Whither Justice and Judgment?

About 73 B.C., in the Americas, a father sought to explain the concept of justice to his worried son:

AND now, my son, I perceive there is somewhat more which doth worry your mind, which ye cannot understand—which is concerning the justice of God in the punishment of the sinner; for ye do try to suppose that it is injustice that the sinner should be consigned to a state of misery. (Book of Mormon | Alma 42:1)

More and more in these latter-days, we seem to encounter a similar idea: that the “harsh” voice of the Old Testament has been superseded by the lovingkindness and mercy of Jesus of the New Testament. And so we pick and choose the attributes of God as though they were à la carte. But what if:

•  God is a full-meal-deal?
•  He comes with ALL his attributes intact?
•  He wheels the meal cart and, despite unconditional love, will serve up at our judgment what we dished out to Him and others during our mortal probation?

And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration to take a thing of a natural state and place it in an unnatural state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature? O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word restoration is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish for devilish—good for that which is good; righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is just; merciful for that which is merciful. Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again. For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all. (Book of Mormon | Alma 41:12-15; bold emphasis added; see also below, footnote¹)

Can we not fathom that Love and Justice/Judgment co-exist? that they do not compete? that God loves us no matter what we choose? BUT that Love will not and cannot override Justice for those who reject the Way, the Truth, and the Light?²

There is a lot we do not understand about God’s ways; even what He means by the word misery,³ but He seems to have a lot to say about Justice and Judgment.⁴

So, when we confront Justice, Judgment, and Mercy at the pleading bar of God, whose love, do we imagine, is going to be on trial?⁵

 In the meantime, His love continues to pursue us as He tries, with all His might—within the parameters of our agency—to persuade us to accept His gifts and promises. Then, as Alma says:

... and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil. (Book of Mormon | Alma 41:7)

And as Jacob says:

Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life. (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 10:23)

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1. Doctrine and Covenants | Section 1:10 ~ … the Lord shall come to recompense unto every man according to his work, and measure to every man according to the measure which he has measured to his fellow man.
Book of Mormon | Alma 41:3-7 ~ … it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is good. And if their works are evil they shall be restored unto them for evil. Therefore, all things shall be restored to their proper order, every thing to its natural frame—mortality raised to immortality, corruption to incorruption—raised to endless happiness to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery to inherit the kingdom of the devil, the one on one hand, the other on the other— The one raised to happiness according to his desires of happiness, or good according to his desires of good; and the other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night cometh. And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness. These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil.
Book of Mormon | Alma 42:22-26 ~ But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God. But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice. For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved. What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you, Nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God. And thus God bringeth about his great and eternal purposes, which were prepared from the foundation of the world. And thus cometh about the salvation and the redemption of men, and also their destruction and misery.
Book of Mormon | Alma 42:27 ~ Therefore, O my son, whosoever will come may come and partake of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come the same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be restored unto him according to his deeds.
Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 10:20-21 ~ Therefore remember, O man, for all thy doings thou shalt be brought into judgment. Wherefore, if ye have sought to do wickedly in the days of your probation, then ye are found unclean before the judgment–seat of God; and no unclean thing can dwell with God; wherefore, ye must be cast off forever.
New Testament | Galatians 6:7-8 ~ Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
2. New Testament | Matthew 7:13-14 ~ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 33:9 ~ I also have charity for the Gentiles. But behold, for none of these can I hope except they shall be reconciled unto Christ, and enter into the narrow gate, and walk in the strait path which leads to life, and continue in the path until the end of the day of probation.
Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 2:7 ~ Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 1:31-33 ~ For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven; And he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received; for my Spirit shall not always strive with man, saith the Lord of Hosts.
Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 2:21 ~ And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were lost, because of the transgression of their parents.
Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 9:27 ~ But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state!
Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 33:9 ~ I also have charity for the Gentiles. But behold, for none of these can I hope except they shall be reconciled unto Christ, and enter into the narrow gate, and walk in the strait path which leads to life, and continue in the path until the end of the day of probation.
Book of Mormon | Mormon 9:28 ~ Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve the true and living God.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 29:43-45 ~ And thus did I, the Lord God, appoint unto man the days of his probation—that by his natural death he might be raised in immortality unto eternal life, even as many as would believe; And they that believe not unto eternal damnation; for they cannot be redeemed from their spiritual fall, because they repent not; For they love darkness rather than light, and their deeds are evil, and they receive their wages of whom they list to obey.
Book of Mormon | Mormon 7:3 ~ Know ye that ye must come unto repentance, or ye cannot be saved.
3. Doctrine and Covenants | Section 19:6-12 ~ Nevertheless, it is not written that there shall be no end to this torment, but it is written endless torment. Again, it is written eternal damnation; wherefore it is more express than other scriptures, that it might work upon the hearts of the children of men, altogether for my name's glory. Wherefore, I will explain unto you this mystery, for it is meet unto you to know even as mine apostles. I speak unto you that are chosen in this thing, even as one, that you may enter into my rest. For, behold, the mystery of godliness, how great is it! For, behold, I am endless, and the punishment which is given from my hand is endless punishment, for Endless is my name. Wherefore— Eternal punishment is God's punishment. Endless punishment is God's punishment.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 76:38-40 ~ Yea, verily, the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord, after the sufferings of his wrath. For all the rest shall be brought forth by the resurrection of the dead, through the triumph and the glory of the Lamb, who was slain, who was in the bosom of the Father before the worlds were made. And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us—
4.  Number of Scripture References for Justice, Just, Judgment, & Judgments

