I was asked last night if I could teach the lesson in my Primary class. I haven't had much time to prepare the lesson, but thankfully, the lesson mostly prepares itself, since the subject is the Ten Commandments. I'll remind the kids what the Ten Commandments are, what they mean, and how we can keep them. What I need to figure out is how much I want to say about what else was happening while Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments. Mainly, how much do I want to say about the Israelites making the Golden Calf?
I certainly need to at least mention that they did it, but I'm not sure if I can explain why they did it. I don't really understand idol worship, and I especially don't understand why Aaron, Moses' brother and spokesperson in Egypt who was the one who actually made the golden calf, went along with it. If you ask me, I think he should have known better and should have taught his people better. Then again, he was raised among the Egyptians, and the Egyptians worshiped idols. Maybe idol worship was ingrained in their culture. Besides, maybe they hadn't received the Ten Commandments yet and didn't know yet that idol worship was a sin.
The lesson manual uses the golden calf as an opportunity to explain the first and second of the ten commandments, and maybe I should, too, but I don't want to spend too much time going into to much detail about a situation that I don't really understand. I'd rather focus on the Ten Commandments, how they relate to the two great commandments, and what all these commandments mean for us, because I think that learning about what the commandments are and hat they mean for us now is far more important than learning about how a group of Israelites broke one or two of the commandments thousands of years ago. It's not really relevant anymore. Maybe we can learn from their example, but other than that, I don't see much point to even mentioning it at all.
Saturday, June 30, 2018
Friday, June 29, 2018
What Does It Mean To Be Meek?
As I reviewed Elder Bednar's talk "
Dictionary.com defines meek this way:
1. humbly patient or docile, as under provocation from others.
2. overly submissive or compliant; spiritless; tame.
3. Obsolete. gentle; kind.
I would argue that the word "overly" in the second definition is optional, that the word "spiritless" could be the absolute opposite of true, and that the last definition is not as "Obsolete" as Dictionary.com says it is, but I digress.
It occurs to me that meekness is probably just and element of humility. In fact, when President Benson said that "
Dictionary.com defines meek this way:
1. humbly patient or docile, as under provocation from others.
2. overly submissive or compliant; spiritless; tame.
3. Obsolete. gentle; kind.
I would argue that the word "overly" in the second definition is optional, that the word "spiritless" could be the absolute opposite of true, and that the last definition is not as "Obsolete" as Dictionary.com says it is, but I digress.
It occurs to me that meekness is probably just and element of humility. In fact, when President Benson said that "
Thursday, June 28, 2018
The Laborers' Envy
I just read part of one of Elder Holland's talks, in which he spoke of the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. The story goes that the Lord of the vineyard went out early in the morning, again throughout the day, and again in the late afternoon, hiring more and more workers to labor in his vineyard. At the end of the day, the Lord of the vineyard paid all of the laborers the same wage he had agreed to pay the first laborers. Those first laborers were a bit upset that the Lord was paying the latecomers the same amount, even though they had worked for less time, but Elder Holland pointed out that they hadn't been treated unfairly. They had been paid the wage they had agreed on. Whatever the Lord of the vineyard paid the others didn't really affect them.
Too often, we think too much about the welfare of others, when it exceeds our own. We sometimes get jealous of those who seem better off than we are, but their blessings really don't concern us. Instead of looking at the greener grass on the other side of the fence, we should concern ourselves with our own grass and others' grass that we can make greener. I once heard (I now can't remember where) that we should only look into others' bowls to make sure they have enough, not to check and see if they have more than us. If we have enough, then we have enough, and it really doesn't matter how much others have.
So don't worry about it. God gives all of us more blessings than we deserve, so we should try not to get too caught up with trying to make sure life is fair.
Too often, we think too much about the welfare of others, when it exceeds our own. We sometimes get jealous of those who seem better off than we are, but their blessings really don't concern us. Instead of looking at the greener grass on the other side of the fence, we should concern ourselves with our own grass and others' grass that we can make greener. I once heard (I now can't remember where) that we should only look into others' bowls to make sure they have enough, not to check and see if they have more than us. If we have enough, then we have enough, and it really doesn't matter how much others have.
So don't worry about it. God gives all of us more blessings than we deserve, so we should try not to get too caught up with trying to make sure life is fair.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Two Renewed Blogging Goals
At one point, I had decided that I would blog about at least one General Conference talk each week, to make sure I wouldn't fall behind in my goal to blog about almost all of each General Conference's talks before the following Conference. However, that goal fell by the wayside, and I am now a month or two behind schedule.
Another Blogging-About-Conference goal, that I made when I first started blogging daily a few years ago, was to blog about a General Conference talk each day, but I'm not renewing that goal. However, I have, at long last, decided to renew my original goal to post each day's blog post before noon. This might not be possible on Sundays and Wednesdays, due to scheduling conflicts, but otherwise, it will force me to think about blogworthy topics near the start of my day, which will hopefully linger throughout the day until I hopefully go to bed at a reasonable hour from now on.
I have no doubts that I will once again fail to meet these two goals that I am again setting for myself. I may even fail enough times to almost forget I ever set these goals. However, if and when this happens, I hope that I will have the wisdom to re-renew these goals. I know they'll help me, and that makes them goals worth setting and striving for.
I am thankful for the opportunity the Sacrament affords us in letting us renew the covenants that we, through our mortal weakness, have broken. Covenants, even after having been broken, can be remade, and we will be made better people if we do so. Satan wants us to think that, if we have ever failed, we have failed forever, but that's not true. Repentance and renewal of covenants and blessings are possible, and, in fact, frequently necessary. That may be part of why the Lord wants us to take the Sacrament each week: to renew whatever covenants we may have broken during the week, just as I am renewing two of my goals now. Living the Gospel requires regular reminders and recommitments, and so does maintaining a daily, usually-at-least-semi-spiritual blog.
Another Blogging-About-Conference goal, that I made when I first started blogging daily a few years ago, was to blog about a General Conference talk each day, but I'm not renewing that goal. However, I have, at long last, decided to renew my original goal to post each day's blog post before noon. This might not be possible on Sundays and Wednesdays, due to scheduling conflicts, but otherwise, it will force me to think about blogworthy topics near the start of my day, which will hopefully linger throughout the day until I hopefully go to bed at a reasonable hour from now on.
I have no doubts that I will once again fail to meet these two goals that I am again setting for myself. I may even fail enough times to almost forget I ever set these goals. However, if and when this happens, I hope that I will have the wisdom to re-renew these goals. I know they'll help me, and that makes them goals worth setting and striving for.
I am thankful for the opportunity the Sacrament affords us in letting us renew the covenants that we, through our mortal weakness, have broken. Covenants, even after having been broken, can be remade, and we will be made better people if we do so. Satan wants us to think that, if we have ever failed, we have failed forever, but that's not true. Repentance and renewal of covenants and blessings are possible, and, in fact, frequently necessary. That may be part of why the Lord wants us to take the Sacrament each week: to renew whatever covenants we may have broken during the week, just as I am renewing two of my goals now. Living the Gospel requires regular reminders and recommitments, and so does maintaining a daily, usually-at-least-semi-spiritual blog.
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Supplanting Bad Habits
I've done some studying on how to develop self-control, and I found a reminder of something that I think I knew all along; I just had forgotten. One important step to overcoming temptations (or "impulses," as some of the guides called them) is to replace them with something else, something positive. If you have a bad thought, replace it with a good thought. If you want to kick a bad habit, develop a good habit instead.
This, if you think that middle names mean anything about a person, should be practically second nature to me. My middle name is James, which, according to the dictionary in our living room, means "Supplanter" in Hebrew. To supplant something means to remove it either to replace it with something else or by replacing it with something else. I need to supplant my bad habits with good ones. So, while I try not to do the things I don't want to do, I'm going to try to do other things instead.
Replacing bad actions with good actions makes a lot of sense to me as a method of increasing your self control. Before doing much research on this topic, I had already figured that one way to increase self-control was to consciously make difficult decisions. I thought that this would mean deliberately subjecting oneself to, and then resisting, temptation. While this can be done fairly safely through fasting, it turns out that a person gets plenty of temptation to train against whenever they try to do anything good.
