Thanks for loving me enough to cut me down

While hitchhiking yesterday, Lauren and I were picked up by a smart British man who loved talking. He shared a lot of political information, but then began sharing his core life philosophies. He began talking about how you can never know where life will take you. "You reach forks in the road, and turn left or right. You can only know if it was the right choice after a long time has passed and you can look back retrospectively."

He then said something that was precisely what I needed to hear: "The greatest growth you'll experience in your life will be during the times you feel you are having everything taken away from you. Looking back, those choices that seem to cut you down, those times when things are the hardest and you are facing adversity are the times that you'll realize are the ones that really got you somewhere."

I've recently felt like much has been "taken away" from me. I've known from the beginning that it was God's plan for me, and that He has a wiser purpose and grander vision of my life than I ever could; but I've still felt recently like I've been taking steps "backward" in life, rather than forward. I've questioned God's planning often lately; not skeptically, but wondering if I've just lost my path. "Am I going the right way, God? because it feels like things are falling apart for me more than coming together right now," have been some recent thoughts.

I'm thankful for a wife who may not think like me, but has amazing and broad vision of what is really important and good. She is the bird's eye view of perspective when I'm the worm's eye view of specificity. I'm grateful to have a companion that makes up for my weaknesses. I'm grateful to a Heavenly Father who isn't afraid to cut me down. He loves me enough to chasten me (Mosiah 23: 21-22; D&C 101: 5; Hebrews 12: 10)

Like Hugh B. Brown, I am grateful to the Gardener who knows what kind of plant He wants me to grow into. It's not an easy or fun process to be clipped, pruned, chopped, and beautified by the Master Gardener. It hurts to be cut down sometimes, maybe only because we are worried about what the other plants in the garden will think of us now that we're cut down. But He knows exactly what we can become, and what we should become!

Ways of Being & Seeing: pt. 2 – Seeing

           Our state of being reflects our state of seeing. “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13: 12, italics added). There is a ‘veil’ between us and God, which keeps us from seeing things as they really are, seeing them as He does. The truthfulness of our relationship with God reflects how truthfully we see the world around us (See pt.1 – Being).

            One day we will fully recognize all people as they really are, as literal offspring of God (Acts 17: 9). Our skewed vision is reason we would ever look down on anyone. CS Lewis said, “It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you say it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship” (CS Lewis, Mere Christianity). All people are children of Heavenly Parents. All people on this earth are brilliant; just a “little lower than angels” (Psalms 8: 5). The Hebrew translation of angels is Elohim (i.e. the gods).    

            We truly are just a little less than God. Through our Savior’s atonement, we will become his joint-heirs and one day be (which is to see) like God. Not only does He see us as His children, but He wants us to see Him as our actual Father. Therefore, let us look at those around us as divine beings, as potential gods and goddesses as they rightfully are. As we see people as they really are, brilliant children of God, we will be able to be sincere in our being toward them, acting no hypocrisy. 

Ways of Being and Seeing: pt. 1 - Being

            How we are in relation to those around us is more central and real than what we actually do or say. For example, I may take the garbage out at my wife’s request, and lovingly say, “No problem, beautiful!” but what I’m really thinking and feelings is “Why does that bossy beast always make me do this? She never does anything around here.” While I am being begrudging, my wife and I are inwardly being divided because I am behaving contrary to how I am being. The reality of this situation is not me taking out the trash; rather, it is me living deceitfully in relation to my wife. Relationships of being are the fundamental, not the outward words and actions. This is not to say words or actions are nothing; rather, it is to say that what is behind them is what matters most.

            Our relation to the Savior is no different; if we follow the commandments or give service begrudgingly, to Him it is good for nothing. The Lord cares more for the desires of our heart than anything else (1 Samuel 16: 7; D&C 137: 9). He cares about who we are becoming as human-beings, not as human-doings. Consequently, the Savior was very serious about hypocrisy. On many occasions, He would call out the Pharisees for going through the motions without the right motivations.

            Regarding following the Savior, the prophet Nephi recorded, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart [emphasis added], 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…” (2 Nephi 31: 13). Consequently, how we are being in relation to the Savior is a direct reflection of how we feel about him, and how much we are following Him.

Industrial Vs. Agricultural: Learning and Becoming

I don’t believe Christ intends for all people to be the same. Thus, unlike conventional education, science, and psychology, which seek to generalize their findings to all situations and all people, I believe Christ sees difference as good and essential. Were it not so, He would have created us all the same. Christ is unlike conventional education, science, and psychology, which have all bought into the fast-food industrial model; seeing people as objects on a conveyor belt, trying to pump out the same things repeatedly at the fastest rate possible.

In this example, the conveyor belt is the use and worship of methods. This methodology is how conventional psychology stereotypes, or gets to diagnosis. As though all people are the same, and meant to be the same; consequently, they receive the same fast-food industrial treatment. Education is no different. There is a curriculum that has been designed to treat all children the same. This system has been called into question for destroying children’s creativity (Ted Talks, Ken Robinson).

