Déjà Vu ~ Times II: Sins & Secrets

Friday, November 13, 2015

Sins & Secrets

If there was ever a pattern of recycling déjà vu it might be in all those cases of infidelity. We do not have to look far to see the repetitious pattern in the famous. Remember Paula Broadwell, Kobe Bryant, Bill Clinton, John Edwards, Newt Gingrich, Jennifer Lopez, David Petraeus, LeAnn Rimes, Meg Ryan, Mark Sanford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Eliot Spitzer, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Anthony Weiner, Tiger Woods, et al., al., al.

So what is the pattern? Does it manifest in the not-so-famous—the man or woman next door? Apparently—and by many reports¹—increasingly so. History is full of “infidels.” God’s recurring lament was that His covenant people had gone a whoring (His words) after other gods—had become covenant-breakers.

So here is a short checklist for marital infidels—for covenant-breakers with both God and spouse:

□ Have I checked values and principles at the door of “my feelings”?
□ Do I claim my infidelity is someone (everyone) else’s fault?
□ Have I become cold, angry, cruel or fake with my spouse?
□ Do I lie about or attempt to keep secret my comings and goings and whereabouts?
□ Am I paranoid about someone reading my texts or answering my phone?
□ Do I flare up at any suggestion or suspicion about my behavior?
□ Am I addicted to the drama (and the “fix”) of it all?
□ Do I acquiesce to uncomfortable things so my paramour won’t betray me?
□ Have I let my sins and secrets turn me into a sociopath?²
□ Is my whole life a lie?

If you haven't heretofore recognized the pattern, know this: others have. And know this: The perennial déjà vu is that every infidel will be exposed. If not in this life (though the odds may favor it), it will come at the Judgment when all former pleasures and passions will be as nothing to the pain and anguish of confronting one's own stupidity(?), duplicity(?), pride(?), narcissism(?), myopia(?).

Know this too. All those warning voices of “end-times”; of getting things right with God; of repenting before it is too late; of taking full responsibility for sins and clearing secrets—all these are not pie-in-the-sky. The time we have to get things right is unbelievably short.

Know also: No secret is safe with other sinners; and no secret is safe from omniscience.

For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. (New Testament | Luke 12:2-3)

For verily the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to escape; and there is no eye that shall not see, neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart that shall not be penetrated. And the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed. (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 1:2-3)

P.S. “Why is it, that when [we] can supposedly seduce any person in the world into liking [us], [we] still don't like [our]self?” (Quoted from D B.³)

BUT, above all, know this: There is help, healing, and forgiveness when we turn our life back to Him.

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1. Listen, read, understand how tragic this all is:
◦   http://beyondaffairs.com/suspicion-confrontation/signs-of-infidelity/
◦   http://womensinfidelity.com/adultery_wife.html
◦ http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/podcasts/current_20151112_50275.mp3 - Neil Strauss rethinks his pickup artist past confessing 'The Truth' about relationships - Nov 12, 2015 (2/3)
◦ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ashley-madison-data-1.3196636
◦ http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/podcasts/spark_20151108_19183.mp3 - Spark #299: Spy-on-your-spouse apps, ... (begin at minute 32:45)
◦   http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/how-technology-is-lifting-the-covers-on-infidelity-1.1144992
◦ do a google or book search on infidelity, if you need additional witness beyond these articles, mp3s, and the AshleyMadison scandals.
2. http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/search/label/Sociopath
3. Quote from D B post of October 13, 2015 from Customer Reviews for Strauss’s book The Truth: An Uncomfortable Book About Relationships at http://www.amazon.com/Truth-Uncomfortable-Book-About-Relationships-ebook/dp/B00ICN31SA/ref=sr_1_13?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1447866175&sr=1-13&keywords=neil+strauss&pebp=1447866193036&perid=1J00DE8C9WJG7QYMAKN7

Revolving Accounts

"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us." (Old Testament Ecclesiastes 1:9-10)

"Dwell in the past and you'll lose an eye. Forget the past and you'll lose both eyes." (Old Russian Proverb)

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This Déjà Vu ~ Times II blog is devoted to my religious / spiritual musings (sometimes political), mainly concerning the recycling of our follies since the world began.

Over time, it will contain:
thoughts
observations
poems
quotes

Déjà Vu ~ Times II blog © 2009 - 2020 by SMSmith (unless otherwise noted). Some Rights Reserved. See Creative Commons License at the end of this column/page.

Déjà Vu ~ Times II blog was established August 17, 2009 while the author was living in Canada helping caregive an aged mother.

“No Comments” Rationale

1) Time & more needful priorities;
2) Problems observed with many open-comment blogs as so bluntly expressed at http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/comment-policy/
3) People are free to post divergent or convergent views on their own blogs;
4) Learning from comments here would be preferable, but— (see 1, 2, & 3).

Brief note to the OFFENDED: Just because allowing "comments" is a blogger's option, it does not mean every blogger must conform to the "expectations" of others. Every soul can consult the Spirit and decide what is best and right in their circumstance. And if one has a blanket policy not to read another's work because there is no opportunity to comment, it seems one has closed oneself off to potential guidance of the Spirit. Besides, in this world of "overwhelm," the guidance of the Spirit is the best resource we have to lead us to things of importance in our unique life. So, if you have found your way here, perhaps there are a few things of import for you here. I try to trust the Spirit to lead me likewise to things of import within my purpose and priorities.

My World / TransWorld View

▪ Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come; (Doctrine and Covenants Section 93:24)
▪ If we have the truth, it cannot be harmed by investigation. If we have not the truth, it ought to be harmed. (J. Reuben Clark)

▪ Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (New Testament 1 Thessalonians 5:21)

▪ No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.(New Testament Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13; 3 Nephi 13:24)
▪ See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.(New Testament 1 Thessalonians 5:15)
▪ For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; ... (Book of Mormon Alma 41:15)
▪ Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. (Book of Mormon Mosiah 4:9, emphasis added)
▪ ... the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (New Testament 1 Corinthians 1:25)
▪ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Old Testament Isaiah 55:8 - 9)
▪ ... the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true. (Book of Mormon Alma 29:8)
▪ The Bible is true, as far as it is translated correctly. Some things are to be understood literally; others metaphorically or symbolically.
▪ God is neither a Republican nor a Democrat; a Liberal nor a Conservative, just as Christ was neither a Pharisee or Sadducee. [For God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round.(Doctrine and Covenants Section 3:2)]
▪ Life is an escalating series of tests.
▪ “...we will be asked again and again to release the parts of our lives that mean the most to us.” (Caroline Myss, Sacred Contracts, p. 76; also preview lives of the prophets and saints.)