	Old Testament	New Testament	BoM, D&C, PGP	Totals
Justice	28	0*	85	113
Just	59	35	92	186
Judgment	218	76	165	459
Judgments	122	5	61	188

Created with the HTML Table Generator
* The word justice may not appear in the New Testament, but when one analyses the parables and other words of Jesus, there is clearly a theme of justice, as in “The Unjust Steward,” “The Unjust Judge,” “The Unmerciful Servant,” “Lazarus and the Rich Man”, etc. It might be an enlightening exercise to read the Four Gospels looking for the theme of Justice in the words and actions of Jesus..
5. New Testament | John 14:15 ~ If ye love me, keep my commandments.
New Testament | John 3:16 ~ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [In short: God’s immeasurable love was proven long ago at Gethsemane and Golgotha. He satisfied Justice in every circumstance. He paid the price for every offense. His work to meet the demands of justice was finished. (New Testament | John 19:30 ~ When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.) And now, we are in the midst of our work.

Broken Heart?

I came across a discussion (somewhere?) several weeks ago concerning the meaning of “broken heart and contrite spirit.”¹ Some viewed “broken” and “contrite” in a negative light, as in the quashing of personality, desires, independence, self-esteem, self-worth, self-respect, and so forth—a condition that was to them completely unacceptable, even contemptible.

When viewed only from mortal perspective and experience, broken and contrite can seem offensive and demeaning, but from God’s higher perspective,² what might He mean by “broken heart and contrite spirit”?

Could “broken and contrite” be the remedy to one of God’s most frequent laments—the hardened condition of the human heart?—a déjà vu lament that begins in Genesis and then echoed down the ages.³

And GOD saw that the wickedness^[4] of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Old Testament | Genesis 6:5)

… behold, there are many that harden their hearts against the Holy Spirit, that it hath no place in them; wherefore, they cast many things away which are written and esteem them as things of naught. (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 33:2; see others below.⁵)

Perhaps, in this contest between flesh and spirit;⁶ in this place of opposites and agency, the heart is like an egg, or a seed, or a nut. Until it is broken open to things as they really are and as they really can be, life and purpose can never be fully realized—can never rise to fullest potential.

How can we ever imagine that we know enough to pursue our own way⁷ into the eternities with our limited vision and memory in this season of probation and testing? Isn’t this one of the great tests—to break away from our attachments to the things, temptations, and wisdom of the world and trust in the transrational God?

Perhaps the best synopsis of “broken and contrite” is found in this familiar, but oft-forgotten verse:

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Old Testament | Proverbs 3:5-6)

And perhaps the best example is the Psalm of Nephi.⁸

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1. Old Testament | Psalms 34:18 ~ The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Old Testament | Psalms 51:17 ~ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, …
Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 2:7 ~ Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.
Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 9:20 ~ And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.
Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 12:19 - 20 ~ And behold, I have given you the law and the commandments of my Father, that ye shall believe in me, and that ye shall repent of your sins, and come unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Behold, ye have the commandments before you, and the law is fulfilled. Therefore come unto me and be ye saved; for verily I say unto you, that except ye shall keep my commandments, which I have commanded you at this time, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Book of Mormon | Ether 4:15 ~ … when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel.
Book of Mormon | Moroni 6:2 ~ Neither did they receive any unto baptism save they came forth with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and witnessed unto the church that they truly repented of all their sins.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 59:8 ~ Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
2. Old Testament | Isaiah 55:8-9 ~ 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.
3. http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/2014/01/gods-lament.html
4. (straying from truth and purpose? falling victim to The Three Temptations?)
5.  Old Testament | Deuteronomy 8:13-14, 17 ~ And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; … And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
Old Testament | Joshua 24:23 ~ Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.
Book of Mormon | Alma 12:10-11 ~ And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full. And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell.
Book of Mormon | Alma 12:34-35 ~ Therefore, whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart, he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto a remission of his sins; and these shall enter into my rest. And whosoever will harden his heart and will do iniquity, behold, I swear in my wrath that he shall not enter into my rest.
Book of Mormon | Alma 34:31-32 ~ Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you. For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.
Book of Mormon | Helaman 7:17-18 ~ O repent ye, repent ye! Why will ye die? Turn ye, turn ye unto the Lord your God. Why has he forsaken you? It is because you have hardened your hearts; yea, ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good shepherd; yea, ye have provoked him to anger against you.
Book of Mormon | Helaman 12:2 ~ Yea, and we may see at the very time when he doth prosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of precious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives, and delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; softening the hearts of their enemies that they should not declare wars against them; yea, and in fine, doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his people; yea, then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One—yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 20:15 ~ But those who harden their hearts in unbelief, and reject it, it shall turn to their own condemnation—
Book of Mormon | Alma 34:9 ~ For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 112:13 ~ …if they harden not their hearts, and stiffen not their necks against me, they shall be converted, and I will heal them.
6.Flesh: http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/2014/11/the-flesh.html ;
Spirit:  http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/2014/11/the-divided-soul.html
7. Our Own Way vs. The Way, the Truth, and the Light:
Old Testament Isaiah 65:2 ~ I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;
New Testament Romans 10:2-3 ~ For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
New Testament Philippians 2:21 ~ For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.
Book of Mormon Helaman 6:31 ~ [Y]ea, the more part of them had turned out of the way of righteousness, and did trample under their feet the commandments of God, and did turn unto their own ways, and did build up unto themselves idols of their gold and their silver.
Doctrine and Covenants Section 1:16 ~ They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall.
Doctrine and Covenants Section 56:14 ~ Behold, thus saith the Lord unto my people—you have many things to do and to repent of; for behold, your sins have come up unto me, and are not pardoned, because you seek to counsel in your own ways.
Doctrine and Covenants Section 82:6 ~ And the anger of God kindleth against the inhabitants of the earth; and none doeth good, for all have gone out of the way.
Old Testament | 1 Samuel 12:24 ~ Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.
Old Testament | 1 Kings 8:61 ~ Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
Old Testament | Psalms 147:3 ~ He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
8. Psalm of Nephi: Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 4:15-35
And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.
~ Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.
~ Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.
~ I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.
~ And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.
~ My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.
~ He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.
~ He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.
~ Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night–time.
~ And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.
~ And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them.
~ O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?
~ And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?
~ Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.
~ Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.
~ Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
~ O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?
~ May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!
~ O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.
~ O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.
~ Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.

