LDS Baptism For The Dead

1 Cor 15:29 "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?"

There seems to be a continual misunderstanding with the media about what LDS Baptism for the Dead is all about. 1. LDS do not baptize dead people. Living are baptized in proxy for or on-behalf-of those that have died. 2. Being Baptized for the dead does not make that person LDS against their will. The LDS Church nor its members do not automatically consider those who are named in these ordinances as member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 3. The point of Baptisms for the dead is to offer everyone the same blessing we feel we have received. LDS Baptism for the dead does not make someone Mormon against their will, it offers them something they can freely ignore or decline or accept.

Again, Latter-day Saint Baptism for the dead, doesn't make the person named automatically and surreptitiously a Mormon against their will. Baptism for the dead just offers something that can easily and freely be declined, ignored, or accepted.

In fact, the ignore part of baptisms for the dead is significant. LDS do not publicize who is or isn't offered this ordinance. Baptisms are done privately in our temples and not in the public eye. The LDS Church keeps a database of all those who have been post-humously offered membership in our Church so there is not needless duplication of effort.

The only reason the media learns about anyone in particular who "work" is done are critics and enemies of the LDS Church who look up this information and want to cause a stir.

It is the goal of the LDS Church to offer every human being who has lived upon the Earth, living or deceased, membership in the LDS Church. Baptism for the Dead is how we posthumously offer membership.

LDS Baptism for the Dead is not about disrespecting others beliefs, but rather it is about our desire to be completely inclusive and make sure no one is excluded, and invite anyone and everyone to be LDS if they so desire.

Baptism for the dead is an invitation. Nothing more.

Everyone Has A Conscience

Moroni 7:16 "For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil;"

A major theme of the Book of Mormon is the teaching that all men are born with a conscience and therefore understand the difference between right and wrong. The Book of Mormon refers to conscience as "the Light of Christ" or "the Spirit of Christ". In addition to teaching this wonderful truth, the Book of Mormon contains several illustrations that demonstrate the universality of and the consequences of conscience. I will list a few of the many examples.

1. Laman and Lemuel. These wicked and rebellious brothers of Nephi on one occasion saw and heard an angel of God. The angel appeared to reprove them for striking their brother Nephi after Laban had stole their wealth which they had planned to use to purchase the Brass Plates. On another occasion, they felt the power of God shock them. On this occasion Nephi was commanded to stretched forth his hands in an attempt of motivate Laman and Lemuel in assisting with the construction of the ship which would take them to the American Continent. And again, while crossing the ocean, they witnessed Nephi's prayer calm the turbulent sea. Yet, despite all these signs and miracles, Laman and Lemuel refused to humble themselves to the will and commandments of God. They resented Nephi's leadership and example and were continually threatening and attempting to get rid of and even murder Nephi.

The Book of Mormon describes Laman and Lemuel as being "past feeling". The point of being "past feeling" is not the absence of conscience. The point is that they did not respond to it except when constrained by an angelic visitation, the pleading of their wives, or being threatened with utter destruction. In several instances, Laman and Lemuel ask Nephi for forgiveness and Nephi says at one point that he had high hopes for them. But, in the end, Nephi's hopes are in vain and he is warned to take those who would go with him and separate themselves from their evil brothers.

The lesson here is that even the most evil and rebellious can be convinced and constrained to do what is right.

2. Sherem and Korihor. These two characters in the Book of Mormon are both anti-Christ's. Both Sherem and Korihor seek to attack the church of God and the faith of the people by claiming that there was no God, and that it was impossible for prophets to know of anything in the future. Particularly, these two challenged the knowledge of the future life and mission of Jesus Christ who is the Son of God.

However, when push comes to shove, and Sherem and Korihor face divine judgement for seeking a sign, they both confess that they had both known all along that there was a God and that Christ would come but that they had been lying even to the point that they began to believe in their own lies.

