A Letter to My Vegan Sister and Carnivorous Family

Hey Family :)

Sadie recently asked me about my opinion on 1 Timothy 4: 1-4, and all those scriptures that have been floating around and building in my mind these last few months were anxious to finally get written down! In other words,  my answer was a bit too long for text, so the following is what I emailed to her.
This is my opinion, but its as close to the truth as I've gotten so far.

How do I understand 1 Timothy 4: 1-4? This is obviously an indirect way of asking "how do you justify being vegetarian with the scriptures" and the deeper question "what does God actually want us to do?" I'll try to answer both in this article.

This scripture is a prophecy of the latter days, and is a warning for the saints in the last days. Its definitely helped open my mind about extreme diets, and other modern modern people "speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron" which is definitely how I felt when I first became Vegan. Still, I prefer being an non-extreme vegan, in that I see nothing wrong with drinking milk and eating eggs. In fact, I see nothing wrong with eating meat! Why? Because I believe God made it that way. But I'm still a vegetarian, why?

"Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:"
And let us also consider D&C 89: 13-15, "and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth; And these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger.

In order to understand this seeming contradiction, lets relate it to a concept that most Mormons seem to accept more easily: the Word of Wisdom acknowledging the negative effects of alcohol and making it a commandment to no longer drink it. Fermented juice had been used as a clean source of water and a necessary part of living since the early days of human existence (See Youtube Crash Course on Human Migration). But today its unnecessary for us to drink it, unless you were in an area in the world with no resources for clean water except through alcohol. So now a days, "conspiring men" use its effects to create addictions, when really we don't need to use it at all anymore--society has progressed both temporally and spiritually.
     The purpose of the word of wisdom is not to create a law that we cannot keep (See vs. 1-4 of D&C 89, and also A Students Study Guide to Doctrine and Covenants: The Word of Wisdom), but later became a commandment as the saints adjusted to the change and were able to more fully keep the law according to their faith. Thus, by a collective progression of Mormon society, the Word of Wisdom became a commandment during the era of Brigham Young. The word of Wisdom prepares the Saints to live a higher law.

Another example of progressive commandments is the law of consecration: we don't keep it now, but we will as soon as its possible. I'm willing to, you're willing too, but the majority of people aren't. So is it a sin to not live the law of consecration? No, but we have to be prepared to live it in our hearts.

  Both of these concepts of surplus and spiritual maturity, or societal progression, apply to modern day meat. We once needed it, but the more we live in a surplus of food, the more opportunity we have to not have to take other animal lives. I'm not going to go into the scriptures of the sanctity of animal life, that would be missing the point anyway. I'm not trying to convince you of something with scriptures like a law book; the purpose of scriptures is not to create a dogmatic law, but to open our minds to the will of God and to prepare us for His coming. Scriptures are like an alarm clock for the world, waking us up from a carnal sleep and giving us spiritual insight. That is the beauty of making the bible available to the public in the Enlightenment Era, inspiring people like Martin Luther and other Protestant churches that paved the way for the Restoration of the gospel. In that light, even Buddhist and other world religion scriptures have fulfilled a similar purpose of awaking people in ignorance toward thinking about spiritual things.

When supposed contradictions arise in scripture, the goal is to find out what God intended by giving the scripture in the first place: To help us become aware of 1. The nature of the world around me and how I'm supposed to live in it and 2. The nature of heaven and how I should prepare to live in it. In other words, scriptures show us how things are and how things are supposed to be, how to live presently and how to prepare to meet God.

The prophecy of 1 Timothy 4 teaches us how things are and how I should react to it. When someone offers me meat and I am living in my parents house with little money, of course I accept what they give me with a thankful heart. However, D&C 89: 13-15 is still true, so in my heart I'm willing to give up meat. Though I don't see the consumption of it as wrong, the cruelty of the meat-packing industry is still real and needs to be improved. While the most ethical way of improving that system is another topic, I will say that if I had the capacity, I would not buy meat, and I would sparingly buy eggs and milk. Why?

