This post was originally published on April 9, 2022, but the subject matter has been on my mind for various reasons, but mainly because I have been thinking a lot lately about what we can take with us when we die.
The Greater the Awareness or What We Take With Us
is synonymous
with being
uninformed,
heedless,
unfamiliar,
unconcerned,
negligent,
oblivious,
blind,
unenlightened,
unknowing,
unmindful
and ignorant.
Being ignorant is someone who is lacking knowledge, information or awareness. So Nephi's use of the word ignorant in 2 Nephi 32:7 is significant. He said
"And now I, Nephi,
cannot say more;
the Spirit stoppeth
mine utterance,
and I am left to mourn
because of the unbelief,
and the wickedness,
and the ignorance,
and the stiffnecknedness
of men; for they
will not search knowledge,
nor understand great knowledge, when
it is given unto them
in plainness,
even as plain
as word can be."
and being unaware
That one who has more intelligence (light and truth)
is more aware,
And the greater the intelligence,
These two facts do exist,
1. that there are two spirits,
one being more intelligent
more intelligent than they;
I am more intelligent
that we may search out
the presumptions of ignorance,
and cut them off
by means of knowledge,
especially in those
who are preoccupied
with some erroneous opinions,
by means of which ignorance
is the more firmly rooted in them"
(Clement of Rome).
If our time here is to have any meaning at all, our brain and intellect must be clear and active. Our life here should be a constant mental exercise.
One might argue that there are many intelligent people who are not aware of the word of God, and that is true, if we use the world's measure of intelligence.
They may have, it is true, a wealth of knowledge about a certain profession, hobby or interest, and may even be experts or authorities. They may have unequaled skills and abilities, and may even be considered as one of the best in their given area of skill or knowledge.
But without the word of God they remain ignorant and have a minimum of awareness of what really matters, not only in this world, but in the world to come, i.e., "...that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory...." (Moses 6:59).
There are many 'intelligent' people in the world, but the world measures intelligence differently. For example, we would consider someone outlandishly accomplished, who as a son of Indian immigrants was educated at Stanford, Oxford, and Harvard, who worked as a surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and who now teaches at Harvard. We would consider such a person as being very intelligent, which is true if we measure intelligence by IQ, test passing, accomplishment, memorization, analytical and cognitive skills, and every other worldly measure.
But even the most intelligent by the world's standards can and do remain ignorant of, for example, even knowing where they are--the world (Babylon) and of our conditions here!
The interchange between Alma and Antionah illustrates this truth. After Alma had explained that death was a result of the fall of Adam, "there was one Antionah, who was a chief ruler among them, came forth and said unto him: 'What is this that thou hast said, that man should rise from the dead and be changed from this mortal to an immortal state, that the soul can never die? What does the scripture mean, which saith that God
placed cherubim and a flaming sword on the east of the garden of Eden, lest our first parents should enter and partake of the fruit of the tree of life, and live forever? And thus we see that there was no possible chance that they should live forever.'
Because Alma could see that Antionah was only focused on the 'living forever' piece of the puzzle, and did not fully understand, he said unto him: "This is the thing which I was about to explain. Now we see that Adam did fall by partaking of the forbidden fruit, according to the word of God; and thus we see, that by his fall, all mankind became a lost and fallen people" (Alma 12:20-22).
Alma then explains the Lord's plan of redemption and how we receive this gift. Caution. Don't think you know the plan of redemption before you search Alma 12, and then ask yourself what is His plan of redemption, and what do His "second commandments" have to do with His plan of redemption (Alma 12:37)? What are we to do after knowing and obeying His second commandments (Alma 13:1)?
Antionah was ignorant, and Alma, using the word of God, gave Antionah an opportunity to overcome his ignorance concerning why God placed cherubim and a flaming sword to prevent Adam and Eve from partaking of the tree of life, and how, not withstanding Adam and Eve being prevented, they could be redeemed. By the way, did you know that everyone except Sons of Perdition will be redeemed, even those in the Telestial Kingdom and lower (D&C 76:32-38; 88:17-24)?
Several years ago, I went to hear Paul Volker, who at the time was the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. As I listened it didn't take long for me to realize I had no idea what he was talking about. I felt totally ignorant and realized I did not have any frame of reference. It was like he was speaking a foreign language, and after just a few minutes of him speaking with me he would be aware of my ignorance. So it is with the word of God. Without a frame of reference people remain ignorant. And by frame of reference, I mean learning and understanding the Lord's language. See A New Language.
Another example concerns Enoch teaching the people the word of God and the record says,
"And as Enoch spake forth
the words of God,
the people trembled,
and could not stand in his presence"
(Moses 6:47).
