Episode #226: For Love Of Their Children- Adam, Eve, & The Fall In Context W/Taylor Smith
There are times we think we understand an event or story, only to find later that perhaps the real story is far more expansive and crucial than was previously understood. This is certainly true for Adam and Eve. Today on the podcast Taylor Smith Joins me as we have a conversation about what the account of Adam, Eve, and the Fall really means to us. We begin by analyzing the different views of Adam and Eve across the spectrum of Christianity. We then move on to discuss the implications of the identities of Adam and Eve and what that means for us. We then take a look at the Fall of Adam and Eve with all of its implications for our first parents and us. As we have this discussion all along the way, what is exposed is how much our first parents truly love their children.
Mormon Legacy Ministries:
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Taylor, we're back.
Hey good to see you again.
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What's going on dude?
Oh just living the dream.
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I've been enjoying my 8th baby
who arrived a month ago
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tomorrow.
Nice, nice sleepless nights.
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Relatively, yeah, it's a it's
just always a a learning curve
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to adapt a new one.
And when they're that little,
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there's not much I can do.
So it's mostly on the mom to.
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No, that was the one thing that
I had kind of forgot about when
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when we had Asher was like, I
really am kind of useless here
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for a little while, right?
I mean, like, I can, I can bring
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diapers, I can hold the baby, I
can give her a break.
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But realistically, I'm kind of
worthless for a hot minute.
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And very no, yeah.
And, and every kid you have is a
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little bit different, right?
It's a little, it's a little bit
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different.
It's not like you can certainly
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you get more relaxed with the
the whole process, but at the
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end it's always a little bit
different when they're born.
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Yep.
So, well, good.
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I'm glad he's healthy.
How's how's everything else
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going for you?
Going good.
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I've been on paternity leave so
my company provides a good long
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bit of that which is huge
blessing.
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None of my other companies I've
ever worked for have have been
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so generous, so I can't complain
about.
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That and you can afford that
kind of time.
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It makes it nice not only for
for the baby, but for mom as
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well.
Well, I work for a tech company
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and, and they're kind of,
they're LA based.
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And so during COVID it was a big
pain because you know, they're
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just, they're awoke.
But then they came out about 3
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years ago and was like, hey, we
can't be treating the genders
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differently.
And so instead of giving women
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four months of maternity leave
and men a month of paternity
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leave, they're like, we got to
give everybody the same.
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So now both birthing parents and
non birthing parents.
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Emphasis on the air quotes.
If you can't, if you're just
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listening.
I mean, it's, it's so just
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nonsense.
Nevertheless, it's the one time
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that it has aired in my favor.
I guess I can't complain too
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much about.
Sometimes, sometimes you just
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got to be like a pirate and just
go ahead and raid that ship and
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take all the goods, right?
That's all you're doing.
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Look, there's a few things and
and again, I know I got
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listeners in Europe and I love
you guys, but but there's a few
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things I think Europe got right.
Everything else.
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I kind of like Ron Swanson from
Parks and Recs.
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I tend to believe history
started in 1776.
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Everything before that was kind
of a mistake and but like I want
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to try out the four day work
week.
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To me that looks awesome, right?
I wouldn't mind giving that a
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go.
I think that has has some
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benefits that we have yet to
explore.
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But every once in a while you'll
find a good system even in the
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place where you don't expect it
and you just got to take
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advantage of it.
Well, you don't have to push a
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hand cart to be a pioneer, Dave,
So let's pioneer the four day
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work week and.
Check, check.
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Yeah, Nope.
Well, dude.
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So here we are.
We're going to talk about Adam
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and Eve.
Yes, Sir.
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All right, So what what about
exactly Adam and Eve?
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Like are are we covering the
whole story?
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Like what's?
What's your thoughts?
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Yeah, so it started off.
I was at a youth fireside and
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the the leader the that was
leading the conversation was we
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were going through a Book of
Mormon study, like class study
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session and we were reading some
stuff.
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I guess that's as good a place
as they need to start.
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It's Jacob chapter 4, verse
three.
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I'll just pull that up real
quick and let's see.
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We read now in this thing we do
rejoice, and we labor diligently
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to engrave in these words upon
plates, hoping that our beloved
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brethren and our children will
receive them with thankful
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hearts and look upon them that
they may learn with joy and not
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with sorrow, neither with
contempt concerning their first
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parents.
And so, you know, this is Jacob
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speaking and, you know, I've
read that dozens of times in my
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life.
And, and, and in my mind, I was
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like, oh, so they're keeping a
record of their history so that
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they so that the descendants of
Lehigh would, you know, not look
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at Lehigh and Soraya.
They're the first parents of the
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of the Nephite and Lamanite
civilization with contempt.
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And obviously because, you know,
the Lamanites, they had a lot of
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false traditions and they had a
lot of contempt for their
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brother Nephi.
And we learn about that in the
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when Ammon and his brethren go
and visit the Lamanites on their
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ministry.
And they're like, they were
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really had a lot of contempt for
they called him like a, you
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know, we were wronged.
Our fathers were robbed by your
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father's.
And, you know, just that sort of
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a narrative and, and it's
interesting to kind of see that
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because that's ultimately the
same story that Luciferians want
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to claim is that Lucifer was
wronged and that he was actually
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the good guy and Jesus was the
usurper and all of these things,
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you know, kind of similar
parallels to some of that
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theology.
And it was just real
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interesting, though.
One of the gals, in fact, you
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recently had her.
I, I'm, I, I didn't talk with
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her, but I don't, I guarantee, I
really don't think she would
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mind.
But so Michaela Tolman, Zach's
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fiance, who was just on the
podcast a couple weeks ago, she
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was there and she pointed out
that most often, especially when
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Christians talk about the first
parents, they are specifically
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referring to Adam and Eve.
And you know, I've been thinking
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a lot about Adam and Eve.
In fact, I have a kind of a
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music project.
Maybe we can tease a little bit
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of that at the end here, but so
it's been on my mind and and
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just seeing that connection
because part the whole point of
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Adam and Eve is to find joy and
rejoicing in the sorrow.
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And and yet when we look at
these types of stories with
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contempt, which is what the
Christians do and what's what
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the, you know, the anti Mormons
and, and it, you know, atheists,
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anti Mormons, everybody hates
Adam and Eve, right?
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Yeah, we're the only ones that
have a love affair with them,
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right?
Everybody else, they are the
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source of our problems.
They're the reason hay doesn't
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bail itself and cheeseburgers
don't grow on trees, right?
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Is because of everything that
Adam and Eve did, specifically
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Eve, right?
She gets the biggest brunt of
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it.
But yeah, it's like they blame
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if, if man, if it hadn't been
for them biting the apple.
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I mean, I've heard people on my
mission and, and throughout
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conversations throughout my
life, you know, just just really
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hating on them, right.
And and so that kind of inspired
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a music project that I'm working
on with my buddy Justin.
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He's my brother-in-law and and a
couple other people that are
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kind of we we've invited to help
contribute to that.
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Basically celebrating and
restoring the proper
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restoration.
This type of perspective to, you
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know, giving our heaven, you
know, our parents, Adam and Eve,
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they're just dues as far as the
respect that we that we owe to
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them for their sacrifice.
You know, so often we look in
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the Book of Mormon at the
sacrifices of Jesus, which
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granted he deserves every little
bit that we can give of of
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appreciation for his sacrifice
for us.
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But the condescension of God.
In fact, there's other
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scriptures in the Book of Mormon
that talk about notice thou not
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the condescension of God and you
know, father and mother
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condescending.
We're kind of going going a
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little out of the order.
I had some thoughts put together
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and organize.
I'm OK with just winging it, but
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maybe it would make sense to
maybe back up for just a second
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and and address a couple of
things.
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So that was the genesis, the
kind of the origin story of, of
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why I asked if we could maybe
talk, have this conversation on
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today's podcast episode.
Just because there's so much
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misunderstanding, there's so
much anger and and contempt that
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people even, you know,
fundamentalist, not so much, but
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even members, some members of
the restoration that the non
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Brighamite branches, which are
kind of a little bit more
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Protestant leaning, you could
say.
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And so just to kind of help
provide some extra understanding
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of why I personally feel that
that we owe them a major and
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eternal debt of gratitude.
So what I had let's let's start
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off by talking about sectarian
Christianity has a theology that
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they refer to as original sin.
Now original sin is is is
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basically this concept that we
are all inheritors of sin
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because of Adam's sin.
So Adam was the first Sinner.
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We are sinners and, and the
reason that we're all, you know,
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in this terrible world, you
know, which is the perspective
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of many is, is because of Adam.
And so the original sin theology
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says that that this is where
things like infant baptism come
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from, You know, 'cause like for
me, I've been holding my little
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newborn and he is just an Angel,
right?
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He's perfect.
There is no sin.
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There's not a speck of sin in
his soul.
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Nevertheless, Christians would
claim that if I don't get him
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baptized, the, you know, he and
like, if he was to, you know,
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tragically die prematurely or
something, that that he would be
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rotting in hell, which is just
beyond conscionable for me.
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And so that's but that's
basically the fruits of original
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sin.
Is this idea that we're all
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fallen.
Everybody is comes out of the
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womb sinful.
And yeah.
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So anything else you want to add
to that?
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I mean, I'm sure you've had
conversations with.
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Christian about the thought, the
thought about it, especially
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about, you know, babies,
children, young children going
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to hell because of something
that happened, however X many
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thousands of years ago, right,
is repugnant to me, right.
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I kind of feel sometimes when
when I think about that, that
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verse from I think that Tim is
Oh my father by Eliza Snow where
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she said reason screams no, I
have to have a mother there
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right.
Much the same way.
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I think if people are honest
with themselves, your very soul
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screams out no at that concept.
It is I find it hard to believe
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that God would be pleased with
people thinking that about him
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because it does not fit with the
attributes of a just and loving
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God.
And so as we look at at this
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particular doctrine, doctrine
which is found in the creeds,
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it's got to be, it's repugnant.
It's repugnant on so many
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levels.
It's repugnant to the human
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soul.
And I believe it to be repugnant
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to God.
I you know, I'll never pretend
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to speak for the Almighty, but
what I do know of him is that he
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can't be pleased with that
action.
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Well, the other thing is it's
it, it would be a partial God.
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And you know, you, you don't, we
don't have to speak for God.
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He says it over and over.
It's almost like he takes
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offense.
He takes umbrage at the audacity
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of anybody to accuse him of
showing partiality.
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And yet this original sin
doctrine, false doctrine, we'll
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just call it what it is, is is
an accusation that God is shows
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partiality to some of his
children.
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He is a respecter of persons.
And he's a respecter of persons.
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When, when you get down to it,
he we, we are charging him with
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the thing that he has said many
times in the scripture.
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He is not.
Yeah, exactly.
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So I'd, I'd completely agree
with that 100%.
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And you know, and to contrast
that, I, I just read this Jacob
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chapter 4, verse 3, but just the
last couple of lines that that
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we can receive these records.
Like so they're talking about
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the, the brass plates and just
the golden plates, the, the
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records that they're keeping as
well.
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Why?
So that their children, their
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descendants can look back at the
history with joy and not with
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sorrow or contempt.
And you know, it's interesting.
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Ammon also when he was
ministering to King Lemoni, the
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first thing that he brings up is
he expounds the scriptures to a
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beginning at Adam.
Yeah.
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This is a really important story
and it always has been.
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And so it's, it's really
important to First off, have a
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correct understanding ourselves,
but also be able to explain it
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to our children in a, in an
understandable way.
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And you know, there's, there's a
lot in second Nephi chapter 2.
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For the sake of time, I don't
know if we'll, we'll dive deep
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into that, but let's just talk
for a second about why it's such
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an important distinction between
original sin theology versus the
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kind of the restoration
theology.
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And, and I'll just talk about
some of the things that I that
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first come to my mind when I'm
considering that is if we are
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guilty because of Adam's
transgression, then we are
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victims of somebody else's
actions, their agency, right?
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Right, right.
And, and once again, if that's
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the case, God would once again
seem like the bully, right?
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Here's somebody who's already
been victimized and now we're
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going to punish them because of
their transgressors sin, right?
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They're already, they're already
reaping the benefits of that and
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then to do it again.
We're already hurting.
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Yeah, yeah, you're already
hurting, right?
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It it just again not a a
characteristic of a just and
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loving God.
Right.
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So it brings this, this victim
mentality.
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Another thing that it brings is
again, you know, blaming other
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people, you know, I guess that
contempt, right?
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But we're always as humans,
we're always making excuses for
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00:15:56,320 --> 00:16:01,640
ourselves, right?
And and justifying our own poop
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because of somebody else's, you
know, blaming, trying to blame
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somebody else.
So, and again, blame is the is
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00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:14,360
the enemy of responsibility.
So if we want to take
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responsibility for our actions,
our decisions, the things that
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we do, we cannot be blaming
somebody else for our failures
253
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and our shortcomings and our
faults. 100% You ever read a
254
00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:31,880
book by Jocko Willnut called
Extreme Ownership?
255
00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:36,320
Oh yeah, I love that book.
And you know, there's a lot of
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00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:38,240
good things in there.
And one of the things he talks
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about is that as long as you're
blaming somebody else, you're
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not owning it.
And if you don't own it, you
259
00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:46,600
can't fix it, right?
And I'm paraphrasing in my own
260
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words here.
And so if being a victim is not
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00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,960
some place we want to stay,
right, obviously, you know, we
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00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:59,760
could be a victim of crime, of
fraud, of whatever the case is,
263
00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:02,600
you shouldn't stay there for
long, right?
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Don't get me wrong, recuperate,
get your feet back under you.
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But then you want to take
possession of that and get back
266
00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:12,160
out there and, and put that
under foot so you can move
267
00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:14,400
forward.
Because this, if you keep
268
00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:18,640
holding on to that victim
mentality, it's a damnable
269
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principle.
You do not get to move on from
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00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:23,119
that point until you take until
you own it.
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And likewise, if we are victims
of Adam's wrongdoing and we're
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perpetual victims of that,
there's no hope of, of, of
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progression.
You're done.
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You're going to stay right there
until you own your own stuff and
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and try to fix it.
Right.
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Yeah.
And I mean you, you think of of
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the the most innocent victims,
which would be children and
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victims of abuse as children.
And they are not responsible for
279
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the abuse that they suffer.
But if they ever want to be able
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to grow and move beyond that as
when they reach adulthood and
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00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:07,640
you know that sort of thing,
it's not that they are blaming
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themselves, but you have to,
like you said, you have to not
283
00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:18,240
take responsibility because
that's the abuser is responsible
284
00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:23,400
with the abuse.
But we but but you have to take
285
00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:28,080
responsibility to OK, that
happened to me when I was a
286
00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:31,840
little kid.
I'm not responsible for that.
287
00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:35,640
I am responsible for how I live
the rest of my life though.
288
00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:39,840
And so it's not taking, it's not
taking responsibility for things
289
00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:44,160
that you are innocent of, but
it's responsibility in the sense
290
00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:46,640
of taking responsibility for
your response to it.
291
00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:51,160
Exactly, 100%.
And it's too easy to blame
292
00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:53,720
others, you know Why am I
behaving this way?
293
00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:55,200
Well, because someone did this
to me.
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Silly.
Yeah, 100% silly.
295
00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:05,720
So, and we've kind of alluded to
it, but I'll just recite it real
296
00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:07,560
quick.
So the second article of faith,
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00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:11,960
which is number 2 in the list,
Joseph Smith was asked to kind
298
00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:15,920
of boil down to just the
essential like the essence of
299
00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:19,840
Mormon theology and doctrine.
And he came up with these
300
00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:22,080
thirteen articles of faith that
got published in the Wentworth
301
00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:26,240
letter.
And the number 2 bullet to that
302
00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:30,920
was we believe that men will be
punished for their own sins and
303
00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:35,200
not for Adam's transgression.
Sorry, I had a head
304
00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:36,880
notifications dinging.
Oh, you're good.
305
00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:40,240
But so, yeah, we believe that
men will be punished for their
306
00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:42,160
own sins and not for Adam's
transgression.
307
00:19:43,120 --> 00:19:48,560
It's, it's as basic as article
of faith #2 Right.
308
00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:54,720
And again, that's, that's a,
that's a scary proposition for
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00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:59,160
anybody.
That's that that wants to be a
310
00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:03,240
victim, right.
Taking responsibility is not an
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00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:06,240
easy path.
It's not a pleasant, you know,
312
00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:13,160
just daisies and roses all day
type of a, of a but go ahead.
313
00:20:13,360 --> 00:20:15,400
Sorry.
Oh, but, but it's but it's the
314
00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:19,640
only path if we want to actually
move beyond and progress.
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00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:25,120
You know, the, the other thing
about that, that concept, it is
316
00:20:25,120 --> 00:20:31,240
a simple concept, but I don't
think we can grasp sometimes how
317
00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:34,400
revolutionary of an idea that
was when Joseph put it forward,
318
00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:38,000
right?
Because everybody, whether you
319
00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:41,680
were Catholic, whether you were
Protestant, heck, if you were
320
00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:46,960
Muslim, right, Jewish, these are
the common, these are the people
321
00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:50,200
that we can all agree kind of
gave it put the screws to us
322
00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:53,520
right.
And Joseph comes out and with a
323
00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:57,120
radical idea flips that whole
idea on its head.
324
00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:01,840
I don't think we can fully
appreciate how lonely of a
325
00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:04,800
position that must have been to
take in those early days,
326
00:21:05,120 --> 00:21:11,200
because it was going to set
people apart drastically in
327
00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:14,120
terms it was going to set the
Mormons apart drastically from
328
00:21:14,120 --> 00:21:19,120
from the rest of Christendom
and, and how they viewed, you
329
00:21:19,120 --> 00:21:22,240
know, cosmology and theosis and
all those other things.
330
00:21:24,120 --> 00:21:26,200
Right.
Yeah.
331
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I mean, it comes like you were
saying, it's kind of every
332
00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:35,520
tradition, every Judeo-christian
tradition has just really missed
333
00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:38,520
the mark, buried the lead, what
whatever euphemism you want to
334
00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:43,560
use on our on our first parents.
And it is a it is a tragedy.
335
00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:49,400
And except the Nephites and the
Lamanites, well, the Nephites
336
00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:54,360
who kept the record.