Arms Race?

aka: Colossal Squid
can be up to 46 feet long
from WikimediaCommons: author Rcidte

If a group of divers were attacked by a Colossal squid,¹ and became obsessively focused on disabling a single arm as the chief and all consuming danger, what would be their chances of survival? Slim to none?

Well, that seems to be the strategy of many defenders of freedom. They latch onto the parasitic system of socialist / communist tyranny and hack away, leaving other arms free to contort and captivate, seemingly oblivious to the danger or damage.

So, one last time (maybe),  I sound the alarm and lay it out as plain as I can.

Babylon is the body of the Colossal—the “brain,” the nerve center manipulating all the arms of destruction. Babylon—the whore of all the earth (God’s description²)—will co-opt, infiltrate, and corrupt everything she can lay her arms and tentacles to, and she has done so. Science, government, law enforcement, military, militias, politics, philosophy, entertainment, religion, finance, business, education, industry, you name it—she has a suckered arm for each. But perhaps the more far-reaching, dangerous tentacles are those devoted to that other (conjoined) parasitic system known as capitalism / corporatism.

It remains astounding that people with conscience and grey-matter cannot yet discern that corporate capitalism has done more damage to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness worldwide—at warp speed—than any other tyranny ever threatened to do. Of course, tyrannies have done enormous damage, but there are no countries or institutions that so market and manufacture deception and destruction (despite some real and perceived contributions) like those promoting  the primacy of profit and the supremacy of “competitive” capitalism. Capitalism has become its own tyranny, one we seem reluctant to investigate, because the perks and privileges of power and gain hide a multitude of sins—mostly in the third world, but more and more, sweeping round as a global flood.

Just take a look at the “dark side” of what power and gain and the desire for power and gain (the focus of corporate capitalism and its architects) have wrought and ask:

▪ Where would our world be and what incredible advances might be present IF our paradigm had been one of cooperation and compassion instead of competition, self-interest, and profit?
▪ What two words describe the way of iniquity (the way of the Natural Man³) more succinctly than these two: competition and self-interest?
▪ Can force or intimidation ever begin to match the captivity that freely-chosen iniquity will bring upon the soul who succumbs to the riches, enticements, images, and flatteries of Babylon?

As for Ayn Rand devotees, it’s past time to observe the science of self-interest and motivation.

As it is, there is probably no age, ever, since the beginning of time that has been as obtuse and blind to truth and consequence than this age obsessed with power and gain, competition and self-interest. The so-called dark ages might be considered a time of enlightenment in comparison for

… if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness.
If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness,
how great is that darkness!
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 6:23-24)

Do we really think mammon and materialism equates to communism / socialism or some other government tyranny? Why do we seem so reluctant to admit that Babylon has acquired her coveted wealth and power (and consequent captivation of others) through the corruption of our (so-called) free, capital markets? What other economic system is so saturated with money, merchants, riches, costly apparel, endless things, vain images, gross inequities, and unconscionable debt?

When will we awake to the great deception—to our awful situation?

Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you,
when ye shall see these things come among you
that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation,
because of this secret combination
which shall be among you;
or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them
who have been slain;
for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it,
and also upon those who built it up.
For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up
seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries;
and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people,
for it is built up by the devil,
who is the father of all lies;
even that same liar who beguiled our first parents,
yea, even that same liar
who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning;
who hath hardened the hearts of men
that they have murdered the prophets,^[4]
and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.
(Book of Mormon | Ether 8:24-25; bold emphasis added)

And if we haven’t noticed that warp speed has warped again in these latter days, then maybe we should re-read New Testament Revelations, especially:

... Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea!  for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. (New Testament | Revelation 12:12, bold emphasis added.)

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1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossal_squid ; current estimates put its maximum size at 12–14 m (39–46 ft) long.
2. Doctrine and Covenants | Section 86:3 ~ And after they have fallen asleep the great persecutor of the church, the apostate, the whore, even Babylon, that maketh all nations to drink of her cup, in whose hearts the enemy, even Satan, sitteth to reign—behold he soweth the tares; wherefore, the tares choke the wheat and drive the church into the wilderness.
New Testament | Revelation 17:4-5 ~ And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
New Testament | Revelation 18:2-3 ~ Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 28:18 ~ But behold, that great and abominable church, the whore of all the earth, must tumble to the earth, and great must be the fall thereof.
3. Book of Mormon | Mosiah 3:19 ~ For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.
4. (Includes all those who speak truth to power and who lose life or liberty for doing so.)

The Sound of the Trump?

In these latter days, with all the hyper-ventilating by right-wing conservatives and their disciples about the insidious advance of a socialist / communist tyranny,¹ one might seriously believe that the original soundtrack of the angel flying in the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice,

Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. (New Testament | Revelation 14:7)

has been updated to

Fear the socialist / communist; and give glory to the capitalist system for all her riches and delicacies; and worship² the free-market that made heaven attainable, and converted the earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters into private property, etc., etc.

