Monday, September 9, 2013

199: THE TRUTH IS NEVER APOSTASY


Can the Truth ever be considered Apostasy?

No. Truth is truth and any deviation from that truth is apostasy.

I received an interesting email yesterday from one of my friends.   He shared with me that his Sunday School teacher defined apostasy as, and I quote, "Apostasy is the act of choosing not to follow the counsel of the prophets and priesthood lines of authority."

However, past centuries have always defined the word apostasy as the "abandonment or neglect of Truth, or God's word,"  There is a constant battle for us to distinguish between what we as mortal men consider to be "true" and what is Divine Truth.  We error and fall into apostasy as the result of ignorance, a lack of doctrine, adding to and or deliberately adopting some views in history that is not correct. But most importantly, we fall into apostasy when we lose our connection with heaven and we rely upon the precepts of man.

In this world, We are either gathering and gaining more light, or losing light.  Gaining and receiving light is restorative, losing light is apostasy. The devotion to a leader, or to an Institution rather than devotion to God and learning via heaven would be considered apostasy.

Here are a few excerpt from a blog post entitled, "The Trick to Apostasy"

"The trick to successfully pulling off an apostasy is to distract people into thinking there hasn't been one. The "believers" need to think everything remains intact.

So the issue of "apostasy" becomes a discussion about individuals and individual conformity to the expectations of the group. The subject can then be a topic that polite, fellow-believers can discuss without ever searching into the overall condition of a fallen people.

The Jews mocked efforts to tell them they were apostate. They thought it was humorous when Lehi preached the idea. Because they were so very religious, so devout, so unassailably active in following God, the idea was absolutely laughable that they were apostate.

To pull this off Satan must be concerned with the "macro" institutional failure, not just individuals falling away. It is the small, minor spirits who follow Lucifer who engage in petty tempting of individuals to sin. Success for the Adversary is not accomplished in petty enterprises. He wants failure for the whole, so none can be saved. For that, apostasy must be universal.

He has never succeeded by admitting there has been a failure. The trick is always to have the apostasy come unnoticed, unacknowledged and from within.

The topic is worth studying. When apostasy is noticed, acknowledged and exposed, then it is possible to repent and return. Until then, it progresses apace, discarding and rejecting what might have been given. All the while being happily ignored by "believers" whose devotion will not save.

Since Christ predicted that at some point the latter-day gentiles would reject the fullness,  we probably should consider what the Book of Mormon has to say about the subject.

To finish the thought about the "trick to apostasy" the D&C has a remarkable statement. Lucifer succeeds when he manages to get us NOT to reject ordinances, but to change them. As soon as they are changed, they are broken.  That is an important step. Because then religious people can continue to claim they follow a true religion, while practicing one that has been broken. These practitioners become like the ancient Jews, who mocked Lehi because they knew they were still righteous. They knew Lehi was foolish, even fraudulent. They still had the truth, the ordinances, the temple, and the priesthood. Lehi was just a mistaken crank."

.....

To avoid apostasy we need to communicate with heaven. The heavens want to communicate with us, but so few can hear, so few pay attention, so few understand the language. Too few look up in the heavens any more. Instead, too many seem to be "looking down".. mostly at their electronic devices for the latest text message, the latest email response, or the latest blog post. 

"There is so much to be seen, so much to take notice of with all these goings on, and so few that will actually be paying attention." Quoting from a friends email that I received this morning.

We don't need to go far to see the wonders in the skies. While it is preferable get out from the city the lights to see the wonders in the heavens... you only need to walk outside your own front door. Here are 3 photographs that I took yesterday from my house. In case you didn't see it, there was a beautiful crescent moon last night that was aligned with the planet Venus. This "morning/evening star" was as close to the moon as I have ever seen it. These two heavenly spheres were for a brief moment.. side by side.
 
 
Photographed at 8:00 PM on Sunday, September 8, 2013
 


 Despite the incredible storms that occurred over the weekend, starting on Friday. There were moments  that the peaks of the mountains could be seen through the storm.
 
