion (2 Total)

The LDS weep not for Zion

King Noah and the Redemption of Zion

The following are the rest of my published articles, 6 in total, listed chronologically.

Is the church under attack?

Liberty Dollar Alert #29

The Hailstorm Soon Cometh, pre-post

All About Christmas

The doctrine of destruction

“Why do you call me a Christian when you believe in a Restoration?”

The law of tithing (part four)

Continued from part three.

Inevitably, when talking about the blessings that come from paying tithing, a speaker will quote the following scripture:

Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 3: 8-12)

In fact, so pervasive is the use of this scripture, that I’ve heard tithing talks where it is the only scripture used. It is practically a guarantee that these verses are quoted, even if D&C 119 is never mentioned, at all. We are taught on every level, that Malachi contains the expected blessings that come from paying tithing. But does it?

Normally, the Lord puts the blessings that come from obedience to a law in the same area as where the law is stated. For example, the modern charge to keep the Lord’s day (Sunday) holy is found in D&C 59: 9-14. Then in verses 15-19 of the same section the Lord details the expected blessings to be received upon obeying this law:

And inasmuch as ye do these things with thanksgiving, with cheerful hearts and countenances, not with much laughter, for this is sin, but with a glad heart and a cheerful countenance—verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth; yea, and the herb, and the good things which come of the earth, whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards; yea, 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; yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul. (D&C 59: 15-19)

Likewise, the Word of Wisdom, written in D&C 89, contains the promised blessings that will be received, blessings that are enumerated in the very same section:

And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones; and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; and shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint. And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen. (D&C 89: 18-21)

The revelation on tithing, section 119, follows the same pattern. Written in the 6th verse of the revelation are the promised blessings that come from obeying this particular law:

And I say unto you, if my people observe not this law, to keep it holy, and by this law sanctify the land of Zion unto me, that my statutes and my judgments may be kept thereon, that it may be most holy, behold, verily I say unto you, it shall not be a land of Zion unto you. (D&C 119: 6)

The purpose and blessing of living the law of tithing, then, is to sanctify the land of Zion (or stake of Zion) unto the Lord, that his statutes and his judgments may be kept on the land, and that it may, indeed be a land of Zion (or stake of Zion) unto us. That is the stated blessing. That is the stated purpose. Sanctification of the land upon which we live.

Additionally, the Lord mentions two penalties for not living the law of tithing. One is mentioned above in verse 6, namely, that the land of Zion upon which we live (or the stake of Zion to which we pertain, see verse 7) will not be a bona fide land of Zion and will not be a bona fide stake of Zion. In other words, it will be the land of Zion in name only, having no sanctification and hence no power. “They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” (JS—H 1: 19.) And the unsanctified stake of Zion in which we live will also be a stake of Zion in name only, with no godly powers attending it.

The second penalty for not living the law of tithing is mentioned in verse 5:

Verily I say unto you, it shall come to pass that all those who gather unto the land of Zion shall be tithed of their surplus properties, and shall observe this law, or they shall not be found worthy to abide among you. (D&C 119: 5)

There are only two punishments a religious society can inflict upon its members: disfellowship or excommunication. (See D&C 134: 10.) Regardless of whether this particular penalty means excommunication or disfellowship, we currently inflict neither penalty upon non-exempt people who do not pay tithes.

All of this brings me to the following questions: Why do the leaders never mention the Lord’s stated purpose and blessing of the law of tithing, found in D&C 119? Why do the leaders never enact the penalties associated with non-payment of tithes for those who are not exempt? And why is Malachi 3: 8-12 the scripture of choice when talking about the importance of tithing and the promised blessings upon the people who obey this law?

I have my own ideas as to why I think the leaders speak the way they do in relation to tithing. But they are only ideas, speculation. I do not know the real answer, but I still find it awfully strange that this section is virtually avoided.

Now, one last thing. Malachi 3: 8-12 is talking about a different law of tithing, which existed under the Mosaic law, which has absolutely no relation and nothing to do with our present law of tithing, found in D&C 119. This was a tithing known as the “whole tithe,” which in our KJV of the Bible is translated “all the tithes,” which was collected once every three years, stored at home, and used to feed the Levites and the poor. For a detailed understanding of Old Testament tithing, visit the following online web page:

The Truth About Tithing—Old Testament Perspectives

The blessings associated with that particular law of Moses were specific to that people, just as the blessings associated with our D&C 119 law of tithing are specific to our people. Why the mix-up by our priesthood leaders?