Except perhaps, we should return to the next original verse:

And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. (New Testament | Revelation 14:8)

So here again, we encounter Babylon as the enemy of God and Creation. Do we really think that Babylon’s chief voice is that of the socialist / communist who advocates:

▪ equality and a classless society?
▪ equity and justice for the proletariat (working class)?
▪ humbling of the bourgeois (wealthy elite)?
▪ common property and ownership?
▪ contempt for religion and the abuses of religion?
▪ etc.³ (For clarity, read the footnote.)

We seem to be missing the repeated message of those neglected voices from the dust⁴—those déjà vu pleadings from Book of Mormon prophets and seers who cried against:

▪ inequality and dividing into classes;⁵
▪ despising the poor and needy;⁶
▪ pride and the wearing of costly apparel;⁷
▪ building up churches for gain;⁸
▪ etc. (Read all the verses in these footnotes and ask: What system do these words describe?)

How many times must we be told in the Book of Mormon that threatened tyranny from Lamanites, dissenters, kingsmen, Gadiantons, secret combinations, etc. was almost never a real threat until after the majority of the people⁹ had, in the exercise of their agency, rejected the ways of truth, justice, mercy, love, and so forth as they pursued the ways of Babylon—the ways of power and gain, pride and inequality?

Can we not see that:

▪ a tyranny like socialism / communism (or even a NWO) is stage two in a two-stage degeneration?
▪ tyranny, by consequence, overcomes after people have first been captivated by error (by Babylonian philosophies) with flatteries, riches, vain things, inequalities, pride, etc.?
▪ we don’t understand much of cause and effect, truth and consequence relating to spiritual matters because we refuse to acknowledge the transrational—the science of Heaven¹⁰?
▪ spiritual laws governing growth and progression, justice and mercy, flesh and spirit, life and death can be as unyielding to corruption, ignorance, egoism, or hubris as certain laws of physics and chemistry?
▪ tyranny can be a linear consequence that God makes use of in working out His transrational purposes within the agency of man?

And the Lord God said unto me: They shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in remembrance of me; and inasmuch as they will not remember me, and hearken unto my words, they shall scourge them even unto destruction. (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 5:25)

The promises of God to the faithful are repeated time and again, beginning with Moses:

The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. (Old Testament | Deuteronomy 28:7; see numerous others at footnote 11 below.)

It seems we have a terrible time admitting that “Fear God” means “repent OR face the mien of Justice.” Instead, we keep pursuing the ways and means of the flesh,¹² of the world, of Babylon—being immersed in a corrupted, capitalist, corporatist system—where we spend a fortune arming against enemies and scaring ourselves because we have already sold ourselves.

The tragic fact is that IF tyranny, of whatever nature, becomes a serious threat, it is likely we have already fallen to the seductions and errors of the world by our own free will and choice (and maybe ignorance).

The good news is—there is a way back. It is to turn around¹³ before it’s too late. It is to heed the sound of the (transrational) trump.

