Higher and Lower Laws of Moral Systems: Objective and Relative

Through the last century there has been a huge rise of what is called "Moral Relativism." This method of thinking simply states that right and wrong are not absolute and true for everyone at every time, as moral objectivism dictates. Upon hours of research and pondering on the concept of morals, philosophers determined that the difference between the two modes of thinking comes down to the question of where morals come from.

If morals come from God, than they are true to everyone at all times. They are objective. In contrast, there is the idea that God either doesn't exist, or doesn't give us an absolute right or wrong moral code. The argument would then be made, that people must receive their morals from somewhere, and if they don't come from God, where would they come from? The scientist would point out that the animal kingdom is full of examples of animals who work together well and treat each other well, without having any objective moral code. Those who believe in that system would attribute our moral code to cultural conditioning. This is a very interesting idea, and one well worth contemplation.

But what about religion? If moral relativism is in fact true, what happens to the Law of Moses for Jews, the teachings of Christ during the sermon on the mount, or the Islamic Wajib and Haran (the pillars of Islam for actions that are right, and those that are wrong)? Many would claim that if morals are relative, the traditional concept of God cannot exist. I disagree. Rather I believe that they both exist simultaneously.

Doctrine and Covenants section 58 verses 26 and 27 read:

For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;

 We learn from other scripture that there are things which are simply wrong to do. Objective. But we find something interesting here. We see a statement that; we aren't all supposed to be commanded in everything. But that in order to grow and become like Christ, we have to determine and act on some things for ourselves. And I think that it is up to each person to decide that for themselves. If we didn't decide for ourselves, wouldn't that still be being commanded in all things?

The last question now arises. Where is that line drawn? I believe that it is drawn between the things which are essential for salvation, and those things which are only temporal. I don't have a clear cut list, but I find it interesting to ponder.

The Winter Wind of Soul

The snow is falling in soft stillness,
So peaceful for my mind,
But the night soon rests on the heart
Bringing the cold of the winter wind.

In the twilight of the day,
The wind wakens beings confined,
And faeries begin to dance and flit,
To the music of the winter wind.

The shadow of a gentile breeze,
Now seen dancing with the snow,
Awakens something deep inside,
A winter wind in the soul.

In the deepest hours of the night,
The power of dark is highest,
The faeries turn to ogres now,
The winter wind is whitest!

The snow and shadow go to battle,
the faeries slay the storm and kill,
The ogres of the darkened sky,
and the winter wind begins to still.

The walls of wind encircle now,
Like white ribbons in the air,
The night still rules the storm and sky,
Dawn finds the winter wind still there.

As a new sun rises on the day,
the storm, at last, is broken,
But the storm of soul still swirls on,
Your winter wind awoken.

Thus be it so with storms and faeries,
And darkened hearts and snow,
The cold will break with the Son,
And the winter wind will go.

Let us Die, for what?

The last few months have been filled with lots of pondering on my purpose in life. I've always had a pretty clear idea of what I'm to do with my life, but the concept of sacrifice for a righteous cause has frightened me. How much am I willing to give up for righteousness? It's a scary thought, thinking about what might be asked of you. But the recent months have prepared my heart for this, and I am at peace now. I can only want to share that peace with others.

What shall we Sacrifice?

What are we to give up for righteousness? The Lord often repeats that we must give our all. It's pretty straight forward, and daunting. What if we aren't giving our all? Or if we aren't giving it up for the right purpose? How shall we stand before the throne with a clean conscience after Christ has said that we must "be perfect, like I, or your Father which is in Heaven, is perfect?" 

We find ourselves in a very materialistic and egocentric world. It's very difficult for us to think about being willing to surrender ourselves and everything we own to the Savior. This is the concept we call the Law of Consecration. 

Consecration

According to the Guide to the Scriptures, Consecration is:

"To dedicate, to make holy, or to become righteous. The law of consecration is a divine principle whereby men and women voluntarily dedicate their time, talents, and material wealth to the establishment and building up of God’s kingdom."

Voluntarily giving up absolutely everything for God's work on earth. Talk about sacrifice! But here is my question. If we are to give up EVERYTHING, should we also give up our lives, or at least be willing to do so? The answer, shown by so many martyrs and saints throughout time, is yes. We are to lay down our very lives for the savior.

