AllThingsCommon

It is recorded in the Book of Genesis that Abraham “sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground. Abraham then pleaded, saying ‘Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.’ So they said, ‘Do as you have said.’ And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.’ And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate. (Genesis 18: 2-8) It is interesting that Abraham had promised the men just a morsel of bread and water to clean their feet but instead gave his guests much more than he had told them by bringing not only only bread but also a feast of meat, curds, and milk as well. Abraham treated his guests with kindness and love. This was a stark contrast to the how Abraham’s three guests were later treated by the people of Sodom while residing in the house of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Rabbi Eliezer Ben Hyrkanos, a first and second century historian writes concerning the people of Sodom saying they “were wealthy men of prosperity. He says, using a quote from Job, that the Sodomites had ‘dust of gold’ (Job 28:6). And like the Garden of Eden, Sodom was loaded with precious stones and pearls of great price. Rabbi Eliezer comments that it is this wealth which caused the Sodomites to sin. The Sodomites had forgotten how to trust in the Creator and instead trusted in their wealth. Rabbi Eliezer points to their wealth as the cause of their sins. It is wealth, as we shall see, that ties all the sins of Sodom together. This wealth had repercussions; it caused the people of Sodom to refuse charity to their neighbors. As it says, ‘The men of Sodom had no consideration for the honor of their Owner, by not distributing food to the wayfarer and the stranger, but they even fenced in all the trees on top above their fruit so that they should not be seized’ In this parable-like sentence, the Owner is God. The people of Sodom had dishonored God by not giving out charitables to strangers and wayfarers who passed their way, and even worse, they were so selfish they fenced in their fruit. Furthermore, these same strangers and wayfarers were persecuted by the Sodomite judges due to their perverse judgments. Rabbi Eliezer uses Ezekiel for his proof: ‘They have oppressed the stranger without judgment’ (Ezek. 22:29). Another repercussion of this wealth is that Sodomites who showed charity were burnt by fire. It is recorded that once, a Sodomite woman gave water to a poor man in Sodom and the people of Sodom declared that she should be burnt by fire! It is said that Lot, too, was afraid of the men of Sodom, so much so that he did not venture out during the day but only under the cover of darkness.Shortly after Abraham’s three guests entered the city of Sodom and were resting in Lot’s house, the Bible tells us, “The men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.” (Genesis 19: 4-8) Speaking of Sodom, in the New Testament, Jesus Christ instructed his disciples before sending them out to teach the gospel saying,” Into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. (Luke 10 5-12) Concerning the city of Sodom, the Lord God told the prophet Ezekiel: Behold, this was the iniquity of... Sodom, pride, fulness of bread [food], and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed...

These were the words my bishop told me after I handed him my resignation letter asking to have my name removed from the membership records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for doctrinal reasons in May of 2003. "Families are forever" the Latter-Day Saints teach as part of their curriculum. This is a comforting slogan but there is a dark side to this teaching that can be psychologically traumatizing to both those who are in the church and to those who leave.

Invitation to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to not deem or judge anyone to be unworthy, unclean in any way, or unholy by any degree and any way.

After showing this video around 80 times to investigators and members of the Church, here is one of the reasons I had my name removed from the membership records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

In Revelation 2:27 it is written “And he [Jesus Christ] shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers”. The Psalmist, King David, wrote, “Thou [he, the King] shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.” (Psalms 2:9) Regarding the mother of Jesus Christ and the iron rod, John wrote in Revelation 12:5 , “And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron.” Revelation 19:15 says, “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron”. Jesus Christ rules with a scepter. This scepter is the iron rod. Those who seek to hold his iron rod seek to use his iron rod, and his word, to rule over others. Those who seek to grab onto his rod with their hands are not in Christ; In 1 John 2:28, we have each been commanded to abide in Jesus Christ. (also see John 15:4-11) The word abide means “to remain”. We are to remain in Jesus Christ and bear patiently in him. When we abide in Jesus Christ, he is our abode and through him we hold his iron rod without holding instead. Neither do we seek to grab his sword mentioned in Revelation 19:15, for Jesus Christ strikes with the sword of his mouth. Jesus Christ said in the gospel of John, “I am the truth” thus the sword of his mouth is the sword of truth. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) It is here in Hebrews 4:12 that we are told Jesus Christ’s iron rod is not the word of God, but rather, the word of God is the sword of his mouth which is “piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit.” May we all continue to abide in Jesus Christ and seek not to hold his iron rod but to abide in him through whom this rod is held and continue with faith for Jesus Christ is our abode and the scriptures state that those who are not in him shall be dashed to pieces like vessels of potter by his iron rod. They are those who have sought to rule over others in Christ. For Jesus said, “Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?’ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:23)

