Excerpts from a letter to a friend.
Topics herein treated include role of sex on earth and in heaven, the importance of marriage and reproduction on earth and in heaven, role of drugs, feminism, LDS leaders, homosexuality, Millennium, and some essential differences between the restored church of Jesus Christ and contemporary Christian churches (Protestants and Catholics), marijuana, young marriage, temples, diversity
This document goes into some topics deeper than some are comfortable with, but it remains appropriate for a mature audience, and discloses no forbidden information. In the name of apologetics, these are important messages. Many seek the truth but cannot find it, and my explanations in this letter will help persons whom are not finding satisfactory answers in other venues.
In our time, Satan (The Devil) is launching a powerful and relentless attack against us, more so than ever before, and so I believe God’s counter “attack” is in declaring truth more clearly and powerfully than ever before. When the Devil stands up to fight against God with his powerful weaponry, GOD WILL FIGHT BACK, and WIN EVERY TIME. Because Jesus Christ restored his Church to Joseph Smith in 1820, we are now living in “The dispensation of the fullness of times” (D&C 128:18,20; 112:30-31; 138:48; 124:41; 121:31; 27:13 Eph. 1:10; ) wherein things are to be revealed which have been kept hidden from the foundation of the earth. If you think the church has merely the same run of the mill talking points to offer humanity as other contemporary Christian groups, this letter will show you that such is not the case, and that the church has a more holistic answer to life’s questions, and a more glorious hope for the future of mankind, including more compassion and joy than is traditionally allowed among “Christian” groups for those who believe differently. These things offer not only a brighter future, but a more peaceful present. (See D&C 59:23; Moses 6;59)”
[Latter-day Saints] don’t allow premarital sex, or drugs, or theft, or pornography, or lying. …
I like the [restored] church not because it’s perfect (it’s not, nor are its leaders, nor are its members), but because it seems to espouse a view of goodwill toward all men. It doesn’t teach that you go to hell for not following Jesus. It doesn’t teach that if a person isn’t a member of the church, they go to hell. It teaches that while it believes it has solutions, it realizes that others can find happiness in their several walks of life as well, even outside of the Mormon church. In fact it teaches that a person need not be a [Latter-day Saint] to go to heaven. It teaches that everyone will get to learn truth at some point, weather in this life or the next, and that truth will bless each person as they learn about it. It’s so hard to find truth in this life! So many advertisements, so many people trying to take our money, so much deceit and avarice! [The restored church] all in all teaches that the caliber of the soul is not defined by religiosity, but by how a person treats their fellows. My favorite part about it is the belief that relationships continue in heaven. That includes friendships and marriages, etc. This isn’t to say you’ll need to live with a mean parent, it’s to say that if people so choose, they can stay close to family. It teaches that Jesus Christ created the earth, and that he is not vengeful, but kind. It seems like God was mean in the old testament, but it’s so hard to understand those events of thousands of years ago; I don’t think we have all the facts; when it seems like God did something mean, I’ll bet it was more like he was defending innocent people from child molesters, etc. I’ll admit there are some things in the bible and Book of Mormon that I don’t quite understand, that don’t quite seem fair, but my observations have led me to believe that it’s overall a good organization in its principles. Also, when we hear negative about the bible or the Mormon church, we must beware of gossip and slandering. I have such a passion to learn what the bible really says that I’ve taken up the study of the Hebrew language to get at what the real story is. I can tell you, the English version often betrays the real story! I merely am trying to say that we can be careful about these things, and seek understanding from God, our hearts, and experts rather than gossip. I think we would all like to be treated fairly, and all would like gossip to end. I am not pushy, I am not a preacher to my friends, I am a friend to my friends; part of being a friend sometimes involves telling about how you feel and your outlook on life. Should your outlook be quite different than mine, that is ok; your view is similar to mine when it comes to fundamentals of respect, civility, and delight in the human species in and of itself! I indeed believe that people are inherently good, not inherently bad! Whoever teaches otherwise is a miserable person, and will pay for the damage they have done to the human race.
