121: TRADITIONS

photo of a large billboard in downtown Salt Lake located on the freeway entrance.  

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. A day of gratitude for our blessings.

(...it is also a day of overeating, and for some it is a tradition to watch football.) :)

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Usually the word 'tradition' in scripture, especially in the Book of Mormon, is not a good thing and is the reason why so many "good" people are led astray or stay in a state of ignorance. These traditions are called foolish, silly, incorrect, wicked, abominable, and base. 

We read that the people dwindled in unbelief because of the traditions of their fathers, and they are led astray. When you dwindle in unbelief, it is not that you don't believe or have lost faith, it means that little by little the belief becomes incorrect, false and foolish.

One of our biggest 'traditions' that we have inherited by our fathers is the need to win.  We strive for Success, Awards, Status, Popularity, Dominance, and Acceptance. We take great pride in winning. We want to defeat others. We have the mottos like Win at all costs, and only the weak lose. The above billboard for BYU football even brags about our LDS church school's tradition of winning for the past 40 years. (Even that is a false tradition/advertising since the records show that BYU has not always won for the past four decades) :)

We also take great pride that we as Mormons are on the final winning team.  We are taught that in the end, that we will "win". However, just being part of a religion doesn't mean you are on the winning team. It is being on the side of TRUTH that always wins in the end. Anything that is false, incorrect, or foolish will be exposed, and ultimately "lose".

Nephi begins the 28th chapter in 2 Nephi by saying that he knows what he writes will "surely come to pass". He is not making this stuff up.

We read in verse 14: "They wear stiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms, they have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men."

Did you catch that?.. ALL have all gone astray, except for a few humble followers.. and even those FEW do err in many instances because they are taught by the precepts of men.. or "false traditions."  It sounds like we are all messed up to some degree or another.

Lately, more and more people are questioning the false traditions and stories that have been handed down to us for decades. It is mainly caused by discovering that church history is riddled with fiction and half-truths. There is a sense of betrayal at what they regard as "being lied to" about history and doctrine.

All things will be brought to light. In the end,TRUTH will win. It is important that you always are on the side of truth and not on the side of traditions of the fathers.
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