The lesson here is, just like a steroid-using athlete who will deny it until the bitter end, even the most outspoken atheists really do believe in God.

3. King Lamoni is another example of conscience. In the Book of Alma, the sons of King Mosiah embark on a courageous mission to the Lamanites to convert them to the truth. King Lamoni demonstrate conscience when he is convinced Ammon is the Great Spirit sent to punish him for killing his servants when others had scattered his flocks.

Here is the King who could easily have convinced himself that as king, it was well within his right to spare or deprive anyone under his rule with life, liberty or property; instead acknowledges that when judgement seems to be upon him, that he was wrong to have killed his servants when his flocks were scattered.

King Lamoni teaches us that kings and rulers are not beyond having a conscience and self-evident truth. And the truth is that life, liberty, and property are self-evident, God-given rights and not merely privileges doled out by the good graces of a ruling elite.

3. Alma the Younger and the Sons of Mosiah demonstrate conscience at the time they were visited by the angel. Like Saul in the New Testament, Alma the Younger was going about persecuting the Church of God. Upon facing the potential of eternal punishment, Alma the Younger demonstrates a mighty change of heart and becomes a valiant servant of God.

Here we learn that when faced with the consequences of sin, even the most rebellious and wayward child can have a miraculous change of heart for the better.

4. Lastly, the Lamanites who were converted to Christ by the preaching of Ammon and his brethren are another great example of the operation of conscience. In Alma 26, Ammon comments that many Nephites laughed and scoffed at the idea of going on a mission to the Lamanites. Ammon says that the Nephites saw the Lamanites as beyond any hope. In fact, Ammon confesses that many Nephites were of the opinion the only option was to entirely destroy and kill off the Lamanites so that they would no longer come up against them to war.

However, the example and success of Ammon in converting many of the Lamanites to the truth was that every man on this Earth is born with a conscience, and the Light of Christ is the Spirit of Freedom and there is no man anywhere that is beyond the ability of Christ to Redeem them. Likewise, neither is there anyone that cannot potentially understand, appreciate and embrace the principles of freedom.

Alma 28:14 "And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor in the vineyards of the Lord; and thus we see the great reason of sorrow, and also of rejoicing—sorrow because of death and destruction among men, and joy because of the light of Christ unto life."

Alcohol Consumption Is Not Funny

A friend emailed me a joke that listed a series of humorous comments by young children about their views on alcoholic beverages and their parents frequent use of alcohol to get intoxicated. The email really got me thinking.

Thanks for the humorous note on childrens view on alcoholic beverages. The email really got me thinking.

Here is what my Irish Catholic father said about my Irish Catholic grandfather. "every time my father drank he would come home and yell at my mother and hit me". I see many more very non-humorous consequences of alcohol every day in the Emergency Department of our community.

Here is what the Bible says on the subject. Hopefully one day "all [our] children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of [our] children." (Isa 54:13)

1 Cor 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Lev 10:9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: (common Jews were allowed to drink wine but those worthy to labor in the Temple it was forbidden)

Prov 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

Prov 31:4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
(as followers and deciples of Christ, we are to be a royal priesthood, and a holy nation of kings on priests to Christ who is King of kings and Lord of lords)

Isa 5:11;22 Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! ...22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:

Isa 28:7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.

I am thankful for modern prophets beginning with Joseph Smith and modern scripture like the Word of Wisdom in the LDS Doctrine and Covenants, warn us to stay away from tobacco, alcohol and other addictive and potentially destructive substances.

Few Thoughts On Creation

1. Alma 30:44 "all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator."

Our Heavenly Father is a God of love. The beauty of the Earth is one of the greatest proofs of Gods love. If you seen Star Wars, then I am sure you can appreciate and be thankful that God did not place us on a completely volcanic planet like Mustafar, a dessert planet like Tatooine, or an ice-covered planet like Hoth.

