I've been thinking about the story of Adam and Eve for the past few days. I didn't even mean to start thinking about it. It just turned on in my head. It erupted into my consciousness. Usually that's the way the most creative ideas come to me. It's the way many of the most touching, enduring, expanding ideas come to me. As though my mind and consciousness need to get out of the way so these wonderful ideas can present themselves. How should I feel about that?
These thoughts came to me as I drove to Bear Lake over the weekend. I was thinking about sin and redemption after listening to a Christian radio broadcast about that subject. Many thoughts came to me and I had a powerful and beautiful personal experience as well. I thought about our existence, from the pre-mortal life, to our current life, and on into the next. They're really one life. It's one eternal life. Just different stages within that life.
For the first time ever in my life I started looking at the story of Adam and Eve as an allegory. I started seeing them not as real people, but as symbols. It may seem strange that I've never looked at them that way, but I've always been taught they were real people, part of a real story, or history. But when the idea came to my mind to consider them as symbols, part of an allegory, I was able to go deeper into the meaning of that episode. On mormonstories.org I recently listened to a podcast interview with Terryl Givens. He talks about a class he teaches or taught in which he presented the Genesis story of Adam and Eve in a way that presented the devil as the one doing good and God as the one doing wrong. I thought about that and realized that I've felt that way in a sense, in a way I wasn't able to articulate, or wasn't able to really consider fully, many times in my life. He's offering Adam and Eve a choice. One that leads them to become like the Gods, knowing good from evil. We believe that without Adam and Eve partaking of the forbidden fruit none of us would be able to exist in this mortal realm. What would be the point of Adam and Eve living in a state of innocence for eternity?
God is telling Adam and Eve do not partake of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Why would he do that? God doesn't want us to know good from evil? No, I don't think so. God may have warned, "If you partake of the fruit you will suffer. I want you to know that. Be aware of that before you make the decision."
So let's take this to a new level. Let's look at Adam and Eve not as real people but as symbols. And let's say they didn't exist in this world, but that paradisiacal state before coming to this world. Adam and Eve represent all of us as we were in the pre-mortal life. We all had a decision to make. Would we partake of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil and come to this world? A world filled with pain and suffering? A world in which we would surely die? A world in which we would be cut off from the physical presence of God? Sounds like a deeply challenging and trying experience. Or would we choose to live in a state of comparative innocence eternally? In the "garden of Eden." Or pre-mortal existence.
Could it really be that the Genesis story has been so corrupted that we're getting God's role presented to us as Satan's role almost and Satan's as God's? It wouldn't really surprise me that much. I'm not sure I feel like the roles have been reversed, more like the story has been corrupted altogether, with bits and pieces of truth mixed in with myth.
Speaking of reversing roles and corrupting stories. We talk of Adam's transgression, which I don't believe was a transgression at all. I don't believe God would have commanded them not to eat the fruit. Not to mention Adam didn't partake of the fruit first. Eve did. It's almost as though in most accounts she's invisible. And again it wasn't a transgression. Eve had the brilliance of mind and the foresight to know that the human race would not exist in a mortal state, vital to our growth, without her eating the fruit. She sacrificed her own comfort and peace for the greater good of the human race. How many women do this on a daily basis?
For me, all these things happened not at the beginning of our existence in this life, but in our pre-mortal life. God explained to us that we needed to experience mortality to continue our eternal growth. It was vital. But he also warned us that mortality would be filled with extreme sorrow, difficulty, pain, terror, depression, and so on and so on. He warned us. He didn't forbid us, he didn't command us not to do it. He warned us. We all ate the fruit nonetheless. Could it be that in that pre-mortal life it was a woman, or many women, who took the lead in convincing us that this was the course we must follow? That even though it would be filled with difficulty it was the best course for us. Hence Eve's portrayal as the one partaking the fruit first? Then the men followed, understanding that she was right.
