Thoughts about one reason, among many, for why the scriptures speak of the end times as a blessing, despite the mass suffering and extreme hardships that will occur. This video seeks to provide an answer to the seemingly existing tension between the hardships and the blessings described during this time.
YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/l1ExDjJ9DU8
Faithfulness Through Hope
As discussed in the previous post, faith is a universal principle used by all to some degree or another. The faith that God initially calls us to is at first simple. In the words of Alma, it often begins within us as a desire to believe. This desire, if nourished, will soon sprout into the beginning of faith and faithfulness. In a later post, I will discuss how one can create what I refer to as a habit of faith.
When it comes to the believers in God, faith is a required attribute for having a relationship with God. God needs to trust us and we need to trust him. The result of faithfulness are great rewards.
But how do we know that we have been faithful enough to receive the rewards promised to the faithful?
The answer is through hope.
Today, the meaning of the word hope carries a different meaning from how this word is used in the scriptures. Today, hope most commonly refers to wishing for something. More specifically, hope refers to wishing for some outcome because that outcome is believed to be possible. Our use of the word hope is based on uncertainty.
For instance, someone might have fallen ill and we hope that they will feel better. We also use this hope when it comes to reaching some kind of achievement, whether that be in career, scholastics, athletics, or some other area of our life. We even use this term when evidence indicates the contrary.
Hope Is a Confident Assurance
But this definition of hope is diametrically opposed to how the scriptures use this term. To understand this difference, consider the following scripture involving Helaman’s account of the privations he and his stripling warriors experienced during their attempt to retake the city of Manti.
10 Therefore we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, yea, and also give us strength that we might retain our cities, and our lands, and our possessions, for the support of our people.11 Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him.
Notice that these verses are structured as a petition and an answer. In verse 10, Helaman states that he and his army prayed that God would deliver them out of the hand of the Lamanites and that they might be able to retake their lands. In verse 11 is the Lord’s response. The Lord responds by “visiting” them with “assurances” which came by “speaking peace to [their] souls.” The result of this assurance did give them “great faith” (i.e., trust in to God to bring about the outcome they were seeking) and gave them hope that this should be delivered by him.
The important point is that the hope they had was a result of the assurances they received from the Lord. Without these assurances that they would be delivered, they would not have hope (i.e., the assurance) it could happen.
Therefore, hope in the scriptures refers to a confident expectation in the outcome of some event. Hope does not refer to wishing for something to happen because one wants it to be so. Rather, hope comes through promises the Lord gives us. These promises serve to assure us that the promised outcome will occur. With this, we can rest in peace knowing that it will happen.
Critically, unlike our modern usage, the scripture meaning of hope is based on assurances that the outcome will happen.
This is why Abraham was able to press forward in faith upon receiving the promise from the Lord he would have a son and arguably was the reason he was willing to sacrifice his son -- “reasoning that the Lord would raise Isaac from the dead.” Or consider Lehi’s response to his wife who mocks him for leading the family in the wilderness and sending her sons to be killed by Laban.
But behold, I have obtained a land of promise, in the which things I do rejoice; yea, and I know that the Lord will deliver my sons out of the hands of Laban, and bring them down again unto us in the wilderness. (1 Nephi 5).
By saying “I have obtained a land of promise” Lehi’s posture is to act as if the promise (of the land of promise) has already occurred). Lehi does not say I will receive the promised land, but that I have. And having this promise leads him to rejoice because it will occur.
But to better understand this principle, let’s consider the inverse example -- i.e., instances where hope is absent. One example is that of Mormon, who remarks about the effectiveness of his prayers for the wicked Nephites.
1 And it came to pass that I did go forth among the Nephites, and did repent of the oath which I had made that I would no more assist them; and they gave me command again of their armies, for they looked upon me as though I could deliver them from their afflictions.2 But behold, I was without hope, for I knew the judgments of the Lord which should come upon them; for they repented not of their iniquities, but did struggle for their lives without calling upon that Being who created them.
Unlike Helaman and Lehi who had hope through the Lord’s assurance, Mormon did not have this assurance and therefore could not hope. Mormon knew that the Nephites were unwilling to change their ways and repent and therefore the Lord’s judgment would come upon them. The Nephites wanted to live in their sins but be delivered from affliction their sins caused them. These things are incompatible with the Lord and therefore Mormon could not have any assurance that the Nephites would be delivered.
Similarly, Nephi makes a similar remark in praying for the welfare of the Gentiles.
9 I also have charity for the Gentiles. But behold, for none of these can I hope except they shall be reconciled unto Christ, and enter into the narrow gate, and walk in the strait path which leads to life, and continue in the path until the end of the day of probation. (2 Nephi 33).
Nephi's statement reveals that unless the Gentiles are born again, Nephi cannot have hope for their welfare because God only saves those who submit to him.
Condition of Salvation
Now that the meaning of hope has been clarified. Let’s turn to explore how hope operates when it comes to salvation.
Speaking to the wayward members of the church in Zarahemla, Alma recounts the experience of his father Alma and his followers (the “People of Alma”) and both their temporal and spiritual deliverance. Importantly, Alma remarks that the People of Alma's deliverance from their bondage resulted in their “sing[ing] songs of redeeming love.” Alma then asks the Nephites: “on what conditions are [the People of Alma] saved?” and “what grounds had [People of Alma] to hope for salvation?”
By asking this, Alma is asking what evidence did the People of Alma have that they were saved. In other words, they say they were saved but how do they know? How do they know it was not just in their heads and that they are really saved?
This question is central for Alma’s sermon because he is not speaking to non-member Nephites, but to the members of the church. Apparently these wayward members believed they were saved just like the People of Alma. Alma is showing the members that salvation is based on more than membership in the church but upon assurances from God to the individual and group.
And what is this assurance? The People of Alma knew they were saved because of the mighty change wrought in their heart. This mighty change, therefore, served as evidence that they were God’s people. It was the might change of the heart, not their status as members, that gave the People of Alma grounds to be assured of their salvation.
Because this mighty change assures the People of Alma they are saved, Alma then directs pointed questions to the Nephites in the Zarahemla church. He asks the following, some of which include:
False Assurances
By asking these questions (and others throughout Alma 5), Alma is calling out the wayward church and exposing their false assurances to illustrate (and convince them) that hope for salvation can only come with assurances.
The lesson taught by Alma is relevant for today. Sadly there are many members in the church who believe they are saved by virtue of their membership alone and not the condition of their heart. Under this false belief, they rationalize sin by reasoning that they can talk to their bishop afterwards or that the sin is not really that big of a deal. Others under this false belief engage in gossip of others or pursue worldly success at the expense of God’s kingdom believing that their salvation is secure if they continue to pay their tithing and keep the other commandments.
The same erroneous thinking applies to Christians of other denominations as well. And this is evident because they fail to bear the fruits of salvation.
Many in this category have mistakenly assumed, like the Zaramela church and even the Jews, that membership status or profession of belief in Christ alone is enough to be saved. But as Alma points out, the hope of salvation is an assurance that we have received such. God does not expect us to guess the status of our salvation when the stakes are so high.