Why (or for what) shall we Sacrifice? 

Laying down one's life for something is a true sign of devotion. Christ said, "Greater lover hath no man than this, that he layeth down his life for his friends." If we are to also love God with all our heart, might, mind, and strength, and the greatest love we can show is by giving our life, shouldn't we first and foremost be willing to die for God? So this is the first thing we must sacrifice (even our lives) for, our God. Some other things include: 

• Our Families
• Salvation itself
• Our God-given Rights
• The Rights of Others
• Our Personal Mission
• Our Country

As well as many more I am probably forgetting. But nonetheless, if you truly love something or somebody, you must be willing to sacrifice your very life for them. 

How shall we Sacrifice?

There are lots of ways to sacrifice for a righteous cause. We have discussed consecrating ones property, as well as being willing to die for something. But the most essential way to sacrifice yourself is to live for something. Live pure life, dedicated to Christ if you love Him. If you really love your wife or family, you will be willing to spend all of your time for them. The same thing applies to all the bullets in the list above. This is true consecration. It's the consecration of a heart and of a life. This is such a powerful principle. 

Attaining Perfection through Sacrifice

This is all great and dandy, but we are all human, and we can never fully consecrate ourselves to anything. That is, not by ourselves we can't...

Joseph Smith said, while he lay in the torment of Liberty Jail. Which was one of his great sacrifices;

"Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." (D&C 123: 17)

Here it is. Do everything you can, sacrifice your life and death even, and when you have tried your hardest (and God knows what you can handle, see 1 Corinthians 10: 15) then we must stop, and allow God to make up the slack. This is what we call grace. Grace is the process through which the Savior allows us to claim perfection. This is the where we find peace.

A last reminder...

Something I recently realized as I read "The Lincoln Hypothesis" is the power behind the Battle Hymn of the Republic, my personal anthem. The crowing verse of the song goes: 

"In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:
As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free,
While God is marching on."

 I would point out, as my camp director does, that the song was originally written, "As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free." It's very telling to see both life and death attributed to Christ. Just remember, it is His glory with transfigures us and makes us holy, and that is the reason we must make men free.

Truly, even in the midst of irksome sacrifices, we can sing glories and hallelujah to God, for He is marching along with us.

"Glory, Glory, Hallelujah, our God is Marching on!"

My Worldview: Secular Existential Mormonism

In a world as complicated as our own, a strong set of core beliefs are absolutely necessary to deal with the vast amount of information constantly being hurled at us. Each person has a worldview or set of core beliefs that defines who they are, and how they perceive the world. The ideas within my worldview if they were given a name would be that of Secular Existential Mormonism. This is my core belief, and it is how I view my world.

* ~ * ~ * ~ *

These things I believe, in the core of my heart:

That God is Omnipotent and Omnipresent. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to perform the Atonement which redeems us from our sins. It is by faith in the Atonement and actions such as service, missionary work, and temple covenants we can be saved and return to their presence forever. There is a devil who strives to destroy our souls. But our Father who knows the end from the beginning has all power to correct the damage Satan causes and even reverse it for our good if we rely on him.

There is an absolute truth which governs all. These truths, however, are unknowable to us in our current sphere of understanding. God, the master of all truth, reveals to us what what he deems fit for us to know. Thus we must live by faith in his aid in eternal matters. But as we must also learn to make our own decisions, we are granted very powerful minds and consciences to help us live in our temporal state. Faith is for acting on the higher laws, logic for the lower.

There is an absolute moral code of right and wrong, predetermined and true to all of humanity. We are born with a conscience which supplies the basic sense of good and evil. Different people will make commitments which will refine the lens of right and wrong (such as temple covenants and parenthood) making things that are “right” a smaller and more concentrated area than before. This basic code and these other considerations are key to all ethical decisions in this life, with the guidance of higher revelation. The word of God ousts any prior law or code in nature.

Nature, this world, and the rest universe all evolved or were created as cosmology and darwinian evolution dictates. God works according to the laws of the universe, including some which our human minds cannot comprehend at this time. He dictated the evolutionary process and guided the formation of the Heavens as shown by the symbolism found in the books of Genesis, Abraham, and Moses. Mankind however, did not evolve as the rest of nature. We were directly placed here by the hands of our Eternal Father who literally conceived Adam, the first man. This process does not fall under modern science simply because it has not yet been revealed as it is not relevant for our current lives.