And that's significant because
337
00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:59,480
they they perhaps had the one
and only uncorrupted version of
338
00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:02,760
the Old Testament.
If you think about it, they
339
00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:04,240
brought the brass plates with
them.
340
00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:09,280
And in it, it basically says
that their version of the
341
00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:12,760
Scriptures is very different
from the version that we have
342
00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:15,480
today.
And this is just yet another
343
00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:18,880
example of that.
Right, absolutely.
344
00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:22,720
You know, and, and if you're
going to get to this, shut me
345
00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:24,480
down because I don't want to get
ahead.
346
00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:29,960
But the other place that I feel
like was revolutionary is the
347
00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:33,880
the the perception of Eve from
the Mormon standpoint.
348
00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:38,560
And again, if I'm moving too
fast, let me know and we can
349
00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:44,000
stop.
But when we look at how Joseph,
350
00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:47,480
well, let me phrase this, when
we look at the revelations that
351
00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:52,160
Joseph gets regarding God's
daughters, it's going to again,
352
00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:55,840
drastically change how
Christendom looks at women.
353
00:22:56,640 --> 00:23:00,960
Because ultimately we'd say it's
Adam's sin, but everybody
354
00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:05,000
understood it's the woman's
fault first, right?
355
00:23:05,360 --> 00:23:09,880
And This is why you get so much
misogyny in early Christendom, I
356
00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:15,520
believe, because she is is the
mother of our sorrows according
357
00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:17,960
to some of their theology,
right?
358
00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:24,200
And Joseph comes along and he
says, yeah, that's not the case,
359
00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:29,320
right?
Like whether you want to believe
360
00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:34,440
in Eve's divine station or not,
you better thank God for her
361
00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:39,880
because she was the one who
reasoned it out, right?
362
00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:43,600
Look, we don't know how long
Adam and Eve were in the garden,
363
00:23:44,360 --> 00:23:50,160
but I imagine it was for a space
of time where she had time to
364
00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:55,600
contemplate the the serpent's
offer, so to speak, right?
365
00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,160
Right.
And she had the ability to
366
00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:01,200
either refuse or reject that,
but nonetheless, she had to
367
00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:04,520
reason it out, right?
Why did God ask us to have
368
00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:06,720
children, but yet we're not
having children in here?
369
00:24:07,120 --> 00:24:10,600
And why did you know, why is
that happening?
370
00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:13,920
And can these two things be the,
you know, be kept at the same
371
00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:16,840
time?
And then if you extend that out,
372
00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:24,160
the, the revelation that Joseph
gains is going to forever change
373
00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:32,080
how men in Mormonism certainly
deal with the divine feminine
374
00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:35,040
and even the divine feminine
within our wives and our
375
00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:37,800
daughters.
Because now as men, we can't get
376
00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:42,080
to where we ultimately want to
go without our wives, right?
377
00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:48,400
And so Joseph, this, this stuff
that Joseph reveals, I think
378
00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:51,600
sometimes gets passed over
because we're used to it a
379
00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:53,720
little bit and we don't think
much of it.
380
00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:58,320
But I tell all this to kind of
drive home the fact that these
381
00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:04,280
are radical teachings and
radical departures from, and I'm
382
00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:07,000
going to use air quotes here,
traditional Christianity.
383
00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:12,200
And it it turns it on its head
and it puts it right.
384
00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:15,720
And I think that cannot be
overstated enough.
385
00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:21,960
A. 100% it's a it.
It's a sectarian sectarianism.
386
00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:27,040
I hate to call it traditional
Christianity because you don't
387
00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:31,560
really see these until like the
second or third century right of
388
00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:34,240
early of the early days.
And then it becomes kind of
389
00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:38,160
codified or, you know, made
official in the creeds that come
390
00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:43,440
over the next several 100 years.
So, but but yeah, it, it is,
391
00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:47,440
it's, it's pervasive.
It's throughout basically all
392
00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:51,240
Christian Judeo-christian
traditions and except the
393
00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:54,480
Nephites, which is to me very,
very significant.
394
00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:59,680
Now the other problem is, and
you may have noticed this in
395
00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:03,800
some of your dealings with with
kind of, you know, I hate to
396
00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:07,880
single out anyone to Christian
domination, but but you know,
397
00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:14,440
like people who sectarians, I
guess, for lack of a better
398
00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:16,400
word.
We'll just call it what it is.
399
00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:19,920
You're fine.
But it's, you know, evangelicals
400
00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:24,520
especially like the Baptist's
and, and this sort of it becomes
401
00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:31,240
a superiority complex, right?
Have you been saved as if it's a
402
00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:35,280
gotcha, right.
And, and, you know, as a
403
00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:38,360
missionary, I people would ask
me, have you been saved?
404
00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:43,320
And, and I would sometimes just
kind of indulge a little bit and
405
00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:45,640
be like, yeah, I have been
saved.
406
00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:47,400
That's not what they mean
though, right?
407
00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:52,040
They, they, they, there's so
much baggage that they
408
00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:55,520
implicitly include with that
type of a question.
409
00:26:56,200 --> 00:27:00,760
One of which is do you, do you,
have you stopped repenting?
410
00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:03,960
I, I've, I've actually had
conversations where people kind
411
00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:07,600
of was like, you cannot do any
work.
412
00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:14,320
If you start doing any work
whatsoever, then then you aren't
413
00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:16,760
saved 'cause you're saved by
grace.
414
00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:23,800
And it's, it's just silly, but,
but nevertheless that I have
415
00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:30,560
heard that argument and, and
basically other people, I, I, I
416
00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:33,160
forget this has been going back
20 years when I was a missionary
417
00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:36,200
in Detroit.
But some, some people actually,
418
00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:39,680
we, we were able to get deep
enough into this topic of
419
00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:46,760
discussion that they were like,
well, we don't count repentance
420
00:27:46,760 --> 00:27:50,240
as a work.
And they were actually able to
421
00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:54,840
acknowledge that that because,
because I kind of had them,
422
00:27:54,840 --> 00:27:57,200
right.
I'm like, hey, if you don't
423
00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:01,200
believe in repentance, how do
you reconcile that with all
424
00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:06,800
these scriptures that talk about
you got to repent and, and yeah,
425
00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:08,680
and I'm like, is repentance not
a work?
426
00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:18,040
And they're like, no.
So, but anyway, and I don't, I'm
427
00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:23,160
not trying to like beat up on,
on any buddy tradition or, or
428
00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:27,440
belief system, but to me it is,
it's not logical, it's not
429
00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:33,120
scriptural, it's not rational
to, to cling to traditions of
430
00:28:33,120 --> 00:28:37,160
those types of things when the
scriptures just basically plain
431
00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:41,840
as day, say the opposite, that
we are to continue to have
432
00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:43,680
faith.
We are to continue to repent
433
00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:50,200
and, and, and it's not like that
earns us forgiveness, but it's
434
00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:54,080
it's real hard to make an
argument that that's not a, a
435
00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:58,520
work, you know, and, and to
pretend that you can't do work
436
00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:00,000
otherwise you're not saved by
grace.
437
00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:02,720
Sure, sure.
And it's, it's interesting,
438
00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:08,000
right, because it is selective
in its application, because in
439
00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:12,280
the same New Testament that that
the idea of saved by Grace is.
440
00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:15,600
And look, before I go on, you,
you mentioned not wanting to
441
00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:18,840
beat up on, on our evangelical
brothers and sisters.
442
00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:21,760
And I can appreciate that.
But for this conversation, we
443
00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:23,800
have to compare and contrast,
right?
444
00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:26,320
And, and that's what we're doing
here.
445
00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:29,720
It's not a spirit of accusation.
It's we're just comparing and
446
00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:33,640
contrasting.
But what I was going to say is
447
00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:38,080
there's inconsistency even there
because the same old, the same
448
00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:41,720
New Testament that they used to
get saved by grace is also the
449
00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:45,240
very same New Testament where
Paul says faith without works is
450
00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:49,360
dead.
And so it obviously.
451
00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:51,680
James.
That's I think that's a James.
452
00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:53,760
Thank you.
Thank you.
453
00:29:53,760 --> 00:29:58,520
I, I misspoke, but regardless,
it's still right there, right?
454
00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:03,080
And and so there's there's some
selective application that I
455
00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:04,880
think goes on a little bit with
that.
456
00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:10,240
And you know, going back, so to
talk about the superiority
457
00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:17,040
complex in these pitfalls of
pride, it, it just basically it,
458
00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:20,720
it creates A dichotomy where
you're either saved or you're
459
00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:23,600
not saved.
And because I actually do
460
00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:28,160
believe that to be saved in the
sense that, you know, Jesus,
461
00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:30,720
I've accepted Jesus as my savior
like that.
462
00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:36,240
That is something that you can
do and, and it doesn't, it, it's
463
00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:41,920
not, it's not going to require
extra work or, you know, it's,
464
00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:46,720
it's, it's an acknowledgement
that it's not by my power, by,
465
00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:48,480
you know, I'm not earning any of
this.
466
00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:52,160
I don't deserve salvation.
Nevertheless, I believe in a
467
00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:56,840
Jesus who can't save me and, and
who and who will save me.
468
00:30:57,200 --> 00:31:02,320
And so there's that.
But if you think that I haven't
469
00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:06,000
been saved, it that's kind of
leads to predestination, kind of
470
00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:11,080
the Calvinistic types of, of,
you know, oh, I can't sin, I
471
00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:13,080
can't fall because I've been
saved.
472
00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:20,040
And it, it creates a false sense
of, of, you know, I hate
473
00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:24,280
superiority, pride.
I it's, it's hard to necessarily
474
00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:27,600
like, put us an exact term to
it, but you know what I mean?
475
00:31:28,760 --> 00:31:31,320
Absolutely.
You feel like you're above,
476
00:31:31,360 --> 00:31:36,720
you're feel like you're above
and you're incapable of of
477
00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:39,240
falling.
Yeah, yeah.
478
00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:42,800
And and the fruits to that can't
be good, right?
479
00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:45,680
It's a for one thing, it's very
damning.
480
00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:49,440
You cannot progress if you think
you have already arrived.
481
00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:56,360
You know, it's also completely
false, like you can't that's
482
00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:59,560
like you're staring at a mirror
and you know you're a
483
00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:02,360
narcissist, like you can't see
any of your flaws.
484
00:32:02,360 --> 00:32:06,640
You only think you're beautiful.
It's it's a very damning in the
485
00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:11,880
sense that it limits your
ability to progress and but then
486
00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:16,600
it gets really toxic and
unhealthy when you start
487
00:32:16,840 --> 00:32:19,560
comparing yourself with others.
Yes.
488
00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:24,600
Which again, is a pride, is a,
is an inherently comparative
489
00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:29,520
and, you know, type of an
exercise and you know, you think
490
00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:30,880
you're better than somebody
else.
491
00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:34,440
That's a dangerous place to be.
Sure it is.
492
00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:37,080
Yep.
Once you sit a station above
493
00:32:37,080 --> 00:32:39,600
somebody else in such a manner
as that, right?
494
00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:48,720
Just having access to God or the
ability to be forgiven is, is,
495
00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:52,760
is a rough place to be.
And it's a place that often ends
496
00:32:53,320 --> 00:33:01,040
with those having the perceived,
oh, the, the perceived seat, if
497
00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:04,400
you will, there, or, or the
perceived station being able to
498
00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:08,400
really do some damage to those
who have not, right, who are
499
00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:12,000
honest and like I, I don't know
if I am or not, They can do
500
00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:16,800
damage there.
Totally cool.
501
00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:26,320
So Next up is the the let's just
talk about.
502
00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:31,840
So I think that it's safe to say
that LDS, Mormons, just
503
00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:39,000
everybody, everybody that's in
the Brighamite branch, it has
504
00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:45,080
acknowledged that Eve is not the
villainous that that we we
505
00:33:45,080 --> 00:33:49,240
should love our mother.
You know, Eve, they don't accept
506
00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:53,840
her as being Heavenly mother,
but you know, they at least have
507
00:33:53,840 --> 00:34:00,040
respect for her and and
acknowledge her place is not one
508
00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:04,200
that we should, you know, hate
or, or be angry with, but just
509
00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:06,280
to be grateful for her
sacrifice.
510
00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:10,080
Because you forget she actually
made a lot of sacrifices by
511
00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:12,239
taking the fruit.
She had to leave the garden.
512
00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:15,920
Like that's, that would suck if
I mean, we can't even
513
00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:18,480
comprehend.
But if if you're in paradise and
514
00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:20,880
now you're kicked out, that's a
big deal.
515
00:34:21,159 --> 00:34:24,080
And why did she do it?
Well, second Nephi chapter 2.
516
00:34:24,239 --> 00:34:26,360
In fact, maybe it's worth
pulling up just a couple of
517
00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:31,000
verses here.
So second Nephi chapter 2 is
518
00:34:31,639 --> 00:34:37,560
Lehi Father Lehi instructing his
sons and and he just gives some
519
00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:41,600
really insightful like lines of
reasoning.
520
00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:45,080
Really.
The days of the children of men,
521
00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:47,600
I'm starting in verse 21.
The days of the children of men
522
00:34:47,600 --> 00:34:49,679
were prolonged according to the
will of God that they might
523
00:34:49,679 --> 00:34:52,960
repent while in the flesh.
Wherefore their state became a
524
00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:55,440
state of probation and their
time was lengthened according to
525
00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:57,920
the commandments which the Lord
God gave unto the children of
526
00:34:57,920 --> 00:34:59,800
men.
For He gave commandment that all
527
00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:01,960
men must repent.
For He showed unto all men that
528
00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:04,800
they were lost because of the
transgression of their parents.
529
00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:08,280
And now behold, if Adam had not
transgressed, he would not have
530
00:35:08,280 --> 00:35:10,920
fallen, but he would have
remained in the Garden of Eden.
531
00:35:11,240 --> 00:35:13,560
And all things which were
created must have remained in
532
00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:16,040
the same state in which they
were after they were created.
533
00:35:16,360 --> 00:35:18,880
And they must have remained
forever and had no end.
534
00:35:19,920 --> 00:35:21,600
And they would have had no
children.
535
00:35:21,600 --> 00:35:23,880
Wherefore they would have
remained in a state of
536
00:35:23,880 --> 00:35:27,560
innocence, having no joy.
For they knew no misery, doing
537
00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:30,400
no good, for they knew no sin.
But behold, all things have been
538
00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:32,600
done in the wisdom of Him who
knoweth all things.
539
00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:35,960
Adam fell that men might be, and
men are that they might have
540
00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:38,280
joy.
And the Messiah cometh in the
541
00:35:38,280 --> 00:35:40,920
fullness of time that he may
redeem the children of men from
542
00:35:40,920 --> 00:35:42,920
the fall.
And because they are redeemed
543
00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:46,040
from the fall, they have become
free forever, knowing good from
544
00:35:46,040 --> 00:35:49,840
evil, to act for themselves and
not to be acted upon, save it be
545
00:35:49,840 --> 00:35:52,720
by the punishment of the law at
that great and last day
546
00:35:52,720 --> 00:35:54,720
according to the commandments
which God has given.
547
00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:56,840
Wherefore men are free according
to flood man.
548
00:35:56,840 --> 00:36:00,320
It's hard to stop.
It's Yeah, I'll, I'll just read
549
00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:03,800
one last one.
Wherefore men are free according
550
00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:07,400
to the flesh, and all things are
given them which are expedient
551
00:36:07,400 --> 00:36:09,160
unto man.
And they are free to choose
552
00:36:09,160 --> 00:36:12,200
liberty and eternal life through
the great mediator of all men,
553
00:36:12,520 --> 00:36:15,560
or to choose captivity and death
according to the captivity and
554
00:36:15,560 --> 00:36:17,600
power of the devil.
For he seeketh that all men
555
00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:19,280
might be miserable like unto
himself.
556
00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:24,800
And then he's like encourages
the his children, his brethren
557
00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:29,880
and us, the readers coming along
century miscellanea a couple
558
00:36:29,880 --> 00:36:33,320
millennia later.
And he's like pleading with us
559
00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:37,280
to choose Christ to choose
liberty and not misery and
560
00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:40,640
captivity.
And and this is a powerful
561
00:36:43,560 --> 00:36:50,040
treatise that on on agency and
the importance of free will.
562
00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:56,040
We, we, we, rightly so.
We put a lot of emphasis and
563
00:36:56,040 --> 00:36:59,560
attention on the atonement
within the Restoration, as we
564
00:36:59,560 --> 00:37:04,200
should, because without the
Atonement the plan would not
565
00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:05,720
work.
Right.
566
00:37:06,800 --> 00:37:12,920
Nevertheless, without the fall,
the atonement would have been
567
00:37:12,920 --> 00:37:15,200
worthless because there would be
nobody to save.
568
00:37:16,400 --> 00:37:18,200
Right.
So.
569
00:37:18,200 --> 00:37:22,240
So really, as important as the
atonement is, the fall is at
570
00:37:22,240 --> 00:37:29,720
least equally so.
Important 100% you're Look, I
571
00:37:29,720 --> 00:37:32,280
know for a fact you're a great
piano player.
572
00:37:35,680 --> 00:37:39,720
When you were learning to play
piano, what did you learn the
573
00:37:39,720 --> 00:37:41,760
most from?
The notes you got right or the
574
00:37:41,760 --> 00:37:45,840
notes you got wrong?
I learned the most from my
575
00:37:45,840 --> 00:37:49,280
teacher.
But yeah, you you have to make
576
00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:55,360
it's, it is never realistic to
think I'd never, I'm never going
577
00:37:55,360 --> 00:37:57,640
to make a mistake and I'm going
to learn a piece.
578
00:37:57,800 --> 00:38:02,840
That's just not how it works.
And so, yeah, you have to learn
579
00:38:02,840 --> 00:38:06,040
by trial and error.
And as the as the garden story
580
00:38:06,040 --> 00:38:12,080
teaches, you know, if you had
never known what sorrow was, how
581
00:38:12,080 --> 00:38:13,120
could you?
How could you?
582
00:38:13,120 --> 00:38:15,640
Even the word joy would be
meaningless.
583
00:38:16,200 --> 00:38:19,200
Yes, yes.
And not only would the words be
584
00:38:19,200 --> 00:38:22,880
meaningless to you, but you
would not have the opportunity
585
00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:25,720
to choose right from wrong.
Yes.