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets,” said Jesus Christ. (Matthew 22:40) By saying this, Jesus made it known that the two commandments spoken of in Matthew 22:37-40 don’t hang upon the prophets nor do the two commandments hang upon how the prophets interpret them; nor do they hang upon any other commandments given to man by God in any of the scriptures. All commandments hang upon those two commandments and to do otherwise is to put the proverbial cart in front of the horse. Jesus made it clear that all the prophets hang upon these two commands and not the other way around. We also shouldn’t put any other commandment given in the law above the two great commandments lest we deny the spirit of the law which is the spirit of every commandment. (2 Corinthians 3:6) Because, when we have denied the spirit of the law we have also denied the entirety of the law. For the law is not the law without the spirit. When we do this we have now rendered every commandment in the law into what is termed within the scriptures to be “the commandments of men having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof’ (2 Timothy 3:5) by those whose hearts are far from the truth.(Isaiah 29:13) In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is recorded saying, “I am the truth” (John 14:6) and without Jesus Christ the law will not save us, nor any portion thereof (Hebrews 10:1-4), for Jesus Christ is, indeed, the spirit of the law. (2 Corinthians 3:6) There is no commandment in scripture, nor any penalty of any commandment in scripture, which supersedes the two commandments recorded in Matthew 22:37, 39. This is why Jesus Christ instructed each of us to “do unto others as you would have others do to you”. (Matthew 7:12) This is the golden rule and the standard by which all other commandments are measured. For Jesus Christ prophesied in Mathew 25:40 concerning the king, that “he shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” This means as well, if a person does not want something done to him or her then you are not to do it to that one for do you want done unto you what you do not desire another to do? To do such a thing to another is to not “do unto others as you would have others do to you.” It is an irrational delusion to call this type of behavior an act of love. Such an act actually an act of violence. It is an act of one who teaches the commandments of men but whose heart from the truth: Jesus Christ. Such are false prophets and false teachers and called in the scriptures “wolves in sheep’s clothing”. (Matthew 7:15) In the Book of James we are told, If “thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well” (James 2:8) And if “ye do well” surely God will say to you at the day of judgement, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)

#ChurchofJesusChrist #LatterDaySaint #JesusChrist The word Mater (spelt M-A-T-E-R) in Latin means mother. It is the root word of the word material, even the substance of all that we call the material of which physicist call matter. The New Testament testifies that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is that from which all the materiel world is made. The scriptures testify that in Christ we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17:28) and by him all things consist. (Colossians 1:17) In John 1:3, It reads, “all things through him came into being and without him was not any thing made that was made.” I say him because all is one song, just one hymn. By no coincidence, the root word for the word sound is spelt S-O-N, son. All is sound, one song of God, one Psalm, one hymn. Sound is pattern and the pattern of that sound is the Father. The word pater spelt P-A-T-E-R in Latin means father. The paternity, or the pattern, of the Son (sound) is the Father. The pattern is in the sound and the sound is in the pattern. “I am in the father and the father is in me,” said Jesus (John 14:11) and “At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.” (John 14:20) The father is a crystallization of the sound. Christ is the sound and the father is Chrystal. This is also quantum physics except quantum physicists uses different terms to express the same principle. This means that all daughters are just as much sons too. (Psalms 82:6 in both the Hebrew and English) Daughters are sounds (sons). The deception is that they are not. Thus all children of God are sons of God whether they be expressed as male or female. Please don’t loose sight of that in this material world.

According to Webster's dictionary, the definition of the word sustenance is: means of support, maintenance, or subsistence, food, provisions, nourishment, supplying or being supplied with the necessaries of life; something that gives support, endurance, or strength. The dictionary also defines sustenance to be the act of sustaining. The scriptures testify that in Christ we live, and move, and have our being. (Acts 17:28) At the Last Supper Jesus Christ said to his twelve disciples: Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. (John 6: 54-56) The scriptures declare all things are composed and made of Jesus Christ. (John 1:3) In all things both physical and spiritual, Jesus Christ is our sustenance and he is perfect in every way. For we are made of him and abide in him and he abides in us. (John 15:4) The root word of the word sustenance is the word sustain. It is Jesus Christ who sustains each of us. The dictionary defines the word sustain as, to give support or relief to; to supply with sustenance; to nourish, to keep up, to prolong, to prop, to carry or withstand; to buoy up, or to suffer. When you choose to sustain another, you now have chosen to become that one’s sustenance you have chosen to become that one’s food. As members of the body of Christ it is Christ who sustains each one of us. Jesus Christ never asked any of his disciples to sustain him. Beware of those who ask you to sustain them. The Apostle Paul wrote, I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; Acts 20:29 Jesus warned the members of the Church to, Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous (which means hungry) wolves. (Matthew 7:15) Latter-Day Saints, please remember this each time you are asked to sustain “the Brethren” for those who seek to be sustained by you are seeking to make you their sustenance.