2 Nephi 30: 12 - 13 "And then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb; and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling, together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox."  This scripture makes it appear that the celestial kingdom will be a vegetarian one, and one without violence or fear. But, since "its better that one cow perish than an entire nation dwindle in hunger" (see 1 Nephi 4:13, words obviously changed to apply the concept of obedience to the spirit here) I would say that its also better that "one meal of meat be eaten in gratitude than a family dwindle in a divide of misinterpretation of scripture."

And while we should stand for truth without fear, there is a difference between standing for "a law" and being wiling to suffer the will of God. Only for the second should we be willing to separate from our family. While being vegetarian may be the will of God, I hope I've shown that it's also the will of God that we progress towards that in moderation. Being vegetarian is not the goal, but helping society become the kingdom of God is the goal, and that is done by individually understanding and living the law within our present circumstances. I will emphasize this final point with this last scripture:

JST Romans 7: 6-19 "But now we are delivered from the law wherein we were held, being dead to the law, that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law; for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not Covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.... For we know that the commandment is spiritual, but when I was under the law, I was yet carnal, sold under sin. But now I am spiritual; for that which I am commanded to do, I do; and that which I am commanded not to allow, I allow not.
"For I know what is not right, I would not do; for that which is sin, I hate.
"If then I do not that which I would not allow, I consent unto the law, that it is good; and I am not condemned. Now then, it is no more I that do sin; but I seek to subdue that sin which dwelleth in me.
For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing; for to will is present with me, but to perform that which is good I find not, only in Christ.

These words of Paul to the Romans are interesting, because in my World History class my professor showed us how much our mindset today in modern America is because of the Romans, and how much we relate to them. They too, surely, had a hard time between the spirit of the law vs. the letter of the law, but I feel that Paul in this verse has confirmed my points: That scripture awakes us from our carnal nature and sin, but the law is not the letter, the law is the Holy Ghost, and obedience is not just "the way I feel", but is overcoming the carnal man and living in this world with a heart consecrated to God, and preparing to meet God by developing Christlike attributes and cleansing my heart from sin. And that spiritual law, and our overall happiness within society, depends on the collective progression of society. (As demonstrated in 3 Nephi and 4 Nephi, and the rise and fall of the Nephite and Lamanite society throughout the Book of Mormon.)

Does that make sense?

And I'd like to give thanks to Buddha and Gandhi, whose perspectives have helped me find these scriptures and to take a new approach to understanding and living scriptures.


Sincerely,
Lucas

Islam Sharia Law and Missionary Rules

The Islamic Republic of Iran is not merely a dictatorship or that its merely repressive. If it is, then so is the mission. Int he mission, the mission president has authority to create rules as he pleases and feels according to his understanding of the scriptures and according to the spirit dictates, which can sometimes be by his “feelings”, or sometimes inspiritation. Either way, we follow him and support him. Thus, though we sometimes feel oppressed, we also support him as our religious leader and line of revelation for guidance from God, and any disobedience is harshly dealt with either by ejection from the mission or some other form of structural punishment. Of course, the punishment of disobedience in Islam is often death, but to them that is the way it should be (they still live a type of the law of Moses.) Are we repressed? No, because we choose our repression as the will of God. Is it a dictatorship? No, because it is the will of God and we support His callings.

Is this good or bad? Its only bad when we don’t live close to the spirit. The condition o fthe state of Islam and the state of a mission are directly correlated to a correct understanding of scripture and application of such. The success of an LDS mission by its president or Islam is by its Shia Clergy is based on its enlightnement through the scriptures that comes from a broken heart and a contrite spirit: thus the scriptures become refuge, and as we keep that attitude, we will see things as they truly are and as they truly should be.

the Qur'an and the Book of Mormon

     Here is an amazing connection. Though I cannot agree with the entire Qur'an (for example, ) The similarities of muslim and mormon scriptures on religious tolerance would make Gandhi smile.

     Alma 29: 4, 5, & 8 (order changed)
     For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true.

     I ought not to harrow up in my desires the firm decree of a just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction. 

     Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men; he that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience.

2 Nephi 29: For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written.

      12 For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shallwrite it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it.