The soul is a combination of both body and spirit, and neither are whole without the other. The bridge between these two fundamental attributes of self is the mind. The mind interacts with both the physical and spiritual dimensions. As our mind controls our body, it will react to physical stimulation in various ways. Alternately, the mind is also in direct relation with the spirit. Just as the physical world interacting with the body simulates our mind, interactions in the spiritual world produce neurons which supply us with conscious thought. The body produces appetites which sustain life. The spirit, passions and promptings which give meaning to life, as well as provides life to the body. The mind, or bridge between the two, causes us to think rationally and logically, something not found in other physical beings, but not something very spiritual either. All our spiritual influences are either good or bad.

The basic building block of society is the family. A marriage is the binding force behind this institution. Marriages are to be between one man and one wife unless dictated otherwise by God. Our interactions with others ought to be friendly, open, and tolerant. Tolerance of others beliefs is essential to positive interaction.

Public life should never infringe on the rights or beliefs of others. Civility and temperance should dominate, mixed with tolerance to form a peaceful balance of diversity. Individual beliefs should be protected, but never forced on another. This law stands, so far as the higher law is not violated. This higher law is, that any belief manifest in an action which denies another of their unalienable rights to Life, Liberty, Property, or any extensions thereof are not permissible.

Government, on any level, should receive it’s power from the willing consent of the governed. The basic concept of government is designed by God, through men, to protect our basic human rights. It should not exceed in power that which the governed originally possessed and freely gave for protection thereof. Violation of the law must be assessed by an educated committee or jury. Punishment should then be meeted according to the decided level of infringement. To maintain a sound government, the people should elect fellow citizens to represent them under a constitutionally limited government.

The creation and use of wealth is a vital function of society. It is a natural human tendency that stems from our application of logic to solving our physical needs. As a result, it works best when left to it’s own processes. Some government limitation is required to protect each person's property from carnal human nature. Self-government is the key way to maintain this freedom. When it comes to economics, the individual is the most effective holder of wealth. The larger the entity involved, the more dysfunctional it is for the fluidity of natural economy.

History is a series of cycles caused by the conflict between good and evil. It is the process through which mankind learns the lessons we are here to learn. God has a direct hand in leading history when it is necessary to further his work. Otherwise it is the result of human tendency and interaction. It will continue this way until Christ comes again and overcomes evil by binding the devil. At that time, God will be the sole leader and factor in the course of history.

I believe this all can be summarized in one statement:

God governs all things perfectly, and in His perfect wisdom He provides us with scripture to lead the essential parts of our lives, and leaves it to us to learn and create our own understanding of the world. He gives us the existence and spiritual guidance, and leaves it to us to determine the temporal essence of existence.

Becoming the House of the Lord

Osmosis

Have you ever heard of Jim Rohn’s “Law of Average?” This Law simply states that you become the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Another similar law is the law of Osmosis. A definition of Osmosis is “the process of gradual or unconscious assimilation of ideas, knowledge, etc.” The common principle that underlies both of these concepts is this; You become like what you surround yourself with. This applies in our social lives as well as in chemistry, but frankly it doesn’t have much to do with my topic. I just needed to start with something.

What makes something a Temple?

We are incredibly blessed to live in an area which is so full of Temples of the Lord. We have a pretty good idea of what temples are and what they do. But what makes these beautiful pieces of architecture Houses of the Lord? To help us more fully understand what makes a temple a temple, we need to look to scriptural words.

When we talk about temples in the scriptures, the first ones which come to mind are the Temple of Solomon, the Kirtland Temple, and Nauvoo Temple. Each of these are what we would call the permanent Houses of the Lord. Real, solid buildings dedicated to the Lord’s work. But there are other examples that are not quite as clear cut. The Tabernacle constructed by the Israelites following their exodus from Egypt was a portable temple. Other examples of temple like places are Mount Sinai and the Mount of Transfiguration.

But where is the common thread that can make mountains, an elaborate tent, and all these beautiful buildings the Houses of the Lord?