Therefore I turn to the reader:
Calling and Election
One of the important principles revealed through the restored gospel concerns promises we can receive for eternal life. This promise is having our calling and election made sure. This promise pertains to our exaltation, which is a separate and distinct promise from that of salvation.
Although this is a central principle to the restored gospel, this teaching has sadly been lost throughout time. Nevertheless, just because we don’t discuss this principle/ordinance anymore does not mean it is no longer true.
Give then that God does not call us to guess our standing before him, the ordinance of receiving one’s calling and election is simply another way God provides assurances to us concerning the state of post-mortal existence.
I've discussed this principle and ordinance before but to ensure we are the same page, I provide a quote from Elder Bruce R. McConkie:
To have one’s calling and election made sure is to be sealed up unto eternal life; it is to have the unconditional guarantee of exaltation in the highest heaven of the celestial world; it is to receive the assurance of godhood; it is, in effect, to have the day of judgment advanced, so that an inheritance of all the glory and honor of the Father’s kingdom is assured prior to the day when the faithful actually enter into the divine presence to sit with Christ in his throne, even as he is “set down” with his “Father in his throne” (Rev. 3:21). (McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:31–32)
Elder McConkie is intentional with the language he uses. Notice that he uses words such as "guarantee" and "assurance" to stress that the calling and election serves to provide the recipient with assurances they are exalted.
Endurance and Good Works
This hope not only gives us assurances of our salvation , but allows us to endure the tribulations of the world because we have the guarantee that our faithfulness will yield its rewards (See Hebrews 10:34).
In the words of Moroni, this hope (assurance) serves as an anchor for us to be grounded in good works. (see Ether 12:4). And it is for this reason that faith cannot exist without hope (see Moroni 7:41). For faith is fueled and buttressed by the assurance that our faith will not go unrewarded.
Faithfulness Requires Hope
Faithfulness requires hope. This truth unlocks the fuller meaning behind Moroni’s triumvirate for righteousness: “faith, hope, and charity” the more complete meaning of which I will flesh out in another post.
Our ability to hold out faithfully through the trials of life--which is particularly endemic to those who seek to walk the straight and narrow/ascend the mountain of the Lord--is tied to our degree of assurances (i.e., hope) we receive from the Lord. While we might be able to fool ourselves for the initial while, eventually the sacrifices we’ll be called to make will be so great that only those who know their sacrifices won’t be in vain will be able to make those sacrifices.
As the Lectures on Faith explains:
An actual knowledge to any person, that the course of life which he pursues is according to the will of God, is essentially necessary to enable him to have that confidence in God without which no person can obtain eternal life...Such was and always will be the situation of the saints of God, that unless they have an actual knowledge that the course that they are pursuing is according to the will of God, they will grow weary in their minds and faint…For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his honor and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life also, counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, requires more than mere belief, or supposition that he is doing the will of God, but actual knowledge: realizing, that when these sufferings are ended he will enter into eternal rest; and be a partaker of the glory of God.
This actual knowledge is not something that can be willed by us, but is a gift through the grace of God that is dispensed upon us as we prove faithful to each precept God gives to us, which is faithfulness if marked by sacrifice.
Given these stakes, the question remains: how do we reach this level of faithfulness. The remainder of this series answers this question.
A video discussing the meaning of the Lord's peace in light of current events
YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/8tlqWiMtEdY
YouTube link: https://youtu.be/uA_rRKFZN9k
Note to the Reader
In the previous post I said that I would discuss the third element of faithfulness in a later post. I was intending to use this post as that opportunity. However, the Spirit impressed upon me to reserve that topic for a different series. Instead, this post will focus on how the faithful are rewarded for their faith by God.
Rewards of the Faithful
While the cost of faithfulness will be great, it will also yield great rewards. And this is according to the law of justice which requires an individual to receive compensation for their loss. In the words of Alma, we receive according to our works.
Put even more simply, the meaning of justice means to be rewarded (that is restored) to what we deserve based on our desires. Justice is therefore not an act reserved only for the wicked, but is for the righteous as well. It is justice, not mercy, that rewards us to the desires of our heart and which gives us the claim on eternal life.
If our works are good and characterized by sacrifice for the good at the expense of our comfort, then we receive the rewards of such efforts. This reward is the Celestial Kingdom because this self-giving nature and desire to do good is the character trait of the inhabitants (residents) of the Celestial Kingdom.
Those who merit the Celestial Kingdom are those who gave their all to receive it -- and will continue to give all the Lord requires as sacrifices. The inhabitants of the Celestial Kingdom have shown to God that they loved not their lives unto death (see Revelation 11:12). These are they whose faith in God was so firm that they were willing to set aside anything to receive the inheritance of the Celestial Kingdom because they trusted that what God had to offer them was greater than what they could receive on earth through men. (Hebrews 12).
Consider the faithful described by the author of Hebrews:
32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of aBarak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 Quenched the violence of afire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
It is the expectation of these blessings that allowed the faithful saints of the past to endure through the tribulations they experienced -- because they knew that if they held out faithful to the end, their rewards were great. More on this in the next post.
This expectation gave them peace because they knew that all would be made right in the end. See Ether 12:4.
And what is that reward? It is “eternal life.”
But blessed are they who are faithful and endure, whether in life or in death, for they shall inherit eternal life (D&C 50:5).
19 And whoso is found a faithful, a just, and a wise steward shall enter into the joy of his Lord, and shall inherit eternal life. (D&C 51:19).
Those who inherit eternal life are those who:
(see generally D&C 76: 50-70)
As Bruce R. McConkie explained,
“[Eternal life is] the greatest of all the gifts of God” (D&C 14:7), for it is the kind, status, type, and quality of life that God himself enjoys. Thus those who gain eternal life receive exaltation; they are sons of God, joint-heirs with Christ, members of the Church of the Firstborn; they overcome all things, have all power, and receive the fulness of the Father. They are gods.”
In short, the faithful are members of the Church of the Firstborn--which organization is distinct from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. As Joseph Fielding Smith explained,
What is the difference, if there is a difference between the Church of the Firstborn and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or of any day saints? Well, the members of the Church of the Firstborn are members of the Church of Jesus Christ, but not all those who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ become members of the Church of the Firstborn, for they are they unto whom the Lord has given all things. They are priests and kings. They are they who have received the exaltation, they who are made equal in power, and in might, and in dominion, who attain to the fulness and become the sons, and for the sisters, the daughters of God.
As one prominent LDS writer distinguished:
…the Church of the Firstborn is not an earthly organization. It does not own buildings or land and hold conference every six months. This is a sacred society whose highest officer is Jesus Christ and whose members are those who have been ushered into His presence and there received the endowment of Zion, and thus, membership in this august body.
