Carpe Diem

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,

Old Time is still a-flying;

And this same flower that smiles today,

Tomorrow will be dying.

- Robert Herrick

Knowing the Truth

Here's the thought I shared in this month's ward (church) newsletter:

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In this generation of information and opinion at the speed of thought, there are countless voices—many of which are rational, logical, and indeed quite convincing. While truth is always supported by logic, what is logically valid is not always intrinsically true. As we consider the many voices that assail the values and beliefs that are at the core of the restored gospel, let us not supplant our Heavenly Father’s divine revelations and manifestations in our day with the wisdom of man—which has always been limited and imperfect.

President Thomas S. Monson has said, “Important to remember is the solemn truth: Obedience to God’s law will bring liberty and eternal life, whereas disobedience will bring captivity and death,” (“Decisions Determine Destiny.” New Era. Nov. 1979, 8).

More recently, he has declared, “To those who humbly seek, there is no need to stumble or falter along the pathway leading to truth. It is well marked by our Heavenly Father. We must first have a desire to know for ourselves. We must study. We must pray. We must do the will of the Father. And then we will know the truth, and the truth will make us free,” (“Great Expectations,” CES fireside for young adults. Jan. 11, 2009).

As we desire to know the truth—in regards to the tumultuous societal issues facing our day or any other matters in our lives—we will find that the simple process of study, prayer, and obedience to our Heavenly Father’s plan will be the means of gaining truth, life, and liberty. While we consider the varying voices around us, let us make a renewed personal effort to study and live God’s law, and seek ever more diligent devotion to it.

Quote of the day

I don't remember the exact quote, but it comes from the ghost of Jacob Marley--(in Dickens' A Christmas Carol).  He is talking to Scrooge, and when Scrooge tells Marley his punishment certainly can't be just because he was such a good business man, Marley retorts:

"Mankind was my business!"

. . . then he goes on, and tells Scrooge (and the rest of us) that mankind is his (and ours) business as well.

If Mankind is my business, why do I spend so much time on business and so little on the "mankind" I care most about?  This thought occurred to me as I drove away from my home and family at 7:00am again this Saturday to my MBA classes.  And for what?  . . .to better my career?  . . . to improve my earning potential?  . . .to be better at business? 

Or. . . is there something deeper to my education?  Maybe my MBA interactions ARE the "business of mankind".  Maybe every day with every person--business or personal--is a day of "the business of mankind."  I think it can be, depending on the way I interact.

When I feel the urge to step out of the mindset of 'the business of mankind', I can do the kindest thing you can imagine.  When I feel anger, and wish to place blame, I can take blame.  When I feel upset, I can use kindness to defuse my own emotions.

It's been said that there are two kinds of truths in the world:  the kind of truth that builds people up, and the kind of truth that tears people down.  May I always be cognizant of the truth I share.

Quote of the day:

"America is at that awkward stage; it's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards."


Claire Wolfe

Trust

Today, I heard a great definition of trust:

"If I make myself vulnerable to you, you won't leverage that vulnerability to my disadvantage."

When I heard it, I realized that all the people I don't trust in my life--the reason that I don't trust them is that they do NOT give me the above noted assurance that they wouldn't hurt me if I DID trust them.

So what: 

This thought encourages me to be transparent in my dealings.  When people know what my interests are, they can evaluate for themselves whether or not those interests pose a threat to their own.  More importantly, I should consider other people's interests as they relate to my own--always taking care not to create a disadvantage for someone who's trust I care to earn.\

Glad to be back from China

Things I'm happy to be back for:
- family/friends
- my big SOFT king sized bed
- drinking water right from the faucet

of course, there's plenty of stuff I'll miss like:
- certain unique foods (hot pots, dumplings, beijing duck)
- silk street market shopping
- $0.36 subway rides to anywhere! (although, I'm sure Obama will bring us that soon enough)

good times; noodle salad.

What will be your legacy?

Are you on this planet to do something? Or are you just here for something to do?

- Jim Kouzes

My letter to a friend

Today I had a conversation with a friend who had been to a meeting wherein some of the doctrines of communism seemed to have moved him.

I sent him the following email:


Hey,


I have a communist friend. She's an extraordinary person. We've talked some about her views. Also, on my mission to Lithuania (which was part of the Soviet Union until just 5 years previous to my mission), I had ample opportunity to discuss the doctrines of Communism with some devout believers in it. Some of the doctrines resonate with a strong appeal because many of them are centered on true principles--which is why I think they're so broadly embraced.