            On the other hand, I see Christ in the agricultural model, which seeks difference in nature. Christ is the ultimate farmer whose work is to create a fostering environment of fertile soil in which all people can grow to become what He intends them to become. His intentions for all of us are different as displayed in the diversity, beauty, and uniqueness of His creations. Additionally, the farmer sees most of the growth when He is away, unlike the industrialist or conventionalist who views themselves as the only agent of change. Thus, Christ accepts and embraces the fact that we participate in our becoming, and thus His work goes even beyond His own possibilities and enters the realm of ours.

God wants us to make choices in who we become. This life is a classroom which provides context for all of us to grow and develop into our greatest selves. This growth can only happen as we involve God in this process, as He knows us far greater than we know ourselves. Additionally, growth and becoming are the natural outcomes of helping others grow and become. God has given a multitude of gifts to all people (1 Corinthians 12; Moroni 10; D&C 46) for the purpose of serving others, not for self-interest or self-elevation.

Consider the following quote by President Utchdorf, living apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints:

“But while the Atonement is meant to help us all become more like Christ, it is not meant to make us all the same. Sometimes we confuse differences in personality with sin. We can even make the mistake of thinking that because someone is different from us, it must mean they are not pleasing to God. This line of thinking leads some to believe that the Church wants to create every member from a single mold—that each one should look, feel, think, and behave like every other. This would contradict the genius of God, who created every man different from his brother, every son different from his father. Even identical twins are not identical in their personalities and spiritual identities.

It also contradicts the intent and purpose of the Church of Jesus Christ, which acknowledges and protects the moral agency—with all its far-reaching consequences—of each and every one of God’s children. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are united in our testimony of the restored gospel and our commitment to keep God’s commandments. But we are diverse in our cultural, social, and political preferences” (lds.org, April 2013 General Conference).

The Subjectivity/Objectivity Problem

For those who are honestly seeking answers regarding God’s existence, or His activity in the world, it can be a challenge because faith and belief are viewed as subjective and biased. These well-intending people turn to social media, politics, academics, or science searching for sources which are thought to be more objective and value-free.

The idea that there even exists subjective and objective “realities” comes from the philosopher Rene Descartes who made famous the idea of dualism, which is a view of the world that sees a physical world, and a spiritual world, separate but interacting. Thus, we have a spirit, and a body. Psychology embraces dualism as the mind (e.g. psyche) and the body. Additionally, what happens “inside,” such as emotions, values, and beliefs are viewed as subjective, while what happens “outside” a person’s experience is viewed as the objective, value-free reality.

Consequently, because science is the worldview that believes only things that are observable in the natural world are important, it is viewed as the neutral, objective, value-free way to discover truth. On the other hand, faith and religion is the worldview that believes God is deeply involved in the world. Because people of faith don’t separate the natural from the supernatural, they are viewed as subjective and biased.

Both of these worldviews are in actuality a set of beliefs about the world. The main difference is that those who believe in God are up front about their beliefs, whereas people who believe only in science pretend they don’t have values, but rather that they are simply neutral bystanders. However, the idea that “we should be value and bias-free” is itself a value. It is a value against values, or a prejudice against prejudice!

Here are a few examples of science’s non-observable and non-empirical beliefs about the world:

-          Only observable, “natural,” things matter

-          All answers can be attained without God

-          That there is a natural order to the world (e.g. natural laws)

-          All things and all people are governed and determined by these laws

These are only a few of the beliefs and values of science. However, that is just what these are, beliefs. In all reality, these beliefs and values are just as biased as religion's. They are a lens for seeing and experiencing the world. However, no person has a neutral perspective of the world, not even scientists.

My invitation is to be open to knowledge in all forms, including science! I’m not discarding science; rather, I’m inviting people to be open to their own biases and opinions. Furthermore, as Latter-Day Saints, we are encouraged to search for truth wherever it can be found. To share a few quotes from recent apostles: 

“Whether truth comes from a scientific laboratory or by revelation from God, we seek it!” (Russell Nelson, General Conference, October 2012).

“ “Mormonism,” so-called, embraces every principle pertaining to life and salvation, for time and eternity. No matter who has it. If the infidel has got truth it belongs to “Mormonism.” The truth and sound doctrine possessed by the sectarian world, and they have a great deal, all being to this Church. As for their morality, many of them are, morally, just as good as we are. All that is good, lovely, and praiseworthy belongs to this Church and Kingdom. “Mormonism” includes all truth. There is no truth but what belongs to the Gospel” (Discourses of Brigham Young, 3).

To be an honest seeker of truth requires openness and humility of our own misunderstandings. For understanding and knowledge to progress, we must own up to the fact that we don’t know everything. We all have values and opinions that guide our thinking, and that is totally fine! Truth is truth wherever it is found, no one has a monopoly. Additionally, God will not hold back truth from anyone who seeks it sincerely, “Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7: 7).

I know God lives; I have experienced him just as I have experienced the wind blowing although I have never seen wind. I see God’s effects and feel His influence daily in varying degrees. All truth comes from Him, because He is, “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14: 6).

Many of these ideas have been taught to me by Dr. Brent Slife and Dr. Jeffrey Reber. For more information, look into their research.

