I repeatedly hear phrases such as the following, and they really provoke my curiosity:
- "Mormons = Republicans."
- "If you're Baptist, how could you vote for a Democrat?"
- "I don't believe in God, so I'm not going to vote for a Christian..."
Tell me, now, in all seriousness. Can a person really say these things? Are people so ignorant as to actually hold such positions? Because Romney was Mormon, people disliked him. Huckabee, a Baptist minister, got his share too. Now, people are already focusing in on the religion and morals of John McCain, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton. Why?
Moral issues, moral political issues, are one thing. It is important to have a solid stand on abortion, same-sex marriage, stem cell research, separation of church and state, and all such countless issues regarding morality or religion. Of course it is. But here's the catch: don't let the candidates religion, or lack thereof, decide your vote. Decide it upon their stances on the issues!
When people use stereotypical labels to vote with - when they vote for a person's religious affiliation, color of skin, race, heritage, or party label, are they not being close minded and shallow? Or do people simply not understand this concept?
My firm belief is that an election, especially one as important as this race for the Presidency of the united States of America, is not a question that should be decided upon based on any one of those characteristics alone. Focus on the candidate. Their positions, stances, ideas, and promises.
Yes, I vote mostly Republican. But I guarantee you that if the Republican candidate seems unfit, I would vote another direction. And yes, I am Mormon - but I would not have chosen Mitt Romney for the Republican presidential nominee, had I a say. I do not consider myself to be held captive by those chains of fallaciousness, but would rather use my mind (whether that's a good thing or a bad one for anyone else, haha) to mull it over and come to my own decision on matters.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Life, the Universe, and Everything
What is the meaning of life, the universe, and everything? Well, contrary to what some say, it isn't "42" (I never understood the significance of that number, but perhaps the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy knows... Mr. Adams?). I think that life has an extraordinary meaning, as does everything. Everything has a purpose, a reason to exist. Humans, in my humble opinion, exist because God wished us to, first and foremost. But let's go into more depth.
Before The World Began
Before Earth as we know it existed, God was there. Yet, people of varying faiths believe that our spirits existed, as well. This is my belief. We existed, as the spirit children of the Father, but we did not have physical forms. We were present, we were aware, and we were ready. Ready to progress. The Earth was created. There was a great war in Heaven, as Lucifer, Son of the Morning, rebelled against the Father. His wish was to be glorified and exalted above God, and he was charismatic - a third of the host of heaven followed him. He was cast down into the Earth, along with his legions, and those fallen angels remain spirit beings to this day, never to take physical form. And the heavens wept at the loss.
The Big Bang
The old Christian joke is that we believe in the Big Bang theory: God commanded it, and *BANG* it happened!
Levity aside, it happened. Jesus was in charge of the shaping of the Earth, and of Creation. The world was shaped in seven days. The creatures, the life of Earth were formed. The world began. And then, it was time: Humans were created, and the first spirits passed through the Veil, to become human. The premortal spirits agreed to face the trials of Earth, and agreed to do it without knowledge of their former selves - to go through mortality without a memory of the premortal existence.
Humanity and the Lack Thereof
Of course, humanity had flaws. Everyone knows the story of Adam and Eve, even those who do not adhere to the plethora of religions who follow the story of the first people. Sin was introduced into humanity. Humankind fell, so that, through their own decisions, free will (the ability to chose) and free agency (the ability to carry out one's own decisions), humanity could determine its own course.
You might ask why this is a good thing. Look at the world today; wars, plagues, murder, lies, deceit, immorality, anger, hatred, and sin in general permeate every aspect of living. Why, how can this possibly be a good thing? It is not. But it does present us with clear, and often times, difficult, choices. Will we choose the right, or will we fall away into the darkness? We are capable, as people, of passing this test of Mortality. Mortality is the pivotal point of our existence. It is not the pinnacle of our eternal lives, to be sure, but it is the turning point. The point of no return. Crunch time. The fate of the rest of our lives eternal swing upon the scant few years that we live and breath upon this earth.
Will we live well, and follow the path that will lead us to eternity in happiness? Or will we settle for whatever comes, and live in sin and wrongdoing?
Beyond the Veil
I propose that this very question is the reason for mortal existence. Mortality allows us to choose where we wish to spend eternity. Once we pass back through the veil, will it be to outer darkness, to be cast out along with Lucifer and his angels? Will it be to a lesser existence, where we will always wonder what it might have been like to live with, and as, Jesus Christ, and the Father in Heaven? Or will we return to the Father, and hear the words "Well done" - and live eternally to our utmost full potential?
It is entirely up to each of us which path we will choose. However, as Joshua of old said:
Before The World Began
Before Earth as we know it existed, God was there. Yet, people of varying faiths believe that our spirits existed, as well. This is my belief. We existed, as the spirit children of the Father, but we did not have physical forms. We were present, we were aware, and we were ready. Ready to progress. The Earth was created. There was a great war in Heaven, as Lucifer, Son of the Morning, rebelled against the Father. His wish was to be glorified and exalted above God, and he was charismatic - a third of the host of heaven followed him. He was cast down into the Earth, along with his legions, and those fallen angels remain spirit beings to this day, never to take physical form. And the heavens wept at the loss.
The Big Bang
The old Christian joke is that we believe in the Big Bang theory: God commanded it, and *BANG* it happened!
Levity aside, it happened. Jesus was in charge of the shaping of the Earth, and of Creation. The world was shaped in seven days. The creatures, the life of Earth were formed. The world began. And then, it was time: Humans were created, and the first spirits passed through the Veil, to become human. The premortal spirits agreed to face the trials of Earth, and agreed to do it without knowledge of their former selves - to go through mortality without a memory of the premortal existence.
Humanity and the Lack Thereof
Of course, humanity had flaws. Everyone knows the story of Adam and Eve, even those who do not adhere to the plethora of religions who follow the story of the first people. Sin was introduced into humanity. Humankind fell, so that, through their own decisions, free will (the ability to chose) and free agency (the ability to carry out one's own decisions), humanity could determine its own course.
You might ask why this is a good thing. Look at the world today; wars, plagues, murder, lies, deceit, immorality, anger, hatred, and sin in general permeate every aspect of living. Why, how can this possibly be a good thing? It is not. But it does present us with clear, and often times, difficult, choices. Will we choose the right, or will we fall away into the darkness? We are capable, as people, of passing this test of Mortality. Mortality is the pivotal point of our existence. It is not the pinnacle of our eternal lives, to be sure, but it is the turning point. The point of no return. Crunch time. The fate of the rest of our lives eternal swing upon the scant few years that we live and breath upon this earth.
Will we live well, and follow the path that will lead us to eternity in happiness? Or will we settle for whatever comes, and live in sin and wrongdoing?
Beyond the Veil
I propose that this very question is the reason for mortal existence. Mortality allows us to choose where we wish to spend eternity. Once we pass back through the veil, will it be to outer darkness, to be cast out along with Lucifer and his angels? Will it be to a lesser existence, where we will always wonder what it might have been like to live with, and as, Jesus Christ, and the Father in Heaven? Or will we return to the Father, and hear the words "Well done" - and live eternally to our utmost full potential?
It is entirely up to each of us which path we will choose. However, as Joshua of old said:
"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve... ... but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
- Joshua 24:15, KJV
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