New Policies

                On Thursday, November 5, 2015, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints published new policy updates to the Church’s handbook for stake presidents, bishops, and other local leaders.  The updates instructed local leaders are to deal with members in a same-sex family and their children.  The announcement of these new policies lit up social media and brought much public attention.  Basically, the new policy is that members in same-sex marriages are now in apostasy, and their children, natural or adopted, cannot be given a name and a blessing, baptized, confirmed, ordained, or called on missions until they are of legal age and no longer living with their parents.

                The policy, particularly as I have stated it, sounds very harsh, but in reality it is not.  Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was interviewed, and he “reaffirmed the Church’s position on marriage and outlined handbook changes in Church policy affecting same-sex couples and their children.”  In the interview Elder Christofferson stated that the Church’s policy regarding same-sex couples and their children is nearly identical to that of members who become polygamists.  The interview should help members and non-members alike to understand why the changes were made and why.  I encourage you to watch the video. 

                If you want more information after listening to Elder Christofferson, I found this unofficial source very interesting.  It explains the following nine myths about the Church’s new policies.  (1) These changes punish children; (2) treats LGBT people worse than other sinners;

(3) Violates the Church’s second Article of Faith; (4) requires children to reject parents; (5) places newborn children in a state of apostasy;

(6) Church is depriving itself of LGBT members; (7) this hurts me personally; (8) the Church lost and should move on; and (9) these changes are eternal doctrine.  I suggest that you check out this site if you believe any of these myths.

                I found another interesting blog telling people to stop thinking Jesus Christ accepted all types of behavior.  He did not condone wickedness although He always loved the sinner.  Check out this site for this interesting insight.  

                The bottom line is, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches principles and doctrines and conducts ordinances, all for the purpose of helping Heavenly Father’s children return to His presence.  The principles, doctrines, and ordinances do not change because they are eternal and come from God.  Church leaders institute policies under which they regulate Church actions of all kinds.  These policies are contained in the Administrative handbook and change from time to time.  It is important that everyone understand that the doctrines, principles, and ordinances did not change; it was the policies that changed.  They were changed to better regulate the Church and to provide security for the children of same-sex couples.

                I know that Jesus Christ stands at the head of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I know that President Thomas S. Monson is God’s prophet on earth today.  I sustain President Monson and the other fourteen men in the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators.  I will continue to keep God’s commandments, follow the Prophet, and trust God.

Ambivalent Marriages

                Families, communities, and nations are strengthened by strong and supportive marriages.  Not all marriages are good, and husbands and wives are responsible to make their marriages the best they can be.  Good marriages have a good effect on the health of the marriage partners while not-so-good marriage can take a toll on health. 

                Brigham Young University recently published a report of the results of a study of marital quality in 94 couples.  The purpose of the study was to discover how the quality of a marriage “may influence long-term health.”  It examined the effects of “ambivalent behavior on interpersonal-functioning and ambulatory blood pressure (ABP).  The study found that “ambivalent behavior was associated with lower intimacy … and higher systolic ABP….”  It concluded that ambivalence may eliminate any positive benefits in marriage relationships.

                The New York Times published an article that contains interesting details of the study.  “The findings, published this month by researchers at Brigham Young University, are part of a growing body of research that attempts to parse the so-called marriage benefit, the well-established notion that married people are, over all, far healthier and live longer than the unmarried.  But increasingly, researchers are trying to understand the more nuanced effects of marriage on health.  To reap the health benefits of marriage is it enough to just be married?  Or how much does the quality of the marriage, such as the level of support, warmth, negativity or controlling behavior, affect the health of seemingly stable couples?”

                The article in the Times included a link to a quiz to help us discover whether or not we are in an ambivalent marriage.  I took the quiz and found some areas I can work on.  I hope you will also take the quiz.  It can be found here.  

                There is little doubt that marriage has a huge impact on us, including our health.  We can choose to strengthen our marriages or not, but we must understand that ambivalent marriages have an impact on our physical health.  This study illustrates the impact that marriage can have on us.  I hope we will all make our marriages more supportive and thus strengthen our families, communities, and nations.