…Some say 16 is too young for lasting commitment in a relationship, … the man, would typically be the person to be a leader in such things, of asking for a marriage. There is something good about waiting until a slightly older age in our society for marriage; in old days it was not uncommon to marry by age 14; however in our society we train our children to be weak and immature, and incapable of handling the depth of responsibility that comes with marriage by that age. Frankly I think this is to some extent a mistake – persons can be in love at a young age… and thus rather than being expected to resist romance, they should be allowed to marry at a young age. I think it’s ridiculous that our laws forbid such things. [note: this is not to encourage marriages between persons far apart from each other in age] However, like I said, our society trains the youth to be so weak that perhaps in the context of this society it is better this way. …
… I know there is a big thing about making marijuana legal right now, but personally I’m against it. [I have seen it change the character of people into someone whom they are not.] I think it so powerful that I think it not a shameful idea to regulate it by force. Many of our piers and perhaps you see this differently, but I have such a deep seated hatred for it, that I cannot change my view on the subject. I know it’s a plant and usually things of nature are good for us, but perhaps smoking it is not the proper use. Perhaps it should be a prescribed medical treatment, I don’t know. Smoking marijuana freely, in the sense that such may be using a good thing in a bad way, might be related to how a woman’s (and a man’s) body is beautiful and a thing of pure nature, and thank God is given so we can experience a taste of divinity while being mere mortals; yet the woman’s body, though good and of nature, is prostituted in pornography in a vicious way which undoes the purpose of it’s majesty, and works toward animalistic malice rather than commitment, and thus deprives us of the deeper pleasures that could be created in sex. So I’m against pornography. Those poor girls. Those poor boys.
(and yes I believe that in heaven married persons will continue to have sex together, but with heightened pleasure; that is, unless they have been vicious with its use here on earth, then the privilege may be revoked; I also believe that people in heaven continue to have babies; I believe God is the father of our spirits, I believe God is married (heterosexual), and that is how he has us his children, by having sex. I believe sex is an eternal and divine thing that is a grand system of humanity; I believe that in heaven, married people have spirit babies with each other and send them to earths (which they have the power and pleasure of creating and governing to ensure justice and mercy are balanced in the end) so they their children can get bodies LIKE THEM and the experience needed to also become Gods. I also believe we get to keep our bodies in heaven, they are wonderful and bring much pleasure and are beautiful and good. Some think Adam and Eve sinned in having sex. No way! Sex is good. The Adam and Eve story? I think Eve is amazing! She helped Adam learn about how it’s worth it to go through pain in order to have joy! I believe we EVERY HUMAN ON EARTH will come out of their graves and be made perfect, impervious to disease and aging. Getting our bodies back is a free gift from out kind God whom made us. That’s a big part of the Jesus story, that he, the Son of God, “broke the bands of death”, and is responsible for giving everyone their body back. Some say you’ll be more free without a body. But meditation shows that we are quite capable of having larger than life experiences WHILE having bodies. So I think bodies are good. Just because we have a body in heaven doesn’t mean we can’t fly and teleport and move mountains; we just haven’t learned how to do that stuff yet, it will come. So this little rant can show you a bit more about why I think marriage and children is so important… because it’s the order of the universe… the great cycle; it is also like you said, that friendship holds up the universe, yes! The selflessness embodied in a true friend is so fundamental to anything that is good and pure enough to withstand the elements!)
… I don’t blame others for not believing in the temple thing, it’s a long story, and hard to believe. I wouldn’t believe in it were it not for deep feelings in my heart which lead me to it. Also there are many whom say bad things about temples, again, rumor exists, and it’s too long to discuss here. Just because people marry in a temple doesn’t mean they are good people, or that they will have a successful marriage, hah what a thought! As if the place of your ceremony would do that. That would be akin to assuming that a person whom has money is by default going to spend it wisely. When Megan couldn’t have children it broke our hearts, and we are very pleased to now be foster parents. Life is hard for us just like anyone else, but it’s also pleasant in its own ways.