586
00:38:26,160 --> 00:38:31,840
And we learn our most valuable
lessons from two places.
587
00:38:31,840 --> 00:38:37,720
Trial or we chose wrong, right?
I've told the story a couple
588
00:38:37,720 --> 00:38:40,720
different times, but I think
it's worth bearing out And and I
589
00:38:40,720 --> 00:38:46,680
tell the story to reflect on how
ingenious God's plan was here
590
00:38:46,680 --> 00:38:52,480
for us, right, knowing who we
are, knowing that we would need
591
00:38:52,480 --> 00:38:55,320
to make mistakes, right?
We should never wanting we go
592
00:38:55,320 --> 00:39:00,960
out and make mistakes, but we
need to make mistakes playing,
593
00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:05,120
playing some semi pro ball up in
a league up in the the Pacific
594
00:39:05,120 --> 00:39:10,880
Northwest.
And we just had a coach who just
595
00:39:10,880 --> 00:39:14,280
was never happy.
Darn good coach, but never
596
00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:17,760
happy.
And I remember we were, we were
597
00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:19,520
just a really good team that
year.
598
00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:25,600
We'd feel that good guys, we had
a lot of talent and we were, we
599
00:39:25,600 --> 00:39:29,680
kept squeaking out wins, right,
because we knew we could turn it
600
00:39:29,680 --> 00:39:32,000
on and we could always come
back, right.
601
00:39:32,000 --> 00:39:36,880
So it was nothing for us to be
down 1417, sometimes 21 points
602
00:39:36,880 --> 00:39:40,120
at halftime, come back and win
by three points or a touchdown
603
00:39:40,120 --> 00:39:44,240
or whatever.
We finally got caught, right?
604
00:39:44,240 --> 00:39:47,160
We did that.
We let the other team hang
605
00:39:47,160 --> 00:39:49,280
around.
We lost the game.
606
00:39:50,120 --> 00:39:55,400
And I remember I was expecting
the worst rear chewing ever when
607
00:39:55,400 --> 00:39:57,360
that coach came in.
I really was.
608
00:39:58,320 --> 00:40:01,280
But to my surprise, because he
chew on us when we were beating
609
00:40:01,280 --> 00:40:03,800
him 40 to nothing, right?
I mean, like he was just that
610
00:40:03,800 --> 00:40:06,680
kind of guy.
But he came in and he he was
611
00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:09,520
quiet and he was fairly
reserved.
612
00:40:09,520 --> 00:40:12,920
He's like, I know this stings.
Let's come back, you know,
613
00:40:12,920 --> 00:40:16,400
Monday evening and let's start
talking about what we can do
614
00:40:16,400 --> 00:40:19,160
different.
And we came back that that
615
00:40:19,160 --> 00:40:22,040
Monday evening and we're going
to review the game film and and
616
00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:26,200
look, reviewing game film when
you lose sucks because your
617
00:40:26,200 --> 00:40:29,760
stuff is on display for
everybody, right?
618
00:40:29,760 --> 00:40:31,200
Like everybody's going to see
it.
619
00:40:31,520 --> 00:40:34,560
And it kind of has to be that
way because you can't really
620
00:40:34,560 --> 00:40:38,160
tell like 52 guys or whatever.
Or in our case it was 30.
621
00:40:38,160 --> 00:40:41,760
Some guys the same thing over
and over again privately.
622
00:40:41,760 --> 00:40:44,040
You this has to be done in
public, right?
623
00:40:44,320 --> 00:40:47,640
So every misstep you had, it's
going to show and you're going
624
00:40:47,640 --> 00:40:50,720
to be called out.
So that happens.
625
00:40:50,720 --> 00:40:54,960
But before that happens, he
said, I'm really glad we lost
626
00:40:54,960 --> 00:41:00,120
this game.
And I was like, well, no, you
627
00:41:00,120 --> 00:41:04,200
know, go # sand, right?
I was like, I hate losing, but
628
00:41:04,440 --> 00:41:07,600
he was right.
We absolutely needed that
629
00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:11,400
because we had just enough
talent to skate by, but we
630
00:41:11,400 --> 00:41:13,480
weren't putting in enough work
right.
631
00:41:14,440 --> 00:41:19,680
And because we were humbled, we
paid extra close attention to
632
00:41:19,680 --> 00:41:20,720
the game.
Phil Right.
633
00:41:21,080 --> 00:41:23,520
And we went on, didn't didn't
lose another game the rest of
634
00:41:23,520 --> 00:41:26,600
the year.
My point is is that life is much
635
00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:29,560
that way.
Your while certainly you should
636
00:41:29,560 --> 00:41:34,320
never want to make a mistake,
you should never not act because
637
00:41:34,480 --> 00:41:36,080
you're afraid of making a
mistake.
638
00:41:36,280 --> 00:41:38,880
It's through those mistakes that
we are going to learn.
639
00:41:39,320 --> 00:41:43,360
And our Father understood and
recognized that and provided a
640
00:41:43,360 --> 00:41:46,840
way whereby we can make our
mistakes, take our lumps, get
641
00:41:46,840 --> 00:41:50,320
back up, use the atonement, dust
ourselves off and continue
642
00:41:50,320 --> 00:41:54,760
forward.
And again, that was never
643
00:41:54,760 --> 00:41:59,000
brought forward until until the
restoration was was put into
644
00:41:59,000 --> 00:42:01,000
place.
You talked about their
645
00:42:01,000 --> 00:42:02,480
sacrifice.
And again, if I'm moving
646
00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:05,080
forward, you need to you need to
stop me here, Taylor.
647
00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:11,320
But if, if you're like the bulk
of fundamentalists who believe
648
00:42:11,320 --> 00:42:16,280
in the Adam God doctrine,
there's a special sacrifice that
649
00:42:16,280 --> 00:42:19,040
happens there, right?
And, and, and for anyone who
650
00:42:19,040 --> 00:42:22,040
doesn't know, the Adam God
doctrine, without getting in the
651
00:42:22,040 --> 00:42:26,040
weeds here too much, postulates
that Adam is both the father of
652
00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:29,080
our spirits as well as the
father of our bodies, and that
653
00:42:29,080 --> 00:42:33,320
he was already an exalted man
with Eve when he came to this
654
00:42:33,320 --> 00:42:39,760
earth.
And there is because of the
655
00:42:39,760 --> 00:42:42,760
endowment, because of other
scriptures that we have, we know
656
00:42:42,760 --> 00:42:47,760
that there is a moment at which
Eve has a recollection, right,
657
00:42:47,760 --> 00:42:52,160
where she understands, Oh, I
lived someplace else before I
658
00:42:52,160 --> 00:42:56,040
lived here, right?
And I imagine that kept coming
659
00:42:56,040 --> 00:43:00,160
back more and more.
And so as they start to endure
660
00:43:00,160 --> 00:43:05,280
mortality again, as they start
feeling the pain of mortality
661
00:43:05,280 --> 00:43:10,560
again, they can now compare and
contrast of where they've been
662
00:43:11,120 --> 00:43:15,200
versus where they are now.
And why did they do it, Taylor?
663
00:43:15,840 --> 00:43:18,760
They did it because they loved
their children.
664
00:43:19,480 --> 00:43:23,760
They were willing to go through
it all again.
665
00:43:24,480 --> 00:43:31,200
The scent pains, the sorrows,
the aches and pains of of just
666
00:43:31,200 --> 00:43:35,280
what it takes to be alive.
I had a good friend who who had
667
00:43:35,280 --> 00:43:39,120
a near death experience once and
most look, I'm going to be
668
00:43:39,120 --> 00:43:42,240
honest with you.
Most near death experiences I do
669
00:43:42,240 --> 00:43:44,320
raise a little bit of an eyebrow
at sometimes.
670
00:43:45,080 --> 00:43:47,720
This one hit different right as
he talked.
671
00:43:47,720 --> 00:43:49,120
It definitely had the spirit
with him.
672
00:43:50,000 --> 00:43:52,440
And he talked about his
experience and he talked about
673
00:43:52,440 --> 00:43:59,040
coming back into his body, and
he said my body hurts all the
674
00:43:59,040 --> 00:44:02,360
time.
And I was like, well, yeah, we
675
00:44:02,360 --> 00:44:04,560
all got aches and pains.
He's like, you don't understand.
676
00:44:04,560 --> 00:44:11,560
He's like, I know what it's like
now to be conscience without a
677
00:44:11,560 --> 00:44:16,080
fallen body, and it hurts all
the time.
678
00:44:16,080 --> 00:44:19,920
And you don't know any different
because you've come up in
679
00:44:19,920 --> 00:44:21,200
mortality.
And when you have the
680
00:44:21,200 --> 00:44:25,880
opportunity to compare and
contrast, he's like, it's not
681
00:44:25,880 --> 00:44:27,720
like I'm saying I want to go
back right now.
682
00:44:28,040 --> 00:44:30,400
But what I am saying is that
there is a difference, right?
683
00:44:30,760 --> 00:44:35,760
And so now you take that that
Adam and Eve did with the Adam
684
00:44:35,760 --> 00:44:38,160
God doctrine being in place
there, that they are the the
685
00:44:38,160 --> 00:44:40,200
father and mother of our spirits
and bodies.
686
00:44:40,760 --> 00:44:44,640
They obviously have an awakening
to where they have come from.
687
00:44:45,920 --> 00:44:52,480
They want some sacrifice, right?
That is love unfeigned, right?
688
00:44:52,520 --> 00:44:57,680
Love for your children so much
that you're like, we got to go
689
00:44:57,680 --> 00:45:00,360
through hell again, so be it,
here we go.
690
00:45:01,080 --> 00:45:05,960
And off they do go.
The sacrifice that they make is
691
00:45:05,960 --> 00:45:09,440
so important, and I think
perfectly with what you were
692
00:45:09,440 --> 00:45:13,960
saying, that the fall is just as
important as the Atonement is
693
00:45:14,280 --> 00:45:20,920
and requires a similar sacrifice
to get their children where they
694
00:45:20,920 --> 00:45:24,240
want to be.
Right.
695
00:45:24,480 --> 00:45:28,080
And I loved how you just
basically really summarized it
696
00:45:28,400 --> 00:45:31,160
and you know, in terms that a
child could understand.
697
00:45:31,160 --> 00:45:33,760
What is the Adam God theology?
What are you talking about when
698
00:45:33,760 --> 00:45:36,360
you say the Adam God doctrine or
Adam God theory?
699
00:45:37,760 --> 00:45:42,400
And, you know, as, as I have a
lot of opportunity with all my
700
00:45:42,400 --> 00:45:46,160
kids to explain those types of
things and have conversations.
701
00:45:47,200 --> 00:45:51,400
And as we've as we've discussed
it, that's basically all it is,
702
00:45:51,400 --> 00:45:57,800
is it's, you know, there was a
daddy who had some kids and he
703
00:45:57,800 --> 00:46:03,280
loved them and he wanted to help
them reach their full potential.
704
00:46:04,520 --> 00:46:09,480
And there was only one way he
could do that, and that was by
705
00:46:10,080 --> 00:46:14,560
creating the earth.
And, you know, do you think a
706
00:46:14,560 --> 00:46:18,720
good daddy would send somebody
else to raise his family, have
707
00:46:18,720 --> 00:46:20,920
his kids?
No.
708
00:46:21,520 --> 00:46:24,840
Like, this is something an
elementary school student just
709
00:46:24,840 --> 00:46:29,640
naturally understands.
Like, it it doesn't take a
710
00:46:29,640 --> 00:46:34,480
degree in theology to really get
the the why on these.
711
00:46:36,560 --> 00:46:41,440
But it it's it's just beautiful.
Like, yeah, as a dad, why would
712
00:46:41,440 --> 00:46:46,320
I ever outsource my children's
safety or instruction or
713
00:46:46,560 --> 00:46:51,440
whatever to somebody else?
Like why would I do that?
714
00:46:52,400 --> 00:46:56,600
Right, you, you might, you
might, you know, take mom on a
715
00:46:56,600 --> 00:47:00,320
date and leave the oldest kid in
charge for a hot minute, right?
716
00:47:00,320 --> 00:47:03,400
But you're not.
You're not farming that out long
717
00:47:03,400 --> 00:47:08,320
term to anybody else.
No, exactly.
718
00:47:08,920 --> 00:47:13,720
And so, so, yeah, now we've kind
of defined the term a little
719
00:47:13,720 --> 00:47:17,360
bit, you know, explained the
theology in its, in its purest
720
00:47:17,360 --> 00:47:19,640
simple, just boiled down to this
essence.
721
00:47:20,800 --> 00:47:25,840
And we've kind of explored kind
of, or at least introduced some
722
00:47:25,840 --> 00:47:29,920
very bold theological ideas and
claims, which is that like this
723
00:47:29,920 --> 00:47:33,120
is more important or equally as
important as the atonement.
724
00:47:35,200 --> 00:47:43,480
It let's let's talk about kind
of the the typical response and
725
00:47:43,480 --> 00:47:46,600
we can start with sectarian
Christianity, the anti Mormons,
726
00:47:46,640 --> 00:47:50,720
you know who, who just love this
doctrine because the church
727
00:47:51,440 --> 00:47:53,040
pretends that it was never
taught.
728
00:47:53,400 --> 00:47:56,880
And so they got they got gotchas
all over the place, right?
729
00:47:56,880 --> 00:48:01,480
It's just a landmine.
They but they, they love, they
730
00:48:01,480 --> 00:48:04,280
also love to hate it
passionately.
731
00:48:04,320 --> 00:48:10,240
They hate this doctrine and you
know, nothing will evoke an anti
732
00:48:10,240 --> 00:48:16,040
Mormon Christians, you know,
throwing around the the B word
733
00:48:16,040 --> 00:48:18,720
blasphemy like Adam God
theology.
734
00:48:19,640 --> 00:48:27,280
And you know why?
Let's let's just think about why
735
00:48:27,280 --> 00:48:32,240
is that such a common response
reaction to to this theology?
736
00:48:34,080 --> 00:48:35,880
I've got a theory, just a
theory.
737
00:48:38,160 --> 00:48:44,640
If if we look at the God of the
creeds, he is a body without
738
00:48:44,640 --> 00:48:48,760
parts and passions.
He is not relatable to us,
739
00:48:48,920 --> 00:48:50,600
right?
And and they tell you as much.
740
00:48:51,160 --> 00:48:53,680
You can't comprehend him.
Don't do that.
741
00:48:55,600 --> 00:48:59,520
If all of a sudden man can be
raised up to understand God,
742
00:49:01,920 --> 00:49:05,800
well, now all of a sudden God
has proximity.
743
00:49:08,000 --> 00:49:12,000
OK, now all of a sudden that
relationship that you talk
744
00:49:12,000 --> 00:49:16,520
about, that you strive for, oh,
that gets way more applicable.
745
00:49:17,760 --> 00:49:24,240
OK, next, if Adam and Eve aren't
the bad guys, if they're not the
746
00:49:24,240 --> 00:49:28,680
villains of the story, well, now
you got to wrestle with your own
747
00:49:28,680 --> 00:49:33,080
crap.
That is uncomfortable, right?
748
00:49:33,840 --> 00:49:37,960
Look, there's that old saying
that the truth will set you
749
00:49:37,960 --> 00:49:42,120
free.
That's a true statement, but we
750
00:49:42,120 --> 00:49:46,600
don't preface it first or give
it its qualifier at the end.
751
00:49:47,160 --> 00:49:50,000
The truth will set you free, but
often times it might make you a
752
00:49:50,000 --> 00:49:56,680
little miserable. 1st And when
you start to approach God, you
753
00:49:56,680 --> 00:49:59,320
have to understand those are
things to be wrestled with
754
00:49:59,320 --> 00:50:07,800
things to be the struggle there
to get your mind to raise up to
755
00:50:07,800 --> 00:50:10,640
that point is not a natural
thing for man to do.
756
00:50:11,360 --> 00:50:15,560
It takes discipline, it takes
hard work and it takes
757
00:50:15,760 --> 00:50:19,400
repetition to get there.
And I think that for all those
758
00:50:19,400 --> 00:50:23,400
reasons, it makes God, it gives
God proximity.
759
00:50:23,680 --> 00:50:25,760
He's no longer without parts and
passions.
760
00:50:26,320 --> 00:50:30,520
It makes us be in charge of our
own crap, right.
761
00:50:30,840 --> 00:50:34,640
If if we're punished for our
sins and not atoms now we don't
762
00:50:34,640 --> 00:50:38,520
get the benefit of going well,
OK, I looked at that woman a
763
00:50:38,520 --> 00:50:41,480
little too long, but it's kind
of Adam's fault, right?
764
00:50:41,480 --> 00:50:45,880
I mean, that's what happened.
You can't, you can't just blame
765
00:50:45,880 --> 00:50:47,840
him.
And then you've got to do the
766
00:50:47,840 --> 00:50:51,520
work to elevate your own mind
and your own understanding up to
767
00:50:51,520 --> 00:50:56,240
him, unless you really want that
relationship with, with deity.
768
00:50:57,080 --> 00:51:00,560
That's, that's a big ask.
So it's just my opinions.
769
00:51:01,160 --> 00:51:04,400
Yeah, you can't scapegoat and
there's no place to hide any
770
00:51:04,400 --> 00:51:09,320
longer.
And they they hide their actual
771
00:51:09,320 --> 00:51:12,520
fear of the doctrine and its
implications on their personal
772
00:51:12,520 --> 00:51:15,960
responsibility.
They hide behind outrage,
773
00:51:15,960 --> 00:51:19,120
though.
It's outrage culture and it's
774
00:51:19,120 --> 00:51:23,000
this, you know, and guess what?
It's the same tactic that the
775
00:51:23,000 --> 00:51:26,440
scribes and Pharisees used
against Jesus in the New
776
00:51:26,440 --> 00:51:31,240
Testament.
You know, Christ basically said
777
00:51:31,240 --> 00:51:32,960
we are the sons of God.
I am this.
778
00:51:32,960 --> 00:51:37,800
I am the son of Adam, if, if you
actually look at it in Hebrew,
779
00:51:37,800 --> 00:51:40,880
the word Adam is the same word
as the word man.
780
00:51:41,400 --> 00:51:46,720
And so when he says I am the son
of man, he's literally saying
781
00:51:46,720 --> 00:51:51,120
I'm the son of Adam.
