When we’re exposed to a flood of new spiritual insights, experience, or simply information, it’s easy to get pulled off center from the basics of Eternal Truth.
Brigham Young once said, It’s all right to think far out, just don’t forget to think your way back! (from memory). As usual, his common sense advice finds application in many situations, and this is one of them. So I try to keep these characteristics of God and Light clearly in my mind, as well as my understanding of Satan and the Dark side, as I integrate new learning with what I already know. It’s important to follow French philosopher Simone Vey’s advice, as quoted by Kate Holbrook, while at the Church History Dept:
All wrong translations, all absurdities in geometry problems,
all clumsiness of style, and all faulty connection of ideas,
all such things are due to the fact that
thought has seized upon some idea too hastily and,
being thus prematurely blocked, is not open to truth.
So here is how I see and describe God, His Kingdom, and His works, paired with Satan’s counterparts – in my TOTEM POLE OF TRUTH:
| GOD and LIGHT | SATAN and DARKNESS |
| GOD exists | SATAN and evil are real |
| JESUS is the CHRIST | Satan’s ANTI-CHRIST is a false “Savior” |
| GOD, JESUS are SERVANTS | SATAN and the A-C are TYRANTS |
| Author of CREATION, ATONEMENT, IMMORTALITY, & ETERNAL LIFE | Goal: TOTAL DESTRUCTION of Mankind with no progression |
| Christ is our ADVOCATE | Satan is our ACCUSER |
| Men have FREE AGENCY | Men are ENSLAVED to the will of Satan |
| THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS is the Work of God | THE CHURCH OF THE DEVIL and the WHORE OF BABYLON is the Work of Satan |
| JOSEPH SMITH is called of God to organize God’s Restored Church. | SATAN’S LEADERS organize Secret Combinations. |
| PROPHETS & APOSTLES: Leaders trusted by God, or He removes them | SATAN’S MINIONS and SLAVES, Evil and Unclean Spirits |
| God of LOVE and all its offspring | Author of HATE and all its offspring |
| God of TRUTH Good is Good, and Bad is Bad. God keeps His promises. He delights in “plainness.” (2 Nephi 31:3) | God of FALSEHOOD Good is Bad, and Bad is Good. Satan is a liar from the beginning. (D&C 93:25; Alma 5:20-25) |
| God of PEACE and CONFIDANCE | Author of FEAR and INSECURITY |
| God of ABUNDANCE Matthew 6:33: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. | Creator of SCARCITY Artificially created for power and profit. D&C 104:17: For the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare; |
| GOVERNMENT of the people, by the people, and for the people. Inspired the United States Constitution. Christ heads world government in the Millennium. | GOVERNMENT of TYRANNY Socialism and Communism Promises everything but never delivers. Satan is bound during the Millennium. |
| FAMILY is the organization of heaven, focused on serving mankind. | The focus is on the INDIVIDUAL and anything that separates each one from God. |
| MARRIAGE only between 1 man and 1 woman and shall “become one flesh” with total fidelity. | IMMORALITY enthroned, any deviation from God’s law is encouraged and supported. |
| CHILDREN are loved and cared for. | CHILDREN are abused, exploited, murdered. |
| FAMILIES build COMMUNITIES to support life, creativity, all good things. | SATAN builds SECRET COMBINATIONS that undermine human life & civilization. |
| COMMUNITIES build the KINGDOM OF GOD | SECRET COMBINATIONS build the KINGDOM OF THE DEVIL |
| Our DESTINY is OUR CHOICE | Satan controls our DESTINY |
So when someone doesn’t want to accept the officially published word of an Apostle of the Lord because they don’t like that Apostle’s personality, I remember that the Lord will not allow His prophet, counselors, nor Apostles to teach falsehood in their official capacity (see item 9 above). But I also search the scriptures to find corroboration and further enlightenment.
See my previous Blog Post, O Say What is Truth? for more to chew on. Do study, but study carefully and keep early opinions squarely in the Maybe Box, until evidence and revelation bring greater clarity. And do spend time in your intellectual and spiritual sandbox, enjoy the journey, and don’t take yourself too seriously – remember we’re supposed to become as little children (3 Nephi 11:37-38) . . . .
© 2023 Janet Kent – all rights reserved