I think that all too often when studying history we get caught up in the events, in what happened and sometimes run the risk at looking at the past all too objectively. History is a blanket woven not from thread or yarn but from the lives of those who went before us. So often we judge an individual's entire life based on a mere snap shot. All too frequently we forget the humanity of the historical figures we learn about--no one is perfect and it is far easier to look back and place a judgment on something or someone than it is to make a judgment in the future. We forget our hindsight bias as we shake our fingers at choices made.
I believe that the past can still be very much alive if we see and understand it as the lives of people and not merely a string of events. Sometimes I wish I had some kind of power to travel back and act as an omniscient observer during key moments in history. How incredible would it be to listen in on the protracted debates between the founding fathers, to peer into the lives of people who made our country what it is today. What would I give to hear John Adams speak or watch Jefferson as his quill scribbled across a page. To live in history for a brief moment in time. Take a vacation among the waves of the past.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Book of Mormon Government
Reading about the various types of government in the Book of Mormon I've always wished that BYU offered a Poli Sci/Religion class that focuses mainly on the different types of government within the text--what works, what doesn't and why and why not. I always thought that the government set forth in the books of Alma and Helaman were closely related to the way the US government is run. I had been taught that the Founding Fathers had indeed received divine guidence while designing the American government. Upon a closer look however, we can see large discrepancies between the two different systems--one based on triumpth, defeating tyranny while the other views victories as being delivered by the Lord. In one, a chief judge is appointed for life--the other a president can serve for a maximum of 8 years. The only real similarities that I can see are that they are both run democratically as in the voice of the people elects who is to head up the government. Both can also be corrupted. Helaman 7:5, which reads which talks about "Condeming the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they might more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do according to their own wills," vividly reminds me of our own government. Do we not live in a society in which those with money can get away with almost anything? Where those in power commit a whole array of sin just because they can?
It is frightening how similar our situation is to that of the ancient Nephites. My Book of Mormon professor says that the reason why Mormon focused closely on the period of about 125 years is for us, that we may have a guide as to how one should behave and endure in situations as grave as that which was seen by the Lamanites before Christ's coming. Things will be at least as bad.
I will admit that the future scares me quite a bit. While I try to prepare myself, for the righteous need not fear, it is hard not to be afraid for those all around us who will not be prepared--our government could very well crumble and what would we be left with? How strong is America's sense of ideals? Honestly, I think they've been higher
It is frightening how similar our situation is to that of the ancient Nephites. My Book of Mormon professor says that the reason why Mormon focused closely on the period of about 125 years is for us, that we may have a guide as to how one should behave and endure in situations as grave as that which was seen by the Lamanites before Christ's coming. Things will be at least as bad.
I will admit that the future scares me quite a bit. While I try to prepare myself, for the righteous need not fear, it is hard not to be afraid for those all around us who will not be prepared--our government could very well crumble and what would we be left with? How strong is America's sense of ideals? Honestly, I think they've been higher
Monday, February 2, 2009
Book of Mormon and American Revolution Parallels
As a typical freshman, this semester I'm taking Rel A 122--the 2nd half of the Book of Mormon. It has been fascinating to study the war chapters of Alma from the Book of Mormon while at the same time learning about the American Revolution. Any mention of rights, freedom or liberty jumps out at me as I read. The Title of Liberty--"In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives and our children" (Alma 46:12) brings to mind the Declaration of Independence. The Founding Fathers simply wanted their rights and freedoms as men.
