"For you have loved to seek me, and I have called you my friend."
Apocalypse of Abraham. IX
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Abraham desired to possess a greater knowledge and was seeking God earnestly. Because Abraham loved to seek God, Abraham has the distinction of being the only person in the Old Testament whom the Lord calls "my friend" , or more literally, "my beloved friend." This is a divine compliment paid to Abraham.
The word 'friend' comes form the Old English word 'freogan' which means "to love, to favor," The word also derives from the Germanic word 'frijojanan' which means "to love"
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I recently recieved an email from a friend which ended his email with the word Namaste. I wasn't familiar with the word so I looked it up.
Namaste is a gesture that represents the belief that there is a Divine spark within each of us that is located in the heart chakra. The gesture is an acknowledgment of the soul in one by the soul in another.
To perform Namaste, you place the hands together at the heart charka, close the eyes, and bow the head. It can also be done by placing the hands together in front of the third eye, bowing the head, and then bringing the hands down to the heart. This is an especially deep form of respect. You bring the hands together at the heart chakra to increase the flow of Divine love. Bowing the head and closing the eyes helps the mind surrender to the Divine in the heart.
Namaste allows two individuals to come together energetically to a place of connection and timelessness, free from the bonds of pride. If it is done with deep feeling in the heart and with the mind surrendered, a deep union of spirits can blossom.
Namaste is a symbol of gratitude and respect and thereby allowing the truth to flow—the truth that we are all one when we live from the heart.
"Thy friends do stand by thee,
and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands."
Doctrine and Covenants 121: 9
NAMASTE!
17 comments:
Despite Abraham's earlier favored status with God, he is another sad and sobering example for us, that even the best of men & prophets can fall.
It seems that the whoredom of polygamy is too alluring for most men, and even some prophets, to resist.
interesting--
I've believed for a long time that Jesus must have visited the pre-Hindus and pre-Bhuddists, because so many of their beliefs are infused with pure Christianity--
naturally, everything has become corrupted (including our own culture), but I like this--
thank you--
Yes, there is much to learn from the mistakes of the old ones--
so much heartache from one man's/woman's choices--
Anonymous 2:26
You are very zealous in bringing up polygamy and pointing out your view on many of these blog posts.
While everyone is welcome to comment, I would hope in the future that the comments will add to and not distract from the original post
Did I have some pages taken out of my bible?? Since when is Abraham a fallen prophet?
I have learn something of great importance. I can either push my own agenda and what fits my intellect into God's doctrines, and make them fit what I like it to be according to my understanding, or I can submit myself to God and let Him teach me how things work.
The first option ends up me being damn to hell for my unbelief, the second gives me a chance to progress eternally.
I choose the second one, and let God tell me how things work. I don't send some of the most important and obedient and favored people of God to hell just because it doesn't fit my own agenda...
Anon 4:25,
I believe in the Book of Mormon and what it teaches about polygamy. The reference is Jacob chapters 2&3.
Also Joseph Smith was constantly very clear about how evil polygamy was, even for prophets. He warned that anyone who fell for polygamy would be damned, even if a prophet preached or practiced it, that would not be an excuse for us. So I go with his testimony on this for I believe he was a true prophet.
And then last but not least, Christ also repeatedly taught that men can't marry more than one living wife, or it's adultery.
I just don't know why anyone would listen to anyone who teaches contrary to those 3 'true' sources.
Bare Record :
Of the scriptural relationships between God and man, namely, enemy, servant, son or daughter, friend and co-heir with Christ, where do you think friend fits. Is it greater to be Gods friend or his son, His friend or co heir with Christ?
McKay
Do you have a reference for the Joseph Smith warnings on polygamy? Something specific and not dubious in origin?
My Friend,
That was a beautiful POST, and a very inspiring thought. I will ignore the distracting posts that went away from the original intent...
I believe we all have a divine Spark within, and that is why we should "receive the Holy Ghost" or the Divine within.
THank you for continuing to post even when the storms and opposition seem to scream against any truth or goodness shared.
I am glad to still call you friend.
Brian
Namaste
Anonymous 6:47,
This probably not the place to have a long discussion about this so I will just refer you to a couple sources for proof. Puremormonism.blogspot.com is one. He wrote an enlightening piece on this subject called "Why I'm Abandoning Polygamy"
For there are many proven and published documented statements by Joseph Smith that he himself published to the church while he was alive where he constantly taught how evil polygamy is. He even put such teachings in the D&C but BY took them out after Joseph died and replaced them with his section 132.
If you don't want to have to research it all out youself you can find all of these published statements in a book called "Joseph Smith Fought Polygamy". You can read it online for free at restorationbookstore.org
Please dont be put off because these authors and researchers are from another religion, for if Joseph really didnt live polygamy, do you really think the LDS church would tell you? LDS historians just say Joseph lied to the church his whole life, cause they also know he preached against it. But you and I both know that true prophets don't lie.