He then tells them of their conditions on this earth.
"And he said unto them:
¹Because that Adam fell ²we are;
and ³by his fall came death;
and ⁴we are made partakers
of misery and woe.
Behold ⁵Satan hath come
among the children of men,
and ⁶tempteth them
to worship him;
and ⁷men have become
carnal, sensual and devilish,
and ⁸are shut out
from the presence of God"
(Moses 6:48-49).
With these words we become aware of our condition on this earth.
Because
of the fall,
We are.
We die.
We are carnal
and devilish.
We are shut out
from the presence of God.
This awareness of our condition on this earth increases our intelligence, and raises the question: can we overcome it?
We are told that we can,
and how we can
through God's words.
We then become more aware
or more intelligent,
having received
light and truth
through His words.
As we receive
more of God's words
our intelligence
and our awareness
increases.
For without knowing where we are and why, we have no hope of going anywhere. So it is with all the words of God, and our awareness or lack of awareness is directly connected to whether we receive and believe the word of God.
The intelligence is in the details which are only made manifest by diligently searching His words.
Think of His words as a map which can help us find and keep us on the right path.
Without the map, we are in "a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch (even if we have) commenced in the path (we will) lose (our) way, (and we will) wander off and (get) lost" (1 Nephi 8:23). Notice he does not say we might get lost.
The only remedy is to search the Words of the most Intelligent of them all, feast upon them, and retain them as the treasures they are. Only in feasting upon the words of God can we see the light shining in the darkness.
However, there are more and damning consequences for being ignorant.
Peter is purportedly to have said that
"...all evil springs
from ignorance;
and ignorance herself,
the mother of all evils,
is sprung from
carelessness and sloth,
and is nourished, and increased,
and rooted in the senses
of men by negligence.
For nothing is worse
than for one to believe
that one knows
what one is ignorant of,
and to maintain
that to be true
which is false"
(Clement of Rome).
Let's examine some of the 'evils' that can and do result from ignorance. For one, without the light of His words we are navigating in the darkness and have no idea or at least not a clear idea of where we are.
Being clearly aware of where we are is the key to making sense of all that goes on around us, but more importantly without knowing that we are in the world where Satan reigns--with the blessing of God--we can mistake Satan's world as the 'real world' when it is God's 'real world' that we should desire.
And we actually become very comfortable in Satan's world.
Another 'evil' is that people ignorant of the Lord's word do not have a clear picture of the Atonement and what it means to repent and are therefore in jeopardy of being subject to the justice of God.
They may, however, have some of His words, but have not diligently searched them and therefore remain in the midst of darkness.
Because they do not understand God's justice their idea of salvation is simply the teachings of men mingled with scripture, and because many share the same ideas, they take comfort.
Consider this example. If you teach your child that to 'let your light shine' means to be good and set a good example, and another teaches her child that it is Christ's light that we should hold up and follow and not our light, which of these two children is on the right path? (Isaiah 50:11).
Or this one. You believe that God loves you so much and that while you are not perfect, you are basically good, and even though you have made mistakes, God's love for you is so great, he will ignore or forgive your mistakes and usher you into His presence. If you believe this you are not only ignorant of God, but are ignorant of the justice of God.
We are commanded
to teach our children
to understand the
doctrine of repentance
and baptism before
they are eight years old.
You can ask yourself why it is critical for them to understand these doctrines at this time in their lives?
It is to get them in the gate and on the right path as soon as they become accountable to God for their own sins, at which time they can then begin repenting.
How can we keep this commandment, and get them through the gate and in the right path if we do not understand the doctrine of Christ ourselves?
If we are ignorant of the Lord's definition of repentance how can we teach our children to understand repentance? They would remain ignorant and unaware of their own need for repentance. And if we are not repenting we cannot understand the doctrine of repentance!
I am afraid that we don't get children in the right way (even though we have the CTR ring) but instead send them into the world on one of the broad paths.
Going through the gate blindly does not get them in the right way.
Only "light and truth forsake that evil one" (D&C 93:37), and by not bringing up our children in light and truth, and instead rely on our traditions which take away light and truth (D&C 93:38-40), we have not taught our children as the Lord requires.
And the reason?
Because we are ignorant and unaware.
If we don't teach
our children
that there are
only two choices--
good and evil--
but instead teach them
to make good choices
that make their
lives more comfortable
in Satan's world,
then we have abandoned
them to the world
without light and truth,
to rely on their own merits.
Combine not having a clear understanding of where we are with being ignorant of the doctrines of Christ, ignorant of His gospel, ignorant of His definitions of good and evil, and ignorant of His justice and mercy, it is easy to get lost. But the danger is that while we are lost we can deceive ourselves and think that we are on the right path! Satan is the best at creating illusions.