--------------------/
1. Communism being the political system that uses extreme socialism as its economic system. For those who will see, Zion and Socialism / Communism share many features, but the critical difference is that one is freely chosen; the other is administered through coercion. And if we think coercion is the main tool of the adversary, I suggest we are mistaken. He captivates far more souls through their agency, than will ever be eternally enslaved through coercion. See also: http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/2014/12/deception-inc.html
2. “Worship at the altar of the free-market”: http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/2014/05/truth-be-told.html
3. (most of which turn out, in practice, to be a sham, as “leftist” leaders get caught up in the seductions of power and gain)
4. Doctrine and Covenants | Section 84:54-58 ~ And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all. And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written—That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father's kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion.
5. Book of Mormon | Mosiah 29:32 ~ And now I desire that this inequality should be no more in this land, especially among this my people; but I desire that this land be a land of liberty, and every man may enjoy his rights and privileges alike, so long as the Lord sees fit that we may live and inherit the land, yea, even as long as any of our posterity remains upon the face of the land.
Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 6:10-18 ~ But it came to pass in the twenty and ninth year there began to be some disputings among the people; and some were lifted up unto pride and boastings because of their exceedingly great riches, yea, even unto great persecutions; For there were many merchants in the land, and also many lawyers, and many officers. And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and their chances for learning; yea, some were ignorant because of their poverty, and others did receive great learning because of their riches. Some were lifted up in pride, and others were exceedingly humble; some did return railing for railing, while others would receive railing and persecution and all manner of afflictions, and would not turn and revile again, but were humble and penitent before God. And thus there became a great inequality in all the land, insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch that in the thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord. Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this—Satan had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride, tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world. And thus Satan did lead away the hearts of the people to do all manner of iniquity; therefore they had enjoyed peace but a few years. And thus, in the commencement of the thirtieth year—the people having been delivered up for the space of a long time to be carried about by the temptations of the devil whithersoever he desired to carry them, and to do whatsoever iniquity he desired they should—and thus in the commencement of this, the thirtieth year, they were in a state of awful wickedness. Now they did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will of God concerning them, for it had been taught unto them; therefore they did wilfully rebel against God.
6. Book of Mormon | Alma 4:12 ~ Yea, he saw great inequality among the people, some lifting themselves up with their pride, despising others, turning their backs upon the needy and the naked and those who were hungry, and those who were athirst, and those who were sick and afflicted.
Book of Mormon | Alma 5:53-55 ~ And now my beloved brethren, I say unto you, can ye withstand these sayings; yea, can ye lay aside these things, and trample the Holy One under your feet; yea, can ye be puffed up in the pride of your hearts; yea, will ye still persist in the wearing of costly apparel and setting your hearts upon the vain things of the world, upon your riches? Yea, will ye persist in supposing that ye are better one than another; yea, will ye persist in the persecution of your brethren, … Yea, and will you persist in turning your backs upon the poor, and the needy, and in withholding your substance from them?
Book of Mormon | Alma 28:13 ~ And thus we see how great the inequality of man is because of sin and transgression, and the power of the devil, which comes by the cunning plans which he hath devised to ensnare the hearts of men.
7. Book of Mormon | Alma 1:4-6 ~ And [Nehor] also testified unto the people that all mankind should be saved at the last day, and that they need not fear nor tremble, but that they might lift up their heads and rejoice; for the Lord had created all men, and had also redeemed all men; and, in the end, all men should have eternal life. And it came to pass that he did teach these things so much that many did believe on his words, even so many that they began to support him and give him money. And he began to be lifted up in the pride of his heart, and to wear very costly apparel, yea, and even began to establish a church after the manner of his preaching.
Book of Mormon | Alma 1:32 ~ For those who did not belong to their church did indulge themselves in sorceries, and in idolatry or idleness, and in babblings, and in envyings and strife; wearing costly apparel; being lifted up in the pride of their own eyes; persecuting, lying, thieving, robbing, committing whoredoms, and murdering, and all manner of wickedness; nevertheless, the law was put in force upon all those who did transgress it, inasmuch as it was possible.
Book of Mormon | Alma 4:6-11 ~ And it came to pass in the eighth year of the reign of the judges, that the people of the church began to wax proud, because of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their fine-twined linen, and because of their many flocks and herds, and their gold and their silver, and all manner of precious things, which they had obtained by their industry; and in all these things were they lifted up in the pride of their eyes, for they began to wear very costly apparel. Now this was the cause of much affliction to Alma, yea, and to many of the people whom Alma had consecrated to be teachers, and priests, and elders over the church; yea, many of them were sorely grieved for the wickedness which they saw had begun to be among their people. For they saw and beheld with great sorrow that the people of the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the world, that they began to be scornful, one towards another, and they began to persecute those that did not believe according to their own will and pleasure. And thus, in this eighth year of the reign of the judges, there began to be great contentions among the people of the church; yea, there were envyings, and strife, and malice, and persecutions, and pride, even to exceed the pride of those who did not belong to the church of God. And thus ended the eighth year of the reign of the judges; and the wickedness of the church was a great stumbling–block to those who did not belong to the church; and thus the church began to fail in its progress. And it came to pass in the commencement of the ninth year, Alma saw the wickedness of the church, and he saw also that the example of the church began to lead those who were unbelievers on from one piece of iniquity to another, thus bringing on the destruction of the people.
Book of Mormon | Alma 31:27-28 ~ Behold, O God, they cry unto thee, and yet their hearts are swallowed up in their pride. Behold, O God, they cry unto thee with their mouths, while they are puffed up, even to greatness, with the vain things of the world. Behold, O my God, their costly apparel, and their ringlets, and their bracelets, and their ornaments of gold, and all their precious things which they are ornamented with; and behold, their hearts are set upon them, and yet they cry unto thee and say—We thank thee, O God, for we are a chosen people unto thee, while others shall perish.
Book of Mormon | Helaman 13:27-29 ~ But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say: Do this, and there is no iniquity; do that and ye shall not suffer; yea, he will say: Walk after the pride of your own hearts; yea, walk after the pride of your eyes, and do whatsoever your heart desireth—and if a man shall come among you and say this, ye will receive him, and say that he is a prophet. Yea, ye will lift him up, and ye will give unto him of your substance; ye will give unto him of your gold, and of your silver, and ye will clothe him with costly apparel; and because he speaketh flattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him. O ye wicked and ye perverse generation; ye hardened and ye stiffnecked people, how long will ye suppose that the Lord will suffer you? Yea, how long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by foolish and blind guides? Yea, how long will ye choose darkness rather than light?
8. Book of Mormon | 4 Nephi 1:24-26 ~ And now, in this two hundred and first year there began to be among them those who were lifted up in pride, such as the wearing of costly apparel, and all manner of fine pearls, and of the fine things of the world. And from that time forth they did have their goods and their substance no more common among them. And they began to be divided into classes; and they began to build up churches unto themselves to get gain, and began to deny the true church of Christ.
9. Book of Mormon | Mosiah 29:26-27 ~ Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law—to do your business by the voice of the people. And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land.
Book of Mormon | Alma 10:19 - 21 ~ ...yea, well did [Mosiah] say that if the time should come that the voice of this people should choose iniquity, that is, if the time should come that this people should fall into transgression, they would be ripe for destruction. And now I say unto you that well doth the Lord judge of your iniquities; well doth he cry unto this people, by the voice of his angels: Repent ye, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Yea, well doth he cry, by the voice of his angels that: I will come down among my people, with equity and justice in my hands.
10.  Transrational: http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/2012/11/transrational.html ; http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/2013/11/god-is-not-rational.html
11.   Protection from enemies:
» For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the wrath of God shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous. Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even if it so be that the fulness of his wrath must come, and the righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their enemies by fire. Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire. (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 22:16-17)
» He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me. (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 4:22)
» And behold, according to the words of the prophet, the Messiah will set himself again the second time to recover them; wherefore, he will manifest himself unto them in power and great glory, unto the destruction of their enemies, when that day cometh when they shall believe in him; and none will he destroy that believe in him. (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 6:14)
» Wherefore, the people of Nephi did fortify against them with their arms, and with all their might, trusting in the God and rock of their salvation; wherefore, they became as yet, conquerors of their enemies. (Book of Mormon | Jacob 7:25)
» Wherefore, the Lord did visit them in great judgment; nevertheless, he did spare the righteous that they should not perish, but did deliver them out of the hands of their enemies. (Book of Mormon | Omni 1:7)
» And now, my brethren, I would that ye should do as ye have hitherto done. As ye have kept my commandments, and also the commandments of my father, and have prospered, and have been kept from falling into the hands of your enemies, even so if ye shall keep the commandments of my son, or the commandments of God which shall be delivered unto you by him, ye shall prosper in the land, and your enemies shall have no power over you. (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 2:31)
» And except they repent and turn to the Lord their God, behold, I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies; yea, and they shall be brought into bondage; and they shall be afflicted by the hand of their enemies. And it shall come to pass that they shall know that I am the Lord their God, and am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of my people. And it shall come to pass that except this people repent and turn unto the Lord their God, they shall be brought into bondage; and none shall deliver them, except it be the Lord the Almighty God. (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 11:21-23)
» ... because of their iniquities they were brought into bondage. And were it not for the interposition of their all–wise Creator, and this because of their sincere repentance, they must unavoidably remain in bondage until now. But behold, he did deliver them because they did humble themselves before him; and because they cried mightily unto him he did deliver them out of bondage; and thus doth the Lord work with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him. (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 29:18-20)
» And have ye forgotten so soon how many times he delivered our fathers out of the hands of their enemies, and preserved them from being destroyed, even by the hands of their own brethren? (Book of Mormon | Alma 9:10)
» For were it not for the wickedness which first commenced at our head, we could have withstood our enemies that they could have gained no power over us. (Book of Mormon | Alma 60:15)
» But behold he doth not command us that we shall subject ourselves to our enemies, but that we should put our trust in him, and he will deliver us. (Book of Mormon | Alma 61:13)
» And for this cause wo shall come unto you except ye shall repent. For if ye will not repent, behold, this great city, and also all those great cities which are round about, which are in the land of our possession, shall be taken away that ye shall have no place in them; for behold, the Lord will not grant unto you strength, as he has hitherto done, to withstand against your enemies. (Book of Mormon | Helaman 7:22)
» Yea, and we may see at the very time when he doth prosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of precious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives, and delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; softening the hearts of their enemies that they should not declare wars against them; yea, and in fine, doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his people; yea, then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One—yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity. And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him. O how foolish, and how vain, and how evil, and devilish, and how quick to do iniquity, and how slow to do good, are the children of men; yea, how quick to hearken unto the words of the evil one, and to set their hearts upon the vain things of the world! Yea, how quick to be lifted up in pride; yea, how quick to boast, and do all manner of that which is iniquity; and how slow are they to remember the Lord their God, and to give ear unto his counsels, yea, how slow to walk in wisdom's paths! (Book of Mormon | Helaman 12:2-5)
» And their hearts were swollen with joy, unto the gushing out of many tears, because of the great goodness of God in delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; and they knew it was because of their repentance and their humility that they had been delivered from an everlasting destruction. (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 4:33)
12. The Flesh: http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/2014/11/the-flesh.html ; http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/2014/11/the-divided-soul.html
13. The Doctrine of Two Ways: see http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/2014/11/up-or-down.html