Witnesses to God’s Power
In addition to the ultimate reward of exaltation, the faithful are able to witness the power of God working on their behalf to turn insurmountable mountains-like obstacles of their lives into sand (figuratively -- and even literally). Like Nephi, angels will minister to them daily. They will preach and speak in power and authority and perform miracles that will cause the wicked to tremble. They will raise people from the dead and heal people of their sicknesses and infirmities.
And it came to pass that Nephi—having been visited by angels and also the voice of the Lord, therefore having seen angels, and being eye-witness, and having had power given unto him that he might know concerning the ministry of Christ, and also being eye-witness to their quick return from righteousness unto their wickedness and abominations; Therefore, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds—went forth among them in that same year, and began to testify, boldly, repentance and remission of sins through faith on the Lord Jesus Christ…And Nephi did minister with power and with great authority. And it came to pass that they were angry with him, even because he had greater power than they, for it were not possible that they could disbelieve his words, for so great was his faith on the Lord Jesus Christ that angels did minister unto him daily.
And in the name of Jesus did he cast out devils and unclean spirits; and even his brother did he raise from the dead, after he had been stoned and suffered death by the people. And the people saw it, and did witness of it, and were angry with him because of his power; and he did also do many more miracles, in the sight of the people, in the name of Jesus.…as many as were converted did truly signify unto the people that they had been visited by the power and Spirit of God, which was in Jesus Christ, in whom they believed. And as many as had devils cast out from them, and were healed of their sicknesses and their infirmities, did truly manifest unto the people that they had been wrought upon by the Spirit of God, and had been healed; and they did show forth signs also and did do some miracles among the people. (3 Nephi 7:15-20).
Although the lives of the faithful will not be easy and they will undergo many trials and tribulations, God will prevail in their lives in power and glory because they are people worth saving and they are people whom God can use to further his purposes of doing good.
In the end times, the faithful will work miracles heretofore only read about. The power of God will operate in the lives of believers that accounts of these miracles will be published far and wide, just like the fame and notoriety of the Israelites under Moses and Joshua spread throughout the land of Cannan.
The faithful will walk in power because they will have a sure knowledge of God’s existence and operation within their lives. Like Jacob, the evidence of his existence will be overwhelming that if commanded they can speak and the mountains move away.
They will work mighty works to the convincing of many and the condemnation of others.
Through them, the knowledge of God and his power will be revealed before the world
Nephi describes our time, and the blessings of the faithful, when he writes:
14 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory. (1 Nephi 14).
But before this occurs, we learn that the righteous are few and persecuted by the whore.
12 And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of God, and its numbers were few, because of the wickedness and abominations of the whore who sat upon many waters; nevertheless, I beheld that the church of the Lamb, who were the saints of God, were also upon all the face of the earth; and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small, because of the wickedness of the great whore whom I saw. 13 And it came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God. (1 Nephi 14).
To be the covenant people of the Lord requires keeping the covenant through faithfulness. Only those who are able to prove their faith -- at the expense of their own lives if necessary -- are in covenant with the Lord. And in covenant, they are not forsaken. And they cannot be, because God is bound to him through his hesed -- his covenantal love.
Filled With God’s Love
But perhaps, the greatest gift we receive through faithfulness is to be filled with God’s love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. (John 15:10).
Which love is gained through faith in him
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love.. (Ephesians 3: 14-21).
It is this love Moroni urged us to pray for with all the energies of our hearts and which Paul declared is the greatest gift.
It is why Christ was able to endure Gethsemane and proceed to the Cross, as he was scourged near to death, but had joy in his heart (see Hebrews 6:2).
Recall the the tree of life imagery described by Lehi and Nephi. We know the Tree of Life represents the love of God. There is certainly more to this and those interested about the full meaning of the Tree of Life can read my post here. But the Tree represents God’s love.
Notice, however, Satan’s response. He uses everything he can to distract people away from the Tree. That fact that Satan does this shows the Tree’s importance, just like we know that touchdowns or goals are important as sports teams build up defenses to prevent the opponent from scoring. Put crudely, the Tree is the touchdown and Satan has called an all out blitz.
God’s love is great for many reasons. But one reason relevant to this post is that God’s love allows us to withstand and endure trials. Paul likens the love to being rooted and grounded. The imagery evoked by Paul is that of a plant rooted and secure in the earth able to weather the storm.
Studies of children further support this principle as studies show that children who are loved are more likely to try new things and embrace more discomfort. They do this because of the confidence they receive from their mother’s love. The love signals to the child that everything is going to be okay and they can do it.
This is the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. It is a peace that allows one to maintain their character despite the chaos surrounding them. It is why Joseph Smith could knowingly walk toward his martyrdom expressing,
I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am calm as a summer's morning. I have a conscience void of offense toward God and toward all men.
Do you have that kind of peace? It can’t be faked because only God’s love can provide it.
Trust, Commit, and Rest
David in Psalm 37 makes an emphatic threefold exhortation to: Trust, Commit, and Rest. The rest of the Lord is a common theme in the scriptures. But rest is the end result of our faithfulness to God. And rest can only be achieved through our faithfulness.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed….5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it [our way] to pass. (Psalm 37)
As David points out, we trust in the Lord and commit our ways to him. Committing our ways refers to yielding ourselves to God. The Hebrew word for commit (galal) literally means to roll up something. Notice that in this verse we are to commit “our ways” -- our path, purposes, desires, will--to the Lord. In other words, we roll up ourselves unto God.
David’s pairing of faith and commitment leads to profound insights. Faith requires commitment. Faith in God requires us to surrender ourselves to a God who knows more than we do and to a God who knows what he is doing. Faith also requires that we walk the path he has ordained for us to tread because he knows that it will lead to our happiness.
However, this path is not smooth, predictable, or comfortable. This path descends and ascends, trying the very core of our heart while bestowing levels of joy as we overcome the darkness through faith. This path is counter-intuitive and we’ll be asked to do things that we think are impossible and question where it is heading.
To walk this path therefore requires us to surrender things that are weighing us down and delaying our progression along the path. In sum, it requires us to surrender all the false beliefs we hold and our false self, with its insecurities, envies, and lusts.
Those who are willing to surrender (sacrifice) those things which are not valuable and weigh them down, are those who demonstrate their faith to God and receive all that he desires to give them.
These are the rewards of the faithful.
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. (Luke 9)
Our objective in mortality (and beyond) is to show to God that we are trustworthy. This is even more crucial as we approach the times where our faith will be tried like the ancients.
The wheat will be separated from the tares through tribulations. One of the purposes of tribulations is to try and test the hearts of purported believers and to refine and purify those who are true believers.
In other words, it is a sifting process that separates the sayers from doers; the true believers from the false.
We may believe we are righteous, good, and faithful to God. And then we face a test like Job. How do we respond? Do we remain faithful despite the torrents of chaos and hardship swirling before us or do we crumble under the weight of it all?
Our faith, then, is revealed in the limits we impose upon God.
Some Christians believe that being faithful to God will spare them from hardships. While faith in God will help us to avoid unnecessary suffering, the pattern of our faithful progenitors reveals that our faith in God will likely put us in the fire, causing us to give up a lot in the process.