Add to these our ignorance of the endtime prophecies in Isaiah, other Jewish prophets, the Book of Mormon, the D&C, the New Testament and the Book of Revelation, and not only do we not know that we are living in Babylon, but are ignorant that everyone and everything who remain in Babylon will be destroyed, and that it will be because of us, the Lord's people who have refused to repent.
We don't understand the prophecies concerning America and the reversal that takes place between Lehi's descendants and the Gentiles. We don't know that the Gospel will be taken from us because we reject the fulness of the gospel, and be given to the House of Israel (the Jews, the 10 Tribes & Lehi's descendants).
Another resulting evil ignorance brings upon us, is that we buy into Satan's economy believing that Satan's economy is the Lord's way, and that our liberties under the Constitution are guaranteed. We are ignorant of the fact that we only have the Constitution because we refused to live the Lord's law.
And what is the Lord's law?
I rest my case.
As a result
Satan will "grasp (us)
with his everlasting chains....
And others will he pacify,
and lull them away into carnal security... and thus the devil cheateth their souls,
and leadeth them
carefully down to hell....
And behold, others
he flattereth away..."
(2 Nephi 28:19-29).
The only remedy to prevent being grasped in Satan's chains of hell is the word of God (Alma 12:9-11).
There is a direct correlation between ignorance in politics, placing our trust in our leaders, religious or otherwise, and ignorance of the word of God. The Constitution, even though inspired by God, is still a government of men. There is no true party and no party is a defender of the truth. Through His words we know that the Constitution was inspired by Him. "According to the laws and constitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles; That every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment...and for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose..." (D&C 101:76-80).
The Lord is not concerned with party policies (men will never solve the problems in this country regardless to which party they belong), but with protecting the rights granted under the Constitution, and we should oppose anyone who will not submit to the rule of law and protect the God-given Constitutional freedoms.
For this purpose the Lord has told us to seek honest and wise leaders who will uphold the liberties granted to all men under the Constitution (D&C 98-10).
Anyone who is not wise and honest, and who does not uphold these rights, should not be supported no matter to which party he or she may belong.
The Lord knew, as did the founders of the Constitution, that character matters.
Dishonest leaders blinded by power are more likely to not uphold and protect these Constitutional liberties.
Anyone who believes otherwise is ignorant or not aware of all that one dishonest leader can do to erode democracy and these freedoms, and is not aware of how these types of leaders supported by even a minority, lead to the events prophesied. And be aware that the apostasy of the Lord's people is the catalyst.
They are ignorant of God's counsel to only seek for honest and wise leaders who will uphold these Constitutional freedoms. If we, however, have two unwise and dishonest candidates, then that may be an indication that the majority of the people desire that which is not of God (Mosiah 29:26-27).
If we are not aware we may not recognize our role as the catalyst for having to choose between two dishonest candidates.
The wise men who founded the Constitution realized that for democracy to work everyone (including the President) must submit themselves to the rule of law, something a dishonest president may not be willing to do.
And yet millions of Americans can remain ignorant of how easily this can happen.
Of those who are willing to support dishonest and corrupt leaders, they generally fall into one of three categories:
1) because of a single issue or policy they believed the leader would support regardless of that leader's character;
2) those that buy into and support dishonesty and corruption and anarchy, or who want to be in the circle of power, and
3) those who are ignorant of the damage one dishonest and corrupt president can do to democracy, and become cult-like followers of one person or party, which is by far the biggest group.
Anyone who believes otherwise can only be classified as ignorant, or to use another term of the word ignorant, they just ignore the dishonesty and corruption.
To God, character is paramount as a person with character is more likely to be committed to upholding the rights and liberties for all, and which are granted under the Constitution.
We should become pro-God rather than anti-candidate, and we become pro-God when we follow His admonition to select honest and wise leaders who will hold our liberties under the Constitution.
Any member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who is unaware of the Book of Mormon prophecies concerning America, and the Lord's words to Joseph Smith concerning seeking for wise and honest leaders who would protect the liberties under the Constitution (D&C 98:5-10), is ignorant of the conditions that accelerate the endtime events prophesied.
Peter to have used the word "senses" is enlightened because he links intelligence to our faculties, the most important of which is our mind, our brain.
We must awake and arouse our faculties in order to prepare to receive the word of God (Alma 32:27).
Joseph Smith said that "We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect..."
As we give heed to the light (His words) we become more intelligent, and receive more and thus become even more intelligent.
He also said, "Apply yourselves diligently to study, that your minds may be stored with all necessary information."