And, and, and what was their
782
00:51:51,120 --> 00:51:54,080
response, though?
I mean, these, these ancients,
783
00:51:54,080 --> 00:51:56,880
and we're so much more
enlightened and, and advanced
784
00:51:56,880 --> 00:52:01,120
than than ancient Pharisees were
right, Of course, but they,
785
00:52:01,240 --> 00:52:05,960
they, they instantly go to thou
being a man makest thyself God.
786
00:52:07,040 --> 00:52:11,040
So it's, they're, they're, it's
this outrage culture of a
787
00:52:11,040 --> 00:52:16,200
perceived debasement of God.
And it's entrenched in
788
00:52:16,200 --> 00:52:23,840
monotheism.
The this idea that, oh, it, it
789
00:52:23,840 --> 00:52:27,800
can only be one God.
You know, there's interesting
790
00:52:28,440 --> 00:52:33,920
things in the Old Testament that
certain scholars interpret as
791
00:52:33,920 --> 00:52:37,240
there's different authors.
There's there's the, the Jehovah
792
00:52:37,240 --> 00:52:39,480
ists, the they call them
Yahwists.
793
00:52:39,760 --> 00:52:43,320
Then there's the Elohim camp,
and then there's other, the
794
00:52:43,320 --> 00:52:45,360
priests.
And anyway, I don't want to get
795
00:52:45,360 --> 00:52:50,680
into the weeds on that, but but
it does appear that the the Old
796
00:52:50,680 --> 00:52:54,960
Testament either has multiple
authors with kind of different
797
00:52:54,960 --> 00:52:58,360
perspectives, or there were
there were edits that were made,
798
00:52:59,160 --> 00:53:01,320
perhaps well intended or perhaps
not.
799
00:53:01,320 --> 00:53:08,120
But but ultimately the the point
being this, this absolute
800
00:53:08,600 --> 00:53:13,720
insistence on monotheism is not
something that is throughout the
801
00:53:13,720 --> 00:53:15,840
Bible.
There are certain passages that
802
00:53:15,840 --> 00:53:18,680
that do insist on it, but not
all of them.
803
00:53:19,320 --> 00:53:23,960
And so, yeah, that's, that's a,
that's a different conversation.
804
00:53:23,960 --> 00:53:27,320
You've kind of already had
discussions with Joshua Erickson
805
00:53:27,320 --> 00:53:31,480
and and others on that topic.
But I think it just bears
806
00:53:32,720 --> 00:53:38,520
keeping in mind, again, that
that the, you know, sometimes
807
00:53:38,520 --> 00:53:42,280
you can appeal to the scriptures
to settle questions, debates,
808
00:53:42,920 --> 00:53:46,800
you know, doctrinal concerns or,
or, you know, uncertainties.
809
00:53:47,200 --> 00:53:51,400
Other times, though, the
scriptures have been tampered
810
00:53:51,400 --> 00:53:54,240
with.
The Book of Mormon is and and
811
00:53:54,240 --> 00:53:57,560
the doctrine and Covenants, the
the modern restoration
812
00:53:58,280 --> 00:54:04,080
scriptures are the lone
exception because they they were
813
00:54:04,080 --> 00:54:06,680
preserved in purity by God, by
God's hand.
814
00:54:07,640 --> 00:54:10,480
At least it's it's professes to.
So if you have a testimony of
815
00:54:10,480 --> 00:54:13,520
the Book of Mormon, then that
comes with the territory.
816
00:54:14,600 --> 00:54:17,880
It's it's it's unique in in the
volumes of scripture in that
817
00:54:17,880 --> 00:54:23,760
way.
Then the other thing is that the
818
00:54:24,640 --> 00:54:27,400
we have the other teachings of
Joseph that, you know, 'cause
819
00:54:27,800 --> 00:54:31,000
certain things were canonized
and published is revelate in
820
00:54:31,000 --> 00:54:33,440
revelation form.
Other things, though, are kind
821
00:54:33,440 --> 00:54:35,440
of more like the oral
traditions, things that were
822
00:54:35,440 --> 00:54:38,400
taught privately, things that
were not publicly announced.
823
00:54:39,040 --> 00:54:42,880
But we have the temple liturgy
and and those types of
824
00:54:43,400 --> 00:54:47,320
ceremonies.
And so we, we are great
825
00:54:47,320 --> 00:54:53,160
beneficiaries of, of something
that the ancients didn't really
826
00:54:53,160 --> 00:54:57,480
have.
We have access to pure scripture
827
00:54:57,960 --> 00:55:03,920
that, you know, not even the
ancient Israelites apparently
828
00:55:03,920 --> 00:55:09,360
had at least post exile.
And because that's what the Book
829
00:55:09,360 --> 00:55:13,480
of Mormon talks about is that's
that's when things got
830
00:55:13,480 --> 00:55:18,400
corrupted.
So anyway, again, going back to
831
00:55:18,400 --> 00:55:24,040
this perceived debasement of
God, that that how could you
832
00:55:24,040 --> 00:55:35,160
think that God was like a man?
And, and it's not, it's a, it is
833
00:55:35,160 --> 00:55:39,320
funny when you to, to me, but I
get it like, 'cause I did not
834
00:55:39,320 --> 00:55:43,320
grow up with these perspectives.
This is something I earned after
835
00:55:43,320 --> 00:55:47,720
a lifetime of study, you know,
and, and prayer and and and and
836
00:55:47,720 --> 00:55:52,000
effort.
But yeah, these are the things
837
00:55:52,000 --> 00:55:54,480
that are difficult to hear for
the first time.
838
00:55:56,280 --> 00:56:00,440
But, but the way that I would
explain is that we're not
839
00:56:00,440 --> 00:56:03,040
debasing God.
We're not insulting God.
840
00:56:04,440 --> 00:56:10,920
It's, it's elevating human
potential and, and it's the,
841
00:56:10,920 --> 00:56:15,760
it's the elevation of human
potential that that Christians
842
00:56:17,400 --> 00:56:20,720
don't like.
Because again, talk about
843
00:56:20,720 --> 00:56:28,200
responsibility. 100% it.
It not only just elevates our
844
00:56:28,200 --> 00:56:32,360
potential, I really believe that
it, it, it elevates, it
845
00:56:32,360 --> 00:56:36,240
enlightens our, our
comprehension and our, our, our
846
00:56:36,240 --> 00:56:38,760
minds to seek for, for better
things.
847
00:56:38,840 --> 00:56:42,440
Right.
But again, if you're, if you
848
00:56:42,440 --> 00:56:50,560
come from a place that your,
your religious responsibility is
849
00:56:50,560 --> 00:56:53,120
to sit in the pews for an hour
and a half in the morning,
850
00:56:53,120 --> 00:56:57,000
throw, throw a 50 in the
collection plate and then head
851
00:56:57,000 --> 00:56:59,960
home for the rest of the day
with doing nothing else.
852
00:56:59,960 --> 00:57:04,080
It's a scary proposition, right?
Look, I'll be the first one to
853
00:57:04,080 --> 00:57:07,560
admit when, when I joined the
LDS church, we were still having
854
00:57:07,560 --> 00:57:12,640
the three hour block, right?
And you know, we, we, we went
855
00:57:12,640 --> 00:57:15,320
through the thing where I, I
gave up smoking, I gave up
856
00:57:15,320 --> 00:57:18,000
drinking, I gave up, you know,
coffee.
857
00:57:18,400 --> 00:57:21,600
And then they're like, oh, and
by the way, there's three hours
858
00:57:21,600 --> 00:57:24,320
of church.
And I'm like, look, if your God
859
00:57:24,320 --> 00:57:27,040
can't get it done in an hour and
a half like everybody else's, I
860
00:57:27,040 --> 00:57:32,720
don't know what you want me to
say, but like understanding
861
00:57:32,720 --> 00:57:38,120
these things that the fall in
its proper context is going to
862
00:57:38,120 --> 00:57:41,280
require more and it's
disconcerting.
863
00:57:41,680 --> 00:57:47,120
And when your notions of who God
is are challenged, that's
864
00:57:47,160 --> 00:57:50,640
disconcerting, right?
I don't, I, I'm not saying that
865
00:57:50,640 --> 00:57:53,600
from a place of saying they're
just lazy, right?
866
00:57:53,600 --> 00:57:58,960
Because I don't believe that.
I just think that it is such a
867
00:57:58,960 --> 00:58:02,800
drastic departure from
everything that they thought was
868
00:58:02,800 --> 00:58:06,440
Orthodox that it it's
unsettling.
869
00:58:08,160 --> 00:58:09,800
Absolutely.
And you know, we've been a
870
00:58:09,800 --> 00:58:14,040
little bit hard on sectarian
Christianity, but let's talk.
871
00:58:14,440 --> 00:58:19,160
Let's pivot and talk about the
early Latter Day Saints.
872
00:58:20,200 --> 00:58:22,640
This is a quote from Joseph
Smith.
873
00:58:23,480 --> 00:58:27,160
This is from June 11th, 1843.
You can find it in Church
874
00:58:27,160 --> 00:58:32,480
History volume 5 page 424.
He says many men will say I will
875
00:58:32,480 --> 00:58:35,400
never forsake you, but will
stand by you at all times.
876
00:58:35,880 --> 00:58:38,400
But the moment you teach them
some of the mysteries of the
877
00:58:38,400 --> 00:58:41,280
Kingdom of God that are retained
in the heavens and are to be
878
00:58:41,280 --> 00:58:44,200
revealed to the children of men
when they are prepared for them,
879
00:58:44,840 --> 00:58:47,920
they will be the first to stone
you and put you to death.
880
00:58:48,120 --> 00:58:51,560
It was this same principle that
crucified the Lord Jesus Christ
881
00:58:51,960 --> 00:58:54,800
and will cause the people to
kill the prophets in this
882
00:58:54,800 --> 00:58:57,240
generation.
Absolutely.
883
00:59:00,720 --> 00:59:04,320
So, and you hit on one of the
things which is like traditions
884
00:59:04,320 --> 00:59:08,360
and, and you know, section 93 in
the Doctrine and Covenants.
885
00:59:08,880 --> 00:59:10,480
I'll, I'll pull that up real
quick.
886
00:59:10,560 --> 00:59:12,600
Section 93.
Verse 39.
887
00:59:13,280 --> 00:59:16,120
Few months back, Justin Frankham
had an idea to make learning
888
00:59:16,120 --> 00:59:18,840
about the fullness of the
restored gospel a lot easier.
889
00:59:19,160 --> 00:59:22,040
It was an idea that once I had
my mind wrapped around it, I
890
00:59:22,040 --> 00:59:23,520
felt like it could do a lot of
good.
891
00:59:23,880 --> 00:59:27,280
Mormon Legacy Ministries is a
multi denominational ministering
892
00:59:27,280 --> 00:59:30,960
effort to provide a safe landing
place for Mormons to land until
893
00:59:30,960 --> 00:59:33,880
they find their forever church
home, while at the same time
894
00:59:33,880 --> 00:59:36,640
offering folks an opportunity
for worship and fellowship.
895
00:59:36,920 --> 00:59:39,760
Here's a little bit of what
Mormon Legacy Ministries is
896
00:59:39,760 --> 00:59:43,040
offering.
Every second and 4th Saturday of
897
00:59:43,040 --> 00:59:46,040
the month at 3:00 PM Mountain
Standard Time, a sacrament
898
00:59:46,040 --> 00:59:48,120
meeting is conducted by Joshua
Erickson.
899
00:59:48,640 --> 00:59:51,840
Every Thursday at 6:00 PM
Mountain Standard Time is the
900
00:59:51,840 --> 00:59:55,720
Gospel Fundamentals class hosted
by Elior Walker and Braxton
901
00:59:55,720 --> 00:59:58,200
Bogart.
Quarterly men's meetings are
902
00:59:58,200 --> 01:00:00,160
also held.
The next one of those will be
903
01:00:00,160 --> 01:00:03,600
Saturday, February 14th at 6:00
PM Mountain Standard Time.
904
01:00:04,080 --> 01:00:06,800
There's a women's organization,
and to learn more about that, go
905
01:00:06,800 --> 01:00:09,840
to mormonlegacy.org and click on
that link.
906
01:00:10,360 --> 01:00:14,280
Finally, for a limited time,
starting February 2nd at 6:00 PM
907
01:00:14,520 --> 01:00:17,800
and every Monday after that at
6:00 PM Mountain Standard Time,
908
01:00:18,080 --> 01:00:21,600
a discussion group will be held
on the book The 5000 Year Leap
909
01:00:21,600 --> 01:00:26,240
by Cleon Skousen.
So whether you're an independent
910
01:00:26,240 --> 01:00:28,800
Mormon fundamentalist, or maybe
you're a Mormon fundamentalist
911
01:00:28,800 --> 01:00:31,920
already in a group, but you want
more opportunities to learn and
912
01:00:31,920 --> 01:00:35,880
serve, or perhaps you're an LDS
person wanting to learn more
913
01:00:35,880 --> 01:00:38,760
about what your theological
cousins believe, or maybe even
914
01:00:38,760 --> 01:00:40,880
you're not a Mormon at all and
you're just curious about the
915
01:00:40,880 --> 01:00:44,720
faith, Mormon Legacy Ministries
is the place for you where you
916
01:00:44,720 --> 01:00:48,000
can go to learn all those things
from the comfort of your own
917
01:00:48,000 --> 01:00:50,960
home over Zoom.
To get there, all you need to do
918
01:00:50,960 --> 01:00:55,840
is go to mormonlegacy.org and
then click any or all of those
919
01:00:56,360 --> 01:00:58,040
classes that are being offered
there.
920
01:00:58,600 --> 01:01:01,040
Again, that's Mormon
legacyministries.org.
921
01:01:01,040 --> 01:01:06,200
Go there today and sign up.
Talk specifically about how the
922
01:01:06,240 --> 01:01:11,800
adversary uses traditions.
And so this is section 93 verse
923
01:01:11,800 --> 01:01:13,640
39.
Easy to remember because it's 93
924
01:01:13,640 --> 01:01:18,080
then 39 and that wicked 1 cometh
and taketh away light and truth.
925
01:01:19,080 --> 01:01:24,240
So how it so that the adversary
can actually dumb us down, You
926
01:01:24,240 --> 01:01:27,560
know, stupify us, take away
light and truth through
927
01:01:27,560 --> 01:01:31,160
disobedience.
So outright sin or rebellion is
928
01:01:31,160 --> 01:01:33,120
is one form from the children of
men.
929
01:01:33,720 --> 01:01:37,240
But then the second form, he
said it, it, it reads because of
930
01:01:37,240 --> 01:01:45,000
the tradition of their fathers.
And, and so we inherit
931
01:01:45,000 --> 01:01:47,040
traditions 'cause that's how we
were raised.
932
01:01:47,040 --> 01:01:50,200
That's just where that's kind of
how our human nature is.
933
01:01:50,760 --> 01:01:55,680
And, and we tend to not depart
from them.
934
01:01:55,680 --> 01:01:59,640
You know, the proverb talks
about the, the child raise up a
935
01:01:59,640 --> 01:02:01,720
child in the way he should go.
And when he's old, he will not
936
01:02:01,720 --> 01:02:03,000
depart from it.
Why?
937
01:02:03,000 --> 01:02:04,480
Because we are creatures of
habit.
938
01:02:04,480 --> 01:02:08,520
We, we love doing the same thing
that we've always done.
939
01:02:08,520 --> 01:02:14,200
What's familiar to us, Right?
And, but, but, so that is a
940
01:02:14,200 --> 01:02:19,600
problem if the thing that we've
always done isn't the right
941
01:02:19,600 --> 01:02:23,640
thing, right?
So, so, yeah.
942
01:02:23,720 --> 01:02:29,560
But the adversary can use our
sincerely held false traditions
943
01:02:30,080 --> 01:02:38,040
as a tool to, to damn us and,
and, and without even without
944
01:02:38,040 --> 01:02:41,600
even us realizing it, cause a
tradition, you know, you think
945
01:02:41,600 --> 01:02:45,200
about a, a false tradition and
it's that that's there's a
946
01:02:45,200 --> 01:02:48,840
reason it's a tradition.
It's because we think it's
947
01:02:48,840 --> 01:02:54,960
right.
So, so anyway, let's, there was
948
01:02:54,960 --> 01:02:58,880
another quote I had kind of
similar, but it just another
949
01:02:58,880 --> 01:03:02,200
instance of this.
And now these quotes, I'm, I'm
950
01:03:02,200 --> 01:03:05,360
presenting it in the context of
Adam God theology.
951
01:03:05,800 --> 01:03:09,160
They were not explicitly Joe
Joseph was not saying, for
952
01:03:09,160 --> 01:03:12,160
instance, one of these mysteries
of the Kingdom of God is, is
953
01:03:12,160 --> 01:03:14,360
Adam.
So I, I'm, I'm just applying it.
954
01:03:14,360 --> 01:03:18,840
I'm not directly attributing
these quotes, but there's
955
01:03:18,840 --> 01:03:21,520
another one.
But he, he made several of them.
956
01:03:21,920 --> 01:03:25,160
Another one that I was able to
find in my notes pretty easy is
957
01:03:25,160 --> 01:03:30,400
in on January 2420, first 1844,
so just six months after the
958
01:03:30,400 --> 01:03:32,240
first one.
This is in History of the
959
01:03:32,240 --> 01:03:34,720
Church, Volume 6, pages 184 and
5.
960
01:03:35,280 --> 01:03:37,840
He says there's been great
difficulty in getting anything
961
01:03:37,840 --> 01:03:39,400
into the heads of this
generation.
962
01:03:40,040 --> 01:03:42,680
It has been like splitting
hemlock knots with a corn Dodger
963
01:03:44,040 --> 01:03:47,040
for a wedge, a piece of
cornbread for a, a wedge and a
964
01:03:47,040 --> 01:03:49,840
pumpkin for a, a beetle or a
mallet to beat it with.
965
01:03:50,680 --> 01:03:52,320
Even the Saints are slow to
understand.
966
01:03:52,320 --> 01:03:54,440
So he's kind of venting a little
bit here.
967
01:03:54,680 --> 01:03:58,280
He's kind of a little bit
frustrated that he's, he wants
968
01:03:58,280 --> 01:04:04,720
to share more and he is not able
to because the Saints are so
969
01:04:04,720 --> 01:04:09,960
unwilling to accept it.