I find it remarkable that such a struggle for freedom could exist throughout the ages, different times with different people, the Americas have seen more than one war for freedom. Even today, we fight for freedom from terror, from discrimination--we fight for the freedom to live our lives as we choose to. How wondrous will the day be that we no longer will have to fight--that we will truly be free
I find it remarkable that such a struggle for freedom could exist throughout the ages, different times with different people, the Americas have seen more than one war for freedom. Even today, we fight for freedom from terror, from discrimination--we fight for the freedom to live our lives as we choose to. How wondrous will the day be that we no longer will have to fight--that we will truly be free
Friday, January 30, 2009
Realizations
Growing up outside of the US I never really learned a lot of American History. I knew the basics--there was a revolution, something about a tea tax, war ensued--and not much else. I never once thought about the importance of the Declaration of Independence. All the thought and work that went into it was lost completely on me. I never considered the months of debate that those men spent debating how best to lead this country. In the end, they decided to declare independence from the mother country, in essence those 56 men signed away their lives--committing treason against the crown, a crime that would undoubtedly result in execution--all to declare my liberty.
As Latter-Day Saints we believe that this is a choice land. Great things can happen when our citizens band together behind God. As I wrote previously, we are beginning to forget God. For all our Founding Fathers fought for, we still are not religiously free. I fear that it is only a matter of time before the government tries to put its hand into all of our affairs--dictating how we can and cannot worship. I've been told that it has been taught that the original persecution of the saints was only a precursor for what is to come--it will all get a lot worse.
I wonder what those 56 men would think of today's America. Is it all they hoped for? Have we let them down? I fear it may be the latter
As Latter-Day Saints we believe that this is a choice land. Great things can happen when our citizens band together behind God. As I wrote previously, we are beginning to forget God. For all our Founding Fathers fought for, we still are not religiously free. I fear that it is only a matter of time before the government tries to put its hand into all of our affairs--dictating how we can and cannot worship. I've been told that it has been taught that the original persecution of the saints was only a precursor for what is to come--it will all get a lot worse.
I wonder what those 56 men would think of today's America. Is it all they hoped for? Have we let them down? I fear it may be the latter
Friday, January 23, 2009
The World Today
The world we live in today is a frightening one. It's hard to imagine things getting much worse. We live in a world full of selfish people focused merely on their own immediate gratification. Families are falling apart at the seams--in the US almost half of first marriages end in divorce within 15 years, shattering families nationwide. A lot of couples are skipping marriage all together. Marriage is often seen as a silly tradition of our intolerable ancestors that is no longer needed in today's society. The mere definition of marriage has been called into question. The principle of chastity is met with scorn and disdain. Instead, couples are expected to live together before the possibility of marriage is even discussed. Indeed the battle for families is raging.
People will lie, steal, cheat, anything to get ahead in their career. When discussing integrity in a team building exercise the majority of my classmates present informed me that a person can have integrity and still lie about things every now and then. A little doesn't hurt. My classmates argued that it was okay to cheat on a big test if you'd completely forgotten to study the previous night. No one needs to tell the truth all the time, right? I wonder how many people could go even just one day without telling a lie. I fear the number would be small. It's all about money, as the Zormanites of Alma's time, our "hearts [are] set upon gold, and upon silver, and upon all manner of fine good" (Alma 31:24).
Our selfish habits have resulted in major environmental problems. Our skies are graying with pollution while our glaciers are melting as the ever looming threat of global warming hangs over us. Our oil sources are depleting, our water is constantly wasted as we murder acres upon acres trees world wide to further our development. Are we really developing in the right direction?
Our economy is a mess. Everyday companies worldwide are downsizing--a polite way of saying they're dumping loyal employees out into the streets with little if anything to fall back on.
On Tuesday, America celebrated the election of a new president. It has been said to be a historical event--our first black president. We have comes leaps and bounds since the day Martin Luther King Junior told us about his dream for a more accepting America. Barack Obama believes he can heal our country, our world. He eloquently speaks of change and hope, of establishing a better world for our children. He seems to understand the America our founding fathers had in mind when they drafted the Declaration of Independence. As of now we are a divided country. Obama believes he can unite us again. I hope he can.