Developing good habits and gaining positive skills are not in Satan's plan against us, so he consistently fights our efforts to do good. Mastering a skill is usually already difficult, but it becomes even more so when the adversary strikes us with waves of lethargy.
Fortunately, there are ways to fight off the enemy's attempts to halt our self-improvement, but, to be effective, the methods we use to fight the adversary will have to reflect the ways in which he fights us. This will include studying the behavior we wish to cease and examining which events and emotions led up to it. At this level, our methods of fighting temptation will have to be largely individualized, but many of the broad strokes remain true.
For self-improvement to take place, it is essential to deliberately replace bad things with good ones. When left alone, our hearts, minds, and hands tend to follow the path of least resistance, which in this case means continuing to pursue the bad habits we're trying to overcome. In order to more effectively resist temptation, we have to give our hearts, minds, and hands something else to focus on. It won't work to try to stop doing bad things by doing nothing; it's much more effective to force yourself to do something else instead.
This, if you think that middle names mean anything about a person, should be practically second nature to me. My middle name is James, which, according to the dictionary in our living room, means "Supplanter" in Hebrew. To supplant something means to remove it either to replace it with something else or by replacing it with something else. I need to supplant my bad habits with good ones. So, while I try not to do the things I don't want to do, I'm going to try to do other things instead.
Replacing bad actions with good actions makes a lot of sense to me as a method of increasing your self control. Before doing much research on this topic, I had already figured that one way to increase self-control was to consciously make difficult decisions. I thought that this would mean deliberately subjecting oneself to, and then resisting, temptation. While this can be done fairly safely through fasting, it turns out that a person gets plenty of temptation to train against whenever they try to do anything good.
Developing good habits and gaining positive skills are not in Satan's plan against us, so he consistently fights our efforts to do good. Mastering a skill is usually already difficult, but it becomes even more so when the adversary strikes us with waves of lethargy.
Fortunately, there are ways to fight off the enemy's attempts to halt our self-improvement, but, to be effective, the methods we use to fight the adversary will have to reflect the ways in which he fights us. This will include studying the behavior we wish to cease and examining which events and emotions led up to it. At this level, our methods of fighting temptation will have to be largely individualized, but many of the broad strokes remain true.
For self-improvement to take place, it is essential to deliberately replace bad things with good ones. When left alone, our hearts, minds, and hands tend to follow the path of least resistance, which in this case means continuing to pursue the bad habits we're trying to overcome. In order to more effectively resist temptation, we have to give our hearts, minds, and hands something else to focus on. It won't work to try to stop doing bad things by doing nothing; it's much more effective to force yourself to do something else instead.
Monday, June 25, 2018
A Self-Improvement Partner
With the help of a loved one, I've started to pick up some good habits that I am certain will help me become a better person. However, progress is, and will likely continue to be, slow. People don't become saints overnight. It takes a good deal of time spent on consistent effort, and having a partner helps. Progress is neither quick nor easy, especially progress that is meant to be permanent. I plan to keep working on this for a long time. I'm just lucky that I don't have to keep working on it alone.
Sunday, June 24, 2018
Different Problems, Same Solution
As I thought about my various faults last night and this morning, I realized that I don't need to prioritize them or split my focus between them because I can work on all of them simultaneously by working on one trait: Self-Control. If a person wants to resist any temptation, no matter what the temptation is trying to get them to do, they need to exercise self-control. This is a wonderfully useful revelation for me because it means that I can work on most of my problems at the same time, and resolve most of them by mastering the same trait. Now, instead of seeking out ways to overcome frustration, manage stress, and curb my anger, I can work on all of those things by learning how to control myself. Of course, this will be easier said than done, but working on this one trait will probably be easier, and will certainly be simpler, than working on each problem individually. Expect blog posts about self-control some time in the near future, since that's what I'll be working on moving forward.
Saturday, June 23, 2018
Which Fault to Focus On?
I have been blessed with an awareness of many of my faults, which prompts me to wonder which faults I should work on overcoming first. The most serious one? The one that has the strongest negative effect on others? The one that I think would be easiest to overcome quickly? In theory, we will all have to overcome all our faults eventually, but in the short term, it may be important which faults we focus on first.
I like the idea of working on the one that affects others first. There is too much negativity in the world already. I don't want to keep adding to it. However, there is something to be said for solving problems quickly. I've heard of financial advisors encouraging their clients to pay off their smallest debts first, so they can stop paying interest on it and then take the money they were spending on paying off the first debt and use that money to help pay off the next one. Perhaps, if I overcame a few easy faults first, I could have them not hanging over my head anymore, and without those faults holding me back, perhaps I would do a better job overcoming the others.
Of course, the most serious fault is the most important, but it also has a minimal effect on others, and it will take, and has taken, a great deal of time and effort to overcome it. It's a long-term goal, not a short-term goal. For the short term, I think I'll focus on the flaw that's most likely to affect others. It may not be the easiest problem ti solve, and it may not be the most important, but it is the one that spreads the most darkness, and I can't allow that to persist. I can overcome my other faults, big and small, after I overcome the one that hurts those I love.
I like the idea of working on the one that affects others first. There is too much negativity in the world already. I don't want to keep adding to it. However, there is something to be said for solving problems quickly. I've heard of financial advisors encouraging their clients to pay off their smallest debts first, so they can stop paying interest on it and then take the money they were spending on paying off the first debt and use that money to help pay off the next one. Perhaps, if I overcame a few easy faults first, I could have them not hanging over my head anymore, and without those faults holding me back, perhaps I would do a better job overcoming the others.
Of course, the most serious fault is the most important, but it also has a minimal effect on others, and it will take, and has taken, a great deal of time and effort to overcome it. It's a long-term goal, not a short-term goal. For the short term, I think I'll focus on the flaw that's most likely to affect others. It may not be the easiest problem ti solve, and it may not be the most important, but it is the one that spreads the most darkness, and I can't allow that to persist. I can overcome my other faults, big and small, after I overcome the one that hurts those I love.
Friday, June 22, 2018
Fight Fire With Water
In our culture of aggressive politics, I find it comforting to hear moderate voices. Many people are polarized and polarizing, and when the two sides fight each other, they don't always stop at arguing. Too many political movements have turned violent, and I believe that that's largely because we've forgotten how to "live and let live." Many people think it's "us verses them," "silence or be silenced," but I think that that tactic is terribly dangerous. When we fight fire with fire, the whole world burns.
I admire those who can fight fire with water, those who can face hostility and aggression and answer it with understanding and sympathy. I respect those who keep calm and help others keep calm. And I support those who spread love for others instead of hatred of others. I do not admire, respect, or support those who fan the flames of hatred. Hatred isn't productive. Tolerance is.
Being calm and moderate may not win a person many political points, but it will win them my respect and it will help make the world a better place. Those who fight fire with fire attract more attention, but I prefer those who help to put the fires out.
I admire those who can fight fire with water, those who can face hostility and aggression and answer it with understanding and sympathy. I respect those who keep calm and help others keep calm. And I support those who spread love for others instead of hatred of others. I do not admire, respect, or support those who fan the flames of hatred. Hatred isn't productive. Tolerance is.
Being calm and moderate may not win a person many political points, but it will win them my respect and it will help make the world a better place. Those who fight fire with fire attract more attention, but I prefer those who help to put the fires out.
Thursday, June 21, 2018
The Easiest Upkeep
The way to regularly maintain and increase your spirituality is to apply the habits known as the Sunday School answers: Reading the scriptures, saying your prayers, going to church, giving service, and so on. However, most of these require a somewhat substantial investment of time and effort. However, one of them is so quick and easy, we can do it even while we're actively doing other things. Of these forms of spiritual upkeep, the easiest by far is prayer.
Prayer simply means talking to God. This is usually done vocally, while kneeling or standing, with one's eyes closed and one's arms folded, but it's actually extremely flexible. We can pray vocally, or just in our heads. Kneeling and folding your arms is respectful, but not necessary; we can pray in any position. We can even pray with our eyes open, which is helpful in emergencies and while driving. The main purpose of prayer is to connect our hearts to God's, and almost any way we do that can be considered a form of prayer.