What would Lucifer's role be in all this? The story as I've explained it? I don't believe he was the one enticing us to partake the fruit and experience mortal life. He was the one saying it's too hard, don't do it. Many of us won't survive. We'll be lost. Follow me and I'll save everyone through force. As we see in modern scripture. His portrayal in modern scripture as the one wanting to take choice away contrasts drastically with his portrayal in Genesis as the one who wants to give us choice. It was never God's plan to take choice away. Our right to choose is the shining ideal in his plan. He wanted so badly to protect that ideal that he was willing to sacrifice his most obedient, most powerful son, for us, so we could still choose and fail. And he would pick us up.
If we choose to follow God, we've never been lost. The Fall was not a fall. It was a new vital step to our eternal lives. Yes, we left God's personal presence to experience this life. That's a massive challenge. People could even call it a fall from grace, if you consider God's presence grace. But I don't look at it that way. From very early on in our existence, if not from the very beginning, God had a plan. It always included choice and a Savior. The fact that the Savior was part of the plan from so long ago means we were never lost. We have the freedom to choose not to be saved, but we were never lost. Jesus Christ was always part of the plan. Choice was always part of the plan, therefore, mistakes and sin were always part of the plan. We were never lost.
How do we change our minds? How do we rethink this important story? How can we erase the past story and write it anew? I don't believe these old stories are true. They've misled us. God is not the one in Genesis interacting with Adam and Eve and neither is the devil. They're almost the opposite of how they're portrayed. How do I erase my memories of the old story and create new ones? It will take some disentangling, some rearranging, some retelling altogether. It's well worth the effort. Just as this life is.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Monday, June 2, 2014
Yet Another Short Thought on Jonah and the Great Fish
The name Jonah, in Hebrew, means "dove". It's not surprising that this fact has been almost completely lost, at least to the great majority of us. Also not surprising is the fact that his name has also come to mean "destroyer", and "he that oppresses". I have a feeling that a man named Jonah would not be allowed on the crew of a ship, since, to sailors, the name has come to mean someone who brings bad luck.
How we tend to confuse things. Usually, just as the book of Revelation has come to be the personification of the apocalyptic, we make something good and beautiful to signify something terrifying and ugly.
I can imagine God holding the book of Jonah lovingly and tenderly in his hands, then giving it a gentle push, so it could fly to us and alight on our lives in the form of a dove. It's a message of peace. Even the dead can be redeemed. Even the wicked may have a second chance. Paul speaks very briefly, but clearly, of baptism for the dead, in 1 Corinthians, chapter 15. The book of Jonah speaks more fully, but in a much more literary way, which can tend to make it more enigmatic, about the redemption of the dead. But if we search it, and seek, and listen, and hear, we will catch the spirit of this beautiful message.
How we tend to confuse things. Usually, just as the book of Revelation has come to be the personification of the apocalyptic, we make something good and beautiful to signify something terrifying and ugly.
I can imagine God holding the book of Jonah lovingly and tenderly in his hands, then giving it a gentle push, so it could fly to us and alight on our lives in the form of a dove. It's a message of peace. Even the dead can be redeemed. Even the wicked may have a second chance. Paul speaks very briefly, but clearly, of baptism for the dead, in 1 Corinthians, chapter 15. The book of Jonah speaks more fully, but in a much more literary way, which can tend to make it more enigmatic, about the redemption of the dead. But if we search it, and seek, and listen, and hear, we will catch the spirit of this beautiful message.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Another Thought on Jonah and the Whale
In the final verse of the book of Jonah, we read this:
And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
I've thought about this verse a lot. I don't remember where I read this, on a website, but I can't find it now, but someone explains those who cannot discern between their right and left hand as those who are minors according to the law. He states there were 120,000 men, not including women and those who did not know their right hand from their left hand, or, in other words, minors.