And we frequently see some of
970
01:04:09,960 --> 01:04:12,920
them, the Saints, even the
Saints are slow to understand.
971
01:04:12,920 --> 01:04:14,920
I have tried for a number of
years to get the minds of the
972
01:04:14,920 --> 01:04:18,440
Saints prepared to receive the
things of God, but we frequently
973
01:04:18,440 --> 01:04:21,720
see some of them, after
suffering all they have for the
974
01:04:21,720 --> 01:04:25,720
work of God, will fly to pieces
like glass as soon as they as
975
01:04:25,720 --> 01:04:28,200
anything comes that is contrary
to their traditions.
976
01:04:28,600 --> 01:04:30,360
They cannot stand the fire at
all.
977
01:04:30,800 --> 01:04:33,800
How many will be able to abide a
celestial law and go through and
978
01:04:33,800 --> 01:04:37,240
receive their exaltation?
I am unable to say as many are
979
01:04:37,240 --> 01:04:43,560
called but few are chosen.
Taylor yo, if if you don't mind
980
01:04:44,040 --> 01:04:52,520
this, this is so good, right?
Because this is showing a, a
981
01:04:52,520 --> 01:04:56,560
human pattern, not just a, a
sectarian or a Mormon pattern.
982
01:04:56,560 --> 01:04:58,480
This is a, this is a human
pattern.
983
01:04:59,000 --> 01:05:05,440
I remember when we were adopting
our twins and they were, it was
984
01:05:05,440 --> 01:05:07,080
so silly.
I already had four kids.
985
01:05:07,080 --> 01:05:09,040
The state asked us to adopt
them.
986
01:05:09,280 --> 01:05:13,480
We were happy to do it.
And but one of the first things
987
01:05:13,480 --> 01:05:17,080
they said is once we got back
there and me and Amber were both
988
01:05:17,080 --> 01:05:20,360
there, they're like, hey, you
guys are going to need to become
989
01:05:20,360 --> 01:05:22,840
foster parents 1st.
And I was like, right, but we're
990
01:05:22,840 --> 01:05:24,880
going to adopt them.
And they're like, right, that,
991
01:05:24,880 --> 01:05:27,200
but policy is you have to be a
foster parent first.
992
01:05:27,200 --> 01:05:28,440
I'm like, OK, what do we got to
do?
993
01:05:29,280 --> 01:05:35,560
You got to go take a six week
parenting course and I'm like, I
994
01:05:35,560 --> 01:05:40,800
was like, no, so I had four.
What's that?
995
01:05:41,080 --> 01:05:42,440
You.
You already had four children at
996
01:05:42,440 --> 01:05:44,120
this .0.
Yeah, I had four kids at this
997
01:05:44,120 --> 01:05:48,080
point, right?
And so I'm like, oh, you, you
998
01:05:48,120 --> 01:05:50,320
guys, right.
But I'm like whatever.
999
01:05:50,720 --> 01:05:52,160
Feeling a little bait and switch
there.
1000
01:05:52,720 --> 01:05:54,440
Feeling a little bait and
switch, right?
1001
01:05:54,440 --> 01:05:58,720
I just still done it right, but
like I didn't negotiate a little
1002
01:05:58,720 --> 01:06:00,480
harder.
But anyway.
1003
01:06:00,880 --> 01:06:05,560
I, I said OK, well I'm back.
I had to go back a month early
1004
01:06:05,560 --> 01:06:07,680
in front of Amber and the other
four kids, right?
1005
01:06:07,680 --> 01:06:10,840
Because I had to go out.
I had to buy a house.
1006
01:06:10,840 --> 01:06:13,320
I had, you know, the job was
easy.
1007
01:06:13,320 --> 01:06:16,200
I just messaged a buddy back who
messaged me like 2 weeks before
1008
01:06:16,200 --> 01:06:17,800
asking if I was ready to come
back.
1009
01:06:18,640 --> 01:06:21,880
And I was able, you know, I went
back a month ahead.
1010
01:06:21,880 --> 01:06:26,640
I got the house and I thought,
OK, since since this has to be
1011
01:06:26,640 --> 01:06:30,000
done, I'm not doing anything
except going home to my lawn
1012
01:06:30,000 --> 01:06:33,200
chair in my house and either
ordering pizza or eating chili
1013
01:06:33,200 --> 01:06:36,200
and eating it out of the one pan
with the one spoon I got.
1014
01:06:36,640 --> 01:06:39,560
So I guess I'll just go ahead
and bite the bullet and get this
1015
01:06:39,560 --> 01:06:43,120
done.
So I went in by myself that
1016
01:06:43,120 --> 01:06:45,960
first time around and the rule
was as long as one person was a
1017
01:06:45,960 --> 01:06:49,000
foster parent, they could go
ahead and place the kids, right?
1018
01:06:49,000 --> 01:06:51,560
So my thought is, is I'll get
here, I'll get it done, and then
1019
01:06:51,560 --> 01:06:53,800
if Amber needs to get it done,
she can get it done while she's
1020
01:06:53,800 --> 01:06:57,760
here and then I can watch the
kids why she goes out and do
1021
01:06:57,760 --> 01:07:00,960
that.
So I start taking these classes
1022
01:07:01,000 --> 01:07:03,440
and they are painful.
I mean painful.
1023
01:07:03,440 --> 01:07:06,920
I get through, I get through
there.
1024
01:07:06,920 --> 01:07:10,440
They were twice a week for six
weeks and I got through exactly
1025
01:07:10,440 --> 01:07:12,920
3 classes.
And I remember in the middle of
1026
01:07:12,920 --> 01:07:15,440
that third class I'm like, I
just, I can't do this anymore.
1027
01:07:15,440 --> 01:07:17,800
This is horrible.
God, Get Me Out of this.
1028
01:07:18,400 --> 01:07:25,520
And that night when the class
was wrapping up, the guy they
1029
01:07:25,520 --> 01:07:28,200
were it was team taught by a
woman and and a man.
1030
01:07:29,440 --> 01:07:33,040
And look, that woman could tell
I did was not happy to be there,
1031
01:07:33,040 --> 01:07:35,440
right?
Like she didn't call on me.
1032
01:07:35,440 --> 01:07:37,480
And to be honest, I was really
good about that.
1033
01:07:37,480 --> 01:07:39,840
I was happy with that.
I made sure that she knew I
1034
01:07:39,840 --> 01:07:41,800
wasn't happy to be there.
I was playing the game.
1035
01:07:42,720 --> 01:07:47,080
But the dude who was the other
teacher, he got sick that night.
1036
01:07:47,080 --> 01:07:50,960
Like, you saw he really got
really white pasty.
1037
01:07:51,440 --> 01:07:53,800
Like he ended up dismissing
himself and going home.
1038
01:07:56,000 --> 01:07:59,080
We were just wrapping up the
class when this woman's cell
1039
01:07:59,080 --> 01:08:01,560
phone goes off.
She looks at it and you can tell
1040
01:08:01,560 --> 01:08:03,600
her countenance changed and she
shuts it off.
1041
01:08:04,920 --> 01:08:07,520
And we're getting ready to to
head out.
1042
01:08:07,520 --> 01:08:10,400
And she's like, Dave Sanders,
can I see you for a minute?
1043
01:08:10,400 --> 01:08:13,680
And I'm like, it's no different
than high school, right?
1044
01:08:13,680 --> 01:08:14,760
It's no different than high
school.
1045
01:08:14,760 --> 01:08:16,080
I'm going to the principal's
office.
1046
01:08:16,080 --> 01:08:19,160
That's what's going on.
And I go up and I'm like, yes.
1047
01:08:19,160 --> 01:08:20,760
And she's like, you don't like
being here, do you?
1048
01:08:20,760 --> 01:08:26,240
And I'm like, I hate being here.
And she goes, I just got noticed
1049
01:08:26,240 --> 01:08:28,080
that we have to go do an
extraction.
1050
01:08:28,760 --> 01:08:32,800
Basically we got to get kids and
there always needs to be two of
1051
01:08:32,800 --> 01:08:36,920
us and nobody else is available.
If I sign your card right now,
1052
01:08:36,920 --> 01:08:38,760
will you go with me?
Because if you're a foster
1053
01:08:38,760 --> 01:08:42,240
parent, you can go with me.
OPS are going to meet us there.
1054
01:08:42,880 --> 01:08:45,279
They're just always has to be
two of us in the car together
1055
01:08:45,279 --> 01:08:49,040
with the kids.
And I'm like, done, I will do
1056
01:08:49,040 --> 01:08:50,920
that right now.
Done.
1057
01:08:51,520 --> 01:08:54,439
So not going to mention names
because I don't want to get the
1058
01:08:54,439 --> 01:08:56,680
poor woman in trouble with her
uppers there and whatever
1059
01:08:56,680 --> 01:08:58,359
bureaucracy she's now serving
in.
1060
01:08:59,160 --> 01:09:03,200
So I go on this on this, right?
And she's telling you she's kind
1061
01:09:03,200 --> 01:09:05,359
of prepping me in the car.
These are the things you need to
1062
01:09:05,359 --> 01:09:07,520
watch out for and blah, blah,
blah.
1063
01:09:07,520 --> 01:09:09,040
And I'm like, sweetie, no
problem.
1064
01:09:09,800 --> 01:09:12,800
We get there.
The the cops are already there
1065
01:09:12,800 --> 01:09:17,479
and they've got the parents in
handcuffs go in.
1066
01:09:17,479 --> 01:09:21,600
They've been cooking meth.
We went in and that house,
1067
01:09:21,600 --> 01:09:26,040
Taylor, was the most disgusting
house I had ever been in.
1068
01:09:26,600 --> 01:09:30,359
There were feces on the wall,
There was rotten, moldy food on
1069
01:09:30,359 --> 01:09:33,920
the counter.
The kids were malnourished.
1070
01:09:34,319 --> 01:09:39,359
It was depravity, absolute
depravity.
1071
01:09:39,359 --> 01:09:42,560
How someone could let a kid live
in that is beyond me.
1072
01:09:43,920 --> 01:09:49,080
But here's what stuck out to me.
As we were taking the kids, they
1073
01:09:49,080 --> 01:09:56,640
were still screaming to stay
where they were, screaming to
1074
01:09:56,640 --> 01:09:59,400
stay where they were.
Didn't matter if I said,
1075
01:09:59,400 --> 01:10:03,240
sweetheart, listen you, there's
not enough food here.
1076
01:10:03,240 --> 01:10:05,800
Mommy and daddy are sick.
We need to help you guys.
1077
01:10:05,800 --> 01:10:07,160
We're we're here to help you
guys.
1078
01:10:07,160 --> 01:10:09,080
And it still tears me up a
little bit to this day.
1079
01:10:09,520 --> 01:10:12,920
Nothing I could say would
comfort them in that moment
1080
01:10:14,040 --> 01:10:17,440
because they wanted to stay
where it was familiar.
1081
01:10:18,720 --> 01:10:21,400
Now, how does this tie into what
we were just talking about?
1082
01:10:23,920 --> 01:10:28,480
We strive as human beings to
stay where it's familiar.
1083
01:10:29,640 --> 01:10:33,160
When we get pressed, it's
uncomfortable.
1084
01:10:33,240 --> 01:10:36,600
We don't like it, right?
When we're forced to change
1085
01:10:36,840 --> 01:10:41,240
places or, or, or our thought
patterns or any of those other
1086
01:10:41,240 --> 01:10:46,360
things, we don't like it.
It's not comfortable, but, but
1087
01:10:46,680 --> 01:10:48,800
that's where the growth happens,
right?
1088
01:10:49,560 --> 01:10:52,440
And so as we encounter these
things, right?
1089
01:10:52,440 --> 01:10:55,600
And, and I'm really speaking to
the LDS audience at this point,
1090
01:10:56,440 --> 01:11:00,720
as you encounter these things,
there's going to be this natural
1091
01:11:01,680 --> 01:11:06,200
feeling of needing to stay right
where you're at in all your
1092
01:11:06,360 --> 01:11:10,680
beliefs and all your thoughts.
If you're stagnant, if you're
1093
01:11:10,680 --> 01:11:13,800
not moving forward, you're not
progressing.
1094
01:11:15,040 --> 01:11:16,680
And how can you tell you're
progressing?
1095
01:11:16,840 --> 01:11:19,560
Well, you just like, you know,
you're making gains at the gym
1096
01:11:19,560 --> 01:11:23,360
because it hurts a little bit
and you have to be willing to
1097
01:11:23,520 --> 01:11:26,920
sit with that hurt for a minute
to get down to the truth.
1098
01:11:26,920 --> 01:11:29,680
And I think that's what Joseph
is talking about there, right?
1099
01:11:30,000 --> 01:11:35,560
If I could just get them to
temporarily even abandoned, not
1100
01:11:35,560 --> 01:11:38,680
even abandoned, but maybe move
what is familiar to the back
1101
01:11:38,680 --> 01:11:41,640
burner.
They're capable of so much more,
1102
01:11:42,120 --> 01:11:44,960
and I think we need to realize
that as we encounter these other
1103
01:11:44,960 --> 01:11:47,120
doctrines, it might be a little
foreign to us.
1104
01:11:49,720 --> 01:11:56,520
Yeah, absolutely.
And I think that, you know, some
1105
01:11:56,680 --> 01:12:01,080
fundamentalists maybe are
familiar, but that doesn't just
1106
01:12:01,080 --> 01:12:03,080
because you're familiar with
this, just because your debt,
1107
01:12:03,080 --> 01:12:05,880
your parents taught you this
theology, doesn't mean you
1108
01:12:05,880 --> 01:12:10,000
believe it.
And so, you know, and I think
1109
01:12:10,000 --> 01:12:14,040
it's important to kind of
acknowledge, let, let me share 1
1110
01:12:14,040 --> 01:12:23,080
great quote from Brigham Young,
Heber C Kimball, Johnny Page,
1111
01:12:23,080 --> 01:12:26,000
Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor
and George J Smith, like the,
1112
01:12:26,120 --> 01:12:30,680
the, the leadership of the 12
and they, they issue a letter to
1113
01:12:30,680 --> 01:12:32,680
the elders of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day
1114
01:12:32,680 --> 01:12:35,000
Saints, to the churches
scattered abroad and to all the
1115
01:12:35,000 --> 01:12:37,760
Saints.
So this is like a a a press
1116
01:12:37,760 --> 01:12:40,440
release, right?
This is for all an internal memo
1117
01:12:40,440 --> 01:12:43,360
for the whole everybody that's
involved in the church.
1118
01:12:44,880 --> 01:12:48,520
He says they say study the word
of God and preach it and not
1119
01:12:48,520 --> 01:12:52,200
your opinions for no man's
opinions worth a straw advance
1120
01:12:52,200 --> 01:12:56,240
no principle but what you can
prove for one scriptural proof
1121
01:12:56,280 --> 01:13:00,720
is worth 10,000 opinions and I
think for anybody that is a
1122
01:13:00,720 --> 01:13:05,120
teacher of the gospel or you
know it has any kind of
1123
01:13:05,120 --> 01:13:08,240
responsibility or opportunities
to serve as in a teaching
1124
01:13:08,240 --> 01:13:11,560
capacity.
This is like this should go we
1125
01:13:11,560 --> 01:13:14,400
should print this off stick it
on your mirror, stick it in your
1126
01:13:15,320 --> 01:13:18,080
on your wall so you're seeing it
like all day every day.
1127
01:13:18,480 --> 01:13:22,680
This should be kind of our our
rallying cry as teachers of the
1128
01:13:22,680 --> 01:13:27,440
gospel.
Nevertheless, the the the
1129
01:13:27,440 --> 01:13:31,680
challenge with Adam God theology
is that we have to acknowledge
1130
01:13:31,680 --> 01:13:34,960
that there are scriptures that
seem to contradict it.
1131
01:13:35,640 --> 01:13:39,520
And so we have to balance this
with freedom of conscience and
1132
01:13:39,520 --> 01:13:42,920
we have to respect different
different people that may be in
1133
01:13:42,920 --> 01:13:45,640
different places in their
testimonies and whatnot.
1134
01:13:46,920 --> 01:13:54,200
In fact, Joseph Smith, there was
a, a guy named Pelletaya Brown
1135
01:13:54,200 --> 01:13:56,600
or Palatia.
I'm not sure how the how, what
1136
01:13:56,600 --> 01:14:00,920
the pronunciation is, but
Pelletaya is.
1137
01:14:01,080 --> 01:14:04,200
And so this is so this is Joseph
Smith standing up in like a
1138
01:14:04,200 --> 01:14:06,400
general conference talk
basically.
1139
01:14:06,400 --> 01:14:11,120
So this is April 8th, 1843.
So about just over a year before
1140
01:14:11,120 --> 01:14:13,280
he was killed.
This is in History of the
1141
01:14:13,280 --> 01:14:18,840
Church, Volume 5, page 340.
And so he kind of tells the
1142
01:14:18,840 --> 01:14:21,440
story, the back story in his
talk.
1143
01:14:21,440 --> 01:14:24,520
So I'm just going to read this.
Elder Pelatia Brown, one of the
1144
01:14:24,520 --> 01:14:28,360
wisest old heads we have among
us and whom I now see before me,
1145
01:14:28,680 --> 01:14:31,440
has been preaching concerning
the beast, which was full of
1146
01:14:31,440 --> 01:14:34,880
eyes before and behind.
And for this he was hauled up
1147
01:14:34,880 --> 01:14:36,800
for trial before the High
Council.
1148
01:14:37,720 --> 01:14:40,360
I did not like the old man being
called up for airing and
1149
01:14:40,360 --> 01:14:43,120
doctrine.
It looks too much like the
1150
01:14:43,120 --> 01:14:45,760
Methodist and not like the
Latter Day Saints.
1151
01:14:47,040 --> 01:14:49,520
Wow.
Methodists have creeds which a
1152
01:14:49,520 --> 01:14:52,800
man must believe or be asked out
of their church.
1153
01:14:53,680 --> 01:14:56,560
I want the liberty of thinking
and believing as I please.
1154
01:14:57,280 --> 01:15:00,080
It feels so good not to be
trammelled.
1155
01:15:00,840 --> 01:15:04,600
It does not prove that a man is
not a good man because he airs
1156
01:15:04,600 --> 01:15:08,920
in doctrine.