The New Covenant refers to the union of Christ and the Church and pertains to salvation from physical and spiritual death. The "New and Everlasting Covenant" refers to exaltation.

Jesus Christ commanded everyone to, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word perfect to be: being entirely without fault or defect, flawless, satisfying all requirements, corresponding to an ideal standard, expert, proficient, pure, total, lacking in no essential detail, complete, absolute, and unequivocal. In a General Conference talk entitled, “Be Ye Therefore Perfect—Eventually”, Elder Jeffery R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints said the following concerning perfection: “Around the Church I hear many who struggle with this issue: ‘I am just not good enough.’ ‘I fall so far short.’ ‘I will never measure up.’ I hear this from teenagers. I hear it from missionaries. I hear it from new converts, I hear it from lifelong members. One insightful Latter-day Saint, Sister Darla Isackson, has observed that Satan has somehow managed to make covenants and commandments seem like curses and condemnations. For some he has turned the ideals and inspiration of the gospel into self-loathing and misery-making.” As I pondered the title Elder Holland’s talk it occurred to me that, Jesus Christ never commanded us to “be ye therefore perfect—eventually.” Not ever. Not even once in holy scripture has he ever uttered such a commandment. “Then how,” you may ask yourself, “are we to be perfect even as our father is heaven is perfect?” After all the scriptures make is clear that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) The first step to being perfect is to know the truth the father knows. The truth was revealed to each of us in the Gospel of John, chapter 14 verse 6 where Jesus Christ said, “I am the truth.” Jesus Christ never said that you are the truth, or we are the truth, or they are the truth. He said that he is the truth. In order to be perfect you must first accept and have faith in the truth of what you are. Jesus Christ commanded each of us, “Believe in me” and to “abide in me.” (John 14:1, 15:4-9) Jesus Christ is the truth of all things, which includes you, and all things are of him, both on the earth and in the heavens. For there’s is but one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:6) For in him we live, and move, and have our being; (Acts 17:28) For Christ is all, and in all, and by him all things consist (Colossians 3:11, 1:17) and by his offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14). That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:6) For you or I to declare that we are someone else besides the Lord is to also declare that the Lord is a liar. Such a declaration is not the truth and thus is not Jesus Christ; for Jesus Christ said that he is the truth and the scriptures testify that it is the truth that will set you free. (John 8:32) When people try to become perfect or insist in some way their imperfections are actually the truth, this is a denial that Christ is the truth. This is also a denial of Christ’s perfection as the perfect offering which is the atonement. To call the lie the truth is to worship the lie and the lie will not set you free. To call the lie the truth is to also separate yourself from the truth, Jesus Christ, and thus separate yourself from the father whom the scriptures testify is “through all and in you all” (Ephesians 4:6). This separation from God is called Spiritual Death and Spiritual Death is not the truth and that is why Spiritual Death will not set you free. So in response to Elder Jeffery R. Holland’s address entitled “Be Ye Therefore Perfect—Eventually”, I say, “Do not add the word ‘eventually’ to Jesus Christ commandment and ‘be ye therefore perfect even as your father in heaven,’ who is through all and in you all, ‘is perfect.’” The second, and last, step to being perfect is to cease from judging yourself and another. (Matthew 7:1-2) Jesus never said, “by your judgement you will be set free. This is because your judgements of yourself or another are not the truth. The scriptures testify it is the truth that will set you free. Whenever you see wickedness, remember the words of the Apostle Paul to the people of Corinth: 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. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the emotional well-being of it's youth

I believe the “works” is to have the faith that it is by “grace” we are saved. That is how God works: by faith. Evidently, that isn’t as easy to do as some may assume. The carnal mind says we earn our way to heaven by our works in any degree thereof because the carnal mind knows that anything we earn is now money and “the love of money is the root of all evil”. 1 Timothy 6:6-12

