This is a Message to My Kids
If you ever choose to vote in disapproval and are threatened with punishment, I have your backs and so does Jesus!!!
Today, friends of mine voted opposed in their ward conference. The immediate response from the bishop was, “I guess I’ll be needing your temple recommends.”
That’s an open threat of punishment. Stripping them of their rights to participate in the highest order of our church ordinances. Denying them the blessings of temple service.
This makes me very, very angry.
Obedience is the First Law of Heaven?
Jesus never said that. His first law is gentle, gorgeous and magnificent: Love thy neighbor as thyself.
However, obedience is constantly drummed into church messaging. OK. If obedience is at the top of the list, why threaten and punish this couple for their obedience? For expressing their honest opinion in the manner that Christ has ordained? They are obeying the law of consent. Jesus himself made this a prominent commandment of the restoration.
But…the church is disobeying its own law of governance. And then…threatening those who chose to obey. What irony! What hypocrisy!
Yeah…I’m Angry
So, should sustainings be announced with the following threat?
“Any opposed by the same sign. And if you give that same sign at this time, you will be punished. Your temple recommend will be confiscated, you will be denied access to the temple, banned from its privileges and blessings, and you will be treated as a pariah in our midst.”
This makes me so angry. It’s throwing Christ’s law right back into His face. Why don’t we just open the scriptures to D&C 28:13 and spit on it. Then D&C 26:2, spit on it. Then D&C 124:144, spit on it. Then D&C 121:39, spit on it twice, rip it out, burn it and fling the ashes to the wind.
Something is Very Rotten In Denmark
Sorry, Denmark. Blame it on Shakespeare. Something is rotten in the church administration.
To Church Leaders
- Resist unrighteous dominion. The scriptures warn us that this will be an always-present temptation for you. Common Consent is meant to help control it. Our obedience to this law is meant to help and support you.
- Don’t make threats when we follow Jesus.
Tocubit Is Invisible's Cubit 
Unrighteous dominion much?
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Oops. Missed your unrighteous dominion comment. 😉
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One of the Temple recommend questions is “do you sustain Thomas Monson and all of the GA as Prophets, seers, and Revelators ?? If you raise your hand in opposition, you don’t belong in the Temple. This is harsh, but think of all the other questions. They are all show stoppers. You are making a choice and you pay the consequences. I believe the only reason yours hasn’t been taken is because of who you are and have been in the church. I think the brethren think you are going through a phase and wouldn’t sanely do this
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Is it insane to follow Christ first before men, as commanded? Why not instead ask the True Question which is avoided and not asked, “Do you sustain Christ and His commandments first and foremost?” Now it all makes a bit more sense?
Christ said to follow Him and NOT men. He and His prophets said to question all. test all, prove all, esp leaders and prophets. Have we changed God’s words or priorities for Him?
Is the temple and our salvation for sale, for money, for blind obedience to men, as Christ and His prophets warned against? Otherwise do we practice Saint’nism? Mormon 8:32-41 (yes, he’s talking to US too, as is Nephi – 2 Nephi 28:14-21 and Christ, and other prophets…).
Are we asked questions relating to that to deem our temple worthiness?
Be honest, with yourself, Christ, and… your fellow men…
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Janice, another reason I left the LDS church is because that temple recommend question is totally brainwashy and puts man before God. To me, it’s clear evidence the Church is false. Heed the Bible’s warnings against false prophets, about not trusting men before God. Be very, very suspicious of anyone who claims to speak for God, and use the Bible’s tests to verify their claims. It’s true, I don’t belong in the temple – it’s false.
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Sounds like bishops threatening like this = Saint’nism (Saint’n’s Plan).
“I will save you if I have to force you and save you myself.”
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Is it WE who have put words in Christ’s mouth, even changing His 1st and 2nd Great Commandments to:
1- OBEY!
2- DON’T QUESTION!?
Is this the TEST of our day, Whom we will follow when ordered/commanded?
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Well, what did you expect from a Corrupt Controlling Cult?!!!
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This is maddening but doesn’t surprise me.
I will never again put man above the Lord. I did that most of my life not understanding that my obedience to the leaders was the highest form of idolatry, which along with inequality is the great sin of the latter day covenant people, according to Isaiah. I always thought that “following the prophet” and leaders was by extension following the Lord. This is what I had been taught.
I was deceived and I didn’t know it.
What the leaders are expecting of us is idolatry. Follow us…we can’t lead you astray. This is idolatry and breaks the Lord’s command to us to NOT trust in the arm of the flesh. We don’t even see it. I know because I was once there, spiritually blind.
The Lord put Common Consent in place as one of His checks and balances in the church. If we as members would actually study our scriptures and know the words of the Lord, we would see that what is happening today is not what the Lord instituted. We like having men telling us what to do. It requires nothing from us but obedience to them. This is not the Lord’s way.
Something is really off when you bring up scriptures that show we are deviating completely from what was given through the Prophet Joseph Smith from the Lord Himself, and that gets you hauled in for church discipline or threats to have your temple recommend taken away.
Whether or not I am worthy to attend the temple should have nothing to do with men and everything to do with my belief in and love for the Savior and my Heavenly Father and that I am faithful to Him in keeping my covenants. Obedience to man over the Lord? I will not do it. The Prophet Joseph Smith nor any earlier prophets ever taught to look to them. What is going on in our church?
You are right, Sam, something is rotten!
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Hey, Sam!
Gotta say that ANGER is a healthy response to an institution that requires blind, lobotomized obedience aka conformance with prescribed behaviors and speech, and does not hesitate to mete out punishment and sanctions for proscribed behaviors and speech. Good thing The Brethren cannot read members’ minds. If they could, the Temples would probably sparsely attended most of the time.
We were gifted with a foolproof method to determine the true nature of the people and institutions we encounter during our lives. It’s dirt simple:
“By their fruits ye shall know them.”
How many times must one bite into yet another piece of fruit and then have to spit it out … before suspecting the tree may not be what one wished or hoped is was?
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I will arrive at HOU around 7pm this Wednesday evening. Any chance you and I can meet before you head to SLC? I will be in Katy until Monday and should have some down time late evenings. Maybe you can email me … presuming that you have access to email addresses via WordPress.
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Hi Gary,
I plan to pick you up at the airport at 7:00. That’ll give us an evening to talk. Your email is accessible. Just need to figure it out.
-See you in a couple of days!!!
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Hey, Sam!
Thanks for connecting via email. What a treat it will be to meet you in person. Can’t wait!
I am replying here on your blog to make sure everyone else is plenty envious that I will get face time with you. 😉
I truly hope that many others will eventually meet you as well. See you Wednesday evening!
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Have you looked KRD closely at the temple interview questions…they don’t ask if you are loyal to Christ. They ask if you are loyal to the prophet and church rules. Church leaders have put themselves squarely between members and God. They are the Mormon Gods. If you don’t believe me check out the comments on their individual Facebook pages.
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