And there's a lot to unpack in
1157
01:15:08,920 --> 01:15:14,480
that.
So, so basically he doesn't ever
1158
01:15:14,480 --> 01:15:18,160
say whether or not Elder
Pelletier Brown was preaching
1159
01:15:18,160 --> 01:15:20,440
false or true doctrine.
So that's, that's one
1160
01:15:20,440 --> 01:15:23,840
interesting thing that we, we
just don't know what Joseph's
1161
01:15:23,840 --> 01:15:27,480
opinion was on, on the doctrine
that Pelletier Brown was
1162
01:15:27,480 --> 01:15:31,440
preaching.
What what we do know is Joseph
1163
01:15:31,440 --> 01:15:39,040
didn't like that he was called
up for trial and he says that
1164
01:15:39,360 --> 01:15:43,080
you know, we don't have creeds.
I want the liberty of thinking
1165
01:15:43,080 --> 01:15:46,720
and believing as I please.
And this goes back to article of
1166
01:15:46,720 --> 01:15:49,920
faith #11 we claim the privilege
of worshipping Almighty God
1167
01:15:49,920 --> 01:15:53,600
according to the dictates of our
own conscience and allow all men
1168
01:15:53,600 --> 01:15:55,760
the same privilege.
Let them worship how, where or
1169
01:15:55,760 --> 01:16:02,440
what they may That that's more
than just a cute little, you
1170
01:16:02,440 --> 01:16:06,080
know, thing that you embroidery
and or you know, that you teach
1171
01:16:06,080 --> 01:16:10,920
kids to memorize.
That was like Joseph's core
1172
01:16:10,920 --> 01:16:15,200
principle.
He really cared about freedom of
1173
01:16:15,200 --> 01:16:21,880
conscience.
And and so, you know, whether
1174
01:16:21,880 --> 01:16:24,640
you believe, you know, I'm not
sure who your listeners are.
1175
01:16:24,880 --> 01:16:30,200
Maybe some are fundamentalist
backgrounds, but don't you know,
1176
01:16:30,200 --> 01:16:32,400
they're just curious and then
this is what they're familiar
1177
01:16:32,760 --> 01:16:34,200
with.
Maybe there's, you know,
1178
01:16:34,560 --> 01:16:37,080
hardcore believing
fundamentalist that have devoted
1179
01:16:37,080 --> 01:16:39,960
years of theirs of their life
studying these things.
1180
01:16:40,360 --> 01:16:44,760
Maybe there's some LDS people
that that are kind of new to all
1181
01:16:44,760 --> 01:16:48,480
of this and, and still figuring
stuff out, like, I don't know
1182
01:16:48,480 --> 01:16:51,480
where, who, where you're at,
whoever's listening.
1183
01:16:52,280 --> 01:16:57,880
But what I do believe is that I
can't prove the Adam God
1184
01:16:57,880 --> 01:17:04,520
theology from the Scriptures or
you know, like rationally, any
1185
01:17:04,520 --> 01:17:06,000
more than you can prove it isn't
true.
1186
01:17:06,520 --> 01:17:10,120
Like, let's let's be fair, this
is not one of those things that
1187
01:17:10,120 --> 01:17:11,800
you can prove one way or
another.
1188
01:17:12,840 --> 01:17:15,160
No, because you can find
scriptures that seem to allude
1189
01:17:15,160 --> 01:17:19,520
to it and scriptures that that
would seem to to say the
1190
01:17:19,520 --> 01:17:21,280
opposite, right?
We would have to be.
1191
01:17:22,120 --> 01:17:25,520
However, I would say this, and
this is one thing that I think
1192
01:17:26,280 --> 01:17:29,760
all of Mormonism is losing a
little bit and I think it's
1193
01:17:29,760 --> 01:17:35,120
worth bearing out.
What's the Mormon definition of
1194
01:17:35,120 --> 01:17:39,080
scripture, Taylor?
Well, there's Canon, and then
1195
01:17:39,080 --> 01:17:41,000
there's scripture.
Exactly.
1196
01:17:41,000 --> 01:17:43,720
And that's where I'm going.
That's that's where I'm going.
1197
01:17:44,280 --> 01:17:47,360
These are Canon, right?
This is this is a collected
1198
01:17:47,360 --> 01:17:53,320
works of sacred writings that
have been presented and voted on
1199
01:17:53,600 --> 01:17:58,960
as being in the Canon.
OK, but Mormon, the the Mormon
1200
01:17:58,960 --> 01:18:02,160
idea of scripture is far more
expensive, right?
1201
01:18:02,400 --> 01:18:06,200
It is whatever is said by the
servants of the Lord when moved
1202
01:18:06,200 --> 01:18:10,000
upon by the spirit of the holy
by moved when moved upon by the
1203
01:18:10,000 --> 01:18:16,440
Spirit.
OK, so if we take that and we
1204
01:18:16,440 --> 01:18:20,640
say, OK, so that's the standard
it moved upon by the Holy Ghost.
1205
01:18:21,880 --> 01:18:27,160
I would say pay attention to not
just what you're reading, but
1206
01:18:27,160 --> 01:18:30,840
how it makes you feel.
If the Holy Ghost communicates
1207
01:18:30,840 --> 01:18:36,560
the truthfulness to you, that's
something to keep a hold of even
1208
01:18:36,560 --> 01:18:42,160
if you don't understand it,
because I agree with you 100%,
1209
01:18:42,160 --> 01:18:46,440
Taylor, You can find both verse.
You can find both verses for and
1210
01:18:46,440 --> 01:18:49,120
against the Adam God doctrine
and all of Scripture.
1211
01:18:51,360 --> 01:18:55,440
And so when, when that happens,
you should be left to revelation
1212
01:18:55,440 --> 01:19:00,680
at that point.
And so I would also say that to
1213
01:19:00,680 --> 01:19:03,360
understand the Adam God
doctrine, you're going to need
1214
01:19:03,360 --> 01:19:06,000
revelation.
And Christ kind of tells us so a
1215
01:19:06,000 --> 01:19:09,600
little bit when, when he said,
you know, when he's talking to
1216
01:19:09,600 --> 01:19:13,880
Peter and the other 12 in, in
Caesarea Philippi and he asked
1217
01:19:13,880 --> 01:19:17,440
them, who do you say I am?
And Peter finally gets to say,
1218
01:19:17,440 --> 01:19:19,120
well, you are, you're the
Christ, you're the Son of the
1219
01:19:19,120 --> 01:19:22,520
living God.
He said, blessed art you, art
1220
01:19:22,520 --> 01:19:24,840
thou, Simon Barchona, because
flesh and blood hath not
1221
01:19:24,840 --> 01:19:27,000
revealed it to thee, but thy
Father, which is in heaven,
1222
01:19:27,720 --> 01:19:30,240
indicating that there was
revelation there that happened.
1223
01:19:30,760 --> 01:19:35,000
Now if that's what it takes to
say that Jesus is the Son of
1224
01:19:35,000 --> 01:19:37,440
God, the Messiah, it's also
going to take that same
1225
01:19:37,440 --> 01:19:40,240
revelation to figure out who his
Father is.
1226
01:19:40,480 --> 01:19:44,160
And that is of the utmost
importance per what is said in
1227
01:19:44,160 --> 01:19:47,160
John, where this is life
eternal, to know Jesus Christ
1228
01:19:47,480 --> 01:19:49,800
and the only true God that sent
him.
1229
01:19:50,520 --> 01:19:54,880
Yeah.
And so if you, if you are
1230
01:19:54,880 --> 01:20:00,520
absolutely opposed to this
theology, I understand.
1231
01:20:02,440 --> 01:20:05,640
But I would invite you to
consider what if you're wrong?
1232
01:20:07,360 --> 01:20:15,080
Because really it's, I think
it's fabricated outrage in so
1233
01:20:15,080 --> 01:20:17,880
many cases.
The, the, the people who just
1234
01:20:18,400 --> 01:20:21,080
just hate on it.
And I think that it's really
1235
01:20:21,080 --> 01:20:26,400
they're compensating for, for
deeper issues, which is an, an
1236
01:20:26,400 --> 01:20:31,640
unwillingness or a fear of being
responsible for your own choices
1237
01:20:31,640 --> 01:20:35,760
all the time.
And, and it's way easier to have
1238
01:20:35,760 --> 01:20:42,600
a scapegoat.
So the if, if this is true,
1239
01:20:43,080 --> 01:20:45,920
again, like I kind of I think I
already said this, but it's
1240
01:20:45,920 --> 01:20:49,600
worth repeating.
If it's true, it's not demeaning
1241
01:20:49,600 --> 01:20:54,000
to God.
It's it's elevating to human
1242
01:20:54,000 --> 01:20:58,960
potential.
So and the other thing that you
1243
01:20:59,040 --> 01:21:02,440
you were, as you were just
talking about Dave, you know,
1244
01:21:02,440 --> 01:21:05,120
scripture.
I think another thing that is
1245
01:21:05,120 --> 01:21:12,080
not official Canon, but is, is,
is scripture would be like the
1246
01:21:12,080 --> 01:21:15,360
temple.
It's, it's not in the standard
1247
01:21:15,360 --> 01:21:20,640
works the the things that are
taught in the temple, but it
1248
01:21:20,640 --> 01:21:25,960
was, it was given by inspiration
of the Holy Ghost like that.
1249
01:21:25,960 --> 01:21:30,600
That is part of what the temple
does is, is it instructs us and
1250
01:21:30,600 --> 01:21:33,040
it, and it empowers us, the
things that we learn and the
1251
01:21:33,040 --> 01:21:36,800
covenants that we make in the
temple instruct us and empower
1252
01:21:36,800 --> 01:21:41,680
us to follow the Spirit.
And so if you're not familiar
1253
01:21:41,680 --> 01:21:44,320
with that, if it's not something
you've had experience with yet,
1254
01:21:44,640 --> 01:21:49,840
that's fine.
But I would encourage you to, to
1255
01:21:49,840 --> 01:21:52,600
prepare and, and seek that out
and, and receive that witness
1256
01:21:54,520 --> 01:21:57,520
and the let's see, one other
thing.
1257
01:21:57,520 --> 01:22:00,800
Oh, you were talking about, you
know, how does it make you feel?
1258
01:22:01,120 --> 01:22:04,520
You know, feelings in absence of
reason.
1259
01:22:04,520 --> 01:22:07,080
Like if somebody's trying to get
you to just go with your
1260
01:22:07,240 --> 01:22:12,680
feelings, that's a red flag.
Other people, because feelings
1261
01:22:12,920 --> 01:22:15,320
can be manipulated.
Ask anybody that's a victim of
1262
01:22:15,320 --> 01:22:18,760
like narcissistic abuse or any
kind of emotional abuse.
1263
01:22:19,040 --> 01:22:23,400
Like feelings can be manipulated
quite easily and and for very
1264
01:22:23,400 --> 01:22:27,240
evil, wicked things.
And so you can't just trust your
1265
01:22:27,240 --> 01:22:33,200
feelings.
By the same token reason, you
1266
01:22:33,200 --> 01:22:37,000
know, people can be reasoned
into some really dumb ideas and
1267
01:22:37,000 --> 01:22:39,560
it can seem rash.
Like, for instance,
1268
01:22:39,560 --> 01:22:42,920
libertarianism.
You know, you follow the, the
1269
01:22:44,120 --> 01:22:49,480
you follow libertarianism to its
full logical conclusion and it's
1270
01:22:49,480 --> 01:22:54,200
a freak show, right?
And I, I, I'm saying this as a
1271
01:22:54,200 --> 01:22:58,040
former, you know, libertarian
leaning person myself and, and
1272
01:22:58,040 --> 01:23:00,040
with friends that are, I mean,
it's all in good fun.
1273
01:23:00,040 --> 01:23:02,480
I'm, I'm not, I don't mean to be
offensive.
1274
01:23:02,600 --> 01:23:04,600
I'm not meaning to cause any
offense to anybody.
1275
01:23:05,040 --> 01:23:09,600
But you look at let's, let's
just look at the, the annual
1276
01:23:09,600 --> 01:23:14,000
convention that the Libertarian
Party throws every year.
1277
01:23:14,680 --> 01:23:17,280
You're right.
You're right, and I have many
1278
01:23:17,280 --> 01:23:20,200
libertarian leanings right.
Right.
1279
01:23:21,000 --> 01:23:23,920
But you know, I used to, I used
to identify as a libertarian and
1280
01:23:23,920 --> 01:23:27,920
I thought it made the most sense
because like, well, fiscal
1281
01:23:27,920 --> 01:23:33,120
conservatism and social
libertarian like liberalism,
1282
01:23:34,160 --> 01:23:36,280
that sounds like a great thing.
And you know, that was during
1283
01:23:36,280 --> 01:23:39,240
the especially in the 2008 and 9
Ron Paul movement.
1284
01:23:39,240 --> 01:23:42,720
You know, I, I was, I was very
involved in that at the time.
1285
01:23:43,160 --> 01:23:47,520
And you know, there's a lot of
good, there's a lot of truth in
1286
01:23:47,520 --> 01:23:50,640
libertarianism.
But when you follow it to its
1287
01:23:50,680 --> 01:23:56,640
actual logical conclusion and
you see what the people who are
1288
01:23:57,160 --> 01:24:00,480
hardcore libertarians in the,
especially the leadership like,
1289
01:24:00,680 --> 01:24:03,880
I'm not talking about the, just
the political philosophy of
1290
01:24:03,880 --> 01:24:07,640
libertarianism so much as I'm
talking about the Libertarian
1291
01:24:07,640 --> 01:24:11,880
Party in our political system.
But you look at the Libertarian
1292
01:24:11,880 --> 01:24:21,600
Party and what their people are
advocating for and like, it's
1293
01:24:21,600 --> 01:24:25,800
really hard to make a case
against pedophilia using the
1294
01:24:25,800 --> 01:24:29,720
logic of modern things, because
if it's, as long as it's
1295
01:24:29,720 --> 01:24:36,280
consensual, you know, but it's
like now or just complete
1296
01:24:36,520 --> 01:24:39,000
debauchery and in, in multiple
forms.
1297
01:24:39,440 --> 01:24:43,320
And so like, that's, that's
where I, I, I take issue with
1298
01:24:43,320 --> 01:24:46,680
that.
But this, this principle of
1299
01:24:46,680 --> 01:24:51,240
freedom of conscience and the
thing that we need to to be
1300
01:24:51,240 --> 01:24:53,920
careful of is you.
You don't want to just be wholly
1301
01:24:53,920 --> 01:24:58,360
reliant upon your reason, powers
of reason, but and you also
1302
01:24:58,360 --> 01:25:01,080
don't want to be wholly reliant
on your feelings.
1303
01:25:01,680 --> 01:25:04,880
That's why in section, I think
it's 8 or 9 somewhere around
1304
01:25:04,880 --> 01:25:07,720
there, it talks about how
revelation it, this is a
1305
01:25:07,720 --> 01:25:11,600
revelation directly,
specifically directed to Oliver
1306
01:25:11,600 --> 01:25:15,120
Cowdrey.
But we can profit, profit by
1307
01:25:15,120 --> 01:25:20,920
likening it to ourselves too.
Which is that he I will tell you
1308
01:25:20,920 --> 01:25:23,880
in your heart and in your mind.
Right.
1309
01:25:25,520 --> 01:25:29,680
And so the we can look at the
script, we need to search the
1310
01:25:29,680 --> 01:25:32,080
scriptures, we need to be
familiar and intimately
1311
01:25:32,080 --> 01:25:35,520
acquainted with what they say on
this and other subjects.
1312
01:25:36,320 --> 01:25:42,120
But we shouldn't just like turn
our brains off and and just
1313
01:25:42,360 --> 01:25:47,160
regurgitate things that, you
know, because like I said and
1314
01:25:47,160 --> 01:25:50,000
and like you've also agreed
there are scriptures and, and
1315
01:25:50,000 --> 01:25:52,440
it's important to acknowledge
that there are some scriptures
1316
01:25:52,760 --> 01:25:56,000
that appear to contradict Adam
got theology.
1317
01:25:56,520 --> 01:25:59,040
We have to be honest and, and
and acknowledge that.
1318
01:25:59,640 --> 01:26:03,280
And, and ultimately, I think
that it is, it does make the
1319
01:26:03,280 --> 01:26:09,000
most rational sense, But the
reason I believe in it and, and
1320
01:26:09,400 --> 01:26:15,240
you know, adamantly defend it is
actually because of how I feel
1321
01:26:15,240 --> 01:26:18,080
about it.
And like you, you mentioned when
1322
01:26:18,080 --> 01:26:28,760
God is your grandpa and he gave
up glory to give his grandkids a
1323
01:26:28,760 --> 01:26:35,920
shot at this whole life thing,
like that's special and it makes
1324
01:26:35,920 --> 01:26:40,560
heaven feel much closer.
You know, there's more to Adam
1325
01:26:40,560 --> 01:26:44,440
God theology and and this like,
you know, if, if we wanted to
1326
01:26:44,440 --> 01:26:47,040
get into like the seed of Christ
and that sort of thing.
1327
01:26:47,440 --> 01:26:51,000
I that was outside of kind of
scope for for me tonight.
1328
01:26:52,160 --> 01:26:56,880
But it's, there's so many
beautiful things that that have
1329
01:26:57,000 --> 01:27:01,720
just amazing implications for
all of us as Mormons that were
1330
01:27:01,720 --> 01:27:04,560
taught in the early days of the
restoration.
1331
01:27:05,600 --> 01:27:11,880
So don't just dismiss it or
don't just hate it because it's
1332
01:27:11,880 --> 01:27:16,680
unfamiliar or seems blasphemous.
You know, take a take a good
1333
01:27:16,680 --> 01:27:22,800
look at it and you know, because
of the nature of it, I would
1334
01:27:22,800 --> 01:27:24,120
love to be able to just prove
it.
1335
01:27:24,120 --> 01:27:27,400
Just say, hey, go to this book,
this chapter, this verse, this
1336
01:27:27,400 --> 01:27:29,360
proves it.
And there are certain things
1337
01:27:29,360 --> 01:27:32,000
that to me make it really hard
to deny.
1338
01:27:32,040 --> 01:27:35,480
You know, Section 88 comes to
mind and and Daniel 6 and the
1339
01:27:35,480 --> 01:27:38,680
teachings of Joseph and and.
Moses 7.