Prayer is so easy, I'm surprised we don't do it more often. The scriptures urge us to "pray always," and that it actually possible, even while we go about our daily lives, assuming that it doesn't matter that we probably can't pray in our sleep. We can literally spend every waking moment with a prayer in our hearts, so why don't we? Prayer is so easy, and its benefits are so great, it makes sense for a person to pray almost constantly, and thus constantly maintain their connection with God through the Holy Ghost. The other forms of spiritual upkeep take up a certain amount of time, but praying is something we can do almost effortlessly while we're doing other things, thus requiring almost no investment of time or energy.
Yet, despite the low cost of prayer, the benefits are amazing. At the very least, it helps us connect to the Holy Ghost, who can offer us a good deal of guidance and other aid. We can also request special blessings and even miracles through prayer, and many of those prayers have been answered affirmatively, depending on the individuals' needs. Prayer can be a key to revelation and it can bring great peace to your heart.
Several months ago, I bought a watch with an hourly chime to remind me to pray frequently. I encourage you to pray frequently as well, and that is an invitation that I am very comfortable extending, since I know it'll cost you next to nothing to accept it and it will grant you blessings far greater than the cost of the investment. I know that we're busy and that it's hard to find the time or energy to do the other Upkeep things, but since praying costs us next to nothing, we will almost always have the time and energy it takes to pray.
Prayer simply means talking to God. This is usually done vocally, while kneeling or standing, with one's eyes closed and one's arms folded, but it's actually extremely flexible. We can pray vocally, or just in our heads. Kneeling and folding your arms is respectful, but not necessary; we can pray in any position. We can even pray with our eyes open, which is helpful in emergencies and while driving. The main purpose of prayer is to connect our hearts to God's, and almost any way we do that can be considered a form of prayer.
Prayer is so easy, I'm surprised we don't do it more often. The scriptures urge us to "pray always," and that it actually possible, even while we go about our daily lives, assuming that it doesn't matter that we probably can't pray in our sleep. We can literally spend every waking moment with a prayer in our hearts, so why don't we? Prayer is so easy, and its benefits are so great, it makes sense for a person to pray almost constantly, and thus constantly maintain their connection with God through the Holy Ghost. The other forms of spiritual upkeep take up a certain amount of time, but praying is something we can do almost effortlessly while we're doing other things, thus requiring almost no investment of time or energy.
Yet, despite the low cost of prayer, the benefits are amazing. At the very least, it helps us connect to the Holy Ghost, who can offer us a good deal of guidance and other aid. We can also request special blessings and even miracles through prayer, and many of those prayers have been answered affirmatively, depending on the individuals' needs. Prayer can be a key to revelation and it can bring great peace to your heart.
Several months ago, I bought a watch with an hourly chime to remind me to pray frequently. I encourage you to pray frequently as well, and that is an invitation that I am very comfortable extending, since I know it'll cost you next to nothing to accept it and it will grant you blessings far greater than the cost of the investment. I know that we're busy and that it's hard to find the time or energy to do the other Upkeep things, but since praying costs us next to nothing, we will almost always have the time and energy it takes to pray.
Essential Upkeep
It has occurred to me that, in making my commitment to blog daily, I have set an unusually high bar for myself. In order to share some spiritual insight on my blog each day, I need to have an average of at least one spiritual insight per day. That is, I need to have or be inspired with a blogworthy thought at least once each day, on average.
That doesn't always happen. Of course, that's largely my fault. My scripture study has been plodding and inconsistent, and I don't always devote thought to looking for spiritual analogies in my daily life, though such analogies often find me anyway. When I started my blog, I planned on watching/reading/listening to at least one General Conference talk per day, and I haven't been doing that, either. The main reason I haven't been getting as much inspiration as I'd like is because I haven't been devoting enough time to searching for it.
And it doesn't help that neither of my D&D games contained many good ethical quandaries. Sure, I could blog about the need to exercise wisdom when potentially performing a noble self-sacrifice or about the importance to step in and break up arguments between friends, but neither of those ideas really struck me as being blogworthy. They might be blogable, but they're not blogworthy.
I'd like to have more thoughts that are definitely blogworthy. But to do that, I will have to spend more time studying the gospel, and of course, the main question becomes "When?". First thing in the morning would be easiest, but since it's Summer, the mornings are really the only time I can do yardwork. Of course, I could study at some later time, but I would then have to pick a specific time and then commit to studying the gospel then, and hopefully remember to.
Setting aside time to study the gospel regularly is surprisingly difficult, but it's one of the few ways to regularly receive inspiration, and for someone who maintains a daily spiritual blog or would just like to have more inspiration in his or her life, it's essential.
That doesn't always happen. Of course, that's largely my fault. My scripture study has been plodding and inconsistent, and I don't always devote thought to looking for spiritual analogies in my daily life, though such analogies often find me anyway. When I started my blog, I planned on watching/reading/listening to at least one General Conference talk per day, and I haven't been doing that, either. The main reason I haven't been getting as much inspiration as I'd like is because I haven't been devoting enough time to searching for it.
And it doesn't help that neither of my D&D games contained many good ethical quandaries. Sure, I could blog about the need to exercise wisdom when potentially performing a noble self-sacrifice or about the importance to step in and break up arguments between friends, but neither of those ideas really struck me as being blogworthy. They might be blogable, but they're not blogworthy.
I'd like to have more thoughts that are definitely blogworthy. But to do that, I will have to spend more time studying the gospel, and of course, the main question becomes "When?". First thing in the morning would be easiest, but since it's Summer, the mornings are really the only time I can do yardwork. Of course, I could study at some later time, but I would then have to pick a specific time and then commit to studying the gospel then, and hopefully remember to.
Setting aside time to study the gospel regularly is surprisingly difficult, but it's one of the few ways to regularly receive inspiration, and for someone who maintains a daily spiritual blog or would just like to have more inspiration in his or her life, it's essential.
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Why Guidance is a Divination Spell
One of the most useful spells in D&D is Guidance, which gives a +1d4 bonus to any skill check you make. Whether you're trying to spot a hidden door, remember a piece of information, haggle for a good price, maintain your balance, or shove a door open, Guidance can help you do it better. It's a very versatile spell. But what I find odd is that it's a Divination spell, a kind of spell that involves giving the user more information. I would have thought that it would have been a Transmutation spell, the kind of spell that changes something into something else. A Transmutation spell can change stone into mud, a non-magical item into a magical item, or a person who is naturally good or bad at something into a person who is supernaturally good at that thing. Enhance Ability, another spell that can make a person better at any skill, is a Transmutation spell. Yet, Guidance is a Divination spell. Why? How can Divination make a person better at physical tasks?
God knows everything, so He knows the best way to do everything, even physical tasks. He can inspire us to know where to put our feet and hold our arms to maintain our balance. He can help us know exactly where to push on a door to get the most leverage toward forcing it open. Every physical task has a mental component, and God's guidance can help us sort out that mental component and give us a physical advantage.
So when we pray for His guidance, what we will get is information, but that information might still be able to help us with a physical task. He can inspire us with a knowledge of the right way to do whatever we're doing, no matter what it is. That's part of what makes the Holy Ghost such a valuable companion, and it's what makes Divination such a versatile spell. Sure, they mostly only give us information, but that information can teach us how to do anything.
God knows everything, so He knows the best way to do everything, even physical tasks. He can inspire us to know where to put our feet and hold our arms to maintain our balance. He can help us know exactly where to push on a door to get the most leverage toward forcing it open. Every physical task has a mental component, and God's guidance can help us sort out that mental component and give us a physical advantage.
So when we pray for His guidance, what we will get is information, but that information might still be able to help us with a physical task. He can inspire us with a knowledge of the right way to do whatever we're doing, no matter what it is. That's part of what makes the Holy Ghost such a valuable companion, and it's what makes Divination such a versatile spell. Sure, they mostly only give us information, but that information can teach us how to do anything.
Monday, June 18, 2018
Differing Moral Decisions
The world has lots of problems in it, many of which cannot be easily solved. These problems force us to consider the moral principles involved in the situation and weigh our moral values. Sometimes, when we do this, we can come up with responses that we can consider morally correct. Other times, we have to settle for the least-objectionable solution while we try to come up with a better one. Sometimes, there are no good answers. So, let's be careful not to judge people too harshly for some of the moral (or immoral) choices they make. Some of these choices are painfully difficult, and almost everyone prioritizes moral values differently, meaning that we're going to end up making different decisions. Some of those decisions may be right or wrong, but it's often difficult to judge. So let's try to focus on our own moral dilemmas and leave the judging of others up to God.