Frankly Megan and I are quite excited about the future, we believe that either in this life (when Jesus comes in person and heals her and everyone), or after death (when our bodies get pulled out of the grave and become perfect), then Megan’s body will not be crippled, and there won’t be any pain; we will still have bodies, but they will be made incorruptible. We believe Jesus is going to come to earth to be the king of it, yes, even for a thousand years (we believe he has the right to be king of earth because he created earth). We believe the wicked (child molesters , murderers) will be burned at the time of Jesus’ coming (for evil cannot stand being in the presence of such good), BUT we do not believe that “non-religious” people will be destroyed! We believe as long as you don’t want to kill others, that’s the main requirement to “getting along” with Jesus. We believe Jesus will save us from oppressions of all kinds, and that this will be an era of peace. We believe there will be no physical death at this time (the thousand-year rule of Jesus on earth aka Millennium), and thus sorrow will go away. We believe Jesus will make earth into a heaven! We believe Jesus will settle things that have been mysterious for such a long time, like how the universe was created, and what truth is (it’s so hard to find! We believe he will IN PERSON help us with that hard thing. What a relief!). In summary of this paragraph, Megan and I deal with how hard this life is largely by our hope for a better time to come in the NEAR future. And we mean near. I can taste it, it’s almost here. The pain level is about to burst; indeed it is bursting and our hearts are dying, now alas, the relief is at the door! Weep for joy! Though our creator has left us here a while so we can grow, he has not forgotten us, and SOON comes for us! And when I say “us” I don’t mean Mormons, I mean every human with a good heart. And I ABSOLUTLY mean you. And if you prefer to not call him Jesus, you can call him something else, though I do believe this will be the name he presents to us when he comes to deliver us and finally bring peace on earth. Yes, I don’t only believe peace on earth will come, my whole psychology revolves around it, and hangs on it, weeping daily, holding on only for her sake. Building things in the confidence that they will not be utterly be destroyed by growing evil forces, trusting that surely as I live victory will absolutely be ours (the good guys) at last.
I also note that I believe in Jesus, but I can understand when others don’t. People have done evil things in the name of Christianity. The crusades, killing people in the name of Jesus? Heresy! That was evil. Then we have other episodes also the Catholic church, allowing people to indulge in sin if they pay money to a priest. Pure evil! Or we have the many types of Christians today, Protestants etc., all paying money to their preachers, hearing fair promises that are void of power, hearing doctrines that are only half way true, and a different story on each corner.
In defense of [the Latter-day Saints], I think a lot of people’s biggest buff about it is being abused by a bishop or bad council from a bishop, or a dad with “the priesthood” (as if), using that in a treacherous controlling way, pulling rank, “well I have the priesthood so do it/ so I’m right!” no no no. or that some may think Mormons are “exclusive” not inclusive; these are tough issues, and plenty of gossip to go with them, and plenty of background information required to explain the various policies of the church. But a few sentences on these things… abusive people are everywhere, in and outside of Mormonism. The church net catches all sorts of fish, some of them bad (mean) ones. So far as inclusiveness stuff, that one takes longer to explain, but I say it is inclusive, and you can ask me about that later if you like. I’m not saying I’m a latter-day saint because it’s perfect; I’m saying I am because I believe it’s of Jesus. I believe God personally came down from heaven and anointed Joseph Smith as a prophet, and that God is using the [restored] church to help people, even if the people in the church aren’t perfect, even mean in some cases. I believe the restored church will help save vast numbers of people the time gets closer to the personal reign of Jesus on earth. I believe the restored church is in fact lead by Jesus Christ, and that it is the only church on the face of the earth fully sanctioned by Jesus. Of course Jesus is not happy with sinners in the Mormon church, but I say he is using that church to do a marvelous work which has only begun.
Sometimes it’s hard to understand church policies, but we also have to remember that if there is a God, some being with perfect experience whom is trying to reach out to his creations, on some planet which has overcome the issues we are currently working on, I say if there is such a being, I think there is room for the possibility that we might not understand why he does things the way he does, similar to how a child doesn’t always understand the ways its parent uses. In saying this I’m not excusing [the church] from tyranny, no way…. But I do believe that the president of the church is legit, and Gods anointed mouthpiece on earth to direct us wandering mortals in important issues.