Having begun reading the JSFP book online my initial impressions are not too good. There are a great many claims put forth but precious little references for the same. Good researchers always include prodigious references, footnotes and/or endnotes.
I, personally, would be happy to learn JS didn't live polygamy. But your suggested reading falls short in my opinion.
Anon 4:48 and the first 2:26
You say (at least I assume it's the same commenter) that Abraham is a fallen prophet based on your assessment of his polygamous practices. Who are you to judge him? How can you call him fallen when D&C 132:29 so very clearly says quite the opposite. It says he sits on his throne in exaltation. D&C 131:1 is another pretty clear statement relating to plural wives and it specifies Abraham again by name.
I mean you are free to call Abraham fallen if you insist...however to do so you would need to blatantly disregard the scriptures just quoted. The polygamy topic seems to have overtaken you to some degree. You may want to reconsider your assessment of a man you did not live among, do not know, and are in a poor position to assess correctly.
At the end of the day we are all free say or think as we so choose. I personally find it extremely unwise to judge someone whom God approved of. Doing so puts you in a TERRIBLY dangerous and treacherous position that you needn't put yourself in.
Anonymous 7:53,
I believe that D&C 132 is false doctrine & not true scripture and that it was written by Brigham Young, for it goes against everything that Christ, Joseph Smith and the ancient prophets in the BoM taught about polygamy. BY added D&C 132 years after Joseph died and also took out the scriptures in the D&C that condemned polygamy which Joseph had in there.
If you are aware, Joseph said that any revelation of teachings from even prophets that is 'contrary' to the scriptures or what Joseph taught, is to be considered false. So how can you accept D&C 132, for Joseph said to consider such opposite doctrines to be false.
And it is not my opinion about Abraham, but Joseph's, for it was he who taught that not even prophets are allowed to live polygamy. Even God told Abraham to send Hagar away, that does not sound like God approved of him living with her.
I believe those who accuse Joseph of the very evils that he warned so strongly against his whole life, will stand accountable for it at the bar of judgment. I would wonder why 'you' put yourself in that position?
You obviously have not studied or believed the many statements, scriptures and doctrines of Joseph Smith that he published while alive, and instead you seem to believe all the hearsay about him started by Brigham Young.
I would encourage you to study these things out deeper so you are not deceived by the craftiness of men and false prophets, which Christ and Joseph Smith warned would come among us in these latter days and deceive everyone, except a few.
Anonymous 2:36,
The proof and the references are there in that book if you are willing to acknowledge them. It is a proven fact, that Joseph preached against polygamy his whole life. It is not hard to find his many many statements against it. While there is no proof that he ever lived polygamy, only lots of hearsay and claims that he did, but why would we listen to such hearsay, especially when it is completely opposite to what Joseph himself testified.
We will be judged by what Joseph published about polygamy, not by what anyone else said 'he said & did'.
If we don't research what Joseph really taught and believe & live by it, than we will be easily deceived to fall for falsehoods.
I am not the person who keeps talking about Joseph Smith on blogs where his name isn't mentioned, though I don't necessarily disagree with that person--
The point I want to bring up is that when someone says a prophet is 'fallen', what does that mean?
I guess when I see that I think, "oh, he's human"--
because we are taught from infancy about the 'fall' of Adam--
we are all 'fallen', aren't we?
All of us? Otherwise, why would Jesus Christ have needed to atone for our sins?
I guess that that is just a different perspective.
I am fallen; I admit it. Oh well.
Anon 12:38.
Oh ok. I was under the assumption that the readers here accepted D&C as scripture. But if you don't then than I see how your view would be different. I don't judge Joseph or Abraham. I would hold both to a standard of 'grace', since Jesus taught the standard I apply to others will be applied back on me. Therefore, I attempt a grace filled standard. If they erred, so be it. I err too. I forgive them any errors they may have made and leave the rest up to them and God. As for us in our day, aren't the scriptural standards for internal application? Not just to go around applying to others? Why condemn them? How does condemning them help you?
Though I understand the Anonymous person's perception about polygamy, it really gets tiresome to have it constantly brought up ad nauseum on practically every post I come across (on several blogs I read), even though the subject has nothing to do with polygamy (or, more accurately, polygyny).
Give it a rest, please. Let God be the one to judge. Let people *choose* to go to the blogs and posts that address polygamy.
Please, much as I know and appreciate you, post your objections on threads and blogs that have to do with polygamy.
Even better, create your own blog(s) and post to your heart's content.
Yes, we are all fallen. I certainly am.
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