The Pity Ploy

(“It’s not my fault!”)

In her book, The Sociopath Next Door, Martha Stout gives her assessment of the best tip-off to avoiding sociopaths. It is not “some sinister-sounding detail of behavior or snippet of body language or threatening use of language that is the subtle give-away” for “none of these things is reliably present” (p. 107). She continues:

Rather the best clue is, of all things, the pity ploy. The most reliable sign, the most universal behavior of unscrupulous people is not directed, as one might imagine, at our fearfulness. It is perversely, an appeal to our sympathy (p. 107).

When deciding whom to trust, bear in mind that the combination of consistently bad or egregiously inadequate behavior with frequent plays for your pity is as close to a warning mark on a conscienceless person’s forehead as you will ever be given (p. 109).

All of which is a fascinating insight considering the brief profile of the first conscienceless person identified by name. Here is what was written of Cain after he murdered his brother Abel.

And Cain gloried in that which he had done, saying: I am free; surely the flocks of my brother falleth into my hands.

Then God appears on the scene.

And the Lord said unto Cain: Where is Abel, thy brother?

And he said: I know not. Am I my brother's keeper?

And the Lord said: What hast thou done?
The voice of thy brother's blood cries unto me from the ground.
And now thou shalt be cursed from the earth
which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand.
When thou tillest the ground
it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength.
A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
(Pearl of Great Price | Moses 5:33-37)

Now, comes the pity ploy.

And Cain said unto the Lord:
Satan tempted me because of my brother's flocks.
And I was wroth also; for his offering thou didst accept^[1] and not mine;
my punishment is greater than I can bear.
Behold thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the Lord,
and from thy face shall I be hid;
and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth;
and it shall come to pass, that he that findeth me will slay me,
because of mine iniquities, for these things are not hid from the Lord.
(Moses 5:38-39)

And so it began and so it continues, and will continue unless we awaken to things as they were and as they now are; and thenceforth follow the advice:

Never agree, out of pity or for any other reason, to help a sociopath conceal his or her true character [or crimes]. ... Other people deserve to be warned more than sociopaths deserve to have you keep their secrets (Stout, pp. 161-162).

And that goes especially for the human agents of sociopathic / psychopathic institutions, societies, clubs, organizations, and nations.

