Building Zion

Elder Christofferson gave a great talk in October conference on Building Zion. Here is the link to the full talk: http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-13,00.html

Some excerpts are as follows:

“The Prophet Joseph Smith said: “The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight; they have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day; but they died without the sight; we are the favored people that God has made choice of to bring about the Latter-day glory” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society course of study, 2007], 186).

Zion is both a place and a people. Zion was the name given to the ancient city of Enoch in the days before the Flood. “And it came to pass in his days, that he built a city that was called the City of Holiness, even Zion” (Moses 7:19). This Zion endured for some 365 years (see Moses 7:68). The scriptural record states, “And Enoch and all his people walked with God, and he dwelt in the midst of Zion; and it came to pass that Zion was not, for God received it up into his own bosom; and from thence went forth the saying, Zion is fled” (Moses 7:69). Later, Jerusalem and its temple were called Mount Zion, and the scriptures prophesy of a future New Jerusalem where Christ shall reign as “King of Zion,” when “for the space of a thousand years the earth shall rest” (Moses 7:53, 64).

The Lord called Enoch’s people Zion “because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them” (Moses 7:18). Elsewhere He said, “For this is Zion—the pure in heart” (D&C 97:21).

The antithesis and antagonist of Zion is Babylon. The city of Babylon was originally Babel, of Tower of Babel fame, and later became the capital of the Babylonian empire. Its principal edifice was the temple of Bel, or Baal, the idol referred to by Old Testament prophets as “The Shame,” given the sexual perversions that were associated with its worship. (See Bible Dictionary, “Assyria and Babylonia,” 615–16; “Baal,” 617–18; “Babylon, or Babel,” 618.) Its worldliness, its worship of evil, and the captivity of Judah there following the conquest of 587 B.C. all combine to make Babylon the symbol of decadent societies and spiritual bondage.

It is with this backdrop that the Lord said to the members of His Church, Continue Reading »

HEADLINE: GOP Dominance Troubles Church; It hurts Utah, says general authority, disavowing any perceived Republican-LDS Link; LDS Official Calls for More Political Diversity

BYLINE: DAN HARRIE THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

BODY:
The LDS Church, through a high-ranking leader, is making its strongest public statement to date about the need for political diversity among members, while expressing concerns the Republican Party is becoming the “church party.”
“There is sort of a division along Mormon/non-Mormon, Republican/Democrat ic lines,” says Elder Marlin Jensen, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. “We regret that more than anything — that there would become a church party and a non-church party. That would be the last thing that we would want to have happen.”
Jensen said major national political parties may take stands that do not coincide with teachings of the 10 million-member Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but that should not put them out of bounds for members.
A former attorney and lifelong Democrat, Jensen was careful in his comments not to suggest an official LDS preference for any political party but to maintain the church’s traditional stand of partisan neutrality.
Continue Reading »

Dear Friends, 

A Statement of Theology From Latter-Day Saints and Scriptures

As Latter-day Saints, we come from a tradition that declares “a vision of a different world, a world where injustice and oppression, poverty and ignorance would be dispelled and a world where men and women would be brothers and sisters.”¹ We will “plead the cause of the poor and the needy.”² We will work towards a Zion society in which where one become one heart and one mind and dwell in righteousness and there are no poor among us.³

“For many years we have been taught one important end result of our labors, hopes and aspirations in this work is the building of a Latter-day Zion, a Zion characterized by love, harmony and peace—a Zion in which the Lord’s children are one. This day will come; it is our destiny to help bring it about!”.⁴ .

We recognize that…”The earth was made for man: and one man was not made to trample his fellowman under his feet, and enjoy all his heart desires, while the thousands suffer. We will take a moral view, a political view… to see the inequality that exists in the human family…What is to be done? The Latter-day Saints will never accomplish their mission until this inequality shall cease on the earth.” ⁵

Saints of Zion will “think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you. But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. After you have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if you seek them; and you will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted..”⁶

We recognize…”The designs of God…to establish peace and good will among men; to promote the principle of eternal truth; to bring about a state of things shall unite man to his fellow man and cause the world to “beat their swords into plow shares, and their spears into pruning hooks,…make the nations of the earth dwell in peace…”⁷

As a Zion people we are to “sue for ^apeace, not only to the people that have smitten you, but also to all people; And lift up an ^aensign of ^bpeace, and make a proclamation of peace unto the ends of the earth…” For it is written…”that every one who will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety…and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another.”⁷

_______________________________________________

Alexander B. Morrison, in Church News [14 Oct. 1995]:

^{# D&C 124:75}

# Moses 7:18

# Spencer W. Kimball, “Becoming the Pure in Heart,” Ensign, Mar 1985, 3. (See on line edition at www.lds.org)

^{# Journal of Discourses 19: 46-47}

Freedom of religion was not known to the earliest civilization. In most ancient societies, the king was considered god on earth, and worship of the king was usually the state religion. The first government recorded to have established a form of freedom was in the 6th century BC in the Persian Empire under the guidance of Cyrus. But even then, freedom of religion was not considered a basic human right.

It wasn’t until the American-type Constitution with its accompanying Bill of Rights becoming the format for the Constitution of many different countries, did freedom of religion really start to become widespread. The UN adopted it as a basic human right in 1948. While I recognize that there are several countries (China, Islamic countries, etc.) where freedom of religion is still not allowed, we have made great progress in establishing the basic freedom throughout the world. To me, this is another sign that we as citizens of the world are making progress in preparing for Zion.