What Is Self-Esteem? According to Psychology Today, the term self-esteem is used to describe a person's overall subjective sense of personal worth or value. Healthy self-esteem is a belief that you are equal to everyone else, no better and no worse. Remember that no one person is less worthy than the next. Keeping this in mind may help you maintain a healthy sense of self-esteem. A person's response tofeeling a lack of self-worth seems to be a contributing factor in the suicidalprocess. Gaslighting can occur in personal or professional relationships, and victims are targeted at the core of their being: their sense of identity and self-worth.” A gaslighter aims to make another person question their own self-value. They will tell you'd be a worthy person if only you didn't have a long list of negative traits. Those who engage in gaslighting do so to attain power over their victims including emotional and financial control. Their typical tactics include deploying occasional positive reinforcement to confuse the victim with the intent not just to influence the victim but to control the victim. Almost anyone can be susceptible to gaslighting tactics, which have been deployed throughout history, and continue to be used today, by domestic abusers, dictators, narcissists, and cult leaders. It is done slowly, so the victim doesn't realize how much they've been mentally affected. The gaslighter may also accuse the victim of lying if he or she questions the narrative.

"Any discussion of Latter-day Saint connections in Star Wars has to begin with the old legend that Yoda was modeled after Latter-day Saint prophet Spencer W. Kimball, who was passably similar in appearance and mannerism. Though the comparison likely began as a joke, the speculation gained traction in Latter-day Saint circles over the years." LDS Living https://www.ldsliving.com/Was-Yoda-Modeled-After-President-Kimball-and-3-True-Star-Wars-Connections-to-Latter-day-Saints/s/80835 Do it. by Robert L. Simpson https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1975/10/do-it?lang=eng

Elder Dallin Oaks and President Russell Nelson, what's going on here? Is this impromptu press conference scripted or does some have suprrnatural Gríma Wormtongue powers over President Nelson's mouth. Please let me know what you think in the comment section below.

In this video I discuss the real reason after 26 years as an active and stalwart Latter-Day Saints, and after 2 years serving as a full-time missionary for the Church, I am now an ex-mormon.

During this most intriguing December 31st 2020 interview between John Dehlin and Jim Bennett regarding Jim’s response to the CES Letter his continual apologetic appeal to the fallibly of the prophets and apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints needs to be scrutinized according to the doctrinal standard of which the Church currently holds regarding this issue. Does Jim Bennett’s apologetic stance contradict current Church doctrines of what the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles declare themselves to be as prophets, seers, revelators and the unique apostolic mantle they declare they hold, most especially the mantle the Prophet whom they teach is the literal mouthpiece of the Lord and one chosen to speak for the Lord on earth? Is it church doctrine that these men are “just men” like everyone else?

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will reveal more unto you, hereafter; therefore, let this suffice for the present" reads the very last verse in Doctrine and Covenants 132:66 given to Joseph Smith. Section 132 is also. curiously enough, the very last revelation Joseph Smith received as is recorded in Doctrine and Covenants. "I will reveal more unto you" never happened. Why? And why did the Church later place two more revelations after section 132 (sections 133-134) which had been given to Joseph Smith years before he received section 132? Were sections 133 and I34 placed after section 132 to make it less obvious to the reader that the promise made to Joseph Smith in section 132:66 never was fulfilled?

The word Mormon is many centuries old dating back to the days of Corinth. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormo

Latter-Day Saints use the words Jehovah and Elohim in their Church services, religeous manuals, lessons, and in their temples. These terms and names are dear to the Lattrr-Day Saints and a vital focus of their theology. But what exactly is the difference between Jehovah (Yahweh) and Elohim?

An in depth look at the New and Everlasting Covenant as it is outlined in Doctrine and Covenants section 132.

Jesus Christ is called the "Bright and Morning Star" and the "Day Star" in scripture. Lucifer, on the other hand, is known as the "Son of the Morning". Let's look at the Hebrew, the Latin. and the Greek regarding these scriptural terms.

If everyone understood this message it would be heaven on earth no matter the religion, race, nationality, or gender of anyone. An uplifting message for everyone.

If everyone understood this message it would be heaven on earth no matter the religion, race, nationality, or gender of anyone.

Exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom is compared to the fall of Satan. This video looks closely at exactly why what Lucifer said in Isaiah 14:12 along with passages from Doctrine and Covenants section 88 and 132.