1340
01:27:38,920 --> 01:27:42,720
Moses 7 Absolutely.
There are certain things that
1341
01:27:42,720 --> 01:27:45,760
appear to make a bulletproof
case, but then there's other
1342
01:27:45,760 --> 01:27:50,080
things like ether chapter 3, the
brother of Jared's experiences
1343
01:27:50,080 --> 01:27:52,440
with, with the Savior premortal
Christ.
1344
01:27:52,800 --> 01:27:55,120
There's other things that you
know in the Doctrine and
1345
01:27:55,120 --> 01:28:00,520
Covenants that appear at first
glance to, to prove that this
1346
01:28:00,520 --> 01:28:06,680
isn't a true doctrine.
And so we've, we, we as Mormons,
1347
01:28:07,160 --> 01:28:11,000
we need to be more interested in
the truth than anything else.
1348
01:28:11,000 --> 01:28:17,120
We need to be more interested in
doing the thing in, in setting
1349
01:28:17,120 --> 01:28:19,880
aside finding the false
traditions that are that I
1350
01:28:19,880 --> 01:28:27,080
currently believe in and, and
dealing with them and, but never
1351
01:28:27,080 --> 01:28:30,560
closing myself off to where am I
wrong?
1352
01:28:30,560 --> 01:28:33,600
It's it's, it shouldn't be a
question of God, Am I wrong?
1353
01:28:33,600 --> 01:28:37,160
Is there an?
If no, it's where and how.
1354
01:28:37,320 --> 01:28:43,600
Can you please reveal to me how
to get back into and get on a
1355
01:28:43,600 --> 01:28:46,640
better track?
Absolutely.
1356
01:28:47,920 --> 01:28:50,480
You know, let me ask this
question here because it sounds
1357
01:28:50,480 --> 01:28:51,960
like you're getting close to
wrapping up.
1358
01:28:51,960 --> 01:28:54,280
Is that right?
Yeah, there's a couple other
1359
01:28:54,280 --> 01:28:55,640
things, but yeah, I'm pretty
much.
1360
01:28:57,080 --> 01:29:04,480
So why do you think that this is
so important to understand the
1361
01:29:04,480 --> 01:29:09,760
fall in the context of knowing
who God is really?
1362
01:29:10,920 --> 01:29:13,720
And what, what does that do for
us?
1363
01:29:16,560 --> 01:29:27,720
Yeah, the the if, if God, we are
everybody, I think.
1364
01:29:27,880 --> 01:29:32,120
I can't think of any Christians
or maybe Jehovah's Witnesses or
1365
01:29:32,120 --> 01:29:32,920
Muslims.
I don't.
1366
01:29:32,920 --> 01:29:33,720
I can't.
I can't.
1367
01:29:33,720 --> 01:29:35,600
I guess I can't.
It's definitive, but with it, at
1368
01:29:35,600 --> 01:29:39,840
least within Mormonism and I
think all of Christianity, we
1369
01:29:39,840 --> 01:29:42,480
all pray to a father.
Right.
1370
01:29:43,800 --> 01:29:52,080
And unfortunately for a lot of
Christians, that is just purely
1371
01:29:52,560 --> 01:29:56,360
metaphorical or it, it's, it's
not, it's, it's impersonal
1372
01:29:57,000 --> 01:30:00,680
because we have, because of
creeds that have painted this
1373
01:30:00,680 --> 01:30:05,080
picture of, you know, like you
were saying, a God without body
1374
01:30:05,080 --> 01:30:10,280
parts and passions.
And the, the sad reality of it
1375
01:30:10,280 --> 01:30:16,840
is, is that we need to know who
our Father is if we are going to
1376
01:30:16,840 --> 01:30:19,520
actually be able to worship him
in, in spirit and truth.
1377
01:30:20,000 --> 01:30:24,120
I think I'm quoting from
somewhere in Peter in Paul's
1378
01:30:24,120 --> 01:30:30,040
writings, but that we we have to
come to know if we are going to
1379
01:30:30,040 --> 01:30:32,320
do that.
Joseph Smith taught, and I think
1380
01:30:32,320 --> 01:30:38,080
this is in the lectures on faith
that if a man who does not have
1381
01:30:38,160 --> 01:30:45,720
a correct understanding of the
nature of God cannot comprehend
1382
01:30:45,720 --> 01:30:51,080
himself and, and also a man that
doesn't have a correct
1383
01:30:51,080 --> 01:30:53,200
understanding of God's
attributes.
1384
01:30:57,240 --> 01:30:59,400
I, I, I, maybe I should pull it
up.
1385
01:30:59,400 --> 01:31:02,280
But, but anyway, so to, to, to
get back to your question and
1386
01:31:02,280 --> 01:31:07,520
kind of to tie in the point.
I think that we if we want to
1387
01:31:07,520 --> 01:31:14,960
comprehend ourselves, who we
are, if we want to be able to
1388
01:31:14,960 --> 01:31:20,240
worship God in in truth and you
know, with this, his spirit, we
1389
01:31:20,240 --> 01:31:22,800
have to grapple with this and we
have to figure it out.
1390
01:31:23,040 --> 01:31:27,160
And you know, if somebody's
comes away from that exercise
1391
01:31:27,160 --> 01:31:32,000
convinced that, that it's a
false doctrine, I'm not going to
1392
01:31:32,000 --> 01:31:36,080
be 1 to, to argue and, and try
to change your mind.
1393
01:31:37,480 --> 01:31:40,280
We can still work together.
If you're in the restoration and
1394
01:31:40,280 --> 01:31:43,320
you want to or any Christian
group that wants to work.
1395
01:31:43,640 --> 01:31:45,520
I'm involved with the Mormon
legacy ministries.
1396
01:31:45,520 --> 01:31:49,240
I, I'm a, an active member of a,
of an organization, a
1397
01:31:49,240 --> 01:31:50,960
fundamentalist church
organization.
1398
01:31:51,480 --> 01:31:55,400
But I would love to work with
anybody, even if you think I'm
1399
01:31:55,400 --> 01:32:00,200
crazy for believing in this,
because like Joseph Smith was
1400
01:32:00,200 --> 01:32:03,200
saying, doesn't prove you're a
good or a bad man.
1401
01:32:03,200 --> 01:32:07,320
Just if you have some bad ideas
it, you know, absolutely false
1402
01:32:07,320 --> 01:32:11,440
doctrines.
So but yeah.
1403
01:32:11,440 --> 01:32:16,800
And in my personal experience,
nothing has made God feel more
1404
01:32:16,800 --> 01:32:22,720
real and personal than learning
about out of God theology for
1405
01:32:22,720 --> 01:32:29,160
the simple fact that God it
brings God down to earth in a
1406
01:32:29,160 --> 01:32:33,680
very literal sense.
Absolutely.
1407
01:32:34,800 --> 01:32:40,960
Let me let me ask this question.
When you were studying all this
1408
01:32:40,960 --> 01:32:45,840
out, did you come to a knowledge
or an acceptance of the Adam God
1409
01:32:45,840 --> 01:32:52,960
doctrine by reason first or
through revelation first?
1410
01:32:56,840 --> 01:33:05,960
Probably more by well, OK, if
I'm being completely honest, I
1411
01:33:06,360 --> 01:33:09,000
read Drew Briny's book
Understanding, understanding
1412
01:33:09,000 --> 01:33:13,720
Adam, God theology.
And as I was, as I was reading
1413
01:33:13,720 --> 01:33:18,640
that book, I was in my LDS
paradigm of when the prophet is
1414
01:33:18,640 --> 01:33:21,600
speaking as a prophet, he is
infallible.
1415
01:33:21,600 --> 01:33:24,440
You know, he's he can't be he
can't say anything wrong.
1416
01:33:24,920 --> 01:33:28,360
And then I was like, Oh my gosh,
Brigham Young taught this in
1417
01:33:28,360 --> 01:33:32,000
general conference, which in my
little paradigm was therefore
1418
01:33:33,560 --> 01:33:37,040
this is true.
And so it was perhaps neither
1419
01:33:37,120 --> 01:33:43,200
reason nor nor feeling first,
but more of a knee jerk reaction
1420
01:33:43,200 --> 01:33:46,040
of oh, Brigham Young was the
president of the church at this
1421
01:33:46,040 --> 01:33:47,720
time.
He said it in general
1422
01:33:47,720 --> 01:33:51,120
Conference.
Therefore, so I got to be, I got
1423
01:33:51,120 --> 01:33:56,080
to be real honest with where I
was in my I'm glad you did.
1424
01:33:57,720 --> 01:34:05,000
But yeah, that was really where
it started.
1425
01:34:05,600 --> 01:34:09,280
But then as I was going through
the book and I was being
1426
01:34:09,280 --> 01:34:17,920
confronted with, oh, wait, but
Bruce R Mcconkey said XYZ and he
1427
01:34:17,920 --> 01:34:20,400
was an apostle.
And it was in a general
1428
01:34:20,400 --> 01:34:23,960
conference setting or an
official, official sermon
1429
01:34:23,960 --> 01:34:28,960
setting.
And it's like, whoa, that that
1430
01:34:28,960 --> 01:34:31,120
broke my.
That's, that's what originally
1431
01:34:31,120 --> 01:34:35,280
broke me.
Because the two can't occupy the
1432
01:34:35,280 --> 01:34:37,680
same space.
Because one of them was wrong,
1433
01:34:37,680 --> 01:34:40,040
at least one of them was wrong,
right?
1434
01:34:40,120 --> 01:34:45,680
They both can't be right.
And so and so that led to very
1435
01:34:45,680 --> 01:34:51,200
uncomfortable, uncomfortable
situation for me where I had to
1436
01:34:51,200 --> 01:34:58,040
basically figure out, wait,
which which one of them is right
1437
01:34:58,440 --> 01:35:03,000
is was Bruce R Mcconkey Lion was
because because Bruce R Mcconkey
1438
01:35:03,000 --> 01:35:06,920
is like openly claiming Brigham
Young never taught these things.
1439
01:35:06,920 --> 01:35:10,920
And, and, and not, and if you
believe in it, you're, you're
1440
01:35:11,400 --> 01:35:13,160
guilty of a heresy and you're
going to hell.
1441
01:35:13,320 --> 01:35:15,560
You know, those are the types of
things that Bruce Mcconkey was
1442
01:35:15,560 --> 01:35:19,920
saying about it.
And that was hard because Bruce
1443
01:35:19,920 --> 01:35:22,840
and Punky was like one of my
favorite guys as a missionary
1444
01:35:22,840 --> 01:35:26,880
'cause he could just, he could
just throw it down and, and just
1445
01:35:26,880 --> 01:35:31,440
bold, you know, he was like the
ultimate boldness guy and role
1446
01:35:31,440 --> 01:35:35,400
model for a missionary.
And but so was Brigham.
1447
01:35:35,480 --> 01:35:40,000
I just wasn't as familiar with
Brigham earlier in my, in my
1448
01:35:40,680 --> 01:35:44,480
discipleship.
So, but ultimately, as I was
1449
01:35:44,480 --> 01:35:47,920
reading that book from Drew
Briny and it was talking, it was
1450
01:35:47,920 --> 01:35:54,600
specifically when it was talking
about the seed of Christ, Cause
1451
01:35:54,600 --> 01:35:58,560
at this point I had come, I had
come to accept Adam God theology
1452
01:35:59,080 --> 01:36:03,720
as probably true.
It was making sense.
1453
01:36:03,880 --> 01:36:07,680
It was undeniably taught by
Brigham and and various others.
1454
01:36:08,280 --> 01:36:15,080
And it was and it and it it made
it felt right.
1455
01:36:15,760 --> 01:36:19,640
I couldn't deny that that it
didn't have a have a feeling to
1456
01:36:19,640 --> 01:36:23,360
it.
But what really got me was when
1457
01:36:23,600 --> 01:36:29,840
I was continuing on in my study
of this book and it goes to the
1458
01:36:30,280 --> 01:36:36,400
the descendants of Christ.
And at that point realizing that
1459
01:36:37,080 --> 01:36:41,040
Joseph Smith was told that he
was a direct descendant of
1460
01:36:41,040 --> 01:36:43,320
Jesus.
And this is perhaps news to some
1461
01:36:43,320 --> 01:36:47,000
people listening.
It's actually alluded to in
1462
01:36:47,000 --> 01:36:49,040
Section 86 of the Doctrine
Covenants.
1463
01:36:49,040 --> 01:36:53,560
But there's also direct quotes
where Joseph Smith just just
1464
01:36:53,560 --> 01:36:56,800
openly claims it or acknowledges
it, whatever, however you want
1465
01:36:56,800 --> 01:37:00,880
to look at it.
And I'm related, I'm related to
1466
01:37:00,880 --> 01:37:08,320
Joseph Smith.
And when that set in, like I, it
1467
01:37:08,600 --> 01:37:13,680
brought me to tears and I had
never felt closer to God in a,
1468
01:37:14,880 --> 01:37:18,080
in a very literal sense, like
the burning in the bosom and,
1469
01:37:18,080 --> 01:37:23,640
and just the emotional
outpouring, just thinking about
1470
01:37:23,640 --> 01:37:28,960
the implications of that, I felt
more loved and like Heavenly
1471
01:37:28,960 --> 01:37:36,320
Father and Jesus are my
grandparents, not just the, the
1472
01:37:36,320 --> 01:37:41,640
nebulous figures in the sky, but
actually real people.
1473
01:37:42,520 --> 01:37:48,520
And you know, I get because when
I initially first started coming
1474
01:37:48,520 --> 01:37:53,800
across these types of things, it
was like it was repugnant to my
1475
01:37:53,800 --> 01:38:00,120
soul at first to think that God
came down and lived on this
1476
01:38:00,120 --> 01:38:04,720
earth like that's so below him.
But the more I've thought about
1477
01:38:04,720 --> 01:38:07,960
it, the more I've studied it out
and the more I've considered
1478
01:38:08,360 --> 01:38:13,560
and, you know, considered my
feelings on it, the more it is a
1479
01:38:13,560 --> 01:38:18,160
beautiful testimony of the love
of God for me and for all of our
1480
01:38:18,400 --> 01:38:24,520
all of his other children. 100%
So when I, I, when, when, when I
1481
01:38:24,520 --> 01:38:31,000
accepted it, I remember I
studied everything I could,
1482
01:38:31,960 --> 01:38:36,680
everything I could, including
Adam, God teachings, including
1483
01:38:36,680 --> 01:38:41,240
some study guides put out by
what was then probably still the
1484
01:38:41,240 --> 01:38:44,400
gold standard of fundamentalism
and fundamentalist groups,
1485
01:38:44,960 --> 01:38:47,040
right?
Their pamphlets, which were
1486
01:38:47,040 --> 01:38:49,880
excellent on it.
But then I'd see other things in
1487
01:38:49,880 --> 01:38:51,960
Scripture that would seem to
contradict it.
1488
01:38:52,360 --> 01:38:56,160
And I say seem because
realistically, in my opinion,
1489
01:38:56,720 --> 01:39:01,920
they, they do all work together.
It is not at odds at all.
1490
01:39:02,320 --> 01:39:04,760
I do think that it's hidden for
a reason, right?
1491
01:39:04,760 --> 01:39:08,120
I think that that it is a
mystery of godliness that you
1492
01:39:08,120 --> 01:39:12,840
have to strive for.
But I couldn't make sense of it.
1493
01:39:13,720 --> 01:39:16,160
I could not make sense of it.
I had too much competing
1494
01:39:16,160 --> 01:39:18,960
information.
I was well aware the early guys
1495
01:39:18,960 --> 01:39:22,320
taught it.
But that wasn't enough for me
1496
01:39:22,320 --> 01:39:24,000
just to want to hang my hat on
that.
1497
01:39:24,360 --> 01:39:27,240
Right.
And I'm starting really values
1498
01:39:27,240 --> 01:39:30,440
history.
Yeah, but but I couldn't, I
1499
01:39:30,440 --> 01:39:34,200
couldn't rely solely on history.
So I did the only thing I knew
1500
01:39:34,200 --> 01:39:36,280
what to do at that point, which
was to pray about it.
1501
01:39:37,840 --> 01:39:39,920
And I got up and there was no
vision.
1502
01:39:39,920 --> 01:39:41,760
There was nothing miraculous
like that.
1503
01:39:42,640 --> 01:39:44,080
But there was a burning of the
bosom.
1504
01:39:44,080 --> 01:39:47,440
There was a very distinct
message that no, this is
1505
01:39:47,440 --> 01:39:51,040
correct, this is who I am to
you.
1506
01:39:53,360 --> 01:39:56,720
And so I got up and I said, OK,
this, that's, that's what it is.
1507
01:39:58,000 --> 01:40:00,440
And in that moment I was like,
I'm never going to be able to
1508
01:40:00,440 --> 01:40:03,600
explain this to another person,
right?
1509
01:40:03,920 --> 01:40:09,680
I just won't ever get it.
And then about about two months
1510
01:40:09,680 --> 01:40:13,160
after that, like the scripture,
certain scripture started to pop
1511
01:40:13,160 --> 01:40:17,240
out and I'm like, oh, wait a
second, look at that, right?
1512
01:40:17,240 --> 01:40:22,800
It was there, but for whatever
reason I couldn't see it until I
1513
01:40:22,800 --> 01:40:26,040
had went to God first about it.
Now that's my own personal
1514
01:40:26,040 --> 01:40:27,600
journey.
You could get there many
1515
01:40:27,600 --> 01:40:32,000
different ways, but that was
that was one way I got it.
1516
01:40:32,880 --> 01:40:35,600
And then is there something you
wanted to contribute there?
1517
01:40:35,600 --> 01:40:37,760
I see.
Yeah, Ether 12.
1518
01:40:37,760 --> 01:40:41,440
Go ahead.
Ether 12/6 I would show into the
1519
01:40:41,440 --> 01:40:44,040
world that faith is things which
are hoped for and not seen.
1520
01:40:44,040 --> 01:40:47,120
Wherefore dispute not because
you see not for you receive no
1521
01:40:47,120 --> 01:40:50,600
witness until after the trial of
your faith and trial is just a
1522
01:40:50,600 --> 01:40:53,200
test.
So it's basically God just wants
1523
01:40:53,200 --> 01:40:54,440
to know what we're going to
choose.
1524
01:40:55,080 --> 01:40:58,080
He wants to know what do you
want?
