Newme wrote: ↑Sun Mar 12, 2017 12:48 pm
Today, I was kind of proud of myself - for being able to sit through a lesson on the technicalities of Priesthood without getting upset. Well, partially, I've already accepted that although Priesthood can be used in chauvinistic ways, it also can inspire young and older men to serve and love more than they would without it. Still, I believe that I, as a woman have the ability to serve in similar ways - particularly to my children or others who have asked help from me. I've seen it happen - I feel the spirit about it now - so I don't really buy the idea that priesthood is limited to certain males who went through certain hoops. Still, I recognized that others did and do buy into that idea.
As I listened, I considered the details of how priesthood is organized with keys and who has authority to do what, as kind of like describing the rules and detailed instructions of a mix of an eternal Monopoly board game, and King and Serfs (where you try to work your way up) where you're playing with people who take the game deathly serious. Kind of funny and helped me to listen to this in a more objective way. And I think this way of interpreting this might be helpful in more emotional issues that bother me and others.
I appreciate this.
Money, kings, lords, priests, etcs, are all just pretend roles that we play into. Sometimes, I close my eyes and imagine what reality is like, and I find myself hiding in the bushes, on the plains of Africa, hunted, alone, hungry, afraid, etc.
All of this stuff we enjoy is based on us pretending or supporting someone's illusions of grandeur. Perhaps it started with a particularly good fighter that could protect the camp, or a talented woman that could mend the sick. But we observed talent and we worshiped it. And by giving that person our honor and submission, that person took upon them the spirit of propelled them further in the art. Soon leaders in fighting, farming, worship, healing, etc, emerged.
But all of that emerged by lending OUR faith and support to someone else. There is a real phenomenon where one person can channel the spirit of others, whether in courage, music, worship, healing, etc. There is a magic to consciousness, and it gets better the more we believe.
The Pope, or President of the Church, are just people, yet, they hold an office that like a focal point of the energy of those people that support them. Even if JS turns out to be nonredeemable slime, he created a position of focus for millions of people. That is real. Some don't want to believe in God, but by focusing energy in such a way, a massive, unstoppable force is created. A rock, cut without hand, rolls through the world.
This ability to shape energy into churches, schools, cities, civilization, etc, is nothing short of Godlike.
But, the question is, "how?" How do you focus millions of minds into a single cause? Or, going back some. How do you focus 5 minds into a single cause?
There must be a common need that cannot be met alone, or better somewhere else. But what did JS offer that couldn't be had at the local churches? You usually cannot simply steal people away from their sources of comfort. Obviously, people were wanting, or needing, something more than what was being offered.
His vision was a like a "iron rod" that people latched onto. People jumped in and played the game. And an very unique, very powerful force, emerged.
People are going to have a crisis of faith, because none of this is real. Money isn't real, the value of gold isn't real, rich and poor isn't real, it's all stuff we must believe in to experience. We have different monetary systems in our world, which are like different Gods. You have to believe in them for them to work. And, in a strange way, like money, even if you don't believe in my god, not believing in god at all makes it harder to relate to people. It would be like trying to go to France only to discover they don't use money there is no way for me to use their system.
While, I don't have the same vision of god that most Mormons do, I like the potential of the Mormon God. If he can stop being sexist and racist, there is a lot of good things to be had from him. The Mormon God is more ancient world style, with body, parts, and passions. This isn't a new idea, just new to Christians.
From my perspective, the universe/multiverse is big. So big, it is really quite beyond imagination. There are realms, and layers of life that can only be accessed by having the appropriate awareness for them. Imagine being a caveman, with all of the basic human parts, and stepping into this world. None of it would make sense, it would likely terrify your senses. How to get a drink, use the toilet, get food, ad nasaum?
Or even, being a farmer and stepping into the design rooms of high fashion? None of it would make sense. To access some realms, it literally takes imagination. It takes faith.
Early in the bible, it says, "have faith." After years of searching, I'm beginning to see why that is necessary. As I said, the universe is big, with layers and realms that we cannot even see yet. Here, we are all so sort of forced into a "common space." But when we aren't "here" out ability to connect and relate is strongly linked to our ability to believe.