Today after our conversation I did a search on lds.org and found an interesting article about communism from President (of the LDS Church) Ezra Taft Benson:


http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=3d7f615b01a6b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

The conclusion I drew from the article--which I took as prophetic--is that the overall impact of embracing or empowering communism at any social level will ultimately be detrimental to nations and the Lord's kingdom (and the growth of Christianity).


As for what you felt in the meeting you described--It makes sense that "the counterfeit gospel of the anti-Christ" (as it was described by Elder Romney) would carry with it a spirit of conversion. It's certainly not my place to judge what you felt. And who can doubt that the Lord would, indeed, speak to you to make some personal changes for good--in any meeting. I'm sure you can discern it.

Doubtless the principles of generosity, love, and compassion for our fellow man--as well as focus on giving as opposed to gluttony--ought to always be improved in our personal lives. I am convinced, though, that the institutional implementation of these virtues at a secular social or governmental level (as called for by a communism) will ultimately have an extremely negative social impact. I believe that just as feelings and promptings for improvement are personal--so are generosity, charity, and the other virtues with which the Spirit of God capacitates mankind. They are not meant to be regulated by any social implement.


Food for thought. Thanks for reading. :)

Blaine

What's Wrong With Communism?

Communism introduced into the world a substitute for true religion. It is a counterfeit of the gospel plan. The false prophets of Communism predict a utopian society. This, they proclaim, will only be brought about as capitalism and free enterprise are overthrown, private property abolished, the family as a social unit eliminated, all classes abolished, all governments overthrown, and a communal ownership of property in a classless, stateless society established.

Since 1917 this godless counterfeit to the gospel has made tremendous progress toward its objective of world domination.

Today, we are in a battle for the bodies and souls of man. It is a battle between two opposing systems: freedom and slavery, Christ and anti-Christ. The struggle is more momentous than a decade ago, yet today the conventional wisdom says, “You must learn to live with Communism and to give up your ideas about national sovereignty.” Tell that to the millions—yes, the scores of millions—who have met death or imprisonment under the tyranny of Communism! Such would be the death knell of freedom and all we hold dear. God must ever have a free people to prosper His work and bring about Zion.

. . .

I have seen the Soviet Union, under its godless leaders, spread its ideology throughout the world. Every stratagem is used—trade, war, revolution, violence, hate, detente, and immorality—to accomplish its purposes. Many nations are now under its oppressive control. Over one billion people—one-fourth of the population of the world—have now lost their freedom and are under Communist domination. We seem to forget that the great objective of Communism is still world domination and control, which means the surrender of our freedom—your freedom—our sovereignty.

. . .

The safety of our divinely inspired Constitutional government and the welfare of our Church imperatively demand that Communism shall have no place in America” (signed: Heber J. Grant, J. Reuben Clark, Jr., David O. McKay, The First Presidency, in Deseret News, 3 July 1936; italics added).

More recently, President Marion G. Romney, in the First Presidency Message in the September 1979 Ensign, wrote: “Communism is Satan’s counterfeit for the gospel plan, and … it is an avowed enemy of the God of the land. Communism is the greatest anti-Christ power in the world today and therefore the greatest menace not only to our peace but to our preservation as a free people. By the extent to which we tolerate it, accommodate ourselves to it, permit ourselves to be encircled by its tentacles and drawn to it, to that extent we forfeit the protection of the God of this land” (p. 5).

The truth is, we have to a great extent accommodated ourselves to Communism—and we have permitted ourselves to become encircled by its tentacles. . . .

Never before has the land of Zion appeared so vulnerable to so powerful an enemy as the Americas do at present. And our vulnerability is directly attributable to our loss of active faith in the God of this land, who has decreed that we must worship Him or be swept off. Too many Americans have lost sight of the truth that God is our source of freedom—the Lawgiver—and that personal righteousness is the most important essential to preserving our freedom. So, I say with all the energy of my soul that unless we as citizens of this nation forsake our sins, political and otherwise, and return to the fundamental principles of Christianity and of constitutional government, we will lose our political liberties, our free institutions, and will stand in jeopardy before God.

No nation which has kept the commandments of God has ever perished, but I say to you that once freedom is lost, only blood—human blood—will win it back.

. . .

My single-minded concern is for the freedom and welfare of my countrymen and my posterity, the freedom of all men.

I testify to you that God’s hand has been in our destiny. I testify that freedom as we know it today is being threatened as never before in our history. I further witness that this land—the Americas—must be protected, its Constitution upheld, for this is a land foreordained to be the Zion of our God. He expects us as members of the Church and bearers of His priesthood to do all we can to preserve our liberty.

May God bless us that, with His help, we will not fail to bring to pass His purposes on earth.


original source:
http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=3d7f615b01a6b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD