"The Jesus of the gospels is the great Nonconformist. Even a very cursory reading makes it plain that Jesus was always being criticized for His failure to conform to the expected pattern. He was, in the opinion of the people of His day, extremely unconventional. Why does He hobnob with the riff-raff and disreputable people (Mk 2:16)? Why do they feast instead of fasting (2:18)? Why are they so casual about keeping the details of the Law (2:24)? He had answers for all these questions, but neither His answers nor His reasons seem always to have been understood.
He was accused not only of being unconventional, but also of being a fanatic [I think radical is a better word]. They did not use that word, but the words they used were intended to wound and hurt...It seems that He was not moderate. He was not the kind of colourless character about whom nobody has any bad word to say, or good word either. He was not out to please people by compromising in order to avoid offence. He insisted that the new wine of the new covenant could not be contained in the old legalistic bottles; the accepted forms were inadequate and unable to serve the new kingdom.
He seems to have been rather an uncomfortable person to be with, but when He differs from the customs of His time we can see that He is right to differ, and that it is our thinking which has been wrong. There is a perfection and an order and a sanity about all that He says and does. Here is One who does all things well, who is full of grace and truth, and out of whose mouth proceed gracious words, and indeed nobody else ever spoke as wonderfully as He spoke (Mk. 7:37; Jn. 1:14; Lk. 4:22; Jn. 7:46). His claims seem to be extreme and absolute, and the authority He claims is supreme. His own dedication is to finish the work (Jn. 4 34; 5:36) which His Father has given Him to do, and His meat and drink is to do the will of God. He has a tremendous sense of being hemmed in, constrained (Lk. 12:50), until it is accomplished. Here is a man with His face steadfastly set to go to Jerusalem (Lk. 9:51), so much so that those who followed were frightened by the intensity of His Purpose (Mk. 10:32ff.). Is this an attitude of moderation, of not taking things too far? Here is One in Gethsemane, calling on God with strong crying and tears (Heb. 5:7, AV), going on to death, even the shameful death of the cross. Is this moderation?" (Take My Life, Micheal Griffiths, Inter-Varsity Press, pg. 22-23, brackets added)
Jesus Christ is a strong example of how a person should be in their own life. Radical not moderate. The choice is yours.
Radical not Moderate
DNA via Patriarch-It's a Tribal Thing
"We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion will be built upon this [the American] continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory." (Pearl of Great Price, Articles of Faith, #10)
The LDS believe that through becoming a baptized member of the Mormon church that they become "regathered" as Israelites, either as recovered from the scattered tribes of Israel, or as Gentiles adopted and grafted into Israel, and thus becoming part of the chosen people of God. The LDS believe that there are Old Testament passages of scripture that imply prophecies about the tribe of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh). The tribe is to have a prominent role in the last days. The tribe of Judah will also have a prominent role as well.
The Patriarchal Blessing, a cherished piece of paper that has written blessing(s), is specially designed for the person who it's addressed to. It is an anticipated event that is done at the right time and at the right stage in a persons Mormon spiritual life. The blessing is given by only one who has the authority, through the priesthood, and who is set apart to do so. It is a document that holds the future for the Mormon person that deserves its message. The blessing usually contains several insights that are common for each LDS believer, but with personal tailoring to each individual.
A Patriarchal Blessing:
*Declares a person's lineage, meaning which tribe of Israel he/she belongs to.
*Gives insight about a persons life, may include promises of blessings, warnings about temptations or weaknesses, or counsel about how the person should live.
*Can be received by any worthy member of LDS when he/she is old enough.
*Is a sacred and personal document that should be read and studied often, but should not be shared casually with others.
*Is conditional on a persons faith, righteousness, and obedience to God's Commandments.