It's a great explanation. It's one of the things that have kept me thinking about this verse. But instead of believing it represents minors, I believe it represents anyone who did not know right from wrong, or more particularly, the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who did not have the opportunity to receive and accept the gospel. Possibly even those who did not get a proper opportunity to receive and accept it. They're like children, or minors, they're innocent, because they didn't know the complete truth, so there's no way they could have obeyed it. We give preferential treatment to minors in our law. Because they don't know what we know as adults.
On another note, when Jonah is in the ship, in the first chapter of the book, and the sea rages, he sleeps. The Greek version, the Septuagint, says that he snores. He's so sound asleep. This is one of the parts of the book that I've struggled with. What does it mean. Supposedly he was the cause of the storm. So why could he sleep so soundly and the other men, innocent, could not?
I'm not sure he caused the storm after all. I'd say the storm is life. There are storms a raging all the time. Those who do not have the peace of the gospel of Jesus Christ and its ordinances, (or, those who are innocent, as discussed above) which are eternal and ever binding, do not feel peace when the storms rage. Jonah, one with the gospel, who had received eternal, binding ordinances, could sleep in the storm.
And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
I've thought about this verse a lot. I don't remember where I read this, on a website, but I can't find it now, but someone explains those who cannot discern between their right and left hand as those who are minors according to the law. He states there were 120,000 men, not including women and those who did not know their right hand from their left hand, or, in other words, minors.
It's a great explanation. It's one of the things that have kept me thinking about this verse. But instead of believing it represents minors, I believe it represents anyone who did not know right from wrong, or more particularly, the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who did not have the opportunity to receive and accept the gospel. Possibly even those who did not get a proper opportunity to receive and accept it. They're like children, or minors, they're innocent, because they didn't know the complete truth, so there's no way they could have obeyed it. We give preferential treatment to minors in our law. Because they don't know what we know as adults.
On another note, when Jonah is in the ship, in the first chapter of the book, and the sea rages, he sleeps. The Greek version, the Septuagint, says that he snores. He's so sound asleep. This is one of the parts of the book that I've struggled with. What does it mean. Supposedly he was the cause of the storm. So why could he sleep so soundly and the other men, innocent, could not?
I'm not sure he caused the storm after all. I'd say the storm is life. There are storms a raging all the time. Those who do not have the peace of the gospel of Jesus Christ and its ordinances, (or, those who are innocent, as discussed above) which are eternal and ever binding, do not feel peace when the storms rage. Jonah, one with the gospel, who had received eternal, binding ordinances, could sleep in the storm.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Thoughts on Jonah and the Whale
The allegory of Jonah and the whale never fails to amaze me or to provide something new, a new thought, a new insight, a new way of looking at life and our own shortcomings--and salvation, nonetheless.
Jonah, in the story, like all of us, disobeys God's commandments. He literally runs in the opposite direction from where God asked him to go. As I read a synopsis of the story, I thought about it a little differently.
Jehovah offered this allegory as revelation to some prophet in Old Testament times. Possibly one named Jonah.
The prophet, Jonah, in the story, through his disobedience, represents all of us. No matter what we do we will always fall short of the demands of justice, just as Jonah fell short. When he is thrown into the ocean, it represents his death, and inevitable burial, his spiritual death. He's drowning. He has fallen short.
God, however, sends a great fish, Jesus Christ, to spare his life, his very spiritual life. Remember, Jesus is often depicted as a fish. (I can't help but think of the fish magnets placed on the backs of cars, which represent Jesus.)
While he's in the belly of the fish, Jonah says, Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. I think about those who die without knowing the gospel, or without accepting it. To me, one of the things this allegory is saying is that despite our disobedience, or falling short, we can yet look toward the Holy Temple, in the afterlife. The saving ordinances will be made available to all, even after this life.
