tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3093325291433431692.post6435157579136352129..comments2023-03-27T04:43:32.011-07:00Comments on Bring Again Zion: The Dangers of Riches and InequalityMark Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903947814551098059noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3093325291433431692.post-45041903888087429612018-01-14T15:30:22.027-08:002018-01-14T15:30:22.027-08:00Mike,
Thank you for sharing your experience and t...Mike,<br /><br />Thank you for sharing your experience and testimony here. I know that there are many, like you, who are being blessed to be able to wake up and see the truth as contained in the scriptures. I have often asked, why am I counted among those to whom these truths were revealed? I am truly no one special. In fact, I see many around me who I count as being more “Christ-like” than myself, who are wonderful, kind, and service-minded people, and yet are still “taught by the precepts of men” or “blinded by the craftiness of men”. Anyway, I don’t have an answer to that question. All I can do is go forward and share what I have received.<br /><br />You mentioned the City Creek Center. I now believe that there was ironically one good thing that came out of that project. It was the catalyst that allowed more than a few people to finally wake up and pull back the curtain to see that something was amiss in the church.<br /><br />However, there are still way too many that just simply refuse to open their eyes and hearts to see. I think of how often in the scriptures we are warned against relying upon the “traditions of our fathers”. And I now understand why. Teachings of our ancestors, whether completely incorrect, or simply mixed with incorrect doctrines, can be so devastatingly hard to bypass on one’s true search for truth. In fact, I think some don’t ever really even begin such a journey, because they are content with the traditions they have learned and adopted.<br /><br />And like you, it saddens me. There are many loved ones that are dear to my heart that simply “follow the brethren”, because they believe that will lead them to salvation. And like you, I worry about them having to go through a very difficult “wake-up call” later, if they don’t see the truth sooner. But I know that someday EVERYONE will be aware of the truth, and it will either have finally “set them free”, or will condemn them. As you allude to, there is a dual reckoning and vindication that is going to take place soon, and it will be terrible and amazing at the same time. I pray that my family and I will be prepared, and that we will be able to be a part of building up Zion when the time comes.<br /><br />In the meantime, I believe we all will be held responsible for how we personally do or don’t live by the standards of Zion, as mentioned in the scriptures shared here. You mentioned “touching a nerve”. As I have shared this article with others, it has been interesting to me that the part that seems to make people the most disquieted is this final part 12, where I actually get into an explanation of HOW to personally live by these principles. It’s all well and good, when it’s just doctrine on a page, or in the scriptures. But once we actually talk about the nuts and bolts of actual application in our lives, people get uneasy. <br /><br />Anyway, thank you again for sharing your thoughts here. I really appreciate it.Mark Evanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10903947814551098059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3093325291433431692.post-14554085886434062922017-12-05T11:50:26.003-08:002017-12-05T11:50:26.003-08:00Thank you so much for taking the time to write thi...Thank you so much for taking the time to write this piece. These are the very things that have been occupying my mind for the past several years. I am a convert to the church and joined in my early twenties; I'm now 60. For years I was busy raising kids, "doing church callings", going to work.... I grew up in a mining town in northern Ontario where most people had enough to get by and where everyone's father worked in the mine and mom stayed home to raise the kids and keep the household in order.<br /><br />A few years ago my wife and I visited some friends in SLC and we were both in awe at the size of the houses, the endless sea of large SUVs and the general wealth of the area. There was an urban development project going on but I did not pay much attention to it at the time. This was to become the City Creek Center where BILLIONS were spent to build a glass monstrosity and where the advertisements are promoting an affluent lifestyle and where the people in the ads are all wearing revealing, costly apparel. The icing on the cake was to watch a video on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf-_vxsog4A) where the "mouth pieces of the Lord" stand at a ribbon cutting ceremony like a bunch of small-town mayors and exclaim, "1, 2, 3, let's go shopping!" Let's go shopping!!!??? That was the turning point for me.<br /><br />I've read most of the scriptures that you quote and have come to the same conclusion you did, basically. The fact that so few people have commented on your excellent essay is proof to me that you have touched a nerve.<br /><br />God lives, Christ is the Saviour, Joseph Smith was a prophet who sealed his testimony with his blood and the Book of Mormon is true. The organized church was corrupted from within, even before Joseph and Hyrum were murdered. Polygamy was infesting the Mormon society and by the time of Nauvoo, the members were engaged in all sorts of speculation and many of the leadership were setting up whoredoms.<br /><br />I am deeply saddened by what I see happening in the world and in the church. I worry about the chastisement that is coming our way but know deep inside that it is warranted. I pray that I will be able to endure the hard times and that I will have the strength to stay my anger at world and church "leaders".<br /><br />Thanks again; you did a most excellent job!<br /><br />MikeMike Mailletnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3093325291433431692.post-84419077502952949392017-05-07T13:04:38.306-07:002017-05-07T13:04:38.306-07:00Thank you. Truth is often not easy to come by. And...Thank you. Truth is often not easy to come by. And I hope that more people come to realize how important these "lost" principles are. Whether they get the information here or somewhere else, it doesn't matter. I just hope and pray that more people will wake up, before it is too late. Thanks again.Mark Evanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10903947814551098059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3093325291433431692.post-30491671410317204152017-02-14T23:43:17.351-08:002017-02-14T23:43:17.351-08:00Wonderful line of thought and great use of scriptu...Wonderful line of thought and great use of scriptures to articulate and support the truth. Thanks for putting this up on the internet. I hope more people find it soon. CheersAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3093325291433431692.post-65841695111809312072014-09-14T13:17:48.158-07:002014-09-14T13:17:48.158-07:00James, thank you for taking the time to read this ...James, thank you for taking the time to read this article. When I felt prompted to begin writing it, I had no idea how long it would eventually end up being. And even then, I feel like I left out quite a bit that I wanted to say. But I hope that the ultimate message definitely got through.Mark Evanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10903947814551098059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3093325291433431692.post-39621430747550096702014-09-06T16:06:20.261-07:002014-09-06T16:06:20.261-07:00Wonderful lengthy article! I agree with you that ...Wonderful lengthy article! I agree with you that we should be living this law now. We need to be mindful of the poor among us. And we need to do it with charity, the pure love of Christ. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17652439399419871467noreply@blogger.com