Doing Things for the Right Reasons

Western culture is extremely individualistic. Everything is about the self. Even books about living “the good life” are generally in the category of self­-help, or personal-development. We have put ourselves in the middle of the universe and everything is about “me.”

Famous psychologist Carl Rogers created his theories on the premise that all people have an individual potential that can only be reached when the voices of others are essentially blocked out. When others get in the way, or when we are bogged down by values of others, it pushes us off the path to our “self-actualization”; which is how we obtain self-love and reach our happiest and highest potential. All truth is found within each person. Therefore, no one can or should infringe on someone else’s values or beliefs. After all, we all have our own journey, and no one should get in the way of that.

From this self-centered perspective, all truth is relative. Additionally, all things and all people are a means to fulfill our own ends. Relationships, people, jobs, everything, even marriage is for the purpose of fulfilling individual wants and needs to provide for our happiness. All things were created for me. All people are here to help me get to where I’m going. Most people actually view marriage this way. Often, people view God and living the gospel this way. We follow the commandments because we want the blessings; or because we want eternal life. We make God a means to our ends.

When we see God or others from this perspective, it is impossible not to have a skewed perception of them. We can't look at others as they really are; we are only looking at them from an economic standpoint, viewing them as objects to be manipulated rather than people. From this perspective, God is like our employer rather than our loving Father; we are trying to figure out what we need to do in order to get from Him what we want. When the rewards don’t come from living certain commandments, we call to question their validity.

There is a hierarchy of motivations that when understood can change our perspective on gospel living and being a Christian. People who obey commandments in order to avoid punishment or to obtain rewards are focused on themselves. They are making God the means to their self-centered ends. Beyond these two motivations is that of duty. These people live the commandments regardless of punishment and reward; but live the way they do because they feel it is their duty with no one really in mind. However, there is a higher and nobler way of living the gospel that allows one to put God before them: Love.

The highest motivation one can have for living the gospel is out of a love for God. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22: 37-40). It is only in loving God that we become the means to His ends.

            Emmanuel Levinas speaks about how we all have an "infinite obligation to the Other." In other words, we are all infinitely obligated to others regardless of what we get out of it. Nothing Christ did was for Himself. He did not do what He did out of egoistic motivations. He did what He did out of pure charity, which is the pure love of Christ. Love, like truth, is not something anyone can possess. Rather, love and truth possess all those who are the true followers of Christ (Moroni 7: 44-48). Those who follow Christ seek His will out of love, not due to self-interest. Their desire is the welfare of others, not their own. “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 16: 25).

            How different would the world be if people sought careers with the mindset of providing value to others, rather than thinking about how much they can get? How different would our service to others be if we did it out of love for them and love for God, rather than avoiding punishment or seeking rewards? Like trying to earn wealth in the form of our work, are we trying to earn heaven and God's rewards in the form of our service?

What is the truth?

People often think of truth as similar to a natural law; and in Western Civilization we view laws as timeless and unchanging. For example, the law of gravity is viewed as a truth. However, does the law of gravity always work like we say it does, in all contexts? Are there any situations in which it can be manipulated? Birds have seemed to get around this “law” by their ability to fly. Astronauts in outer space are not pulled down in the same fashion we are when we jump up. Even fish underwater seem impacted differently by this concept. These examples prompt the question, are laws such as the law of gravity real, or the fundamental version of truth, when so much depends on context? “All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it” (D&C 93: 30).

          Framing truth like the law of gravity is often how people of faith look at the laws of God, or the commandments. As though they are abstract concepts or truths that always have been and always will be. However, before the death of Christ, those who followed Him sacrificed animals on alters (extrinsic faith). Now they are asked to offer broken hearts and contrite spirits (intrinsic faith). Was it truth that changed, or context? “We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God” (LDS Articles of Faith).

          Truth is universal, but also personal. It is known, but more so it is experienced. Jesus answered Thomas’ question, “How can we know the way?” by saying, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:15-16). He did not say, “I will teach you the truth,” or “I will show you the way,” as though truth is something we obtain. Truth is not something we know; rather, it is someone we know. “For this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). Knowing about truth is different than knowing Truth, who is God. Truth at the most fundamental level is a person we come into relation with, even Jesus Christ.

          Truth is a matter of faith, not knowledge. A person genuinely seeking guidance and truth must answer the question in the affirmative, “Am I willing to find truth wherever I'm guided, even if that is into a Mormon Church?” For those seeking Truth, my invitation is to pray and ask God if He is there, ask Him anything! If you ask with sincerity, you will come to know Him. It is in coming to know and follow Him that we can be guided in our daily lives. None of our situations are the same. Happily, we can have a relationship with the Truth, who can help us with all of the particulars of life, whether that is how to raise a child, which job to apply for, etc. God cares about all of these things. He wants to guide us in each of our contexts. 

            As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I’m grateful to know that God has restored His church with living prophets and apostles who guide His church through living revelation. This church is true because it is living. Truth is organically living, and like all that is living, there is growth and change and progress. Not stagnation and abstraction. God is not abstract; He is Truth that lives and guides each of us individually and His church as a whole in concrete, living relationships.