Admittedly, the language of Malachi 3: 8-12 is so powerful, that it is natural for a person (who wants to instill a desire in people to pay tithing) to lay hold on it and assume (and teach) that it applies equally to the law of tithing stated in D&C 119. In my own opinion, though, I find the blessing of D&C 119: 6 quite appealing, as I desire that my land is sanctified.

In conclusion, I want to bring one more thing to your attention. I quoted Malachi 3: 8-12 and D&C 59: 15-19 in their entirety because both promised blessings appear similar and I wanted to show the similarities. The Lord promised his latter-day saints “the fulness of the earth” for keeping his day holy. He essentially promised the same thing to the ancient Jews for paying the mosaic “whole tithe” law. Why do we need to resort to a law of Moses blessing when we have already been promised the same things for fulfilling a law of Christ? It is strange, indeed.

Previous Tithes and Offerings article: The law of tithing (part three)

Complete List of Articles authored by LDS Anarchist

The law of tithing (part three)

Continued from part two.

“And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord.” (D&C 119: 4)

Only First Presidency statements can officially interpret scripture and only those interpretations are binding upon the church, even as binding as the scriptures themselves. The First Presidency has already interpreted the meaning of the word interest in a letter written on 19 March 1970. Here is the quote of that letter dealing with tithing:

What is a proper tithe?

For your guidance in this matter, please be advised that we have uniformly replied that the simplest statement we know of is that statement of the Lord himself that the members of the Church should pay one-tenth of all their interest annually, which is understood to mean income. No one is justified in making any other statement than this. We feel that every member of the Church should be entitled to make his own decision as to what he thinks he owes the Lord, and to make payment accordingly. (First Presidency Statement, 19 March 1970)

The above quote is found in the Church General Handbook. Go up to your bishop and ask to see the section on tithing. It quotes from this First Presidency Statement. Those who understand the doctrine, such as the prophet, merely re-iterate this same statement:

President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “The Brethren have interpreted the word interest to mean income. Beyond that they have not given interpretation.”

The word income, however, is open to interpretation. Who decides what it means? You do. It could mean gross income or net income, after expenses. It could mean profit, surplus or bank interest, etc. During the time of Brigham Young it was defined as increase. Get out your Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young manual and search out what he said about tithing.

Once or twice a year, a GA or two will speak on tithing. Occasionally, they will define the word interest beyond what the First Presidency has stated. Don’t take it as gospel. It’s merely their opinion, and their hope that you will interpret the word interest the same way as they do.

My personal opinion is that interest (income) means surplus. I have come to this conclusion for the following reasons:

• JST Genesis 14: 39 states, “Wherefore Abram paid unto him tithes of all that he had, of all the riches which he possessed, which God had given him more than that which he had need.” Abram paid tithes on his surplus.
• The saints are to pay tithing annually. Not monthly, not weekly, not whenever they get more gross income. When you pay tithing annually, the reason must be because you are doing an accounting of what came in, what went out, what was consumed and what is now left over (the interest, increase, income, surplus.) At the end of the year, you can make a determination of how much surplus you have and then give the tenth-part to the Lord.
• Webster’s 1828 dictionary defined interest as “5. Any surplus advantage.” Webster’s 1828 dictionary defined advantage as “7. Interest; increase; overplus.” Both of these definitions equate to surplus. D&C 119 came out in 1838, so this was the dictionary in use at the time.
• The RLDS (now Community of Christ) church defines it as surplus. They tithe after deducting their living expenses.
• The law of tithing is not meant to oppress the poor. The scriptures define poor as anyone who has no surplus, yet has sufficient for their needs. (See Mosiah 4: 24.) Those who don’t have sufficient for their needs are also considered the poor.
• When you make your tithing declaration at the end of the year, you can declare yourself a full tithe payer, a partial tithe payer, or exempt. Obviously some people can justifiably declare themselves exempt. Who are they? They are the poor, as defined by scripture, meaning those who have no surplus.

When interest is understood to mean surplus, the law of tithing becomes exceedingly easy to obey. Nevertheless, this interpretation is just my opinion and belief. As the First Presidency stated, You are “entitled to make [your] own decision as to what [you think you owe] the Lord, and to make payment accordingly.”

There is more to come in part four.

Next Tithes and Offerings article: The law of tithing (part four)

Previous Tithes and Offerings article: The law of tithing (part two)

Complete List of Articles authored by LDS Anarchist

The law of tithing (part two)

Continued from part one.