Once Jonah is vomited out of the fish's mouth, in other words, after he is saved, or in the afterlife, he has the opportunity to preach to the wicked, or those who were wicked in this life. Jonah's preaching is successful. Maybe our preaching in the next life will be more successful than it is here. The wicked repent, completely, as fully as they can, and they accept Jesus Christ. God gladly accepts their repentance and saves them, through the atonement of Jesus Christ.
Nineveh, in Old Testament times, was an enemy to Israel. It was also a very wicked place. As such, it's the perfect place to represent wickedness in general, being the exact opposite of Israel, which represents righteousness, or God's gospel plan.
I can see how this deathbed--even later than that--repentance could displease Jonah, even to the point of wanting to be dead. (Think of the prodigal son. Or, more specifically, his brother.) What was the point of preaching in the first place when Jonah knew that God would be so kind and forgiving, even after life was over? That was Jonah's question. Chapter 4:2:
God reminds Jonah of the grouse, which grew in a night and died in a night, which gave Jonah comfort. Jonah had nothing to do with its growth, yet he's angry when it's gone. God says, aren't these people even more important than that?
Interesting that the number of people in Nineveh is 120,000. Seems like a common theme, divisible by 12, but a relatively large number, to represent all the wicked. Nineveh represents the wicked, or those who did not have the chance to accept the gospel, maybe even a second chance for those who did have the opportunity but didn't take it.
There's more to this allegory than I've ever thought. Though I've realized for some time that I'd continue to learn from it. In other words, I knew there was a lot here. It reaches even beyond the veil, or beyond this life, and, again, it looks to the Temple. It looks to saving ordinances, which, as we know, reach beyond the grave. Something no other religion can actually get from this story, though an intuitive and wise person might anyway, is that it represents God's love for all his children, which reaches beyond the bounds of this life. He loves all of us so much, and he doesn't just say it, he provides a way to show it completely, offering us all the opportunity, the true, legitimate, opportunity to accept his saving plan, with all its ordinances. Can it be that the book of Jonah says all that?
Again, another Old Testament prophet pointing us to the Temple.
Jonah, in the story, like all of us, disobeys God's commandments. He literally runs in the opposite direction from where God asked him to go. As I read a synopsis of the story, I thought about it a little differently.
Jehovah offered this allegory as revelation to some prophet in Old Testament times. Possibly one named Jonah.
The prophet, Jonah, in the story, through his disobedience, represents all of us. No matter what we do we will always fall short of the demands of justice, just as Jonah fell short. When he is thrown into the ocean, it represents his death, and inevitable burial, his spiritual death. He's drowning. He has fallen short.
God, however, sends a great fish, Jesus Christ, to spare his life, his very spiritual life. Remember, Jesus is often depicted as a fish. (I can't help but think of the fish magnets placed on the backs of cars, which represent Jesus.)
While he's in the belly of the fish, Jonah says, Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. I think about those who die without knowing the gospel, or without accepting it. To me, one of the things this allegory is saying is that despite our disobedience, or falling short, we can yet look toward the Holy Temple, in the afterlife. The saving ordinances will be made available to all, even after this life.
Once Jonah is vomited out of the fish's mouth, in other words, after he is saved, or in the afterlife, he has the opportunity to preach to the wicked, or those who were wicked in this life. Jonah's preaching is successful. Maybe our preaching in the next life will be more successful than it is here. The wicked repent, completely, as fully as they can, and they accept Jesus Christ. God gladly accepts their repentance and saves them, through the atonement of Jesus Christ.
Nineveh, in Old Testament times, was an enemy to Israel. It was also a very wicked place. As such, it's the perfect place to represent wickedness in general, being the exact opposite of Israel, which represents righteousness, or God's gospel plan.
I can see how this deathbed--even later than that--repentance could displease Jonah, even to the point of wanting to be dead. (Think of the prodigal son. Or, more specifically, his brother.) What was the point of preaching in the first place when Jonah knew that God would be so kind and forgiving, even after life was over? That was Jonah's question. Chapter 4:2:
And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.He's basically asking, why did I work so hard to do what was right? You were willing to save all of us anyway?