The question will be whether we think the loss will be worth it. As Christ instructed, before we embark to serve God we ought to count the cost. This is for each one of us to decide. But it will be our choice and we’ll be held accountable for it.
Those who qualify for the Celestial Kingdom have decided that receiving that Kingdom is worth any loss they could experience on earth.
But for most -- if not all -- coming to this mindset where we can give all for God does not happen overnight. The principle of advancement is line upon line -- grace upon grace. It is how the Savior grew and it is how we are to grow (see D&C 93). Indeed, by small and simple means are great things brought to pass.
As mentioned in the previous post, having a desire to want to grow serves as the initial inertia to move us forward. Over time and steady acquisition of habits our character grows. At a fundamental level, as we take action to change and grow we exercise faith.
Faith is Universal
Faith is not simply exercised by the religious, but is exercised by all. The difference is where we choose to place our faith.
Further, faith is required for societies to flourish. Just think, our daily activities operate on the belief that the people around us and our institutions will behave reasonably. We trust that when we get on a plane, that the pilot knows what he is doing, the airline workers are performing their job as well as traffic control. We further trust that the plane was built according to specifications and there are no defects.
This line of thinking can be applied to a host of other things: to restaurants where we trust the food is safe, to doctors where we trust the doctor operating on us knows what he is doing, and the list goes on. I encourage you to take time to ponder about how the ways trust operates in our life. You will find that trust is deeply embedded into all of your relationships.
We also see what happens when trust is betrayed: things break down and some degree of chaos ensues.
These examples are numerous and some of them were displayed during the COVID pandemic where many of the experts we trusted to provide us reliable information were exposed to have their own agendas. But this isn’t the only area. Trust in our democratic system peaked in the 60s and took a major hit after Watergate. Except for the 1980s where there was a resurgence in trust, trust in the U.S. government has been declining leading to more division in politics.
We can also apply this to a betrayal of trust from friends or family members. The betrayal is a deep wound that is hard to heal and makes us less likely to rely or confide in the person again, thereby affecting our relationship with that person in a real way.
When it comes to God, God tests our faith to see how much we trust him and how much he can rely on us. I will be discussing this concept more in depth in another post, but I’ll touch on the big hitters. For now this post and the next will cover the three major aspects to faith
God's Trust in Us
God tests our faith to see how reliable we are so he can decide how great of a role -- and how big -- we will play in his kingdom. If we show time and time again that we will cave in under pressure, then God can’t use us for big things because there is no guarantee we will pull through. In other words, we aren’t reliable.
Therefore one aspect of faith is how reliable we are to God.
To drive home this point, consider that you are an employer and you are looking to promote an employee to a prestigious managerial position. You have many applications. Who do you choose? Do you choose the employee who shows up to work late and submits his projects late? Or do you choose the employee who is on time, completes his projects on time, hits his sales goals, and has as shown is ability to tackle and succeed in difficult assignments?
The answer is obvious. You choose the reliable employee. So it is with God.
Upon entering the borders of the promised land, Moses explained God’s purpose for their sojourn in the wilderness.
And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. (Deuteronomy 8:2)
The word translated as “prove” (or "to prove") comes from the Hebrew word nasa. It means to test and try. For instance, David declined to wear the armor to fight against Goliath because he had not “proved” the armor. In other words, because the armor had not been tested and ensured it would work, it was not reliable for David. Nasa is the same word used to describe God’s testing of Abraham's faith (see Gen 22:1) and to describe the Lord’s use of the Philistine neighbors to test and try Israel’s faithfulness.
We are tested to see how reliable we are. How much we trust and love God. Those who operate at the highest level of God’s kingdom are those who embody the Deuteronomic injunction to love God with all heart, might, mind, and soul.
To love God this way means we are absolutely surrendered to him. God is not merely worshiped as a convenience, someone who we revere once a week, but instead he is treated as our oxygen. Christ exemplified this as he did nothing through his life that the father would not do.
Trusting God
But in addition to God developing trust in us, we also develop trust in him. In fact, this type of faith is symbiotic. The more we demonstrate our trust in God, the more he trusts us and gives us greater responsibility.
The great thing, however, about placing faith in God is that we won’t be let down. Sure, things may not go the way we want them, but if we trust him until the end, we will see that he is leading us to the best outcome--just as any loving father would. Lehi’s family being led to the promised land -- out of the desert and out of captivity -- is one example that comes to mind. The journey to the promised land was difficult and required a lot of hardship along the way, but I’d imagine that those who remained faithful saw the outcome was far better than they could have imagined given their circumstances.
Daniel risked offending King Nebuchadnezzar (which at that time would have meant death) when he refused to violate the dietary laws of the Torah. Yet, God prevailed with him and he was healthier and stronger than the other eunuchs.
This is what God does and I imagine he loves showing us how he always will pull through -- especially when the decks are stacked against us.
We say “it can’t be done!” And God responds, “just watch.”
When it comes to habits it is in our best interest to develop a habit of having faith in God. Faith in God is the only way we can overcome the world because God is the only being who knows how to do it. That’s why he is who he is. Everything that doesn’t come from God will let you down. It will prove unreliable. But God has testament after testament of his reliability.
Yet, getting to this point where one can have full faith in God takes time. As Alma beautifully illustrates in his multilayered allegory of the tree, faith takes nourishment and time (i.e., diligence and heed) to sprout and develop.
So where do we begin?
To begin having this faith we must have some evidence of it.
There are some theologians who argue that faith comes in the absence of evidence. I disagree. Faith is built upon evidence. This doesn’t mean that our faith will have all the evidence (or as used in the scriptures “perfect knowledge) to justify our belief -- otherwise it would not be faith. But there will be enough upon which we can form a basis.
This happens in our everyday life. If everyday we woke up to hear about planes falling from the sky, I’d imagine that fewer and fewer people would fly. And surely our trust in their reliability would be weakened. We have trust in planes because evidence shows they are the most reliable and safest form of transport.
This same principle applies with having faith in God. It will be very hard to trust God in major ways if we haven’t had evidence in our life of God’s reliability.
We marvel at the faith of David who killed Goliath, but David didn’t trust God on a whim. David had assurances from God that God would protect him.
First, David had reason to believe that God would spare him because he was anointed king. Can’t be a king on earth if you're dead.
But second, David had previous experiences of God preserving him when God gave David the ability to kill a lion with his bare hands. In fact, in persuading Saul to let him fight Goliath, David appeals to this fact.
And David said unto Saul…The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. (1 Samuel 17)
David, then, had the faith to fight against Goliath because he already had evidence of God’s faithfulness. David reasoned that if God preserved me there, he would preserve me here.
Likewise, when Sherem sought to lead the people away, Jacob remarked how he was able to be unshaken in his faith:
And he [Sherem] had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many revelations and the many things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen bangles, and they had ministered unto me. And also, I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore, I could not be shaken. (Jacob 7:5)
Like David, Jacob’s faith in the Lord could not be shaken because of the abundant evidence he had of God.