Delegation of Rights

                The liberty principle for this Freedom Friday concerns delegation of rights.  Our Declaration of Independence declares that human beings have certain unalienable rights that come directly from God and not from any government.  Some of these rights are life, liberty, and the “pursuit of happiness” that has been defined as the right to own property.  This means that we have rights; therefore, we can delegate the same rights to the government. 

                President Ezra Taft Benson explained:  “Do I as an individual have a right to use force upon my neighbor to accomplish a goal?  If I do have such a right (to defend one’s self), then I may delegate that power to my government to exercise on my behalf.  If I do not have that right (take one’s property) as an individual, then I cannot delegate it to government, and I cannot ask my government to perform the act for me.”  (“The Proper Role of Government”) 

                We have the right to defend ourselves; therefore, we can delegate that right to the government.  Since we do not have the right to take our neighbor’s property, the government does not have the right to redistribute wealth.  The only reason the government can take away our rights is if we abuse them.  The government can tax citizens for money to run the government, but this does not give the government the right to take our money to give it to other people.  Capital punishment is when the government takes the life of someone who has killed someone else.

The Doctrine of Christ

                This week I learned – or relearned – many wonderful principles in studying the Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ, and I had a difficult time deciding what I would share with you.  I considered numerous ideas but never felt good about them until I pondered and prayed about “the doctrine of Christ.”

                As Nephi, an ancient American prophet, was nearing the end of his life, he apparently felt the need to emphasize his most important teachings in his record.  He wrote an entire chapter on “the doctrine of Christ” and did so in a clear and concise manner.  Nephi’s desire was to emphasize the importance of knowing “the doctrine of Christ,” and he taught with “plainness” and directness in order that no one would misunderstand his teachings.  He wrote that he “must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ; wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly, according to the plainness of my prophesying” (1 Nephi 31:2).

                Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke about Nephi and his writings.  “In the Book of Mormon, `the doctrine of Christ’ is simple and direct.  It focuses on the first principles of the gospel exclusively, including an expression of encouragement to endure, to persist, to press on.  Indeed, it is in the clarity and simplicity of `the doctrine of Christ’ that its impact is found….

                “… The doctrine of Christ is not complicated.  It is profoundly, beautifully, single-mindedly clear and complete.”

                Elder Holland further explained this subject:  “Although a phrase like `the doctrine of Christ’ could appropriately be used to describe any or all of the Master’s teachings, nevertheless those magnificently broad and beautiful expressions spread throughout the Book of Mormon, New Testament, and latter-day scriptures might more properly be called `the doctrines of Christ.’  Note that the phrase Nephi used is distinctly singular.  In Nephi’s concluding testimony, and later in the Savior’s own declaration to the Nephites at His appearance to them, the emphasis is on a precise, focused, singular sense of Christ’s doctrine, specifically that which the Prophet Joseph Smith declared to be `the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel’” ” (Christ and the New Covenant [1971], 49-50, 56; as quoted in Book of Mormon Student Manual, Religion 121-122 [2009], p. 107).  

                Some of my readers may be asking:  “What is this doctrine of Christ’?  What are these `first principles and ordinances'?"  To be as plain in my writing as Nephi was in his book, I will simply state this doctrine and these principles form the foundation for eternal life.  They are principles and ordinances that all of us who have reached the age of eight years physically and mentally must complete in order to enter God’s kingdom and live with Heavenly Father for eternity.

                When the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote his “Articles of Faith,” he included this statement:  “We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are:  first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Articles of Faith 1:4).

                Nephi wrote more on the subject than this simple statement by Joseph Smith.  Nephi first wrote about the Savior and how He needed to “be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness” (1 Nephi 31:5).  Then Nephi explained that Jesus Christ “humbled himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments” (verse 7).  The Savior was sinless, but He was baptized to fulfill the requirement for baptism and to show us the importance of baptism.  We can show our faith in Jesus Christ by following His example and keeping the commandments of God.

                The second step in Christ’s doctrine is repentance.  We must confess our sins to God as well as to others, including those we have hurt as well as proper priesthood authority for serious sins.  Repentance means to stop committing the act, but it also includes attempting to make restitution to our victims as far as we possibly can.  If we have stolen something, we should return it if possible or pay the value of it.  Repentance is a very important part of “the doctrine of Christ” because it prepares us to make the covenant of baptism.