Now compare it to some verses from the Qur'an, (excerpt from http://www.cyberistan.org/islamic/prophhs.html, pg. 1):

Qur'an 35:24
Verily We have sent thee (Muhammad) in truth as a bearer of glad tidings and as a warner:
And there never was a people without a warner having lived among them (in the past).

Qur'an 16:36
For We assuredly sent amongst every People an apostle (with the Command) "Serve Allah and eshew Evil":
Of the people were some whom Allah guided and some on whom Error became inevitably (established).
So travel through the earth and see what was the end of those who denied (the Truth).

Qur'an 4:164
And Messengers (Prophets who received revealed books) We have mentioned unto thee (Muhammad) before
And Messengers We have not mentioned unto thee;
And Allah spake directly unto Moses.

These verses of the Holy Qur’an testify that Allah (the One True God) has sent prophets to every people.

Though not all prophets are like Moses or Muhammad, enlightened men have been found among people of all ages and peoples. Surely among these are Buddha, Plato, Mahavira, Zoroaster, Guru Nanak, and Bahá'u'lláh.

Fourteen Precepts Of Engaged Buddhism

http://prince.org/msg/105/285635?&pg=1

Click here for a list of Thich Naht Hanh's "Fourteen Precepts of Engaged Buddhism."

Because I accept Buddha as inspired of God, as well as Thich Naht Hanh, I will clarify the first of his views for Latter-Day Saints.

A better understanding of Thich Naht Hanh view comes like this: word definitions are comprehensible in the human mind, but just because it logically makes sense, doesn’t mean it's an absolute truth. The universe is infinite: I understand the sentence. But do I even grasp infinity? Another example, he is a just man. I understand “man” and “just”, but do I understand perfect justice? Because Plato shows there are different levels of justice, there must be a greater justice. Thus, I have a guide to justice, but I still have yet to know absolute justice. If God exists, absolute truth exists; humans will simply never have the capacity to grasp it. That is why a smart, wise man will say to himself, “I am nothing, and I know very little.”

Also, Thich Naht Hanh doesn’t include any of the mystical elements of Buddhism in his biography on Buddha’s life Old Path White Clouds. There are a few exceptions, like the Brahmin monk prophesying Buddha’s life as a great monk. However, he excludes the traditional part of the story where Maha, an evil spirit similar to the devil, tries to destroy Buddha before his enlightenment. Why would he make a more "realistic" story? Thich Naht Hans has studied Buddhist scriptures and even translated some original texts into english, including the "New Heart Sutra", and based on those basic texts, legends aside, he wrote his biography.

When we assert as truth something that actually unsure of, we become clouded in our judgement of accepting what is real or unreal; even if it is based on things we do think we know. Would an atheist agree? What about a theist? So what are some of the things that we sometimes accept as true, which are still unsure? What are some things a Mormon accept as true, which are still unsure? How much do we understand about our own beliefs?

A few ideas are the theory of evolution, or the doctrine of the three kingdoms of glory. Both of these we assume to understand sometimes. But do we know that all of the BYU biology teachers accept evolution? Do we really understand who is going to which kingdom? Do we sometimes in our misconceptions assume a place in the celestial kingdom while another lacks certain “rights of passages”. Do we ourselves have more steps to take towards our salvation? Aren’t we all along the same trajectory, and judged according to our forward motion, rather than how many steps we’ve taken?
"Ask yourself, 'am I sure?'" -Thich Naht Hanh

A Guide to World Religions

This comes from the perspective that there is an omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent being that is good, justice, and mercy.  He communicates with his creations, and inspires scriptures according to a person’s cultural understanding.  Certainly, if God is good, we assume that there is some purpose to revelation. This purpose is progression towards the Platonic Forms. The process of identifying and analyzing a religion is broken down into three main parts:

1. Origin (Beginning story and culture)
2. The scriptures
3. Modern interpretation of scripture

This structure can help determine whether a religion was inspired of God. The overall goal of a religion, its practices and absolute truths, are found in its scriptures. Whether they are interpreted correctly is the cause for concern, so some guidelines are needed. Since religious belief changes with each individual, this guide is an attempt to find consistent truth across religions for an increase of understanding, tolerance, and also bettering one’s spiritual practices.

