Contention

"God is not upset that Gandhi was not a Christian, because God is not a Christian! All of God's children and their different faiths help us to realize the immensity of God."  -- Desmond Tutu

Just want to stress a scripture that came to my mind recently. It is from Jesus Christ to the Nephites in the Book of Mormon. He says  "he that has the spirit of contention is not of me but is of the devil."  I'm of the opinion that that is not a blanket statement, and that there are some instances where we actually need to contend. Some people are just completely wrong, cannot be reasoned with and violate basic human rights. In such cases war is inevitable and contention is right. 

However, I think what the Savior is saying here is that in the vast array of life circumstances, a peaceful uncontentious disposition is desired. I said it before on here, but we need to show love to our enemies and it will fare well for us if we do. We need to put away petty strife and be civil and respectful of others. So many times a foolish, rude comment or insensitive thing done or said is the cause of a painful contention and needless violence. No one wins in war really. 

 I am trying hard to watch my big contentious mouth and play civil politics more. I am trying to serve people I don't like and find the good in them.  If someone doesn't like me I want it to be said they hated me without a cause. I want to be a friend to all men if I can, even the enviers and haters.  

Also, I just want to mention as a practical note, that sometimes the innocent suffer most from our contentious mindsets. We may be justified but the haters and enviers take it out on our children and loved ones at times. It may be best to get along with these enemies until you can address those types of difficult problems. I think it is good that I don't have kids now because I have offended some people that would hurt them if they could.

So anyways, that's my gospel message for the day. It has come to my mind recently so maybe I'm the one who needs to work on it most; but hopefully you all are able to avoid any needless friction in your life from implementing these ideas. God bless.  

Feeling Blessed

I spoke before about safety nets. People might also call it a Plan B. Whatever you want to call it, what we have today really works people. I am perpetually amazed at how people who struggle are helped, numbered, and reinforced in our society. Yeah, the system is not perfect and cumbersome, but I don't see how many people slip through the cracks really. It is that good. 

It is so good they pretty much tell you after you get put on Plan B that you can't work. That was alarming to me and went against everything I was taught in life. For a while I resisted and worked anyways, resenting the authorities and arguing I was being discriminated against. Time has shown me, however, that I had it all wrong in wanting to work strictly for money at an 8-5 job. 

I have found now that not working has been a huge relief to my personal defenses and safety. What I really needed to recognize back then was the huge danger I was in. Not working has given me time to get my thinking right and to take the necessary precautions. 

Now don't take this the wrong way, but believe me when I say there really isn't any more incentive to work these days. Others dominate the workforce, slave labor abounds, the world is awash with minted money, the system is what it is, and I guess what I am saying is why fight it, get on the public bus, and just help the day right it full-time. 

So maybe I was not cut out for a job in life after all. This funny clip sums up how I feel these days about work (ha, ha, ha).  Froot Loops

Today I work from home, kind of run my own business and do other things instead. You can say I am consigned to the ranks of the poor and disabled and that I help all for a living now. I am not rich but I live in a comfortable house in a secure area. The day helps me out tremendously, and the attention I get for problems is phenomenal. I get to do and C and create whatever I want all day, any time I want. 

Things are so good I am beginning to wonder what I did to deserve all this. I am just hoping I don't get spoiled with my newfound security and become apathetic and complacent. You know apathy is the biggest killer nowadays. 

Now I wouldn't advise people to tell off their lawyer boss and quit, then have a huge sexual morality fight with their family, get drugged, go homeless, get sent to jail, then to a mental hospital, and then get put on welfare just yet-- because I don't know if it works out as good for everyone else. I'm just saying it has worked out for me thus far, that's all.  

We truly live in the Great Society President Lyndon B. Johnson and others worked hard to create years ago. In America, you get second chances. In America, you can rise from nothing to the very top. People might say having everything given to you is a trap and unhealthy. They may be right but I say it is a trap if you're ungrateful.

All I can say is that even though I am not forced to work for money right now, that doesn't mean I don't work for the common good. I get state welfare benefits but it's not a lot and so does half of society today. The other half are living on minted money. Ahh, it's so hard to see who is being financially honest these days. 