1525
01:40:59,000 --> 01:41:05,600
And if you want to believe it,
he will let he will, He will
1526
01:41:05,640 --> 01:41:10,680
provide evidence.
He will provide proof, He will
1527
01:41:10,680 --> 01:41:12,960
provide a witness.
You know, the burning in the
1528
01:41:12,960 --> 01:41:15,840
bosom, not it.
I'm not talking about proof in
1529
01:41:15,840 --> 01:41:20,160
like a, you know, empirical or
even scriptural.
1530
01:41:20,800 --> 01:41:25,400
In your case, it was scriptural,
but but yeah, just some form of
1531
01:41:25,400 --> 01:41:27,880
a witness.
God has made this promise.
1532
01:41:28,640 --> 01:41:33,920
And so, yeah, we're for dispute,
not because you see not it's one
1533
01:41:33,920 --> 01:41:37,800
thing to say you can't prove
it's true.
1534
01:41:37,800 --> 01:41:42,280
It's another thing to say, but
neither you neither can you
1535
01:41:42,280 --> 01:41:44,280
prove it's false.
This is the kind of the
1536
01:41:44,280 --> 01:41:50,400
conundrum I like to present to
atheists who become that that I
1537
01:41:50,400 --> 01:41:54,480
get involved with in discussions
with is it's like, yeah, I can't
1538
01:41:54,480 --> 01:42:01,760
prove to you that God lives, but
ultimately you have to exercise
1539
01:42:01,760 --> 01:42:07,280
greater faith that God doesn't
exist because yeah, I've never
1540
01:42:07,280 --> 01:42:10,200
seen touch, heard, felt, you
know, smelled God.
1541
01:42:10,520 --> 01:42:12,480
Neither of you, none of neither
of us has.
1542
01:42:14,560 --> 01:42:18,480
But creation is self-evident.
You look out, you look out at
1543
01:42:18,480 --> 01:42:21,760
the, the trees on the mountain,
you go out just in your yard, go
1544
01:42:21,760 --> 01:42:23,960
look at a blade of grass or a
dandelion plant.
1545
01:42:24,240 --> 01:42:27,720
You pick up any little piece of
creation or a, a creature, a
1546
01:42:27,720 --> 01:42:31,720
little insect or a, you know, if
you have a pet or a child, you
1547
01:42:31,720 --> 01:42:36,200
look in the, at, at, in detail.
You look real close at any of
1548
01:42:36,200 --> 01:42:39,720
these creations and you look at
the symmetry, the beauty, the
1549
01:42:39,720 --> 01:42:44,400
order, and then try to tell me
with a straight face that that
1550
01:42:44,400 --> 01:42:48,760
just was random happenstance
that you believe in.
1551
01:42:48,760 --> 01:42:54,400
That takes way more faith than
to believe in a creator, because
1552
01:42:54,920 --> 01:42:57,520
creation is self-evident.
Right.
1553
01:42:57,680 --> 01:43:02,000
Yep, absolutely.
I, I want to end with this and
1554
01:43:02,000 --> 01:43:04,000
then I'll turn it back to you
for anything else you got.
1555
01:43:04,000 --> 01:43:10,240
You got to want to add here.
One of the things that I think
1556
01:43:10,240 --> 01:43:13,000
scare people about the Adam of
God doctrine is it feels like
1557
01:43:13,000 --> 01:43:17,400
we're dragging God down to us,
and that's not what's happening.
1558
01:43:18,320 --> 01:43:20,960
What's happening with the
acceptance of that is that we
1559
01:43:20,960 --> 01:43:25,960
are raising ourselves up
intellectually, spiritually to
1560
01:43:25,960 --> 01:43:29,040
where he's at.
Get that out of the way.
1561
01:43:30,240 --> 01:43:37,760
What is the for me, the big
message on the fall and the
1562
01:43:37,760 --> 01:43:48,520
atonement is love.
It took, it took three gods at
1563
01:43:48,520 --> 01:43:52,520
least to get us to where we want
to be.
1564
01:43:54,560 --> 01:44:01,560
It took our mother and father
being willing to make a
1565
01:44:01,560 --> 01:44:05,240
sacrifice, knowing full well
what it would entail.
1566
01:44:05,680 --> 01:44:07,800
They could compare and they
could contrast.
1567
01:44:08,840 --> 01:44:10,680
I'm going to go back into
mortality.
1568
01:44:10,840 --> 01:44:12,520
I'm going to become mortal
again.
1569
01:44:12,880 --> 01:44:16,760
I'm going to feel the sensations
of pain and hunger and heat and
1570
01:44:16,760 --> 01:44:24,120
thirst and cold and loss of my
children potentially, and all
1571
01:44:24,120 --> 01:44:30,200
these things.
But I love them so much that I
1572
01:44:30,200 --> 01:44:34,360
cannot not make the sacrifice
for them to give them this
1573
01:44:34,520 --> 01:44:38,240
chance.
And then it took the love of our
1574
01:44:38,240 --> 01:44:44,800
savior, our elder brother, to
say, yeah, I'll, I'll, I'll do
1575
01:44:44,800 --> 01:44:47,040
the next part.
Let me take that.
1576
01:44:49,760 --> 01:44:57,200
Why would anybody in an exalted
station like that ever do what
1577
01:44:57,200 --> 01:45:04,280
they did except for love?
And so if someone asked me what
1578
01:45:04,280 --> 01:45:09,240
does the fall represent, it's
not evil, it's not depravity,
1579
01:45:09,680 --> 01:45:16,120
it's not disobedience.
It is love of children and
1580
01:45:16,120 --> 01:45:23,520
family above all other things,
above all other things that
1581
01:45:23,520 --> 01:45:29,040
love.
A veil of forgetfulness could
1582
01:45:29,040 --> 01:45:33,840
not stop the love that our
parents had for us from coming
1583
01:45:33,840 --> 01:45:35,640
forward to do what they needed
to do.
1584
01:45:37,320 --> 01:45:41,080
And that's I think the big take
away that we should, we should
1585
01:45:41,080 --> 01:45:44,000
all look at.
I think we need you pointed out
1586
01:45:44,000 --> 01:45:47,800
that the atonement was just as
important as the fall.
1587
01:45:48,400 --> 01:45:51,920
And I agree with that.
And I'm going to make another
1588
01:45:51,920 --> 01:45:56,000
bold statement here.
We should just like we fall to
1589
01:45:56,000 --> 01:46:00,320
our knees and thank God for the
atonement every day, we need
1590
01:46:00,320 --> 01:46:04,640
likewise to fall to our knees
and thank God for the fall every
1591
01:46:04,640 --> 01:46:07,640
day.
Because without it, we're not
1592
01:46:07,640 --> 01:46:12,240
here and we don't have the
opportunity to grow and to learn
1593
01:46:12,240 --> 01:46:16,000
and to take our lumps and to
experience the beauty that is
1594
01:46:16,000 --> 01:46:21,800
life and a sense of joy, knowing
that it all has a purpose.
1595
01:46:22,320 --> 01:46:25,680
And so what's the importance of
these things?
1596
01:46:25,720 --> 01:46:29,320
It's the importance is you know
that God loves you.
1597
01:46:29,320 --> 01:46:31,800
And that's where real
relationship starts.
1598
01:46:32,640 --> 01:46:37,280
And you want a relationship, you
need to know the qualities of
1599
01:46:37,280 --> 01:46:39,680
the person you want to have that
relationship with.
1600
01:46:40,160 --> 01:46:46,560
And by necessity, God cannot be
a creature that is so foreign
1601
01:46:46,560 --> 01:46:53,080
that he cannot be comprehended.
I can't think of a father who
1602
01:46:53,080 --> 01:46:55,880
doesn't want their sons and
their daughters at some level to
1603
01:46:55,880 --> 01:46:59,480
comprehend them at least to the
point that they loved them so
1604
01:46:59,480 --> 01:47:03,640
much that they would sacrifice
any and everything for them.
1605
01:47:04,400 --> 01:47:07,920
And I'll, I'll hang it up right
there and, and let you close
1606
01:47:07,920 --> 01:47:13,800
this out here, bro.
Yeah, so I, I hinted at it at
1607
01:47:13,800 --> 01:47:21,120
the beginning, but so I've been
working on some songs and, you
1608
01:47:21,120 --> 01:47:25,560
know, I'm, I do most of the
music compositional and, and,
1609
01:47:25,560 --> 01:47:27,480
and recording performances and
stuff.
1610
01:47:27,840 --> 01:47:31,680
Justin Frankham, who's a good
friend of both of ours.
1611
01:47:32,320 --> 01:47:36,440
He is kind of a poet and he's
been, he's the lyricist and, you
1612
01:47:36,440 --> 01:47:38,600
know, we've been writing music
together for a long time.
1613
01:47:38,600 --> 01:47:41,280
We we got busy, we got married
and started having a bunch of
1614
01:47:41,280 --> 01:47:42,880
kids.
And so it's been a while since
1615
01:47:42,880 --> 01:47:47,400
we've really collaborated, but,
but this is something that I
1616
01:47:47,400 --> 01:47:54,280
wanted to, rather than just like
talk about scriptures, I wanted
1617
01:47:54,280 --> 01:47:58,240
to really do it justice in a, in
a feelings way.
1618
01:47:58,680 --> 01:48:01,680
And, and nothing, music is the
universal language.
1619
01:48:01,680 --> 01:48:05,240
People can feel the spirit,
whether it's in spoken in, you
1620
01:48:05,240 --> 01:48:07,760
know, Chinese or Dutch or who
cares?
1621
01:48:07,800 --> 01:48:11,560
Like that is a, is a universal
language everyone can
1622
01:48:11,560 --> 01:48:17,840
understand.
And and so for that reason, this
1623
01:48:17,840 --> 01:48:21,880
is a super rough thing.
I've only recorded on my phone.
1624
01:48:21,880 --> 01:48:24,200
It's just like the it's
basically more in the
1625
01:48:24,200 --> 01:48:30,480
compositional stage, but I'd
like to maybe share one song on
1626
01:48:30,480 --> 01:48:34,160
on Michael Adam.
So the in the song it's it's
1627
01:48:34,160 --> 01:48:36,760
kind of a working title.
It's a Michael the Prince.
1628
01:48:37,680 --> 01:48:40,480
Cool.
OK, tell me if you can hear
1629
01:48:40,480 --> 01:53:08,880
this.
RO that was awesome.
1630
01:53:09,440 --> 01:53:12,000
So you wrote the music and then
Justin wrote the lyrics?
1631
01:53:12,240 --> 01:53:16,640
Yeah, so I, I, I wrote the piano
part and then the melody, and
1632
01:53:16,640 --> 01:53:20,880
then Justin wrote the lyrics and
yeah, we're actually, we're,
1633
01:53:21,000 --> 01:53:25,000
we're writing a whole album.
So that's track to Michael the
1634
01:53:25,000 --> 01:53:28,000
Prince.
Then the next one's going to be
1635
01:53:28,160 --> 01:53:33,000
a a song sung from Michael's
perspective about his wife Eve.
1636
01:53:33,560 --> 01:53:37,960
And then we've actually got a a
female vocalist that's going to
1637
01:53:37,960 --> 01:53:42,280
be participating, contributing
to Sing Eve's song, which is
1638
01:53:42,280 --> 01:53:45,960
kind of a re imagination of for
the beauty of the Earth.
1639
01:53:47,080 --> 01:53:51,760
Nice.
And and then then we're going to
1640
01:53:52,160 --> 01:53:56,360
kind of go into the garden, tell
that story, but from a, from a,
1641
01:53:56,360 --> 01:53:58,800
a fullness of the gospel
perspective.
1642
01:53:58,800 --> 01:54:03,160
And anyway, it's awesome.
It's kind of ambitious, but and
1643
01:54:03,160 --> 01:54:06,320
forgive the poor audio quality.
You could probably hear my kids
1644
01:54:06,320 --> 01:54:09,440
in the background and some
dishes clanking because I was
1645
01:54:09,440 --> 01:54:11,040
just recording it on my phone.
But.
1646
01:54:11,040 --> 01:54:13,320
Tells me it's Mormon.
Yeah, I mean, right.
1647
01:54:14,720 --> 01:54:17,440
Yeah, there's really.
It's hard to find a quiet place
1648
01:54:17,440 --> 01:54:18,920
in my house.
We got 8.
1649
01:54:18,920 --> 01:54:19,640
Kids.
No, I get it.
1650
01:54:19,840 --> 01:54:21,600
I get it.
No, dude, that was, that was
1651
01:54:21,600 --> 01:54:23,800
awesome.
That, that was great.
1652
01:54:23,800 --> 01:54:25,600
Keep it.
Keep me informed on how that's
1653
01:54:25,640 --> 01:54:28,040
going so I can let others know
because I imagine there's quite
1654
01:54:28,040 --> 01:54:31,400
a few people that would like to
like to put their hands on that
1655
01:54:31,400 --> 01:54:33,240
when you guys are done.
Yeah.
1656
01:54:33,240 --> 01:54:36,160
And the plan is we're going to
just make it available for free,
1657
01:54:36,480 --> 01:54:39,080
but with like a tip jar if
anybody wants to contribute to
1658
01:54:39,080 --> 01:54:43,880
this and maybe future projects.
But so Justin and I, we actually
1659
01:54:43,960 --> 01:54:48,440
wrote out an album when we were
kind of in college about more
1660
01:54:48,440 --> 01:54:50,840
like freedom, constitutional
type of stuff.
1661
01:54:51,320 --> 01:54:55,920
And so this is not our first
musical project that we've
1662
01:54:55,920 --> 01:55:01,600
worked on together and but it's
been a lot of years, so.
1663
01:55:01,600 --> 01:55:05,160
Been a minute.
Yeah, well, no, it sounded good,
1664
01:55:05,160 --> 01:55:06,760
dude.
I'm excited to hear the rest of
1665
01:55:06,760 --> 01:55:09,800
them.
So yeah, I'll, I'll keep you
1666
01:55:09,800 --> 01:55:11,800
posted.
Probably the end of the year
1667
01:55:11,800 --> 01:55:14,920
ish, OK.
It's kind of the tentative
1668
01:55:15,360 --> 01:55:18,840
schedule that we're planning on.
But yeah, like I say, it'll be
1669
01:55:18,840 --> 01:55:21,960
available for free.
In fact, I'm, I'm also writing
1670
01:55:21,960 --> 01:55:25,000
out the music, like the score,
so like the sheet music.
1671
01:55:25,360 --> 01:55:28,560
So if anybody was interested in
that, because I'd like to make
1672
01:55:28,560 --> 01:55:32,440
this available to anyone and
everyone that is interested in
1673
01:55:32,880 --> 01:55:36,160
even doing it yourself, you
know, make a make a road show
1674
01:55:36,160 --> 01:55:39,120
out of it.
Bring back bring back Rd. shows.
1675
01:55:40,000 --> 01:55:42,520
Make Rd. shows great again.
Make Rd. shows great again.
1676
01:55:43,400 --> 01:55:44,240
No.
Awesome.
1677
01:55:44,800 --> 01:55:47,360
Well dude, that was good stuff.
Anything else you want to say
1678
01:55:47,360 --> 01:55:51,440
before we wrap this up?
Just my testimony, which is
1679
01:55:51,840 --> 01:55:59,840
that, you know, God doesn't need
us to believe in him, but if we
1680
01:55:59,840 --> 01:56:05,840
can overcome our traditions, if
we can catch a glimpse of his
1681
01:56:05,840 --> 01:56:10,000
and her, you know, because God
is both mother and father and
1682
01:56:10,000 --> 01:56:14,440
their divinity and, and beauty
and love for us and just their
1683
01:56:14,440 --> 01:56:18,200
power and strength.
Like all of these things that
1684
01:56:18,360 --> 01:56:23,280
that it will enrich your life
and it, it will help as we're
1685
01:56:23,280 --> 01:56:26,040
striving to build a relationship
because that's really what the
1686
01:56:26,040 --> 01:56:29,680
gospel is all about is being in
relationship with God.
1687
01:56:29,680 --> 01:56:37,480
And, and, and so, but it's hard
to build a like real, solid,
1688
01:56:37,920 --> 01:56:39,960
meaningful relationship with a
stranger.
1689
01:56:40,760 --> 01:56:44,960
And it, when you make friends
with God, that's, that's, that's
1690
01:56:44,960 --> 01:56:48,200
a good step.
But I tell you what, when you
1691
01:56:48,200 --> 01:56:53,840
realize that he's your grandpa,
it's, it's in the next level.
1692
01:56:54,160 --> 01:56:57,720
It truly is.
And so that's just my, my
1693
01:56:57,720 --> 01:57:01,680
parting testimony.
This has greatly enriched my
1694
01:57:01,680 --> 01:57:06,880
life and made my my relationship
with my heavenly parents far
1695
01:57:06,880 --> 01:57:11,080
more immediate and real.
And so I just invite anybody
1696
01:57:11,080 --> 01:57:15,040
else that maybe is on the fence
or, you know, struggles with
1697
01:57:15,040 --> 01:57:16,440
these.
Maybe you were taught them as
1698
01:57:16,440 --> 01:57:19,120
kids if you come from a
fundamentalist background, but
1699
01:57:19,400 --> 01:57:21,960
but maybe it's not something
that you've clung to throughout
1700
01:57:21,960 --> 01:57:24,800
your life.
Give it another look.
1701
01:57:25,320 --> 01:57:30,640
If you're coming from the LDS
church perspective like I did, I
1702
01:57:30,640 --> 01:57:36,120
understand this is foreign, but
that doesn't mean it's wrong.
1703
01:57:38,280 --> 01:57:41,040
And and it's, it's beautiful and
it's powerful.
1704
01:57:41,400 --> 01:57:44,600
So hopefully, maybe I was, I was
hoping maybe the music could
1705
01:57:44,920 --> 01:57:49,280
convey some of that spirit as
well it.
1706
01:57:49,400 --> 01:57:51,480
Absolutely did.
Well, dude, that was awesome.
1707
01:57:51,920 --> 01:57:54,120
We'll do it again.
All right, deal.
1708
01:57:54,120 --> 01:57:55,560
All right, hang tight. 5
minutes.
1709
01:57:55,560 --> 01:57:57,080
Thanks.
See you, everybody.
1710
01:57:57,240 --> 01:57:57,600
Bye.