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Some Thoughts on Failure
We sang Follow the Prophet in Primary today, including the verse about Jonah:
However, can effort guarantee success when we are trying to do something that God wants us to do? It doesn't always feel like it. I try to be a good person, and I know God wants me to succeed at that, but it's not easy, and I sometimes fail. Does that mean that I didn't "really try"? Possibly. No matter how hard I try, I could theoretically try harder, and I don't always feel like trying as hard as I can. I suppose what I need to figure out what it means to "really try."
But I had also wondered whether failure is an essential component of human development. We learn from failure. If we never fail, then we will have a smaller variety of experiences from which to learn. It could be that some lessons can only be learned from failure. If we have to fail in order to learn certain lessons, and if we need to learn those lessons, then at some point, it would be necessary for us to fail.
Fortunately, whether failure is an essential experience or not, we humans are very good at it, so we are at no risk of missing out on essential life lessons due to insufficient failure. But what about Jesus? If failure is essential, wouldn't Jesus be missing "an essential component of human development"? If it's essential that we fail so we can learn lessons that can only be learned through failure, then that means that Jesus would have had to have failed at something, which might conflict with His perfection.
However, to satisfy His need for failure, Jesus could theoretically have failed at something inconsequential, like carpentry, and learned all the failure-based lessons He needed to learn from that one experience of carving wood poorly, or it could simply be that we don't really need to fail at all. Yes, we learn from failure, but it's entirely possible that every lesson we could learn from failure could also be learned in other ways. Maybe we don't need to fail.
But if we don't need to fail, why do we? Is it because what we try to do conflicts with the will of God? Not always. Is it because we don't "really try" consistently? Possibly, though I'm still not sure exactly what that phrase really means. There have been times when I felt that I was really trying to do the Lord's will and I failed. Maybe I wasn't trying hard enough. maybe it wasn't actually God's will that I succeed, or maybe God sometimes does let us fail, even when we "really try".
Jonah was a prophet, tried to run away,I wonder about that third line, though. "When we really try, the Lord won’t let us fail." I don't think that's true. Certainly not in all cases. There are people who have "really tried" to break world records and create new invention and have failed. Perhaps "really trying" includes trying until we succeed, but even for those who refuse to give up, some things aren't meant to be. Even someone really tried to destroy the church, and devoted every waking moment of their entire life to that effort, I'm pretty sure the Lord would let them fail. Effort does not guarantee success.
But he later learned to listen and obey.When we really try, the Lord won’t let us fail:That’s what Jonah learned deep down inside the whale.
However, can effort guarantee success when we are trying to do something that God wants us to do? It doesn't always feel like it. I try to be a good person, and I know God wants me to succeed at that, but it's not easy, and I sometimes fail. Does that mean that I didn't "really try"? Possibly. No matter how hard I try, I could theoretically try harder, and I don't always feel like trying as hard as I can. I suppose what I need to figure out what it means to "really try."
But I had also wondered whether failure is an essential component of human development. We learn from failure. If we never fail, then we will have a smaller variety of experiences from which to learn. It could be that some lessons can only be learned from failure. If we have to fail in order to learn certain lessons, and if we need to learn those lessons, then at some point, it would be necessary for us to fail.
Fortunately, whether failure is an essential experience or not, we humans are very good at it, so we are at no risk of missing out on essential life lessons due to insufficient failure. But what about Jesus? If failure is essential, wouldn't Jesus be missing "an essential component of human development"? If it's essential that we fail so we can learn lessons that can only be learned through failure, then that means that Jesus would have had to have failed at something, which might conflict with His perfection.
However, to satisfy His need for failure, Jesus could theoretically have failed at something inconsequential, like carpentry, and learned all the failure-based lessons He needed to learn from that one experience of carving wood poorly, or it could simply be that we don't really need to fail at all. Yes, we learn from failure, but it's entirely possible that every lesson we could learn from failure could also be learned in other ways. Maybe we don't need to fail.
But if we don't need to fail, why do we? Is it because what we try to do conflicts with the will of God? Not always. Is it because we don't "really try" consistently? Possibly, though I'm still not sure exactly what that phrase really means. There have been times when I felt that I was really trying to do the Lord's will and I failed. Maybe I wasn't trying hard enough. maybe it wasn't actually God's will that I succeed, or maybe God sometimes does let us fail, even when we "really try".
Saturday, June 16, 2018
The Priesthood, the Plagues, and the Lesson Plan
For my lesson, I will begin by testing / refreshing my class's memory of what (or rather, whom) we learned about last time: Moses. I might remind them about the circumstances of his birth, and I'll definitely remind them of his calling to free and lead the Israelites. To fulfill that calling, he would need to use a special power, the Priesthood, which he got from his father-in-law, Jethro. Hopefully, they should have learned all of that last time, but it was two weeks ago and I was asked to help in another classroom, so I doubt that the kids will remember all that, especially since I'm not 100% sure they were taught all of that in the first place.
After explaining that Moses had gotten the Priesthood from Jethro, I'll ask my class what the Priesthood is normally used for. Then, after getting some normal answers, I might ask what else the Priesthood might be used for, which is a questions whose answers may include just about anything, including the ten plagues of Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and the transformation of sticks into snakes (manna is actually part of next week's lesson). I'll also make sure to point out that the blessings we receive are usually based on our needs. If we don't need a plague of locusts, God probably isn't going to send us one, even if we ask for it, but through the Priesthood, we can request and receive the miracles we need.
At some point, I'll have to mention that one thing that we can't do with the Priesthood or with any other power is take away another person's agency. God might have been technically capable of literally forcing Pharaoh to change his mind, but that's not what God does. God lets us make our own decisions, even when those decisions cause trouble for us and for everyone around us.
Ultimately, I'd like to leave my students with a fresh understanding of God's power, how His omnipotence means not only an infinite amount of power but also an infinite variety of powers. Apart from a few paradoxes and lines that He chooses not to cross, God can do just about anything. And as long as we're on His side, miracles will happen for our benefit. I'll teach the kids that they have an almighty Heavenly Father watching out for them, and He will lead them to the Promised Land if they are wise enough to follow Him.
After explaining that Moses had gotten the Priesthood from Jethro, I'll ask my class what the Priesthood is normally used for. Then, after getting some normal answers, I might ask what else the Priesthood might be used for, which is a questions whose answers may include just about anything, including the ten plagues of Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and the transformation of sticks into snakes (manna is actually part of next week's lesson). I'll also make sure to point out that the blessings we receive are usually based on our needs. If we don't need a plague of locusts, God probably isn't going to send us one, even if we ask for it, but through the Priesthood, we can request and receive the miracles we need.
At some point, I'll have to mention that one thing that we can't do with the Priesthood or with any other power is take away another person's agency. God might have been technically capable of literally forcing Pharaoh to change his mind, but that's not what God does. God lets us make our own decisions, even when those decisions cause trouble for us and for everyone around us.
Ultimately, I'd like to leave my students with a fresh understanding of God's power, how His omnipotence means not only an infinite amount of power but also an infinite variety of powers. Apart from a few paradoxes and lines that He chooses not to cross, God can do just about anything. And as long as we're on His side, miracles will happen for our benefit. I'll teach the kids that they have an almighty Heavenly Father watching out for them, and He will lead them to the Promised Land if they are wise enough to follow Him.
Friday, June 15, 2018
Why Did God Use Plagues?
Considering God's omnipotence, I find it odd that God would use plagues at all. If He just wanted the Israelites free, couldn't He have accomplished that more directly? Instead of subjecting everyone to one plague after another, God could have just killed the Egyptians or had the Israelites jump straight to the part where He splits the Red Sea. Perhaps God spent all that time on those plagues largely just to prove that He could. Maybe He wanted to make sure that both the Egyptians and the Israelites know how much power He had, and perhaps He wanted to teach that lesson over the course of enough time to make sure that the message actually sunk in, or at least should have sunk in. After what must have been weeks, if not months,of supernatural events, both the Egyptians and the Israelites had had plenty of time to learn that God was a supremely powerful being, and one who should not be crossed. Yet, the two peoples went on underestimating Him, and they ultimately got what was coming to them, but after all those plagues, you couldn't say that they hadn't been warned.