The safety net that is in place literally saved my life. My family was trying to kill me and completely starve me out back then. Now they are not nearly as threatening and influential. The day has helped me out a ton with them and I think my family now see some of the flaws in their reasoning. Maybe one day we can all be one big happy accepting family. 

Well, I just want to thank the Lord and everyone again for everything that's been done for me. I was ostracized, abandoned, flamed, oppressed, broke, homeless and living on a prayer ten years ago. Now I am in totally different circumstances (but still living on a prayer, that's always a good thing!). Indeed, I have done a complete 360 in life and everything is set for me to get married now (ha, ha, ha). I may just be feeling happy today, but I can't think of any good reason not to. So cross your fingers I can actually see it happening soon. Thanks for reading and be safe now.

Kids

I swear, kids these days are hearing so many different things and are pulled to pieces by conflicting messages in their head. I seriously don't know how kids live and function with the social hell that is going on. I have to speak out about this because I have to prevent sexual and other kinds of abuse. When is the proper time to give your kid a cell phone and earpiece? Do you send your kid to public school or private? When do you explain sex to your kids and the big question, how?  

I have old-fashioned views on these things many people would say are antiquated, but I know they are correct. We need to put children first in our society. We need to treat them like individuals. People these days do horrific things to their kids in the name of company loyalty. 

If I had any kids I would want them to have number one, first and foremost, a pure, innocent childhood and life. I pray every day that my kids can have that kind of experience and feel free to think and question and do and pursue whatever they want in life. I want them to be educated in a good way and become exceptional, well-rounded, thoughtful people in society. I pray they will not be hindered by government institutions, false educators, religious hypocrites or fear of violence.

My kids would be given responsibilities at an early age and would learn how to learn, but maybe not in a standard academic setting. I would teach them to be perfectly honest with themselves, God, and other people; to be disciplined and practice hard at whatever they do. I would teach them respect for women, etiquette and manners, and how to serve people and make friends. I would teach them how to pray and to read the scriptures for personal revelation every day. I would teach them to trust in and know the only true God in this world.

I would teach them to hate and disrespect government generally. I would caution them in joining any formalized religion. I would teach them to oppose tyranny and oppression and instill in them a desire to fight for liberty and freedom. My kids would learn how to save and invest money and how to eat healthily and exercise. I would teach them to think for themselves and not to be misled. 

I would help them figure out what they are looking for in marriage but wouldn't influence their direction on that too much or arrange anything for them as I think that is wrong/weakness. I would mostly just teach them to marry for love if they want to marry. I would let them fail and make mistakes because that is sometimes how we learn, but I would always try and warn them beforehand of serious pitfalls in life such as drugs, pornography, immorality, dishonesty, laziness, ungratefulness, selfishness, and unbridled anger.     

My kids would learn to relax, laugh, and cut loose. I would teach them to be discerning with the friends, music, and entertainment they choose. They would learn how to be self-sufficient and live healthy, balanced, productive, dynamic, thoughtful, and creative lives. I would teach them to appreciate nature and the outdoors and to be good stewards of resources in this world. I would teach them to help the poor and vulnerable and not to judge. My kids would learn to organize themselves, make plans, and accomplish goals. They would learn to be clean and neat.

I have listed a plethora of things here in random order. Perhaps the most important thing I would stress with my kids is the responsibility to be pure. Zion is the pure in heart. Zion will be saved in the last days. Virtue can be stolen from you, and I pray every day that my kids and wife never have that kind of hardship, but regardless of what happens to you, you can still be pure in heart. No one but yourself can take purity from you. Purity unlocks the powers of heaven and "it shall be well with them" (Moroni 9) who are possessed of a related attribute, i.e. the pure love of Christ, or charity. In the scriptures, it is promised that the pure will see God and be saved.   

So anyways, I am saddened by what I see in the world sometimes. Kids are fighting for their lives and sanity and we need to listen to what they have to say. Some of them are choice spirits reserved for the last days and they may be some of the most inspired influences we have around us. I'm not a Dad but I think I know how to be one. I just wish people who are now parenting would be more responsible with their kids.