The LDS Church, much
like many other churches, have a strong focus on sin and repentance.
Sin is the breaking of a divine or moral law – such as a
commandment. To repent is to feel regret or sorrow for one’s sinful
actions (“broken heart and a contrite spirit...”), and to resolve
not to commit the sin again. The repentance process often includes
confession – the acknowledgment of the wrongdoing to a person with
the appropriate priesthood authority. One can also confess to the
Lord directly, after all, the priesthood is simply acting on His
behalf.
The LDS Church also has a strong focus on authority - not merely the authority of the priesthood, but the authority of 'the Brethren'.
The moral commands or admonitions that we are asked or
told to follow are found outside of ourselves, they are external, and as such these
moral commands are imposed upon us, even if done willingly.
How this can be reconciled with our divine potential for freedom
(see previous posts) has to be determined by each of us individually.
Unless we ourselves are the source of this moral impetus,
irrespective of whom has spoken it to us – whether the a Prophet or
your Parent – our freedom has been violated. There is no two ways
about it.
We have yet to internalize the ‘law’.
The Lord Himself has
said that He has fulfilled the Law, he fulfilled it in His own being.
Christ can be out teacher.
[As an aside, if God
himself won't intervene when atrocious acts of evil are perpetuated to
ensure our liberty is maintained, then ought He also be consistent
with other factors – such as 'moral commands'? Or, have we just not
yet realized such contradictions? After all, He can't tell us without
violating the very freedom he is protecting/nurturing. Just a
thought]
One of the obvious
facts concerning receiving moral guidance from outside of us, is that
most people today do not find a connection to being told what to do,
irrespective of how sound the commandment may appear. This is one
reason why traditional Christian approaches to the divine are being
rejected by most Westerners, particularly the young: the traditional approach is not in accordance
with their own soul-spiritual needs. And this is for good reason.
Humanity is no longer a child. It has grown up since it left its paradisaical state [*]. It has grown up through 2000 years of
Christianity, and other spiritual influences, and quite frankly, the
traditional approach is no longer spiritually appropriate. It may be
comfortable, even welcomed by many – but that does not make it
appropriate. Certain drugs may make you comfortable and happy too,
should we all pop some pills? I admit these are bold words. Challenging words even. But the path of the red pill [**] is not easy.
Only when we choose to
become spiritual adults, and not to rely on other human beings for
moral guidance (for help, sure. For advice, sure. But we ought to try
and make up our own mind. Thats why we have our 'own' mind), can we
take the steps necessary to begin to realize our divine potential –
our divine nature, our divine right, to be truly free human beings.
But we first have to let go of the old ways, and take a bold step and
learn to ‘internalize the law’. And herein lays the challenge...
[*] See my earlier post
on when the Lord said to become like little children.
[**] This is reference to pop-culture symbols from the Matrix movie.
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