Sometimes, God does something different from what we thought He should have done, and that is never for lack of ability. God can do literally anything He wants to do, so when He used plagues to eventually free the Israelites, that's not because He couldn't have done it any other way. God could have free the Israelites more quickly and less destructively, if He had wanted to, but for whatever reason, He decided that a series of plagues were the best tool for the job.
We don't always understand why God does what He does or why He doesn't do something else instead, but we can know that it's not because of any lack of ability. God can do whatever He wants any way He wants, but He always does what's best, and He does it in the best possible way. We might be able to think of a number of "better ways" to free the Israelites, but God knew the best way to secure their freedom, and that way, for some reasons, involved a series of plagues.
Sometimes, God does something different from what we thought He should have done, and that is never for lack of ability. God can do literally anything He wants to do, so when He used plagues to eventually free the Israelites, that's not because He couldn't have done it any other way. God could have free the Israelites more quickly and less destructively, if He had wanted to, but for whatever reason, He decided that a series of plagues were the best tool for the job.
We don't always understand why God does what He does or why He doesn't do something else instead, but we can know that it's not because of any lack of ability. God can do whatever He wants any way He wants, but He always does what's best, and He does it in the best possible way. We might be able to think of a number of "better ways" to free the Israelites, but God knew the best way to secure their freedom, and that way, for some reasons, involved a series of plagues.
Thursday, June 14, 2018
God Can Do Anything
When I think about the Priesthood and what we can do with it, I generally only think of a handful of things: ordinances, healings, and maybe a few other other types of blessings. I don't usually think about conjuring frogs or lice, creating darkness or fire, transmuting water into blood, or just straight up killing people. These sorts of powers might be ascribed to a witch or a demon-worshiper. But God is omnipotent, and He doesn't only have an infinite amount of power; He also has an infinite variety of powers. God has power over life, death, and the elements. He controls space and time. He can do anything He can think of. And He does it all through the power of the Priesthood.
God's power is incredible, not just for the sheer level of His power, but also for the scope of His power. With God's power, Moses did many things that I wouldn't have thought that divine power could do. However, just as with the cursing of the fig tree, the plagues of Egypt aren't an unthinkable use of God's power. God can do anything, even things we would never have expected Him to be able and willing to do.
God's power is incredible, not just for the sheer level of His power, but also for the scope of His power. With God's power, Moses did many things that I wouldn't have thought that divine power could do. However, just as with the cursing of the fig tree, the plagues of Egypt aren't an unthinkable use of God's power. God can do anything, even things we would never have expected Him to be able and willing to do.
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
More Fun than Fighting
I learned something interesting about myself while playing D&D today. Despite designing my characters to be skilled in combat, combat is not the part of D&D that I most enjoy. Case in point, in one game, our characters had just arrived at an interesting location. A huge underground cavern with a narrow bridge leading to a tall pillar with an empty throne. Obviously, this was a location of great importance, a location made all the more interesting when our Perception checks revealed that there were armed skeletons lying on the throned pillar. However, I found myself unsurprised and disappointed when the skeletons got up and started fighting our characters. Just as I was beginning to take in the scene in my mind and imagine who had constructed this place and for what reason, my immersion was broken by a roll for initiative, and the experience was reduced to a game of dice and numbers. And, sure, the combat was fun. I got to roll a lot of dice and add them up to some pretty high numbers, but the most enjoyment I got out of that encounter was finding a letter on the body of one of the skeletons, giving us a clue of who was behind some of the nefarious events that had taken place and a hint about which interesting location we would be exploring next.
Another example: In my Pirate-themed campaign, there were two combat encounters, and they were both fairly interesting. One of them involved fighting a naga at the bottom of a murky river, and the other involved fending off a swarm of giant wasps. Both of those fights were more inventive than a typical skeleton fight, and I again enjoyed rolling several dice and adding up big numbers, but after the battles and the gaming session were over, I was a little bit disappointed that the session didn't seem to do much to advance the overarching story. If this campaign were a TV show, I would have called this session a "filler episode." And, granted, there's not much wrong with that. Combat is fun, and after not fighting at all in the last session, it made sense, in terms of pacing, for us to do some fighting this session, but I learned tonight that I would rather have a story-driven game session with no combat than a combat-driven session with no story. I'll gladly take both when I can get them both, but when I can only get one, I've learned that I prefer story.
I can get into why I love story-telling another time, but for now, I just wanted to share this self-revelation. While I enjoy making characters who excel in combat and win tough fights, I have more fun crafting characters who make interesting decisions and have interesting things happen to him. My favorite thing about Krusk Bloodfist isn't how strong his is, how devastating he is with a greataxe, or how much better he'd be than anyone else in a fist-fight. My favorite things about Krusk are the terrible decisions he has made and the terrible consequences he'll face as a result. I love how torn he is between the woman who may have betrayed him and the goddess who saved his life. Krusk has plenty of combat prowess, but he also is brimming with emotion, and I love the latter more than I love the former.
This knowledge might affect the way I create characters and the way I play D&D. I'll continue to try to make my characters competent in a fight, but that may not be as much of an essential feature anymore. If I make a character like the Dexterity-based Paladin/Rogue who was designed to add lots of d6s and d8s to his melee attacks, I will also make sure I delve into the question of how he reconciles simultaneously being a Paladin and a Rogue. There's a story there, and I want to focus more on that story than on what that adds to his damage rolls.
Another example: In my Pirate-themed campaign, there were two combat encounters, and they were both fairly interesting. One of them involved fighting a naga at the bottom of a murky river, and the other involved fending off a swarm of giant wasps. Both of those fights were more inventive than a typical skeleton fight, and I again enjoyed rolling several dice and adding up big numbers, but after the battles and the gaming session were over, I was a little bit disappointed that the session didn't seem to do much to advance the overarching story. If this campaign were a TV show, I would have called this session a "filler episode." And, granted, there's not much wrong with that. Combat is fun, and after not fighting at all in the last session, it made sense, in terms of pacing, for us to do some fighting this session, but I learned tonight that I would rather have a story-driven game session with no combat than a combat-driven session with no story. I'll gladly take both when I can get them both, but when I can only get one, I've learned that I prefer story.
I can get into why I love story-telling another time, but for now, I just wanted to share this self-revelation. While I enjoy making characters who excel in combat and win tough fights, I have more fun crafting characters who make interesting decisions and have interesting things happen to him. My favorite thing about Krusk Bloodfist isn't how strong his is, how devastating he is with a greataxe, or how much better he'd be than anyone else in a fist-fight. My favorite things about Krusk are the terrible decisions he has made and the terrible consequences he'll face as a result. I love how torn he is between the woman who may have betrayed him and the goddess who saved his life. Krusk has plenty of combat prowess, but he also is brimming with emotion, and I love the latter more than I love the former.
This knowledge might affect the way I create characters and the way I play D&D. I'll continue to try to make my characters competent in a fight, but that may not be as much of an essential feature anymore. If I make a character like the Dexterity-based Paladin/Rogue who was designed to add lots of d6s and d8s to his melee attacks, I will also make sure I delve into the question of how he reconciles simultaneously being a Paladin and a Rogue. There's a story there, and I want to focus more on that story than on what that adds to his damage rolls.
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
"The Priesthood is the Power of God
The purpose of the lesson I'm teaching my Primary class this Sunday is "To teach the children that the priesthood is the power of God." The more I think about it, the more incredible this truth seems. The Priesthood is the power of God. Literally. It is the power by which He performs miracles. It is the power by which He created the earth and everything on it. The Priesthood is the key to omnipotence. And He has shared that power with us.
Of course, He put some pretty heavy training wheels on it first. He doesn't give us unlimited power; there are several Priesthood powers we have not yet been given, but the amount of power we have been given is astounding. We have been authorized to perform sacred ordinances. We can bind souls together. We can even perform some miracles, mostly in the form of healing. The Priesthood is incredible. It's real-life divine magic. And what's most amazing to me is that God lets us wield it.