God reminds Jonah of the grouse, which grew in a night and died in a night, which gave Jonah comfort. Jonah had nothing to do with its growth, yet he's angry when it's gone. God says, aren't these people even more important than that?
Interesting that the number of people in Nineveh is 120,000. Seems like a common theme, divisible by 12, but a relatively large number, to represent all the wicked. Nineveh represents the wicked, or those who did not have the chance to accept the gospel, maybe even a second chance for those who did have the opportunity but didn't take it.
There's more to this allegory than I've ever thought. Though I've realized for some time that I'd continue to learn from it. In other words, I knew there was a lot here. It reaches even beyond the veil, or beyond this life, and, again, it looks to the Temple. It looks to saving ordinances, which, as we know, reach beyond the grave. Something no other religion can actually get from this story, though an intuitive and wise person might anyway, is that it represents God's love for all his children, which reaches beyond the bounds of this life. He loves all of us so much, and he doesn't just say it, he provides a way to show it completely, offering us all the opportunity, the true, legitimate, opportunity to accept his saving plan, with all its ordinances. Can it be that the book of Jonah says all that?
Again, another Old Testament prophet pointing us to the Temple.
Monday, April 21, 2014
A Right to the Throne
Moses 7:59 -
Why was this so powerful to me? Enoch says he has been given a right to the throne of God. I don't think I've ever thought of it that way. Through the grace of Jesus Christ, Enoch had a right to the throne, and so do we all.
And Enoch beheld the Son of Man ascend up unto the Father; and he called unto the Lord, saying: Wilt thou not come again upon the earth? Forasmuch as thou art God, and I know thee, and thou hast sworn unto me, and commanded me that I should ask in the name of thine Only Begotten; thou hast made me, and given unto me a right to thy throne, and not of myself, but through thine own grace; wherefore, I ask thee if thou wilt not come again on the earth.
Why was this so powerful to me? Enoch says he has been given a right to the throne of God. I don't think I've ever thought of it that way. Through the grace of Jesus Christ, Enoch had a right to the throne, and so do we all.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
The Number of the Beast
Revelation 13:18
-The number of the beast is 666.
-The numerical value of the name Jesus (IESOUS) in Greek is 888.
-From wikipedia.com for "Number of the beast": There are several interpretations-translations for the meaning of the phrase "Here is Wisdom, Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast" where the peculiar Greek word ψηφισάτω (psefisato) is used. Possible translations include not only "to count", "to reckon" but also "to vote" or "to decide". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_of_the_beast
-The beast is 666; Jesus is 888. They are both decipherable, recognizable, differentiated. We can reckon between them. We can decide which one to follow. We can know which is which.
-It looks as though in the process of trying to say, "The beast has a number, it's different from Jesus', you can decipher between the two and choose which one you will serve," all of which I'm sure was meant to clarify the situation, John ended up confusing the great majority of us, which basically is our fault I think.
We ended up by making a complete mess of the 666 thing. It's not meant to be looked upon as a literal number we should avoid, or we should try with all our hearts to decipher. Like we often avoid the number 13, out of superstition. It's a symbol that differentiates the beast from the Savior. It says, "You can tell between the two, and if you're wise you'll make the right choice."
-The number of the beast is 666.
-The numerical value of the name Jesus (IESOUS) in Greek is 888.
-From wikipedia.com for "Number of the beast": There are several interpretations-translations for the meaning of the phrase "Here is Wisdom, Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast" where the peculiar Greek word ψηφισάτω (psefisato) is used. Possible translations include not only "to count", "to reckon" but also "to vote" or "to decide". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_of_the_beast
-The beast is 666; Jesus is 888. They are both decipherable, recognizable, differentiated. We can reckon between them. We can decide which one to follow. We can know which is which.