"The Jews were to gather to Jerusalem and the rest of the children of Israel were to gather in Zion, which according to Joseph Smith, is Independence, Missouri....Early Mormons believed that God led the scattered descendants of Israel to join the church. Lineage thus became very important to the LDS people....Joseph Smith introduced the concept of the Patriarchal Blessing where a Mormon's lineage is given....Originally these designations were taken as literal fact, but now the church says it doesn't matter if you are truly descended from Israel, you are adopted into the family when you join the LDS Church." (Salt Lake Messenger, Utah Lighthouse Ministry, Issue No. 110, pg.3)
"...we believe in the literal gathering of Israel--that those who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today have within their veins the blood of the house of Israel, the covenant people of the Lord, either by birth or through adoption. We believe that the covenant people of Israel were mixed among "all nations of the earth," and that through missionary work, we call out the Lord's elect and gather the tribes of Israel. This is a particularly exciting time in missionary work, as LDS members of all of the twelve tribes of Israel have been identified in various lands through LDS patriarchal blessings. That which was once lost is again found as the Lord remembers his ancient covenants to the House of Israel and--equally important--as the lost children of Israel remember their Lord and Savior, who manifested himself anciently to His people both in the Land of Israel and in the lands of their dispersion." (http://missionaryhelper.com/geneology/)
"The consistent patterns of lineage are particularly remarkable considering that they are given by thousands of independent patriarchs across the LDS church, and that patriarchs receive no training in determining lineage, [nor have their been any official church statements or theologies on the location of members of any of the "lost tribes" besides Ephraim and Manasseh.]...Nonetheless, much additional data is required upon this and other topics before any clear determinations can be made. Whatever the case, one of the few firm conclusions we can draw is that the "lost tribes" are becoming progressively less "lost" as the LDS Church continues its international growth." (Beyond Asireth: The Twelve Tribes of Israel Today, David Stewart)
Zion on this [the American] continent....."Originally the gathering was to be to the center of Zion, Independence, Missouri, but when the Mormons were driven out of both Missouri and Illinois they had to broaden the concept of "Zion." It changed to mean all of North America. However, in the twentieth century the church de-emphasized the importance of the gathering. Speaking at the October 2006 LDS conference Apostle Russell M. Nelson explained that the Mormons are to gather in their own homelands, not to America: '...True, in the early days of the Church, conversion often meant emigration as well. But now the gathering takes place in each nation.' ....This led the people at Reachout Trust to observe: In such circumstances the Church has, over the years, found it helpful to trawl through early Church writings to find alternative definitions of Zion. These include identifying Zion as a cause, a state of being, or "the pure in heart", the whole of America, and finally wherever Mormons are gathered in the nations of the world. All, in Mormon theology, are legitimate definitions of Zion. This development of the concept of Zion is held up as an example of "continuing revelation in a growing Church". However,Doctrine and Covenants section 84, makes it plain that, however you identify Zion, the centre place is Independence, Missouri. The problem is that, today, the centre place of the Mormon Zion is Salt Lake City. Revelation? (www.reachouttrust.org/articles/ldsquest/ldsq5.htm)"(Salt Lake Messenger, Utah Lighthouse Ministries, Issue No. 110, pg.4)
The following scripture taken out of the Doctrine and Covenants gives more testimony that the Mormons are to gather into Zion, Jackson County, Missouri.
"Hearken, O ye elders of my church, saith the Lord your God, who have assembled yourselves together, according to my commandments, in this land, which is the land of Missouri, which is the land which I have appointed and consecrated for the gathering of the saints. Wherefore, this is the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion. And thus saith the Lord your God, if you will receive wisdom here is wisdom. Behold, the place which is now called Independence is the center place; and a spot for the temple is lying westward, upon a lot which is not far from the court-house." (Doctrine and Covenants 57:1-3)
Funny how the Mormons don't heed to this scripture anymore. Although, I did notice that a (Mormon) friend moved to Missouri not too long ago. My parents are wanting land there as well. My parents desire to be buried there.
The "Literal Gathering of Israel" is not happening the way Joseph Smith said it was to happen. Can you imagine ALL of the Mormon believers in Independence, Missouri? The poor state would fall to the center of the the earth!?!
OATH IS AN OATH-OH NO!
When you talk with a Mormon about oaths, the more popular vision that pops into their mind are the oaths that are taken in the temple. These [so called] sacred acts and sayings are the pinnacle of Mormon life on this earth. Every good upstanding member dreams that one day they too will be a part of the elite group of god wannabee's who will be a part of the temple ceremonies. An oath is a very sacred thing to them. It tells them that they have made covenants to God and if they are good enough in this life, through the oaths they took, they will be in the celestial heavens making babies for new earths and heavens.
For a Mormon to hear that another member broke an oath or oaths, is very shocking to them, and are abhorred by the very thought. The freely taking of an oath in a cult is in reality not an oath taken freely at all. It was taken under false pretense and non-biblical temple rituals that are not a commitment to God at all. They come from the 'Evil One.'
Christ Himself gave instructions during the Sermon on the Mount to not participate in oath taking. Oaths are not to be a part of a Christian life. "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. (Matthew 5:33-37 NKJV)