                The third step is baptism, which means to be immersed in water.  We are baptized for several reasons, which include:  (1) to show obedience to Heavenly Father, (2) to fulfill the requirement for entrance into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (3) to covenant with the Father that we will keep His commandments, and (4) to enter the path leading to eternal life in the kingdom of God.  Baptism must be performed under proper priesthood authority.

                “And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying:  He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.

                “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism – yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost…” (verses 12-13)

                The fourth step is receiving the Holy Ghost.  After a person is baptized, elders of the Church lay their hands upon the head of the newly-baptized person;  the person is then confirmed to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and given the gift of the Holy Ghost.  The elders add these words:  “receive the Holy Ghost.”  That is a commandment to the newly-baptized person; the Holy Ghost will not come to them automatically but will come when He is invited.  We invite the Holy Ghost into our lives by obedience to the commandments of God and by our worthiness to receive His presence.

                Nephi taught, “…then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; …” (verse 13).  It is the fire of the Holy Ghost that remits sins, not the water of baptism.  My instructor shared the following quote from Elder Bruce R. McConkie, “Sins are not remitted in the waters of baptism, as we say in speaking figuratively, but when we receive the Holy Ghost.  It is the Holy Spirit of God that erases carnality and brings us into a state of righteousness.  We become clean when we actually receive the fellowship and companionship of the Holy Ghost.  It is then that sin and dross and evil are burned out of our souls as though by fire” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith).

                So, the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are:  (1) Faith in Jesus Christ, (2) Repentance, (3) Baptism by immersion in water, and (4) receiving the Holy Ghost.  Nephi then adds a fifth step, endure to the end.  “And I heard a voice from the Father, saying:  Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful.  He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.

                “And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved” (verses 15-16).

                Nephi does not leave us wondering how to “endure to the end.”   After reminding his readers of the “gate” one enters by  faith in Christ “repentance,” “baptism by water,” and the “remission of sins by fire and the Holy Ghost,” he tells us that we have entered “a strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life” (verses 17-18).  He then explains enduring to the end.

                “And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done?  Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save

                “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope and a love of God and of all men.  Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father:  Ye shall have eternal life.

                “And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God.  And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end.  Amen” (verses 19-21; italics added).

                Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin further explained what enduring to the end means:  “Enduring to the end is the doctrine of continuing on the path leading to eternal life after one has entered into the path through faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the Holy Ghost.  Enduring to the end requires our whole heart – or, as the Book of Mormon prophet Amaleki taught, we must `come unto him, and offer [our] whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth [we] will be saved.’ [Omni 1:26].

                “Enduring to the end means that we have planted our lives firmly on gospel soil, staying in the mainstream of the Church, humbly serving our fellowmen, living Christlike lives, and keeping our covenants.  Those who endure are balanced, consistent, humble, constantly improving, and without guile.  Their testimonies are not based on worldly reasons – they are based on truth, knowledge, experience, and the Spirit” (Ensign, November 2004, p. 101; as quoted in Institute manual, p. 109). 

                To summarize all these teachings, “the doctrine of Christ” is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance of sin, baptism by immersion in water to fulfill God’s requirements and to show obedience, receive the Holy Ghost who burns away sins, and endure to the end of mortal life faithfully serving Jesus Christ.  If we follow this counsel, Heavenly Father promises that we will receive eternal life.  I know this teaching is true for the Holy Ghost has borne witness of it to me.

Conservative Principles

                What would you think if you heard someone say, “All success in life is based on conservative principles”?  Would you agree or disagree?  Would it make any difference to you?

                Gregory John “Greg” Gutfeld hosts The Greg Gutfeld Show on the Fox News Channel and has done so since 2007.  He is also a co-host or panelist on The Five on Fox News and an author of several books, including his newest one, How to Be Right:  The Art of Being Persuasively Correct.

                Mr. Gutfeld claims that many so-called liberals are successful because they practice conservative principles.  “If liberals applied their no-score, no-winner, no-loser belief system to their hobbies and professions, they would fail miserably.”  Mr. Gutfeld talks about conservative principles in this video from PragerU.  I hope you will check it out!