Despite rising crime rates, a crumbling natural environment and a toppling economy--things that Obama aims to tackle--what scares me most is the world's rejection of God. No president can fix this issue. In a grade of about 45 students I'm fairly confident that I was the only one to attend church regularly. Most thought a belief in God was silly, that I was ignorant and didn't know better for having faith in anything. They told me that I was blindly believing what I had been taught. I have always found that incredibly ironic. I have spent hours reading, hours writing, listening, hours praying, asking, experimenting, believing and living to reach my firm knowledge that there is a God and that He lives and that He has a son named Jesus Christ who lived, died and still lives for me. I have always been told to learn things for myself--especially things of spiritual matters. I wonder how much time and energy my athiest friends have put into their "knowledge" that God does not exist. I can't imagine very much. Chances are that they have blindly believed their parents, teachers, writers, scientists, the media--who ever taught them that there is no God. God is being pushed out of the world. President Gordon B. Hinckley, the former leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and prophet to the world was once quoted as saying, "I fear God is abandoning America because America is abandoning God." Our Father in Heaven can only bless our lives when we let Him into it. If we don't want Him there, He will leave us be. Why anyone would want to sepparate themselves from God I can't understand but in this frightening world it happens everyday.
As the Weepies sing, "And the world spins madly on"
People will lie, steal, cheat, anything to get ahead in their career. When discussing integrity in a team building exercise the majority of my classmates present informed me that a person can have integrity and still lie about things every now and then. A little doesn't hurt. My classmates argued that it was okay to cheat on a big test if you'd completely forgotten to study the previous night. No one needs to tell the truth all the time, right? I wonder how many people could go even just one day without telling a lie. I fear the number would be small. It's all about money, as the Zormanites of Alma's time, our "hearts [are] set upon gold, and upon silver, and upon all manner of fine good" (Alma 31:24).
Our selfish habits have resulted in major environmental problems. Our skies are graying with pollution while our glaciers are melting as the ever looming threat of global warming hangs over us. Our oil sources are depleting, our water is constantly wasted as we murder acres upon acres trees world wide to further our development. Are we really developing in the right direction?
Our economy is a mess. Everyday companies worldwide are downsizing--a polite way of saying they're dumping loyal employees out into the streets with little if anything to fall back on.
On Tuesday, America celebrated the election of a new president. It has been said to be a historical event--our first black president. We have comes leaps and bounds since the day Martin Luther King Junior told us about his dream for a more accepting America. Barack Obama believes he can heal our country, our world. He eloquently speaks of change and hope, of establishing a better world for our children. He seems to understand the America our founding fathers had in mind when they drafted the Declaration of Independence. As of now we are a divided country. Obama believes he can unite us again. I hope he can.
Despite rising crime rates, a crumbling natural environment and a toppling economy--things that Obama aims to tackle--what scares me most is the world's rejection of God. No president can fix this issue. In a grade of about 45 students I'm fairly confident that I was the only one to attend church regularly. Most thought a belief in God was silly, that I was ignorant and didn't know better for having faith in anything. They told me that I was blindly believing what I had been taught. I have always found that incredibly ironic. I have spent hours reading, hours writing, listening, hours praying, asking, experimenting, believing and living to reach my firm knowledge that there is a God and that He lives and that He has a son named Jesus Christ who lived, died and still lives for me. I have always been told to learn things for myself--especially things of spiritual matters. I wonder how much time and energy my athiest friends have put into their "knowledge" that God does not exist. I can't imagine very much. Chances are that they have blindly believed their parents, teachers, writers, scientists, the media--who ever taught them that there is no God. God is being pushed out of the world. President Gordon B. Hinckley, the former leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and prophet to the world was once quoted as saying, "I fear God is abandoning America because America is abandoning God." Our Father in Heaven can only bless our lives when we let Him into it. If we don't want Him there, He will leave us be. Why anyone would want to sepparate themselves from God I can't understand but in this frightening world it happens everyday.
As the Weepies sing, "And the world spins madly on"
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