While true the creation and ordering of heaven and even how our bodies operate bear witness of a creator, they do not bear witness to the nature and character of this Creator -- just that he (or it) exists. This is why you can have people who are not Christians believe in intelligent design and/or spirituality, but ascribe the creation to the “universe” not to the God of the Bible.
Those who develop exceeding faith in God are those who have had their faith tried in exceeding ways. If they remain faithful, then they have greater evidence of God’s reliability and are able to endure even greater challenges.
As Joseph Smith remarked when he was on the run from the mob and away from his family:
I have thought it expedient and wisdom in me to leave the place for a short season, for my own safety and the safety of this people…and as for the perils which I am called to pass through, they seem but a small thing to me, as the envy and wrath of man have been my common lot all the days of my life; and for what cause it seems mysterious, unless I was ordained from before the foundation of the world for some good end, or bad, as you may choose to call it…deep water is what I am wont to swim in. It all has become a second nature to me; and I feel, like Paul, to glory in tribulation; for to this day has the God of my fathers delivered me out of them all, and will deliver me from henceforth; for behold, and lo, I shall triumph over all my enemies, for the Lord God hath spoken it. (D&C 127: 1-2).
Although the end times will be challenging and will try us to our utmost, it will, if we allow it, be a blessing because it will serve as a way to prove our faithfulness to God. If we remain faithful, then we will receive the greatest reward in heaven.
A video about my thoughts on the gospel and its relationship to happiness.
YouTube link: https://youtu.be/id9gtBS0hzE
YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/P1INpzvJIMw
Course Correcting
Yet, despite the existence of habits, there is a way out of bad habits.
Mammals, such as chimpanzees and dolphins, tend to repeat their behavior through generations with very little change. Fortunately, humans, by contrast, have the ability to adapt and change. This gives us hope and means that despite how far off the beaten path we’ve fallen, we can adapt and change to get back on.
Or as Paul explained to the Corinthians
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10).
Despite how low we have sunken, there is a way out. God has not put us on this earth to fail. For each path downward there is a path up. This is not only according to his mercy, but his justice. Otherwise it would be substantively unfair for God to send us to earth at the risk of our salvation without providing a way to overcome.
As Joseph Smith taught:
All the minds and spirits that God ever sent into the world are susceptible of enlargement and improvement. The relationship we have with God places us in a situation to advance in knowledge.
In recent years, science has shown that contrary to previous belief, the brain is not a rigid organ, with its ways set in stone. Rather, scientific research shows that the brain is “plastic.” That is, that brain has the ability to change and reorganize itself throughout the life of the individual. Through learning, conditioning, and practice, a person can build new neural pathways and diminish old ones. The result of this discovery has led many to “hack” their brain to improve their intelligence, memory, and concentration.
What neuroplasticity provides is the ability -- albeit gradually and with diligence -- to change, improve, and transform our brain to reach further progress.
For those with an eternal perspective, our task is to fashion our brains so they are able to produce within us the character of God. And this starts with our habits. Because our character is the sum total of our habits. Or as Aristotle famously declared, “We are [i.e., our character] what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.”
To begin to shake off our shackles starts with the mind. It starts with a desire to change. A desire to course correct. Just as the planting of a small seed can beget the growth of a fruitful plant, so, too, does the mere desire to change catalyze a reaction to move us beyond our current limitations.
Recall that Satan sets us off course through rationalization. We often depart from God in slow and subtle ways. Overtime -- months to years to decades -- if we haven’t course-corrected, our regression has been exponential! Elder Uchtdorf likened this principle to a pilot whose navigation is off by a slight degree. Stretching out over 10 hours the deviation is vast -- difference between California and the Polynesian islands.
Although a full conversion is required to receive salvation, the way to return to God is by doing the small and simple things -- each and every day. This principle, moreover, is the bedrock of our reality. Great achievements start from the smallest steps. Laying the cornerstone, to building the footings, framing the walls -- until eventually a house, a skyscraper stands as a result. Time, effort, precision, and dedication beget this reward.
Patience and Sacrifice
Therefore to pull ourselves out of the mire we need the desire to get out. Just that is a significant step forward and lays the groundwork for change. But we must be patient and realize that change takes a long time
Choices that require very little sacrifice and patience do not produce great rewards. The outcomes that are the most rewarding are those that come after sacrifice and much waiting. Typically if the outcome does not require sacrifice then it is not as rewarding and the cost will be higher in the future. For instance, sleeping in and missing school yields immediate rewards. However, over the long run the cost of this choice is much greater than the benefit received -- high chance of low paying job, low dating prospects, etc.
Compare this to what a person must do in order to become a doctor or to become a successful CEO of a company. Besides the years of schooling post-college, those who become doctors often begin the process (even if they don’t fully know it) during their childhood years as they learn the basics of math, science, and English. The building blocks to future success. Similarly, many of the successful CEOs began their climb up the ladder during the formative years as a child. The fruit of their hard work didn’t come to fruition until their early 40s or even later. In other words, their path to CEO was laid by what they did in their childhood.
What this means is that we have the option to change, but the degree of change we’ll experience is based on how long we’re willing to wait for the outcome. When it comes to exaltation, this means a lot and a lot of patience and waiting.
Thus while we can change, we must truly want it. We must want it just as much as we want air. We must be willing to sacrifice what is required and to wait as long as it takes for our desire to come to fruition. This means doing whatever is necessary -- no matter how hard -- to change. The beginning of this change starts by listening to our conscience.
The Light of Christ
Our conscience is the light of Christ and it is given to all of us. It is, at the most fundamental level, God’s initial communications with us. It is therefore God’s voice to us.
Some may wonder why God is silent in their lives, while failing to realize that he is communicating with them daily through their conscience. And since this light is ever present and continual, God’s voice to us is continuous for us at a rudimentary level. In truth, the little voice in our head that we often ignore and set aside is the wellspring of God’s voice to us. Through its communications, it will reveal the way out. It will not provide everything we need to know, but what is required to move forward. More light will be given based upon how well we heeded the light we currently were given and how much we incline ourselves to seek more.
Of course, depending on how habitualized we have been to ignoring our conscience -- by drowning it out through a host of distractions -- we can, through time and patience, recultivate hearing it and then heeding it.
Heeding this voice requires sacrifice because it will require us to change. And any change requires giving up something for something else. But once we hear the direction of our conscience, we must bind ourselves to act upon it. It is not enough to merely think about what we should do without doing it. Our character changes upon the action -- upon doing something different. Neurologically, our brain begins to code and hardwire new information into us. We begin to become a different person. As we become different are actions, likewise, change.
As President Heber J. Grant remarked:
That which we try to do, and persist in doing, becomes easy to do, not because its nature is changed, but because our power to do is developed
Line Upon Line
Through line upon line, precept upon precept, exercising diligence in the process, we climb one rung on the ladder to the next. Through this journey, it is imperative that we don’t look back. To bolster our resolve, we must rivet our attention on our desires. We must fix our minds upon the new course of conduct and the outcomes it will yield.