The Mounts of Transfiguration and Sinai

When Christ took some of his disciples to the top of the mount of transfiguration, the glory of God came upon them from a cloud, as told in Matthew 17: 5:

“While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”

A similar thing occurred on Mount Sinai in Exodus 24:

“And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.”

Both of these instances mention clouds and the presence of God.

The Tabernacle

During Moses’ experience on mount Sinai, the Lord commanded him to build a portable temple, the Tabernacle. When it was completed, the Lord’s said to Moses in Exodus 29: 42-43:

“This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.”

Again the Lord tells us that the temple is place filled with and sanctified by his glory.

Temples

There have been many temples built unto the Lord throughout time. Solomon was commanded to build a temple in Jerusalem. The early saints were told that a righteous people always build Houses of the Lord. Today we continue to build and dedicate temples for worship and ordinances.

But the thing that sets a temple apart is the presence of the Spirit and Glory of God. No matter where his presence is, it sanctifies and perfects it. Making it, for as long as that Spirit remains, a temple and his house.

Another Type of Temple

We have discussed many types of temples. But the apostle Paul tells us of another in 1 Corinthians 3:16:

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

He continues with a warning in verse 17:

“If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”

Inviting the Spirit into our Lives

We are truly the temple of God because we have his Spirit to be with us. How can we gain the Spirit of God more in our day to day lives, and become as the temple of God ourselves? We know that we can invite the Spirit by serving others faithfully, by studying the world of the Lord, going to church, and by living worthy of the Spirit. These and other things invite the Spirit into our lives. It seems that as we surround ourselves with things of the Spirit, we become more spiritual ourselves.

If we gain the Spirit of God in our lives by surrounding ourselves with that Spirit, wouldn’t the temple be the greatest way to strengthen our spirits? President James E. Faust made this point in the talk, Eternity Lies Before us, in May of 1997:

“Maintaining our spiritual strength is a daily challenge. The greatest source of that spiritual strength comes from our temples.”

Osmosis Again

Throughout the Bible and in modern times, the presence and Glory of God is the power which makes a place holy and a temple of the Lord. In ancient days, the days of the early saints, and today we become temples of the Lord’s Spirit as we live worthy of that Spirit to surround us. And doesn't that sound a little bit like Osmosis? This “Law of Average” that determines our spiritual strength by what we associate with?

I bear testimony that a holy place is a place in the presence of God. That we can become holy through faith in Christ and surrounding ourselves with that Spirit in our lives. I pray that we all may take more time to attend the temple and become more like our Father in Heaven. In the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

(Written on November 27th, 2014, for a Sacrament Meeting talk on Temples)

What Nature Teaches Me

I do often find myself,

When thinking quietly,

About the world around us, 

What has nature taught to me?

As I see the reds and golds, 

Of Autumn's cheerful glory, 

I see the falling leaves and think, 

What is nature teaching me? 

I watch the wind blow through the grass, 

As the leaves fly from the tree, 

I think of faith, and things not seen, 

The ways nature teaches me! 

I think of winter coming soon, 

Like the Saviors misery, 

Taking color from the world,

What nature teaches me...

But after winter, spring will come,

With all it's brightness be, 

Like Christ rising from the tomb, 

And His nature teach to me! 

Oh Lord my God, what is my part,

In making all men free? 

May nature fill my heart with light, 

By what it teaches me. 

If These Things Fill my Heart

Faith, Hope, Charity, Love,

With an eye set on the glory above! 

I wish it were just that easy,

To be just who He wants me to be...

Faith is believing in what isn't seen,

this is the key to who I'd rather've been. 

It's so hard sometimes to know what to do,

But with it, Christ, will bring me on through!

Hope is something deep down inside,

Sometimes something which I'd like hide.

It is simply something you want to be true,

Sometimes it's something not true about you...

I love you so much, you see, 

I want to give to you through Charity.

Not just with money, so bland.

But by reaching out a caring hand! 

Love is not what you think, it's a verb.

It's how we act on God's mighty word!

Through service and joy and softness of heart,

it's love that shows me just what is my part! 

The last of these points, the hardest of all,

Is constantly keeping my eye on the ball.

It is in the last stanza, the key to my plight, 

If these things fill my heart, then my actions are right!