Dr. Everett Piper

                I chose Dr.Everett Piper to be my VIP this week simply because I read something about him that I like.  Dr. Piper is the President of Oklahoma Wesleyan University in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.  He grew up in Michigan and received his B.A. from Spring Arbor University, his M.A. from Bowling Green State University, and his Ph.D. from Michigan State University.  He is an author and daily radio commentator.  He is apparently a liberal.

                I actually know little about Dr. Piper and have not heard or read anything about him until today.  He was a guest on Glenn Beck’s show last week to discuss education.  Beck said, “We have to learn critical thinking again.  We have to be able to teach people how to think and how to teach their kids not what to think, how to think.  Where do we even begin?”  

                Dr. Piper indicated that education is his “sweet spot” and a cause for his concern “The liberal arts education was established to liberate, to educate a free man and a free woman, to educate a culture and a society for liberty and liberation and freedom.  He explained the difference between “teaching truth and teaching opinions” by referring to Pol Pot, Mao, Robespierre, Chavez, Hitler, and Mussolini and saying they “all had opinions.”  “All the despots of history had opinions, and it didn’t end well.  Truth sets you free.”  He referred to his book, Why I’m a Liberal and Other Conservative Ideas, and said, “I’m poking a stick in the eye of the progressive establishment and saying I’m more classically liberal than you are because I believe in liberty and freedom and justice.”

                Yea for Dr. Piper!

Truth Is Truth

                The topic of discussion for this Constitution Monday comes to us from Chad Kent about the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.  Mr. Kent writes and speaks about the Constitution in such a way to make it “simple and fun.”  He had the audacity to state that it does not really matter what you or I think about illegal immigration because “it has absolutely no impact on the meaning of the 14^th Amendment.  Whether you love the idea of birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants or you hate it – it doesn’t matter.

                “Truth is truth and the 14^th Amendment means what it means.  That’s what I intend to cover in this post.

                “With that out of the way, let’s take a look at the relevant part of the 14^th Amendment:  `All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.’” (Emphasis mine)

                Mr. Kent explained the fact that belief by the “mainstream media and the political class in Washington, D.C.” does not make a truth.  They are “dead wrong” in their belief.   He then proceeded to give two reasons why they are wrong.  All persons must meet two requirements before they are guaranteed citizenship in the United States by our Constitution:  (1) “The person has to be born or naturalized in the United States AND” (2) “The person has to be subject to the jurisdiction thereof.”  Both conditions must be met in order for a person to be a citizen of the United States.

                Continuing his explanation, Mr. Kent asked a question:  “What did the framers of this amendment mean by `subject to the jurisdiction thereof’?”  He quoted two former Senators who helped to write the amendment.  Senator Lyman Trumball of Illinois:  “Not owing allegiance to anybody else.”  Senator Reverdy Johnson of Maryland:  “… not subject to some foreign Power.”

                Then Mr. Kent summarized:  “So in order to be guaranteed birthright citizenship a personal has to be born in the United States and owe no allegiance to any foreign country.  Obviously, people who come into this country illegally owe at least some allegiance to their home country – and so would their children.  Because of that, the children of illegal immigrants do not meet both of the requirements necessary to be guaranteed citizenship by our Constitution.”

                Mr. Kent quoted “one of the primary authors of this part of the 14^th Amendment”:  “This amendment which I have offered is simply declaratory of what I regard as the law of the land already, that every person born within the limits of the United States, and subject to their jurisdiction, is by virtue of natural law and national law a citizen of the United States.  This will not, of course, include persons born in the United States who are foreigners, aliens, who belong to the families of embassadors or foreign ministers accredited to the Government of the United States, but will include every other class of persons.”  (Emphasis mine)

                Closing Mr. Kent stated:  “So according to one of the people responsible for writing this clause, it was not intended to give birthright citizenship to `foreigners’ or `aliens’ – and without question the children of illegal immigrants would be included in at least one of those categories.”

                I agree with the conclusion of Mr. Kent.  The Fourteenth Amendment does not guarantee United States citizenship simply because a person is born on United States soil or in United States air space or on the water surrounding the United States.  Any child born here must have at least one parent who is in the United States legally and subject to our laws in order to be considered a true citizen of the United States.  Those of us who understand this principle must continue to make it known; otherwise, our nation will be filled with residents who are “subject” to other nations and possibly willing to undermine our own.  We must declare the “truth” of the Fourteenth Amendment!