Of course, He put some pretty heavy training wheels on it first. He doesn't give us unlimited power; there are several Priesthood powers we have not yet been given, but the amount of power we have been given is astounding. We have been authorized to perform sacred ordinances. We can bind souls together. We can even perform some miracles, mostly in the form of healing. The Priesthood is incredible. It's real-life divine magic. And what's most amazing to me is that God lets us wield it.
Monday, June 11, 2018
A Hypothetically Hardened Heart
According to the King James Translation of the book of Exodus, there are several instances where the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart. While the Joseph Smith Translation explains that Pharaoh actually hardened his own heart, I found myself spending a few moments wondering why the Lord might have hardened Pharaoh's heart, assuming, hypothetically, that He did.
To understand why the Lord might have done what He didn't do, we have to consider the results of Pharaoh's hardened heart. Pharaoh continually refused to release the Israelites, with Egypt suffering plague after plague, until several innocent lives were lost, and Pharaoh ultimately relented. It could be that this period of time was meant to be instructive. It proved to anyone who was paying attention that God has considerable power. It shows that God is willing to bend heaven and earth for His people. And it shows that bad things happen to those who refuse to listen to the Lord. These are all important lessons for Moses and the Israelites to learn. They all needed to know what sort of God they were following before they all ran off into the wilderness. Of course, this instruction didn't seem to have much of an effect on the Israelites, but at least God had made it clear to everyone exactly whom they were dealing with.
But more interesting than the motivations behind God's hypothetical hardening of Pharaoh's heart are the effects that might have had on Pharaoh's soul. People are accountable for the decisions they make, but, since hardening Pharaoh's heart unfairly manipulated his decisions, I don't thinking we could hold Pharaoh responsible for not releasing he Israelites sooner, if God was hardening his heart so he wouldn't. But even if the Pharaoh's soul isn't at stake, his mortal well-being was. If God hardened Pharaoh's heart, He also subjected Pharaoh and his people to plagues that they hadn't necessarily brought upon themselves. But what else is new? Life is full of suffering, both deserved and undeserved. Everyone suffers plagues and curses that they didn't bring upon themselves, largely because, again, this suffering is meant to be instructive. Perhaps Pharaoh and the Egyptians,as well as the Israelites, were meant to be strengthened by these trials.
However, some were not strengthened. In fact, many died. But again, what else is new? All men are mortal. All men die eventually. The Lord knows what time is best for each person, and if it just so happened that it was best that all those firstborns die at that time in that way, I can imagine God pulling a few strings (heartstrings, specifically) to make that happen if it wouldn't have happened otherwise.
While I find it a bit unsettling that God could manipulate us if He chose to, I can imagine a few good reasons why God might have manipulated Pharaoh and a few good things that would have come from that manipulation. Still, as the more modern and inspired translation points out, no such manipulation took place. The Pharaoh hardened his own heart, and the Lord responded appropriately. God doesn't need to manipulate us, and even when He has very good, ethical reasons to step in and take some control, he doesn't. He lets us make our own decisions and our own mistakes, just as Pharaoh actually did. The Lord didn't hardened Pharaoh's heart, but I can see some reasons why He might have considered it.
To understand why the Lord might have done what He didn't do, we have to consider the results of Pharaoh's hardened heart. Pharaoh continually refused to release the Israelites, with Egypt suffering plague after plague, until several innocent lives were lost, and Pharaoh ultimately relented. It could be that this period of time was meant to be instructive. It proved to anyone who was paying attention that God has considerable power. It shows that God is willing to bend heaven and earth for His people. And it shows that bad things happen to those who refuse to listen to the Lord. These are all important lessons for Moses and the Israelites to learn. They all needed to know what sort of God they were following before they all ran off into the wilderness. Of course, this instruction didn't seem to have much of an effect on the Israelites, but at least God had made it clear to everyone exactly whom they were dealing with.
But more interesting than the motivations behind God's hypothetical hardening of Pharaoh's heart are the effects that might have had on Pharaoh's soul. People are accountable for the decisions they make, but, since hardening Pharaoh's heart unfairly manipulated his decisions, I don't thinking we could hold Pharaoh responsible for not releasing he Israelites sooner, if God was hardening his heart so he wouldn't. But even if the Pharaoh's soul isn't at stake, his mortal well-being was. If God hardened Pharaoh's heart, He also subjected Pharaoh and his people to plagues that they hadn't necessarily brought upon themselves. But what else is new? Life is full of suffering, both deserved and undeserved. Everyone suffers plagues and curses that they didn't bring upon themselves, largely because, again, this suffering is meant to be instructive. Perhaps Pharaoh and the Egyptians,as well as the Israelites, were meant to be strengthened by these trials.
However, some were not strengthened. In fact, many died. But again, what else is new? All men are mortal. All men die eventually. The Lord knows what time is best for each person, and if it just so happened that it was best that all those firstborns die at that time in that way, I can imagine God pulling a few strings (heartstrings, specifically) to make that happen if it wouldn't have happened otherwise.
While I find it a bit unsettling that God could manipulate us if He chose to, I can imagine a few good reasons why God might have manipulated Pharaoh and a few good things that would have come from that manipulation. Still, as the more modern and inspired translation points out, no such manipulation took place. The Pharaoh hardened his own heart, and the Lord responded appropriately. God doesn't need to manipulate us, and even when He has very good, ethical reasons to step in and take some control, he doesn't. He lets us make our own decisions and our own mistakes, just as Pharaoh actually did. The Lord didn't hardened Pharaoh's heart, but I can see some reasons why He might have considered it.
Sunday, June 10, 2018
The Essence of Ministering
Over the last two days, many members of my Stake have heard a lot about Ministering, the church's new program method of reaching out to individuals and families who may need some help from time to time. That help used to take the form of monthly visits and occasional acts of service, but now it seems it could take nearly any form at all. Calls, visits, notes, small gifts, acts of service, or even just kind gestures could all be forms of Ministering. During a Questions and Comments section of one of our meetings, we explored many questions about how to Minister and what Ministering really means, though it all seemed pretty clear to me. It seems to me that the core essence of Ministering is being a friend. Everything a friend does is what a "ministering brother" or "ministering sister" ought to do. Friends show interest in their friends' lives and well-being, and that seems to be what Ministering is all about. So, don't over-complicate it. If you're called to "Minister" to someone, unless one of your church leaders tells you otherwise, I'd say that all you really need to do is try to be their friend.
Mid-Game Blogging
Right now, I'm playing a card game with family. Thankfully, I have my laptop with me, and they don't mind me taking a few minutes to type down some thoughts in the middle of our game, because they know that's important for me to blog every day. I'm grateful for my family, for the fun we have together, and for how loving and supporting we are (when we're not trying to beat each other at Phase 10). In fact, some of us have started working together and helping each other win together. It's great. This is how family is supposed to be.
Friday, June 8, 2018
Free Will: Essential, Even If Nonexistant
Some of the Youtube videos I watched today touched on ideas of determinism and the illusion of free will. According to some scientists and philosophers, there is no such thing as free will. In their minds, everything that happens, including everything we do, is part of a physical process that began at the big bang and will continue unalterably until the end of the universe. To them, the whole world and everyone in it is like a chain of dominoes, with each piece falling as a direct result of the fall of each piece that fell before it. The dominoes don't choose whether or not they'll fall and hit other pieces, and some say that neither do we.
However, even if this is true (despite revelation and our own insight telling us that it isn't), it isn't necessarily useful to acknowledge this "truth." As Hank Green pointed out in his videos on this topic, if people believed that their decisions were predetermined by physical and chemical events far beyond their control, then they likely wouldn't feel the need to take responsibility for their actions, and they would probably make poor decisions. Or, if they can't make poor decisions (because no one makes any real decisions at all), they still might be more likely to perform actions (voluntarily or not) that would cause more suffering than would have occurred if they believed they were responsible for their actions. For society and individuals to function properly, we have to believe in free will. That is largely why Hank Green said, "I choose, with the free will that I don't have, to ignore the fact that I don't have free will." So do I.
I believe that people have free will. In his discussion on determinism, Hank mentioned the possibility of "quantum fluctuations" making certain physical processes, including, perhaps, human behavior, unpredictable and I choose to believe that, even if this world is governed entirely by the laws of physics, our spirits might be somewhere outside of the physical world, pulling the quantum strings. But regardless of my pseudo-scientific explanation of free will, I choose to believe in it because of a) revelation, and b) basically the same reason Hank Green gave: Because if I didn't think I was responsible for my decisions, I would probably make worse decisions.