2. Abraham 2:24 "And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;"

In this account of creation from the Book of Abraham we learn that Jesus Christ took other spirits with Him to create this Earth. While this Earth was created entirely by His power and direction, the significance here is that God allowed our participation. Understanding this principle, I realize that whether it comes to Gods work on Earth, our personal salvation, the work in the Spirit World to redeem the dead, or the eternal work we may do in the eternities, we are blessed by the opportunity of full active participation. Except for the Atonement itself, Gods Plan of Salvation is not a spectator sport.

Legalization of Marijuana

I have never felt so humiliated in my life over anything as that the State of Utah voted for the repeal of Prohibition.
- President Heber J. Grant, Conference, Oct. 1934

From this very stand he pleaded with us not to repeal the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. He didn't speak as Heber J. Grant, the man, he spoke as the President of the Church and the representative of our Heavenly Father. And yet in a state where we could have retained what we had, there were enough Latter-day Saints . . . who paid no attention to what the Lord wanted . . .and what is the result? Such delinquency as we have never known. . . .
- George Albert Smith, Conference, Oct 1943

One of the saddest days in all of Utah's history was when the people, including the Latter-day Saints (for it could not have been done without them), rejected the counsel and urging of the Lord's prophet, Heber J. Grant, and repealed Prohibition long years ago--yet many of those voters had sung numerous times, "We Thank Thee, O God, For A Prophet."
- The Teachings of Spencer. W. Kimball

I believe there is a clear relationship between the historical issue of repealing prohibition and the current issue surrounding marijuana legalization. If you cannot see a relationship then I am not sure you can be helped. Therefore, because these issues are so similar, I believe the prophets have spoken and we should be careful whose side we are on.

The LDS Church does not prohibit the use of alcohol as a disinfectant or to wash the body. I am sure the LDS Church has no problem with using Hemp for rope, or marinol for nausea as prescribed by a doctor. The problem with Cannabis, is when it is smoked, or ingested or taken in any other way for the purposes of getting "High"

There is nothing Satan wants more than to see Cannabis use for the purposes of getting "High" legalized in America. And he will use any means and any argument to achieve that goal. Whose side are you going to be on in this issue?

The LORD admonishes in His "Word of Wisdom" "All seedbearing herbs for theuseof man to be used with prudence and understanding." (D&C89). Yes, with prudence and understanding, This doesn mean that every plant or herb or weed is meant to be smoked.
if alkaloids in this plant help wtih appetite, then isolate those specific alkaloids, and leave out the psychogenic ones. Smoking jimsom weed or fox glove will kill you.

Many proponents of legalizing marijuana argue that there are so many unappreciated medical and health benefits to marijuana. They feel like keeping marijuana illegal is "throwing out the baby with the bathwater". Many physicians I know are open to alternative, natural treatments. However, most physicians haven't seen benefits for marijuana over other current remedies. There are several FDA approved alternatives for appetite. Furthermore, if a patient wants to try Cannabis, Marinol is FDA approved, and you don't have to smoke it. No one is throwing out any babies. But I think some people want to keep their dirty bath water.

If we want to end the war on drugs, then bring our soldier home and put them on our borders to stop the illegal import of drugs. and we need to root out the corruption in our government and stop electing Bohemian Grove, and Skull and Bones members as POTUS. These secret organizations have been in operation behind the scenes infiltrating our government and institutuons and subverting our freedoms. The POTUS has been a member of Bohemian Grove or a Bildiberg all the way back to Taft. So, it's no surprise when CIA and Special Forces get caught time and again shipping cocaine into the US, or the ATF gets caught shipping guns to Mexican drug cartels, or US Banks are caught laundering Mexican drug cartel money, or to know that Heroin production in Afganistan is up 400 percent pre-Taliban levels(the Taliban actually prohibited Poppy growing and Pedophilia "Bacha Bazi" in about 1999).