If we only get our information from what others have said or written, and then share that information among ourselves, as opposed to what God has revealed and caused to be written, we contribute to what Joseph described as the "veil of stupidity" that hangs over the heads of this people, and there are eternal consequences for remaining ignorant for "it is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance" (D&C 131:6).
Peter also says that ignorance is the result of laziness and negligence. To remain ignorant, therefore, is the result of ignoring or letting His words fall by the wayside. It is willful.
Another aspect of being ignorant is basing our decisions and opinions on very little data or evidence.
But what constitutes evidence?
In a court of law the standard of evidence is very strict. For example, a person's opinion is not evidence unless the witness qualifies as an expert witness which must be determined before any testimony can be elicited. Moreover, even these experts can be challenged or contradicted by other expert witnesses. While there are exceptions, hearsay--what you heard or read from another--is not evidence.
What a person believes is not evidence. In fact, a person's beliefs are not relevant, no matter the authority or prominence of that person.
Evidence is an available body of facts to support whether a belief or proposition is true.
Evidence can be presented in proof of the facts in issue and which may include the testimony of witnesses with actual knowledge, records, documents or objects.
Gathering evidence is one of the foundations of critical thinking and good decision-making.
So when someone makes a declaration without evidence we should give no heed, and can rightfully observe that that person is ignorant, or worse yet, knowingly ignorant and knowingly leading others who are ignorant to support, believe and follow him/her.
Yet we often base our beliefs and opinions on the opinions of others thereby compounding the problem. As Brigham Young said, a person's opinion is not worth a damn. This is true of even so called 'informed' opinions.
To accept declarations without evidence is a sign that our critical thinking is wanting and supports Peter's statement that "nothing is worse than for one to believe that one knows what one is ignorant of, and to maintain that to be true which is false."
If we are honest with ourselves we must admit that all of us are ignorant of the truthfulness of what we hear and read.
Those with the word of God should be the most critical of thinkers. We should never accept anything at face value and are obliged to get information, evidence and data from all of the most reliable sources and then compare all that we hear and read to the word of God to know the difference between what comes from men and what comes from God.
As Joseph said "Thy mind O man must stretch to the highest heavens." We cannot rely on comments on social media or limited and/or bias news sources. We cannot accept alternative facts and propaganda. While our country does support our right to have an opinion, even though alone not worth a damn, uninformed or otherwise, we are not entitled to our own facts.
We can use and rely on 'alternative facts' or lies and propaganda, but to do so is contrary to God's words to not speak guile, which is to deceive, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and to spread those lies and propaganda is the very definition of speaking guile.
Anything and everything we discuss must be within the framework of the word of God.
Why?
Isn't it rather
Narrow?
Arbitrary?
Confining?
Authoritarian?
No, the word of God has immense breadth and depth.
Within the framework
of the word of God
we are free to
ponder,
speculate,
discuss,
criticize,
check, and
control
from other sources--
It is all legitimate.
Above all, we are not only justified in falling back on the the word of God, but we are obliged to--because there is no other framework available to appeal to.
Without the framework of the word of God, we remain ignorant of where we are, what has happened in the world, what is happening around us and in the world, and what will happen to us, the world and those in it. Instead we put our trust in men, trusting in certain ideologies, parties, values, the arm of flesh or as the Lord puts it--in idols.
Having a zeal for someone or something is not the same as having knowledge about someone or something.
Zeal without knowledge is dangerous.
It is like a car with an engine but without brakes, a transmission and a steering wheel. Zeal leads to poor decision-making and makes one prone to blindly follow others. Religious and political zeal are perilous and reckless and are always uninformed.
Let me conclude with these words from the Lord to Joseph Smith.
"It is an imperative duty
that we owe
to God,
to angels...
and also
to ourselves,
to our wives
and children
[because] ...of
the influence
of that spirit
which hath so strongly
riveted the creeds
of the fathers,
who have inherited lies,
upon the hearts
of the children,
and filled the
world with confusion,
and has been
growing stronger
and stronger,
and is now
the very mainspring
of all corruption,
and the whole earth
groans under the
weight of its iniquity.
It is an iron yoke,
it is a strong band;
they are the
very handcuffs
and chains,
and shackles,
and fetters of hell....
For there are many
yet on the earth
among all sects,
parties, and
denominations,
who are blinded by
[ignorant of] the
subtle craftiness of men,
whereby they lie in wait
to deceive,
and who are only
kept from the truth
because they know
not where to find it"
(D& 123:7-8;12).
We, however, have no excuse and must not be blinded by the subtle craftiness of men and remain ignorant. Why? Because we do know where to find the truth, and to continue without searching the truth for light and knowledge, not only guarantees that we remain ignorant, but is contrary to God's command to search His words, for by His words we will be judged!