We often hear it said in the church that this is the most wicked of times. And while there may be more of many evil practices than ever before (sexual promiscuity, warmongering, killing of pre-born babies are some examples that come to mind), it is also the best of times in many ways. In short, I think the latter-days are getting a bum rap. So I want to start a series of posts about areas in which the latter-days are less wicked than previous ages. I think these many areas of improvement are a sign that the many people throughout the world are preparing for the coming of Zion.

Let me start with slavery. This includes bond servitude. We are told that slavery and servitude were prohibited by righteous Nephites (e.g., Kings Benjamin and Mosiah). It was considered an abomination. Slavery is recorded in the earliest records of mankind (e.g., the code of Hammurabi) and has been practiced ever sine. The practice of slavery even continued in this, the most free nation on earth, until the 1860’s.

There are still a few countries where slavery and forced servitude are reportedly still practiced (e.g., Mauritania, Niger, Sudan, etc.), but for the most part, slavery as a practice has been eliminated in modern society throughout the world. There are several international organizations that actively fight any continuation of the practice of slavery in the few remaining places where it is still practiced. Good for us! Let’s keep fighting it until it is eliminated entirely. One way we can continue to prepare for the coming of Zion!

So I haven’t posted/commented on anything in a while, because school has this nasty habit of taking up all my time… freakin school.  I suppose it’s a good thing though, this whole learning thing.  I don’t know, though, I’m not fully convinced.  Anyway, back to my post.

So I suppose I should preface this by saying that politically I follow a much more liberal ideology.  Yes, that’s right, I am a Democrat, though I have issue with associating with any one political party, mostly because of all the underhanded actions that they all undertake.

Continue Reading »

An interesting article in the Salt Lake Tribune:

LDS Church asks lawmakers to weigh morality, ethics in immigration reforms
By Matthew D. LaPlante
The Salt Lake Tribune
02/14/2008

   A prominent leader from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has implored Utah’s overwhelmingly Mormon Legislature to “slow down, step back and carefully study and assess the implications and human costs involved” in a slew of immigration bills they are considering on Capitol Hill.
   Marlin Jensen, a member of the LDS Church’s Quorum of Seventy, told a modest crowd at the Wednesday evening opening reception of Westminster College’s “Beyond Borders and Fronteras” colloquy that “with decisions hanging in the balance that have such significant consequences, I believe a more thoughtful . . . not to mention humane, approach is warranted.”
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We are constantly reminded that one of the conditions of Zion is that they have “no poor  among them.” See, for example, the description of Zion, the City of Enoch, in Moses 7:18. How is this to be accomplished? Hugh Nibley used to (sarcastically) comment that this was to be achieved by casting out all of the poor so that the “Saints” (once again, sarcastically) could live in Zion with all their money. His sarcasm — and the relevant scriptures — suggest that this is not the way to accomplish this aspect of building Zion. The alternative is the Law of Consecration.There are various scriptures regarding the treatment of the poor under the Law of Consecration: Continue Reading »

The following is an excerpt from the First Presidency Statement on War. It was read by President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., at the final session of the 112th Annual Conference, Monday, April 6, 1942. It makes me think about how much more it applies today!!! I’ve added italics for emphasis in certain places.

Gospel of Love
The gospel of Christ is a gospel of love and peace, of patience and long suffering, of forbearance and forgiveness, of kindness and good deeds, of charity and brotherly love. Greed, avarice, base ambition, thirst for power, and unrighteous dominion over our fellow men, can have no place in the hearts of Latter-day Saints nor of God-fearing men everywhere. We of the Church must lead the life prescribed in the saying of the ancient prophet-warrior: “I seek not for power, but to pull it down. I seek not for honor of the world, but for the glory of my God, and the freedom and welfare of my country.” (Alma 60:36.)

Continue Reading »

In an October 1977 General Conference address, President Spencer W. Kimball said, “the Lord again laid down his precepts for modern Zion when he said:

“And let every man esteem his brother as himself, and practise virtue and holiness before me.

“And again I say unto you, let every man esteem his brother as himself.

“For what man among you having twelve sons, and is no respecter of them, and they serve him obediently, and he saith unto the one: Be thou clothed in robes and sit thou here; and to the other: Be thou clothed in rags and sit thou there—and looketh upon his sons and saith I am just?

“Behold, this I have given unto you as a parable, and it is even as I am. I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.” (D&C 38:24–27.)”

One of my biggest qualms with people, whether they be members or not, is how they treat each other.  I often silently ask, “How can you do that to someone?”  I can’t see this person liking it when that happens to them, so how can they possibly do it to someone else?  I personally see this, the “golden rule,” at being at the heart of unity.  It’s not just treating everyone like everyone else, but treating everyone else like we want them to treat us.  If everyone did that, then unity would not be very far away. 

Anyway, I now pose that question to you: how can we be one/unified?  Keep in mind that this could mean with our spouse, with our children, in wards/stakes, with friends… and the list goes on.  I realize that this is a loaded question; there are many aspects to this principle, so see if you can simplify it at all.  What do you see as the fundamentals to unity?

And why do people insist on not obeying this commandment?  What hindrances are there, because whatever they are, the blessings of unity are too great to not overcome them.