Photographed as the rain storm was starting to clear up at around 2:00 PM on Sunday, September 9, 2013
 



Sunset at around 7:30 PM on Sunday, September 9, 2013





16 comments:

Elizabeth said...

The moon and star were a glorious sight last night. Do you think they held any symbolism related to DS and the civil last night?

Elizabeth said...

...and the council last night?

Anonymous said...

Boo.

Anonymous said...

I hope this is true

http://mormonism-unveiled.blogspot.com/2013/09/denver-snuffers-disciplinary-council.html?m=1

Anonymous said...

Make a decision people. Don't you have authority? You look silly.

Adam said...

Regarding apostasy, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught: ‘Ordinances instituted in the heavens before the foundation of the world, in the priesthood, for the salvation of men, are not to be altered or changed. All must be saved on the same principles”

https://www.lds.org/manual/introduction-to-family-history-student-manual/chapter-10?lang=eng

If ordinances are not to be changed, and if we believe Joseph Smith to be a true prophet, and I do believe he was a true prophet, then why have our ordinances been changed? Has there been any official proclamation to the church that a revelation has been received to change them? No. And even if there were wouldn't that contradict this statement made by Joseph Smith?

The BofM is clear on the apostasy and the rejecting of the fulness of the gospel by the Gentiles (LDS) in 3 Nephi 16:10. Moroni asks why we have polluted "the holy church of God" in Mormon 8:38

38 O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites, ye teachers, who sell yourselves for that which will canker, why have ye polluted the holy church of God? Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that misery which never dies—because of the praise of the world?

Yes, the apostasy is happening. Who has eyes to see it?

Carlie said...

Even some "modern prophets" can see it...

In recent years I have felt, and I think I am not alone, that we are losing the ability to correct the course of the church. You cannot appreciate how deeply I feel about the importance of this present opportunity unless you know the regard, the reverence, I have for the Book of Mormon and how seriously I have taken the warnings of the prophets, particularly Alma and Helaman. Both Alma and Helaman told the church in their day. They warned about fast growth, the desire to be accepted by the world, to be popular, and particularly they warned about prosperity. Each time those conditions existed in combination, the church has drifted off course. All of those conditions are present in the church today. (Elder Boyd K Packer “Let Them Govern Themselves,” Reg. Rep. Seminar, March 30, 1990)

It is a very apparent fact that we have traveled far and wide in the past 20 years. What the future will bring I do not know. But if we drift as far afield from fundamental things in the next 20 years, what will be left of the foundation laid by the Prophet Joseph Smith? It is easy for one who observes to see how the apostasy came about in the primitive church of Christ. Are we not traveling the same road? (Joseph Fielding Smith Journal, 28 December 1938)

"To fail to consider the possibility that the members of the church are again “falling away” would be to ignore one of the most thoroughly documented lessons of history. Especially is this true in light of the fact that the cultural, political, and educational life of Church members has become so deeply and thoroughly involved with that of non-members that they are overwhelmingly influenced by the “ways of the world.” Through newspapers and magazines, motion pictures and television, schools and lecture halls, and a thoroughly integrated economic system..." Elder Verlan H Anderson

Anonymous said...

I was very fond of Joseph Fielding Smith, but he . . . had some very strong opinions that were not righteous--

I even believed he was a prophet, but--

as for Elder Packer, I agree that he is speaking truth here, but he also has a worldview that has affected how he sees apostasy and how he has acted on it--

I didn't know Verlan Anderson at all, but I know he supported home education; I am wary of his blaming "non-members", though; some "non-members" are much more righteous than some "members"--

oh well--

Having said that, I often feel that many of the 'brethren' are conflicted about the current 'goings on'--

I do NOT think they are 'evil' at all; I don't think *they* ARE a *they*

they are individuals, with individual understanding--

and should be taken as individuals, even though they constitute a group--

that said, I think the church is in captivity and has been for a very long time, and I would NOT want to be a general authority--

Anonymous said...