As Elder Carlos E. Asay explained
A man does not lick the smoking habit by relishing the pleasure of a cigarette. But rather, he gains resolve by thinking about the added health and vitality and money savings which he will realize when free of the habit. Motivation to lose weight comes by anticipating the increased good looks and vitality, not by savoring caloric foods and exotic dishes.
He then goes on to conclude
So, when you have made your resolve, build your case, and build your will. Gather data, identify reasons, and do whatever you can to justify your struggle in acquiring the new habit…Once we have determined the new habit or the improved pattern of living, we must guard against any inclination to deviate. No exceptions must be tolerated and no excuses invented. For every breach of our new resolution returns us to point zero, or below, and adds strength to the behavior we are trying to conquer.
Control of the mind and steering it towards righteous desires is the source of power and leads to godliness. As Paul counseled the Colossians saints
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
The times where we can ultimately fix our minds upon our desires to do good are in our prayers. But these are not just our twice daily prayers morning and night, but concern our prayers continually throughout the day. This is why Amulek counsels us to pray unto the Lord always. Because by doing this, we set our minds upon the things above, allowing us to set aside the cares of the world, and, ultimately allowing God to direct us in our desires.
Later in the series I will address this topic in greater depth and provide disciplines in training up our minds in the ways of God. For now, the key is to realize that the matter of progression, like the matter of regression and damnation, is that of habits. To change who we are, we need to turn our bad habits into good ones. And this change starts in the mind and what our mind desires.
But before delving into the disciplines that will yield good habits and ascension upwards, we need to understand why being faithful matters. That is the focus for the next few posts.
YOUTUBE LINK: https://youtu.be/nvQjRal-5fc
The Flaxen Cord
Given the steady decline of our society, how does one ensure they remain faithful despite the cost of doing so? The answer: by small and simple things.
It is the steady accumulation of little actions -- done over long stretches of time -- that gives Satan his power to rule and reign over us. The scriptures describe this steady regression as a flaxen cord that soon tightens around the neck bringing the subject into captivity.
And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever. 2 Nephi 26: 22.
Note the imagery. Satan's initial draw into captivity comes from a flaxen cord around the person’s neck. Flax, on its own, is weak and easily breakable. The tactic, however, is that this cord eventually tightens -- presumably as more cords are wrapped around the person’s neck until the cord becomes unbreakable. The language of strong cords is used elsewhere in the Book of Mormon to refer to chains of captivity. Thus what started as an easily breakable flaxen cord has turned into a chain for Satan’s captivity.
Against this backdrop Satan whispers into our ear -- “just lie, even if it’s a little.” “Sin. Even just a little -- surely God will overlook a merely slight indiscretion. “…[T]ake the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow [you] die; and if it so be that [you] are guilty, God will beat [you] with a few stripes, and at last [you] shall be saved in the kingdom of God.” (2 Nephi 28:8).
Despite the fact that God does not tolerate sin to any degree, this subtle lie of the adversary achieves the even greater objective of bounding us to our habits. And, as I’ll explain later, habits play a direct role in shaping our ability to be faithful unto God -- for better or for worse.
Thus, when it comes to the imagery of the flaxen cord getting stronger and stronger, suppose each strand represents one bad habit. What becomes a little indiscretion every now and then gives way to further rationalization for even more severe sins, until rationalization is within our nature. We are habitualized to do evil. As a Spanish proverb reads: “Habits are at first cobwebs, then cables.” What’s worse is that at this stage our evil habits have been so married to our identity that it’s nearly impossible to break free. These are the conditions of the addicted. This is the condition of our society and ourselves.
As the psychologist William James noted:
The hell to be endured hereafter, of which theology tells, is no worse than the hell we make for ourselves in this world by habitually fashioning our characters in the wrong way. Could the young but realize how soon they will become mere walking bundles of habits, they would give more heed to their conduct while in the plastic state.
We are spinning our fates, good or evil, and never to be undone. Every smallest stroke of virtue or of vice leaves its never so little scar. The drunken Rip Van Winkle, in Jefferson’s play, excuses himself for every fresh dereliction by saying, “I won’t count this time!” Well! He may not count it, and a kind Heaven may not count it; but it is being counted none the less. Down among his nerve-cells and fibers the molecules are counting it, registering and storing it up to be used against him when the next temptation comes. Nothing we ever do is, in strict scientific literalness, wiped out. Of course this has its good side as well as its bad one. As we become permanent drunkards by so many separate drinks, so we become saints in the moral, and authorities and experts in the practical and scientific spheres, by so many separate acts and hours of work.
Sadly there are already those who, through their steadily accumulation of evil (since everything that is evil is bad) habits, are living in hell. They are caught in a vicious cycle caused by their bad habits put on a feedback loop.
As Jordan Peterson explained,
If you pile up enough junk in your closet, one day, when you are least prepared, the door will spring open, and all of what has been packed inside, growing inexorably in the darkness, will bury you, and you may not have enough time or energy left in your life to confront it, sort through it, keep what you need, and discard the rest... Then you will come to curse man, reality, and God himself for producing such an impenetrable maze of impediments and barriers. Corruption will beckon to you, led as you increasingly will be by dark, unexamined motivations—bred by failure, amplified by frustration—viciously culminating in the resentful belief that those who have transgressed against you are getting from you exactly what they deserve.
Coding For Behavior
But besides the torment, there is more to extract from James’ quote: Our habits are being counted. And not only by God, but by us. In fact, James made a similar observation
What is so clearly true of the nervous apparatus of animal life can scarcely be otherwise than true of that which ministers to the automatic activity of the mind … Any sequence of mental action which has been frequently repeated tends to perpetuate itself; so that we find ourselves automatically prompted to think, feel, or do what we have been before accustomed to think, feel, or do, under like circumstances, without any consciously formed purpose, or anticipation of results.
According to James, because our habits set up a “sequence of mental action” they trigger a subconscious response from us when initiated which then determines how we’ll act. Those who play competitive sports understand this principle. Our bodies respond to the conditioning they undergo and are subjected to.
Science shows that new genes in the central nervous system turn themselves on when an organism is placed in a new situation. The genes code for new proteins. Proteins are the building block for new structures in the brain. This means that the decisions we make shape who we are because our brain turns on more genes adapted to that behavior. If we fail to cultivate good habits, then our genes will adapt to that behavior.
Our brains do this because our brains are constantly looking from ways to outsource its high process thinking to automatic thinking -- or in other words, transfer tasks to the nonconcious mind from the conscious This is how habits form. A habit is a behavior that has been repeated enough times to become automatic.
Brains code for habits in order to reduce "cognitive load" and free up mental capacity to engage in high order thinking. Without this, our brains would be overloaded with information and our ability to process new information would be limited -- even stifled -- due to that overload, similar to a computer's hard drive that becomes sluggish and slow when it's downloading multiple programs at once.