Free will is important. It is a vital element of our spiritual progress, and it's an integral part of our societal structure. In fact, free will is so important that at least one intelligent man has decided that it's wise to believe in it, even if it doesn't exist.
However, even if this is true (despite revelation and our own insight telling us that it isn't), it isn't necessarily useful to acknowledge this "truth." As Hank Green pointed out in his videos on this topic, if people believed that their decisions were predetermined by physical and chemical events far beyond their control, then they likely wouldn't feel the need to take responsibility for their actions, and they would probably make poor decisions. Or, if they can't make poor decisions (because no one makes any real decisions at all), they still might be more likely to perform actions (voluntarily or not) that would cause more suffering than would have occurred if they believed they were responsible for their actions. For society and individuals to function properly, we have to believe in free will. That is largely why Hank Green said, "I choose, with the free will that I don't have, to ignore the fact that I don't have free will." So do I.
I believe that people have free will. In his discussion on determinism, Hank mentioned the possibility of "quantum fluctuations" making certain physical processes, including, perhaps, human behavior, unpredictable and I choose to believe that, even if this world is governed entirely by the laws of physics, our spirits might be somewhere outside of the physical world, pulling the quantum strings. But regardless of my pseudo-scientific explanation of free will, I choose to believe in it because of a) revelation, and b) basically the same reason Hank Green gave: Because if I didn't think I was responsible for my decisions, I would probably make worse decisions.
Free will is important. It is a vital element of our spiritual progress, and it's an integral part of our societal structure. In fact, free will is so important that at least one intelligent man has decided that it's wise to believe in it, even if it doesn't exist.
Thursday, June 7, 2018
Communication Before Confrontation
I just watched Captain America: Civil War with a handful of my siblings, and it seemed apparent that many of the conflicts in that movie could have been avoided if the characters had communicated better. In several instances, characters fought against each other when they might have been on the same side, if they had had the same information. This served as a good reminder to me that communication should always at least be attempted before a physical confrontation takes place. Thankfully, I don't get into many physical confrontations, but even in the case of lesser confrontations, like verbal arguments, I think that many of them could be avoided if the parties involved managed to talk things out before things escalated. I will try to apply this lesson in my own life. Next time I start to get frustrated or irritated with another person, I'm going to try to talk about the problem before it escalates to the point of actually becoming a problem. Rhody told Spiderman that there's usually not a lot of talking during fights, but if they talked enough before a fight, they might not have ended up fighting at all.
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
The Purposes of God's Gifts
Tonight, my D&D character was given an opportunity to trade away a gift given to him by a goddess, and he did. Normally, this is something that he would never do. When he received the gift, he planned to keep it for the rest of his life as a sort of memento, to remind him of all the things this particular goddess had done for him. However, when the opportunity arose, my character consulted with the local priestess of this goddess. He asked her whether this might have been the reason he was given the gift in the first place, and the answer he got suggested that it probably was. So, seemingly with the goddess's blessing, my character traded away the gift she had given him.
God has given us many gifts, and the question of how we use them is a very important one. We might want to share this gift with as many people as possible, or we might want to keep it private and sacred. We may even, under some circumstances, use our gifts for our personal gain. After all, if God granted a person a gift for painting, God would probably want that person to paint, but what happened with the paintings after they're painted may be up to the painter's discretion. Should the painter put the paintings on display for all the world to see, or should they be kept for private audiences? Would the painter be justified in selling the paintings or prints of them? I think so. God gave the painter the gift of painting for a reason, perhaps multiple reasons, and giving the painter a way to make a living might have been one of those reasons.
To understand how we ought to use the gifts God has given us, we should consult the One who gave them to us. God knows how He wants us to use His gifts. Often, He gives us gifts to use for the betterment of mankind. Sometimes, the gifts are meant to be more personal and private. I suppose that, sometimes, God gives us gifts to use for our own benefit as well as for the benefit of others, and if the benefit to use happens to be financial as well as spiritual, perhaps that's what God intended. To know for certain what God would have us do with our gifts, it would be wise to ask. It could be that God intends us to use His gifts in exactly the way we think we ought to use them, or it could be that He had something else in mind. The only way to know how God wants you to use the gifts God has given you is to ask Him. Just try to be ready to accept whatever answer He gives you, even if it's not what you might have expected.
God has given us many gifts, and the question of how we use them is a very important one. We might want to share this gift with as many people as possible, or we might want to keep it private and sacred. We may even, under some circumstances, use our gifts for our personal gain. After all, if God granted a person a gift for painting, God would probably want that person to paint, but what happened with the paintings after they're painted may be up to the painter's discretion. Should the painter put the paintings on display for all the world to see, or should they be kept for private audiences? Would the painter be justified in selling the paintings or prints of them? I think so. God gave the painter the gift of painting for a reason, perhaps multiple reasons, and giving the painter a way to make a living might have been one of those reasons.
To understand how we ought to use the gifts God has given us, we should consult the One who gave them to us. God knows how He wants us to use His gifts. Often, He gives us gifts to use for the betterment of mankind. Sometimes, the gifts are meant to be more personal and private. I suppose that, sometimes, God gives us gifts to use for our own benefit as well as for the benefit of others, and if the benefit to use happens to be financial as well as spiritual, perhaps that's what God intended. To know for certain what God would have us do with our gifts, it would be wise to ask. It could be that God intends us to use His gifts in exactly the way we think we ought to use them, or it could be that He had something else in mind. The only way to know how God wants you to use the gifts God has given you is to ask Him. Just try to be ready to accept whatever answer He gives you, even if it's not what you might have expected.
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
Examining a Fault
You remember that fault I mentioned a few days ago? I think I'm ready to dwell on it now. Or, rather, I'm ready to examine it and try to think of ways to overcome it. The problem is that I get frustrated/annoyed/irritated far too easily. I have a bit of a short fuse. And while I don't "blow up" very often (at least, not at people), I have enough trouble controlling my anger that I know that I need to learn some strategies for overcoming it. Fortunately, I already have.
One solution is to let the negative emotions out in non-harmful ways. Some people accomplish this by yelling, but I don't want to use that as a solution. Yelling and swearing when one gets irritated can become a habit, and I don't want to get into the habit of raising my voice or saying this I wouldn't want my Mom to hear me say. Thankfully, there are other outlets. Some people unleash their emotions through art or games or physical activities. I've found one way to discharge negative energy harmlessly, and it works for me, when I remember to do it.
For times when I don't want to let my bad feelings out, perhaps because I don't want to let them show, I can practice another exercise: breathing. Breathing deeply and evenly can be a good way to calm oneself down and release negative emotions in a way that's more spiritual than physical. Many forms of meditation and prayer involve controlled breathing, and if we can control our breathing, we can also reduce our heart rate and control ourselves.
Of course, actual prayer helps, too. Turning to God is a good way to tap into His power of self-control and His patience, helping us to gain some patience and self-control as well. God can helps us overcome any and every weakness and shortcoming, including any frustration-management issues we may have. As I turn to God, He can help me overcome all of my faults and weaknesses, including this one.
I know that these methods won't immediately solve my problem. I expect to keep wrestling with this issue for as long as I can learn from it. But eventually, with God's help, I know I can overcome it. No fault or failing is a permanent part of me, so it makes no sense for me to dwell on my faults as if they make me a bad person. Everyone's human, and every human can become perfect. I can overcome my faults and weaknesses. As long as I work diligently, it's only a matter of time.
One solution is to let the negative emotions out in non-harmful ways. Some people accomplish this by yelling, but I don't want to use that as a solution. Yelling and swearing when one gets irritated can become a habit, and I don't want to get into the habit of raising my voice or saying this I wouldn't want my Mom to hear me say. Thankfully, there are other outlets. Some people unleash their emotions through art or games or physical activities. I've found one way to discharge negative energy harmlessly, and it works for me, when I remember to do it.
For times when I don't want to let my bad feelings out, perhaps because I don't want to let them show, I can practice another exercise: breathing. Breathing deeply and evenly can be a good way to calm oneself down and release negative emotions in a way that's more spiritual than physical. Many forms of meditation and prayer involve controlled breathing, and if we can control our breathing, we can also reduce our heart rate and control ourselves.