A religion ought to develop the character and attributes of the individual. The Platonic Forms, which were supported by Plato and Socrates as the only things that we as rational beings can know are unchanging and non-material. These include both mathematical truths and the virtues. Geometry and algebra fit into this category, though they aren’t the base of a religious life. So we look at the established virtues which are more clearly defined in Lectures on Faith1, which uses the bible to ascertain attributes that can trust in, particularly, in deity. These virtues will be used in filtering through religions and their individual practices and scripture:

The virtues defined: “That [God] is merciful, and gracious, slow to anger, abundant in goodness, and that he was so from everlasting, and will be to everlasting...that he changes not, neither is there variableness with him; but that he is the same from everlasting to everlasting, being the same yesterday to-day and forever; and that his course is one eternal round, without variation...That he is a God of truth and cannot lie. ...That he is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him...That he is love.2

“We have, in the revelations which he has given to the human family, the following account of his attributes... Knowledge... Faith, or power...Justice...Judgment...Mercy...Truth.”3

Whether a practical religion, such as Buddhism, or a religion based on absolute truth, such as Islam, one can determine the validity of said religion based on how one living the practice would develop these virtues. Let it also be noted that here that the above two paragraphs differ in that the first describes the character of God, while the second describes his attributes. By little reflection, one can see that in order to exercise faith in any religion, a free and rational being must see these principles in the path, or he will not exercise belief in it.

I will further explain how each of the stated attributes ought to be developed and why they should be our religious goals. (talk about here how we eventually hope to be unchanging, but adapting. This is a sweet truth that comes from asking the right questions. This is the power of attaining understanding and knowledge that comes from world religions.)

Of course, there are other attributes to mention: patience, temperance, kindness, diligence, virtue itself, and others. These virtues are a part of the previously stated attributes. Patience is slow to anger. Temperance changes not. Diligence is abundant in goodness, and so on.

Sources

1) Joseph Smith, “Lectures on Faith”

2) http://lecturesonfaith.com/3/ , verses 14-18

3) http://lecturesonfaith.com/4/ verses 5-10.

Socrates and the Kingdoms of Glory

The following exerpt from a biography of Socrates (*1, see notes at end) can relate to the Mormon Doctrine of 3 kingdoms (Celestial, Terrestial, and Telestial). Since Satan and his minions were cast out in the beginning, literally everyone who came to this Earth wants to do good, though they are only decieved by the cunning one. (2 Nephi 28: 14 and 2 Nephi 33: 12) Very few exceptions, or namely the "sons of perdition", will be cast out for rebelling against God. Rather, the majority of humanity are decieved into living lives that merit a lower glory.

2 Nephi 28: 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.

ii. No One Errs Knowingly/No One Errs Willingly

Socrates famously declares that no one errs or makes mistakes knowingly (Protagoras 352c, 358b-b).  Here we find an example of Socrates’ intellectualism.  When a person does what is wrong, their failure to do what is right is an intellectual error, or due to their own ignorance about what is right.  If the person knew what was right, he would have done it.  Hence, it is not possible for someone simultaneously know what is right and do what is wrong.  If someone does what is wrong, they do so because they do not know what is right, and if they claim the have known what was right at the time when they committed the wrong, they are mistaken, for had they truly known what was right, they would have done it.

Socrates therefore denies the possibility of akrasia, or weakness of the will.  No one errs willingly (Protagoras 345c4-e6).  While it might seem that Socrates is equivocating between knowingly and willingly, a look at Gorgias 466a-468e helps clarify his thesis.  Tyrants and orators, Socrates tells Polus, have the least power of any member of the city because they do not do what they want.  What they do is not good or beneficial even though human beings only want what is good or beneficial.  The tyrant’s will, corrupted by ignorance, is in such a state that what follows from it will necessarily harm him.  Conversely, the will that is purified by knowledge is in such a state that what follows from it will necessarily be beneficial.

iii. All Desire is for the Good

One of the premises of the argument just mentioned is that human beings only desire the good.  When a person does something for the sake of something else, it is always the thing for the sake of which he is acting that he wants.  All bad things or intermediate things are done not for themselves but for the sake of something else that is good.  When a tyrant puts someone to death, for instance, he does this because he thinks it is beneficial in some way.  Hence his action is directed towards the good because this is what he truly wants (Gorgias 467c-468b).