When we adopt good habits, this neurological feature is not an issue, as we go about our days processing new information without thinking about the routine actions in our life. But this features becomes a problem when we have adopted bad habits, as these habits become automatic that we do them without even realizing and get stuck in a rut.
This is why Satan's typical tactics of temptation and deception start with the little sins that we rationalize away. If he can get us to rationalize the small, then in can get the small to be embedded into our automatic action. While these small sins may not turn us into a mass murderer, we have not become sanctified either.
Placing a Vote for Who We Will Become
But besides the neurological explanation for why habits condition us is the psychological reason: habits form our belief. As James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits explains, habits condition a certain response because they serve as evidence for the belief we hold about ourselves. “And the more evidence you have for a belief, the more strongly you will believe it. Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.”
The pastor, Tim Keller, from whom I quote a lot, shared a story about a young man (early 20s) who was driving one night and hit and killed a woman. He later fled from the scene. He was eventually caught and convicted of manslaughter. When asked about why he chose to flee, he remarked that he had already made that choice even before that happened. He then went on to explain that ever since he was young, he never hesitated in shifting responsibility onto others and lying to get out of responsibility. Thus, in a large part, his decision to flee had been made before it happened. His past decisions become encoded into his character.
Thus if we develop the habit of taking shortcuts in school (through cheating) or work (incorrect reporting of the time we’ve worked or saying we are working when we’re not) or any other areas of our lives, we will form a belief about ourselves that we are dishonest. And when other situations arise that test our integrity we are more inclined to take the low road because we have done it before. As these actions continue, we reinforce the belief that we are dishonest. Thus when a circumstance arises that calls for us to be honest, we are less likely to be honest and act with integrity because that’s not who we are. This is especially true when acting with integrity comes at a great cost.
By Small and Simple Things
Therefore, if you are accustomed to rationalizing God’s commands and finding end-arounds and “loopholes” to doing what you know God expects of you, you are merely forming the pattern in your brain to code for that behavior in the future and establishing a belief system about who you are. When it comes time to decide between God and man, you’ve already made the choice based on your actions in the past.
Our faithfulness to God, then, is a matter of habit.
Although we don’t know for sure, I imagine that the Nephites who readily gave into the demands of the Gadianton Robbers did so because they had developed habits beforehand where they readily ignored their conscience to satisfy the flesh. Thus when the time came to make the decision, like the young man who fled the scene of the accident, they had already been making it throughout their life.
This is the nature of habits.
A video explaining the meaning of faith, why it matters, what it does, and why God is pleased by our faith.
Link to video: https://youtu.be/M9n933QHmCI
A few days ago I stumbled upon (either through the divine providence of God or YouTube's algorithms) on this short video about prayer. Generally, I am skeptical of any video that says it will provide a short guide to anything, as I have learned that short cuts or short and simple solutions to anything are rare in life and I usually run in the opposite direction to anyone making these claims.
Nevertheless, in this case, this video does deliver. But as a caveat, this video is not complete and nothing will substitute for one's own learning and study of the scriptures. Still, this video provides a clear and reasoned basis for how we should pray and conveys principles of prayer that took me years -- and much reading -- to discover, and this video still gave me new insights for improving my prayer.
Prayer, like any other spiritual disciplines, is a skill. Those of us who are not kids (anyone reading my blog) would acknowledge that we have not kept the same conversation style as when we were kids. As our vocabulary and understanding as improved, so did our communication.
Unfortunately, most of us don't evolve our prayer and stick with the same rote prayer that we learned as a child. And a lot of us turn prayer into a time to treat God like vending machine. Doing this things will cause our prayer life to become stale like a dried old bagel left in the our gym bag -- and no one likes that, not even God.
To give you a sense of the video's main point. God does not want a half-hearted prayer done as a last minute activity before we go to bed. He asks for our heart. He desires to connect with us.
As a father, this points hits home. I love to give my daughter things she deserves -- often as reward to her accomplishments. But when my daughter comes to me only because what I can give her and not to be with me, I get sad.
I imagine God feels the same way. While he is eager to bless us and wants us to be happy, he is also a God of supreme love. God not only wants to bless us, but he wants to know us. To be with us. To have us in his presence.
This, is in my mind, the true purpose and the end of prayer: heart-to-heart communication, child to father.
If you have the time, I recommend watching the video instead of just listening to it, and set some time aside to give you space to fully digest the principles being taught. Applying the principles discussed in this video will lead to a richer and more meaningful prayer life -- and one that delivers on the real benefits of prayer.
The reality is that the future is going to require us to make hard choices. This was made evident during the COVID vaccinations where the government sought to make it near impossible to exist in society without being vaccinated. This reality was more visible based on where one lived, as liberal states enacted more measures to make the lives of the unvaccinated difficult -- such as the vaccine mandate for city workers. And if it wasn’t for the Supreme Court of the United States, private employers would be required to have their workers get vaccinated or otherwise face a penalty.
But this example is only the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface is a shift in norms that have been at the core of our nation's identity and have created the liberal democracy we live in today. By liberal democracy, I don’t mean the ideology espoused by Democrats. Liberal comes from the Latin word libertas, meaning free. By liberal democracy, I am referring to the broader concept of modern-day democracy of equality under the law, where our leaders are elected through free and fair elections and the government’s power is defined by a constitution.
For Americans, we were fortunate to have the founders of our constitution enshrine a Bill of Rights for the protection of enumerated liberties and rights. Among this was the vaulted and esteemed first amendment. Noble in its aspiration, the first amendment was too unwieldy to turn into a pragmatic policy. Courts have recognized this, seeking to carve out a sensible legal framework for how to treat the core freedoms of the first amendment: freedom of speech, assembly, and religion.
In a fallen world, there were bound to be hiccups along the way and incorrect decisions. Nevertheless, despite the human error, it was clear that our courts -- particularly the Supreme Court -- valued the free exchange of ideas, and saw this belief as a noble virtue necessary for a functioning democracy and as a necessary predicate for the advancement of the ideas enshrined in the declaration of independence -- right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Religion was also seen as deserving the utmost protection, as courts respected the boundaries between conscience and obligation. This was generally the consensus among the legal community and Americans from across both sides of the political aisles.
As our nation progressed, these ideals were married together, albeit in a somewhat schizophrenic dance. And it was the almost canonization of these ideals that led to a liberty that few in the span of the entire earth have come to enjoy. For those living in the United States, we’ve largely taken them for granted. We’ve taken for granted that we can meet every Sunday in a chapel without being molested, harassed, or even arrested for the practicing of our belief. We’ve taken it for granted that we could work alongside others with whom we disagree, but with whom we could put those differences aside for a common goal and work towards achieve laudable ends.
The Decline
Yet, this thread that has held us tightly is beginning to unravel. Prior to this period, those who shared different viewpoints could peacefully coexist without much violence or conflict. But these times of peace are changing and those who are paying attention can see it.
In the words of Bob Dylan, the times are a-changing.