-It looks as though in the process of trying to say, "The beast has a number, it's different from Jesus', you can decipher between the two and choose which one you will serve," all of which I'm sure was meant to clarify the situation, John ended up confusing the great majority of us, which basically is our fault I think.
We ended up by making a complete mess of the 666 thing. It's not meant to be looked upon as a literal number we should avoid, or we should try with all our hearts to decipher. Like we often avoid the number 13, out of superstition. It's a symbol that differentiates the beast from the Savior. It says, "You can tell between the two, and if you're wise you'll make the right choice."
Friday, April 11, 2014
Revelation 13 and 14
Revelation
13:1 - the beast is almost like the church, seven heads--a heavenly number, 10 horns, 10 crowns, not quite the 12 crowns representing the church, but similar, like enough to be deceptive, enough truth to be deceptive.
13:3 - one of the beast's heads is wounded as it were to death. The gospel in the meridian of time wounds the beast as though to death, but the beast recovers and gains power and overcomes the saints, then the beast's influence covers the earth. The great apostasy.
13:11 - another beast had two horns like a lamb, and spoke as a dragon. Again enough similarities to good to be deceptive. It's not blatantly bad.
The beast: he is an evolving creature, or the dragons associated with him are evolving, ever changing, ever becoming more sly and deceptive.
14:1-5 - The 144,000: a number signifying, or representing the faithful followers of Christ. They will be redeemed in the first resurrection, the first fruits unto God and the Lamb. Maybe the number is what it is to represent how small the actual faithful to the Savior will be? 144,000 in relation to many numbers used in the scriptures, or mainly in relation to numbers in general, now, seems very small. I want to say it's a generic number, but I'm not sure that's exactly what I mean. It has no literal significance in my opinion.
14:13 - And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write,a Blessed are the b dead which c die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may d rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
The works of the righteous follow them because they are done with authority, being acceptable to God. They can rest from their labours, because they are complete. All the work has been finished, and accepted.
14:14-20 - the true second coming of Jesus Christ, after all the work has been done, all the work that can be done has been done, and has been accepted. Those who follow the Savior are taken to their rest and then the Savior sends those who are proud and unrighteous to their just place. The final scriptures compare it to a wine press and blood. The wicked being required to pay for their sins on their own. Since they did not accept the blood of Christ to cleanse them.
13:1 - the beast is almost like the church, seven heads--a heavenly number, 10 horns, 10 crowns, not quite the 12 crowns representing the church, but similar, like enough to be deceptive, enough truth to be deceptive.
13:3 - one of the beast's heads is wounded as it were to death. The gospel in the meridian of time wounds the beast as though to death, but the beast recovers and gains power and overcomes the saints, then the beast's influence covers the earth. The great apostasy.
13:11 - another beast had two horns like a lamb, and spoke as a dragon. Again enough similarities to good to be deceptive. It's not blatantly bad.
The beast: he is an evolving creature, or the dragons associated with him are evolving, ever changing, ever becoming more sly and deceptive.
14:1-5 - The 144,000: a number signifying, or representing the faithful followers of Christ. They will be redeemed in the first resurrection, the first fruits unto God and the Lamb. Maybe the number is what it is to represent how small the actual faithful to the Savior will be? 144,000 in relation to many numbers used in the scriptures, or mainly in relation to numbers in general, now, seems very small. I want to say it's a generic number, but I'm not sure that's exactly what I mean. It has no literal significance in my opinion.
14:13 - And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write,
The works of the righteous follow them because they are done with authority, being acceptable to God. They can rest from their labours, because they are complete. All the work has been finished, and accepted.
14:14-20 - the true second coming of Jesus Christ, after all the work has been done, all the work that can be done has been done, and has been accepted. Those who follow the Savior are taken to their rest and then the Savior sends those who are proud and unrighteous to their just place. The final scriptures compare it to a wine press and blood. The wicked being required to pay for their sins on their own. Since they did not accept the blood of Christ to cleanse them.
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