A similar version of this argument is in the Meno, 77b-78b.  Those that desire bad things do not know that they are truly bad; otherwise, they would not desire them.  They do not naturally desire what is bad but rather desire those things that they believe to be good but that are in fact bad.  They desire good things even though they lack knowledge of what is actually good.


*Notes
1. (http://www.iep.utm.edu/socrates/)

A Quote From an Apostle and a Prophet

     "Opportunities to listen to those of diverse religious or political persuasion can promote tolerance and learning."

-Russell M. Nelson, "Listen to Learn"

"I plead for understanding among our people, for a spirit of tolerance toward one another, and for forgiveness. All of us have far too much to do to waste our time and energies in criticism, faultfinding, or the abuse of others. The Lord has commanded this people, saying: “Strengthen your brethren in all your conversation, in all your prayers, in all your exhortations, and in all your doings.
"Now, if I may be guided by the Spirit, I should like to talk about another matter. There recently spoke in this city a prominent journalist from the East. I did not hear him, but I read the newspaper reports of his remarks. He is quoted as having said, “Certitude is the enemy of religion.” The words attributed to him have stirred within me much reflection. Certitude, which I define as complete and total assurance, is not the enemy of religion. It is of its very essence.
"Certitude is certainty. It is conviction. It is the power of faith that approaches knowledge—yes, that even becomes knowledge. It evokes enthusiasm, and there is no asset comparable to enthusiasm in overcoming opposition, prejudice, and indifference.
"Great buildings were never constructed on uncertain foundations. Great causes were never brought to success by vacillating leaders. The gospel was never expounded to the convincing of others without certainty. Faith, which is of the very essence of personal conviction, has always been, and always must be, at the root of religious practice and endeavor."

-Gordon B. Hinckley, "Faith: The Essence of True Religion"

Service in the Moment.

 Service brings about the greatest happiness. Personal growth brings the greatest happiness.  The two are the same, and develop in every conversation and every place we find ourselves. Here’s how it works:  “The more I try, the harder it gets” is a common complaint, because one feels the frustration burn inside. That burning gives place to empathy -- the power to carry a burden with someone. If you can walk through a trial with someone, you have participated in the greatest sort of service. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is, after all, the Lord taking upon himself all our burdens. Our capacity to serve in this way grows as we learn mindfulness, the Tao, and to try.

    Bear with me as I briefly explain Mindfulness and the Tao. Then I will show how they all relate to God’s example of service. All of this is aimed toward personal growth, and how it can be used to serve those around us.

     Firstly, Mindfulness is the essence of Buddha's teaching (3*). Constantly our minds wander to a place other than where we are. There is always something better to do -- Facebook, Twitter, and other forms of social media are easy ways to forget where we are and to distract ourselves from the important things. Or when on a date, we can find ourselves thinking about work rather than our sweetheart. Master Oogway put it best to a stressed out Panda when he said, “You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.” Mindfulness looks for the best thing to do in each moment. That skill comes with prayer, meditation, and fasting.
 By studying when we should study, working when we should be working, playing when we should play, and all the while being mindful of people around us, we will begin to squeeze the juice out of every moment. The way we live is a service, because we’ll learn the best way to live and increase our capacity to help others do the same.