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1. Some have wondered why

… the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering; But unto Cain, and to his offering, he had not respect. Now Satan knew this, and it pleased him. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. (Moses 5:20-21)

(Note: it is not because Cain’s offering was the fruits of the field, for “first fruits” are acceptable. Listen to the temple endowment words.)

There may be several factors to account for God’s lack of respect, but surely this reason is foremost:

And Cain loved Satan more than God. And Satan commanded him, saying: Make an offering unto the Lord. (Moses 5:18)

So, Cain was acting in obedience to Satan, not God. Also, we do not know the quality of Cain’s offering, but we do know he already had an attitude problem:

Who is the Lord that I should know him? (Moses 5:16)
And Cain was wroth, and listened not any more to the voice of the Lord, (Moses 5:26)

Thus, his perceived “obedience” to God was just the opposite.

Without Conscience

Perhaps the greatest obstacle that believers / unbelievers have in accepting the mind-boggling horrors perpetrated by conspiracies and secret combinations¹ is the incomprehensibility of humans living without conscience. Yet, it is now estimated that there are 4 in every 100 (1 in 25) who do so—many of whom are in positions of power and leadership.

For a flavor of what it means to live without conscience, you can read The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout, Ph.D.; or begin with this audio introduction:



at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFVrvoYTGu0 .

But the great tragedy is that there are 96 out of 100 who do have conscience, and yet our world is in desperate straits:

» toxic medicines, foods, air, and water;
» pervasive business, government, and science frauds and scams;
» state-sponsored or contracted torture and murder;
» violations of human and legal rights;
» perpetual wars;
» police brutality;
» genocides;
» oppression;
» and on and on.

BUT, why do those of conscience tolerate the machinations of those without conscience?

Here are some possible reasons why:

▪ failure to recognize psychopathic / sociopathic traits and behaviors;
▪ inability to accept that there are people without conscience (PWOC) despite the evidence;
▪ too much participation and pleasure in the “trickle-down” perks of money, power, fame, immunity, etc. with which PWOC often surround themselves;
▪ fear of exposure after violating one’s conscience or moral code at the persuasion / instigation of PWOC;
▪ threats, intimidation, blackmail;
▪ fear of what PWOC might resort to if they perceive themselves as “betrayed” or offended;
▪ difficulty in standing up to “authority” figures² for many people with conscience (PWC);
▪ impressive favors and rewards accruing to PWOC by way of competitive capitalism;
▪ acceptance of aggressive self-interest in cultures that promote extreme individuality and bottom-line;
▪ “pity-me” (victim) ploys invoked by many PWOC to keep their game going;
▪ tendency of PWC to be trusting, courteous, forgiving, hopeful, etc.
▪ shaming, denigration, mockery, etc. of PWC;
▪ believing mind-boggling, massive lies and deceptions concocted and perpetrated by PWOC because, as Hitler, a classic person without conscience, wrote:

... the broad masses … more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie, since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods. It would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously. Even though the facts which prove this to be so may be brought clearly to their minds, they will still doubt and waver and will continue to think that there may be some other explanation. For the grossly impudent lie always leaves traces behind it, even after it has been nailed down, a fact which is known to all expert liars in this world and to all who conspire together in the art of lying. —Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, vol. I, ch. X (See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_lie ).

And so, 4% of the population (along with a sizable portion of conned or corrupted PWC) have managed, with the above and other strategies, to exercise enough power, control, and deception to bring the entire world to the brink of disaster. (Most of us can’t even fathom how close!) So what can the remaining percentile of people with conscience do? Perhaps we can begin immediately and aggressively to act by:

▪ refusing any and all association or support of PWOC, including faux-persons (being many corporations);
▪ daring to question things and to speak up;
▪ continually demanding accountability, consequence, and responsibility for harms done;
▪ recognizing how immersed we are in the ways of Babylon (the archetypical fraternity of PWOC);
▪ supporting local small business for all needs;
▪ sourcing small business products as locally as possible;
▪ banking with local credit unions;
▪ sharing more and making do with less;
▪ living the gift-economy as much as possible;
▪ participating in reputable income-generating programs for suffering peoples;
▪ recommitting to personal moral values and integrity (no matter the cost);
▪ repenting of our failures and paying the consequences (no matter the cost) in order to be free of PWOC and their disciples.

Albert Einstein said:

The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.³

So, let us do whatever we can. If enough PWC can reject the ways of Babylon and of PWOC, perhaps we can, even in the midst of chaos, look confidently to the promise:

[L]et us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed. (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 123:17)

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1. See http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/2014/12/unbelievers.html
2. See the Stanley Milgram experiment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment . Despite some controversy, his findings have been replicated showing that as many as 63 % of people will act against conscience at the instigation of an authority figure.
3. As quoted in The Sociopath Next Door: The Ruthless Versus the Rest of Us by Martha Stout, p. 106.
Other relevant quotes from Stout’s book:

» ...life without conscience is deception and illusion (p. 91).
» What sociopaths want, what motivates them, is completely outside our experience (p. 96).
» The most reliable sign, the most universal behavior of unscrupulous people is not directed, as we might imagine, at our fearfulness. It is, perversely, an appeal to our sympathy (p. 107).
» ... American society seems to allow and even encourage me-first attitudes elevated to the pursuit of domination (p. 136).
» ... our culture, which informs them resoundingly that their ability to act guiltlessly on their own behalf is the ultimate advantage (p. 137).

Deception, Inc. ?