Recently a hockey player for the Philadelphia Flyers (Ivan Provorov) has been at the center of controversy for refusing to wear a Pride jersey warm up citing his religious belief about marriage and LGBTQ issues. Many complained that he wasn’t benched and some sports pundits demanded that the NHL fine the Flyers for Ivan conduct. It’s worthwhile to point out that Ivan was not being criticized for his comments, but because he refused to wear a Pride jersey.
Besides this, conservative and classically liberal minded professors who value the principles of the Enlightenment -- i.e., free speech and free exchange of ideas buttressed by reason, evidence, and robust debate -- run the risk of losing their job for expressing views counter to or critiquing the progressive orthodoxy espoused in universities, and many have been axed -- or preemptively resigned as a response. Bret Weinstein, Peter Boghossian, Joshua Katz, and others have become collateral damage to the appetite of the offended.
28 years ago the The Family Proclamation was declared. Although the public sentiment regarding the family began to deviate from traditional values, the belief that marriage was exclusively between man and woman was largely undisputed. One year later the U.S. Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act, codifying into federal law that marriage was between a man and women. That was 1996.
Today if you espouse the views contained in the Proclamation you are a bigot and fit for public opprobrium.
This perhaps explains why nearly two-thirds of Americans say they have political views they’re afraid to share according to a national survey by the Cato institute. This share of Americans, moreover, has raised by several points since 2017 when 58% reported this.
In 1990s around .1% of the population identified as transgender. Today it is 3-5%. Moreover, 5.1% of adults under 25 are likely to identify as trans, compared to .5% from 25-29. The gulf is widening.
If you are in academia and you critique this practice, you are marked, targeted, and censored. For the rest -- especially parents -- then you are castigated for not being loving and accepting, while, unbeknownst to you, the state will step in as loco parentis, and make the decisions for you. School administrators, steeped in progressive ideology, will make sure to tell you child who their gender really is and have no qualms about hiding it from you.
The Academy of Pediatrics now says that 9 year-olds are mature enough to consent to puberty blockers (Lupron) which carries serious health consequences and will, if persisted, lead to cross-sex hormone treatment 90% of the time. According to the head of Boston Children’s hospital, puberty blockers are given out “like candy” to children.
The Truth Is Now Unpopular
Recently, the Church of England departed from Christianity's’ orthodox position on same-sex marriage.
In light of this, Alexander Pope’s remarks about humanity's tendency to embrace evil hits a strong chord:
“Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,
As to be hated needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace.”
A recent Rasmussen poll found that a very thin majority of Black Americans agreed with the statement “It’s okay to be White.” This suggests there is a large segment of Black Americans who view being white as a problem. Van Jones, a CNN commentator, said that white people have a “virus” in their brain that causes them to act violently and irrationally. His comments are sadly not an outlier as other Black pundits and scholars are voiced similar views.
The Biden Administration issued an Executive Order requiring that every major federal department and agency must establish Agency Equity Teams within 30 days. This may sound benign, but it will lead to favoring groups over others based on race and their LGBT status. Those who don’t fit into this category (e.g., whites, white conservatives, conservatives) will be treated as second class.
Fortunately, this Order could be defunded through Congressional efforts or even struck down on Constitutional grounds, but the tea leaves are there. If not this administration, then the next. Eventually these plans will be accomplished when those who so desire, gain enough political power and clout to implement their plans without obstruction.
Institutions At Risk
Although the Supreme Court of the United States is an obstacle in the way of radicals, it will not always serve as a bulwark to the slow march of progressive ideology infecting out out legal institution. Justices die and can be replaced and new seats can be added on the Supreme Court.
Law schools are already churning out woke ideologues. The American Bar Association requires all law schools to educate students on “on bias, cross-cultural competency, and racism.” That education must include an ethics course that informs students of their duty to "work to eliminate racism. Some of these upcoming graduates will be our future judges shaping the law and others will be ill prepared for the demands and rigor of legal practice due to preferential admissions.
A recent decision by the Washington Supreme Court portends to the future of the law in America. In an automobile accident case, the plaintiff, a black woman, sued the defendant seeking for 3.5 million for the defendant rear-ending the plaintiff. At trial, the defendant’s lawyers pointed to the plaintiff’s behavior which they described as “combative.” Jury awarded the plaintiff only $9,200. Plaintiff appealed arguing that the defense's biased statements had “influenced the jury’s unconscious bias.” By “unconscious bias,” The plaintiff was referring to racial negative stereotypes about black women that caused the jury to view the plaintiff in a negative way.
In its opinion, the Washington Court agreed with the plaintiff, stating that by calling the plaintiff “combative” the defense “evoked "the harmful stereotype of an 'angry Black woman.'" The court held that when a litigant claims racial bias affected a trial verdict, the opposing party “must prove how it did not.” The court presumes that racial bias occurs and it's up to the opposing party to provide otherwise. In other words, the deck is stacked against the opposing party to prove a negative -- which is practically impossible. It’s also no surprise that the justice who wrote the opinion quoted from critical race theorists throughout her opinion as support for her holding.
Medical schools are no different. In the race to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, Medical schools will not only produce ill-qualified doctors who will lower the standard and quality of care, but we shouldn’t be surprised when hospitals start prioritizing treatment based on race, not need. And this is not a tin-foil hat conspiracy, as we saw this during COVID where, even in Utah, racial groups were given first priority in receiving vaccinations and other COVID related treatments. As pointed out by Aaron Sibarium, Biden’s Department of Health and Human Services endorsed this scheme and Utah’s race-preference system, which gave “Latinx ethnicity” priority over congestive heart failure, as a "promising practice" for other states to consider.
The FDA allocated life-saving COVID drugs based on race and in some cases affording “no-white race” more weight than hypertension, heart failure, or chronic lung-disease. In line with the FDA's policy, some of the private hospitals gave race more weight than diabetes, obesity, asthma, and hypertension combined in its allocation scheme for COVID treatments.
In fact, COVID revealed what the government is willing and able to do when it comes to limiting our freedoms. Create a pretense of emergency and pump out misinformation (and label truth misinformation) and viola! you have propaganda fed to the populace who surrender their liberties in turn.
Outside of race-based preference for health treatment, San Francisco is piloting a universal income initiative that excludes whites. And California lawmakers set aside 35 million to give for universal income that is “centered in equity.”
Adding to this is the glaring problem that our democratic institutions have increasingly shifted their power to nondemocratic institutions -- i.e., courts, the military, central banks, and regulatory agencies. As those become captured by progressive ideology, then it will spread and be enforced with fines and penalties, making the Biden Executive Order all the more significant. The power of the Federal government is immense. We haven’t noticed it fully because for a long time the government’s values aligned with ours.
As The Hour Hand Passes
Norms are being broken down, with division and contention on the rise. Each passing movement of the hour hand accompanies the slow and steady deviance of society who has embraced the vice over virtue and is moving away from the ideals that created prosperity, creating a further chasm in values.
And within this, we must decide which place to stand.
The future, then, will inevitably result in making hard choices.
The question is whether we’ll find the price worth the cost.