      Secondly, the Tao is a way of saying "how things work", or the natural order of things. Going against it is like swimming upstream and is very tiring and unproductive. Philosophical Taoism strives for Wu Wei--how one lives with the Tao. Roger R. Keller, a graduate from Yale in World Religions and retired professor of BYU wrote in is his book Light and Truth: A Latter Day Saint Guide to World Religions “Wu Wei is to follow the spirit.” It teaches when to try hard or when to let things take their natural course. Let's say you want to become a better basketball player. When you are with your coach and team, you practice hard; when you are with your friends its okay to relax and enjoy a game of pick-up. If you're intense all the time, you'll probably scare your friends off. If you relax at practice, you get a ticked off coach, annoyed friends, and your skills probably won’t improve. Things need to be done at the right time.  That is Wu-Wei.  (2*)

    Mindfulness teaches us how to be present. Wu Wei teaches us when to do what. By asking the question, “What is the best thing for me to be doing right now?” Brings the realization that among all of today's errands, the priority is the person I can influence. After all, the base of God’s happiness is first His capacity to bless us; then it’s glorified as we choose to follow him.  (1*) We pattern this by building our own character, so that we too can positively influence others.    

    Thirdly, to serve others at all times, we simply try. Here’s a personal example:church can be boring. Some speakers are monotone, many say routine jokes; it is flipping hard to listen sometimes! This is when ADD starts to kick in. Even so, I try to pay attention. By trying to consistently listen I begin to see the person saying the words, and I relate to them. This practice over a long period of time has been frustrating and rewarding. I’ve become more disciplined, a better listener, and I actually enjoy sacrament meeting. Now when people struggle with things they don’t like to do, and talk to me, they see that I understand. I can bear that feeling with them.

    Inasmuch as I constantly try to do the right thing, I realize how weak I am. Sometimes I accidentally insult someone; sometimes I find myself not using a moment to connect with someone when perhaps I could have inspired them in some way. Sometimes I find that all day I've been doing "important things", and missed an opportunity to wash the dishes with my mom; and connect with her and share her load. Seeing others struggle and wanting to help them forces me to see where I can help, and how I can improve; Surely I am moving forward.
    The first step to change is recognizing things to improve on. (For Christians the first step of repentance is recognition. Then we open ourselves up to the ennobling grace of God.) Progression in the power to serve, or Happiness, is built upon the smallest instances of everyday life. We can win every situation if we try to follow the Tao by being mindful.

    

    Heaven is Eternal, earth everlasting.

    They endure this way because they

         do not live for themselves.

    In the same way, the wise person

         puts himself last,

         and thereby finds himself first;

         Holds himself outside,

         and thereby remains at the center;

         Abandons himself,

         and is thereby fulfilled.

- The Tao te Ching of Lao Tzu, #7

*Sources

1. Moses 1:39, the Pearl of Great Price
2. #8 and #10 of The Tao Te Ching of Lao Tzu, Translated by Brian Browne Walker

3. Chapter 11: Right Mindfulness.  The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh

The Discipline to Discover Yourself

       "The ex army commander walked into our high school assembly," My companion said, "and we all expected him to relate to us some great hero's story, or some great motivational speech. We only recieved a lecture on the importance of making your bed in the morning.
     "'How can we be successful,' the commander said, "If we've lost the first battle of the day? Make your bed, and the first victory over self is won."

"At first discipline is trying to discipline the body of your physical needs. The second is to discipline your mind. Because if you can control and stand aside from your body and your mind, you discover your essential nature which is the spirit. If you've lost track of that... that is why your are struggling. That is the human condition, to discover our essential nature of the spirit.
     "What is the heart of Hinduism? The Heart of Hinduism is to experience religion. Don't just sit on the sidelines, experience what you are talking about.... You are a spirit my boy. You are that. And through all these various approaches: through rituals through narratives through worshipping, you are trying to regain that essential dignity. You are a spirit. Such lovely stuff doesn't doesn't come out. It lifts all of humanity up to the level of God."  

-London Based Physicist Jay Lakhani     

     1 Corinthians 2: 13-14, 16
     Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
     But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
     For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

     See post on Meditation under Buddhism. Meditation in Buddhism is about conquering the Monkey Mind.


*Sources
     1.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRZzvbhc7ww

Yin and Yang

     Taoism is a logical way for approaching God's will. Once my seminary teacher said, "though we may have the faith to move a mountain, I'm pretty sure God likes his mountains where they are." So how do we know the time for a miracle? When should our prayers not be to move a mountain, but rather to accept nature's course? That is where Yin and Yang comes in.

