Monthly Archives: May 2011

“The Whole Church is Under Condemnation”: The Talk that Changed the Church

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Another reprint from Mormon Matters.

April 1986: President Benson presides over his first General Conference. Did anyone listening to his humble little talk, called “Cleaning the Inner Vessel,” realize that it would send ripples through the Church and start a massive change in Church policy and doctrine?

President Benson said:

Unless we read the Book of Mormon and give heed to its teachings, the Lord has stated in section 84 of the Doctrine and Covenants that the whole Church is under condemnation: “And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.” (D&C 84:56.) The Lord continues: “And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written.” (D&C 84:57.)

Now we not only need to say more about the Book of Mormon, but we need to do more with it. Why? The Lord answers: “That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion.” (D&C 84:58.) We have felt that scourge and judgment!

The Prophet Joseph said that “the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than any other book.” (Book of Mormon, Introduction.) The Book of Mormon has not been, nor is it yet, the center of our personal study, family teaching, preaching, and missionary work. Of this we must repent.

Only a teenager at the time, this is one of the few general conferences of which I remember well. Our family concentrated our family scripture reading on The Book of Mormon shortly thereafter.

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End of the World, ca 1923

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While we have all joked and pondered regarding rapture and the end of the world over the past few weeks, I’ve also pondered on a similar event closer to home for me.

According to stories told me by my grandmother, my great-great uncle, C.C. Smith was a very religious blacksmith in Oklahoma.  He always had his Bible sitting on his anvil as he worked. One day, the wind blew the Bible open and the scripture he read told him to go forth and preach the gospel.  As my grandmother explained it, he asked “who me?”, the wind opened the Bible to another spot, and it said, “yeah, you.” Continue reading →

An Impotent God

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I recently finished listening to Greg Iles’s The Footprints of God. This is a fictional “spy thriller” (sort of) about a covert project by the United States to create the first conscious computer brain.

Amidst all the double dealing, anarchy, and assassination attempts was a fun take on what it might be like when we reach the so-called “Singularity” when computers are to surpass humans in cognitive ability.

I am fascinated by Artificial Intelligence and anyone that has read my epistemology posts knows I favor a computational view of reality. (For my purposes, this means that to explain something is to be able to break it down into an algorithm and be able to simulate it. If you can’t do that, you don’t really fully comprehend it yet.) Iles’s book asks some philosophically fundamental questions that I would love answers to. Of course it also supplies numerous questionable and entirely fictional answers to these questions… but, hey, it’s fiction, right?

But then at the very end of the book the author had a short afterwards that leaves no doubt that he intended the book to be both entertainment and also serious philosophy. So it is in this light I want to take a look at the Impotent God of Greg Iles.

I must warn readers that spoilers abound. So if you are thinking of reading the book, don’t read this post.

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Remembering

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The word ‘remember’ is used frequently in the scriptures. In an October 2007 Conference address, President Eyring provided timely counsel and stressed the importance of remembering.

Today was an important day for remembering as I attended my maternal grandmother’s funeral and graveside service.

As my aunt, uncles and mother spoke at the funeral service, they spoke of memories that guided and shaped their lives.

A flood of memories rushed into my mind as I reflected on the impact my grandmother had on my life; my upbringing; the upbringing of my children.

I also reflected on how I want to be remembered by my family, friends, and my own children.

In response to President Eyring’s questions, “Did God send a message that was just for me? Did I see His hand in my life or the lives of my children?” I can respond without hesitation—yes!

Over the past several months, I have leaned and relied heavily upon the Lord; especially with the recent passing of my grandmother.

The Lord has blessed me richly and abundantly as I have remembered and followed Him.

Thanks be to God for rich blessings in store for those who but do His will–the promise of eternal life and exaltation.

I testify that He lives and that He loves each of His children. May we always remember Him and our Savior, Jesus Christ.