Friday, April 09, 2021

April 2021 General Conference: Stand and Gather


President Russel M. Nelson is the current president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is the Lord's prophet and mouthpiece on the Earth. In a talk during the April 2021 Priesthood Session of General Conference, President Nelson reminded us that to overcome trying times and adversity in these Last Days we must "stand in holy places". Saints can stand in holy places by establishing our home as a place of faith, and a place of spiritual and temporal refuge. President Nelson also admonished us to gather together, finding strength in our priesthood quorums which is our Church of Jesus Christ faith community.

President Nelson's admonition to "stand and gather" is in stark contrast to the modern prepper movement's doctrine of "bugging out" and "isolation".

Thursday, April 01, 2021

Government vs. Church Jurisdictions



1. Government operates on "do no harm" to another principles. No specific law needs to be written for harm to be illegal and prosecuted. The rule of law should deal more with due process than what specifically is illegal. All harm to life, liberty, and property is illegal. If someone has been harmed by another, a jury of peers can determine if a victim has been harmed, If defendant is guilty of said harm upon the victim, and the appropriate penalty.

Laws should focus on punishing harm-doers, and not punish everyone by restricting liberty and freedom in the name of prevention.

Government can make laws to punish harmful behavior of others such as for murder, assault, rape, stealing, lying, theft. extortion, lible, slander. Government can prohibit and punish harmful behavior.

Government should not make laws that determine virtuous or good behavior and legally require such behavior.

2. The Church and other NGOs deal with self harm as a consequence of addiction, and sexual immorality. Illicit drug distribution and sales harms the addicts and should therefore be illegal. However, Illicit drug use itself should not be criminalized. Accicts need rehab and therapy. The Church can restrict membership privileges,
disfellowship and excommunicate. Self harm behaviors are at higher risk to and can quickly lead to other behaviors that do harm others.

According to James 1:27, welfare and virtue is the jurisdiction of the Church or other NGOs. Governmenr shoukd maje no law with regard to religion which means it should provide No individual welfare (visiting fatherless or widow) or determine or proscribe virtuous behavior. Welfare and virtue are the business of pure religion. Only Church can require that its members buy and eat broccoli.

if a person is worried about COVID exposure, he can quarantine himself, he can choose to be vaccinated. He cannot force another to be vaccinated.

If a person is knowingly sick and infectious and knowingly infects others and harms others, then that person could be criminally penalized.