    "Like the Force in Star Wars, the Tao has two sides. Unlike other religions where the higher power is all good and perhaps has an all-evil rival, Taoism teaches that we need to learn from both yin and yang. And unlike religions with Gods that are personal, the higher power in Taoism is not. Taoists believe that being in Harmony with the way, the person will not have to fight against the universe's natural flow." (*1)

     The Tao is the natural order of things. Its like the energy that runs the universe. Living against it is like swimming upstream: frustrating, and moving backwards. In the mission I observed families struggling to have a picture perfect Mormon family. The pressure from the parents could often eat away at relationships. Instead of forcing upon ourselves an ideal, rather we learn to be "longsuffering" (*2) as the "ideal" naturally comes by righteous living. The Tao teaches that tugging on a plant does not cause it to grow faster.

     "The highest good is like water.
          which benefits all things
          and contends with none.

     "This is the way of heaven,
          do your work, then quietly step back."

-The Tao Te Ching of Lao Tzu #'s 8 and 9.

    Consider the way God works in your life, and if he wants that mountain to move. Your family or life may not be an ideal. Yet as we do our part, surely, "all things work together for good to them that love God." Romans 8: 28. Romans chapter 8 applies this principle of suffering long while seeking the will of God.

End note:
     By better understanding the devil, recognize how to react. 2 Nephi 28: 21-22 workings of the devil and 1 Nephi 11: 2 is a great way of understanding how to live by the spirit.



*Sources:

1.      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezmR9Attpyc
2.      Charity is longsuffering... the first attribute of Christ's love. Moroni 7: 45 of the Book of Mormon.

Fasting and Discipline

     Why do you fast? Perhaps you are seeking a blessing? Maybe you are fasting for Discipline? Hopefully its not just to lose weight.
     *London based physicist Jay Lakhania says the reason why he and many Hindu culture fast. "How do you I show that I am much more than just an animal? [An] animal will see grass and it will start grazing. A human being says, 'today there's food in front of me. I'm not going to eat it.' I'm showing my true dignity by being more than an animal... Discipline; a necessary discipline. That is what we do. That is how we stand apart of the animal kingdom."

*Sources:
     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRZzvbhc7ww See this video for further references on the myth of "cow worship" in India.

   

Polygamy Parallels among Islam and Latter-Day Saints

In both these scriptures the Lord gives two situations where plural marriage is appropriate. In both instances, when the injustice of men is considered, and the practice is condemned.

The Koran chapter 4 vs. 3

SAHIH INTERNATIONAL

And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right hand possesses. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice].  (http://quran.com/4) 

The Book of Mormon: Jacob Chapter 2:
27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none;
30 For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.
31 For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem, yea, and in all the lands of my people, because of the wickedness and abominations of their husbands. (Italics added)

Here is an exerpt from the LDS.org article on Plural marriage.

According to Helen Mar Kimball, Joseph Smith stated that “the practice of this principle would be the hardest trial the Saints would ever have to test their faith.” Though it was one of the “severest” trials of her life, she testified that it had also been “one of the greatest blessings.”⁴⁶ Her father, Heber C. Kimball, agreed. “I never felt more sorrowful,” he said of the moment he learned of plural marriage in 1841. “I wept days. … I had a good wife. I was satisfied.”⁴⁷

The decision to accept such a wrenching trial usually came only after earnest prayer and intense soul-searching. Brigham Young said that, upon learning of plural marriage, “it was the first time in my life that I had desired the grave.”⁴⁸ “I had to pray unceasingly,” he said, “and I had to exercise faith and the Lord revealed to me the truth of it and that satisfied me.”⁴⁹ Heber C. Kimball found comfort only after his wife Vilate had a visionary experience attesting to the rightness of plural marriage. “She told me,” Vilate’s daughter later recalled, “she never saw so happy a man as father was when she described the vision and told him she was satisfied and knew it was from God.”^{50  (https://www.lds.org/topics/plural-marriage-in-kirtland-and-nauvoo?lang=eng)}