You mentioned a statement in the D & C with regards the "trick to apostasy". Are you referring to Section 124?

BARE RECORD OF TRUTH said...

It is referring D&C 1:15

15 For they have strayed from mine ordinances, and have broken mine everlasting covenant;

quoting for the post: "To finish the thought about the "trick to apostasy" the D&C has a remarkable statement. Lucifer succeeds when he manages to get us NOT to reject ordinances, but to change them. As soon as they are changed, they are broken. (D&C 1: 15.) That is an important step.

David

BARE RECORD OF TRUTH said...

The beauty of symbolism is that it has many levels of meaning.

Everyone will have a level of meaning that is personal to them.

Viewing what was yes, a glorious sight on Sunday night by seeing the sun setting and then about a half hour later seeing the symbolic crescent moon (female symbol increasing in light) with the alignment of Venus (the cycle is symbolism of Christ. had deeper meanings not just about DS and the council.

David

BARE RECORD OF TRUTH said...

Thanks for the Boyd K Packer quote. I had read that before didn't have the reference.

Annalea said...

I find it interesting that D&C 85:11 separates leaving the church from apostasy:

"And they who are of the High Priesthood, whose names are not found written in the book of the law, or that are found to have apostatized, or to have been cut off from the church, as well as the lesser priesthood, or the members, in that day shall not find an inheritance among the saints of the Most High;"

Adam said...

Wow, great quotes. Thank you!

AV said...

Before we can know if we have strayed or changed God's 'ordinances', we have to 1st make sure our ordinances are of God.

Where is the proof that Joseph believed in or even heard of the temple endowments & sealings? It appears he intended the temple to be used for entirely different purposes.

Better yet, where is the proof that such endowments & sealings were taught by Christ?, even if Joseph did instigate them, which I don't believe he did.

Above all else, we are to prove all things, before we hold fast to them and put faith & obedience in them, lest we be easily deceived and not know it.

Baptism, yes, Priesthood yes, but what other ordinances can we prove are really of God? Ordinances founded in the ancient scriptures?

I believe the apostasy foretold already occurred over 150 years ago, when Joseph died. I believe he saw it happening with the Saints, though he tried to do his best to stop it. Joseph warned the Saints about the false prophets that would come deceiving most of them into thinking they were true prophets. Joseph seemed especially wary of Brigham Young and pitied those who might follow him someday if he ever got hold of the Church.

On another note, I think it's interesting that the righteous, those who are filled with love, are not afraid of 'apostates', they in fact often seek them out to try to help them 'see the light' & repent. The righteous are firm in their convictions and testimony and aren't afraid of apostates 'swaying' them into forbidden paths.

While those who are unrighteous, those who seem filled with fear, want to avoid & even 'fear' talking to so called 'apostates', as if they might 'sway' them into believing errors.

False prophets teach to avoid and stay away from apostates, while true prophets command us to go and try to win back the hearts of those who stray.

Interesting how the Church seems so fearful of apostates and tells it's members to avoid them, yet sends it's young vulnerable missionaries out daily to the homes of apostates around the world. I guess it's ok to talk to apostates if you are a missionary but not if you are just a regular member.

Does anyone have that quote by Joseph Smith about 'how if people think him to be so in error' that they should try to win him back with love, kindness and teach him where he's wrong instead of avoiding & shunning him? I'm trying to find it. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

We are all falling away every day. The trick to this life is to believe Jesus can forgive every time. I personally have hurt the savior thousands of times, received and rejected over and over again. I do not deserve His love, kindness, and pure love. Yet every time I turn back to Him He is reaching out for me. There is no darkness, sin or out right rebellion that He will turn away from us permanently. He has earned my love and yet He gives me His love with out price. My soul is crushed under the heavy failures and sin I have lived out from day to day, He makes my burden lite or should I say "light". I am in apostasy until I see things as they are, as He really is.