Of course, actual prayer helps, too. Turning to God is a good way to tap into His power of self-control and His patience, helping us to gain some patience and self-control as well. God can helps us overcome any and every weakness and shortcoming, including any frustration-management issues we may have. As I turn to God, He can help me overcome all of my faults and weaknesses, including this one.
I know that these methods won't immediately solve my problem. I expect to keep wrestling with this issue for as long as I can learn from it. But eventually, with God's help, I know I can overcome it. No fault or failing is a permanent part of me, so it makes no sense for me to dwell on my faults as if they make me a bad person. Everyone's human, and every human can become perfect. I can overcome my faults and weaknesses. As long as I work diligently, it's only a matter of time.
Monday, June 4, 2018
Difficult Moral Decisions
Recently, I've had an opportunity to think about decision-making. Specifically, I've seen how difficult it can be to make decisions when there are multiple good options or no good options.
When there is exactly one good choice, the choice is easy, but when there are any more or fewer good choices than that, one has to decide which is the best or "least bad" option. This can be difficult, as it forces one to prioritize their values.
However, having to make these tough decisions can be valuable. Having to make tough decisions forces us to consider what our values are and which values we hold most dear. For example, do we value loyalty over honesty? Kindness over fairness? Liberty over duty?
Fortunately, these values don't always come into conflict with each other, but when they do, they force us to decide which values are most important to us. These conflicts can help us determine what our values truly are. Decisions like these can be painfully difficult, but they can be shockingly self-revelatory as well.
When there is exactly one good choice, the choice is easy, but when there are any more or fewer good choices than that, one has to decide which is the best or "least bad" option. This can be difficult, as it forces one to prioritize their values.
However, having to make these tough decisions can be valuable. Having to make tough decisions forces us to consider what our values are and which values we hold most dear. For example, do we value loyalty over honesty? Kindness over fairness? Liberty over duty?
Fortunately, these values don't always come into conflict with each other, but when they do, they force us to decide which values are most important to us. These conflicts can help us determine what our values truly are. Decisions like these can be painfully difficult, but they can be shockingly self-revelatory as well.
Sunday, June 3, 2018
Where Mana Comes From
Manna is a substance that exists in Biblical history as well as a type of energy that exists in many magic systems, including that of Magic: the Gathering. In the Bible, manna came from Heaven, but in Magic, mana comes from the opposite direction, from lands. When a spellcaster in that game needs energy, they pull it straight out of the ground. This has previously prompted me to wonder how the mana got in the ground in the first place. One thought is that mana could be generated in the core of a planet, but there's a more scientific answer that I like a lot better.
I like imagining that the mana in Magic functions much like energy on Earth. On Earth, energy comes from the Sun. This energy is then absorbed by the ground and by the plants that grow in it. The plants use the energy for nourishment, and when we or other animals use those plants for nourishment, we are effectively absorbing energy that was ultimately derived from the Sun. If we consider all this energy "magical," then it's easy to think of magic infusing everything, especially the ground and plants that experience direct exposure to sunlight most of the day.
Yet, whether we're talking about bread from heaven or magical energy derived from the center of the planet or from the Sun, all of this originated from a single source, its Creator. The Bible's manna was created directly by God, as were the Sun and Earth, which then spread energy elsewhere. Magical energy is created by the imagination of those who dream it up, and those authors and creators were themselves created by God. God is the ultimate source of every substance and all the energy in the universe. So, no matter what kind of mana we're talking about, what form it takes, or where we find it, we can be certain that it ultimately came from God.
I like imagining that the mana in Magic functions much like energy on Earth. On Earth, energy comes from the Sun. This energy is then absorbed by the ground and by the plants that grow in it. The plants use the energy for nourishment, and when we or other animals use those plants for nourishment, we are effectively absorbing energy that was ultimately derived from the Sun. If we consider all this energy "magical," then it's easy to think of magic infusing everything, especially the ground and plants that experience direct exposure to sunlight most of the day.
Yet, whether we're talking about bread from heaven or magical energy derived from the center of the planet or from the Sun, all of this originated from a single source, its Creator. The Bible's manna was created directly by God, as were the Sun and Earth, which then spread energy elsewhere. Magical energy is created by the imagination of those who dream it up, and those authors and creators were themselves created by God. God is the ultimate source of every substance and all the energy in the universe. So, no matter what kind of mana we're talking about, what form it takes, or where we find it, we can be certain that it ultimately came from God.
Saturday, June 2, 2018
Dwelling on Faults
Carrying on the same theme from earlier, I considered making tonight's blog post about another flaw of mine, but then I thought: What's the point? People often dwell on some negative aspect of themselves in a way that just serves to discourage them. If I plan to explore a fault of mine, I should do so with the intent to learn how to overcome it, rather than simply beating myself up about it. It is wise for a person to consider their faults, as I did yesterday, but only if that consideration has a positive effect on them. Learning how to overcome a fault is a good thing; just being negative about it is not.
An Exercise in Poor Decision-Making
Yesterday, and last night more specifically, I had an experience with making poor choices. I was playing a role-playing game with a few friends, and my role was the captain of a starship. We learned that three colonies of civilians were about to be attacked, and we decided to help them evacuate, earning the ire of their attackers, who proceeded to attack us. Throughout the game session, my character made decisions that, despite seeming wise at the time, only led our party deeper and deeper into trouble. However, one of the worse decisions I made that evening was playing that game before (and, as it turned out, instead of) blogging.
I have maintained a daily spiritual blog for years now. There are very, very few days that I have failed to blog for any reason other than not having access to the Internet. I could have blogged yesterday, easily. I had access to my blog the whole time. I even tried to blog from my phone at the last possible minute, but our starship was under attack, and a rationalized that a lot of my blog posts end up being late anyway, so I could just blog when the adventure was over, or when I got home. But the adventure took longer than I had expected, I stayed out much later than I had intended, and, ultimately, I failed to blog yesterday because I spent that time playing a game instead.
I'm not even satisfied with how the game turned out. My character made what turned out to be terrible decisions, and I dread what the repercussions of those decisions will be for him. I'm tempted to not participate in this particular game in the future, just so I don't have to deal with the consequences of what happened over the course of that game. But that would be cowardly and uninstructive. My character should deal with and learn from his mistakes, and so should I.
Rather than ignoring the fact that I didn't blog yesterday, I should call some attention to it and use the shame of my admission of guilt to encourage me to do better, to blog earlier, or at least to manage to blog at all. I should make my blog more of a priority, or at least a higher priority than playing a game with friends, even friends I rarely get to spend time with. As important as my social life is, my blog is more important, and it shouldn't have been too hard for me to pause the game long enough to write a paragraph about one's duty to help those in need, or some other trite nonsense like that. I should have blogged yesterday, but now I should at least learn from the fact that I didn't.
I have maintained a daily spiritual blog for years now. There are very, very few days that I have failed to blog for any reason other than not having access to the Internet. I could have blogged yesterday, easily. I had access to my blog the whole time. I even tried to blog from my phone at the last possible minute, but our starship was under attack, and a rationalized that a lot of my blog posts end up being late anyway, so I could just blog when the adventure was over, or when I got home. But the adventure took longer than I had expected, I stayed out much later than I had intended, and, ultimately, I failed to blog yesterday because I spent that time playing a game instead.
I'm not even satisfied with how the game turned out. My character made what turned out to be terrible decisions, and I dread what the repercussions of those decisions will be for him. I'm tempted to not participate in this particular game in the future, just so I don't have to deal with the consequences of what happened over the course of that game. But that would be cowardly and uninstructive. My character should deal with and learn from his mistakes, and so should I.
Rather than ignoring the fact that I didn't blog yesterday, I should call some attention to it and use the shame of my admission of guilt to encourage me to do better, to blog earlier, or at least to manage to blog at all. I should make my blog more of a priority, or at least a higher priority than playing a game with friends, even friends I rarely get to spend time with. As important as my social life is, my blog is more important, and it shouldn't have been too hard for me to pause the game long enough to write a paragraph about one's duty to help those in need, or some other trite nonsense like that. I should have blogged yesterday, but now I should at least learn from the fact that I didn't.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)