The Lord, when talking about who is required to pay tithing, speaks of three groups of people. Those who already are in the land of Zion, those who are gathering to the land of Zion and those who are in the stakes of Zion:

“…my church in Zion.” (D&C 119: 1)

“…those who gather unto the land of Zion…” (D&C 119: 5)

“And this shall be an ensample unto all the stakes of Zion.” (D&C 119: 7)

The law of tithing has only two parts to it. The first part requires the donation of our surplus property:

“I require all their surplus property to be put into the hands of the bishop…and this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people.” (D&C 119: 1, 3)

“Verily I say unto you, it shall come to pass that all those who gather unto the land of Zion shall be tithed of their surplus properties…” (D&C 119: 5)

The second part requires the payment of one-tenth of our interest (income) annually:

“And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually…” (D&C 119: 4)

The second part is known as the standing law:

“And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever…” (D&C 119: 4)

“Verily I say unto you, it shall come to pass that all those who gather unto the land of Zion shall be tithed of their surplus properties, and shall observe this law…” (D&C 119: 5)

Only those who pay the first part are the ones who pay the second part:

“And this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people. And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually…” (D&C 119: 4)

Both the first and second parts must be paid:

“Verily I say unto you, it shall come to pass that all those who gather unto the land of Zion shall be tithed of their surplus properties, and shall observe this law, or they shall not be found worthy to abide among you.” (D&C 119: 5)

All of the above requirements apply equally to the saints who live in the stakes of Zion.

“And this shall be an ensample unto all the stakes of Zion.” (D&C 119: 7)

It appears to me that we LDS are not fully complying with the law of tithing. Even those of us who give 10% of their income annually are not fulfilling the requirements set forth above by the Lord. Tithing is begun with a donation of one’s surplus properties, but we don’t do this.

I’ve been taught that when section 119 was first received and presented to the saints, that hardly anyone donated their surplus and so the leaders just stopped asking for that part of tithing and instead focussed on the standing law, which is 10% of interest (income) annually.

Now, some people are fine with giving only what the leaders are asking for (the 10%,) but I have a hard time pushing aside the rest of this revelation and feeling good about myself. The revelation is, after all, still canonized and therefore binding upon us. So once I realized that tithing came in two parts, that the leaders had been ignoring the first part for decades and that I had been paying only the second part since my baptism (as that was what I was taught to pay by my leaders,) I made a personal correction and began paying tithing as the revelation defines it. In other words, I took an inventory of my surplus property, converted it into cash (the Church will not accept payment in kind anymore,) and anonymously donated that to the church as tithing.

Some might consider this unnecessary, but I’m not so sure. The Lord requires both the letter and spirit of the law. If he didn’t require the letter of the law, why even have section 119 written before us? Why even give the definitions of the law of tithing that he did? If the first part of the law of tithing wasn’t important, why even mention it in the first place?

My feeling is that the Lord will deal with his priesthood leadership in his own due time. If they are not doing a proper regulation of the church and teaching the doctrine he has revealed and canonized, they will be corrected by him when he is ready to clean up the church and leadership. But we members do not covenant to follow every whim of the leadership. We covenant to obey the commandments of God, which laws are written and canonized in the scriptures.

I’d rather use the CYOA* principle of the gentiles and follow the letter of the law, as that is what the letter of the law is for. (It is written down so that we can follow it.) Only if we don’t have that law before us are we not required to follow it. I just don’t know that the excuse of “I was just following the orders and counsel of my current priesthood leadership and since they never said I had to pay the surplus, I never paid it!” is going to be sufficient to justify my ignoring the written law in section 119.

I suspect that at the last day (the day of judgment) the Lord is going to point to section 119 and ask me if I followed his words as they were written there. I am reminded of 2 Kings 18 when the book of the law was discovered (verse 8.) When the book was read the king rent his clothes (verse 11) because he realized that God was angry with his people because his written words found in the book of the law had not been followed to the letter.

So, I ask the reader, since the leaders have stopped even mentioning the surplus part of tithing, are we off the hook in paying it? Or, is the fact that the revelation is still canonized going to condemn us at the last day, despite the fact that the leaders don’t care whether we are complying with the first part of tithing or not? What do you think?

I, personally, believe that the Lord is going to use the Standard Works to measure both us and the leadership. And if we are found to be partially complying, it will be the same as not complying, at all. The truthfulness of our answer to the temple recommend question of, “Are you a full tithe payer?” will be judged by the Lord according to whether we complied with the entire section of 119, and not just a portion of it.

That is my opinion. What’s yours?

There’s more to come in part three.

*Note: CYOA=Cover Your Own A__

Next Tithes and Offerings article: The law of tithing (part three)

Previous Tithes and Offerings article: The law of tithing (part one)

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