Chapter 12

It’s been a struggle to post anything the last few months. I often feel like I have nothing to offer that is meaningful or useful. I spend a great deal of time every day reading blogs and articles that range from orthodox Catholic, LDS, or Jewish tradition, to the fringes of Mormonism like Rob Smith or Denver Snuffer, and even to “out there” stuff like Cosmic Axis Theorem or BOM Perspectives. I enjoy all of it. The difference between all of them is significant and they often dish out conflicting views, claims, and theories about religion and spirituality. Some even seem to have ongoing feuds between one another.

In my quest to understand truth, I have learned a great deal more about confusion. There is so much to filter and discern. When I’ve got my game on, I feel like the spirit helps highlight the things I should be paying attention. But most often, I’m left feeling exactly like Joseph Smith must have felt in the days leading up to his prayer in the sacred grove. So many claim to have authority from God, have seen God, or they are like God. Some claim power and privilege through priesthood heritage, others claim directly from Jesus himself. Most claim to know exactly what you need to do to commune with the Lord. Most speak confidently on how one must reach the Lord, yet these ways conflict and vary so much. False prophets and false Christs abound indeed.

Who is this Jesus? That is the question I want to find an answer to. I haven’t met Him. I don’t know what He looks like. I don’t fully understand His ways. I don’t know His voice. If eternal life is to know the one true God, then I do wish to know Him. Going back to Joseph Smith, I do understand how he arrived at that point of needing to know. As a far nobler spirit than myself, he came to that understanding at a much younger age than myself. It’s taken me almost half a century to just scratch the surface on these things. When the Lord responded to Joseph’s simple, yet earnest, prayer, He replied that none of the religions around were correct. They were all an abomination, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, and denying the power of God. If one had the faith of Joseph today and asked the Lord that same question, would the answer be any different? Sadly, I believe the Lord would give the same response.

In my spiritual journey, I have become far more cognizant of deception. A big reason why none of the sects during Joseph’s time were correct is deception. This world has been suffocated with lies and deceit. We are lied to daily by everything around us. Family, friends, politicians, news media, church leaders, figureheads, Wikipedia, bosses, internet trolls, celebrities, Hollywood…they all are deceptive. Hopefully, your family and friends less so, because that would really suck, but this is Satan’s world, you just live here. It’s no wonder that in the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord teaches us that the passing down of false traditions (lies) is the mainspring of all corruption. Hmmm…so me teaching my kids the wrong stuff is part of the mainspring of all corruption. Yikes! Suddenly, my prospects of getting called up to the higher kingdoms just took a kick in the nuts.

Lies are everywhere. What’s good for us to eat. What’s good for us to do. What’s good for us to say. If you believe these are the latter days, then you have to believe that you are being deceived from every single angle. The government tells me we should go to war with various countries all the time. My church tells me I should follow a prophet (trust in the arm of flesh) to reach Christ. My doctor recommended taking a vaccine that is neither a vaccine nor good for my body. My congressman told me they are going to do this and that when they get into office and have done neither. My boss says they would never take jobs from here and move them overseas…and then went ahead and did it anyway. Don’t even get me started on Wikipedia. That is a cesspool of BS.

But it’s OK if we fall a little short with a little lie here and there or pass down incorrect traditions ignorantly, right? Let’s see…the Lord said liars will be thrust down to hell. He also said a person is saved only as fast as they gain knowledge. Well, that pretty much shoots down thinking little white lies are permissible or ignorance will save you. The deception that runs rampant throughout every facet of our society is crippling our ability to follow the Lord. The mists of darkness that Lehi and Nephi saw are so thick and disorienting that if you don’t have a hold of the iron rod, I don’t see any way you can possibly navigate through it. I love the vision of the tree of life from the Book of Mormon. Even if that was the only thing we got from Lehi, I’d consider him a top flight prophet.

And this is where I appreciate so many blogs and sites popping everywhere trying to break through the deception and bring more light in dark places. I’ve been following blogs that are trying to shine a light in dark places, such as exploring the real history of this land we live in, shedding a light on ritualistic abuse here in Utah, and exposing corruption in power structures across governments, corporations, and religions. All of these folks seem to be doing the Lord’s work as he did instruct us to waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness. I appreciate their efforts and time in dismantling some of the deception around us. Hopefully, I can join the cause and turn on my flashlight too and expose many of the lies and deceit around us.

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