Frankly, it is discouraging to hear good Christians rail against socialism¹ as the great enemy of God and mankind—as if socialism were the despised Babylon. Yet the facts witness that socialism is a convenient decoy to keep us distracted from the real Babylon.

What are those facts?

▪ Socialism has never had the capacity, incentives, or excess to constitute Babylon with all her merchants and her

merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. (New Testament | Revelations 13:12-13)

▪ Socialism is not “clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! (New Testament | Revelations 13:16) Or as Nephi describes:

I also saw gold, and silver, and silks, and scarlets, and fine-twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing; and I saw many harlots. And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the gold, and the silver, and the silks, and the scarlets, and the fine-twined linen, and the precious clothing, and the harlots, are the desires of this great and abominable church. (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 13:7-8)

▪ Socialism will never achieve the prosperity or opulence ascribed to Babylon.

▪ Socialism is essentially a national merchant with everyone working for the one (corrupted) merchant-state which, more often than not, presides over scarcity and rationing.

So, if we want to discover who Babylon really is, and shift our paradigm and focus to the greater enemy, maybe we should ask some comparative questions, like:

What economic system:

» has a surfeit of merchants?
» is known for its “abundance of delicacies” (as opposed to recurring scarcity and rationing)?
» owns malls, media, and markets that promise: “You can buy anything in this world with money” (and then offers it, no matter how depraved or trivial)?
» makes massive profits from perpetuating the myths of free markets, “invisible hand,” faux-personhood, meritocracy, trickle-down, and on and on?
» co-ops freedom and free-markets in order to amass private oligopolies, monopolies, and tyrannies?
» enslaves more persons worldwide (including faux-persons) with credit and debt?
» manipulates global markets, strategies, and governments?
» measures everything in terms of money and bottom-line?
» profits most from war and disease?
» traffics in (i.e., buys and sells with money) the souls of men (via HyPE² contracts; perks; bonuses; loyalty demands; investments without accountability; promises of wealth, power, immunity; etc.)?
» sells to and buys up armies and navies, politicians and pundits, researchers and writers, publishers and performers, churches and colleges, actors and activists, lawyers and lobbyists, and on and on (as opposed to nationalizing / expropriating / confiscating, / prohibiting / threatening, etc.)?
» has a foundation and future that depends on perpetual, unsustainable growth and increasingly transitory stuff?
» best fits the description of John the Revelator in prophesying the nature and fall of Babylon:

… the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. (New Testament | Revelation 18:3)

the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: (Ibid. 18:11)

The merchants of these things,^[3] which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate (Ibid. 18:15-19)?

Socialism (like every other economic system of the world) is administered by the Natural Man⁴ who will forever siphon-off the most and best of everything for self and let the common man portion out the remaining, minor percentage. Socialism may speak fine words (equity and justice for the working class), but just like Democrats and Republicans, Conservatives and Liberals, it all goes by the board when perks and privileges come knocking at the door of power-hungry leaders. Thus, we are sadly misled if we think that Socialism, with all its scarcities and rationing, is the great archenemy, which God defines as Babylon.⁵ We are even more tragically misled to think that the excesses and disparities of Babylon can be ignored or, even worse, praised and promoted as the inherent, just rewards of (what must surely be!) God’s economy.⁶

When do we finally clue-in that God’s economy is not of this world? And if we don’t clue-in, is that the great deception?

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1. It seems in recent decades that Socialism (an economic system) has replaced Communism (a political system) as the great enemy. They are in fact linked because Communism manages its economics through an extreme form of socialism (or at least pretends to). But Communism / Socialism is as susceptible to the tendencies of the Natural Man (fn 4) as all other systems are, so we always find at the “classless” top of communist / socialist systems, a group of privileged elites who come nowhere near sharing the lot of the common man. Communism / socialism always descends into a pretense of itself, just as democratic / republican / free-market systems do.
2.  (Highly Paid Employee)
3. [“the fruits that thy soul lusted after”; all things which were dainty and goodly” (New Testament |  Revelations 18:14]
4. The Natural Man: Book of Mormon | Mosiah 3:19 ~ For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.
Book of Mormon | Alma 41:11 ~ … all men that are in a state of nature, or I would say, in a carnal state, are in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity; they are without God in the world, and they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore, they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness.
Book of Mormon | Alma 42:10 ~ Therefore, as they [mankind] had become carnal, sensual, and devilish, by nature, this probationary state became a state for them to prepare; it became a preparatory state.
5. Additional descriptions of Babyon:
» Old Testament | Isaiah 13:19 ~ And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, (See also: Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 23:19)
» Old Testament | Isaiah 14:4) ~ … the golden city …
» New Testament | Revelation 18:3 ~ For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
» New Testament | Revelation 18:9-19 ~ And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
Compare with Book of Mormon, great and abominable Church:
» Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 13:4-9 ~ And it came to pass that I saw among the nations of the Gentiles the formation of a great church. And the angel said unto me: Behold the formation of a church which is most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down, and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into captivity. And it came to pass that I beheld this great and abominable church; and I saw the devil that he was the founder of it. And I also saw gold, and silver, and silks, and scarlets, and fine-twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing; and I saw many harlots. And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the gold, and the silver, and the silks, and the scarlets, and the fine-twined linen, and the precious clothing, and the harlots, are the desires of this great and abominable church. And also for the praise of the world do they destroy the saints of God, and bring them down into captivity.
6. Do we think the word free in free-markets is the operative word? Or is this scripture more on point?

... freely ye have received, freely give. (New Testament | Matthew 10:8)

See also: http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/2013/12/gods-economy-christmas-perspective.html and http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/2014/06/gods-economy-is-it-possible.html