Mos 29: 25-26 "Therefore, choose you by the voice of this people, judges, that ye may be judged according to the laws which have been given you by our fathers, which are correct, and which were given them by the hand of the Lord. 26 Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law—to do your business by the voice of the people."

Many claim that legalizing marijuana is about liberty and freedom and agency. This group claims that our laws should never coerce others to do the right. This argument is totally misunderstanding the principle of agency. Agency is choosing freedom by following Gods law. All law is morality, and we should use our agency as a people to make laws that reflect and defend Gods laws. Only by doing this can we be free.

God has commanded us that we must carefullly regulate and manage our appetites and passions less these passions control us and lead to destructive behaviors. Animals act on instinct. If they feel to do something, they do it. Being Human is about being able to feel, yet think first, and choose not to just react on impulse. Psychoactive drugs are dangerous because they shut down our ability to think, as well as destroy our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.

When it comes to saving our Republic and the Constitution, only a return to our traditional Christian morals/values (a return to virtue) can succeed. God has established a covenant of peace with those who posess this land that inasmuch as we keep His commandments we will be blessed with peace and prosperity. But inasmuch as we do not keep His commandments we would be cursed, cut off from His presence. There is forming a great division in our country, a great division both morally and politically. A friend on the internet said "Our Lord tells us "He" will be the cause of the great Latter-day division (2nd Nephi 30:10). When it comes down to it, it will "only" be the moral issues that will matter. Moral issues will determine what side each of us is on with this great division our Lord has promised us. "

Agency is not just freedom to do whatever without consequence. It's freedom to choose Gods laws. Choosing evil is not excercizjng agency and it leads to captivity and death. Our laws to protect agency should dissuade people from falling into sin and captivity. Again, we should be free to choose, but that does not mean we are free to avoid the consequences of those choices.

"free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil" (2 Nephi 2:27).

If our laws reflect Gods laws then choosing the right should lead to more liberty, but choosing the wrong should lead to the consequence of restricted liberty. Our governments are getting things backwards by limiting and restricting that which God wants (prayer in school) and supporting and facilitating that which God does not want (substance abuse). As time passes, choosing the right is restricted while choosing the wrong is permitted. In another way, Wellfare programs fail to turn lives around and empower and reward good choices, but instead enable and ease the consequences of sin.

Setting up laws which protect the righteous in doing right, and restrict the wicked in doing wickedness is not coercion. The message of Freedom is in the Book of Mormon and the Book of Mormon says the Nephites established just laws that preserved the rights of religion and punished wrong behavior. However, the Book of Mormon is clear that there should be no laws against a persons belief.

Alma 1:17-18 "Nevertheless, they durst not lie, if it were known, for fear of the law, for liars were punished; therefore they pretended to preach according to their belief; and now the law could have no power on any man for his belief.18 And they durst not steal, for fear of the law, for such were punished; neither durst they rob, nor murder, for he that murdered was punished unto death."

Marijuana and other elicit drugs are or contain powerful mind-altering substances. If we do not decide as a free people to establish consequences for the abuse of these harmful substances, then are we really free? If we give people the illusion that they can use drugs without consequences, then they will be too easily enticed to experiment with drugs and many enslaved and destroyed. Lehi teaches his children that we are only free if we are both enticed by both sides. Our laws, therefore, should sufficently entice us away from harmful behavior.

2 Nephi 2:16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.

Our laws restrict self harm and abuse. Our laws restrict suicide, and they entice us away from drug use. Maybe, we can agree that self-harm should not be criminalized as it is. However, companies who deal in marketing and selling instruments of self-harm to others should always remain illegal. Fear is a form of coercive force that should be used used to prevent the violation of the rights of others. Elicit drug abuse and addiction has grave costs to society in terms of unemployment, lost productivity, poverty, child neglect, child abuse, and crime. However, for those who choose to harm themselves, our laws should discourage this but not direct fear at the victim. This will only drive them to further hide their sins and not seek help and rehabilitation.