One of the main things people hate about it is its history of polygamy. Its purpose was to help the needy, to give marriage to those who sought it (thus bypassing the selfish men who refuse to marry) and to let an increased about of children be born into loving homes rather than abusive homes.
I believe God is patient with people… He is so patient. There may be something in your life that you aren’t all the way happy with deep inside, but it’ll be ok, it’ll all work out. Follow your heart to know when to act and how. I know even bringing up the word God is a controversy, you might rewrite that with “the spirit of the universe” or something more accommodating to your experience with the divine, the beauty. I’m so sorry if these things are not pleasant for me to say to you. Perhaps it was better for me to hold my tongue. Forgive me if this was the case. …
…I, on behalf of the males of our society, cordially apologize to you that we men are [often] such idiots, and so unwilling to marry a woman. Many women live single unmarried lives because the men are chickens. I fully confess [my opinion] that men are more often the problem than women. The men are often greedy and don’t want to share their resources, or invest in things without immediate pleasure, unwilling to have needed pain. Fools! They are selling their souls for a mess of pottage when they could have so much more with a little bit of manliness!
I do recognize that some women feel they don’t want to be “trapped” in a marriage, and think marriage hostile and unequal to them; indeed, men have a long-standing history of mistreating their wives, and not treating them as EQUAL PARTNERS IN ALL THINGS, IN ALL DECISION MAKING, IN ALL LEADERSHIP etc. I despise men who treat women unfairly, and if there is a hell, the abusive demeaning unfair husband is the prime candidate for such a place. In this regard, I am a whole-hearted feminist. I do feel however, that many women would like to marry, but can’t find a man with enough courage. I weep for women; their lot is so hard in this regard. I feel to rebuke my sex for their intolerable heartlessness. I will be blunt with you: I think a man whom uses a woman for sex then leaves without marrying her is selfish and tyrannical. Ignorant and debase. Sex is the symbol that says, “I will unite with you in all things, even my flesh itself will witness to you that WE ARE ONE.” And that means forever. Just like how the body of a person has several parts which work together to help it survive, so can be man and woman; the combination of male and female, them being one, is necessary for the survival of the human race. A person could argue in favor of test tube babies, and artificial insemination, and while these have a place, they are dangerous in that they are getting away from nature. If we leave nature, I don’t think we can expect to survive as a species. And we are too beautiful to let our species die! This being said, I respect homosexuals, they are often doing the best they can. While I don’t think their relationship is going to be as fulfilling and lasting as a a heterosexual (I would say natural, of nature) relationship, I do not seek to do them any harm. While I don’t think it’s fair for homosexual parents to raise children for the above reasons (children needing a male and female biological parent as studies have shown to be better for the children), I also won’t deny them a shelter overhead, and to share my bread with me. Perhaps I am a little off on some of these views, but I’m doing my best, and feel quite strongly about these things. I know this is a subject of controversy today, and I express my apologies if I have not been gracious enough. I have attempted to defend all persons, but that gets complicated. A mere anything goes outlook doesn’t seem to suffice when it comes to laws about forcing people to cater to each other in sensitive areas; but alas, I don’t wish to get into those things here today; I’ve already gone into far greater detail than I had thought I would. May you have mercy on me if you have identified some large fault with me. May you find friendship and dignity in me despite my not being on neutral territory on some of these issues. I recognize that same sex attraction is real, that some people are born with it, and it is a complex issue that would require much more discourse than I have provided here….
… If you have a different opinion than me on these things, I repeat that I still want to be your friend! I have an overwhelming desire to see you happy. Our culture is quite diversified, and views on sex and marriage differ greatly; I do not know your feelings on these matters, but I wish to respect them whatever they are. Your gentleness and kindness has earned my respect. May that never be forgotten… a beautiful thing about life is diversity, and a divine thing about life is having close friends whom see things differently than ourselves.
…[here by these explanations I show] you that I’m not some wierdo puritan without a heart. There are more than one way to live this life with beauty. I hope you understand.
… I wrote of religion in it not to try and change you or to suggest that you are incomplete, I merely wrote that to show you me.
…I will be sending positive thoughts into the universe about you, and pushing karma your way, and whatever else I can do to bless you.
